《The Immortal's Wine Store》


 Chapter 1 - The Humble Store

    <h4>Chapter 1 - The Humble Store </h4>


    In the world of Nuar, multiple races fought for supremacy. But after fighting for countless millennia only one race was able to subdue everyone, the demon race.


    The demon race was well-known for its unusually cruel nature and foul deeds. They despised all other races, seeing them as lesser beings there to do their bidding. But because of their strength, no one dared to oppose their rule.


    The demons thought that their reign would continue for several more years, but they never realized that because of their sordid actions, more than half of the other races joined hands to create an alliance in order to thwart their leadership before it could even sprout.


    Another war ensued after the rebellion of the allied races. The battle during that time was even more bloodied and it caused the extinction of several races.


    The demons used their physically strong bodies and their huge numbers of vassal forces to overpower the alliance. Both sides lost countless valiant warriors, but neither stopped the fight.


    After several dozen years of war, the two opposing parties pledged an agreement. They would divide the world into two, and both of them would live in their own separate worlds.


    What happened was that they did not literally divide the world into two, but instead, they would live in two separate continents, the Profound Dragon Continent and the Crimson Fiend Continent. The alliance would live in the former continent while the demons would live in thetter.


    There were three continents in the world of Nuar, but the third continent was gued by countless ferocious beasts and there were even rumors of 10th-rank God beasts residing within the continent. Thus, even the demons were wary about the said continent which everyone named as the Divine Beast Continent.


    More than fifty thousand years after the war between the alliance and the demon race, the alliance lived a harmonious life within the Profound Dragon Continent. There were shes among them, but it did not reach the point where it had to involve countless races.


    * * *


    Profound Dragon Continent, Beltran City, the capital city of the Silver Wing Empire.


    The empire was established by one of the strongest heroes of the alliance after the rebellion fifty thousand years ago, Grimgar Silveria.


    The current emperor, Elyk Silveria II, had inherited his ancestor¡¯s good genes. Despite his old age, he was already at the 8th-ranked Divine level. His strength was a deterrent force that scared the prying eyes of the neighboring empires.


    And aside from their strong emperor, the empire was also known for its monstrous Silver Wing Army. And to be part of that army, one must be at least at the 3rd-ranked Crusader level. It means that everyone in that army was all strong men.


    In one of the busiest streets of Beltran City, a lot of pedestrians can be seen walking around. The sound of chattering crowds can be heard within the busy streets. Several restaurants and inns can also be seen everywhere. The fragrant aroma of exquisite cuisines cooked by the most famous chefs in the empire lingered for a long period of time.


    In one corner of the street with much lesser pedestrians, a humble store can be seen. It only had a small signboard with the store¡¯s name written on it roughly, ¡¯The Immortal¡¯s Wine¡¯. Its eye-catching name was a stark contrast to the humble exterior of the store itself.


    A few curious pedestrians would sometimes nce at the store and smirk in condescension after seeing its arrogant name. They shook their heads and walked past the store, disregarding it.


    A tall and handsome young man with long silver hair tied in a ponytail stepped out of the store, his face was emotionless as if he was unbothered by everyone¡¯s scornful looks. He satzily on a wooden chair ced outside his store.


    The young man¡¯s name was Jiu Shen, and he was formerly a peak immortal who was brutally beaten and trapped by Celestial Emperor Lao Gou in a God Sealing Tower because thetter¡¯s second wife had taken a liking to him. He had mysteriously transmigrated into this world right after his death and a mechanical voice also speaks inside his brain to give him ¡¯missions¡¯. The voice in his head kept on telling him to brew wine every single day to practice his wine-making skills.


    Although he was trapped for an uncountable amount of years inside the God Sealing Tower, he had also lived for innumerable eons and he knew a thing or two about wines. Heck, he even tasted Celestial Emperor Lao Gou¡¯s Heavenly Void Dragon Urn.


    He practiced his wine-making skills after the endless ramblings of the system inside his head, and he learned that he was actually talented with it. In not less than a day, he was already capable of making a wine that was able to preserve 60% of the true essence from the ingredients he used.


    Although it was only a little more than half of the amount of true essence contained within the ingredients, it was still astonishing progress for someone who had practiced for merely a day. Even most of the wine masters had to practice their skills for more than several decades just to achieve what he had achieved in a single day.


    He was already in Beltran City for more than a month, but not even one customer came inside his store. Not even one person bothered to check what was sold inside, but he did not care one bit.


    A chubby white cat meowed at the young man in a cute manner before it jumped on him and curled upzily on hisp. He rubbed the cat¡¯s head gently while looking at it expressionlessly. The fat cat closed its eyes in delight as it allowed the young man to rub its head.


    It meowed adorably at him as if it was asking for something. Jiu Shen¡¯s lips twitched upwards to form a faint smile, but his detached eyes never changed.


    "Howe a God beast progeny like you only knows how to eat?"


    He carried the chubby cat inside the store and fed it with milk that the system produced daily to be given to the cat.


    Jiu Shen indifferently watched the cat he had randomly named Ice as it licked the milk provided by the system greedily.


    - Ding!


    - First Mission: Sell your first wine within 3 days. A reward will be given for sessfully aplishing the mission.

 Chapter 2 - First Customer

    <h4>Chapter 2 - First Customer </h4>


    Jiu Shen heard the system¡¯s mechanical voice inside his head. He was unperturbed as it had been almost a month since the system provided that mission, but no souls even went inside the store. And if there was really someone curious enough toe inside, then what would his/her reaction be after seeing the exorbitant prices of each of his wine?


    Jiu Shen nced at the small ckboard with the list of items written on it.


    * Mystic Jade - 1 True Crystal


    * Ables nc - 5 True Crystals


    The prices of the wines were determined by the system, and Jiu Shen could do nothing but agree with it helplessly. And besides, he trusted the system that had magically transmigrated him to this world.


    There were only two wines sold at the moment and both of which were already priced at crystals! True Crystal was the currency of the cultivators and they can also use it to hasten their cultivation speed since a True Crystal contains pure true essence. So the value of True Crystals was definitely high.


    The Profound Dragon Continent used the currency of coins. One hundred Copper Coins was equivalent to one Silver Coin, one hundred Silver Coins was equivalent to one Gold Coin, and one hundred Gold Coins was worth one True Crystal.


    But not everyone had ess to True Crystals. Only the noble families and the rich merchants had ess to it. But still, ten Silver Coins was more than enough for amoner¡¯s family to livefortably for a month¡¯s time.


    * * *


    As Jiu Shen was busy watching Ice lick the milk provided by the system greedily, he felt someone stepping inside his store. He curiously studied the man who went inside his store.


    It was a tall and boorish middle-aged man with rough facial features. One look and anybody could tell that he was a mercenary.


    The man nced at Jiu Shen while wearing an ugly smile. He approached Jiu Shen at a pace that was neither fast nor slow, but Jiu Shen knew that the man was up to no good.


    "Are you the owner here? What does your store sell?" The man nced around the store as he asked Jiu Shen.


    "If you want to buy something, check that first."


    Jiu Shen pointed at the ckboard nonchntly.


    The boorish man¡¯s pupils popped out of their sockets after seeing what was written on the small ck ckboard. He speechlessly looked at Jiu Shen while pointing at the ckboard with his shaking hands.


    "Are you sure that you have not written that incorrectly? I think you have mistaken Copper Coins as True Crystals."


    Jiu Shen frowned at his exaggerated reaction but he shook his head in reply.


    "What the hell?! A jar of wine for 1 True Crystal?! And the other one is even sold at 5 fucking True Crystals?! Are you fucking kidding me, brat?! Even if the emperor¡¯s Phoenix¡¯s Godly mes Wine was sold for 100 True Crystals every jar, do you think that your lousy wine reached a hundredth of the emperor¡¯s wine?!" The man¡¯s messy beard trembled as he loudly cursed at Jiu Shen. His spittle dropped heavily like rain, but an invisible energy prevented it from dropping on Jiu Shen¡¯s skin.


    The man¡¯s 4th-rank Knight Crusader strength burst like a raging storm, but Jiu Shen ignored the man and just silently watch Ice lick its milk. Even after he disyed his strength, Jiu Shen still treated him like a fart.


    "This brat actually dares to disregard this Lord! Truly tired of living! Don¡¯t me me for being rude!"


    The man¡¯s anger rose after being ignored by Jiu Shen and he decided to erase all pretense and show his true intentions foring inside his store.


    He was about to grab Jiu Shen¡¯s cor when he felt a hand hold his arm firmly like a vise grip. He pulled his arm with his 4th-rank Knight Crusader strength fully disyed, but the hand holding him was unmoved.


    The boorish man¡¯s body turned cold and he could not help but think of something incredulous. ¡¯Could this young man be a 6th-rank King? Because if he was just a 5th-rank Spirit, then I could at least struggle free from his hold. So the only possibility is... this casanova-looking young man in front of me is at the very least a 6th-rank King. Ho- How is that even possible?! Unless this young man is the emperor¡¯s bastard child and had inherited all of his dominant genes?¡¯


    The boorish-looking middle-aged man was sweating crazily at his own thoughts. He swallowed his dry saliva and his lips twitched.


    "Winemaster, you misunderstand me. I merely wanted to give your shoulder a pat as thanks for allowing me to taste a wine that is on par with the emperor¡¯s Phoenix¡¯s Godly mes Wine. It¡¯s just a few True Crystals, and it¡¯s not like I¡¯m short on money. Can you release me now and let me have a taste of your wondrous wines?"


    The boorish man forced a crooked smile as he nced at Jiu Shen¡¯s emotionless face. Thetter formed an O shape in his mouth as if he had finallyprehended the man¡¯s words.


    "Oh, okay. Which of the two would you like to order?"


    The boorish middle-aged man¡¯s intestines contorted but he still maintained his crooked smile as he shakily pointed his order.


    "I... I want something light for now, winemaster. Can you give me a jar of Mystic Jade?" This was the cheaper one between the two wines sold inside this store, but its price was still 1 True Crystal. His heart bled terribly, but who told him to foolishly storm inside this store and ask for protection money? He wasn¡¯t even able to announce his intentions, but he was d that he didn¡¯t do so, or his fate would have been unknown.


    Jiu Shen calmly nodded his head and went inside the storage room. After less than a minute, he arrived with a jar of wine that was emitting a dense fragrant aroma.


    "This smell..."


    It was simr to the smell of a rare herb the boorish man saw on one of his adventures, the Purple Blood Ginseng.


    The said herb was a 3rd-rank herb which wasmonly used as a medicinal ingredient because of its great effectiveness in calming one¡¯s vitality.


    ¡¯This... What the hell? What a reckless waste of resources!¡¯ The man cursed in his heart.


    Although it was only a 3rd-rank herb, it was difficult to find this herb since it could only be found in rough environments.

 Chapter 3 - Satisfied Liu Xiufeng

    <h4>Chapter 3 - Satisfied Liu Xiufeng </h4>


    The boorish man¡¯s name was Liu Xiufeng. His Liu Family was one of the top noble families of the Silver Wing Empire. Their Supreme Elder, Liu Tangxin, had long since reached the peak of the 7th-rank Emperor several years ago. As for how strong the old supreme elder now, no one knows. Their patriarch was also at the initial stage of the 7th-rank Emperor. Just from these things alone, the strength of their Liu Family was clear to see.


    The Liu Family could be considered as one of the top ns within the empire, so no one dared to carelessly provoke them. Even the imperial family avoids directly confronting their people.


    As for him, Liu Xiufeng was merely one of the many 4th-rank Knight Crusader fighters of the Liu¡¯s. So instead of working as a direct descendants¡¯ subordinate, he chose to live as a mercenary where he can roam freely without constraints.


    And with his background, and strength which can be considered above average within the empire, his mercenary application was approved in no time.


    But as awless middle-aged man, he sometimes used his power and background to extort money from smaller stores and establishments. But he never thought that he would one day encounter a nameless store with a deep and unfathomable owner. He felt like he had smashed a rock on his own foot.


    "This is your Mystic Jade, enjoy." Jiu Shen spoke in a cid tone of voice as he gently ced the jar of wine in Liu Xiufeng¡¯s table.


    The wine¡¯s aroma invaded Liu Xiufeng¡¯s nostrils. He felt like he was in a bed of fragrant herbs and fruits. He closed his eyes as he greedily inhaled the wine¡¯s sweet scent. He felt his vitality was stirred after taking in the aromatic smell of the wine.


    He gently poured the wine on the silver-colored and small cup provided by Jiu Shen. A crystal clear liquid that shimmered in the lights produced by the store¡¯s luminescent stones filled the entire cup to the brim. A wave of fruity fragrance assailed his sense of smell, making him close his eyes in euphoria.


    He gently ced the cup of wine in his lips and took a light sip. He gasped in surprise after tasting the wine. Abination of several fruits added together formed a pleasing harmony that invaded his tongue.


    "Delicious! This is the best wine that I have ever tasted in my life!"


    Liu Xiufeng¡¯s taste buds were continuously experiencing thebined attacks of the juicy fruit extracts and he also felt his vitality solidifying under the effects of the Purple Blood Ginseng¡¯s juice.


    The moment the wine entered his esophagus and stomach, Liu Xiufeng felt the pores of his body opening naturally. His pores then greedily sucked in the true essence in his surroundings. He felt the true essence inside his body had grown slowly as he downed the entire cup!


    "What the hell?! It¡¯s capable of stimting the true essence inside my body?! This is... This a treasure!" He then impatiently poured his cup with the Mystic Jade and gulped it in one go.


    Jiu Shen smirked after seeing Liu Xiufeng¡¯s reaction. He then ignored himpletely and focused his gaze on the chubby white cat, Ice, who was still busy licking its milk. It wiggled its fat ass while enjoying the milk produced by the system.


    Gulping sounds echoed inside the store for several minutes before it stopped. Liu Xiufeng¡¯s face was already beet red and he appeared to be drunk, but he continued to pour wine in his cup.


    "Burp!" Liu Xiufeng burped in satisfaction and lifted the entire jar of wine towards his mouth to check if there was still a drop left.


    A small glob of crystal clear liquid dropped on his tongue. He savored the sweet taste with his eyes closed and then rubbed his belly in contentment.


    "Ahhh, satisfying..."


    Jiu Shen expressionlessly nced at him and spoke aloofly.


    "Don¡¯t forget to pay before you leave. No one is allowed to put their orders on the tab. Or they will not be allowed to go inside the store again."


    Liu Xiufeng¡¯s joyful smile crooked after hearing his words but he still pulled out a True Crystal from his pocket and handed it to Jiu Shen.


    It¡¯s a worthy price for such wonderful wine! It could even be said that the wine was equivalent to a 3rd-grade pill made by those old fogies from the Alchemy Hall. And each of their pills was expensive. A 1st-grade pill was sold for 1 Gold Coin, a 2nd-grade pill for 100 Gold Coins, a 3rd-grade pill for 10 True Crystal, and so on.


    "Winemaster, my name is Liu Xiufeng, I¡¯m from the Liu Family. I do apologize for the earlier scene, and I hope you can forgive me. From now on I will visit your store from time to time to enjoy your wine. I will also tell the mercenaries from the Mercenary Guild to try your wine." Liu Xiufeng revealed a look of embarrassment as he spoke.


    Jiu Shen waved his hand and told him that it was fine. Liu Xiufeng was getting used to this young man¡¯s personality, but he was curious about his identity.


    "Would you do me the favor of telling me your name, winemaster?"


    Jiu Shen nced at him ndly and replied.


    "My surname is Jiu, my name is Shen."


    "Oh, so it¡¯s Winemaster Jiu Shen. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. Now that I have found your store, I can finally enjoy delicious wines that are almost on par with the emperor¡¯s wine." Liu Xiufengughed heartily.


    Jiu Shen smiled faintly at thepliment.


    "But ah... Do you not have ns on adding meals or desserts on your store, winemaster Jiu Shen? It would be a nice addition together with your fine wines." Liu Xiufeng earnestly said.


    - Ding!


    - Host, there will naturally be meals and desserts served in the store. Work hard!


    "There will be meals and desserts in the future, but the main thing that this store sells would still be wine." Jiu Shen said after hearing the system¡¯s mechanical voice.


    "That¡¯s good enough. It¡¯s time for me to go, Winemaster Jiu Shen. I wille back." The boorish mercenary left with a satisfied expression on his face.


    He came inside to extort money from the owner, but he left the store and ended up paying 1 True Crystal. But he did not regret paying for it because he felt that the true essence inside his body had significantly increased.

 Chapter 4 - Rewards

    <h4>Chapter 4 - Rewards </h4>


    Jiu Shen cleaned Liu Xiufeng¡¯s table and seconds after, he heard the system¡¯s mechanical voice echo inside his head.


    - Ding!


    - Mission Completed: First Customer


    - Loading Rewards!


    - Received Deep Sea Spring Dew wine-making method


    - Received Deep-fried Shrimp Tempura Dipped in Viper Magma Chili cooking method


    Jiu Shen felt a splitting headache attacking him and when the pain subsided, he felt a stream of information on how to make the Deep Sea Spring Dew and on how to cook the Deep-fried Shrimp Tempura Dipped in Viper Magma Chili.


    ¡¯How mysterious! Just what kind of Celestial Artifact is capable of doing this?¡¯ He thought deeply as he checked his memories.


    ¡¯Deep-Sea Spring Dew is produced by harvesting the yeast found in a carnivorous nt called Bloody Vine Vampire which is a 5th-rank Spirit level creature.


    The top quality yeast from the nt is then fermented for two whole months before it fully converts glucose into alcohol and carbon dioxide. It is then thawed at the end of the second month after it was fermented.


    Twenty kilograms of said yeast, fifteen liters of Deep Sea Dew which can only be found on the deepest parts of the Heavenly Wind Sea, and one cup of a 6th-rank King level beast¡¯s blood, the Red Mantle Serpent is mixed together.


    Then distilled five times a day for one whole week. After that, the wine liquid will be aged for three years. Lastly, it is then cooled in a negative 250 degree Celsius block of Frozen End Ice. The wine liquid will not freeze due to the blood of the Red Mantle Serpent.¡¯


    "What the hell is this brewing method?! System, how much is a jar of this Deep Sea Spring Dew?" Jiu Shen gasped in shock after seeing theplicated method of making the wine


    - Ding!


    - Calcting the price of Deep Sea Spring Dew!


    - 120 True Crystals


    Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes widen in surprise after the system¡¯s calction. It means that his wine was even more expensive than the Emperor¡¯s wine! He might even receive more curses and scorns after he disys this wine in his store.


    Jiu Shen sighed, but if the customers will know how the wine was made, they would surely shut up and drink it with relish.


    Such a wine should be equivalent to a 5th-grade pill in terms of cultivation efficacy! So a price of 120 True Crystals was rather cheap.


    He then checked thest reward. It was a dish named by the system as Deep-fried Shrimp Tempura Dipped in Viper Magma Chili. It was a really long name and he was curious how it would taste like.


    He had tasted countless spicy dishes in the Primordial God Realm so it would be hard to satisfy his pte. Even the wines currently sold in the store could barely pass his assessment. But in this mortal realm, those wines could be considered as top quality wines.


    "Meat chosen must be a twenty-year-old 5th-rank Spirit level beast, the Overlord Shrimp that is at least two meters in length. Overlord Shrimp is peeled and deveined before it was grounded and kneaded to form a crescent shape.


    Heat Garmosa Oil in a deep-fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Whisk top-quality flour from the Gremory Empire, imperial cornstarch, and salt made from the Heavenly Wind Sea in arge bowl.


    Make a depression in the center of the flour. Stir in the purest spring water and egg yolk of a 5th-rank beast, the Light Wind Sparrow. Then mix just until moistened before stirring in the egg whites.


    One at a time, dip the kneaded crescent-shaped Overlord Shrimp into the batter to coat. Carefully ce a few shrimp at a time into the hot Garmosa Oil. Then fry until shrimp turns golden brown which is about one and a half minutes. And then, drain on a clean paper towel to remove the excess oil.


    Lastly, dip the cooked shrimp tempura on the grounded Viper Magma Chili."


    Jiu Shen was not surprised anymore about theplicated cooking process. This dish should not be cheap considering the ingredients used in cooking it.


    "System, how much is one order of this dish?"


    - Ding!


    - Calcting price of Deep-fried Shrimp Tempura Dipped in Viper Magma Chili!


    - 100 True Crystals


    Jiu Shen did not know whether tough or to cry. He had already expected a high price after seeing theplex process of cooking it, but he was still speechless about his products¡¯ prices.


    "Ay, it looks like someone from the imperial household wille into my store after hearing that someone is capable of making dishes that is even better than the capital¡¯s best restaurant. Not to mention the wines that that might be on par with the emperor¡¯s wine. I smell trouble..." Jiu Shen shook his head and practiced cultivation.


    After miraculously transmigrating into this world, his cultivation dropped by multiple levels. He was now back at the 9th-rank Saint which was a pitiful levelpared to his former Heavenly God strength before transmigrating in this world. Although a Saint can dominate this mortal realm, Jiu Shen had grown tired of this domination dream. It was much better to live in peace and avoid power struggles. He has had enough in his past life, now is the time for a change.


    He sighed to himself and decided to stay for a long while here in the world of Nuar. His vengeance against the Celestial Emperor can wait, but it was still a long way to go before he reached his peak strength again. And he didn¡¯t know how many millennia he had to go through to reach the strength of his former self, how much more the Celestial Emperor, who was one realm stronger than him before?


    For now, he can live a peaceful life as a winemaster in this small store.


    That was what he thought, but was that really be possible?


    Jiu Shen suddenly felt that the system inside his head snorted softly for a brief moment, but he ignored it and continued practicing his cultivation diligently.

 Chapter 5 - Boss Scar

    <h4>Chapter 5 - Boss Scar </h4>


    Two dayster, inside the Mercenary Guild.


    "A wine that is capable of stimting the true essence inside our bodies? Liu Xiufeng, have you gone crazy?! Is there any wine capable of doing that? Even the emperor¡¯s wine could barely do it, how much more a wine from a nameless store?" A topless and bald man with a huge scar on the right side of his face spoke with a grating voice, but Liu Xiufeng was already used to this. He also did not dare show any displeasure against the man for he was much stronger than him.


    The bald man was called by everyone as Scar, he was a peak 5th-rank Spirit level fighter who was infinitely close to breaking through towards the 6th-rank King. His strength can already be considered as one of the best within the empire¡¯s middle-level experts.


    "Boss Scar, can you not feel my strength? I broke through towards the mid-stage of 4th-rank Knight Crusader." Liu Xiufeng scratched the back of his head while smugly looking at his fellow mercenaries. He then released his true energy and indeed, everyone could feel that he had reached the mid-stage of 4th-rank Knight Crusader.


    Boss Scar nced doubtingly at Liu Xiufeng. He was sure that the guy was only at the initial stage of 4th-rank Knight Crusader two days ago, but then the guy came back with a mid-stage strength. The speed was surely astonishing. He then thought of what he previously said.


    "Tell me, where can I find this store? If I find out that everything you have said was false, then don¡¯t me me for being rude."


    Liu Xiufeng patted his chest with confidence, an ugly smile can also be seen on his rough face.


    "Boss, I am a hundred percent certain about this. But like what I have told you, the prices of the store¡¯s wines are expensive and the owner himself has an unfathomable strength. I could not even feel the true essence in his body."


    Scar was surprised upon hearing his words. Although Liu Xiufeng was one realm weaker than him, thetter could still gauge his power. So after learning that the owner of that wine store was strong, he felt that there was more to see from this store. He then smiled and stood up from his seat.


    "Okay, I have decided to visit this store. Liu Xiufeng, lead the way."


    Liu Xiufeng smiled and nodded his head in response.


    "Sure, boss!"


    A group of men with strong auras walked out of the Mercenary Guild. Everyone thought that they were going out on a mission, but the group was actually headed to a small store just to drink wine...


    * * *


    Two days after Liu Xiufeng¡¯s visit, Jiu Shen was still cultivating diligently when he heard the systems robotic voice reverberate inside his head.


    - Ding!


    - Next Mission: Earn 1000 True Crystals. A reward will be given for sessfully aplishing this mission.


    Jiu Shen opened his eyes slowly.


    "Are you kidding me? That¡¯s one thousand True Crystals! You might have mistaken about it, system. Recalcte it!"


    - Ding!


    - Recalcting!


    - Next Mission: Earn 1000 True Crystals. A reward will be given for sessfully aplishing this mission.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s face turned dark, but a momentter, he shook his head helplessly.


    "System, can you at least help me in my cultivation?"


    - Ding!


    - Once the host aplishes multiple missions, a cultivation breakthrough as a reward is not impossible. Host, to be the strongest Wine God in all realms, work hard!"


    "A cultivation breakthrough as a reward... I don¡¯t believe you." Jiu Shen muttered to himself while the system remained silent against his usations.


    He then felt the auras more than ten peopleing towards his store. A familiar presence was also among the group of visitors.


    "Looks like I will have more customers today." Jiu Shen sighed and satzily on a chair as he waited for the group of men toe inside his store.


    He did not have to wait for long, after a little more than half a minute, a bunch of savage-looking men came inside his store.


    "Hello, Wine Master Jiu Shen." Liu Xiufeng greeted Jiu Shen with a fist palm salute. Thetter merely nodded his head faintly, but Liu Xiufeng was not offended at all.


    The rest of the mercenaries nced around while their boss, Scar, calmly stared at the young gigolo-looking owner of the store, Jiu Shen.


    Boss Scar was surprised since he could not feel Jiu Shen¡¯s strength no matter how hard he tried.


    ¡¯Just how strong is this gigolo?!¡¯ He thought in rm while maintaining a calm facade.


    Jiu Shen emotionlessly nced at them and pointed at the small ckboard.


    "If you want to buy something, you can check the prices there."


    Everyone of them gulped after seeing the absurd prices of the wine. There was also that dish that was as expensive as the emperor¡¯s wine.


    "What the fuck?! A wine sold for 120 True Crystals? Are you fucking ying with me?! Hey kid, it must be Gold Coins instead of True Crystals, right?" A mercenary with bulging belly cursed while pointing at the ckboard.


    Jiu Shen did not even bother ncing at him and just closed his eyes.


    "I have my reasons for pricing my items as such. If you are not going to order anything, then please leave. I still want to take my afternoon nap."


    The chubby mercenary smashed his hand on the table angrily. He poured his true energy on that smash and his 3rd-rank Crusader cultivation level was disyed. When his fat hand touched the table, he felt a strong rebound force that flung his body several meters away.


    "Thud! Thud!"


    He stood up from the ground in bewilderment while wiping away the blood at the corner of his lips.


    "How is that possible?"


    Everyone was rmed after seeing what had happened. They finally realized that this simple store was not so simple at all. They were not brainless fools, they knew that someone who could fling away a 3rd-rank Crusader without moving was never a simple person.


    They thought that it was the doing of Jiu Shen, but it was actually the system that reinforced the entire store. No one was capable of smashing anything inside, not even the emperor.


    Jiu Shen ignored their surprised looks and just silently stared at them with a cold smirk.

 Chapter 6 - Ables Blanc

    <h4>Chapter 6 - Ables nc </h4>


    After having been reinforced by the system, the store¡¯s items were basically invulnerable to any attacks. Jiu Shen did not even need to move anymore.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s smile looked frightening at that point, but they didn¡¯t know that Jiu Shen merely smirked since the fatty looked really funny after he fell face-first on the floor.


    Jiu Shen adjusted his sitting position which made the veteran mercenaries take a step back in rm. Who could me them after seeing the fate of the fat mercenary?


    "Listen, I don¡¯t have enough time to wait here for you guys. So if you don¡¯t want to order anything...then scram out my sight!"


    Their lips twitched at his arrogant words, but they did nor dare show their anger lest this hot-blooded store owner might really kill them on the spot.


    After seeing the fate of their fat friend, they thought that the man in front of them was many times stronger than their boss, Scar. His strength should at least be a 7th-rank Emperor!


    That kind of strength would bring awe to anyone, and to think that such a figure actually decided to establish a nameless store in a less popted spot of the capital city.


    Jiu Shen was not really angry, he was just annoyed that his cultivation time was wasted by these mercenaries. They did not even order anything yet, so he became even more annoyed.


    Boss Scar forced a smile and nced towards the ckboard. His lips trembled after seeing the absurd prices of the wines. He could not help but re at Liu Xiufeng who brought them here. Thetter shrugged his shoulders and walked towards the scary store owner.


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen, pardon myrades¡¯ actions. They are merely unaware of your wines¡¯ greatness. Can I have a jar of Ables nc? I have already tried the Mystic Jade wine two days ago, so I want to try something new this time." Liu Xiufeng smiled as recalled the taste of Jiu Shen¡¯s Mystic Jade.


    Boss Scar was confused at Liu Xiufeng. The guy was known for being a thrifty person, but his current act was aplete opposite of what was known about him. Except... Except if the wine was truly as effective as he said it was.


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen, I would like to order a jar of Ables nc as well. And can I also have twelve jars of Mystic Jade for my brothers here?" Scar spoke mildly. Even if the wine was not as effective as Liu Xiufeng¡¯s words, he still wanted to stay in good terms with this mysterious wine master.


    The mercenaries behind Scar looked at him thankfully, although, they did not mind taking out a few True Crystals.


    Boss Scar smiled at them. He felt that it was only right to treat them since he was the one who brought them here.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly and stood up from his seat. He then went inside the storage area where his wines were kept.


    Inside the Wine Storage, a lot of wines were piled neatly on severalrge shelves. Currently, there were only two types of wines inside his storage area, but by tomorrow, the batch of Deep Sea Spring Dew would be ready. It was currently kept inside the system¡¯s Time and Space Chamber where time was elerated by several times.


    He used his true energy to carry fourteen jars of wines before going out of the wine storage. Twelve jars of Mystic Jade and two jars of Ables nc. He then walked with an unperturbed expression towards where the mercenaries were seated.


    Liu Xiufeng licked his lips after seeing the wines floating around Jiu Shen. The mercenaries disregarded his high profile disy of controlling his true energy and just focused their gazes on the wines. Even Scar was excited after smelling the fragrant aroma of the wines.


    Jiu Shen ced the wines on the mercenaries¡¯ tables. He also gave them one silver cup each.


    "Here are your orders, enjoy." He spoke nonchntly while finding a random chair to sit on.


    The mercenaries¡¯ noses twitched after inhaling a strong fruity fragrance. Liu Xiufeng was familiar with this smell. This was the smell of the wine that he had tasted two days ago, the Mystic Jade. He also smelled a fresh aroma that made him rx his body.


    ¡¯This smell should be the Ables nc. I wonder how it would taste like. Since it was made by Wine Master Jiu Shen, it should not be that bad, considering how tasty the Mystic Jade was. And he even priced it much higher than his other wine.¡¯ Liu Xiufeng thought to himself as he opened the wine jar slowly.


    After opening the jar, a wave of sea breeze assailed his nostrils. He felt like he was swimming in the deepest parts of the Heavenly Wind Sea.


    "This is..."


    Scar hurriedly opened his wine jar after seeing the exaggerated expression of Liu Xiufeng. The same kind of expression can be seen on his face after inhaling the aroma of the Ables nc.


    "This smell... This is the honey produced by an Ables Oyster. What the hell?! Such a rare ingredient was actually used to brew this wine?!" Scar gasped in surprise.


    Ables Oyster was a 5th-rank Spirit sea beast, but it was difficult to hunt this rare beast because they can only be found in the deepest parts of the Heavenly Wind Sea.


    He then nced at Jiu Shen who was sitting on his chair with his eyes closed. Jiu Shen opened his eyes after feeling someone¡¯s gaze on him. He nced expressionlessly at Scar which shocked the mercenary.


    ¡¯What a strong sense this guy has!¡¯


    "That wine was made using the honey produced by the Ables Oyster as its main ingredient. Several other rare herbs and fruits were also added to entuate the wine¡¯s smell and vor. As for how it was made, that I cannot tell you." Jiu Shen spoke inly. He knew that they were going to inquire about the ingredients of his wines, but he did not want to tell anyone how he made them.

 Chapter 7 - Subdued Boss Scar

    <h4>Chapter 7 - Subdued Boss Scar </h4>


    The group of boorish mercenaries was subdued by the taste of his wines. Their faces were filled with ecstasy as they drank cups after cups of wine. Their cheeks were already red from drinking their wines greedily, but they did not stop from filling their cups.


    Every time they sip their cups filled with wine, their faces would instantly light up with pleasure. This was the tastiest wine that they had ever drunk! Although, they didn¡¯t know what was the taste of the emperor¡¯s wine, but Jiu Shen¡¯s wines definitely deserved their prices.


    Boss Scar twirled his cup of Ables nc and inhaled the refreshing scent of the wine.


    ¡¯Such a fragrant aroma... This was clearly the result of adding multiple precious herbs and fruits. The true energy on the ingredients was even preserved well. So that was the reason why Liu Xiufeng had achieved his breakthrough.¡¯


    "Winemaster Jiu Shen... This wine, can I order a few of this for takeout ?" Boss Scar asked Jiu Shen after downing another cup of Ables nc.


    - Ding!


    - Reminding host that takeouts are not allowed for any item sold inside the store.


    Jiu Shen cast a sidelong nce at him before he shook his head.


    "No takeouts are allowed."


    "Winemaster Jiu Shen, money is not a problem. I am willing to pay twice as much." Scar was not offended at all. Such a precious wine should not be that much in number. So when Jiu Shen declined, he knew that his guess was right.


    "Even if you pay ten times the price of the wine, I will still give you the same answer. This is the rule of my store and I will not change this rule no matter how much you pay. This conversation will end here." Jiu Shen tactfully declined.


    Boss Scar shook his head regretfully, but he was not angered. Instead, he was happy for being able to taste such a wonderful. He even got to talk with a 7th-rank Emperor, although he was a bit arrogant, he did not mind. Someone with that kind of strength should not even be bothered to reply to someone who was significantly weaker than him.


    He just silently enjoyed the remaining amount of Ables nc. "If takeout is not allowed, ordering a second wine should not be a problem, right?"


    - Ding!


    - This is allowed by the system.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly after hearing the system¡¯s approval.


    "Indeed, this is allowed."


    Scar¡¯s facial features brightened after hearing that Jiu Shen allowed a second order. He then smiled widely before he spoke in an intoxicated voice.


    "Then give me a second order of Ables nc, Wine Master Jiu."


    "Boss, how about us?"


    "That¡¯s right. Don¡¯t forget your brothers, boss Scar."


    The mercenariesughed shamelessly while looking at their boss. They were usually not like this in front of Scar, but after drinking an entire jar of Mystic Jade, their states of mind were befuddled.


    Boss Scar red at them before he replied.


    "Fools, use your money. I¡¯m not your father and even if I was, I will still not give you, you bunch of morons."


