<h4>Chapter 1189: Half-Step Martial Emperor</h4>


    If not for the people present having extraordinary eyesight, they would not have been able to tell that Xiao Chen had paused before picking some more food.


    The one most shocked was none other than that man in splendid clothes. He choked on the wine he drank, coughing endlessly.


    “Dang!”


    Xiao Chen heavily put down the wine cup in his hand. His gaze was like lightning as he looked up at Dugu Ao. He said, “I happen to be looking for someone to practice with. You are a pretty good opponent. However, this ce is too small. I believe you feel very restricted as well. How about we change locations?”


    Dugu Ao was indeed a pretty good opponent; Xiao Chen was not lying. The other party possessed the strength of a Consummation quasi-Emperor and was also a well-known figure.


    Dugu Ao’s punch earlier, which wasunched in anger, had shown countless openings. The fact that Xiao Chen used two chopsticks to force him back could not be used to evaluate the other party’s strength.


    Xiao Chen was very clear on this point.


    In order to defeat the other party, Xiao Chen would have to put in some effort. After all, the other party was older by twenty years. Also, he possessed extraordinary talent and was a human-Demon mixed-blood.


    Even so, Xiao Chen would only find him slightly difficult to deal with and would not be frightened of him.


    Dugu Ao was still young and frivolous, filled with vigor. So how could he endure such negative remarks? He smiled and said, “With just some tricks, you dare to boast like that in front of me? How bold! I will grant your wish. Pick a ce, anywhere within this Treasure Dragon City.”


    Both of you are outstanding young talents. Why the need to make such a big fuss over such a small matter?


    Just as the two were about to make a move, a voice resounded in both their minds. This was someone projecting his voice. Furthermore, he did so to both of them at the same time. His means were quite wondrous.


    Xiao Chen’s and Dugu Ao’s expressions changed at the same time. They sent out their perception or Spiritual Sense, trying to find the source of the voice projection.


    In the end, both of them were shocked to discover that they could not find who sent the voice projection. However, given that this person saw their actions clearly, he was definitely not far away.


    To think that given the two’s cultivations, they did not discover the other party immediately!


    Xiao Chen continued searching with his Spiritual Sense and could only figure out a vague direction. The person who sent the voice projection should be in one of the booths on the fifth floor. However, he could not pinpoint which booth. He also could not make out the cultivation of the person who sent the voice projection. Regardless, it should be significantly higher than the two’s.


    Half-step Martial Emperor!


    These words appeared in the two’s minds at the same time. Unexpectedly, there was still a half-step Martial Emperor in the restaurant.


    This realization deterred the two from acting rashly. They did not know what the intentions of the person who sent the voice projection were.


    There is no need to keep looking. If the two of you are willing to let matters rest,e to the restaurant at midnight, and I will give you two an opportunity, the person who projected this voice said. His meaning was clear: he fancied the two’s strength and wanted to recruit them as helpers.


    When Dugu Ao heard this, he rxed. This was not the first time he encountered things like this.


    Normally, those who wanted to explore the dragon graves in Dragon Grave Sea would work together to do so. Aside from some highly skilled or bold people, few would operate alone.


    However, this was Dugu Ao’s first time seeing a half-step Martial Emperor trying to find people to work with, so it sparked a keen interest in his heart.


    “Consider yourself lucky. Today’s matter allowed you to live for a few more days.” Dugu Ao smiled arrogantly and ignored Xiao Chen, finding another table to have some food and wine.


    Xiao Chen also guessed that person’s intentions. However, since he did not know the exact situation of the other party, he decided to wait first and see.


    When the person who sent the voice projection saw that these other two did not make any further moves, he did not say anymore, believing that he already settled the matter.


    Ao Jiao, do you think I should go on this trip? Xiao Chen had intended to leave. However, this sudden invitation piqued his interest somewhat.


    You might as well try. This person is so secretive, and furthermore, he needed to find help despite being a half-step Martial Emperor. Clearly, the dragon grave he is going to explore is extraordinary.


    Ao Jiao rationally analyzed for Xiao Chen from the Immortal Spirit Ring. The most important thing is that with your current strength, even when facing a half-step Martial Emperor, you are still capable of fleeing safely. You have the strength to cooperate with him and not fear any tricks that he might y.


    In that case, I’ll listen to you. Tonight, I’ll go and see what’s up.


    Several cultivators found the sudden quelling of the hostile exchange on the second floor strange.


    However, this was the Dragon Grave Sea. It would neverck a conversation topic. Soon, the restaurant’s usual liveliness returned.


    Xiao Chen went back to his room and took out an Essence Stone to cultivate with, quietly waiting for the call of the other party.


    Cultivating with Essence Stones allowed Xiao Chen’s cultivation to advance rapidly. It had only been about one month since he left the ck Sea. Even so, he already reached the peak of Great Perfection quasi-Emperor.


    Right now, Xiao Chen was using the Essence Stones to temper his cultivation, toy a good foundation.


    Now that he had reached peak Great Perfection quasi-Emperor, his Heavenly Laws had already doubled to over twenty thousand.


    Furthermore, with his continual tempering, these Heavenly Laws became extremely dense and not loose at all. It was no longer the situation of havingrge numbers but low quality.


    Right now, all he needed to do was continue tempering his Heavenly Laws. After he obtained the Death Fruit and the Flower of Life, he would use the Life and Death Art to condense a Heart of an Emperor, and he would be able to break through to Consummation quasi-Emperor.


    ---


    The night was as cool as water; the moonlight of this night was not bright at all.