    They then realized that they were talking with their scary boss. Theyughed awkwardly before ordering another batch of Mystic Jade. They were captivated by the wine¡¯s taste.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head before ncing at Liu Xiufeng who had his head lying on the table. He had clearly fallen asleep after drinking the entire jar of Ables nc. His drinking tolerance was not any stronger than Scar and the ingredients used on the wine were also not ordinary. Jiu Shen¡¯s lips curved upwards at the sigh of Liu Xiufeng. Jiu Shen then walked inside the wine storage.


    He pulled out a few jars of wine using his true energy. He then walked out of the wine storage room. After stepping out of the storage room, Jiu Shen saw the greedy gazes of the mercenaries. It was like they were looking at a naked woman. Although Jiu Shen knew that their gazes were directed at the wines, it was still ufortable to see those kinds of eyes.


    "This is your second order, enjoy." He spoke emotionlessly while cing the jars of wine on their tables. He then pulled a chair and satzily on it.


    The mercenaries ignored Jiu Shen and opened their wines. Even if it was not the first time smelling the aroma of the wine, they still could not help but inhale the scent greedily.


    The mouth-watering smell of the wine was truly so hard to resist. They forgot about the wines¡¯ prices and just indulged themselves in the pleasure of having their cravings satiated.


    ¡¯So this is the reason why the wines are so expensive! Aside from their heavenly taste, it is also capable of increasing the true energy inside our bodies! It is like a panacea concocted by the old farts from the Alchemy Tower!¡¯ The mercenaries thought to themselves.

 Chapter 8 - Spirit World

    <h4>Chapter 8 - Spirit World </h4>


    Gulping sounds resounded inside Jiu Shen¡¯s wine store. Several tough-looking mercenaries were busy drinking their cups filled with tasty wine. All of them had one thing inmon, their faces were filled with boundless pleasure.


    "Winemaster Jiu, your... hic... wine is truly impressive. I will surely visit your store...hic... regrly to drink this Ables nc. Even the empire¡¯s best restaurant does not provide such a wine. Hic..." Boss Scar¡¯s speech was a bit slurred, but Jiu Shen was able to understand a part of it, so he just nodded his head calmly.


    "Right, I wonder...hic...how the only dish you sold here will taste like? I wanted...hic... to try some, but it is too expensive for me to try." A mercenary spoke. His eyes were already on the verge of shutting tight.


    Jiu Shen opened his eyes slowly. An unfathomable light shed in those silver eyes for an instant before it vanished. He nced at the mercenary who had just spoken. He was at the peak of 3rd-rank Crusader, but still quite a few steps away from breaking through to the 4th-rank Knight Crusader. Jiu Shen thought for a moment before he spoke in a confident tone of voice.


    "I guarantee you that after eating that dish, you will breakthrough towards the next realm without a problem."


    The mercenary¡¯s sleepy eyes suddenly sprang open after he heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words. A food that was capable of helping someone achieve a breakthrough? Isn¡¯t it a bit too good to be true?


    "Wine Master Jiu, are you serious about this?" The mercenary felt tempted. He already nned to buy several 4th-rank pill from the Alchemy Tower to speed up his cultivation, but it was still not guaranteed that he can breakthrough towards the next realm. So when he heard that a dish is able to help him achieve a breakthrough, he felt that it was a bit incredulous.


    But then again, he drank the wine from the store and it was indeed capable of stimting his true essence. So he felt that Jiu Shen¡¯s words had some truth in it.


    Jiu Shen closed his eyes, but he still replied with a poker face.


    "Yes, and if you don¡¯t achieve a breakthrough, I will let you have the dish for free."


    After hearing Wine Master Jiu speak those confident words, the mercenary hesitated no more. He checked his coin purse and there were still a little more than a hundred True Crystals in it. He gritted his teeth and said resolutely.


    "Fine, I will try your dish Winemaster Jiu. Give me one serving of Deep-Fried Shrimp Tempura Dipped in Viper Magma Chili."


    The other mercenaries were also eager to see Jiu Shen¡¯s dish. And if it was really able to help someone achieve a breakthrough, then it will be an amazing piece of news.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head and stood up from his seat. He went inside the store¡¯s new kitchen. It magically appeared after he received the rewards. Even someone like him who had lived for eons was surprised about its mysterious appearance.


    "System, where do I get the Overlord Shrimp?" Jiu Shen asked the system curiously.


    - Ding!


    - Host will have to go inside the system¡¯s Spirit World.


    "Oh, so I just have to go inside a Spirit World. Okay... wait what?! Did you just say Spirit World?" Jiu Shen almost jumped from surprise. A Spirit World is very rare even in the Primordial God Realm and almost all of them were very unstable that they will instantly copse after a few days from being discovered.


    No one knows how the Spirit Worlds were created. Even the almighty Celestial Emperor did not know the secrets of these worlds. But they do know that each of these worlds contains the purest and the densest true essence. Some even had peerless treasures within.


    As for him, Jiu Shen. He was only able to go inside two Spirit Worlds in all of his billions of years in existence. It sounded absurd and magical, but that was the truth. This alone can exin how rare this spirit world was.


    So at the mention of it, who could me him for almost having a heart attack?


    - Ding!


    - Do you wish to go inside the Spirit World?


    Jiu Shen gulped nervously while nodding his head. The two Spirit World that he had visited copsed after around one week of traveling inside. He could not forget everything about it since he had almost died during that expedition.


    "Yes, I will go inside."


    After speaking those words, a two-meter tall door appeared in front of Jiu Shen. The door was made from a material that he was very familiar with, the Eonic Ragarwood Tree. It was a tree that needs a billion years of nurturing to germinate, another billion years to sprout, and then another billion years to grow. It will fully mature after five billion years.


    He heard that Celestial Emperor Lao Gou was growing this kind of tree inside his room. Heck! That stupid old fart even watered it daily with a drop of Untainted God Spring.


    He thought that it was merely a mystical bonsai after seeing it for the first time, but when he saw the secret notes of the old fart celestial emperor, he almost had the thought of stealing it.


    This type of tree can only grow up to two feet in height, so he was speechless at the amount of Eonic Ragarwood Tree used to create the door in front of him.


    "System, can you not be shier? Or you will really kill me from a heart attack..."


    - Ding!


    - Host, please go inside the Spirit World.


    Jiu Shen gritted his teeth for having been ignored, but he still opened the door. A refreshing scent sshed on his face and a beautiful world can be seen behind the door. He then stepped inside the Spirit World, his face dumbstruck.


    "What the hell?!"

 Chapter 9 - Overlord Shrimp

    <h4>Chapter 9 - Overlord Shrimp </h4>


    Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes were greeted by the sight of a world filled with dense true essence. It was so thick that it even made his pores open up, greedily sucking the true essence around him.


    He stopped himself from cultivating albeit regretfully. He then walked towards a crystal clear pond with giant shrimps swimming about. They looked healthy and plump.


    With a high-quality living environment, these Overlord Shrimps would surely taste heavenly.


    Jiu Shen caught one Overlord Shrimp with a casual swipe of his right hand. The two-meter tall shrimp thrashed its body, but Jiu Shen¡¯s hold was tight. He then pulled it out of the pond which produced a trail of clear water drops.


    - Ding!


    - It is better to fry shrimps when they are alive since their muscles would be taut and firm, which will, in turn, produce a more crispy texture when fried.


    "What a healthy shrimp!" Jiu Shen smiled faintly while ncing at the plump shrimp. The Overlord Shrimp red at Jiu Shen and brandished its ws on him. Jiu Shen casually swatted the w strike of the shrimp and p its head. Its thick carapace failed to protect its brain which made it faint after being pped by Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen did not kill the shrimp after hearing the system¡¯s solemn and robotic voice.


    After getting the Overlord Shrimp, he stepped out of the Spirit World.


    He then ced the two-meter shrimp on arge chopping board.


    The peeling and deveining of the shrimp were already engraved inside his head.


    The knowledge of how to cook the Deep-Fried Shrimp Tempura Dipped in Viper Magma Chili resurfaced inside his head.


    "To peel raw shrimp, I have to start underneath, where their legs are attached." After peeling the carapace of the shrimp, Jiu Shen skillfully held the giant shrimp with one hand while making a shallow slit down the middle of the back to expose the ck intestine. He then used the tip of his knife to lift up the ck intestine of the shrimp.


    He then threw the shrimp in midair and diced it into countless small pieces. The cubes of shrimp filled the huge bowl in his hands. He then ced back on the chopping board, before pulling two cleavers.


    He grounded the shrimp meat using the two cleavers like a barbarian. His actions were rough and wild, but it contained a sense of charm.


    He then heated up the garmosa oil with the right temperature, before whisking the top quality flour from the Gremory Empire together with some imperial cornstarch, and salt made from the Heavenly Wind Sea in arge bowl.


    He then made a depression in the center of the flour. Next, he added a pure spring water, and an egg yolk of a 5th-rank beast, the Light Wind Sparrow. He then mixed just until it moistened before stirring in the egg whites.


    As for the shrimp meat, he kneaded them to form a crescent shape. His hands skillfully rolled the grounded shrimp meat and formed a perfect crescent shape.


    Subsequently, he carefully dipped all the crescent-shape shrimp meat into the batter and fully coated it. Jiu Shen maintained his focus while doing this part.


    It is important to fully coat the shrimp meat as it will greatly affect the taste of the dish.


    He then grounded a piece of Viper Magma Chili. Its appearance was menacing as if it was a poisonous spice, but strangely, it was edible. The purplish-red chili emitted a baleful glow right after it was grounded.


    He then sprinkled the grounded Viper Magma Chili into the shrimp meat. He evenly sprinkled it on all sides to bnce the spiciness.


    Lastly, he fried the shrimp meat on the hot garmosa oil. Crackling sounds echoed inside the kitchen as Jiu Shen fried the shrimp.


    Not long after, a fragrant aroma pervaded inside the kitchen before it traveled within his store. The delicious smell lingered for a long period of time while assailing the nasal cavities of the mercenaries.


    The smell was indescribable, it contained a bit of freshness and a hint of intense vor.


    "What a mouth-watering aroma..." Boss Scar muttered to himself while licking his lips with a drunk expression.


    The other mercenaries had it worse. A line of saliva trailed down their lips as they nced towards the source of the smell.


    Even the sleeping Liu Xiufeng woke up. His nose twitched before his eyes sprung open. He looked towards his left and right in search for the smell.


    They didn¡¯t need to wait for long as Jiu Shen came out of the kitchen while holding a piping hot te filled deep-fried shrimps. The ting was beautiful and there was even a hot sauce made from grounded Viper Magma Chili and shrimp meat oil and a bit of vinegar.


    "Here is your order of Deep-Fried Shrimp Tempura Dipped in Viper Magma Chili." Jiu Shen nonchntly spoke while giving the piping hot te to the mercenary who ordered the dish.


    The mercenaries¡¯ eyes twinkled like stars after seeing Jiu Shene out with the dish. They were already dying to know its taste, but they held themselves back


    Their friend used most of his savings to order the dish in hopes of breaking through towards the next realm.


    Although Jiu Shen was confident about the mercenary¡¯s breakthrough, he still wanted to see the process. He grabbed a chair randomly before sitting in front of the mercenary casually.


    "Please have a taste. Our wager is still in ce. If you don¡¯t breakthrough after eating this dish, then you will have it for free." Jiu Shen confidently spoke while eyeing the excited mercenary.

 Chapter 10 - Breaking Through Without Meditating

    <h4>Chapter 10 - Breaking Through Without Meditating </h4>


    Everyone was looking greedily at the piping hot dish on the table. If they haven¡¯t seen Jiu Shen¡¯s strength earlier, they would have long since fought for it.


    "Go eat it now, brother Xu! We can¡¯t hold ourselves back for long. Don¡¯t torment us any longer!"


    "Right! Just goddamn eat it already!"


    After seeing his friends¡¯ contorted appearance, brother Xu hastily stuffed one crescent-shaped shrimp in his mouth.


    The moment he took the first bite, loud crunching sounds resounded inside the small store.


    "This... This... Delicious. Huhuhu." Brother Xu cried while stuffing shrimps after shrimps in his mouth.


    The tender shrimp meat melted in his tongue, filling his taste buds with the freshness of the Overlord Shrimp mixed with the spicy vor of the Viper Magma Chilli. The two kinds of tastes entuated each other in perfect harmony.


    Brother Xu had a drunk expression as two lines of tears trickled down his cheeks.


    Boss Scar and the other mercenaries were surprised after seeing brother Xu¡¯s expression, but they just silently stared at the deep-fried Overlord Shrimp regretfully.


    Brother Xu sniffled as he grabbed the remaining deep-fried shrimps and dipped in the Viper Magma Chili sauce which was emitting a baleful aura. He then put it inside his mouth and crunched it ferociously.


    It was unknown if he was crying due to the spiciness of the Viper Magma Chilli or because of the deliciousness of the deep-fried Overlord Shrimp.


    He then burped with a satisfied smile on his face. His expression then turned into one of surprise as he eximed.


    "It¡¯s stimting the true essence inside my body! This... It¡¯s actually worth more than several pills added together!"


    Brother Xu stood up after sensing himself breaking through towards the 4th-rank Knight Crusader without even meditating.


    Even if one consumes a 4th-grade pill, they still had to meditate and direct the true essence from the pill towards their dantian. But brother Xu has not even meditated yet and he already broke through a realm in one go!


    "What the hell?!"


    "He broke through in one go! He actually broke through in one go! Am I dreaming? He did not even meditate... This..."


    Boss Scar¡¯s jaw dropped on the ground and his eyes went wide. He then nced at Jiu Shen with an inquiring look, but thetter did not even bother looking at him.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly as if it was within his expectations. The Overlord Shrimp was, after all, a 5th-rank Spirit level creature, and the other ingredients used were likewise rare and abundant in true essence. Hence, breaking through in one go was to be expected.


    Brother Xu¡¯s true essence did not stop from increasing after breaking through towards the 4th-rank Knight Crusader. His aura became increasingly stronger and consolidated. And the most surprising thing was that he did not even meditate! It means that the true essence from the dish instantly went inside his dantian.


    Brother Xu¡¯s aura stopped from increasing after it reached the peak of the initial-stage 4th-rank Knight Crusader.


    The drunk expression on brother Xu was gone and it was reced by an ecstatic look. He then nced smugly at the other mercenaries while smiling at them broadly.


    "You lost the bet. Now, it¡¯s time for you to pay." Jiu Shen¡¯s calm voice entered his ears like a bucket of cold water. The smile on brother Xu¡¯s face twitched as he nced at the emotionless expression of Jiu Shen.


    "Of course. Of course, how could I not pay? Such a fine dish with shocking effects. 100 True Crystals is truly a bargain." Brother Xu smiled while paying for the dish. He was genuinely happy for breaking through. It even exceeded his expectations by a great margin.


    Brother Xu nced at the young man in front of him. He was shrouded by a thick veil of mystery, and even his strength was unfathomable.


    ¡¯Just who is Wine Master Jiu Shen? And howe an expert like him established a small store here in the capital city?¡¯


    The True Crystals in Jiu Shen¡¯s hands vanished in a blink of an eye. The mercenaries were no longer surprised after seeing it. They were already numbed on the surprises inside the small store.


    As for how the True Crystals vanished, of course, they were taken away by the system without even asking for Jiu Shen¡¯s permission.


    Jiu Shen was still wearing his poker face when the True Crystals vanished. He then nced at the tongue-tied mercenaries who were looking at him as if he was the reincarnation of buddha.


    "Are you guys still going to order? If not, then pay your bills and get out of my sight." Jiu Shen said without batting an eyelid.


    The mercenaries¡¯ faces twitched, but they were already growing ustomed to Wine Master Jiu¡¯s entric personality.


    "Wine Master Jiu, give me two orders of the dish, please." Boss Scar gritted his teeth with an agonized expression.


    He only brought a little more than four hundred True Crystals with him and left his remaining crystals in the Mercenary Guild. He never would have thought that Liu Xiufeng was actually speaking the truth regarding the prices of the store¡¯s wines.


    He felt his heart bleeding, but he still decided to try the dishes. If it was really capable of enhancing the true essence inside his body, then the price was worth it.


    "Me too, Wine Master Jiu. Give me one order of the dish." Liu Xiufeng simrly had a contorted expression, but he still fished out one hundred True Crystals from his small bag.


    "Me too! One order of the dish!"


    "Count me in, Wine Master Jiu! I also want one order of the dish!"


    "Sigh! I only brought less than a hundred True Crystals with me. Wine Master Jiu, just give me an order of Ables nc."


    Jiu Shen epted the orders with a nod of his head before stepping inside the kitchen.


    ¡¯Looks like I will be able to finish this mission in just one day. I wonder what the reward will be.¡¯

 Chapter 11 - The Fourth Prince

    <h4>Chapter 11 - The Fourth Prince </h4>


    "Growl!"


    "Oh shit! I¡¯m still far from my favorite restaurant and I¡¯m already this hungry! No, I have to satiate a bit of my hunger before going there. Where can I find something to eat?" A young man in histe teens wearing luxurious clothing rubbed his belly with a contorted expression on his face.


    "This smell..." The young man¡¯s nose twitched and followed the aroma which made him even hungrier.


    "The world is tormenting me." The young man had a crying expression, but no tears can be seen on his face.


    After following the salivating aroma, he found himself standing in front of a humble store. "The Immortal¡¯s Wine? Hahaha! This name... He is even more arrogant than imperial father! Interesting! Let me see if you have the capital to be this arrogant." The young man smirked and walked inside the small store.


    After stepping inside the store, he saw a group of mercenaries who were happily drinking their wines. Their faces were red and their eyes were half-closed. A few of them were also eating an eye-catching dish that was producing a mouth-watering scent.


    "This..." The young man had an impulse of snatching the dish, but he cleared his throat and looked away. He then stared at a handsome young man with long silver hair. He was sitting nonchntly on his chair while stroking a chubby white cat. The silver-haired man¡¯s expression was calm which surprised him a bit.


    "If you want to order something, check that first." Jiu Shen pointed at the ckboard without even ncing at the young man. He just continued rubbing the soft fur of Ice.


    The young man was a bit annoyed at Jiu Shen¡¯s indifference. It was rare to find someone who was unafraid of him. Even those geniuses from the noble families did not dare act arrogantly in front of him.


    He rolled his eyes at Jiu Shen and nced at the ckboard he pointed earlier. His eyes widened in surprise after heid his eyes on the prices. "What the hell?! A wine that costs 120 True Crystals?! A dish that costs 100 fucking True Crystals?! Why don¡¯t you just go and rob someone?!" Even his favorite restaurant which was also the best in the empire did not even have a dish with such an absurd price, so his reaction was understandable.


    Jiu Shen ignored him and rubbed Ice¡¯s head gently. It closed its eyes in delight while enjoying the warmth of Jiu Shen¡¯s hand.


    "Meow!"


    Jiu Shen¡¯s lips twitched after hearing it release a cat-like sound. ¡¯Little tiger, you can¡¯t fool this heavenly lord. If it were the mortals in this world, then they might really fall for your charms. But how could I not know your real origins?¡¯


    "Hey! Are you deaf? Don¡¯t you know who I am? If you can¡¯t exin the absurd prices of your wines and dish, then I will have your store smashed!" The young man said angrily while walking towards Jiu Shen.


    The mercenaries who were already drunk nced at the familiar silhouette but their eyes were too unfocused to realize who he was. Even Boss Scar was entirely absorbed in the pleasure of eating his deep-fried Overlord Shrimp.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s calm eyes turned cold as he nced at the young man who was looking at him angrily. ¡¯You dare shout at this heavenly lord? Why are the mortals in this world act more aggressively than those so-called immortals in the Primordial God Realm?¡¯


    The young man felt fear after being stared by Jiu Shen¡¯s cold and emotionless eyes. The former¡¯s legs wobbled as an invisible pressure enveloped his entire body.


    "You... You..."


    "Milord, stay your hand! His highness is young and impetuous. Let us both take a step back. This old man willpensate you as long as you let his highness go." And old man with long white beard appeared inside the store in a blink of an eye.


    The old man was shocked after entering the store because he felt that he was somewhat suppressed. Furthermore, the silver-haired youth was giving him a profound feeling of powerlessness. It was like he was facing a millennium-year-old expert. ¡¯This man... Who is he?¡¯


    "Oh, a peak 7th-rank Emperor as a bodyguard. I¡¯m a bit surprised. This young man¡¯s identity should not be ordinary." Jiu Shen said with a calm face. His words and his expression contradicted each other, making the old man curse him inwardly.


    The mercenaries finally realized that the neers were tough to knead.


    When they saw the old man and the trembling young man, they almost spat blood. ¡¯Isn¡¯t that the fourth prince? As for that old man... He should be...¡¯


    The old man did not dare act arrogantly in front of Jiu Shen. He had an absurd thought that the silver-haired youth in front of him can kill him in less than five seconds. Just the pressure he was producing alone was already many times stronger than Emperor Elyk¡¯s!


    "Milord, his highness is the future of our Silver Wing Empire. I hope you can be lenient with him. This old man is willing to take your punishment on his behalf." The old man bowed his head respectfully, but his heart was clouded by fear. Nheless, he was willing to shoulder Jiu Shen¡¯s punishment for the fourth prince. He was, after all, the future of their empire.


    Jiu Shen sighed and waved his right hand gently. "I admire your loyalty, old man. I can let the both of you go, but..."


    Everyone inside the store paused their breathing while looking at Jiu Shen¡¯s calm expression.


    The old man and the fourth prince swallowed a mouthful of dry saliva while waiting for Jiu Shen¡¯s words.


    "But...you have to buy one order of each of the things sold at my store." Jiu Shen said nonchntly while pointing at the small ckboard.


    The old man and the fourth prince exhaled a breath of turbid air. They felt like they were given a new lease on life.


    "This... Ah..." The old man was somewhat stunned, so he did not know what to say.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s expression darkened. "Why? Do you think that there is something wrong with my wines and dish?"


    "No! No! No! Not at all, milord. We are willing to buy two orders for each wine and that dish." The old man hurriedly expressed his sincerity. Although the prices were somewhat absurd, he was not short on True Crystals. And as long as they can leave this ce alive, then it¡¯s all worth it.


    "Good! Sit and wait for your orders." Jiu Shen¡¯s lips curved upwards as he stood up. He then walked towards the wine storage, leaving the stunned onlookers ncing at his mysterious back figure fearfully.


    They told themselves to never mess with Wine Master Jiu Shen anymore.

 Chapter 12 - Like Two Barbarians

    <h4>Chapter 12 - Like Two Barbarians </h4>


    Jiu Shen stepped inside the wine storage with a faint smirk on his face. "Oh, right! The Deep Sea Spring Dew is still not ready today. Dammit!"


    - Ding!


    - The Deep Sea Spring Dew is still being prepared by the system. It will be ready by tomorrow, dear host. Please remain patient.


    Jiu Shen rolled his eyes after hearing the solemn voice of the system.


    He then stretched his right arm. An invisible energy wrapped itself around four bottles of wines, dragging them towards Jiu Shen. In someone else¡¯s point of view, the wines were suspended in midair while circling around Jiu Shen magically.


    Even the emperor did not have such fine control of true essence. He may be able to do it, but not as proficient as Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen stepped out of the wine storage area with four wines circling around him. The fourth prince and the old man were astounded by the scene, but they stayed silent.


    The mercenaries were no longer surprised about it, but they still kept on ncing at Jiu Shen with admiration and veneration.


    "Here are two orders of each of the wines. Just give me a few minutes to prepare your dishes. As for the Deep Sea Spring Dew, it is currently unavable, but will be ready for serving tomorrow." Jiu Shen waved his right hand gently. The four wines circling around him hovered towards the fourth prince and the old man¡¯s table. Jiu Shen also provided them with two small cups. "Enjoy your wines while waiting for the dishes. Once you take the first sip, you will realize why the price is so."


    Jiu Shen turned around after he spoke. He then went towards the kitchen with steady steps.


    The fourth prince and the old man nced at his back figure and then towards the wines on the table. "Your highness, I will open it for you."


    "Thanks, Defender Duanmu." The fourth prince cupped his fist gratefully. If not for the old man, he would have been punished by Jiu Shen. He was also touched by the old man¡¯s loyalty and care towards him.


    "Anything for you, your highness. Just make sure to no longer provoke the owner of this store. I have a feeling that he is even stronger than his majesty." Defender Duanmu said solemnly while ncing at the direction of the kitchen.


    The fourth prince furrowed his eyebrows and nodded his head. He also felt the man¡¯s strength himself. If not for him being lenient, he would have already died for disrespecting him.


    Defender Duanmu opened one Mystic Jade and he was instantly assaulted by a fruity fragrance that made him close his eyes in pleasure. "Fine wine!" He poured a cup for the fourth prince and himself.


    The fourth prince also inhaled the refreshing smell, making his eyes light up. He ced the small cup in his lips and took a light sip. "Delicious! So that¡¯s why...this Purple Blood Ginseng alone is already a precious herb. I even feel embarrassed if I only pay 1 True Crystal for such a wine..."


    Defender Duanmu nodded his head and drank his wine with a satisfied expression on his face.


    The market price for one Purple Blood Ginseng was one hundred Gold Coins, but a few were also sold at several hundred Gold Coins depending on their age.


    After tasting the wine, the slight displeasure in their hearts was no longer there. Only embarrassment and regret remained.


    A few minutester, Jiu Shen came out of the kitchen with two piping hot dishes hovering in front of him. A fragrant aroma wafted towards everyone, making them drool. Even the fourth prince and the old defender were not spared. They nced at the dishes with great expectations.


    "Two orders of Deep-fried Overlord Shrimp Tempura Dipped in Viper Magma Chilli. Enjoy." Jiu Shen calmly said. He then gently ced the two dishes on the table.


    The fourth prince and the old man stared at the exquisite dishes in front of them with glittering eyes.


    The fourth prince elegantly grabbed the fork and pierced one crescent-shaped tempura. The fork pierced through the sulent shrimp meat with no hindrance. A small amount of shrimp oil dripped down, producing an even stronger shrimp aroma.


    The fourth prince no longer hesitated. He ced the crescent-shaped shrimp tempura in his mouth and bit down gently.


    "Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!"


    "This..." The fourth prince¡¯s eyes moistened and he felt as if he was swimming naked in the vast Heavenly Wind Sea.


    "An Overlord Shrimp! This... This is an Overlord Shrimp, a 5th-rank Spirit level creature! So that¡¯s why it¡¯s worth 100 True Crystals... No wonder!" The fourth prince eximed after taking the first bite. It wasn¡¯t the first time he had tasted the meat of an Overlord Shrimp, but all the Overlord Shrimp dishes he tasted before can be considered as trashpared to the dish in front of him. ¡¯This is a true gourmet dish! What imperial chefs?! Their dishes can¡¯t even bepared to Wine Master Jiu¡¯s dish!¡¯


    The fourth prince¡¯s elegant bearing was no longer there. He discarded the fork and grabbed the crescent-shaped tempura by hand. He then stuffed it inside his mouth while disregarding the peculiar gazes of everyone around him. "Truly delicious!" The fourth prince¡¯s lips were filled with shrimp oil, but he ignored his current look and focused on his food.


    Defender Duanmu was stunned after seeing the change on the fourth prince¡¯s bearing in less than a few seconds. He could not help but nce at the dish in front of him. He then took one crescent-shaped shrimp tempura and gave it a small bite which produced a faint crunching sound.


    "This... This..."


    A few momentster, two men, one young and one old were eating their food like two barbarians eating meat for the very first time in their lives. Looks of satisfaction can be seen on both their faces.


    Jiu Shen cast a sidelong nce at them and smirked. He then continued stroking Ice¡¯s fur with a calm expression on his face.

 Chapter 13 - Store Expansion Package

    <h4>Chapter 13 - Store Expansion Package </h4>


    As Jiu Shen was calmly sitting on a chair, he suddenly heard the solemn voice of the system ringing beside his ears.


    - Ding!


    - Mission Aplished: Earn 1000 True Crystals


    - Loading Rewards!


    - You received ¡¯Store Expansion Package¡¯


    - You received Frozen Origin wine-making method


    Jiu Shen remained calm on the surface after seeing the prompts in front of him, but he was pleasantly surprised inwardly. ¡¯System, what is this Store Expansion Package?¡¯


    - Ding!


    - With this item, the host will be able tomence an expansion of the store. Do you wish to use it now?


    ¡¯No! Not at the moment. Remind me after we close the store.¡¯ Jiu Shen spoke in his mind.


    The system remained silent after that.


    "Gulp! Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!"


    "This wine¡¯s taste is almost on par with the emperor¡¯s most cherished wine, the Phoenix¡¯s Godly mes Wine! And to think that there is still something much better sold inside this store! Now, I¡¯m looking forward to the taste of that Deep Sea Spring Dew. Even imperial father might be infatuated with this wine..." The fourth prince smiled foolishly as he kept on praising the wine. Defender Duanmu nodded his head from time to time to show his agreement.


    "Wine Master Jiu, it¡¯s time for us to leave. Thanks for the wines and dishes, because of it, some of my brothers broke through a minor realm." Boss Scar smiled happily as he cupped his fists towards Jiu Shen. Thetter merely nodded his head with no change in his expression.


    Boss Scar and the other mercenaries then bowed respectfully towards the fourth prince and Defender Duanmu. "Your highness, it¡¯s a pleasure meeting you today. I hope we will see you again in this store..."


    The fourth prince waved his right hand and nodded his head. "Of course, how could we not be here? Such fine wines, and even the only dish in this store isparable to the best dish of Crouching Dragon Pavilion."


    "With Wine Master Jiu¡¯s skills, he could surely make something much better than this. Perhaps there would be more wines and dishes in the future." Boss Scar said with a small drool escaping his lips.


    The fourth prince nodded his head to show his agreement. "Indeed! Although Wine Master Jiu Shen has an entric personality, the wines and dishes that he makes are true gourmet delicacies. It even has the effects of stimting the true essence within our bodies. Truly amazing!"


    Defender Duanmu was lost in his own thoughts. He did not even nce at Boss Scar and the other mercenaries. He only focused his senses in his dantian. ¡¯What the hell?! It actually improved my cultivation by quite a bit! Then if that¡¯s the case, I might even be promoted to the 8th-Rank Divine if I continue visiting here in the future. The emperor must know about this store...¡¯


    After Boss Scar and the other mercenaries left the store, only the fourth prince and Defender Duanmu remained. They still wanted to order, but Jiu Shen shook his head firmly. "You are not allowed to order more dishes..."


    The fourth prince frowned, but then he remembered the other party¡¯s strength, so he hid his displeasure in his heart. Defender Duanmu felt aggrieved and he could not help but ask. "Wine Master Jiu, why are you not allowing us to order more? Are you still harboring resentment because of the earlier events?"


    Jiu Shen nonchntly nced at Defender Duanmu, making thetter¡¯s heart skip a beat. ¡¯Damn! I forgot that this man can kill us with a mere flick of his fingers!¡¯


    "The wines and dishes sold in my store containrge amounts of true essence. You have already ordered a lot today, and the true essence inside the little kid¡¯s body is already full. If he consumes more..." Jiu Shen did a motion with both his hands while mouthing the word: ¡¯Kaboom!¡¯


    Defender Duanmu stood up in rm. He then hurriedly ced his hand on the fourth prince¡¯s back to check the true essence inside his body. And indeed, after checking it, he found a huge amount of true essence inside the fourth prince¡¯s body. If he consumes more, then he will surely explode from over-umtion of true essence.


    A human¡¯s dantian can hold a certain amount of true essence depending on their cultivation strength or body strength. Although the fourth prince was a rare genius who was already at the peak of 4th-rank Knight Crusader, his dantian still had a limit on how much true essence it can store. Defender Duanmu did not realize it since his dantian was still not full, and he was also preupied with the small leap in his strength.


    "Wine Master Jiu, thank you very much. This old man is blind and did not realize the immensity of heaven and earth." Defender Duanmu thanked Jiu Shen gratefully. If he gave them another order, the fourth prince would have exploded from over-umtion of true essence. He can¡¯t shoulder that kind of guilt in his life, so he was infinitely grateful towards Jiu Shen.


    The fourth prince never realized it himself and he only realized it after hearing Jiu Shen¡¯s words. His body turned cold and he hurriedly checked his own dantian. He was scared out of his wits after finally sensing his full dantian.


    Because the true essence from Jiu Shen¡¯s wines and dishes was calm and tranquil, he failed to sense that his dantian was already full. It was unlike the fierce and violent true essence from the pills made by the alchemists from the Alchemy Hall.


    "Thank you for your reminder, Wine Master Jiu Shen." The fourth prince cupped his fists respectfully. He actually harbored displeasure to someone who only cared for his well-being. He was now angry at his own self.


    "You may leave now. And don¡¯t worry, I have no ns on conquering this empire. If I had that in mind, then I would have done it already, considering my strength." Jiu Shen¡¯s words were somewhat arrogant, but the fourth prince and Defender Duanmu did not think so. The man in front of them really had the strength to conquer their empire, so he had the capital to be arrogant.


    The fourth prince and Defender Duanmu sighed in relief after hearing his words. They then left the store afterward. Of course, they will report to the emperor about the emergence of a strong expert inside their empire. He was like a bomb that could explode any minute from now.


    Jiu Shen did not know what was in their minds, even if he does, he did not care one bit. He closed the store after everyone left and ask the system to give him the Store Expansion Package.


    - Do you wish to use it now?

 Chapter 14 - Great Changes

    <h4>Chapter 14 - Great Changes </h4>


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly. "Yes, do it."


    - Ding!


    - Commencing store expansion!


    After hearing the solemn voice of the system, Jiu Shen saw something that made him somewhat surprised. The store¡¯s interior was small before, as it can only fit ten tables in total. But right in front of him, the internal space of his store erged by quite a lot. It was now more than five timesrger than before.


    The wooden chairs and tables were also reced by a sacred wood that Jiu Shen was very familiar with. His lips twitched after seeing the materials and he could not help but mutter to himself in regret... "It¡¯s actually the Sacred Sanctum Safarwood... Although it is not on the same level as the Eonic Ragarwood Tree, it is still a God-Level treasure that is used to make God-Rank weapons. To think that such a heavenly treasure was used to make chairs and tables. What a reckless waste of heavenly resources..."


    "System, how about you give me ten kilograms of this wood? You must know that although this ce is a low-level mortal world, I still can¡¯t be negligent on my safety, right? With ten kilograms of Sacred Sanctum Safarwood, I would be able to make a God-rank wooden sword out of it. That kind of weapon is enough to ensure my safety. What do you think?" Jiu Shen asked with a shameless smile on his face. The calm and indifferent expert facade earlier was gone and was reced by a crafty and cunning look.


    The system was silent for a moment, but then a brilliant ray of light emerged in front of him.


    Jiu Shen smiled and squinted his eyes. He saw an outline of a ck heavy sword which was about two meters in length. Its sword body had multiple blood-red archaic carvings that emitted a holy aura that would make anyone prostrate in worship. The hilt of the sword had two Red Dragon carvings intertwining against each other. They looked life-like and full of dreadful power.