    While cultivating, Xiao Chen heard some soft footsteps. He stopped cultivating and opened his eyes, knowing that the news he was waiting for was about to arrive.


    “Knock! Knock!”


    Knocking sounds rang out. A manservant outside the door said, “Dear guest, the honored guest in a booth on the fifth floor sent you an invitation.”


    Xiao Chen pushed open the door and received the card. After he learned which booth it was, he sent away the manservant.


    There was no information on the card, just an invitation. However, the words on the invitation card appeared extremely mysterious and cryptic.


    “Hope, do not disappoint me.”


    Xiao Chen put away the invitation and headed for the booth on the fifth floor with some anticipation and cautiousness. Then, he knocked on the door.


    After Xiao Chen handed over the invitation, someone brought him into the booth. It turned out that there was a small world in there with a secret pavilion.


    Quite a few people were in the secret pavilion already. Even Dugu Ao was there. There was a total of nine people; adding Xiao Chen brought that number to ten.


    Xiao Chen quickly looked around and felt more confident. Aside from the ck-d old man in the middle, who was a half-step Martial Emperor, the other eight were all Consummation quasi-Emperors around the same level as Dugu Ao and hiding themselves very deeply.


    On the right side was a middle-aged couple with swords on their backs. In this group of ruthless people, they were the ones with the least evil air about them.


    To the side of the half-step Martial Emperor old man was another old man who looked ancient. This person was probably the oldest of everyone in this secret pavilion, at least eight hundred years old.


    This old man wore a straw rain cape, and his face looked aged. He had the appearance of not caring about the mundane. When Xiao Chen arrived, he did not even bat an eyelid.


    There was also arge fatso who looked rather perverted. This fatso did not even try hiding the fact that he was staring at the middle-aged swordswoman with the sword on her back, making her partner extremely unhappy.


    Of the remaining three—two females and one male—they were all of the Fiend Race. The baleful auraing from them was very heavy, probably the result of killing a lot of people.


    One woman was from the Venom Spider Race. She was dressed in indistinct robes made of ck spider silk. Her voluptuous figure and sinister face gave off an alluring air. The Venom Spider Race was a rather rare Fiend Race in the oceanic world, so Xiao Chen’s gaze lingered on her for an extra moment.


    The other woman was of the Silver Shark Race. She wore a ck veil and showed a cold expression, which concealed her thoughts.


    The lone male Fiend Race cultivator was of the Huge Elephant Race. This person possessed a darkplexion. The moment he saw Xiao Chen, he made a hostile expression.


    This was an extremely elite group. Not only was there a half-step Martial Emperor, but all the Consummation quasi-Emperors here were also well-known figures.


    With such a strong group, what kind of dragon grave could they not barge into? Yet, the leader was still worried and invited Dugu Ao and himself.


    “Boss Yang, even if we can’t find people, there is no need to recruit so casually to make up the numbers. To think you even invited a Great Perfection quasi-Emperor!” the Huge Elephant Race man who seemed hostile to Xiao Chen said in a neutral tone.


    “Brat, not just anyone can go to where we are going. Don’t throw your life away.”


    After saying this, the Huge Elephant Race man stepped forward and ced his hand on Xiao Chen’s shoulder. Then, he used his great strength, trying to push Xiao Chen out.


    The Huge Elephant Race was known from their innate boundless strength. This seemingly casual push was actually several thousand tons of force.


    Everyone knew that the cirction of Vital Qi was even faster than that of Law Energy or Quintessence. One could use their Vital Qi with merely a thought.


    When the group saw the dark-skinned man suddenly making a move, they all expected Xiao Chen to get pushed back and crash heavily into the wall of the secret pavilion.


    To everybody’s surprise, when the dark-skinned man made his move, Xiao Chen, who wore the Fleeting Shadow Gloves, responded at an even faster speed. Despite Xiao Chen actingter, his movended first.


    “Bang!”


    The dark-skinned man quickly flew back like a cannonball. Due to being caught off guard, he fell to the ground, appearing ratherical.


    At this sight, everyone’s eyes lit up. Now, when they looked at Xiao Chen, they all adopted a cautious attitude.


    This was especially so for Dugu Ao, who was very surprised. He had not expected that aside from Xiao Chen’s shy trick earlier, Xiao Chen also had the strength to back it up.


    For Xiao Chen to be able to knock the Huge Elephant Race cultivator into the air, his physical strength could not be underestimated, even though his speed yed a part as well.


    “Enough, he is someone I chose. I do not need you to test him.”


    Yang Kai, the half-step Martial Emperor, rapped on the table, shouting to stop the dark-skinned man who was climbing back to his feet, intending to fight.


    “I’m sure no one has any objections about Dugu Ao’s strength. I suppose there is also no more objection over this little brother’s strength, right?” Yang Kai continued indifferently.


    “Haha! He was able to gain the upper hand on a Huge Elephant Race cultivator in physical strength. How can we object?” the fatso retorted with a smile, upsetting the dark-skinned Huge Elephant Race man.


    However, due to having to give Yang Kai face, the Huge Elephant Race man could not lose his temper here and could only endure while feeling sullen.


    None of the other cultivators had any objections. So, after Yang Kai performed a round of introductions, he said to Xiao Chen, “Little Brother, since you are here, I’m guessing you managed to deduce some of what is going on. I will keep things short. This old man discovered an Eight Star dragon grave that no one has explored before in this Dragon Grave Sea. If Little Brother is interested, you can join us.


    “If you are not interested, that is fine as well. I’ll just knock you out for a few days to prevent you from leaking news about us.”