    When the ray of light vanished, the two-meter heavy sword¡¯s appearance changed. It now looked like an ordinary ck sword. Its size also reduced by half and is now only a one-meter sword. Although it was made from wood, it did not look like it was made from wood at all. Instead, it was as if the sword was made from ck iron. Anyone who would see it would never believe that the ordinary-looking ck sword was actually made from a God-rank heavenly treasure.


    Jiu Shen caressed the sword as if he was caressing the most fragile jade. He smiled from ear to ear after sessfully scamming the system. He felt that the one month he spent from brewing wine was not wasted at all.


    As Jiu Shen was about to thank the system, he was stunned by the changes inside the store. Everything looked more noble and regal. There were also four small pots of nts in every corner of the store, giving it a more refreshing vibe.


    Jiu Shen disdainfully nced at those nts and muttered in a condescending tone. "Tch, so It¡¯s only a 9th-rank Earth Origin Dragon Tree..."


    If any of the top experts of Nuar heard his words, they would surely gang up to beat him senseless. The Earth Origin Dragon Tree was, after all, a 9th-rank spiritual nt. The fruit it bears can help a peak 8th-rank Divine expert in advancing towards the 9th-rank Saint. So it was definitely a rare treasure that was sought after by many experts.


    Jiu Shen shrugged his shoulders and went to check the kitchen. The moment he stepped inside the kitchen, he saw a gxy-toppling beauty dressed in a translucent white dress looking at him with veneration. The faint outline of her sacred regions was somewhat visible. Any man would have a nosebleed after staring at her even for a brief moment. She bowed her head gently and said in a respectful voice. "Greetings, master."


    Jiu Shen was stunned after seeing her sudden appearance. He then stared at the beauty from head to foot. Her long fiery red hair reached her waist, and her exquisite face was the epitome of perfection. Even those proud daughters of heaven from the Primordial God Realm would not dare say that they were more beautiful than the woman in front of him.


    Jiu Shen recollected himself and his eyes reverted back to its usual indifferent look. He calmly nced at the beauty and asked. "Who are you?"


    The red-haired beauty smiled and said respectfully. "Your servant¡¯s name is Hestia."


    "How did you go here?" Jiu Shen asked.


    Hestia blinked her beautiful pair of eyes in confusion. "Master, I only remember that I am your servant. Nothing elsees to my mind."


    "System, what is this? Who is she?" Jiu Shen knew that the system had something to do with her.


    - Ding!


    - Host, please calm down. She is a being formed personally by the system to serve you. As the future Wine God, why should you cook the dishes when you can simply have someone cook them for you?


    Jiu Shen was speechless at the system¡¯s reply. He then scrutinized Hestia in great detail, making thetter blush. ¡¯Why is master looking at me like that? Could it be...¡¯ Thinking up to that, she blushed even more.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head inwardly after checking Hestia¡¯s constitution thoroughly. She was an 8th-rank Divine expert, which was already good enough considering Nuar¡¯s level of experts. "From now on your task is to cook the dishes ordered by our customers and also as the waitress of our store. As for where you will sleep... You can go sleep in my room for tonight temporarily..."


    Hestia became even more flustered after hearing his words. "As youmand, master."


    Jiu Shen did not know what she was thinking, but if he knew, he might really consider doing it.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head and told her to rest for the moment. He then checked the wine storage area. He was surprised to see changes in the storage area. It actually erged by more than five times as well. Even the Deep Sea Spring Dew was already on disy.


    Jiu Shen grabbed one bottle of the wine and put it back in its ce. "I will give it a taste tomorrow morning."


    As he was about to go up, he suddenly felt an unfamiliar aura right outside his store. He solemnly nced at the direction and spoke in a cold tone. "You¡¯re already here, so you don¡¯t need to hide. Show yourself."

 Chapter 15 - Deep Sea Spring Dew

    <h4>Chapter 15 - Deep Sea Spring Dew </h4>


    Jiu Shen red at the entrance of his store. The door slowly opened, and a graceful and lithe silhouette stepped inside the store. She was wearing light body armor that covered her upper body. A short battle skirt covered a small portion of her lower body. Her long and seductive legs were also in full disy.


    Jiu Shen was confused since he did not feel any hostility from the woman. Instead, she was looking at him with a face full of reverence.


    Her medium-length blonde hair that reached her shoulders cascaded down elegantly as she bowed her head respectfully towards Jiu Shen. "Greetings, master."


    "What the hell? System, don¡¯t y with me. You did this on purpose, didn¡¯t you?" Jiu Shen spoke inside his head in an exasperated tone.


    - Ding!


    - Host, as the future Unrivaled Wine God, you need a sharp de to continue making the best wines in the multiverse peacefully.


    "You mean my sharp de is this little beauty who only has the strength of a 9th-rank Saint expert?" Jiu Shen rolled his eyes inwardly, but he did not say it out loud or it may hurt the feelings of the woman.


    The system remained silent as if it was disinclined to exin things to Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen beckoned the beauty with his hand and gestured her toe close. "What¡¯s your name?"


    The blonde beauty bowed her head lightly and said. "Master, your servant¡¯s name is Theia."


    ¡¯Two, gxy-toppling beauties appeared in a single night in my little store. Now, where can I sleep without affecting my Heart Realm?¡¯ Jiu Shen sighed sorrowfully.


    The Heart Realm that he mentioned was the special realm of a cultivator¡¯s martial heart. It¡¯s not something literal, but something intangible. The greater your attainments in the Heart Realm, the faster your cultivation speed will be.


    There are four Heart Realms: the first realm; Heart Like Mirror, the second realm; Heart as Gentle as Water, the third realm; Heart Unmoved Like Mountain, the fourth realm; Heartless Void.


    Even in his past life when he was still a top expert in the Primordial God Realm, he only trained his Heart Realm until the third realm, Heart Unmoved Like Mountain.


    Since the creation of the universe, only three people managed to reach the fourth Heart Realm, Heartless Void. Those three experts were now the three Celestial Emperors of the vast multiverse. They governed thews of the multiverse and maintain its peace and order for countless eons. Of course, one of them was the one who killed Jiu Shen...


    Back to the story...


    Theia was still standing respectfully in front of Jiu Shen. She was looking at him as if he was God.


    "Come with me. You will sleep in my room with Hestia." Jiu Shen forced out a stiff smile on his face.


    Jiu Shen didn¡¯t know that the system already built two more rooms for Hestia and Theia, so he thought that there was only one room in the second floor.


    "As you say, master." Theia bowed her head reverently.


    Jiu Shen brought Theia towards his room on the second floor of his store. And just as he was about to go inside his room, he saw two more additional rooms. ¡¯At least the system is considerate enough to make new rooms for these two beauties...¡¯


    He sighed in relief and randomly pointed a room for Theia. "You will be staying in that room. Starting tomorrow, you will maintain the order and safety of our store. And... you should rest for now."


    "Yes, master." Theia bowed her head gently. She only went inside her room after Jiu Shen left.


    Thetter went inside his room and sighed in relief after not seeing Hestia. "She might be in the other room."


    * * *


    The next day, Jiu Shen went down after taking a shower and wearing clothes. He was surprised to see that both the two beauties were already there waiting for him with smiles on their faces.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head at them calmly. He then went inside the wine storage area with an expectant look on his face. "I wonder how the Deep Sea Spring Dew would taste like."


    He grabbed one bottle of the new wine before he went out of the wine storage area. The moment he came out, two beautiful pairs of eyes nced at him curiously.


    Jiu Shen smiled and sat on a chair after cing the wine on the table. "Come here you two. You will also be my wine tasters from now on." He gestured the twodies to sit beside him.


    They revealed happy smiles and the both of them eagerly went towards Jiu Shen. They sat on each of his side and looked at him with round eyes.


    Jiu Shen opened the wine bottle, causing a dense and fragrant aroma to invade their nostrils. They closed their eyes in satisfaction while inhaling the sweet scent of the wine.


    "This wine smells so good. Master, did you make this wine?" Hestia blinked her eyes curiously while looking at Jiu Shen.


    Thetter nodded his head and said. "Yes, I was the one who made this wine. Now, let¡¯s all give it a taste."


    He then tilted the wine bottle and a golden liquid flowed gently down towards the three small cups. The golden liquid emitted a brilliant luster, surprising the three of them.


    ¡¯A wine that shines like gold? Even that whatever Phoenix  wine of the emperor should not be this exaggerated, right?¡¯ Jiu Shen thought silently to himself. He was quite pleased with himself since he was the one who made the wine with the system¡¯s help.


    He then distributed the two cups of wine to the beauties. They were already drooling at the sight of it.


    They held the cups gently as if it was a cup filled with natural treasures. They then gave their cups a light sip, and their eyes shone with a dazzling glow after the golden liquid touched their lips.


    Jiu Shen smiled after seeing the looks in their faces. He nced at the golden liquid in his cup and drank a small mouthful of it.


    His mouth felt like it exploded after the wine touched his tongue. He closed his eyes and savored the sweet aftertaste of the Deep Sea Dew. The biting spiciness of the 6th-rank beast¡¯s blood can also be felt subtly.


    "Ho! It¡¯s actually able to slightly stimte the true essence of a 9th-rank Saint like me? Those old experts would surelye after knowing the effects of this wine. Hehe!"

 Chapter 16 - Mu Sheng

    <h4>Chapter 16 - Mu Sheng </h4>


    Jiu Shen watched the twodies empty their cups, his lips curved up a bit. He then patted their heads and told them. "Don¡¯t forget about your jobs. Theia, if there is someone causing trouble, throw them out. As for Hestia, get Ice¡¯s milk in the kitchen and give him bowl-full."


    "Yes, master."


    "Yes, master."


    The two beauties went to do their assigned tasks while Jiu Shen opened the door.


    The biting rays of light touched his expressionless face after opening the door. Theia stood beside the entrance while eyeing the iing customer coldly.


    "Wine Master Jiu, good morning!" Liu Xiufeng greeted with sparkling eyes after seeing Jiu Shen opening the store. He was also surprised to see the interior of the store. ¡¯How the hell did the store grew this big after only a night?¡¯ Liu Xiufeng¡¯s eyes widened while looking at the brand new furnishing of the store. ¡¯But I¡¯m sure that it still looks small outside. This...¡¯


    Despite his curiosity, he still chose to remain silent. He knew that Wine Master Jiu was not a simple man. Especially after seeing how respectful the empire¡¯s defender talked to him yesterday. They even chose topromise with Wine Master Jiu and swallowed their pride.


    He then stepped inside the store and froze for a brief moment after noticing a cold reing from the side. He stiffly turned his head and saw a blonde beauty who was looking at him coldly. He hurriedly avoided her gaze and hastily followed behind Jiu Shen.


    "Wine Master Jiu, who is that icy beauty beside the door?" Liu Xiufeng whispered silently while poking Jiu Shen¡¯s shoulder with his index finger.


    Jiu Shen did not spare a nce at him and just replied perfunctorily. "Don¡¯t mind her. As for who she is, you will know soon."


    Many thoughts shed inside Liu Xiufeng¡¯s head after hearing the vague answer of Jiu Shen. ¡¯She isn¡¯t Wine Master Jiu¡¯s little lover, right? And why can¡¯t I feel the strength of that little girlie? Could it be...¡¯


    Hestia came out with a bowl of milk. Behind her was the fat cat Ice. It was meowing at Hestia adorably as it chased her, or perhaps, it was chasing the bowl of milk in her hands.


    "Little Ice, here¡¯s your milk." Hestia put down the bowl of milk and rubbed Ice¡¯s thick white fur. Ice swatted her hand before it continued to lick its milk.


    Hestia giggled after seeing the fat cat¡¯s rebellious nature. She then stood up and nced at Liu Xiufeng with a radiant smile on her face. "What is your order, mister?"


    Liu Xiufeng was stunned after seeing her smile. And he felt like the whole world was frozen. ¡¯This is how ady should act, gentle and sweet. How lucky Wine Master Jiu is...¡¯ Liu Xiufeng thought to himself with admiration.


    "Mister? Can I have your order?" Hestia smiled while calling for Liu Xiufeng¡¯s attention.


    "Ahh... Right... Give me two bottles of Ables nc please." Liu Xiufeng said his order with an embarrassed smile.


    "Okay, mister. Give me one moment." Hestia turned around and gracefully walked towards the wine storage area. Liu Xiufeng watched her departing back figure, or to be exact, he watched her swaying bottom as she walked towards the wine storage area. "Wow! 100 points!" He unconsciously spoke.


    Jiu Shen who was sitting opposite of him cast a sidelong nce at him. "What?"


    Liu Xiufeng covered his mouth and shook his head. Beads of sweat trickled down his face as he thought. ¡¯I should avoid looking at her like that, or I might offend Wine Master Jiu.¡¯


    A few momentster, Boss Scar arrived with his mercenary brothers. He even brought a few more people than yesterday. After stepping inside the store, they were surprised to see its massive changes overnight.


    They also saw the cold Theia standing stoically at the entrance.


    Some of the mercenaries even nced lecherously at her seductive legs. Theia frowned after seeing their disrespectful behavior.


    "Hey, little beauty. Do you want to drink with this big brother? Don¡¯t worry, the bill is on me." A muscr mercenary said while looking at Theia¡¯s youthful body openly.


    Another mercenaryughed while looking at her with a knowing smile... "That¡¯s right, little beauty. Us brothers will treat you with wine as long as you apany uster."


    More mercenariesughed as they surrounded Theia, leaving no rooms for her to escape.


    Boss Scar frowned after seeing their actions. He brought them here to let them have a taste of Wine Master Jiu¡¯s wine. He even warned them to avoid causing trouble inside the store.


    "Brother Mu Sheng, don¡¯t cause trouble here. The owner of the store isn¡¯t someone you wish to provoke." Boss Scar held the muscr man¡¯s shoulder with a grave look.


    The muscr man named Mu Sheng nced at Boss Scar with a bit of annoyance. "Scar, who do you think you are to stop me, Mu Sheng, from doing what I want?"


    Boss Scar¡¯s face turned cold after hearing Mu Sheng¡¯s words, but he still held himself back from attacking the other party. Although he was not any weaker than Mu Sheng, he was still afraid of the person that thetter serves.


    "Don¡¯t me me for not warning you." Boss Scar said coldly before he led his brothers towards where Liu Xiufeng was sitting.


    Mu Sheng nced disdainfully at Boss Scar¡¯s back and muttered. "Coward!"


    Boss Scar saw Jiu Shen sitting on a chair with his eyes shut tight. He wanted to order but he was afraid of disturbing him, so waited patiently.


    "Don¡¯t worry, Boss Scar. Someone else will take your orders. As for those foolish mobs, just wait and see. That blonde beauty is someone from this store, and I don¡¯t believe that she is just an ordinary girl. Even Wine Master Jiu is not making a move. That means, thatdy isn¡¯t as simple as she seemed to be." Liu Xiufeng patted Boss Scar¡¯s shoulder as he spoke. Although he looked uncouth and boorish, he was still more intelligent than these simple-minded mercenaries.


    "What? That youngdy is someone from this store?" Boss Scar eximed while looking at Theia who was surrounded by more than ten mercenaries.


    Liu Xiufeng nodded his head with a cold smile while looking at Mu Sheng and his cronies as if they were a bunch of monkeys in a circus.


    Boss Scar nced curiously at Theia after seeing Liu Xiufeng¡¯s affirmation. ¡¯Since she is someone from this store, she should be able to hold herself against Mu Sheng and his men. If she couldn¡¯t, then Wine Master Jiu will surely make a move to help her.¡¯ Thinking up to that, Boss Scar¡¯s eyes lit up.

 Chapter 17 - Incinerate!

    <h4>Chapter 17 - Incinerate! </h4>


    Inside the imperial pce of the Silver Wing Empire, the fourth prince and Defender Duanmu were kneeling respectfully in front of a middle-aged man who was sitting on the throne. Although he looked middle-aged in appearance, he can already be considered as one of the oldest experts. He had a heroic aura and the regal air of an emperor.


    The man seated on the throne was Silver Wing Empire¡¯s current Emperor, Elyk Silveria II. He was a man of great strength and charisma. He was also the strongest expert of the empire, a mid-stage 8th-rank Divine cultivator.


    "What is your purpose in requesting an audience with this emperor? Make sure that this is something of utmost importance or both of you will receive punishment no matter what your rtionship with me is!" The emperor¡¯s voice was calm and unhurried as if he had experienced countless vicissitudes in life. He nced at the two people kneeling in front of him with a bright glow.


    The fourth prince was someone he treasures heavily because of his talent. It was even on par with him during his youth. If not for his young age, he would have crowned him as the first in line for the throne. As for Defender Duanmu, he was one of the top experts of the empire and was also his friend. Aside from that, he was infinitely close in breaking through towards the 8th-rank Divine.


    The emperor was looking forward to the growth of both men. That was also why he was strict on them. He did not want them to becent just because of their connection with him.


    "Your majesty, I was with the fourth prince yesterday as per usual. We went inside a small store in one of the less popted areas of the capital city..." Defender Duanmu narrated their experience in Jiu Shen¡¯s store. He also told the emperor about Jiu Shen¡¯s unfathomable power and cultivation.


    "Most importantly, the wines and dishes sold in this store are capable of stimting the true essence of someone like me..." Defender Duanmu had a look of excitement when he said that.


    The emperor¡¯s eyes shed for a brief moment when he heard Defender Duanmu¡¯sst sentence. His lips curved up and formed a faint smile. He tapped his fingers on the armrest of the throne and he looked to be in a state of deep pondering.


    "You mentioned that this Jiu Shen person does not want to conquer our empire, how truthful do you think his words were?" The emperor asked in a grave tone. After learning that there was an expert who might be stronger than him staying in their empire, he was a bit worried. The minds of the top experts were hard to fathom. He did not know the goal of the other person, and he did not believe that he was only there to sell wines and dishes.


    Defender Duanmu frowned and shook his head lightly. "I cannot understand the heart of this person at all, your majesty. He appears to be unrivaled in cultivation, but then he only wants to sell wine. But of course, I¡¯m not yet certain about everything. The best course of action is to keep an eye on this store and avoid shing with them."


    The emperor nodded his head calmly. "Your suggestion is indeed our best option. As of the moment, maintain a friendly rtionship with the store. Most importantly, make sure to not allow anyone from the imperial pce to provoke that wine master. We cannot afford to provoke such an expert especially during this time."


    Defender Duanmu and the fourth prince¡¯s faces looked grave after hearing the emperor¡¯s words. They knew that he was talking about the suspicious movements of the nearby empires.


    "Yes, your majesty." Defender Duanmu replied solemnly.


    "The both of you may leave. And when the right timees, I will personally visit that store." The emperor waved his hands and gestured for the both of them to go.


    * * *


    Inside Jiu Shen¡¯s store, Mu Sheng and his cronies were still surrounding Theia. They smiled lecherously while looking at her shapely body.


    But they failed to notice the rising killing intent of Theia. Low-level cultivators like them could not sense the killing intent of a top expert like Theia.


    "Littledy, you might not know this, but brother Mu Sheng is closely connected to the Liu Family. If you follow him, you will only gain countless benefits." A mercenary persuaded with a nasty smile.


    Mu Sheng nodded his head with a pleased smile. "That¡¯s right. If you follow this lord, no one in the empire will dare to provoke you carelessly." After saying that, Mu Sheng stepped forward and went closer to Theia.


    "Theia, you don¡¯t need to kill these small fries. You can do anything to them, but don¡¯t kill them." Jiu Shen with his eyes still closed said in a calm voice.


    Everyone inside the store paused their movements after hearing him.


    Boss Scar and his friends were not that surprised, but Mu Sheng and his subordinatesughed loudly in contempt.


    Mu Sheng, in particr, nced at Jiu Shen as if he was looking at a stupid person. "Are you that whatever Wine Master, the owner of this store? I heard some rumors that you are a top expert. Haha! A kid like you ims to be a top expert, do you think your grandpa Mu Sheng is stupid? Haha!" Mu Sheng and his subordinatesughed loudly in session.


    Boss Scar and his friends facepalmed themselves after hearing their jeers. They were looking at Mu Sheng and his subordinates as if they were dead people.


    "You were given an opportunity to live, but you chose to court death instead. I feel ashamed of having the same level of cultivation as him." Boss Scar shook his head with a soft sigh while Liu Xiufeng and the others nodded their heads in agreement.


    "Theia, I change my mind. Do anything you want with them. But make sure to not dirty the store with their filthy blood." Jiu Shen spoke in the same calm and cid voice.


    "Yes, master," Theia answered softly, but her eyes were as cold as ice.


    Mu Sheng and his subordinates did not have the time tough before their bodies were thrown out of the store by an invisible power.


    "Incinerate." Theia calmly stated while raising her dainty right hand.


    Following her voice, a huge column of me enveloped Mu Sheng and his subordinates. Screams of anguish and pain can be heard for three seconds before it died out. When the me receded in ten seconds, the bodies of Mu Sheng and his subordinates can no longer be seen. Only a charred ground was left behind with a few handfuls of ashes scattering along with the wind.


    Boss Scar¡¯s heart almost leaped out of his chest after seeing the scene. The same thing can be said for Liu Xiufeng and the others.

 Chapter 18 - Random Bonsai

    <h4>Chapter 18 - Random Bonsai </h4>


    "Several medium-level experts died just like that? Even Mu Sheng who was a peak 5th-rank Spirit expert died without being able to fight back..." Boss Scar muttered with a nk look on his face. As for Liu Xiufeng and the other mercenaries, they were staring fearfully at the heroic-looking Theia.


    "Mister, here is your order of two Ables nc. Enjoy!" Hestia gently smiled as she carefully ced the two wine bottles in front of Liu Xiufeng. She then nced at the absent-minded Scar and the others and asked with a sweet smile. "Hello, misters. What would you like to order?"


    Boss Scar and the others¡¯ fear subsided a little after seeing Hestia¡¯s radiant smile. But they did not dare have any indecent thoughts at her. Who knew if she was also a top expert in disguise? If that is so, then they might really die without a burial ground.


    "One order of Deep-fried Shrimp Tempura Dipped in Viper Magma Chilli and also two orders of Ables nc." Boss Scar stiffly said with an unnatural smile on his face. The scenes earlier were still fresh in his mind, and it might take long before he forgets those scenes.


    The rest of the mercenaries also ordered their dishes with a wooden look. They did not even dare gaze at the most sensitive parts of Hestia, lest they will be the next ones to be burned to death. Recalling the dreadful deaths of Mu Sheng and his subordinates, they all shuddered inwardly.


    Mu Sheng and his subordinates might be licentious and perverted, but those people were still one of the most elite mercenary groups. To see them die just like that was just too surreal.


    "Is there anything else, misters?" Hestia asked with a bright smile.


    Boss Scar and the others shook their heads.


    After getting their answers, Hestia went to get their orders.


    "Hestia, you go cook the dish. I will go get their wines." Jiu Shen stood up from his seat and calmly spoke.


    "Yes, master." Hestia bowed her head and went towards the kitchen to prepare the dish while Jiu Shen went inside the wine storage area.


    A few momentster, Jiu Shen came out of the wine storage area with more than a dozen wines floating around him. He then skillfully directed the wines on Boss Scar¡¯s table. "Here are your orders."


    After seeing their wines, their eyes immediately brightened. They had even forgotten the events earlier as if it was merely an unimportant memory.


    All sorts of wine aromas spread inside the store as the mercenaries opened their wine bottles impatiently.


    "Wine Master Jiu¡¯s wine is still the best!"


    "Yeah! This Ables nc helped me broke through a minor realm yesterday. It was truly a great feeling!"


    "If a wine that costs five True Crystals already had that kind of effect, how much more the wine that costs one hundred and twenty True Crystals?"


    "You mean the new wine? What was it called again?"


    "I remember it¡¯s called Deep Sea Spring Dew."


    The mercenaries discussed animatedly while gulping down their wines in a practiced manner.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s lips curved a bit after hearing their discussion. He then closed his eyes and meditated. His strength had regressed a lot after he reincarnated. During his heyday, he was a top Heavenly God expert with a strength that was only below the three Celestial Emperors. But now, he was only a mere mortal at the initial-stage 9th-rank Saint. He still had a long way to go before recovers his past strength. As for how long... It might be a hundred years, or ten thousand years, or even a million years. No one knows...


    - Ding!


    - Host, as the future Unrivaled Wine God, you must not be distracted by your past grievances. Only by having a calm martial heart would your cultivation be able to advance by leaps and bounds.


    Jiu Shen attentively listened to the system¡¯s solemn voice. Although it had forced him to brew wine during the past few weeks, it had also given him a precious Divine Weapon. So although he held a bit of displeasure towards the system, he was still infinitely grateful towards it.


    An hourter, the fourth prince and Defender Duanmu came inside the store with stunned faces. They were surprised about the store¡¯s massive changes overnight.


    "This... Howe the space here is five timesrger than outside? Could it be that Wine Master Jiu is also capable of controlling the mysterious space arts?" Defender Duanmu muttered with an incredulous look on his aged face.


    The fourth prince was simrly stunned, but he hurriedly calmed himself down. He told himself to never again make a fool inside this store.


    They then felt a sharp gaze after they entered the store. The two men frowned and nced at the side only to see a blonde beauty with a cold disposition staring at them icily.


    "Hello, young miss. My name is Dante, how should I address you?" The fourth prince¡¯s name was Dante Silveria. He did not want to tell her his surname or she might think that he was using the name of the imperial family to force her into submission.


    Theia coldly nced at the fourth prince, but she did not see any hint of malice from his gaze. Her gaze softened a bit and she indifferently replied. "Theia."


    "Oh, so it¡¯s Young Miss Theia. It¡¯s a pleasure meeting you today." The fourth prince smiled and cupped his fists while Theia merely nodded her head in response.


    After realizing that she was not interested in talking to him, he shed an abashed smile before he was dragged by Defender Duanmu.


    "Your highness, that woman is not simple. I can¡¯t read her cultivation level at all, but she produces a kind of overpowering air. Her strength should be on par with his majesty or even stronger." Defender Duanmu whispered silently.


    Defender Duanmu frowned after seeing that the fourth prince was still absent-minded. He nced at the prince and saw that he was looking in a certain direction. He followed his gaze and his old face also froze. The two men, young and old, looked like wooden statues with wide eyes and gaping mouths.


    "That nt... It is simr to the ones I¡¯ve read from an ancient book. This..." The fourth prince muttered with a slightly shaking voice.


    "That is... That is indeed a 9th-rank Earth Origin Dragon Tree. How could such a precious nt be here in this store? There are even four of them here... To think that such a rare heavenly treasure was only treated as a random bonsai by Wine Master Jiu. I don¡¯t know what to say anymore..." Defender Duanmu didn¡¯t know whether tough or to cry.

 Chapter 19 - Spiritual Flower

    <h4>Chapter 19 - Spiritual Flower </h4>


    The fourth prince and Defender Duanmu looked like they had swallowed a fly. They felt like crying, but no tears came out of their eyes.


    "Even his majesty would be moved if he sees this spiritual nt. Is Wine Master Jiu unafraid of the top exerts¡¯ covetous eyes? No matter how strong he is, he could not defend this little store once they are besieged by countless top experts." Defender Duanmu frowned after a moment of deep thinking. Even he himself was moved after seeing the Earth Origin Dragon Tree. Only a fool could stay calm after seeing such a treasure. And if not for the store¡¯s strength, he would have long since stolen the spiritual nt.


    "Defender Duanmu, don¡¯t even think about it. It may be a rare treasure, but it¡¯s not worth making an enemy out of Wine Master Jiu. You have seen his strength for yourself, and I doubt if even imperial father is his match..." The fourth prince stated solemnly after seeing the glistening eyes of the old defender.


    Defender Duanmu¡¯s heart jolted after hearing the fourth prince¡¯s words. But he was still very reluctant on giving up the Earth Origin Dragon Tree. Just the Earth Origin Dragon Fruit that it bears is already equivalent to several decades of cultivation. It can even help an expert who was at the peak of the 8th-rank Divine to immediately breakthrough to the next realm.


    Defender Duanmu firmed his heart and stood up from his seat. Although he can¡¯t forcefully steal the spiritual nt, he can still do a trade with Wine Master Jiu. Or so he thought...


    The fourth prince shook his head after seeing Defender Duanmu stood up from his seat. But he knew that he can¡¯t change the old man¡¯s mind.


    With Jiu Shen¡¯s present cultivation, it was no problem for him to hear the silent interaction between the two men, but he did not really care even a tiny bit. After all, they were just small little ants in his eyes.


    Even with his eyes closed, he can sense that Defender Duanmu was walking towards him. His old face was full of seriousness as if he was about to deliver a piece of grim news. He opened his mouth, but before he could even speak, Jiu Shen raised his right hand and spoke in a calm tone. "Save your breath, old man. That spiritual nt isn¡¯t for sale and I have no ns on trading it with something else."


    Defender Duanmu¡¯s words were stuck in his throat and he didn¡¯t even have the chance to speak before he was turned down by Jiu Shen. ¡¯Just how did he knew my intentions? Don¡¯t tell me he can still hear our conversation even after I had blocked the two-meter radius between me and the fourth prince?¡¯


    "Old man, if you want to order something, order now. If not, then please take your leave. My store does not allow people to loiter around freely." Jiu Shen waved his hands impatiently with his eyes still shut tight.


    Defender Duanmu was about to speak, but a hand grabbed his shoulder firmly. When he turned around, he saw the fourth prince shaking his head after a soft sigh. "We apologize for disturbing you, Wine Master Jiu. And also, I would like to order the new wine for today. It was still unavable yesterday so we were not able to have a taste. I wonder if you have one now, Wine Master Jiu..."


    Jiu Shen finally opened his eyes. He then nced at the fourth prince with a poker face and nodded his head slowly. "Indeed, you can order that wine now, but I have to warn you. The old man would be fine even if he drinks the whole bottle of wine, but as for you... You can only drink one ss for now. Any more than that is..." Jiu Shen did not continue his words, but he shed a strange smile at the fourth prince for a second.


    The fourth prince thought that he was hallucinating, but he definitely saw Jiu Shen smile. He felt all the hairs on his body stood on end as he muttered Jiu Shen¡¯s words in his heart. ¡¯Just one ss. Just one ss. Just one ss.¡¯


    Of course, he knew what he meant. He had experienced the same thing yesterday when his dantian was full of true essence after eating his fill without restraint. ¡¯If not for Jiu Shen¡¯s timely warning...¡¯ The fourth prince shuddered in fear, but he still put on aposed look.


    "Okay, Wine Master Jiu. Just give us one order of that wine." The fourth prince said with an unnatural smile.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly and went towards the wine storage area to grab the wine that he ordered. He was also eager to see their reactions once they tasted the wine.


    Jiu Shen smirked and beckoned with his right hand. A bottle of wine flew out of the shelf and hovered beside him docilely. He then stepped out of the wine storage area.


    "Here is your order." Jiu Shen gently ced the bottle of wine on their table before he went back on his seat. He then closed his eyes, but he was still secretly observing them through his spiritual power.


    Aside from cultivating the true essence, a cultivator can also choose to cultivate his/her spiritual power. But of course, cultivating one¡¯s spiritual power is way harder than cultivating someone¡¯s true essence.


    True essence can simply be obtained through refining resources like spiritual nts, cultivation pills, and etc. But training the spiritual power involves a cultivator¡¯s spirit. It needs a cultivator to create a link between the spiritual nodes in his body. And the process of doing that was so painful that if one experienced it, then they would have dly chosen death than to experience that kind of pain. In other words, training the spiritual power needs high willpower and pain tolerance. Only a few people dared to train their spiritual power. But once they have sessfully trained it to a higher level, then no matter where they go, they will be respected by many.


    Spiritual power was also indispensable for the masters of alchemy, beast taming, weapon refining, array making, and etc. Since these professions involve the usage of spiritual power.


    Thus, the masters of the aforementioned professions were highly sought after by all major powers.


    Now back to the story.


    Jiu Shen calmly waited for the two men to taste the Deep Sea Spring Dew. He was looking at the fourth prince in particr. ¡¯If. nothing goes wrong, the kid will breakthrough to the 5th-rank Spirit realm.¡¯

 Chapter 20 - Liu Xiufengs News

    <h4>Chapter 20 - Liu Xiufeng''s News </h4>


    Jiu Shen used his spiritual power to view the expressions of the fourth prince and Defender Duanmu while they were tasting the Deep Sea Spring Dew. He might be closing his eyes, but he can see every miniscule change on the two men¡¯s reactions. ¡¯The old man is also at the peak of 7th-rank Emperor, but he won¡¯t breakthrough with just one wine. He needs a much stronger catalyst if he wants his strength to be promoted to the next realm. But the kid has a higher chance of breaking through. Of course, it is still just a chance.¡¯


    Defender Duanmu slowly opened the wine bottle.


    A rich wine aroma burst forth from the mouth of the wine bottle giving off the fragrant smell of a Deep Sea Dew. Both men¡¯s eyes lit up as they greedily inhaled the wine¡¯s sweet smell.


    After filling their cups with wine, Defender Duanmu impatiently brought it towards his lips and took a light sip.


    As for the fourth prince, he was muttering something under his breath as if he was chanting some kind of iprehensible mantra. "Just one ss. Just one ss. Just one ss." With his eyes half-closed, the fourth prince also took a sip.


    The fourth prince jolted in shock like someone who was electrocuted. His eyes widened in surprise while looking at the cup of wine in his hand.


    When the golden liquid touched his tongue, he felt a cooling sensation enveloping his mouth. But then, just a secondter, a fiery feeling assaulted his throat. The two contradicting sensations created a sort of seamless harmony, yet they retained their own uniqueness, making him drunk in the indulgence.


    "I got that kind of feeling after just one sip?! I can tell that there was a Deep Sea Dew added on the brewing process which enhanced the wine¡¯s fragrance, but what are those two distinct sensations that I felt?" The fourth prince was a well-read person since he was young. He had also tasted different kinds of gourmet dishes in the imperial pce. That was why he was able to instantly recognize the Deep Sea Dew¡¯s unique aroma.


    Defender Duanmu did not have a simr thought process. He was still drinking his cup of wine with a foolish smile on his aged face. Although he was also familiar with the Deep Sea Dew, he did not think too much about it.


    He focused his attention and simply checked the minute changes in his dantian as he continued to drink the wine. ¡¯Unbelievable! Although it was not enough to promote me to the next realm, it was still able to consolidate my foundation making it much easier for me if I want to breakthrough. What a treasure! Even his majesty¡¯s Phoenix¡¯ Godly mes Wine did not have such an effect.¡¯ Defender Duanmu thought to himself with intense excitement in his heart.


    The fourth prince hesitated no more. He gulped the remaining golden liquid in his cup with an absent-minded look. He shivered the moment the wine liquid reached his throat since he felt the same fiery and cool feeling. It was as if the two opposing aftertastes were wrestling against each other in his throat. "Ahh! Good wine!"


    The fourth prince felt full after drinking one ss of the wine. He realized that Jiu Shen was not deliberately messing with him at all. One ss was indeed the maximum he can consume with his current cultivation. He then nced at the bottle of Deep Sea Spring Dew with a regretful look, but he reigned in his desire and checked his dantian.


    He felt that his dantian was full of unrefined true essence, but the true essence of the wine was not violent at all which will make it much easier for him to refine. He even felt that he had a chance to achieve a breakthrough making him very excited.


    Jiu Shen withdrew his spiritual force after he had seen the effects of the wine. He was fairly satisfied with it, but it was not enough to move him. He had tasted countless immortal wines in his past life which were much better than the Deep Sea Spring Dew. But of course, the ingredients used were much rarer and more precious.


    On a different table were Boss Scar and the others were seated, they were drinking and talking happily among each other and it seemed like they had forgotten that a medium-level expert had died in the morning.


    Liu Xiufeng knitted his brows and solemnly said. "I heard some rumors from my friends in the Liu Family that one of the aristocratic families of our empire was suspected to be selling weapons to the neighboring empires."


    The atmosphere suddenly turned serious after Liu Xiufeng dropped a serious topic. Boss Scar furrowed his brows, and he could not help but ask. "Which aristocratic family are you talking about?"


    Jiu Shen¡¯s ears perked up. He was also curious about their conversation, so he listened attentively to them. In another¡¯s point of view, he was meditating diligently. But in actual fact, Jiu Shen was secretly eavesdropping on their conversation. ¡¯Hoho! Looks like something fun will happen in the empire some time in the near future. Of course, I have to be there to spectate the scene. It would not be fun if I will only stay here during such a lively event.¡¯


    Liu Xiufeng nced towards his left and right before he gestured for everyone toe closer to him. He then spoke in a whispering voice. "It¡¯s an aristocratic family that is not any lesser than the Liu Family in terms of strength and authority, the Beiming Family."


    After hearing the words ¡¯Beiming Family¡¯, everyone¡¯s faces immediately turned somewhat peculiar. "Nonsense! The Beiming Family is loyal to the imperial family since the founding of the empire." A mercenary blurted out in a slightly louder voice.


    Liu Xiufeng hurriedly covered his mouth to prevent him from speaking any further. Boss Scar also red at the mercenary icily.


    They then realized that Defender Duanmu was looking at them with a smile that was not a smile.


    They forced a chuckle and left the store in a hurry after paying their bills. They did not want to stay inside the store anymore in fear that Defender Duanmu would capture them for spreading baseless rumors.


    ¡¯Even the Liu Family have discovered the Beiming Family¡¯s suspicious transactions. If that is the case, then his majesty¡¯s assumption was indeed right. This is bad, I must report this to his majesty in order for us to prepare for any possible oue.¡¯ Defender Duanmu¡¯s heart was in turmoil as he thought of countless possibilities that may happen.

 Chapter 21 - Young PatriarChapter Of The Liu Family

    <h4>Chapter 21 - Young PatriarChapter Of The Liu Family </h4>


    Defender Duanmu finished the rest of the wine, but his expression was that of extreme solemnity the entire time.


    After all, the Beiming Family¡¯s actions were against the Silver Wing Empire¡¯sws. And it could also be taken as collusion with the neighboring empires. But because of their family¡¯s power and reputation, the imperial pce could not rashly use them without any concrete evidence.


    After finishing their wine, Defender Duanmu ced several True Crystals on their table and left with the fourth prince with an urgent expression. He already nned to discuss what he had discovered with the emperor.


    Jiu Shen reached out his hands and the True Crystals hovered towards him. But before he could even touch them, they vanished without a trace. He pursed his lips but did not say anything.


    Jiu Shen closed his eyes to begin his meditation but he sensed several familiar auras sprinting towards the direction of his store. He frowned and released his spiritual force to check themotion outside. To his surprise, he discovered that they were Boss Scar and the other mercenaries. They were running with their top speed as if they were escaping with their lives on the line.


    The moment they stepped inside the store, they sighed in relief. Boss Scar nced around the store and when he saw Jiu Shen calmly sitting on a chair, he hurriedly walked towards him.


    With a face full of sweat, Boss Scar cleared his throat and spoke with a slightly shaking voice. "Wine Master Jiu, I seemed to have brought disaster to your store. I will ept your punishment regardless of the oue."


    Jiu Shen opened his eyeszily and nced at the sweating Boss Scar. "What do you mean?"


    Boss Scar sighed with a heavy look and said. "I was the one who brought Mu Sheng and his subordinates here. I only wanted him to have a taste of your wines, but who knew that he wouldn¡¯t even give me face and still act impudently in your store."


    Jiu Shen thought he must be talking about the man that Theia killed earlier, but he did not take it to heart. An ant¡¯s life can never enter his eyes, no matter how profound his background was.


    Boss Scar realized that Jiu Shen did not care at all. There was not even a change in his expression, so he could not help but remind him. "Wine Master Jiu, Mu Sheng is just an ordinary guy in your eyes, but he is working for the Liu Family. He was a subordinate of Liu Mengdi, the son of Liu Family¡¯s patriarch. Once the Liu Family hears that one of their subordinates died in your store, they would surely rush here to create trouble."


    Jiu Shen¡¯s expression was as calm as stillke water. Even after hearing the name of the Liu Family, there was no visible change in his expression. It was because he did not really care for a puny mortal family. He then nced at Boss Scar and shook his head. "Your worries are unnecessary. They can¡¯t do anything to me, but... They will be able to trace that his disappearance was rted to you."


    Boss Scar¡¯s heart turned cold after hearing his words. ¡¯Right! Wine Master Jiu has nothing to worry about because he has the strength to protect himself from the Liu Family, but I and my brothers don¡¯t have a solid backing that will protect us from them.¡¯


    Jiu Shen¡¯s sleepy eyes suddenly lit up. He then smiled faintly as he nced in a certain direction. "Oh, it looks like they had already discovered that something was amiss. The informationwork of this Liu Family is indeed slightlymendable."


    Boss Scar¡¯s entire body shuddered after hearing his words. He felt like his body was drenched by a bucket of cold water. His subordinates were simrly worried, but they did not run away despite their fear. They had experienced countless life and death situations with Boss Scar, and their group had developed a sense of brotherhood. They did not want to leave a brother behind even if it means death.


    Boss Scar¡¯s eyes moistened, but he still put on a ferocious expression on his face. "You fools, leave now! I will face this matter alone!"


    Liu Xiufeng was simrly someone from the Liu Family, but he did not have a favorable impression towards them. That was also the reason why he left the Liu Family to be a mercenary. He nced at Boss Scar with a resolute expression and said. "Boss, us brothers will face anything. You know that you can¡¯t make us leave."


    The other mercenaries also nodded their heads with firm expressions.


    Boss Scar nced at the boorish men with gratification. He then said with a regretful and guilty expression on his face. "Brothers, I have implicated you all unnecessarily."


    Liu Xiufeng shook his head. "Boss, you only meant well. But who knew that Mu Sheng was such an ungrateful man."


    Jiu Shen was still expressionless but he admired these mortals martial hearts and sense of camaraderie.


    Just then, a loud marching sound can be heard right outside the store.


    When Boss Scar and the others nced at the situation outside, their knees went weak in trepidation.


    Outside the store was an army of more than several dozen men dressed in red and ck armor. Leading them was a handsome man in his twenties with long ck hair. A short sword was strapped behind his back. With an arrogant expression, he nced at Liu Xiufeng who was inside the store and smirked derisively. "Brother Xiufeng, you¡¯ve seen me, but you didn¡¯t even greet me, the young patriarch of the Liu Family."


    Following his words, the army behind him red maliciously at Boss Scar and the others who were inside the store. "Get out of there right now and greet the young patriarch if you still value your lives!" A soldier shouted with an angry expression.


    Jiu Shen who was looking at the scene was still nonchntly sitting on his chair. He calmly watched the farce with an amused expression on his face. ¡¯That Liu Mengdi kid is already at the peak stage of 4th-rank Knight Crusader realm, but he is intentionally hiding his strength. He is only revealing the cultivation level of a 3rd-rank Crusader. Why is he doing this?¡¯

 Chapter 22 - Deja Vu

    <h4>Chapter 22 - Deja Vu </h4>


    Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes sparkled after looking at the army right outside his store. "Hey, the Liu Family is rich, right?" Jiu Shen grabbed Liu Xiufeng¡¯s clothes and asked with shining eyes.


    Liu Xiufeng was confused but he still replied with a serious expression. "Wine Master Jiu, the Liu Family¡¯s power is second only to the Silveria Imperial Family. As for their wealth, they had umted countless resources through the years and they can be considered as one of the wealthiest families inside the empire."


    Jiu Shen remained expressionless, but his eyes were glittering as if he had seen a mountain of True Crystals.


    "Liu Xiufeng, will youe out or do you want us to go there?" A soldier snorted angrily.


    Inside the store, Boss Scar was tightly holding Liu Xiufeng¡¯s shoulder, not allowing him to take a single step outside.


    "It looks like Brother Xiufeng wants us to go inside. Since that¡¯s the case..." The young patriarch, Liu Mengdi spoke gently and walked towards Jiu Shen¡¯s store with a smiling expression. More than thirty soldiers followed behind him neatly while eyeing everyone inside the store with a cold look.


    "We¡¯re finished. We¡¯re dead." Liu Xiufeng muttered with a forced chuckle.


    Liu Mengdi and his soldiers stepped inside the store. They were somewhat surprised that the space inside was actually much bigger than what can be seen outside. Despite his surprise, Liu Mengdi focused his gaze on the boorish-looking Liu Xiufeng with a cold smile. "We meet again, Brother Xiufeng. And it looks like your cultivation did not advance that much after you left the Liu Family. What a pity..."


    The soldiers behind Liu Mengdi were also looking at Liu Xiufeng with cold smiles.


    "Don¡¯t block the entrance of my store. And I don¡¯t allow anyone to loiter around without buying anything." A calm voice traveled everyone¡¯s ears and destroyed the tense atmosphere. They turned their heads sideways and nce at the handsome young man with long silver hair tied in a ponytail. It was none other than Jiu Shen who still had an indifferent look.


    Liu Mengdi¡¯s lips twitch as he looked at Jiu Shen. He felt no fluctuation of true essence from the silver-haired young man which made him think that he was merely a dreg. "Brother Xiufeng, I didn¡¯t know that you hired a clown to wee my arrival." Liu Mengdi said after chuckling softly.


    Boss Scar and the other¡¯s faces turned somewhat peculiar after hearing his words.


    "Say that again if you dare..." An icy voice suddenly echoed inside the store.


    Liu Mengdi searched for the source of the voice and saw a blonde beauty who was looking at him icily standing beside the door. He was stunned after seeing her delicate face and his eyes involuntarily lit up. "Oh, so we also have a little beauty here? Brother Xiufeng, you really to continue to surprise me." Liu Mengdi said while looking at Theia from head to foot. ¡¯This woman is even more beautiful than those aristocratic youngdies. My time here isn¡¯t wasted at all. Hehe!¡¯


    Boss Scar opened his mouth but when he was about to speak, he felt a familiar cold stare that made him fearful. He sighed and chose to stay silent.


    "Theia, they are customers, so don¡¯t kill them." Jiu Shen calmly spoke. Theia bowed her head gently before she walked towards Jiu Shen and stood behind his back.


    Liu Mengdi nced at the ¡¯clown¡¯ with a wide smile. He then looked at Liu Xiufeng and spoke in a mocking voice. "Brother Xiufeng, stop buying time. I¡¯m still waiting for you to greet me. Will you do it or not?"


    Before Liu Xiufeng can even speak, Boss Scar stepped forward and said in a firm tone. "Young master Mengdi, Liu Xiufeng is no longer part of the Liu Family. He is not obliged to greet you."


    A soldier pointed his finger at Boss Scar and shouted angrily. "Youmoner! Don¡¯t involve yourself in the affairs of the Liu Family!"


    "Are you guys ignoring me? Or do I have to make a move?" Jiu Shen calmly stated, but Boss Scar and the others who were a bit familiar with his personality knew that Wine Master Jiu was definitely angry.


    Boss Scar sensibly shut his mouth and dragged Liu Xiufeng and his subordinates on a nearby table. They sat down on their chairs like obedient little kids scolded by their father.


    After seeing them sit down, Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly. He then stared at the refined-looking Liu Mengdi with a frown. "Are you deaf? Or do you want me to tell you once more?"


    A soldier walked towards Jiu Shen with heavy strides. He gave Jiu Shen a cold look as he said. "The young patriarch might be magnanimous but-" Before he can continue his words, the soldier was thrown outside the store.


    "Swoosh!"


    "Thump!"


    Liu Mengdi and his subordinates turned serious after seeing the scene. They did not even see how the other party moved when the soldier was thrown away. "Who are you, sire?" Liu Mengdi asked with a solemn expression.


    "I don¡¯t allow violence here inside my store. As for you, are you guys going to order or not?" Jiu Shen asked with a poker face.


    Liu Mengdi¡¯s face turned dark, but he did not want to rashly move. He then gave a look at one of his soldiers. The soldier instantly realized the young patriarch¡¯s thoughts, so he mobilized his true essence and dashed towards Jiu Shen. But before he can even step forward, he was already thrown out of the store.


    "Swoosh!"


    "Thump!"


    The soldier fainted right away after being thrown out.


    Jiu Shen shook his head and sighed softly. He stared at Liu Mengdi and did a snapping motion with his finger.


    Following his actions, Liu Mengdi and his subordinates dropped on the ground in a kneeling position.


    "Bang!" More than thirty men were forced to kneel in less than a second. They did not even have the strength to fight back.


    "Arggh!"


    Liu Mengdi¡¯s handsome face was full of sweat and fear while ncing at Jiu Shen. He finally realized that the silver-haired man was a top expert that was at least on par with their grand elder in terms of strength.


    Their faces were full of agony as if they were lifting a heavy boulder. Liu Mengdi gritted his teeth and spoke with difficulty. "Si-Sire, I...I didn¡¯t reco-recognize your esteemed self right away. For-Forgive us for being disrespectful..."


    Jiu Shen did not recall his spiritual power, but he put on a thoughtful look. "Okay, but you have to buy one order of each of all the things sold in my store for all of your soldiers."


    Boss Scar and the others who heard his words felt a sense of deja vu.

 Chapter 23 - Because You Told Me To

    <h4>Chapter 23 - Because You Told Me To </h4>


    Liu Mengdi sighed in relief after hearing his words. ¡¯What could a store like this sell?¡¯


    Jiu Shen pointed at the ckboard with a calm expression and said. "You might want to take a look at the prices."


    Liu Mengdi shook his head, but he still took a look at the ckboard. When he saw the absurd prices, he knew that he was being conned. ¡¯A fucking wine sold for 120 True Crystals and a dish for 100 True Crystals? This guy is definitely robbing us in broad daylight! Damn!¡¯ But he knew that they won¡¯t be able toe out of the store if they don¡¯t agree with his terms, so he didn¡¯t have a choice.


    Jiu Shen can already guess what he was thinking but he did not care about their opinions. He was confident that they would be satisfied with his goods after giving it a taste.


    With a forced smile on his face, Liu Mengdi said with a bleeding heart. "Si-Sire, I...I agree with your con-conditions, but can you please release us already?"


    Jiu Shen nodded his head and recalled the spiritual force he released.


    Liu Mengdi and his subordinates felt that the heavy feeling was finally removed. They sprawled on the floor while panting for breath. They did not even dare nce at Jiu Shen afraid that they might inadvertently incur his wrath.


    "Theia, don¡¯t let them leave while I get their wines." Jiu Shen said as he went towards the wine storage area.


    ¡¯That young patriarch kid is still at the 4th-rank Knight Crusader and his subordinates are also around the same level as him. So they can only drink one cup of the Deep Sea Spring Dew, so that means I can only give them five bottles. And if they eat the dish, then their bodies would surely explode from over-umtion of true essence. Damn! Why are the mortals in this world so weak?¡¯ Jiu Shen thought to himself regretfully.


    He grabbed five Deep Sea Spring Dew with a sour expression before he went out of the wine storage area. He then ced the five bottles of wine on a table before ncing at Liu Mengdi and his soldiers who were still lying on the floor.


    After sensing his unkind gaze, Liu Mengdi and his soldiers immediately stood up. Their tired looks were instantly removed as they nced fearfully at Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen was still in a sour mood because he can only sell five wines to them. He then said in a cold tone."You guys can only drink one cup of wine. Don¡¯t say that I didn¡¯t warn you."


    Like chickens pecking on rice, Liu Mengdi and his soldiers nodded their heads before surrounding the table where Jiu Shen ced the wine.


    "This wine is called Deep Sea Spring Dew, enjoy." Jiu Shen said before he sat down on a chair.


    Liu Mengdi sighed in relief after only seeing five wines on the table. ¡¯At least this guy is sensible.¡¯ He then told one of his subordinates to open a bottle for him.


    The moment the soldier opened the wine bottle, the wine¡¯s aroma pervaded in the air around them. Their faces became fascinating to look at after smelling the wine¡¯s fragrant aroma. "This wine..."


    "This smell... This is the Deep Sea Dew of the Heavenly Wind Sea! How is this possible?! The ce where it can be extracted is below the surface of the ocean where high-level aquatic savage beasts reside." Liu Mengdi was familiar with the smell of the Deep Sea Dew since it was one of the closely guarded treasures of his father. It was very expensive for a food ingredient and was sold for more than a dozen True Crystals per gram. It has the effect of stimting the true essence and calming one¡¯s nerves. It was a very rare ingredient that was sought by many.


    After hearing his words, the soldier who was holding the wine bottle was stunned. His hands were shaking as he carefully held the wine bottle as if it was a fragile jade.


    Liu Mengdi grabbed the bottle of wine from the soldier¡¯s hands and filled his cup with its glittering golden liquid. Liu Mengdi nced at a soldier beside him and said. "A wine that shines like gold... Is there really such a thing? Or am I dreaming right now? Hey you, punch me."


    The soldier was stunned but after seeing the young patriarch¡¯s serious expression, he was in a dilemma. "Young patriarch, I don¡¯t dare injure you..."


    Liu Mengdi ignored him and just nced at the shining golden liquid in his cup. The fragrance it emitted dispelled his exhaustion and fear. He then gulped the contents of his cup with his eyes closed.


    When the golden liquid touched his tongue, he felt like he was ced in a freezingly cold Frozen End cier and when the liquid reached his throat, he felt a scorching feeling as if his body was enveloped by mes. The sweet aftertaste of the Deep Sea Dew blended together with the two distinct tastes making him produce a moan of delight. "Ahhh.."


    After seeing his expression, the soldiers can no longer hold themselves back. They opened the other four wine bottles and poured wine in their cups.


    The soldiers drank one cup each with faces filled with pleasure.


    "This wine is much better than the ones sold in the Crouching Dragon Pavilion."


    "Their wines taste like water ifpared to this wine. There is such a big difference in taste."


    "Hahaha! I broke through! I broke through!" A soldierughed loudly causing everyone to nce at him in surprise.


    "Hahah I also broke through!"


    "Me too!"


    "Me three!"


    After drinking one cup of the wine, some of the soldiers broke through a minor realm. Even Liu Mengdi was surprised at the scene. If it was a cultivation pill then he wouldn¡¯t be that surprised, but they just drank a cup of wine so his shock was understandable.


    Liu Mengdi grabbed a soldier and pointed a finger at his face before he said. "This... What the hell? I must be dreaming... This must be an illusion... Hey you, punch me."


    The soldier who was feeling drunk smiled foolishly and punched Liu Mengdi¡¯s face.


    "Pak!"


    The soldier¡¯s fist hit Liu Mengdi¡¯s nose causing thetter to grimace in pain. "Ouch! Why did you punch me?"


    "Because you told me to." The drunk soldier innocently replied while shrugging his shoulders.

 Chapter 24 - Frozen Origin Wine-Making Method

    <h4>Chapter 24 - Frozen Origin Wine-Making Method </h4>


    Liu Mengdi clutched his face with a contorted expression. He gritted his teeth in pain but he was inwardly shocked. ¡¯So this is real? A wine that has the same effects as top elixirs? Amazing! Just who is this wine master? Aside from his unquestionable strength, he is also capable of making such wondrous wines! The Liu Family must not provoke such a man or it might bring us unnecessary troubles.¡¯ Liu Mengdi thought to himself.


    He then grabbed a healing pill and swallowed it without hesitation. The pain in his nose was truly terrible, but he can¡¯t me his subordinate since it was he who ordered to do it.


    Liu Mengdi then nced at Liu Xiufeng with a solemn expression. "Brother Xiufeng, have you seen Mu Sheng? I was informed by the Mercenary Guild that he wasst seen together with your group just this morning. He was supposed to return to the main base, but up until now, there is no news of him. Can you tell me if you know anything about this?"


    Liu Xiufeng and his friends nced at each other with peculiar gazes before looking at Liu Mengdi. As Liu Xiufeng was about to speak, a cold voice cut him off.


    "I was the one who killed him." Liu Mengdi frowned and stared at Theia¡¯s delicate face. He realized that he can¡¯t even sense the beauty¡¯s true essence. There are only two possibilities for why he can¡¯t sense the other party¡¯s true essence. First, she may have a rare treasure that can conceal her aura and true essence. The second possibility, her strength was several times greater than his strength.


    Liu Mengdi¡¯s frown became deeper as he thought of what might have been the truth. He wanted to believe that she has a rare treasure in her person, but after the events earlier, the possibility of her being a top expert was definitely high.


    He was also looking at the reaction of Liu Xiufeng and his buddies, but there was only a peculiar look on their faces.


    Liu Mengdi was not a dumb person, he was even gifted with highprehension ability and high intelligence. He was only putting up an arrogant facade to fool his uncles who were also eyeing the patriarch position of the Liu Family. He did that in order to make them think that he was just a waste that they can control. Little did they know that he was putting up a show since he was a little kid.


    ¡¯As for that Mu Sheng... He might have been blinded by that woman¡¯s beauty. Considering his personality, he should have tried to do something to her, but he was killed by her because of his actions. So what she said earlier might have been true.¡¯ Liu Mengdi analyzed the possible situation with the miniscule detail he had gathered. He was already able to picture out the scene in his mind after a moment of deep thinking. Such high analytical ability and wisdom were truly astounding!


    Liu Mengdi nced onest time at Theia and the mysterious owner of the store before he left with his subordinates. As for Liu Xiufeng, he did not really care about his existence. He was only a runaway with mediocre talent, nothing worth his attention. ¡¯This store... I shoulde here more often...¡¯


    After seeing them leave, Boss Scar and the others sighed in relief. They then nced at Jiu Shen and Theia with grateful looks. Although they didn¡¯t really do anything to help them, their actions indirectly allowed them to escape death.


    They bid farewell and left the store with urgent expressions. They have to be careful with the Liu Family from now on. It was unknown if they would continue to press the matter, but it was better safe than sorry.


    Jiu Shen nced at his empty store and decided to close it now. He still has to check the new wine-making method that was rewarded to him together with the store expansion package.


    After closing the store, Jiu Shen told the system to assimte the new wine-making method in his mind.


    "System, do it."


    - Ding!


    - Assimting Frozen Origin wine-making method! Host, please wait for a moment.


    Jiu Shen felt a prickling feeling in his head for a brief second. A new set of memories flooded his brain after the pain subsided.


    Frozen Origin uses the yeast of a rare nt called Violent Rosefinch which is a 4th-rank Knight Crusader spiritual nt.


    The high-quality yeast from the nt is then fermented for a little more than a month before it fully converts glucose into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Then, it is thawed after the yeast bes silver in color.


    Fifteen kilograms of said yeast, twelve liters of Origin Spring Water, and a block of Frozen Cloud cier are mixed together.


    Then distilled four times a day for one whole week. Lastly, the wine liquid will be aged for two and a half years.


    "System, how much is a bottle of this wine?" Jiu Shen asked.


    - Ding!


    - Calcting the price of Frozen Origin!


    - 55 True Crystals!


    Jiu Shen nodded his head after hearing the system¡¯s reply. The price given by the system was almost the same as what he has in mind. The ingredients used in making Frozen Origin were a grade lower than his current best wine, the Deep Sea Spring Dew, so the price was understandable.


    "System, are you still providing the ingredients for this? Or is it in the Spirit World?"


    - Ding!


    - Host, the ingredients used for this wine are easy to find. The system rmends to search for the ingredients yourself. As the future Unrivaled Wine God, the host must learn to find the ingredients himself. Work hard!


    Hearing the system¡¯s solemn but earnest voice, Jiu Shen sighed. ¡¯It looks like my cultivation time will again be reduced, but this is also good. Who knows... I might even find a rare treasure in this wastnd. But then again, the possibility of that happening is close to impossible.¡¯


    "System, can you give me the coordinates of where I can find these ingredients?"


    - Ding!


    - Scanning Nuar! Host, please wait for a moment.


    - Violent Rosefinch can be found in the periphery of the Endless Forest.


    - Origin Spring Water can be found in the heart of Green Mountain Lake.


    - Frozen Cloud cier can be found in Ice Cloud Sword Sect.


    Jiu Shen frowned after seeing thest location. "If it inside a sect¡¯s territory, then it should be one of their closely guarded treasures. Looks like it might be quite troublesome to get thest item." Jiu Shen muttered to himself.

 Chapter 25 - Sword Contract

    <h4>Chapter 25 - Sword Contract </h4>


    "Hm, where should I go first?" Jiu Shen pondered deeply and decided to first go to the Endless Forest.


    The Endless Forest is self-exnatory. It is a huge forest that ranges through thousands of miles. Countless ferocious beasts and carnivorous nts can be seen in the forest.


    Few dared to venture deeper inside the Endless Forest due to the dangers within, but there were also a lot of heavenly resources that can be found. Thus, despite the danger, a few brave souls will asionally travel inside the deeper regions of the forest to try their luck. It¡¯s not that they are crazy, because once they found a rare herb or a peak heavenly treasure, their fates would surely take a drastic change. They might even be full-fledge top experts that would rule a holynd.


    Of course, only a few people were able toe out of the Endless Forest alive. But almost all of them were able to bring a treasure that was enough to make them live a luxurious life.


    But Jiu Shen did not care one bit about these rumors. He was confident that he can protect himself from any danger that maye before him. If he can¡¯t even survive to a puny mortal wastnd forest, then he might as well find a piece of tofu andmit suicide with it.


    "Tonight, I will visit this Endless Forest...The best things can only be found at night." Jiu Shen muttered to himself with an indifferent look. If somebody heard his words, they would surely think that he was someone who had gone crazy. Who the hell would go to the Endless Forest during the night? It¡¯s like stepping on andmine despite knowing that it will explode.


    It wasmon knowledge that most ferocious beasts were active during the night. So no one dared to go inside the Endless Forest at night since it was no different than seeking death.


    Jiu Shen went to his room and grabbed the sword gifted by the system. It still looked in in appearance, but it was made from Sacred Sanctum Safarwood. Thinking about how the system made use of the same material in making the store¡¯s chairs and tables, he felt a stab of pain in his heart.


    Jiu Shen caressed the in-looking sword with a gentle expression on his face. "I haven¡¯t given you a name yet, and a God-rank sword like you deserves an imposing name... Since you are made from Sacred Sanctum Safarwood with archaic dragon arrays, and also as my first sword after transmigrating... I shall name you... Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword."


    A resonant cry of a dragon echoed inside his head, but Jiu Shen remained calm. It was a sign that the sword acknowledged the name he gave.


    The in-looking sword emitted a baleful light as it slowly morphed into its original form.


    A two-meter ck heavy sword with red archaic patterns and two red dragon carvings intertwining against each other on its hilt.


    Jiu Shen smiled and bit the tip of his index finger. A drop of his blood dropped on the sword¡¯s body making it produce a reddish glow. He then felt a connection with the sword.


    What Jiu Shen did was called the Sword Contract. Only high-level swords were able to form a Sword Contract with their owners. And when the process is done, they will be tied by the contract for eternity.


    No one else will be able to wield Jiu Shen¡¯s Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword aside from him.


    After doing all that, he recalled the sword and it became wisp that nted itself in his right arm like a dragon tattoo. The tattoo was life-like as if it was a real dragon that maye out anytime.


    With a satisfied grin, Jiu Shen went downstairs and talk with Theia and Hestia.


    "The both of you will remain here to continue running the store during my absence. It might take me a few days or even a week before Ie back.


    Make sure that no one dies inside the store or it may ruin our reputation. Hestia, you will get the customer¡¯s orders and feed Ice with milk. Theia, you will maintain the safety of the store as per usual. But refrain from killing anyone needlessly." Jiu Shen solemnly said.


    The twodies bowed their heads respectfully and answered in unison. "Yes, master."


    Jiu Shen nodded his head and left the store. The twodies nced at his broad back with unconcealed veneration in their peerlessly delicate faces.


    Outside the store, Jiu Shen stood rooted on the ground with an awkward expression on his face. "System, where is the location of this Endless Forest? I don¡¯t know anything about this world yet..." Jiu Shen muttered with a hint of embarrassment.


    After spending all his time and energy inside the store, he didn¡¯t have the time to tour around the world of Nuar. He might even get lost inside the vast Silver Wing Empire if he was ced in a random location.


    - Ding!


    - A world map will be given to the host in a brief second. Host, please wait for a moment.


    Jiu Shen felt a stinging sensation inside his head. And moments after, he felt like he had been traveling around Nuar for countless centuries. He even knew where the peak treasures of the world can be found making him a bit excited. Although these heavenly treasures were trash in his eyes, it was still valuable to the current him and it may even help him advance to the next realm.


    "So this is Nuar... What an interesting. There are actually some spiritual nts that can only be found in the Primordial God Realm... But it¡¯s not yet time to pluck them... I should finish my current goal first." Jiu Shen shook his head and flew towards the direction of the Endless Forest.


    Flight is a skill that can be learned when one breaks through the 8th-rank Divine. They were able to manipte the true essence in the surroundings and make themselves fly. Of course, such a skill requires high control of true essence and it also expends a lot of energy. The flight speed and flight control depend on how skillful someone is in controlling true essence.


    With Jiu Shen¡¯s experience and control, it was no problem for him to fly all day without rest.


    "Good thing the Violent Rosefinch can be found in the periphery of the Endless Forest. It will be much easier for me to gather ten years worth of Violent Rosefinch for the Frozen Origin." Jiu Shen muttered to himself.

 Chapter 26 - Plucking Spiritual Plants

    <h4>Chapter 26 - Plucking Spiritual nts </h4>


    At the periphery of the Endless Forest, a man with long silver hair slowly descended from above the sky. "There should be some Violent Rosefinch here, but there is none left. It should have been eaten by a ferocious beast." Jiu Shen muttered to himself after a small sigh.


    He then tapped his foot and flew towards the direction of another Violent Rosefinch.


    As he was flying, he suddenly heard the sound of fighting ahead of him. He furrowed his brows as he increased his flight speed and went towards the direction of the fight.


    Down below, he saw a small group of humans encircled by a pack of wolves. There were three humans in total, all were middle-aged men with cultivation levels at the 4th-rank Knight Crusader.


    The three of them had various wounds all over their bodies. Given their current situation, they would surely sumb under the pack of wolves.


    "Third brother, you go and escape! Your second brother and I will hold them back for a bit." The oldest among the three middle-aged men spoke in a solemn tone.


    The second brother nodded his head with a resolute face while the third brother was shaking his head.


    "No! I won¡¯t leave the two of you behind! Even if it¡¯s death, then us brothers will face it together!" The third brother shook his head firmly.


    "Awooo!" The alpha wolf issued an order to its subordinates. After hearing its call, the wolves dashed towards the three men with savage eyes.


    "It¡¯s over." The second brother said with a remorseful look.


    The three men thought that they were going to die, but then...


    "Swoosh!"


    "Swoosh!"


    "Swoosh!"


    Ice spears materialized out of thin air and impaled all the wolves including the alpha wolf.


    The wolves whimpered softly but they died moments after.


    "Leave this ce now before the other beasts will take notice." A calm voice echoed beside their ears, but when they turned around, no one was there.


    The three of them were speechless for a brief moment before the eldest brother dragged his two brothers out of the forest.


    Jiu Shen who was still hovering in midair shook his head calmly. "This ce is infested with countless ferocious beasts. As for spiritual nts, there are some, but low-level cultivators won¡¯t be able to get them since these spiritual nts are closely guarded by beasts." He muttered as he continued his flight.


    Twenty minutester, he arrived in the next location where there was a lot of Violent Rosefinch.


    "There are indeed a lot here, but not enough for ten years. This amount should be enough for a year and a half, not bad. But I have to kill the little worm guarding this ce first..." Jiu Shen smiled and snapped his fingers.


    A huge ice spear materialized in midair producing a chilling sensation in its surroundings.


    The ice spear then stabbed the empty ground at breakneck speed.


    "Roar!" A pained roar resounded as the spear stabbed the ground. The earth trembled and a huge python¡¯s head with green scales came out of the debris. Its huge head had an ice spear stuck firmly on it causing buckets of blood to flow freely from the wound.


    Jiu Shen frowned when he saw the python thrash its huge body around. "Hey little worm, don¡¯t destroy my Violent Rosefinch!"


    Jiu Shen did a cutting motion with his right hand and the head of the python was instantly separated out of its body.


    "Crash!"


    Its huge headless body dropped on the ground.


    Jiu Shen sighed in relief after seeing that the Violent Rosefinch was unscathed. "I have to be careful next time or there will be no Violent Rosefinch for me to pluck."


    He then nced at the spiritual nts with the size of a washbasin with shining eyes. The Violent Rosefinch was purple in color with sharp thorns attached to its stem.


    When Jiu Shen came near the spiritual nts, the Violent Rosefinch fired their sharp thorns at him. If a 4th-rank Knight Crusader was hit by its thorns, they would suffer severe injuries. Even a 5th-rank Spirit cultivator would be injured if he was careless.


    With an indifferent expression, Jiu Shen calmly walked towards the spiritual nts amidst the sea of thorns. If one would look closely, they would be able to see that the thorns were not even able to reach the three-meter radius around Jiu Shen.


    He then plucked the nts one by one, but then he stopped in his tracks. "System, do you want me to bring these ugly flowers by hand?" He asked with displeasure.


    - Ding!


    - Creating Spatial Artifact! Host, please wait for a moment.


    Jiu Shen smirked after hearing the system¡¯s solemn voice.


    He then saw a small earring hovering in front of him. It was silver in color with dark blue highlights. "An earring? And It¡¯s not even a pair. Oh well..." Jiu Shen put the earring on his left ear.


    After putting it on, he looked even more demonically handsome.


    He checked the space inside the earring by injecting his true essence in it. The dissatisfaction in his heart vanished after seeing the huge space inside. "Hehe!"


    With a grin on his face, Jiu Shen plucked the Violent Rosefinch and ced them inside his earring. After plucking everything, he nodded his head with a satisfied expression. "I¡¯m done here..."


    Jiu Shen toured around the periphery of the Endless Forest as if it was his backyard. As for the beasts guarding the Violent Rosefinch, he killed them all in one strike to prevent them from destroying the spiritual nts.


    * * *


    After three days of flying around, he finally collected ten years¡¯ worth of Violent Rosefinch. He was not really required to pluck ten years¡¯ worth of the nt, but he didn¡¯t want to go out from time to time. So to avoid going out of the store needlessly, he plucked ten years¡¯ worth of Violent Rosefinch.


    "I can finally go back to my store to have a rest. I will sit all day while drinking a bottle of Deep Sea Spring Dew."

 Chapter 27 - Fatty Xue

    <h4>Chapter 27 - Fatty Xue </h4>


    As Jiu Shen was about to fly out of the Endless Forest, he turned around to nce at a certain direction. He felt a strong fluctuation of true essence in the central part of the Endless Forest. He furrowed his eyebrows and muttered in surprise. "It¡¯s actually trying to break through to the 10th-rank God realm. With the strength of this dragon aura, it should have a high chance of breaking through. Heh! I¡¯m looking forward to your growth little lizard. Although your dragon bloodline is faint, you are still a dragon descendant. When I have free time, I will visit yourir in the future..."


    After that, he turned into a streak of light and flew back to his store. He didn¡¯t even have the chance to use his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword. Although he felt a bit of regret, he did not think too much about it. The beings he encountered were just too weak and were not qualified to die under his sword.


    It was already on the morning of the third day when he arrived in his store. He saw that it was densely packed with people and there were even some who were standing outside.


    Jiu Shen frowned after looking at the scene. "What the hell is going on?"


    He discreetly descended on the ground and grabbed a man who was standing outside the store. "Hey, what¡¯s happening here?" Jiu Shen asked with a curious look.


    The man he pulled was taken aback. He was a 5th-rank Spirit realm cultivator but he was easily pulled by the man in front of him. ¡¯This guy is an expert!¡¯ The man thought to himself as he nced at Jiu Shen.


    "Sire, haven¡¯t you heard? There are two peerless beauties working in this store. It was said that their beauty is on par with the Silver Wing Empire¡¯s four beauties. Aside from that, this store also sells wines with effects simr to a precious elixir." The man replied with a respectful tone.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s lips twitched after hearing the man¡¯s reply. ¡¯Who the hell had a lot of free time to spread this news?¡¯ Suddenly, he remembered a familiar handsome face with an arrogant look. ¡¯Could it be that little patriarch kid? Dammit! How can I have a rest now with all these ants making loud noises here? How can I peacefully drink my Deep Sea Spring Dew?!¡¯ Jiu Shen sighed.


    Seeing Jiu Shen¡¯s silence, the man did not bother with him anymore. He joined the crowd in search for the two beauties inside the store.


    "Swoosh!"


    Jiu Shen vanished from his spot and teleported inside the store.


    There was no one causing trouble inside the store. In fact, everyone was well-behaved and quiet as they drank their wines and ate their dishes. asionally, they would either nce at Theia or Hestia, but they did not dare look at them lecherously. Some of them had seen how Theia beat up someone for looking at her with indecent eyes.


    Such a strong female expert was almost without equal in the Silver Wing Empire. Perhaps only those elders would be able to contend with her. Of course, that was what they thought...


    After seeing that Jiu Shen was already back, Theia and Hestia excitedly came forward and bowed their heads in veneration. "Wee back, master."


    The surrounding people were surprised to see the respectful attitudes of the two peerless beauties.


    "Hey, is he the owner of this store?"


    "He should be. It¡¯s the first time I saw Young Miss Hestia and Young Miss Theia act like this to someone else."


    "I heard that the owner is a top expert, but after seeing his face, I doubt if the rumors were true."


    Jiu Shen ignored the crowd¡¯s whispers. He just stared at the twodies with an indifferent look. "Good job. It looks like you two did well during my absence." He said calmly.


    The twodies¡¯ eyes brightened after hearing his praise. They smiled sweetly as they stared at Jiu Shen¡¯s handsome face with admiration and respect.


    Seeing the twodies¡¯ wless smiles, Jiu Shen remained unperturbed. He had seen countless peerless beauties in his past life and it was difficult to find someone that could move his heart. He may have been surprised at their sudden appearance a few days ago, but that was it and nothing more.


    "Hello sire, are you the owner here?" A fat man with a round belly and beady eyes came forward and spoke with a warm smile. His face was full of oily sweat which made Jiu Shen a bit repulsed.


    Nheless, he nodded his head at the fatty.


    The fatty was not angered by his disinterested attitude. Instead, his smile became wider which made his beady eyes almost invisible. "I heard a lot about you, Wine Master Jiu. And after seeing you today, it seems like the rumors were not without basis."


    Jiu Shen ignored the fatty and found himself a chair to sit on. He then nced at Hestia and said. "Hestia, get me a bottle of Deep Sea Spring Dew."


    Hestia bowed her head and replied. "Yes, master." She then turned around and walked towards the wine storage area with her swaying hips.


    The fatty nced at her seductive back figure but he suddenly felt all the hairs on his body stood on end. He hurriedly averted his gaze with a crestfallen look.


    Behind Jiu Shen, Theia was ring at the fatty with a cold look making thetter feel as if he had fallen into the abyss.


    "Ahem! I apologize, Wine Master Jiu. My name is Xue Que, but everyone calls me Fatty Xue. I would like to propose something to Wine Master Jiu. Would you like to hear it?" Fatty Xue¡¯s beady eyes shed with a cunning light as he stared at Jiu Shen with a bright smile.


    Jiu Shen did not even nce at him, lest he might see his disgusting appearance once again. If that is so, then he might not be able to control himself and identally kill the fatty.


    With an indifferent face, Jiu Shen replied. "Not interested."


    His rejection was within his expectations, so Fatty Xue was not disheartened. He chuckled and said. "Wine Master Jiu, to be honest, I am from the Xue Family and my elders sent me here to talk about business with you."


    Jiu Shen did not reply and focused himself on meditating. Although he was good at controlling his true essence, flying for three days continuously still made him a bit tired.


    A trace of anger shed in Fatty Xue¡¯s beady eyes, but he hurriedly concealed it. He smiled brightly and bowed his head. "Since Wine Master Jiu is not interested in talking business, I shall take my leave. Farewell."


    Fatty Xue turned around and walked out of the store. ¡¯You brat! I¡¯ll ask someone to smash this store of yours! As for your women? I¡¯ll hire someone to kidnap them for me and I will y with them on your behalf! To actually dare ignore someone from the Xue Family, you¡¯ve got the guts of steel! Dammit!¡¯ Fatty Xue was still disying a brilliant smile, but he was cursing Jiu Shen¡¯s ancestors millions of times in his mind.


    Jiu Shen opened his eyes and nced at the round and ball-like back figure of the departing fatty. He smirked and closed his eyes again. How could he not sense Fatty Xue¡¯s anger?

 Chapter 28 - Elder Ming

    <h4>Chapter 28 - Elder Ming </h4>


    The next day, inside Xue Family¡¯s mansion.


    "What did he say?" An aged voice echoed within the room.


    "Elder Ming, that Jiu fellow did not even nce at me when I mentioned our Xue Family¡¯s name! He is clearly looking down on our Xue Family! What a bastard!" Fatty Xue said with an indignant look.


    Elder Ming looked calm on the surface, but he was fuming mad inwardly. Although he knew Fatty Xue¡¯s cunning nature, he wouldn¡¯t joke around with matters concerning the reputation of their Xue Family. He nced calmly at Fatty Xue which sent chills down thetter¡¯s spine.


    "To think that there is someone who does not ce the Xue Family in his eyes. It seems like our Xue Family has been too quiet for the past few decades. Xue Que, I will arrange Sword Four and Sword Five to be dispatched. The Xue Family¡¯s reputation cannot be sullied by a random expert." Elder Ming stated in a chilling voice.


    Fatty Xue was surprised at first, but then he was ted. He knew who Sword Four and Sword Five were. They were Elder Ming¡¯s personal servants with both their cultivation levels being at the peak of 6th-rank King. They even had the strength to fight against an early stage 7th-rank Emperor if they attack together.


    Fatty Xue concealed the excitement in his heart as he bowed at Elder Ming. He then said in a confident voice. "Don¡¯t worry Elder Ming, with Sword Four and Sword Five around, that little store would surely be turned upside down."


    Elder Ming nodded his head in agreement. He also believed what Fatty Xue said. "You tell them what to do, but remember to do everything discreetly. The other aristocratic families must not know of this, and even more so the Silveria Imperial Family."


    Fatty Xue patted his chest causing all the fats in his body to jiggle. "Rest assured Elder Ming, I will get this done today."


    Elder Ming waved his aged arms and gestured for Fatty Xue to leave. "Go. Don¡¯t disappoint this old man."


    Fatty Xue bowed his head respectfully before he left the room.


    After stepping out of Elder Ming¡¯s room, Fatty Xue clenched his chubby fists tightly. ¡¯You damn Jiu person! Your shitty store will be burnt to ashes tonight and I will fuck your women right in front of you!¡¯ Fatty Xue¡¯s beady eyes shed with a malicious glint as he walked away. Every step he took caused all the fats in his body to tremble.


    * * *


    Inside Jiu Shen¡¯s store, it was business as usual, but the owner himself was sitting on his chairzily with a wine bottle in his right hand.


    With one leg on top of the other, Jiu Shen took a big gulp from his wine bottle and let out a satisfied sound. "Ahh..."


    The fat white cat, Ice curled up in hisp while producing a big snot bubble every time it exhales.


    The customers¡¯ lips twitched when they saw the two¡¯szy appearance.


    ¡¯Wine Master Jiu and his pet cat are truly alike... At least we have the graceful and kind-hearted Young Miss Hestia providing us with a warm smile everyday. Other than that, if Young Miss Theia takes a nce at us even once, then we can already go home satisfied.¡¯ They thought it in their hearts before focusing on the wines in their tables.


    Just then, a group of armored individuals came inside the store. Leading them was a handsome young man with an arrogant outer facade. He nced at Theia and greeted her with a charming smile. "It¡¯s nice to meet you once again, Young Miss Theia."


    Thetter did not even nce him and just snorted in disdain.


    After seeing her reaction, the young man chuckled before walking away from her sight. He was already used to her cold and icy temperament, so he was not bothered by it.


    He found himself a chair to sit on and when he saw Hestia walking towards them, his eyes involuntarily lit up. "Hello, Young Miss Hestia. How are you today?"


    Hestia smiled sweetly and responded in a cheerful voice. "I¡¯m happy today since the master is already back."


    Liu Mengdi¡¯s smile froze after hearing her reply. He forced out a dry chuckle and said. "Oh, so Wine Master Jiu is already back? That¡¯s good!"


    Hestia smiled from ear to ear. She looked like a little girl who had finally reunited with her boyfriend after being away with him for many days.


    With a bright smile, she asked. "What would you like to order today, Young Master Liu?"


    "Just the same as usual, five Deep Sea Spring Dew for me and my subordinates." Liu Mengdi replied with a gentle smile.


    "Okay, just give me a moment, Young Master Liu." Hestia smiled sweetly before she walked away. Her womanly scent lingered in the air causing Liu Mengdi to sigh in regret. ¡¯Young Miss Hestia is such a kind-hearteddy. Perhaps, only an expert like Wine Master Jiu is qualified to keep her heart.¡¯


    During the past few days, Liu Mengdi visited the store daily just to see Hestia¡¯s smile and also to see Theia¡¯s cold face. Of course, the main reason was still the ever so amazing Deep Sea Spring Dew. After he had tasted the wine a few days ago, he had grown infatuated with it.


    A few momentster, Hestia went out of the wine storage area with five wine bottles circling around her.


    "Here is your order of five Deep Sea Spring Dew. Enjoy!" Hestia smiled before she gracefully left their sights.


    Liu Mengdi smiled and opened the wine bottle in a practiced manner. He then filled his cup with the golden liquid. He was still fascinated at the golden brilliance it emitted despite it not being his first time seeing it. "This is truly such a wondrous wine! I wonder how Wine Master Jiu brewed this wine?"


    With a satisfied expression, Liu Mengdi slowly savored his cup of wine. He only took sips in little amounts in order to fully enjoy his wine. With his present strength, Young Miss Hestia told him that he was only allowed to drink a cup of wine. Recalling her stern look when she described what will happen if he exceeds a cup, he shuddered in fear.


    With a motivated look, he muttered to himself. "I have to cultivate fast in order to reach the 5th-rank Spirit realm. By then, I will be able to drink two cups of Deep Sea Spring Dew."


    If his father, the current patriarch of the Liu Family heard his words, he would be unsure if he wouldugh or cry.


    Who would motivate themselves like that? Wouldn¡¯t the favored sons of heavens usually say that they would cultivate hard in order to dominate the entire Profound Dragon Continent? Who would cultivate just to get another cup of wine? Perhaps only Liu Mengdi was such a person...

 Chapter 29 - Sword Four And Sword Five

    <h4>Chapter 29 - Sword Four And Sword Five </h4>


    A few momentster, a group of three middle-aged men came inside the store with curious looks. They have heard countless exaggerated tales about the store. And driven by their curiosity, the three brothers decided to visit the said store that sells wines with effects that are simr to precious elixirs.


    Jiu Shen sensed their familiar aura so he opened his eyes to take a look at them. After seeing their faces, he was a bit surprised. ¡¯Aren¡¯t these the ants...er I mean people that I randomly saved within the periphery of the Endless Forest? Why are they here?¡¯


    He remembered that they were the cultivators that he had randomly saved during his ¡¯stroll¡¯ in the Endless Forest. He was moved by their camaraderie so he decided to save them. Who knew that the three of them woulde and visit his store? Sometimes fate was truly good at ying games.


    He opened his spiritual power to eavesdrop at their conversation. After listening for a brief moment, he got the gist of their story.


    ording to them, they have heard of countless rumors about a magical store that sells precious wines capable of stimting the true essence inside a cultivator¡¯s body. Of course, they did not believe the rumor especially after learning that it was from an unknown store. But due to their curiosity, they decided to visit his store and try his wines themselves.


    Jiu Shen became disinterested all of sudden. He drank the remaining contents of his wine bottle and closed his eyes to meditate.


    * * *


    Later that night, outside of Jiu Shen¡¯s store. Two silhouettes draped in tight ck fitting clothes slowly crept towards the store. "Is this the store that Elder Ming told us to destroy?" One of them spoke in a silent and husky voice.


    "ording to Fatty Xue, this is the ce that Elder Ming wants to be destroyed. I wonder what did the people from this store did to anger Elder Ming like that." The other person replied in a slightly curious voice.


    "Don¡¯t bother too much about that. Fatty Xue told us that there are two peerless beauties here. Hehe! The fatty wants us to kidnap them and bring them two him unharmed..."


    "Hehe! I know what you¡¯re thinking, fourth brother. How could we give those beauties to that fatty without giving them a taste?"


    "Right! Let¡¯s do it fast. The other aristocratic families must not know that this was done by us."


    The two deftly climbed up to the second floor of the store. Their actions were neat and skillful as if they had done simr things before. In fact, they were assassins trained by Elder Ming to be the Xue Family¡¯s swords in the dark. They had killed countless people that had provoked the Xue Family. Even some of their enemies in business were not spared.


    Among the five of them, they were the weakest in terms of strength. But despite that, they had the ability to assassinate a 7th-rank Emperor if careless.


    "Fifth brother, you go and open the window slowly." One them whispered softly.


    The other person nodded his head and ced his hands on the window before giving it a light pull. He frowned after seeing that the window remained unmoved. He applied more strength on his gripped only to realize that the window did not even move an inch. ¡¯What the hell is this window made of?! It should have already disintegrated after I applied that much strength.¡¯


    Sword Four furrowed his eyebrows in surprise after seeing that his fifth brother was unable to open the window. They were almost on par in terms of strength, so he was rather surprised by the scene. "Fifth brother, let me do it."


    Sword Five nodded his head helplessly and took a step back. ¡¯Just what is wrong with this window? This isn¡¯t made from a heavenly metal, right?¡¯ Sword Five thought to himself in disgruntlement.


    Actually, after Jiu Shen used the store expansion package, the whole part of the store was remodeled by the system. After the remodeling, everything from the roof to floor was now made from Sacred Sanctum Safarwood. That was also the reason why Jiu Shen felt quite reluctant to step on the floor. Aside from that, the lights were also made from an Undying Luminous Pearl. Just from its name alone, it is a pearl that emits light for all eternity. The light won¡¯t die out unless someone destroys the pearl.


    Sword Four¡¯s face contorted as he tried to pull open the window. ¡¯What the fuck?! What the hell is this crap made of?!¡¯


    Jiu Shen who was seated inside his room had long since noticed the two ants who were trying to pull open the window of Theia¡¯s room. It¡¯s just that he was toozy to bother with their charade.


    He opened a bottle of Deep Sea Spring Dew and calmly watched the entire show with his spiritual force. "I wonder why these ants are digging their own graves..." He muttered to himself with a bemused expression on his face.


    After greedily inhaling the wine¡¯s aroma, he drank a few mouthfuls in one go. "Hehe! Theia is growing impatient. Looks like those ants will die..."


    Sword Four grew impatient after not being able to open the window. He seemed to have forgotten Fatty Xue¡¯s warning of going discreet as he gathered the true essence in his body towards his right fist and punched the window with all his strength.


    "Bang!"


    Like an egg trying to break a stone, Sword Four¡¯s fist was torn into pieces. He grimaced in pain as he felt his body go numb from the pain.


    "Fourth Brother, are you okay?" Sword Five asked in a worried tone after seeing Sword Five¡¯s plight. His fourth brother was a bit stronger than him, but he was not even able to destroy the store¡¯s window.


    This was the first time they had experienced such a setback. They weren¡¯t even able to catch a glimpse of their target and they were already helpless.


    "Fifth brother, this ce is not as simple as it seems. We have to leave now!" Sword Four gritted his teeth in pain and said with anxiousness.


    "Do you think that I would allow the both of you to leave after causing such a ruckus here?" An icy voice echoed behind them causing them to almost jump in fright.


    When the two of them turned around, they saw a peerlessly beautiful youngdy. She was wearing a translucent white nightgown that barely covered her erogenous regions. Her medium-length blonde hair fluttered along with the wind as she red at the two men coldly.


    "She¡¯s flying! She¡¯s at least an 8th-rank Divine! Goddamn it!" Both men eximed in unison.

 Chapter 30 - Die With Dignity

    <h4>Chapter 30 - Die With Dignity </h4>


    With faces filled with fear, Sword Four and Sword Five stared at Theia. Their bodies were shaking uncontrobly and they could not even muster up the courage to escape.


    Escaping in front of someone who was possibly an 8th-rank Divine expert? That was easier said than done. There was a very high possibility that they will die before even taking half a step forward...


    Theia was still hovering in midair like a celestial fairy in her translucent nightgown. Both Sword Four and Sword Five did not even dare to nce at her most sensitive parts. They can only stare at her otherworldly face with immense dread.


    "Yo-Youngdy, ple-please spare us! We we-were only fo-following orders from someone!" Sword Five cried in a stuttering voice.


    Sword Four red at his brother but he can¡¯t really me him. The pressure that Theia emitted was many times scarier than what Elder Ming can produce. "Fifth brother, are you going to betray the hands that fed you? All five of us had long since prepared ourselves for death. But we have to die with dignity!" Sword Four said through gritted teeth while clutching his right arm.


    Sword Five sighed guiltily before his eyes shed with a ferocious glint. "You are right, fourth brother..."


    "Are you done talking?" Theia gentlynded on the roof making her white nightgown flutter faintly.


    Sword Four and Sword Five were sweating heavily as they grabbed their swords.


    Since they were little kids, they were trained by Elder Ming with the way of the sword. All five of them were masters of the sword and it was also the reason why Elder Ming provided them with such names.


    Sword Four tried to remove the fear in his heart as he wielded his sword with his left hand. He turned and did a backhand sh while aiming for Theia¡¯s neck.


    "Woosh!"


    Theia remained standing with a cold expression on her face as she indifferently caught the sword with two fingers.


    ¡¯What?!¡¯ Sword Four¡¯s eyes contracted in surprise and fear after seeing how Theia easily caught his sneak attack.


    If one would look closely on Sword Four¡¯s sword, they would see that it was slowly melting under Theia¡¯s tight hold.


    Sword Four released the hold on his sword after feeling a painful burning sensation.


    "ng!"


    The unmelted half of his sword dropped on the roof with a dull nging sound.


    "Fourth brother, you go escape to the-" Before Sword Five could even utter the remaining words, his head was already separated out of his body. He even caught a glimpse of his own headless body before his vision darkened for eternity.


    "Thud!"


    A dull thud echoed faintly as Sword Five¡¯s headless corpse dropped on the ground. Blood flowed from his neck ceaselessly, but strangely, the roof remained untainted. It seemed to have absorbed Sword Five¡¯s blood.


    As a sacred heavenly wood, the Sacred Sanctum Safarwood was capable of vanquishing evil and impurity. A low-level mortal¡¯s blood isn¡¯t even qualified to taint its body. Only the blood of an evil god was able to blemish it, but of course, the Sacred Sanctum Safarwood was also capable of cleansing it.


    Sword Four froze in ce after seeing the death of his brother. He was ovee by grief as he kneeled on the ground with a nk look. "Kill me..." He said with a faint smile on his face.


    Theia did a swiping motion with her right arm causing an invisible wind de to cut Sword Four¡¯s neck.


    A glob of tear dropped from his nk eyes as his decapitated head was thrown in midair. There was still a faint smile on his face even after he died.


    "You have great potential, but you served the wrong master." Theia muttered to herself in a cold voice before producing two small sparks of mes. It then gentlynded on the corpse as mes slowly spread all over their bodies. In less than ten seconds, only a handful of ashes remained before it was scattered away by a cold night breeze.


    Theia nced at their heads for a brief moment before she burnt it. She nned to bring them to Jiu Shen but changed her mind as it may disgust him. She knew that her master did not care one bit about their deaths. No matter what their backgrounds were, her master would still remain unmoved.


    With a tapped of her foot, shended in front of Jiu Shen¡¯s window and gently knocked. "Knock! Knock! Knock!"


    The window opened slowly, revealing a cold but handsome face. With a long silver hair tied in a ponytail, Jiu Shen nced at Theia with an expressionless face. "Come inside."


    Theia gracefully came inside his room with all sorts of thoughts inside her head. She tried to remain as calm as possible to avoid making her master in misunderstanding her. "Master, do you want me to trace their origins?" She asked after bowing her head respectfully. Her cleavage came into view revealing a wlessly white skin.


    Jiu Shen nced at her aloofly after he took a seat. "If I¡¯m not wrong, those people should be sent by that fatty earlier. He also mentioned something about the Xue Family wanting to do business with me, but I declined their offer. You don¡¯t need to trouble yourself with this minor matter. Just go back to your room to have rest."


    As a heavenly god who had live for countless eons, he already knew the minds and the hearts of humans. He had experienced countless simr things in his past life that it did not need much thinking from him to know who the true perpetrator was.


    Theia felt disappointed for some reason, but she still bowed her head respectfully. "As you say, master."


    "Woosh!"


    She disappeared from Jiu Shen¡¯s room in a blink of an eye.


    "Even a mortal world has people who are full of schemes and cunningness. Perhaps it¡¯s just human nature..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself while looking at the night sky with a nostalgic look.

 Chapter 31 - Cultivation Realms

    <h4>Chapter 31 - Cultivation Realms </h4>


    The next day, inside a big mansion.


    Fatty Xue was seated on a sofa and was being served by four beautifuldies. He kept on touching them with his chubby hands making the fourdies bite their lips in shame.


    They were newly bought ves that Fatty Xue got from a friend.


    Fatty Xue ignored their pleading nces as he continued to touch their most sensitive parts. His beady eyes narrowed in excitement and the fats on his body trembled.


    After ying with them for a bit, he told them to leave the room.


    "Weird... Sword Four and Sword Five should have already been here to report the sess of their mission." Fatty Xue frowned deeply causing his beady eyes to be almost non-existent.


    "Could it be... Did the two of them capture the twodies and decided to taste them first before they n to go here? Damn those bastards!" Fatty Xue¡¯s chubby face trembled as he cursed in anger.


    "If you weren¡¯t Elder Ming¡¯s servants, I would have asked the family to punish you for disobeying a Xue Family descendant! Dammit!" Fatty Xue angrily mmed his chubby hands on the wooden table causing it to break into half.


    Although he was merely a 2nd-rank Elite Warrior, his strength was enough to shatter a wooden table. Even a 1st-rank Warrior is capable of doing it.


    Let¡¯s discuss a bit of cultivation for a moment. There are ten known realms in total: In the 1st-rank Warrior realm, a cultivator¡¯s body will undergo a substantial change which will greatly enhance their physical strength and ability.


    In the 2nd-rank Elite Warrior realm, a cultivator¡¯s skeletal system will be strengthened considerably. People who reached this realm will be able to easily shatter a wooden table with their fists.


    In the 3rd-rank Crusader realm, their digestive organs will be further enhanced. When one reached this realm, they would only need to eat food once every three days. Their internal injuries will also heal at a much faster time.


    The 4th-rank Knight Crusader will allow a cultivator to manipte the true essence in their bodies adeptly. They can then use true essence to strengthen their attacks by more than several times.


    In the 5th-rank Spirit realm, a cultivator mind will be enhanced further. This will make it easier for them to wield their true essence and they could even possibly create a skill that could produce the elements of nature. (Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, etc.)


    In the 6th-rank King realm, a cultivator will be able to naturally wield the elements of nature with the use of their true essence. An expert of such caliber can create a fireball, wind de, earth spike, etc.


    In the 7th-rank Emperor realm, a cultivator can glide through the air for a brief moment and they were also able to wield a much stronger force of element.


    In the 8th-rank Divine realm, a cultivator can manipte his true essence to enable himself to fly in the air. Their strength is also more destructive and their lifespan will reach up to more than three hundred years.


    In the 9th-rank Saint realm, a cultivator will have no more need for food, water, and sleep. They can simply nourish their bodies with true essence. An expert of such caliber can shatter small mountains...


    In the 10th-rank God realm, a cultivator can freelymand the elements of nature. If they want it to rain, then rain it shall be. But the people Nuar barely knows anything about the legendary realm.


    During the great battle fifty thousand years ago, there were some 10th-rank God realm experts, but they disappeared after the great battle. As for where they went to, no one knows.


    Back to the story.


    Fatty Xue stood up from his seat while trembling in rage. He knew that he could not do anything against Sword Four and Sword Five with Elder Ming backing them. He can only swallow his anger and hope that the two men will not be overboard and will return with the twodies in hand. "Damn bastards! I¡¯ll ask Elder Ming to punish those two! That old man will give me some face on ount for my father..."


    He didn¡¯t even know that both Sword Four and Sword Five were already burnt to ashes. Even if someone told him that both men failed their mission, he would not believe them. Who were Sword Four and Sword Five? They were Elder Ming¡¯s swords, the assassins he trained that can kill anyone regardless of their strength and identity.


    "Whatever... I will go and visit that damn store to check if they really did their mission well." Fatty Xue sighed and went out of his mansion. He rode a luxurious carriage with an expectant look on his fat face.


    "Let¡¯s go to that damn store...er I mean the famous wine store of the capital." Fatty Xue told the coachman with a sour look.


    "Yes, master." The coachman responded as he urged the horses to move forward.


    Fatty Xue forced himself to calm down while thinking of the beautiful faces of Theia and Hestia. He chuckled with his eyes closed, his thoughts unknown.


    "Neigh!"


    The carriage suddenly stopped, causing Fatty Xue¡¯s thoughts to be interrupted halfway. "What the hell are you doing?!" He shouted in anger and opened his carriage to check what was happening.


    "Master, there are a lot of people blocking the road. Something might have happened to that store for amotion this big to happen." The coachman replied innocently.


    Fatty Xue red at the coachman and nced at the huge crowd with narrowed eyes. He then smirked while following the crowd. ¡¯The store should already be in ruins right now. It¡¯s understandable for a lot of people to go there and check its plight since the store has gained quite a reputation these past few days after Young Master Liu Mengdi¡¯s advertising. Hehe! I will go check it myself.¡¯


    Fatty Xue hummed a beautiful melody while walking along with the crowd. It was obvious that he was in a good mood.


    After sensing that the crowd stopped walking, he opened his beady eyes and eagerly nced at the direction that the crowd was looking at. His small eyes then went wide like saucers at what he saw. "What the fuck?!"


    In front of him was the same little store with a shy name printed in bold capital letters: THE IMMORTAL¡¯S WINE.


    ¡¯What turned upside-down?! What burnt to ashes?! What destroyed into pieces?! It¡¯s still fucking standing before my eyes with no damn hints of damage!¡¯ Due to Fatty Xue¡¯s anger, he vomited blood and lost consciousness.

 Chapter 32 - Famous Fat Cat, Ice

    <h4>Chapter 32 - Famous Fat Cat, Ice </h4>


    Jiu Shen¡¯s store was densely packed with people due to its rising fame. He merely wanted to live a quiet life in the wine store and drink wine to relieve his boredom. Who knew that a certain young patriarch had spread exaggerated stories about his wine store, making many people infinitely curious about the authenticity of the rumors.


    Who wouldn¡¯t be curious about the wines that were capable of making someone breakthrough realms and a dish that had a simr effect to a cultivation pill? Other than that, the said wine store also had two peerless beauties working as a waitress and a guard. Most importantly, the owner had a cute and adorable chubby white cat that loves to drink milk.


    After hearing the rumors about Ice, the eyes of the youngdies in Beltran City brightened with expectations. They already imagined Ice¡¯s cute appearance as they held it in their embrace. Thinking up to that, they left their homes and excitedly headed towards Jiu Shen¡¯s wine store.


    That was also the reason why his store was packed with people.


    As for Fatty Xue who had lost consciousness a few moments ago, he was still lying on the ground with blood trickling down his lips. Everyone made room for him in fear that somebody might use them for what had happened to the fatty.


    "Isn¡¯t this Fatty Xue from the Xue Family? How did he lose consciousness? Did someone sneak attack him because of his wealth?" Someone from the crowd was able to recognize the appearance of Fatty Xue.


    The crowd revealed looks of dread after hearing that he was someone from the Xue Family.


    "What?! This piggy err, I mean handsome lord is actually Fatty Xue?! Quick, let¡¯s bring him to the Xue Family!"


    A few people among the crowd carried his body away from the scene. They will bring him to the Xue Family. Who knows? They might even receive a reward from the Xue Family for saving one of their descendants.


    The crowd parted to give them enough space to leave the scene. They did not even dare covet Fatty Xue¡¯s treasure.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, inside Jiu Shen¡¯s store, a group of youngdies was seated on a table with bright smiles on their faces. One of them held a chubby cat in her embrace. The fat cat shed its adorable big eyes at them causing the youngdies¡¯ hearts to melt.


    "Ice is so cute that I want to hug him forever!" The youngdy holding Ice giggled while tenderly rubbing Ice¡¯s white fur.


    The otherdies nodded their heads in agreement while looking at the fat cat with shining eyes.


    "What an adorable cat! If only I can bring him home..."


    "Me too, I want to bring Ice home..."


    After seeing the looks in their eyes, the chubby white cat revealed a look of horror. ¡¯Humans, don¡¯t... If I leave the store, I won¡¯t be able to drink the milk that Jiu Shen gives me daily...¡¯


    Ice nce at Jiu Shen with a pleading gaze only to see him indifferently looking at it.


    Jiu Shen ignored the chubby cat¡¯s nces and closed his eyes to meditate.


    After having been ignored by Jiu Shen, Ice showed a look of despair as it tried to escape from the youngdies. It did not dare use its strength for fear that it might identally kill them. If that happens, Jiu Shen would surely not feed it with milk anymore.


    After seeing that it wanted to escape, the youngdies giggled and allowed it to jump out of their embrace.


    They did not really n to bring Ice in their homes. They merely said that because Ice was just too cute...


    Ice heaved a sigh of relief after escaping from thedies. Its n was to act cute in front of thedies to make them willingly give their food to it. Who knew that its genius n would backfire and almost caused it to leave the store?


    It then red at Jiu Shen before it went to hide behind Hestia with a sad look on its face.


    * * *


    Outside the store, three silhouettes wearing robes nced at the store¡¯s entrance.


    "Fourth brother, is this the store that you mentioned? It doesn¡¯t look outstanding in the slightest." Said one of them with a sweet but disdainful voice. After seeing the store¡¯s name, the youngdyughed coldly in her heart. ¡¯What Immortal¡¯s Wine? Why don¡¯t you call yourself as a god instead? The owner of this store should be an uncouth old man with bad taste. Such shameless boasting! Hmph!¡¯


    "Little fifth sister, don¡¯t look down on this store. Although its name is somewhat high-profile, it¡¯s not that exaggerated at all. Once you taste the wines sold inside, you will know. Especially their Deep Sea Spring Dew, I can still vividly remember its two distinct aftertastes that caused me a few sleepless nights..." One of them replied in an infatuated voice.


    "Your highness, the fourth prince is not exaggerating at all. The wines here are indeed treasures..." Said an old man in a gentle voice.


    Thedy draped in robes snorted in disdain. She did not believe their ims at all. The reason why she went here was because of Ice. She wanted to see if it is as cute as the rumors say it is. "Hmph! The both of you are just drunkards who love to drink wine. You¡¯ve said the same thing to most of the wines you tasted before. It¡¯s nothing new at all..."


    The fourth prince and Defender Duanmu were stumped at the fifth princess¡¯ words, but the fourth prince still replied. "Fifth sister, the wines here are different than the ones we¡¯ve tasted before. Even the best wine here is many times greater than imperial father¡¯s Phoenix¡¯s Godly mes Wine."


    The youngdy remained silent as they stepped inside the store.


    She was stunned the moment she came inside. ¡¯How did the space here suddenly be bigger?¡¯


    She suspiciously nced around the store only to see a spotlessly clean surroundings with a calm and tranquil atmosphere.


    Everyone was strangely behaved inside the store. She even saw a group of mercenaries behaving like cultured schrs. ¡¯Is this ce really as magical as the rumors say?¡¯ She thought to herself.

 Chapter 33 - The Fifth Princess

    <h4>Chapter 33 - The Fifth Princess </h4>


    The youngdy was the fifth child of Emperor Elyk Silveria II, and was known by everyone as the fifth princess. She had an unruly and arrogant disposition befitting of her noble identity. Even her imperial brothers did not dare anger the little dragoness.


    She might be the youngest among the five children of the emperor, but she was a very talented youngdy.


    At the age of five, she broke through the 1st-rank Warrior realm. Sheter broke through the 2nd-rank Elite Warrior when she turned nine years old. And now, at the age of thirteen, she was already at the 3rd-rank Crusader realm. Even her fourth brother who was known as someone who had the same talent as the current emperor was not as talented as his fifth sister.


    He was already more than twenty years in age, but he was only one realm higher than his sister.


    Aside from that, all her imperial brothers doted on her so much that no noble¡¯s sons dared to casually flirt with her.


    The fifth princess looked around the store with narrowed eyes.


    From the floor to the tables and chairs, and even the lights seemed to be the top in quality. The atmosphere inside the store was also peaceful and tranquil which was a stark contrast to the noisy streets of Beltran City.


    Her dissatisfied heart calmed down unknowingly, and the words she had practiced along the way dissipated like a puff of smoke.


    "Where is the owner? I want to speak to him." She tried to sound arrogant, but her voice was strangely mild and there was even a hint of expectation to it.


    In her mind, the owner should be a dishonest old man with crafty facial features. ¡¯Who else would price their wines so absurdly high? A bottle of wine for 120 True Crystals? Did he really think that his wine was a precious pill?¡¯


    She tried to search around the store, but she saw no one that fits what she had in mind.


    The fourth prince took a step back and pointed at Jiu Shen who had his eyes shut tight. "Little sister, that man is the owner of this store. Don¡¯t be fooled by his seemingly gigolo-like appearance. He is a top expert who is even stronger than Defender Duanmu. Aside from that, he might also be an 8th-rank Divine realm expert, simr to our father." The fourth prince said with admiration.


    The fifth princess only heard the first sentence of her brother¡¯s introduction. When her fourth brother took a step back, she saw the most handsome man she had ever seen in all her thirteen years of life.


    He had a long silver hair tied in a ponytail. His facial features can be said to be demonically handsome. Even those so-called refined noblemen would look like excrement if ced beside him. He had a small sword earring on his left ear which strangely enhanced his charm. His milky white skin would make the fair maidens sigh in jealousy.


    The fifth princess was spellbound by the man she saw that she even forgot to blink her eyes. Her breathing increased in intensity, and she felt her heart bing jittery all of sudden.


    She watched him as he slowly opened his eyes causing his long silver eyshes to flutter gently.


    When their gazes met, she felt time seemed to stop all of a sudden. The arrogant look in her face was then reced by a gentle and tender expression of a youngdy.


    With an indifferent face, Jiu Shen spoke. "What do you need me for, youngdy?"


    His voice caused her to jumped in surprise that she even stuttered. "I...I ah-"


    The fourth prince nced at his little sister in bewilderment. He was already expecting her to throw curses at Jiu Shen for pricing his wines high. He had even prepared a speech to exin himself to Jiu Shen in order to avoid getting his displeasure.


    The fifth princess blushed in shame. It was the first time she experienced something like this. She felt like banging her head in a wall because of embarrassment. "I- I wa-want to or-order a bottle of wine." She said with a crimson-red face.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly and replied. "Since you are still a 3rd-rank Crusader, I can serve you a bottle of Ables nc. Are you fine with this?"


    The fourth prince smirked. He was already snickering in his heart. ¡¯Wine Master Jiu, you did wrong this time. My sister does not want anybody to tell her what she has to do. Even imperial father was berated by her for doing so.¡¯


    But before the fourth prince couldugh, he heard the most unexpected answering from his sister¡¯s mouth.


    "Ah, really? Okay, I¡¯ll get one Ables nc then." The fifth princess replied with a bright smile which would cause the flowers to fully bloom.


    "Okay, give me one moment." Jiu Shen stood up and went towards the wine storage area to grab her order.


    The fourth prince and even Defender Duanmu were stunned speechless. Hey! Where was the cold and temperamental fifth princess? Where was the unyielding little dragoness that struck fear in the hearts of the imperial princes? Didn¡¯t you say that you would scold the owner for being a dishonest merchant? Then what is this? What¡¯s with that infatuated smile?


    ck lines appeared on the foreheads of both men as they nced suspiciously at the fifth princess.


    The fifth princess felt two pairs of eyes staring at her. She red at the two men in disgust and put on a haughty air. "What are the both of you looking at? Haven¡¯t you seen a beautiful youngdy before? Hmph!"


    When the fourth prince and Defender Duanmu heard her familiar arrogant tone, they heaved a sigh of relief. ¡¯We thought you became a different person...¡¯


    "Fifth sister is the most beautiful and elegant youngdy of the whole Silver Wing Empire." The fourth prince ttered her with an unnatural smile on his face while Defender Duanmu chose to remain silent. Thetter was afraid to say anything as he might incur the little dragoness¡¯ rage, so he refused to speak.


    "Good that you know. Hmph! Smelly brother, you will pay for everything I will order today." The fifth princess held her head high haughtily as she spoke.


    "What? But my allowance this month-"


    "You won¡¯t pay? I will tell father then." The fifth princess threatened with a cold sneer on her beautiful face.


    "Who said I won¡¯t pay? It¡¯s just a few coins, nothing worthy at all." The fourth prince hurriedly said with a bleeding heart.


    The fifth princess disdainfully nced at her brother after hearing his reply.


    "Here¡¯s your order of one Ables nc." Jiu Shen came back with a wine bottle hovering beside him. He then ced it on the fifth princess¡¯ table with a calm look.


    The fifth princess expression softened as she stared at Jiu Shen¡¯s face. "Thank you, sir. Could I have the pleasure of knowing your name, sir?" She gently said with a bright smile.


    Jiu Shen nced at her and replied indifferently. "Jiu Shen."


    "Jiu Shen." The fifth princess muttered to herself as she saved his name in her heart.


    The fourth prince and Defender Duanmu were both stunned at the sight in front of them. The little dragoness just smiled! She even asked a man¡¯s name! What the hell?! Did the world just turn upside-down?!


    * * *


    Meanwhile, inside the Xue Family¡¯s mansion. A group of people was carrying an unconscious body with thick beads of sweat on their faces. ¡¯Fuck! This fatty is so much heavier than a me Boar!¡¯ They thought to themselves as they slowly ced his body on the floor.


    Elder Ming came out with a small bag filled with glittering gold coins. He tossed it towards the men who brought Fatty Xue. The men¡¯s eyes brightened as they thanked Elder Ming passionately before going out of the Xue Family¡¯s Mansion.


    Elder Ming frowned as he looked at the unconscious Fatty Xue. He then infused his true essence on his foot before he gently kicked thetter¡¯s round belly.


    As if electrocuted, Fatty Xue stood up with an rmed look causing all his fats to jiggle. "Who dares sneak attack this lord fatty?!" He snarled with his half-awoken beady eyes.


    When his vision returned to normal, he saw Elder Ming standing sternly in front of him. "Ah, Elder Ming, so it was you who sneak...er I mean woke me up. What happened?" Fatty Xue scratched the back of his head with a forced smile.


    Elder Ming was still looking at him calmly. He then opened his mouth and spoke in a cold voice. "A few men brought you here when you were unconscious. Now tell me what happened my dear nephew."


    Fatty Xue was at first stunned, before bing bewildered, then his face became solemn. "Elder Ming, Sword Four, and Sword Five aren¡¯t back yet. And when I went to check that damn store, it was still intact. It was even more bustling than before."


    Elder Ming frowned when he heard his words. ¡¯Did Sword Four and Sword Five fail to aplish the mission? Then, where are they? Could it be... they were killed? Impossible! The both of them are peak 6th-rank King realm assassins. Even if they failed their mission, they could still escape with their lives. Just what could have happened?¡¯


    Seeing Elder Ming¡¯s silence, Fatty Xue swallowed the words he was about to say.


    "Don¡¯t do anything as of the moment. This matter is too suspicious. We need to investigate things first before we do our next move. Go home and don¡¯t do anything to that store before we get the bottom of things. It may not be as simple as what it seemed to be." Elder Ming solemnly said before he left the stunned fatty standing rooted on his spot.


    "Maybe the rumors about Wine Master Jiu being a top expert was true. If that is so, then both Sword Four and Sword Five are..." Thinking up to that, Fatty Xue felt his heart turn cold.

 Chapter 34 - Ice Cloud Sword Sect

    <h4>Chapter 34 - Ice Cloud Sword Sect </h4>


    With a face full of smiles, the fifth princess drank her wine while looking at Jiu Shen. She would even giggle from time to time as if she was possessed.


    As for her fourth brother and Defender Duanmu, they were sitting beside her with solemn expressions on their faces.


    It was the first time they saw the fifth princess behaving like that. And they didn¡¯t even need to think too deeply to know what she was feeling.


    The little dragoness was in love! On top of that, she fell for someone who their empire was wary of.


    They tried to investigate his identity in secret, but everything led them to a dead end. It was as if Jiu Shen appeared inside Beltran City out of thin air. There were no records of him from any part of their empire, and such a thing was impossible unless if he came from another empire or sect. But he also didn¡¯t look like a spy or an enemy.


    Jiu Shen was a man of mystery, and even the two girls with him didn¡¯t look normal either. As for the fifth princess falling for him, they don¡¯t know if it was a blessing or a disaster.


    After drinking their wines, Defender Duanmu and the fourth prince dragged the fifth princess out of the store. She was very reluctant to leave, but she still had things to do in the imperial pce as the princess of the Silver Wing Empire.


    "Wine Master Jiu, my name is Sylvia! Call me Sylvia the next time Ie here!" The fifth princess shouted with a blushing face. She also felt a bit annoyed at Jiu Shen since he did not even bother to ask her name. Regardless of that, she was certain that it won¡¯t be thest time she will visit his store.


    When Jiu Shen heard the fifth princess shout, he opened his eyes and nced at her. He then nodded his head as if he understood her.


    After seeing Jiu Shen¡¯s answer, the fifth princess smiled from ear to ear and left with her brother and Defender Duanmu. She did not even bother talking with the two men as she waspletely immersed in her own thoughts. ¡¯Jiu Shen... Jiu Shen...¡¯


    As for Jiu Shen, he shook his head while looking at the three people¡¯s departing silhouettes.


    ¡¯I still have to go to that whatever Cloud Sword Sect to get the Frozen Cloud cier. How bothersome... After that, I will go to the Green Mountain Lake to find the Origin Spring Water.¡¯ His lips twitched at the thought of his current tasks.


    Although the system did not release a mission for finding the ingredients, he still has to find them. After all, he was a bit curious about the new wine, Frozen Origin.


    "Looks like I won¡¯t have time to cultivate. Besides, even after cultivating, there are no signs of improvements in my cultivation. Although my strength increased a bit, my cultivation remained the same. System, do you know what¡¯s happening here?" Jiu Shen asked.


    - Ding!


    - Host, you just need to finish your current tasks. You may even receive a boost in cultivation as a reward. As for why your body can¡¯t cultivate normally, it¡¯s because the host¡¯s body is a Seamless Deity Physique made by the system to house the host¡¯s soul.


    Hearing the system¡¯s solemn reply, Jiu Shen¡¯s eyebrows knitted in surprise. "Seamless Deity Physique, what is that? I have heard of countless saintly and immortal physiques, but I haven¡¯t heard of any deity physique." Jiu Shen muttered to himself while the system remained silent.


    "Oh well, Hestia and Theia should be able to run things smoothly here. And the news about the four Earth Origin Dragon Tree inside my store hasn¡¯t spread yet. It shouldn¡¯t be a problem to leave the store for another few days or so." Jiu Shen sighed as he ryed some orders to Hestia and Theia.


    After that, he left his store and went to the direction of Ice Cloud Sword Sect.


    The Ice Cloud Sword Sect was located outside of Beltran City, but it was still within the territory of the Silver Wing Empire.


    It was a sect that only epted female disciples in their ranks. It was not that they were biased, but their secret technique can only be cultivated by women.


    The Ice Cloud Sword Sect only had a few thousand disciples, but all of them were the cream of the crop. ording to what everyone knows, the sect¡¯s strength was also on par with the aristocratic families like the Liu Family, Xue Family and etc. With their background, no one dared to antagonize them.


    The sect was not strict with their disciples when ites to their rtionship with the opposite gender. But of course, none of them were allowed to spread their secret techniques to any outsiders.


    After a few hours of flying, Jiu Shen saw a floating ice castle above the sky. It looked sacred and untainted from the mundane world as the ice castle majestically hovered in the sky.


    "So this is the Ice Something Cloud er...Ice Cloud ... never mind, I¡¯ll just ask the people inside." Jiu Shen slowly descended towards the entrance of the ice castle.


    His sudden arrival alerted the beautiful disciples guarding the entrance.


    "Who are you?! State your name and purpose foring to our Ice Cloud Sword Sect!" One of the disciples said in an icy voice as she red at Jiu Shen.


    They didn¡¯t see how Jiu Shen arrived in their ice castle. If they saw him flying earlier, they wouldn¡¯t have acted domineeringly. But they couldn¡¯t be med either since most of their guests used flying treasures or beast mounts to visit their ice castle.


    "Call your sect leader, I have something to discuss with her." Jiu Shen answered calmly.


    "Who the hell do you think you are to speak with our sect leader?! She doesn¡¯t have time to talk with any random people! Tell me the purpose of your visit or you can just scram!" The female disciple said aggressively.


    The other disciples remained silent, but they were ring at Jiu Shen with hostility.


    For the past few decades, no guests dared to call their sect leader at all. It was the first time they encountered someone who asked for an audience with their sect leader the moment he arrived.


    When Jiu Shen heard how arrogant she spoke, he involuntarily released a bit of his aura causing all the female disciples to kneel down on the ground with boundless terror in their eyes. Even the arrogant disciple was looking at Jiu Shen with dread as her body was shaking in fear.


    Jiu Shen shook his head after seeing their fearful expressions. "This is your punishment for acting arrogantly in my presence. If this was before, your souls would have been vanquished and never reincarnate again." Jiu Shen said calmly causing a wave of coldness to invade the hearts of the youngdies.


    "Sire, please be lenient on my disciples." A fairly-like woman dressed in a long white dress calmly descended in front of Jiu Shen. She waved her right hand and removed the pressure of Jiu Shen¡¯s aura.


    Jiu Shen did not look surprised. He only released a bit of his aura to punish the young disciples. But he had to admit that he was somewhat surprised at the woman¡¯s strength.


    She was the first 8th-rank Divine realm expert that he had seen in Nuar ever since he had transmigrated.


    "An 8th-rank Divine realm expert, you must be the sect leader..." Jiu Shen said indifferently.


    Everyone in the Silver Wing Empire thought that their strength was only on par with the peak aristocratic families. Who knew that their sect leader was actually an 8th-rank Divine realm expert?


    The woman felt a slight tremor in her heart after seeing how casual Jiu Shen stated her cultivation realm. It was as if he did not care about it at all.

 Chapter 35 - Verdant Flames Saintly Vermilion Body

    <h4>Chapter 35 - Verdant mes Saintly Vermilion Body </h4>


    After looking at the woman for a few seconds, Jiu Shen¡¯s heart jolted in surprise. ¡¯This woman¡¯s body... This is a saint physique... The Verdant mes Saintly Vermilion Body! A mortal world actually gave birth to such a body? But the fool cultivated a pure ice secret technique...¡¯ Jiu Shen¡¯s lips twitched.


    A person with Verdant mes Saintly Vermilion Body was innately gifted in manipting mes. He/she would be also able to practice any me techniques with half the effort and get twice the rewards. Furthermore, such a physique was rare even in the Primordial God Realm. That was why Jiu Shen was surprised to see someone with that kind of physique in a mortal world.


    The woman¡¯s name was Lu Sn. She frowned after sensing Jiu Shen¡¯s deep gaze. She felt like she was being stripped naked with all her secretsid bare before the man¡¯s eyes.


    "Sire, if you¡¯re only here to cause trouble, then please leave our Ice Cloud Sword Sect." Lu Sn said in neither humble nor arrogant tone of voice. She was also somewhat wary of the other party¡¯s strength since she could not feel anything from him at all. It was like he was a mortal that hasn¡¯t practiced cultivation for all his life.


    Jiu Shen remained calm and unperturbed under all thedies¡¯ gazes. "I would like to speak with you alone." He said in a serious tone as he looked at her with an expressionless face.


    Lu Sn could not see through the thoughts of Jiu Shen. His silver eyes were like two deep pools of tranquil water. No one could see any ripples of emotion nor see the depths of his gaze.


    Despite her wariness towards Jiu Shen, she was also curious about what he wanted to discuss with her. She stared at Jiu Shen¡¯s silver eyes but she hurriedly looked away. She felt a sense of inferiority as if she was like a firefly looking at the moon.


    "Since sire wanted to discuss something with me, please follow me." Lu Sn said.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly and followed behind her.


    As for the disciples, they heaved a sigh of relief after seeing that Jiu Shen was already gone. They believed that nothing would happen to the sect with their sect leader keeping an eye on him.


    "Who is that man? He is so scary..."


    "He must be a sect leader from a hidden sect or a recluse expert."


    The disciples discussed among themselves while ncing at Jiu Shen¡¯s departing back figure.


    Meanwhile, Lu Sn brought Jiu Shen to the topmost floor of their sect¡¯s library.


    She had reasons for bringing him here. First, there was a protective array carved inside this floor which she can use against Jiu Shen if he makes any suspicious move. Andstly, she did not want to bring any man to her room.


    "Please take a seat, sire." Lu Sn gestured for him to sit down as she grabbed a pot of tea. She then filled a cup for Jiu Shen and herself before she sat down.


    Jiu Shen eyed her practiced movements when she filled their cups with tea. He then grabbed the cup and inhaled the scent of the tea before putting it back on the table.


    Lu Sn saw his actions and felt a bit annoyed. "Sire, are you looking down on our sect¡¯s Frozen Miscanthus Tea?" She asked in a cold voice.


    Jiu Shen nced at her and shook his head calmly. "Have you been drinking this tea the moment you started cultivating?" Instead of replying to her question, he asked his own.


    Lu Sn was surprised because he was indeed correct. She had been drinking the Frozen Miscanthus Tea since she started cultivating. It was something that the previous sect leader told her to do in order to hasten her cultivation speed. And after drinking it, she would experience a small amount of increase in her practice speed. "How did you know?" She asked with a frown.


    Jiu Shen stared at her peerlessly beautiful face with a cid expression. "Did you experience a sense of difort after breaking through the 7th-rank Emperor? And the moment you broke through to the 8th-rank Divine realm, the difort became more intense..." He said nonchntly.


    As for Lu Sn, she was looking at Jiu Shen while feeling increasingly horrified in her heart because everything he said indeed happened to her. "You... You..."


    Jiu Shen waved his right hand prompting her to remain silent. "I came here to ask for ten years worth of Frozen Cloud cier." Jiu Shen stated while ignoring her peculiar gaze.


    "What?! You¡¯re asking for ten years worth of Frozen Cloud cier?! No, that¡¯s not possible, sire." Lu Sn frowned while shaking her head.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s lips involuntarily curled up making her feel as if Jiu Shen was holding her by the neck. "I can help you remove your illness in exchange for the Frozen Cloud cier. What do you think?"


    Lu Sn did not really have an illness. Her condition was simply the aftereffects of practicing a secret technique that contradicted with her Verdant mes Saintly Vermilion Body.


    Lu Sn¡¯s heartbeat quickened but she did not show it outwardly. "I don¡¯t have any illness, sire. Please state a different condition."


    Jiu Shen maintained his poker face while looking at her. "Let me be honest with you, youngdy. 8th-rank Divine realm is the most you can reach with your current condition. And your lifespan will continue to decrease at a very fast rate of time. You know what I mean." He then pointed at her hair.


    Lu Sn had an icy blue hair, but there were graying spots signaling her decreasing life span.


    After hearing hisst sentence, Lu Sn¡¯s body trembled. With a quivering voice, she said. "May I ask for your esteemed name, sire?"


    "Call me Jiu Shen."


    "Lord Jiu Shen, can you really cure me?" Lu Sn had an expectant gaze as she looked at Jiu Shen.


    "I can indeed help you cure your illness. In fact, I have two ways to cure your illness." Jiu Shen stated with a calm look.

 Chapter 36 - Alchemy Saint?

    <h4>Chapter 36 - Alchemy Saint? </h4>


    In actual fact, Jiu Shen had countless ways to help her resolve her issue. But he only stated that he had two ways in order to make him seem more believable.


    "Lord Jiu Shen, my name is Lu Sn. If you can indeed help me resolve my illness, then taking ten years worth of Frozen Cloud cier is not an issue." Lu Sn said expectantly. She was getting very restless and afraid of her present condition. If she was not the sect leader of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect, she didn¡¯t have problems with dying, but she was the strongest person in their sect. And if she died, the sect would lose a backbone and they would then face countless hungry eyes who had been eyeing their secret technique for many years.


    "It¡¯s good that Sect Leader Lu is a very straightforward person. Since that¡¯s the case, I will tell you the two things that will help you resolve your issue."


    Hearing his words, Lu Sn¡¯s eyes brightened in excitement. She perked up her ears and listened attentively to what he was about to say.


    "The first one is a bit hard since it needs you to consume a 9th-grade pill, the Crimson Astral ze Pill. And no one in the Silver Wing Empire is capable of concocting such a pill. Even if someone is capable of making such a pill, the materials needed are very rare." Jiu Shen stated while tapping his fingers on the table.


    "The second option is for me to apply acupuncture on your body. With your current realm, we need to do acupuncture once a week for three months. And each treatment willst for one to two hours. Sect Leader Lu, which one would you choose?" Jiu Shen asked calmly.


    When Lu Sn heard the first option, she frowned and she appeared to be in deep thought. She didn¡¯t know anything about alchemy, but the Crimson Astral ze Pill that Jiu She mentioned should be real. But the difficulty of concocting such a pill was very high, and even the old masters from the Alchemy Hall would not be able to concoct it.


    And when she heard the second option proposed by Jiu Shen, she involuntarily blushed. She then concealed her crimson-red face by making her heart calm down. "Lord Jiu Shen, the first option is doable but we have to find someone who is capable of concocting that pill. As for the second option... Ah-we can do it if we don¡¯t have any other choice."


    Jiu Shen turned a blind eye to her ever-changing expressions. His heart was as calm as a mirror. ¡¯Why are the mortals so indecisive regarding these kinds of matters?¡¯


    "You don¡¯t have to find someone else. I can concoct this pill for you. But we have to gather all the ingredients first because I don¡¯t have the necessary ingredients on hand." Jiu Shen said.


    "Yeah, I know it¡¯s hard to find someone who can... What?! What did you say?! Did you just say that you can concoct a 9th-grade pill?!" Lu Sn could no longer maintain her calm.


    Someone who could refine a 9th-grade pill was at least a 9th-rank Alchemy Saint!


    Meaning to say, their soul force had reached the 9th-rank which is equivalent to a 9th-rank Saint realm cultivator in terms of power. Of course, an Alchemy Saint¡¯s physical body was way weaker than a 9th-rank Saint realm cultivator in terms of martial power. But an Alchemy Saint can attack using their soul force!


    So when Jiu Shen said that he can refine a 9th-grade pill, she was scared senseless. As for the authenticity of his words, she didn¡¯t doubt it in the slightest. How else did he know her conditions in one nce if he was not a 9th-rank Alchemy Saint?


    Alchemists are also ssified into nine realms: Alchemy Disciple, Alchemy Adept, Alchemy Master, Alchemy Grandmaster, Alchemy Ancestor, Alchemy King, Alchemy Emperor, Alchemy Sovereign, and Alchemy Saint.


    For one to train in bing an alchemist, they have to connect their spiritual nodes. But the process of doing so requires high willpower and pain tolerance since connecting spiritual nodes was very painful.


    As for Jiu Shen being a 9th-rank Alchemy Saint, it was indeed true. In fact, he was not just an Alchemy Saint, but he didn¡¯t boast his alchemy skills too much. His attainments in alchemy can only be considered as superficial in the Primordial God Realm er... trash to be exact. But in Nuar, he was more than qualified to call himself an Alchemy Saint.


    "I can concoct this pill, but I don¡¯t have the ingredients. Perhaps the Alchemy Hall had some of the ingredients in their storage..." Jiu Shen muttered after recalling the map that the system integrated into his brain. There was a branch of the Alchemy Hall in the Silver Wing Empire, and as a holynd for alchemists, they should have some of the ingredients needed for refining the Crimson Astral ze Pill.


    Lu Sn¡¯s doubtful look was then reced by a much more gentle gaze. This Jiu Shen might really be able to help her get rid of her illness. "Lord Jiu Shen, let¡¯s dally no longer. Let¡¯s go to the Alchemy Hall to check if they have the ingredients that you¡¯ll need for refining the pill. As for your request about the Frozen Cloud cier, give me one moment. Excuse me, Lord Jiu Shen."


    Like an excited little girl, Lu Sn left the room in a hurry. When she came back, she was already holding a space ring. She then took out a huge block of an icy blue cier which froze the air around them making the room¡¯s temperature drop by several degrees. "Lord Jiu Shen, this is more than ten years worth of Frozen Cloud cier."


    Jiu Shen calmly grabbed the block of Frozen Cloud cier before putting it inside his space earring. "Good. Do you mind if I stay here in your sect for the night? We can leave by tomorrow."


    For the first time today, Lu Sn smiled at Jiu Shen. "Of course, it¡¯s not a problem, Lord Jiu Shen. I will arrange everything for you, please follow me."


    Jiu Shen nodded his head expressionlessly.

 Chapter 37 - Crappy Sword Techniques

    <h4>Chapter 37 - Crappy Sword Techniques </h4>


    Lu Sn arranged Jiu Shen to stay inside one of their sect¡¯s most luxurious guest rooms. It was evenparable to their elders¡¯ quarters.


    Towards this arrangement, Jiu Shen remained calm. ¡¯The word luxurious is too much for such a shabby room. Even the servants that I had before were living in a much better ce than this.¡¯ He thought to himself.


    "I hope you like this room, Lord Jiu Shen. This is the best guest room in our Ice Cloud Sword Sect." Lu Sn said gently.


    Jiu Shen looked unperturbed, but he was internally speechless at this ¡¯best guest room¡¯. ¡¯Oh well, it¡¯s only for the night anyway. I still prefer the room in my store though.¡¯


    "I will take my leave for now, Lord Jiu Shen. I still have to instruct the sect¡¯s disciples about swordy." Lu Sn nodded her head elegantly at him. She did not mind being respectful at him, especially after learning that he was an Alchemy Saint. Although it was still uncertain whether his im was genuine, his unfathomable power alone was enough for her to respect him.


    "Instructing swordy huh?" Jiu Shen muttered to himself in nostalgia.


    In the Primordial God Realm, Jiu Shen was one of the top sword immortals. In fact, only one of the three celestial emperors, Sword God Jian Wang was stronger than him in sword techniques.


    There were also countless supreme beings and supreme immortals that wished to take him as their master, but he refused all of them.


    But even after his refusal, some still chose to follow him. Sometimes, he would discuss his insights on swordsmanship with them which greatly helped them in their path towards swordsmanship.


    Jiu Shen sighed at his own thoughts and turned to look at Lu Sn who was looking at him in bewilderment.


    "Sect Leader Lu, I would like to watch how you train the young elites of your sect. I know that this sounds absurd, but I hope you don¡¯t mind." Jiu Shen said calmly.


    Lu Sn was surprised at his request, but she did not decline. She will only be teaching the disciples about the fundamentals of swordsmanship. It was not the secret technique of their sect, so she did not really mind.


    "Not a problem at all, Lord Jiu Shen. Since that¡¯s the case, follow me towards the training grounds." Lu Sn nced at Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen followed behind her with distant thoughts. ¡¯If I had a sect of my own during my past life, that old fogie Lao Gou wouldn¡¯t have been able to trap me so easily inside his God Sealing Tower... Maybe I should establish my own sect in this mortal world and foster my own army of elites...¡¯


    Celestial Emperor Lao Gou was the one who sealed Jiu Shen inside the God Sealing Tower.


    Celestial Emperor Lao Gou found out that his second wife would secretly go out of her living quarters to join the other supreme beings every time Jiu Shen would discuss his insights in swordsmanship. Later on, he even heard his second wife was slowly falling for Jiu Shen.


    And as a celestial emperor, how could he allow his wife to blindly listen to Jiu Shen¡¯s insight in swordsmanship? Wouldn¡¯t others say that his sword techniques were way weaker than Jiu Shen¡¯s? Aside from that, she had also taken a liking to Jiu Shen when she was already his woman. So due to his anger, Celestial Emperor Lao Gou ordered the sect he nurtured, the Celestial Paragon Tower to capture Jiu Shen using the God Sealing Tower.


    Jiu Shen fought against more than several dozen thousands of supreme beings and was able to escape despite his severe injuries.


    Left with no choice, Celestial Emperor Lao Gou personally took action and fought with Jiu Shen for more than seven days. He then sealed him inside his God Sealing Tower...


    Back to the story...


    Not long after, they arrived inside the Ice Cloud Sword Sect¡¯s training grounds. Jiu Shen heard multiple sweet grunts and lovely shouts as several youngdies executed their shy sword techniques.


    One youngdy shed her sword causing a burning sword radiance to materialize. Another youngdy struck her sword on the ground which then produced earthen sword spikes around her.


    Jiu Shen nced at their disy of sword techniques with an expressionless face while he internally shook his head in disdain. ¡¯What kind of crappy sword techniques are these? They¡¯re full of ws and openings.¡¯


    Lu Sn nced at Jiu Shen to check his reaction at the wonderful disy of her disciples. But when she saw his unchanging expression, she felt a bit annoyed.


    "Lord Jiu Shen, what do you think about my disciples¡¯ skills?" Lu Sn asked tentatively.


    Jiu Shen who was unconsciously revising their sword techniques was awoken by her sudden question. "They can be considered as dregs err... I mean they are good and can be further polished. Your disciples only needed to train the basics in detail so that they will be able to execute your sect¡¯s sword techniques with much greater strength. Furthermore, the sword techniques that you guys taught them were somewhat wed. Itcks substance and focused much on appearance. It can still be revised though..." Jiu Shen realized that he spoke too much, so he chose to remain silent.


    As for Lu Sn, she was surprised by his words. She was indeed going to teach her disciples with the basics of swordsmanship in order to strengthen their foundations. She was able to realize their shorings after watching them for several months, but Jiu Shen saw through them in one look? ¡¯Was he able to see their ws after just one nce? Or was it just a coincidence?¡¯


    As for his remarks about their sword techniques being wed, she ignored it and took it as him spouting bullshit.


    How could their sect¡¯s sword techniques be wed? It was, after all, the byproduct of their former sect mistresses¡¯ efforts. All of them were awe-inspiring figures that brought fear and worship towards the Silver Wing Empire¡¯s citizens. And the sword techniques that they made were powerful and profound.


    "Lord Jiu Shen, our sword techniques are made by the previous sect mistresses of our Ice Cloud Sword Sect. A few of them were even 9th-rank Saint realm experts. So how could their techniques be wed?" Lu Sn replied in a slightly dissatisfied tone of voice.


    Hearing her words, Jiu Shen shook his head calmly and remained silent.

 Chapter 38 - Jiu Shen Demonstrates His Skill

    <h4>Chapter 38 - Jiu Shen Demonstrates His Skill </h4>


    After seeing him remain silent, Lu Sn spoke no more. She then walked towards her disciples and disyed a milder gaze.


    When the disciples saw Lu Sn walking towards them, they bowed their heads respectfully and greeted her. "Greetings, Sect Mistress Lu."


    Lu Sn nodded her head with a gentle look. She then nced at Jiu Shen with a cheeky smile and replied. "Before we start with our practice, let me introduce this man first. He is Lord Jiu Shen and he will be checking all of your ws, so make sure to do good when you execute your sword techniques."


    When Jiu Shen heard her words, he remained serene and tranquil with no hints of ripples in his emotions. He had expected this kind of development after speaking too much about their sword techniques. In his uncountable eons of life, he had already grasped the human¡¯s heart.


    After speaking with Lu Sn, he was able to tell that she was a headstrong woman that would not allow anyone to mock their teachings. She had an unyielding nature who would not easily back down. Even after knowing that he was an Alchemy Saint, she still risked offending him just because he said that their sword techniques were wed.


    After listening to their sect mistress¡¯ words, the disciples nced at the man standing behind their sect mistress. His long silver hair was tied in a ponytail. With skin as fair as white jade and a face that could make a woman breathless.


    They were surprised to see such a handsome man and they all thought that he might be one of their sect mistress¡¯ pursuers.


    "Okay, let¡¯s start everyone. Xiao Hua, you¡¯ll go first." Lu Sn called out for someone with a kind smile.


    A youngdy with beautiful facial features stepped forward. She appeared to be slightly shy as she walked towards Lu Sn. "Greetings, Sect Mistress Lu." Xiao Hua bowed her head slightly as she greeted Lu Sn.


    "Little Hua, let me see if there is an improvement in your Radiant Sword sh." Lu Sn stroked her hair with a doting look.


    "Yes, sect mistress." Xiao Hua answered shyly, her face blushing. She took in a deep breath and calmed herself down before performing her Radiant Sword sh.


    Jiu Shen calmly observed Xiao Hua as she executed her sword technique. ¡¯Maniption of true essence, subpar. Conversion of true essence, average. Execution of attack, trash. Damage produced, average. Overall rating, below average.¡¯


    All the disciples eximed after seeing the brilliant radiance produced by Xiao Hua¡¯s sword sh. They also felt that it was strong enough to kill a mid-stage 4th-rank Knight Crusader realm expert.


    It was already good for Xiao Hua who was only an initial-stage 4th-rank Knight Crusader to be capable of producing an attack that was one minor realm higher than her cultivation.


    Even Lu Sn was happy with her progress. She smiled and patted Xiao Hua¡¯s little head causing thetter to blush in embarrassment. "Good job, Little Hua. But you still have to sharpen your skills. If you weren¡¯t nervous, you could have executed a much stronger attack."


    "I will work hard, sect mistress." Xiao Hua replied respectfully.


    Lu Sn then nced at Jiu Shen with a smile. "Do you want to say something, Lord Jiu Shen?"


    Jiu Shen wanted to maintain a low-profile, but he did not want to see Lu Sn¡¯s annoying smile. How could he allow a little girl to act so willfully in his presence?


    He stared at Lu Sn deeply causing thetter to look away.


    His gaze was so prating that it made her feel a hint of fear.


    Jiu Shen then turned to look towards Xiao Hua who was looking at him expectantly.


    "You have great potential, but the way you manipted your true essence was mediocre at best. The way you executed your technique looked shy, but it¡¯s full of holes and openings. There was also an unnecessary pause of half a second midway through your execution and this might have been rted to your anxious state of heart. Furthermore, because your maniption of true essence was subpar, the damage of your attack was significantly reduced." Jiu Shen¡¯s words were harsh but everything was on point. He was able to see the ws of Xiao Hua¡¯s sword technique with one nce. He was even able to tell them the reason for such ws.


    His words were like sharp arrows that pierced Xiao Hua¡¯s little heart. Her body faintly trembled and her eyes also watered, but she suppressed her urge to cry. Everything he said was right, but she didn¡¯t know how to improve her control in manipting her true essence. Even their sect mistress could only correct them slowly.


    Looking at her distressed look, Jiu Shen remained unperturbed. If he hadplimented her, she would growcent and her sword techniques would never progress. It was better to tell her about her mistakes so that she can slowly correct them herself.


    Seeing Xiao Hua¡¯s sad look, Lu Sn was about to berate Jiu Shen, but before she could speak...


    "Your name is Xiao Hua, right?" Jiu Shen asked.


    Xiao Hua nodded her head slowly while biting her lips.


    "Observe this carefully, Xiao Hua. I will execute the same sword technique and I will also suppress my realm to the initial-stage 4th-rank Knight Crusader... Can I borrow your sword?" Since he had already told Xiao Hua about her ws, then he might as well help her improve her shorings.


    Xiao Hua was surprised, but she obediently handed her sword to Jiu Shen.


    Everyone, including Lu Sn observed Jiu Shen¡¯s every move. They wanted to see what he would do.


    Jiu Shen suppressed his realm, making everyone sense the aura of an initial-stage 4th-rank Knight Crusader on him.


    Without making any superfluous movements, Jiu Shen nonchntly brandished the sword in his hand causing a raging sword wind to materialize in midair. It then hit a nearby boulder making it explode into countless pieces.


    His attack caused all the disciples to widen their eyes in surprise. It was actually twenty times stronger than Xiao Hua¡¯s attack! And the way he executed the sword strike was more natural as if he merely executed a random sh.


    As for Lu Sn, she was covering her mouth with an expression of utter disbelief. "That¡¯s... How did he execute our sect¡¯s Radiant Sword sh?! The attack he made can also threaten a 5th-rank Spirit realm expert. I must be dreaming..." She muttered to herself while feeling shocked in her heart.


    Because of the silence, everyone heard Jiu Shen as he muttered. "This sword technique is truly lousy. Even after revising it, I can only increase its power by a bit..."


    After hearing his words, everyone was speechless.

 Chapter 39 - Gaining Respect

    <h4>Chapter 39 - Gaining Respect </h4>


    "Lord Jiu Shen... you...you... Howe you can perform our sect¡¯s Radiant Sword sh?" Lu Sn asked with a bewildered look.


    "What¡¯s so surprising about that? Isn¡¯t that your sect¡¯s most lousy sword technique?" Jiu Shen replied indifferently.


    Upon hearing his words, Lu Sn had the urge to beat him up. ¡¯What lousiest sword technique?! It¡¯s one of the strongest sword techniques in our Ice Cloud Sword Sect!¡¯


    Lu Sn tactfully chose to remain silent. She then called another disciple¡¯s name.


    The disciple she called was nervous especially after seeing how easily Jiu Shen was able to discern the ws in their techniques.


    After executing her sword technique, Jiu Shen told her about her ws and he also disyed how it should be done.


    The scene happened to all of the disciples that Lu Sn called, making her heart turn numbed.


    With a horrified look, she nced at Jiu Shen.


    She finally realized that this man was not just an Alchemy Saint. He might even be a 9th-rank Saint realm expert! She felt goosebumps all over her body when she recalled how she had deliberately opposed him earlier.


    Jiu Shen returned the sword that he had borrowed from Xiao Hua before he nced at Lu Sn who was trying to conceal the dread in her heart. He then walked towards her at a normal pace, but to Lu Sn, it felt as if it was an eternity.


    Jiu Shen then gently patted Lu Sn¡¯s shoulder causing thetter to almost jump in fright.


    "You have great disciples, Sect Mistress Lu. Just train them ording to what I have said earlier. Anyway, I shall not take much of your time. Farewell." Jiu Shen left after saying those words.


    Lu Sn nced at his broad back with aplicated gaze. Would his arrival change her fate?


    After seeing his abilities, she was now more certain that Jiu Shen indeed has the capability of concocting the Crimson Astral ze Pill. She was looking forward to the day when she would no longer feel a sense of difort and pain every time she cultivates.


    Xiao Hua and the other disciples stared at Jiu Shen¡¯s disappearing back figure and bowed their heads respectfully. Although he was harsh on his choice of words, they were able to realize their mistakes easily. He had even demonstrated to them how their techniques should be executed. With his teachings, they were confident in improving their sword techniques.


    Lu Sn did not stop the actions of her disciples. After all, Jiu Shen helped them in recognizing the ws in their sword techniques. With his intervention, it would save a great deal of time for them.


    For young cultivators, time was precious. They would never forget Jiu Shen¡¯s help.


    Meanwhile, inside his ¡¯luxurious¡¯ guest room. Jiu Shen sat cross-legged while cultivating. Although he could not break through using normal means, he could still strengthen himself through cultivation.


    The true essence inside the guest room was thick, but to Jiu Shen, it means nothing.


    Jiu Shen gathered the true essence in his surroundings and refined them inside his dantian. His dantian was like a bottomless abyss that could not be filled even after cultivating for many years.


    "This might be rted to my new body being a Seamless Deity Physique. It looks like I have to rely on the system if I want to breakthrough realms..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself but he continued to patiently cultivate.


    "Host, a Seamless Deity Physique can¡¯t be cultivated like this. Only with the system¡¯s help can you increase your strength. Host, work hard onpleting your tasks!" The system¡¯s solemn voice echoed inside his head like a bucket of cold water.


    He sighed and stopped cultivating his true essence. "Since I can¡¯t cultivate my true essence nor cultivate my soul force, then I might as well perceive the mysterious fourth realm of the Heart Realm, the Heartless Void. System, this is possible, right?"


    Jiu Shen did not hear any reply from the system, but he did not feel discouraged.


    That night, he tried perceiving the Heartless Void.


    * * *


    The ring sun shone like a celestial fireball in the sky. Its scorching beams sshed onto the world basking everyone with its warm glow.


    Jiu Shen opened his eyes with a regretful look in his face. "The Heartless Void is too profound. I might have been able to faintly recognize its intricacies when I had my previous cultivation, but with my current realm in this life, achieving a breakthrough in the Heart Realm is impossible..." He muttered and released a soft sigh.


    "Today, I will go with Lu Sn to the Alchemy Hall to check for the ingredients of the Crimson Astral ze Pill. Considering their background, they should have one set of the auxiliary ingredients I needed for the pill. As for the main ingredient... I wonder if they have one piece of Earth Origin Dragon Fruit..."


    Jiu Shen thought about the four bonsai err... four spiritual nts inside his store. All four of it were 9th-rank spiritual nts, the Earth Origin Dragon Tree, but they haven¡¯t borne a single fruit yet.


    With the system¡¯s show-off nature, it should have added a heavenly soil on the pots. But even if that¡¯s the case, it would still take two to three weeks before it can bear Earth Origin Dragon Fruits.


    "If the Alchemy Hall does not have one piece of the fruit, then all we can do is wait for the spiritual nts in my store to bear fruits. But I need a ripe one...so in total, we need to wait for one whole month... In that case, do I really have to use my acupuncture on her to suppress the difort she feels? The question is, would that little girl even allow me to do my acupuncture on her?" Jiu Shen felt slightly annoyed in his heart, but he still looked serenely calm on the surface.


    "Knock! Knock! Knock!"


    Jiu Shen nced at the door and felt the familiar aura of Lu Sn. "Come inside, Sect Mistress Lu."


    Lu Sn came inside with dark circles under her eyes. Although it was faint and was covered by makeup, Jiu Shen could still perceive it with his acute eyesight.


    With a tired and weary gaze, Lu Sn spoke in a mild tone. "Lord Jiu Shen, it¡¯s time for us to go."


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly and jumped out of his bed with a whooshing sound.

 Chapter 40 - Master Fengzi

    <h4>Chapter 40 - Master Fengzi </h4>


    Jiu Shen and Lu Sn stepped out of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect¡¯s ice castle amidst the inquiring gazes of the disciples guarding the entrance.


    Lu Sn gracefully tapped her foot and hovered in midair like a celestial fairy. She still looked beautiful despite having a sleepless night yesterday due to her excitement.


    She had been looking for countless ways to remove the pain she was feeling. She had even eaten a few high-level spiritual herbs with the thought, that maybe, it could help in her predicament. Who knew that even after eating all of them, nothing changed. In fact, her situation grew worse by the day.


    And now, Jiu Shen¡¯s sudden arrival caused her to regain her hope. ¡¯Maybe this man could help me resolve my situation.¡¯ She thought to herself.


    And because of her intense excitement and eagerness, she was unable to properly meditatest night, causing her to feel a bit weak and tired.


    Jiu Shen took out a bottle of Deep Sea Spring Dew from his storage earring and he handed it to Lu Sn.


    "Sect Mistress Lu, this wine is called the Deep Sea Spring Dew. It could help you lower the pain you¡¯re feeling and it can also help you hasten your cultivation speed." Jiu Shen said.


    The Deep Sea Spring Dew contained the essence of Yin and Yang. And it was what Lu Sn needed the most in her current situation.


    Her innate physique was that of the Verdant mes Saintly Vermilion Body. It was a True Yang physique, and this kind of innate body needed a technique that was of True Yang to further nurture it. But Lu Sn cultivated the Ice Cloud Sword Sect¡¯s secret technique which was of True Yin in nature. This caused her Verdant mes Saintly Vermilion Body to slowly grow weaker through time.


    But since it was a saintly body, it was not that easy to suppress it. The Verdant mes Saintly Vermilion Body consumed itself in order to remain active in Lu Sn¡¯s body. This was also the root cause of the difort and pain that she felt every time she cultivated.


    Lu Sn didn¡¯t stand on ceremony either. After hearing that it could help her alleviate a bit of pain, she carefully received the bottle of wine. "Thank you, Lord Jiu Shen." She said with a grateful look.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head and flew beside her.


    The Alchemy Hall was located inside Beltran City, so it was not that far from the Ice Cloud Sword Sect¡¯s ice castle.


    With their speed, they arrived in less than an hour¡¯s time.


    In front of them was a tall tower with a schrly aura and atmosphere.


    Theynded on the ground causing shock exmations from the surrounding crowd of cultivators and mortals.


    The cultivators knew that only 8th-rank Divine realm experts were capable of flight. So when they saw that the two of them flew from above, their gazes were painted with excitement, curiosity, respect, jealousy and other kinds of emotions.


    "Look, those two seniors descended from the sky!"


    "Eh?! Does that mean that they are 8th-rank Divine realm experts?!"


    As for the mortals, it was as if they had seen a god and a goddess especially with Jiu Shen and Lu Sn¡¯s otherworldly facial features.


    "They are a match made in heaven! An immortal couple!"


    Jiu Shen and Lu Sn ignored the crowd as they walked inside the Alchemy Hall.


    When the guards at the entrance saw Lu Sn, they were surprised.


    It was not the first time they saw her. In fact, they have seen her a few times before, and every time she went out of the Alchemy Hall, she would always be apanied by the branch head. And they had also seen her fly in midair.


    With all those facts added together, they knew that she was someone of important status. With a face full of ttery, they opened the door for the both of them and was able to go inside without a problem.


    One guard led them towards the branch head¡¯s office.


    "Knock! Knock! Knock!"


    "Who the hell is outside that damned door?! I¡¯m in the middle of concocting a high-level pill here! Scram!" An angry shout reverberated inside the branch head¡¯s room.


    The guard turned pale and he hurriedly nced at the two people behind him. He sighed in relief after seeing that both of them still looked calm. He was about to say something when...


    "Master Fengzi, it¡¯s me. I apologize for visiting you with no prior appointment." Lu Sn said in a gentle voice.


    "Oh, so it¡¯s Sect Mistress Lu? Wait, give me one moment here." The aged voice of an old man resounded once again inside the branch head¡¯s room, but this time, it sounded gentle and benign.


    The door opened slowly and revealed the face of an old man with disheveled hair. When he saw Lu Sn¡¯s face, he smiled brilliantly and opened the door wide. "Haha! You¡¯re back, Sect Mistress Lu! Come,e inside."


    Jiu Shen and Lu Sn came inside the old man¡¯s room. They saw a charred cauldron at the center of the room and they could also smell the pungent scent of burnt herbs.


    "Sorry for disturbing you during your time of pill concoction, Master Fengzi." Lu Sn said apologetically.


    "Not a problem at all, Sect Mistress Lu. It¡¯s not even a high-level pill anyway." Master Fengzi said with a chuckle while waving his aged hands as if it was nothing of great importance.


    So he was indeed not lying when he said that he was concocting a pill.


    Jiu Shen observed the old man calmly before observing the cauldron. He sniffed the pungent scent of the burnt herbs and nodded his head internally. "You don¡¯t have to apologize to him. He was not concocting a pill when we arrived. The concoction was donest night, and based on the smell of these burnt herbs, the pill he was trying to concoct was an 8th-grade pill, the Invigorating Meridians Pill. This is a high-level pill, and not just some random low-level pill."


    An awkward silence followed after Jiu Shen spoke those words.


    Master Fengzi stood with a look of disbelief, while Lu Sn was wearing a forced smile.

 Chapter 41 - Getting Ingredients (1)

    <h4>Chapter 41 - Getting Ingredients (1) </h4>


    "You...You... You... How did you know eerr... I mean, you¡¯re spouting nonsense, kid! I have been concocting pill since you were still in your mother¡¯s womb! Stop speaking a load of bullcrap!" Master Fengzi pointed his finger at Jiu Shen and snarled angrily, causing his long gray beard to tremble.


    Hearing his words, Jiu Shen chuckled in his heart. ¡¯This little brat is so funny... I don¡¯t even know how old I am anymore. In fact, I had even seen the birth of countless worlds...¡¯


    "The Invigorating Meridians Pill has the effect of enhancing one¡¯s potential in breaking through the 9th-rank Saint realm. Furthermore, this pill can also add an additional one hundred years of lifespan to whoever consumes it. Considering your cultivation which is still at the mid-stage 8th-rank Divine realm, this pill should be a preparatory pill for when you reach the peak-stage 8th-rank Divine realm. Little brat, you¡¯re still wet behind the ears to fool me..." Jiu Shen calmly stated as if he knew what was happening with Master Fengzi¡¯s life like the back of his hand.


    Master Fengzi was listening to Jiu Shen¡¯s words with a horrified expression on his aged face. The hand that he used to point at Jiu Shen was trembling uncontrobly.


    After Jiu Shen spoke, Master Fengzi¡¯s gaze towards Jiu Shen turned into that of profound dread. ¡¯What the hell?! Did this snotty kid just call me a little brat?!¡¯ And how the fuck did he know everything about the pill I was concocting after giving it one sniff?! Is this kid a descendant of a dragon dog?!¡¯


    As for Lu Sn, she felt a sense of deja vu while listening to their conversation. ¡¯It looks like even Master Fengzi is powerless against Lord Jiu Shen.¡¯ She muttered in her heart. At the same time, she was nowpletely certain that Jiu Shen was an Alchemy Saint.


    "What rubbish! You might have read the description of the Invigorating Meridians Pill somewhere before! And you dare unt your paltry knowledge to an Alchemy Sovereign?!" Master Fengzi shouted angrily despite his rising dread. The atmosphere that Jiu Shen was giving off was something that he was very familiar with. He felt the same sensation when he had faced the Alchemy Hall¡¯s supreme elder who was a full-fledged Alchemy Saint.


    Jiu Shen did not bother to give a reply at Master Fengzi¡¯s remarks. He merely looked at him like how he would nce at a foolish mortal.


    Facing his cold and indifferent gaze, Master Fengzi¡¯s hairs involuntarily stood on end.


    "If you have these ingredients, I will help you in concocting one set of Invigorating Meridians Pill." Jiu Shen handed him a piece of paper that he had writtenst night. It contained the auxiliary ingredients needed to concoct the Crimson Astral ze Pill. Of course, he added some misceneous ingredients in order to confuse whoever would read the contents of the paper.


    Master Fengzi absent-mindedly grabbed the piece of paper and took a look at it. When he saw that most of them were rare and precious ingredients, his pair of murky eyes widened with an appalled look. "You snotty kid! Why don¡¯t you rob our Alchemy Hall instead?! All of the ingredients written here are at least 8th-grade ingredients! Damn bastard!"


    The Crimson Astral ze Pill was a 9th-grade pill, so all of the ingredients needed to concoct it were all high-grade ingredients.


    "Ah- Master Fengzi, I will pay for all the ingredients written on that paper. No matter how much it is, I will pay." Lu Sn spoke with a determined look on her face. She was gambling everything on Jiu Shen. After all, he was the only hope she had after all these years of finding the thing that could help her resolve her issue.


    "This... Sect Mistress Lu, are you sure about this? All the ingredients he needed would amount to more than a hundred thousand True Crystals..." Master Fengzi said with a wry smile.


    Lu Sn shuddered after hearing the price, but she can still stomach it. That amount was equivalent to thirty percent of their sect¡¯s annual ie. With their sect¡¯s deep pocket which was umted after several decades, it was a big amount but not that much either.


    She can just umte that kind of wealth in less than half a year. Thinking up to that, Lu Sn clenched her fists tightly and said through gritted teeth. "I¡¯m willing to pay for it, Master Fengzi."


    Master Fengzi was surprised at her determination. He wondered what kind of pill they would concoct using those precious ingredients. ¡¯How did this snotty kid manage to fool Sect Mistress Lu¡¯s naive heart? Sigh!¡¯


    "Since Sect Mistress Lu have spoken... Fine, I agree. But you should know that these ingredients are hard toe by, so you better not waste all of it, you, darned kid!" Master Fengzi coldly red at Jiu Shen.


    "You may take your seat, Sect Mistress Lu. Don¡¯t worry, this old man will be back in a jiffy."


    He then smiled kindly at Lu Sn before he walked out of the room to get the ingredients.


    The ingredients that Jiu Shen wrote were all precious and high-grade, so he had to personally get them.


    Those ingredients might be rare, but as the holynd of alchemists, the Alchemy Hall had a few of them in stock.


    Inside the branch head¡¯s room, Jiu Shen and Lu Sn stood in front of each other. When Master Fengzi left the room, an awkward silence followed.


    Lu Sn nced at Jiu Shen with a curious look. She stared at him carefully to check if she might be able to uncover something about him. He was a man with a mysterious background, and his appearance in her Ice Cloud Sword Sect was too sudden. ¡¯Just who are you, Lord Jiu Shen?¡¯


    After feeling her deep gaze, Jiu Shen stared back at her, causing Lu Sn to blush in embarrassment. He then grabbed a seat for himself and satzily on it. ¡¯Why do I have to meet a lot of troublesome little brats? Sigh! This life is tough...¡¯

 Chapter 42 - Getting Ingredients (2)

    <h4>Chapter 42 - Getting Ingredients (2) </h4>


    Master Fengzi went towards their Alchemy Hall¡¯s storage area to pick up the medicinal herbs and fruits written on the piece of paper given by Jiu Shen.


    He was perplexed since all the ingredients written were high-level materials. And the resulting pill of such ingredients should at least be a peak 8th-grade pill. "What the hell is that little kid trying to y with? But he¡¯s got some skill to know what kind of pill I concocted yesterday. Furthermore, I can¡¯t sense his cultivation level at all, so he must have some kind of treasure on him that prevented others from seeing his actual cultivation level."


    Master Fengzi recalled how Jiu Shen easily stated what kind of pill he concocted after giving one sniff at his room. Even he himself wasn¡¯t capable of doing it. One sniff and he can guess what kind of pill he concocted? If he told an alchemist about it, they would surely treat him as a crazy old man.


    "That bastard! Dammit!" Master Fengzi gnashed his teeth in exasperation causing his long gray beard to faintly tremble.


    He then went inside their Alchemy Hall¡¯s storage area under the respectful gazes of all the other alchemists.


    "Greetings, Master Fengzi."


    "Master Fengzi, where are you going?"


    Hearing the sudden question, Master Fengzi¡¯s eyes suddenly shed with a cunning light simr to an old fox. "This old man will prove someone that pill concoction requires experience and knowledge. If one only knows how to read the recipe, how can they sessfully concoct a pill with that?"


    The alchemists were surprised at his reply and based on his tone, someone must have incurred his displeasure.


    "Master Fengzi, who is this blind fool that dared to unt his minuscule knowledge inside our Alchemy Hall?"


    "Yeah, he must be taught a lesson from trying topare himself to us experienced old alchemists. Master Fengzi, tell me who that bastard is!"


    The alchemists were looking at him with faces full of displeasure. Of course, this displeasure was aimed towards the person who had provoked Master Fengzi.


    Master Fengzi evilly smiled internally, but he still maintained an amicable outer facade. He looked like a righteous old man who was defamed by a random nobody. Coupled with his great name and skills in alchemy, everyone believed that he was speaking the truth.


    ¡¯These old fools are easily swayed. But the good thing about them is their loyalty towards our Alchemy Hall.¡¯


    Master Fengzi shed a benign smile at everyone and said. "There¡¯s no hurry everyone. I will go grab something first and then we will go together to meet this person."


    "In that case, we will wait for you here, Master Fengzi."


    "Take your time, Master Fengzi. Don¡¯t worry, we will help you teach this bastard a lesson!"


    Master Fengzi nodded his head slowly, acting like a well-learned sage. He then went inside the storage area.


    After less than thirty minutes, he came out and said with a bright smile. "Let¡¯s go my fellow alchemists. I will bring you all to that person."


    The high-level alchemists followed after Master Fengzi with resolute faces. As for the young alchemists, they decided to join the fun.


    Meanwhile, inside Master Fengzi¡¯s room, Jiu Shen was still sittingzily on a chair. His expression was rxed and unbothered as if no storm could move his heart. On the other hand, Lu Sn was feeling nervous and expectant at the same time.


    Sometimes, she would sneak a nce at Jiu Shen only to see his unchanging facial expression.


    "Creak!" The door sprung open and Master Fengzi came inside the room with several old men and women standing behind him with angry faces. And right outside the room were a few young alchemists.


    They looked around the room to search for the person that Master Fengzi was talking about. They saw Lu Sn¡¯s beautiful and harmless figure and unconsciously thought that she wasn¡¯t then one that they were looking for. When they saw the ever so calm Jiu Shen, all of them nodded their heads internally. They knew it was this guy!


    "Sect Mistress Lu, here are the ingredients you needed." Master Fengzi warmly smiled as he handed a space ring to Lu Sn.


    Lu Sn smiled and did not bother checking the space ring. She knew that Master Fengzi would not scam her, so she also handed a space ring to Master Fengzi. "And this is the payment for all these items. You may check it, Master Fengzi, and do inform me if it¡¯s insufficient."


    Master Fengzi nodded his head with a benign smile before keeping the space ring given by Lu Sn. He then nced at Jiu Shen with a mocking smile on his aged face. "Young man, I have given the ingredients to Sect Mistress Lu. I wonder if you can do your end of the bargain?"


    Jiu Shen nced at Master Fengzi with an uninterested expression before he turned to look at the old men and women standing behind him. Looking at their angry faces full of indignation, he had a rough guess of what had happened. They must have been instigated by Master Fengzi...


    Jiu Shen knew what Master Fengzi was talking about. He wanted him to concoct the Invigorating Meridians Pill since he told thetter that he would help him concoct it if Master Fengzi could provide the ingredients they sought.


    "I am true to my words. Just provide the necessary ingredients so that I can start my concoction." Jiu Shen nonchntly replied.


    The old men and women behind Master Fengzi furrowed their eyebrows after seeing Jiu Shen¡¯s attitude. He wasn¡¯t respecting Master Fengzi at all!


    "Who the hell do you think you are to order Master Fengzi like that!?"


    "Kid, this is the Alchemy Hall. This is not a ce for any random alchemist wannabe to swagger around!"


    Jiu Shen remained calm under their barrage of words, while Lu Sn didn¡¯t know what to do. She didn¡¯t want to provoke any of the opposing parties, so she remained silent and could only helplessly look at the scene.


    Master Fengzi¡¯s old lips twitched after hearing Jiu Shen¡¯s words. He indeed had onest set of ingredients necessary in concocting the Invigorating Meridians Pill, but after it was consumed, he would have none left for his usage.


    He gritted his teeth and took out a bunch of medicinal herbs and fruits from his space ring before giving it to Jiu Shen with his shaking hands.


    He then forced out a smile and said coldly. "Those are ingredients, young man. Now, let us old alchemists see how it is concocted."

 Chapter 43 - Pill Aurora

    <h4>Chapter 43 - Pill Aurora </h4>


    Jiu Shen checked the ingredients and furrowed his eyebrows in discontent. "What kind of trashy ingredients are these? I can barely concoct a Perfect State Invigorating Meridians Pill with this..." He muttered with a frown.


    A pill is subdivided into six states depending on their efficacy: Low State, Medium State, High State, Peak State, Perfect State, and Profound State.


    Master Fengzi and the other alchemists were speechless after hearing Jiu Shen¡¯s words. All the ingredients they had were all nurtured with great care, so how could it be a low-level ingredient?


    "Kid, stop your shameless boasting and just admit that you are a clown! Don¡¯t fool around here in our Alchemy Hall and go back to the circus where you¡¯re supposed to belong!" One old man snarled while pointing at Jiu Shen. What was a Perfect State pill? Even concocting a Perfect State 1st-grade pill was already as hard as ascending the heavens for someone like them. Even Master Fengzi could only sometimes concoct a pill of such level.


    Master Fengzi coldly smiled as he nced at Jiu Shen. ¡¯This kid truly knows how to boast. Concocting a Perfect State 8th-grade Invigorating Meridians Pill? Funny...¡¯


    Jiu Shen swept his nce at the old man who shouted at him. His deep and unfathomable eyes shed with a profound glint, causing the old alchemist to feel a bone-chilling coldness that made him tremble in fear.


    - Ding!


    - Special Mission Activated!


    - Host, as the future Wine God, how could you allow these mortals to mock your divine presence? Show them how a Wine God concocts his own pill! A reward will be given for aplishing this special mission!


    Jiu Shen suddenly heard the system¡¯s solemn and robotic voice ringing inside his head. Furthermore, he felt that there was a hint of anger in that solemnity.


    With an aloof facial expression, he elegantly waved his right hand causing the sleeve of his robes to flutter gently. His actions caused everyone inside the room to be surprised, but then they saw the charred cauldron at the center of the room hovering towards Jiu Shen as if it had heard his calling.


    Master Fengzi¡¯s eyes widened in shock. It was his own cauldron, so how could it be used by somebody else? He had even dripped his own blood on it to mark himself as its owner.


    Jiu Shen ignored their stunned gazes and softly pped the charred cauldron, causing its ckened surface to regain its former mighty appearance.


    The cauldron trembled and swayed in midair as if it was expressing its happiness.


    The scene caused everyone to gape in amazement. Cleaning a cauldron could actually be done this way? It both looked cool and magnificent, making everyone a bit speechless.


    Jiu Shen snapped his finger and produced a small wisp of ck mes that caused the room¡¯s temperature to rise by many folds. In fact, it caused everyone to feel a primal kind of fear.


    Jiu Shen flicked his fingers, causing the small wisp of ck me to travel below the cauldron.


    His silk ponytail holder untied itself as his long silver hair fluttered gently.


    His calm expression and his peerless facial features caused everyone to feel a hint of veneration to surface deeply in their hearts. Even Master Fengzi was not spared, he also felt a sense of inferioritypared to Jiu Shen¡¯s otherworldly visage.


    Under theplicated gazes of everyone, the cauldron that Jiu Shen lit up suddenly broke into pieces causing everyone to be dazed.


    "What a lousy cauldron... I only used a bit of my soul mes and it already broke into pieces. What a trash..." Jiu Shen muttered silently.


    Master Fengzi was stunned when he saw the scene of his own treasured cauldron breaking into pieces. His heart bled so much that he felt his old body went limp. "My treasured cauldron, it¡¯s an 8th-grade cauldron... How can a small wisp of soul mes cause it to break?"


    "Master Fengzi, was that your cauldron? And are you sure that it was an 8th-grade cauldron?" An old alchemist asked with a bewildered look. How could a high-level cauldron break so easily as if it was a fragile ss?


    Master Fengzi forced out a smile and shook his head. "Of course not! How could such a cauldron be an 8th-grade cauldron? It¡¯s only my spare one, so no need to bother with it too much." His heart felt like it was pierced by a spear as he spoke those words. He even felt his internal organs contorting in pain.


    With a cold look, he was about to berate Jiu Shen, but then he saw something that caused his pair of murky eyes to widen in shock as if he had seen buddha.


    In fact, it was not just him. All the alchemists inside the room were looking at Jiu Shen with shocked faces. Even Lu Sn was looking at Jiu Shen in amazement.


    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Jiu Shen performed multiple hand gestures while muttering an iprehensible mantra. His true essence and soul force were disyed in full, making everyone sense his true strength!


    His martial cultivation was at the 9th-rank Saint while his soul cultivation had also reached the 9th-rank, showing that he was an Alchemy Saint. With all these revtions, everyone¡¯s gaze towards Jiu Shen turned into that of worship. What was an Alchemy Saint? People at that level were considered as the peak of alchemy in the world of Nuar! Furthermore, he was also a martial cultivator at the 9th-rank Saint! He was a dual martial and soul cultivator!


    With another wave of his hands, multiple golden archaic patterns hovered in front of Jiu Shen like docile butterflies.


    Looking at the archaic patterns, everyone felt a sense of nkness as if they were staring at the void. They couldn¡¯t understand what they were at all!


    The archaic patterns slowly merged and formed a small and transparent cauldron that hovered regally in front of Jiu Shen.


    With a flick of his fingers, another wisp of ck mes was thrown below the transparent cauldron.


    His actions unhurried and well-practiced as if he had done it thousands of times before.


    He then casually threw all the medicinal herbs and fruits inside the transparent cauldron one by one.


    Everyone saw how the ingredients¡¯ impurities were removed by the golden archaic patterns.


    Jiu Shen snapped his fingers causing the ck mes to burn intensely as it became bigger.


    With the ck mes covering the transparent cauldron, everyone could not see what was happening inside, but they saw that Jiu Shen was still performing multiple hand gestures.


    His expression was unchanging and detached as if he was doing something simple.


    Moments after, he dropped thest ingredient inside the transparent cauldron.


    "Condense." Jiu Shen muttered calmly.


    ¡¯Hm, this pill could barely be a Perfect State. I have to add something that could make its efficacy even stronger.¡¯ Jiu Shen thought to himself as he grabbed a bottle of wine from his storage earring.


    He gave it sip before he poured half of the wine¡¯s contents inside the cauldron.


    "Why is this lord adding wine into his concoction?"


    "Shut up! What do you know? We can only guess what this honorable Alchemy Saint will do about this wine. Maybe it¡¯s an important recipe that could further enhance the pill¡¯s efficacy." Master Fengzi said while looking at Jiu Shen in admiration.


    His earlier discontent towards Jiu Shen was gone like a puff of smoke. He even called him honorable Alchemy Saint to express his admiration.


    "Form." Jiu Shen muttered aloofly. Following his words, the ck mes receded and its disappearance produced a cloud of white smoke.


    When the smoke was gone, a rainbow radiance shed for a brief moment before ten glittering pills were produced.


    "Pill Aurora! That¡¯s the legendary Pill Aurora! How is this possible?!" Master Fengzi said with a horrified look after seeing the momentary sh of rainbow-colored radiance.

 Chapter 44 - I Sell Wine

    <h4>Chapter 44 - I Sell Wine </h4>


    "Master Fengzi, what did you say? Pill Aurora? What does it mean?" An alchemist asked with a bewildered look while all the other alchemists were looking at him curiously.


    What could this Pill Aurora be to invoke that kind of reaction from Master Fengzi who was an Alchemy Sovereign?


    Master Fengzi nced at Jiu Shen who was shrouded by a golden glow. He looked at him as if he was gazing at a deity.


    With a fascinated expression, he replied. "We all know that pills are subdivided into five levels ording to their efficacy. The Low State, Medium State, High State, Peak State, and Perfect State. But the supreme elder of our Alchemy Hall allowed me to read a relic from the ancient times. On that relic, written after the Perfect State is the Profound State. And once a pill reaches the Profound State, it will produce a sh of rainbow radiance that is called the Pill Aurora. That was what we saw earlier..."


    Hearing what Master Fengzi said, the alchemists gasped in shock. There was actually a Profound State after the Perfect State? And does that mean the silver-haired man in front of them was able to concoct a pill of such a level?


    - Ding!


    - Special Mission Aplished!


    - Loading Rewards!


    - You received x1 Heaven Trampling Cauldron!


    Jiu Shen ignored the system¡¯s solemn voice and focused himself on his new discovery.


    ¡¯So a Yin and Yang attributed item can actually enhance an Invigorating Meridians Pill¡¯s efficacy... Well, it doesn¡¯t matter... I don¡¯t n to be an Alchemy God anyway...¡¯ Jiu Shen thought to himself as he casually grabbed the ten Invigorating Meridians Pill.


    He then swept his nce at Master Fengzi and said. "Here are your Invigorating Meridians Pill. I have done my end of the bargain, so it¡¯s time for us to leave."


    Jiu Shen handed the ten pills to Master Fengzi who epted the pills with his shaking hands.


    After hearing that Jiu Shen would now leave, the alchemists felt a sense of loss, but they didn¡¯t have the courage to hold him down. Heck! The man was a dual martial and soul cultivator! Even their supreme elder might not be able to defeat him.


    "Honorable Alchemy Saint, could this lowly alchemist ask for your esteemed name?" Master Fengzi said with an expectant look.


    Jiu Shen ignored the change in his attitude. He was already used to such developments that he had even grown tired of counting how many times it had happened in his past life.


    With an indifferent look, Jiu Shen replied. "Jiu Shen."


    "Oh, so it¡¯s Alchemy Saint Jiu Shen! Is it possible that you are a reclusive Alchemy Saint, Lord Jiu Shen?" Master Fengzi inquired with a curious look.


    Master Fengzi was an old veteran in the Profound Dragon Continent, but he had never heard of Jiu Shen¡¯s name in all his life. Unless if Jiu Shen was a hermit who focused his life in solitary cultivation.


    Jiu Shen ignored Master Fengzi and walked towards Lu Sn who was still looking at him with a dazed face. "Sect Mistress Lu, let¡¯s go."


    Lu Sn shook her head and said in a curious tone. "Lord Jiu Shen, I¡¯m also curious as to who you are. I know it¡¯s presumptuous, but could you at least tell us something about you."


    Jiu Shen sighed internally, but he maintained an indifferent facade. ¡¯Humans...they are really curious creatures.¡¯


    "I am no Alchemy Saint nor a 9th-rank Saint realm expert. I am just a simple man who sells wine in the capital city of the Silver Wing Empire..." Jiu Shen answered indifferently.


    Everyone was somewhat speechless at his reply. He actually dared to call himself a simple man? Then what could they be considered as? Dregs?


    "Lord Jiu Shen... You... are you really just selling wine?" Lu Sn asked tentatively as she recalled the wine that Jiu Shen gave her before they went inside the Alchemy Hall. Could it be that he really sells wine? Isn¡¯t it a bit too absurd? A dual martial and soul cultivator at the 9th-rank was actually selling wine?


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly and said in a nonchnt voice. "Indeed. You can also visit my store any time if you want to have a taste of my wines... Just don¡¯t forget to bring a few True Crystals with you..."


    The roompsed into an awkward silence after Jiu Shen spoke.


    Lord Jiu Shen, this type of low-key advertising isn¡¯t it a bit too...shameless?


    "In that case, this old man wille and find Lord Jiu Shen¡¯s store to taste his wines." Master Fengzi heartily said. He wanted to be acquainted with Jiu Shen since it can only bring him unlimited benefits to be close with someone at his level.


    "Count me in, Master Fengzi! I will join you in searching for Lord Jiu Shen¡¯s wine store."


    "Yeah me too."


    "Me three!"


    All the alchemists expressed their desire to build a rtionship with him. No matter how superficial their rtionship would be, as long as they can get acquainted with him, they can boast to their descendants that they were friends with a mighty dual martial and soul cultivator.


    Jiu Shen ignored them and pulled Lu Sn¡¯s arms.


    Under the young and old alchemists¡¯ gazes full of veneration, Jiu Shen and Lu Sn stepped out of the Alchemy Hall.


    Lu Sn blushed in embarrassment after feeling Jiu Shen¡¯s warm hands. In all her life, it was the first time that a man held her so intimately.


    While looking at his broad back, Lu Sn felt a sense of warmth enveloping her maiden heart like a scorching sun.


    Lu Sn inhaled the scent of his long silver hair which was now left untied. It had the fragrant smell of a newly-bloomed Jasmine, and the natural scent of a man.


    Her face then turned crimson red after realizing her shameful actions.


    She forced herself to look calm but the hand that was holding her made Lu Sn feel a sense of security as if everything would be fine as long as she was behind this man¡¯s broad back.


    An alien feeling kept on rocking her heart as if it was trying to thaw the remaining coldness within.


    "Sect Mistress Lu, let¡¯s go back to the Ice Cloud Sword Sect..." Jiu Shen released her arm which made her feel a sense of loss.


    "Ah- yes... Let¡¯s go back, Lord Jiu Shen." Lu Sn replied absent-mindedly.


    With a tap of their feet, the two figures flew above the skies like an immortal couple.

 Chapter 45 - Heart Unmoved Like Mountain

    <h4>Chapter 45 - Heart Unmoved Like Mountain </h4>


    Lu Sn¡¯s thoughts were like a jumbled mess as she kept on looking at Jiu Shen¡¯s back. His long silver hair was fluttering along with the wind as they flew back towards the Ice Cloud Sword Sect.


    His every action left a deep impression in her heart.


    The man that suddenly came to give her hope was actually a top expert who can be considered as the most pinnacle cultivator in the whole Profound Dragon Continent. Furthermore, he was also an Alchemy Saint!


    ¡¯Jiu Shen, just who are you?¡¯ Lu Sn thought to herself as they descended towards the Ice Cloud Sword Sect¡¯s ice castle.


    When the disciples saw who had arrived, they immediately opened the gates and allowed them to go inside.


    The arrogant female disciple that blocked Jiu Shen¡¯s entry more than a day ago was now looking at him respectfully. And behind that respectful look was a feeling of fear.


    She heard of some rumors about the man. He was able to see the ws of her junior sisters¡¯ and senior sisters¡¯ sword techniques in just one nce! Not just that, they also said that even their sect mistress was very respectful towards him. Adding to the event where he had disyed his aura against them, she felt really scared that he would make things difficult for her.


    Jiu Shen did not even bother ncing at the beautiful female disciples and just treated them like random pebbles in the roadside.


    In fact, he did not really care about them for he had seen countless beauties in his past life. Furthermore, their beauties exceeded that of Lu Sn since they had a much higher cultivation level and they had also eaten countless immortal treasures to enhance their beauty.


    The female disciple felt like she had been given a new lease in life after seeing Jiu Shen¡¯s indifferent attitude. ¡¯What kind of man did I even provoke?¡¯


    Her junior and senior sisters, on the other hand, were looking at Jiu Shen in an uncovered adoration and admiration. Who could me them? Jiu Shen¡¯s devilishly handsome face and aloof look were the weaknesses of these little maidens¡¯ hearts. It only took them a nce to fall for his otherworldly face.


    Meanwhile, Jiu Shen was still following behind Lu Sn, his face detached and cold.


    Lu Sn stopped in her tracks and nced at Jiu Shen. She handed a ring to him and said in a gentle voice. "Lord Jiu Shen, inside this ring are the ingredients that you needed for your concoction. Please check it."


    Jiu Shen calmly checked the contents of the ring. ¡¯It seems like the Alchemy Hall doesn¡¯t have one Earth Origin Dragon Fruit. Do we really have to wait for my spiritual nts to bear fruit? In that case, I still have to do my acupuncture on her while we wait for it...¡¯


    Seeing Jiu Shen¡¯s unchanging expression as he checked the ring¡¯s content, Lu Sn tactfully remained silent.


    "Sect Mistress Lu, this ring contains all the necessary auxiliary ingredients that I needed in order to concoct the Crimson Astral ze Pill, but we stillck the main ingredient, which is one piece of Earth Origin Dragon Fruit." Jiu Shen said as he returned the ring to Lu Sn.


    Lu Sn was a bit disappointed after hearing his words. Thest ingredient that he needed was a 9th-rank spiritual nt! Such a treasure was a rarity in the whole Profound Dragon Continent!


    "In that case... What can we do for now, Lord Jiu Shen?" She asked with an inquiring look.


    "You don¡¯t need to worry about this remaining ingredient. I have some Earth Origin Dragon Fruit Tree in my store, but it will take a month before they can bear fruits. So, as we wait, I will do my acupuncture on you once every week for one month. This will suppress the sense of difort that you always feel every time you cultivate." Jiu Shen calmly said.


    When Lu Sn heard that he had some Earth Origin Dragon Fruit Tree in his store, she was taken aback. He even said it so casually as if it was nothing in his eyes!


    When Lu Sn heard that he would do his acupuncture on her, she felt embarrassed and expectant at the same time. She looked away from him to hide her embarrassment.


    "Ah- since that¡¯s the only choice left, I will concede and allow Lord Jiu Shen to do so." She forced herself to sound cold and distant, but Jiu Shen could see her fair earlobes producing a reddish hue.


    How could an archaic expert like him who had lived for countless eons not know what a little girl was thinking? It¡¯s just that he was toozy to bother with her feelings. Or it could also be said that he was afraid that he would develop a seed of emotion within his ice-cold heart.


    In fact, Jiu Shen had a few lovers in his past life. But all of them drifted away from him due to the huge discrepancy in their strengths. They all died after the cruel and endless passing of time.


    He may be one of Primordial God Realm¡¯s top experts, but he was powerless to change their fates. Even if he gave them countless immortal pills and heavenly treasures, what could those things do? Those pills and treasures could only temporarily dy their impending doom, and they still could never escape the perpetual passing of time.


    Only someone at the level of the three celestial emperors could live an eternal life. As for the rest of the experts... They would still die after several eons of living their long lives.


    After living for countless eons, Jiu Shen had experienced many things in life. He had seen how his family, friends, and lovers died from old age, while he who was as a Heavenly God remained young.


    The bone-chilling sensation that he felt as he watched how his loved ones died was kept in the deepest recesses of his mind. It was heart-crippling, even worse than facing countless heavenly tribtions.


    With all those memories still fresh in his mind, Jiu Shen would bury whatever sense of emotion that may develop in his stone-cold heart. This was also how he hadprehended the third heart realm, Heart Unmoved Like Mountain...

 Chapter 46 - Brand New World

    <h4>Chapter 46 - Brand New World </h4>


    Lu Sn did not know what Jiu Shen was thinking and she could notprehend anything about him at all. His unchanging expression was still present in his handsome face, making Lu Sn bewildered as to what he had in mind.


    Jiu Shen removed the distant thoughts in his mind before he turned to gaze at Lu Sn¡¯s face. He then spoke in a calm voice. "When do you want us to start, Sect Mistress Lu?"


    Lu Sn thought for a moment before she replied. "I have taken much of your time, Lord Jiu Shen. Let¡¯s do it today so that you can go back to your ce tomorrow."


    Although she felt reluctant to say those words, she didn¡¯t want to hold him down for so long as it might incur his displeasure. She did not want to carelessly provoke an expert like Jiu Shen just because of herplicated emotions towards him.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly after hearing her reply. "In that case, please lead me to your room, Sect Mistress Lu."


    "Of course, Lord Jiu Shen. Please follow me." Lu Sn smiled gently as a feeling of expectation bloomed in her heart.


    Lu Sn led Jiu Shen to her room while her body was feeling hotter and hotter as she walked.


    "Sect Mistress Lu, remove the unhealthy thoughts in your mind. It¡¯s not good in your present condition." Jiu Shen said after he had felt the changes in her body.


    "Ah-yes, Lord Jiu Shen..." His words was like a bucket of cold water that came pouring down on her face. She was also surprised by his sharp senses. He was actually able to sense the changes in her body! She felt like nothing could escape Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes.


    Lu Sn concealed her surprise and went to open the door of her room.


    A burst of womanly fragrance assaulted Jiu Shen¡¯s nose gently. When saw the clean and neat room, he internally nodded his head.


    Lu Sn felt shy because it was the first time she allowed someone to go inside her room. Furthermore, she could not believe that it was a man.


    She then sat down at one corner of the bed and patted the ce beside her. "Sit here, Lord Jiu Shen."


    Jiu Shen nodded his head at her before he sat down beside her.


    An awkward silence followed after the two people sat down.


    "Shall we begin, Lord Jiu Shen?" Lu Sn broke the silence, but the way she spoke sounded like a wife inviting her husband to bed, gentle and tender.


    "Please remove your upper clothes so that we can start, Sect Mistress Lu." Jiu Shen said casually, causing Lu Sn to purse her lips in a cute way. ¡¯Why is he still so cold and distant to me?¡¯


    She felt her heart pumping wildly as all sorts of thoughts surfaced within her mind like a scene in a movie.


    Lu Sn¡¯s figure trembled faintly. She bit her rosy lips and slowly untied the ribbons that held her clothes together.


    Jiu Shen could only see her back, but if it was any other man, then they would have had a nosebleed at the beautiful sight in front of him.


    Her back was wlessly white and smooth. It was like an immortal jade untainted with the mundane world¡¯s impurities.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s gaze was devoid of any emotion. He only had one thought in mind: Finish everything quickly, so that he can search for thest ingredient necessary for brewing the Frozen Origin.


    Jiu Shen gently ced his left hand on her back, causing Lu Sn¡¯s little heart to jump in surprise. ¡¯His hand is so warm and gentle...¡¯


    Jiu Shen frowned after touching her back. It was much colder than he had expected! A person with Verdant mes Saintly Vermilion Body should have a warm body, but Lu Sn¡¯s body was so cold that it felt like Jiu Shen was touching a corpse.


    "Sect Mistress Lu, listen carefully. I will tell you why you are experiencing pain every time you cultivate..." Jiu Shen calmly said while gently pouring pure Yang true essence inside her body through his left hand.


    Lu Sn felt her back itch when Jiu Shen sent his pure Yang true essence in her body. "Ah- what is it, Lord Jiu Shen?" She was also curious about the root cause of her problem.


    "In the Primordial God Realm, there are certain people who were blessed by the heavens. They received a heavenly baptism from birth which made them gain Sacred Bodies. These Sacred Bodies had three known levels: the Heavenly Physique, the Saintly Physique, and the Immortal Physique...


    People with Sacred Bodies were treated respectfully by everyone since such people were destined to soar to greater heights and achieved more than what normal cultivators couldn¡¯t achieve. Sect Mistress Lu, what you have is the Verdant mes Saintly Vermillion Body.


    It is a physique that is of pure fire in nature, but you had cultivated a technique with an icy nature which caused so much difort in your body.


    The Crimson Astral ze Pill that I will concoct for you will help you suppress the cold true essence that had umted in your body. So you have two paths to choose from. Do you want to fully suppress the cold true essence within your body or do you want to create a bnce of ice and fire true essence in your body?" Jiu Shen did not want to hide everything from her so he told her the truth about her condition.


    As for Lu Sn, she was at first stunned, then dumbfounded, and then horrified. She felt like she had done everything wrong in all of her life after listening to Jiu Shen¡¯s words.


    And what was this Primordial God Realm? Sacred Bodies? Lu Sn felt like she was an ant trapped in a sandbox unable to explore the garden outside.


    But she was not a dull woman. She knew that Jiu Shen¡¯s background was not as simple as it seems after listening to his words. She felt like a brand new world was opened for her and the bridge towards this new world was Jiu Shen.


    With an expectant light in her eyes, Lu Sn turned around and faced Jiu Shen. "Lord Jiu Shen, what do you think would be the best for me?"


    Jiu Shen¡¯s left hand was still outstretched, so when Lu Sn turned around, his hand was now on her chest area.


    Jiu Shen hurriedly retracted his left hand and looked at her with a calm innocence.

 Chapter 47 - What Did You Say?!

    <h4>Chapter 47 - What Did You Say?! </h4>


    Lu Sn¡¯s face turned red and she could still feel a warm sensation on her chest, making her bashfully look away from Jiu Shen. She felt her heart jumping as she recalled how stupid her actions were. ¡¯Did he just touch me there? No way...¡¯


    Jiu Shen coughed dryly and said. "I think we should begin with the acupuncture first, Sect Mistress Lu..."


    Lu Sn remained silent and just nodded her head shyly. If it was any other man, she would have already killed him for that, but she held inexplicable feelings towards Jiu Shen. Furthermore, she was not even as strong as him.


    "Sect Mistress Lu, if you choose the first option which is to fully suppress the cold true essence within your body, you would be able to free yourself from the pain that you¡¯re experiencing every time you cultivate. Aside from that, your Verdant mes Saintly Vermillion Body would also be awakened. This would make your cultivation increase by many times.


    The only downside is that your present cultivation would regress by three realms. Meaning to say, your cultivation will once again go back to the 5th-rank Spirit realm and you¡¯ll have to cultivate a pure fire-attributed technique starting then.


    Whereas if you choose the second option, which is to maintain the bnce of ice and fire true essence inside your body, your cultivation will still stay the same. But since the ice true essence is still there, you¡¯ll have to train a fire and ice technique simultaneously. And because you are cultivating two techniques with opposing elements, your cultivation road ahead would be much harder and arduous.


    The good thing about this is that your strength will be many times greater than someone at the same level as you..." Jiu Shen patiently said as he conjured several small needles made using his true essence.


    Lu Sn was like an apprentice listening to her master. She had a look of incredulity and fascination as she listened attentively to everything that Jiu Shen told her. Each of the choices he provided had their own pros and cons, but there was one problem... Their Ice Cloud Sword Sect doesn¡¯t have a fire-attributed technique that was on the same level as the ice technique that she cultivates.


    There were a few ones that were only one grade lower but she might not be able to maintain a bnce in her body if she uses them.


    "You don¡¯t have any matching fire techniques to go with your ice technique?" Jiu Shen calmly asked as if he knew what she was thinking.


    Lu Sn shook her head after releasing a soft sigh.


    "No need to worry about that. I can make one for you." Jiu Shen said indifferently as if making a technique was as easy as eating rice.


    Lu Sn was dumbstruck when she heard his words, but strangely, she did not think that he was lying at all. In fact, she believed that he was capable of doing it.


    "Why? I only gave you a block of Frozen Cloud cier..." Lu Sn felt her heart stir. Did he really have to go all the way to help her when she only gave him a block of Frozen Cloud cier?


    "Why not? The block of Frozen Cloud cier means a lot to me, and I just want to help you in return." Jiu Shen replied with a detached look on his face.


    He might have sounded aloof and cold, but Lu Sn felt that her heart was melting.


    She suppressed her emotions from bursting forth and just remained silent as Jiu Shen started his acupuncture.


    His hands moved like a blur as he gently ced the needles on her back. She did not even feel a hint of pain as he pricked her with his needles. In fact, she only felt a pleasant sensation enveloping her back.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s hands did not stop moving and he continued to ce all of his needles on her back. He then simultaneously pulled them out of her back which made her release a muffled moaning sound of ecstasy.


    "Ah~"


    Lines of ck liquid that emitted an awful stench oozed out from her back. When Lu Sn smelled the stenching from her back, she uttered a yelp of disgust and shame. To think that such a foul stench came from her body... "Cover your nose, Lord Jiu Shen... This..."


    Jiu Shen shook his head with a deadpan expression. "No need to worry about it. This stench is merely caused by the impurities inside your body. And also...can you get me a piece of paper and brush? I will write a suitable technique for you."


    "Can I go clean myself first before I do that, Lord Jiu Shen?" Lu Sn asked gently as she slowly covered her body.


    "Not a problem. You may go." Jiu Shen nodded his head at her.


    Lu Sn gratefully bowed towards Jiu Shen after tying her upper clothes. She then gave him a tender nce before she left.


    Jiu Shen watched her leave the room with an unchanging expression. "Maybe I should just take her in as my disciple. It won¡¯t be shameful since she has the Verdant mes Saintly Vermillion Body. And with my help, she has the hope of upgrading her physique into a cial Immortal Burning Heaven Body. That is if she chooses the second option..."


    After who knows how long, Jiu Shen was still deliberating whether he would ept Lu Sn as his disciple or not.


    Lu Sn came back with a brand new white dress that matched her icy blue hair. She looked like an ice goddess that was just thawed from a huge cier!


    Lu Sn was a bit disappointed to see that Jiu Shen was not even moved by her appearance. She had even dressed prettily, hoping that he wouldpliment her with a few words.


    After seeing Lu Sn in her new white dress, Jiu Shen looked at her deeply, causing the former to blush bashfully. "Lord Jiu Shen..." She bit her lips and silently waited for him to talk.


    "Lu Sn, are you willing to take me as your master?" Jiu Shen changed his way of calling her as he asked.


    After thinking things through, Jiu Shen decided to start his ns on making his own sect. And to start doing that, he had to take in his own disciple, right?


    In his past life, he was just a wandering cultivator with no background. He chose to lead a life as a recluse and maintained a low profile. Who knew that he would one day incur the wrath of Celestial Emperor Lao Gou when he had only taught a few people with his own swordprehensions?


    To prevent that from happening once again, a different road must be taken.


    "What?! What did you say?!" Lu Sn¡¯s face was difficult toprehend after she heard his question.

 Chapter 48 - Chaotic Ice Flame Formula

    <h4>Chapter 48 - Chaotic Ice me Form </h4>


    Lu Sn was now looking at Jiu Shen with perplexity and incredulity. ¡¯Did he just say that he wants me to take him as my master?¡¯


    With the same expressionless face, Jiu Shen nced at Lu Sn with a hint of expectation in his heart. After all, it was the first time he had asked someone to take him as their master.


    Lu Sn thought deeply with a hesitating look on her face. Their sect only epted female disciples since its creation and all of the sect mistresses of their sect had never epted an outsider as their master, but there were no rules that stated the prohibition of such a thing.


    Jiu Shen saw that Lu Sn was still contemting things, so he remained silent. He then grabbed a bottle of wine from his storage earring and gulped down a few mouthfuls.


    Lu Sn knew that Jiu Shen had a mysteriously strong background, especially after she had seen all the things he can do. Furthermore, he revealed many things that an 8th-rank Divine realm expert like her did not know about. ¡¯He already did so much for me when I only gave him a block of Frozen Cloud cier. He is even willing to impart a skill for me, so what¡¯s wrong in taking him as my master?¡¯


    She then looked at Jiu Shen¡¯s ever so calm countenance and saw no ripple in his emotions. She removed the hesitation in her heart and knelt down towards Jiu Shen.


    "I¡¯m willing to take you as my master. Master, please ept this disciple¡¯s kowtow." Lu Sn kowtowed three times at Jiu Shen.


    Thetter did not stop her from kowtowing as it was already a tradition since time immemorial for disciples to kowtow to their master as a form of greeting and respect.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly and gestured for her to stand up. "Wise choice, my dear disciple. Since it was quite unexpected, your master wasn¡¯t able to prepare a suitable gift for you, but I¡¯ll get you one sometime in the future... And uh, give me the paper and brush..."


    Lu Sn nodded her head absent-mindedly as she handed the piece of paper and brush to her newly epted master.


    Jiu Shen held the brush with one hand as he controlled the paper to float in front of him. His expression calm as he moved his right hand to write a few words on the paper.


    His aura turned sharp like an unsheathed war de when he began to write. Each of his strokes contained immense power and profundity that seemingly contained the true essence of martial arts.


    Lu Sn was looking at her master with respect and shock as she watched him write a few strokes on the paper.


    Jiu Shen drew the final stroke with his eyes shut tight. His lips curved up a bit for a brief second before his face turned expressionless once again.


    He then handed the piece of paper to his dumbfounded disciple. "The name of the technique is the Chaotic Ice me Form."


    Lu Sn nced at the words written on the paper. The characters appeared to be ancient and alien, but strangely, she was able to understand it so easily.


    "Ice within fire. Fire within ice..." There were only a few words written on the paper, but she felt like she was staring at a world within. It was a strange sensation that shook Lu Sn down to her core.


    The Chaotic Ice me Form was something that Jiu Shen made at that moment. It was a technique that epasses both ice and fire. Of course, he used all of his experience to write a suitable technique for his first disciple.


    If he could not even write one after all of his billions of years of living, then he might as wellmit suicide by choking himself with a hundred pieces of tofu.


    Cultivation techniques are divided into six levels ording to their rarity and power: Common, Refined, Rare, Legendary, Mythical, and Supreme.


    The Chaotic Ice me Form that Jiu Shen gave to Lu Sn was at the Mythical level. Don¡¯t look down on it as it had not reached the Supreme level. Mythical level cultivation techniques were very rare even in the Primordial God Realm. In fact, only a few super sects and holynds had ess to such level of cultivation techniques.


    "Master, the level of this cultivation technique... Is it..." Lu Sn nced at Jiu Shen with immense shock in her face. ¡¯Is this a Rare level cultivation technique? Considering master¡¯s background, he should be able to make one of such level...¡¯


    "It is a Mythical level cultivation technique. Although it hasn¡¯t reached the Supreme level, you should have no problem in achieving the Heavenly God Realm with it..." Jiu Shen muttered silently.


    "What?! What did you say!? This is a Mythical level technique?!" Lu Sn¡¯s eyes widened and she felt her heart tightening. What was a Mythical level technique? It was something that has never appeared in the history of Nuar! In fact, she wouldn¡¯t have known anything about it if she had not seen the ancient relic owned by the Alchemy Hall¡¯s supreme elder. It was such a pity that the relic was broken and arge part of it was lost and must have eroded along with the passing time.


    The best cultivation techniques that they had were at most at the Rare level, so her shock was not an exaggeration at all.


    "Yeah, it should be more than enough for you at this moment. Don¡¯t worry, I will provide you with a much better one someday. For now, study it well and tell me all the things that you willprehend after a few days..."


    "Master, you also said something about the Heavenly God Realm. What is it?" Lu Sn nodded her head and inquired curiously. ¡¯Is it possible that the 10th-rank God realm isn¡¯t the end of the cultivation road?¡¯


    Jiu Shen nced at her nkly and said with a distant look. "It¡¯s still too early for you to learn more about this. I will tell you everything about it once you reached the 9th-rank Saint realm..."


    Lu Sn nodded her head slightly while pouting her lips.

 Chapter 49 - Green Mountain Lake (1)

    <h4>Chapter 49 - Green Mountain Lake (1) </h4>


    "Lu Sn, my job here is done. The next acupuncture session will be done next week, so you have to go to my store by then. You can also try searching for one piece of Earth Origin Dragon Fruit, and once you get one, bring it with you in my store so that I can concoct the Crimson Astral ze Pill for you." Jiu Shen said while looking at her calmly.


    Lu Sn nodded her head obediently as she looked at her master with a dazed look on her face. "I understand, master."


    Everything that happened has been too surprising and she still could not believe that she had epted the man in front of her as her master. She didn¡¯t know if it was a good idea, but it was what her heart told her to do.


    "As to where you could find my store, it is just within the capital city. Just ask around and you will find out..." Jiu Shen said with an expressionless look.


    "Master, can I bring a few disciples with me when I will visit your store?" Lu Sn asked nervously with a pleading look in her face.


    Her innocently blinking eyes made Jiu Shen sigh in his heart. Now that she was his disciple, he could not make her disappointed, right?


    With a nod of his head, Jiu Shen replied. "You can, but don¡¯t bring too many people with you. My store isn¡¯t as big as you imagine it to be."


    Lu Sn¡¯s eyes brightened when she heard his agreement. She smiled at him brightly and unconsciously hugged him tightly. She had always been the strongest in the sect after she became the sect mistress, but it also made her feel lonely.


    She had no one to tell her grievances to, and she had no one to lean on when she felt sad.


    When she epted Jiu Shen as her master, she felt as if a huge load has been lifted off her shoulders.


    She was excited about the fact that her Ice Cloud Sword Sect finally had a 9th-rank Saint realm expert backing them. Furthermore, he was also an Alchemy Saint!


    With him around, the overall strength of their sect would surely rise by many times!


    When she realized that she hugged him out of impulse, Lu Sn did not dare lift her head up. She leaned her head on his chest, making her feel secured and rxed. ¡¯So this is how it feels to have someone to rely on...¡¯


    Jiu Shen was also surprised, but he did not push her away. He gently rubbed the back of her head and said in a mild tone. "I have to go now, Sn. I still have to search for an Origin Spring Water in the Green Mountain Lake. It¡¯s outside the capital city, but I won¡¯t take long to get it."


    Lu Sn felt sad when she heard that her master would now leave. She dispelled her embarrassment and lifted her head to look at him. "Master, what will you use the Origin Spring Water for?"


    "It¡¯s for making wine..." Jiu Shen replied calmly while looking at her adorable golden eyes that could make any other man¡¯s heart melt.


    "Can I please go with you, master?" Lu Sn bit her lower lip and nced at Jiu Shen while putting on a sad look on her face.


    "No. You still have to study the Chaotic Ice me Form. You need a peaceful ce to study it, and Green Mountain Lake is not peaceful..." Jiu Shen shook his head.


    Lu Sn was still in his embrace, and they looked like a pair of young husband and wife.


    "Master, I can still study it while we¡¯re on our way. Besides, you¡¯re there to protect me..." Lu Sn smiled cheekily while acting like a spoiled little girl. Lu Sn was surprised by her own actions. She could not believe that she would act like this to a man that she had just met for two days.


    "No..." Jiu Shen turned her down expressionlessly.


    Lu Sn pouted and released him from her embrace. She then looked at him sharply as if he owed her a piece of candy.


    ¡¯Ayy, this little girl is so troublesome.¡¯ Jiu Shen muttered in his heart.


    "Fine. But don¡¯t do anything else without my permission." Jiu Shen finally eded after seeing her pouting expression.


    Lu Sn smiled sweetly at him and said. "Master, you¡¯re so good to me."


    Jiu Shen gently flicked his fingers on her forehead, making her rub her forehead as she red at him. "Ow! Master, what was that for?"


    "Nothing. Let¡¯s go." Jiu Shen ignored her and he went out of Lu Sn¡¯s room. Thetter followed behind him, not willing to be left alone. She was still rubbing her forehead while ring at Jiu Shen¡¯s back.


    The two people went out of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect¡¯s ice castle amidst the doubtful nces of the female disciples.


    ¡¯Why was their sect mistress always together with that man? Just who was he and what was their rtionship?¡¯ There were many questions in their minds, but they did not dare ask. They could only specte about what might be their rtionship...


    "Master, just what kind of wine are you making for it to need a rare ingredient like the Origin Spring Water?" Lu Sn asked curiously.


    "It is called Frozen Origin. Once I gather the necessary ingredients, I will brew one and then sell it in my store." Jiu Shen answered patiently.


    Lu Sn asked more questions as the both of them flew straight towards the Green Mountain Lake. Although it was outside of Beltran City, it would only take them a little more than two hours of travel with their speed. In fact, it would only take Jiu Shen a little more than an hour to arrive there. But with Lu Sn in tow, he had to reduce his speed for her to not be left behind.


    The sun¡¯s light was ringly hot but it had no visible effects on both Lu Sn and Jiu Shen.


    Along the way, Lu Sn also studied the Chaotic Ice me Form, but she realized that it was not as easy as she thought.


    A Mythical level cultivation technique was so profound that even genius cultivators would find it hard toprehend. Lu Sn might have a Saint physique, but she still needed a bit more time in order to understand the intricacies of the Chaotic Ice me Form.

 Chapter 50 - Green Mountain Lake (2)

    <h4>Chapter 50 - Green Mountain Lake (2) </h4>


    Green Mountain Lake was situated outside of Beltran City but it was still within the territory of the Silver Wing Empire.


    From the name itself, Green Mountain Lake was a huge body of water that can be found on top of a mountain that ranged for thousands of miles. Up until now, no one knew how the hugeke came to be but there were myths on how it was formed.


    Some said that a super-strong expert punched the mountain which then created a huge crater. And after thousands of years of experiencing rainfall, theke was formed. As for the authenticity of this, nobody knew.


    No one dared to settle on the mountain for there were also countless savage beasts living within. Aside from that, some of the harmless-looking nts were so poisonous that they could even threaten the lives of 5th-rank Spirit realm experts if careless. On top of that, there were even a few carnivorous nts existing on the mountain range blending freely among the greenery.


    * * *


    A man with long silver hair tied in a ponytail slowly descended from the sky. Behind him was a gorgeous-looking woman with icy blue hair. She was wearing a white dress that entuated her peerless countenance.


    Lu Sn nced curiously at their surroundings. It was her first timeing here so she was somewhat excited at the thought of exploring it. She heard of rumors about the notoriety of this mountain, but she felt unafraid, not just because of her strength but also because of the man in front of her.


    "Master, why did we have to descend? From what you said, we¡¯re still a bit further away from the Green Mountain Lake." Lu Sn nced at Jiu Shen¡¯s side profile. His eyes didn¡¯t even contain an ounce of emotion. It was as if nothing could move him, not even if the heavens copse.


    Lu Sn was curious about her master¡¯s identity and origin. She knew that he was not just an ordinary person especially after he had given her the Mythical level cultivation technique, the Chaotic Ice me Form.


    ¡¯Is he really someone from Nuar? Or could it be...¡¯ Lu Sn felt distracted at her own thoughts that she had forgotten Jiu Shen¡¯s words.


    "If we carelessly fly around these parts of the mountain, we might needlessly provoke some strong savage beasts. Although I don¡¯t care about some annoying flies, I also don¡¯t want to waste too much time and energy." Jiu Shen replied indifferently.


    When Jiu Shen nced at his disciple, he immediately felt that she was distracted, so he shook his head with a bit of disappointment. ¡¯This little girl¡¯s heart realm is still too shallow and it might take her a long time to reach the Heavenly God Realm even with the help of her Chaotic Ice me Form.¡¯


    "Sn, don¡¯t let your mind wander around. Control your emotions well and remember what I told you before we came here." Jiu Shen said calmly, but Lu Sn felt the sternness in his voice.


    "Yes, master. I will remember your words." Lu Sn replied while nodding her head gently.


    Jiu Shen took his nce away from his disciple and turned his gaze forward. ¡¯There is an 8th-rank spiritual nt somewhere around here. Although it isn¡¯t part of my task, I have to get it as it maye in handy in the future.¡¯


    With those thoughts in mind, Jiu Shen walked straight ahead while recalling the map that the system integrated into his memory.


    ¡¯Just a few hundred meters ahead is where the 8th-rank Abyssal Vine Cranberry can be found. It is a good ingredient to be added in some high-quality wines.¡¯ Jiu Shen thought to himself.


    Lu Sn followed behind her master without questioning him. Although she was confused about how Jiu Shen was so familiar with the ce, she tactfully remained silent and just focused her mind inprehending the true essence of the Chaotic Ice me Form.


    ¡¯Master said that he made this technique for me on the spot, but since when was it so easy for someone to create a Mythical level cultivation technique? Anyway, I should just recall its contents once more.¡¯


    The Chaotic Ice me Form was indeed a technique that Jiu Shen made on the spot for Lu Sn. It was created solely for her considering her present constitution. Although she had the Verdant mes Saintly Vermilion Body, her body already contained the icy nature because she had cultivated the techniques of their Ice Cloud Sword Sect for many years. So Jiu Shen made a technique that has a bnce in Yin and Yang since it was the most suitable for Lu Sn.


    ¡¯The Chaotic Ice me Form has seven stages in total. The first stage is called The Birth of Ice and Fire. It has the word birth in it, but what it talks about is the bncing of two opposing energies in one body. It might sound easy, but if one would think deeply enough, they would find themselves looking into a nk space. What an otherworldly technique this is! And to think that master made this in just one sitting...¡¯ Lu Sn was still following behind Jiu Shen, but half her consciousness was focused on cultivation.


    Jiu Shen ignored his disciple and move his gaze in a certain direction. ¡¯It appears that the Abyssal Vine Cranberry is still unripened, but it¡¯s not a problem. I can just rent it inside the system¡¯s Spirit World and let it ripen there. With the abundance of true essence inside the Spirit World, it won¡¯t take long for that Abyssal Vine Cranberry to ripen. But before that, I still have to kill the little puppy that is guarding it.¡¯


    As if the beast knew what Jiu Shen was thinking about, a ferocious howl echoed loudly which made the smaller birds scatter in different directions. Lu Sn was also alerted by the sound.


    "I haven¡¯t tasted a dog¡¯s meat for millions of years. What dish should I cook with its meat?" Jiu Shen said indifferently as he peered through the direction of where the howl came from.

 Chapter 51 - Abyssal Vine Cranberry

    <h4>Chapter 51 - Abyssal Vine Cranberry </h4>


    Jiu Shen nced at the horned behemoth through his spiritual power. The savage beast had the body of a robust dog that was over ten meters tall. Its body wasn¡¯t covered by fur but was instead protected by ck infernal mes that fully enveloped its muscr body.


    The grass beneath its feet turned into dust as the huge behemoth walked towards Jiu Shen and Lu Sn while growling in a threatening manner.


    "Grrrr! Grrr!"


    The beast¡¯s scaldingly hot saliva dripped on the grassy field as it emitted an intimidating sound.


    Lu Sn could finally see the figure of the iing beast after it showed itself in front of them.


    It had a sword-like horn on top of its forehead. Its teeth were like sharp rows of des that could even tear metals apart. And its ck robust body was enveloped by dark nightmarish mes.


    "That¡¯s an adult Horned Infernal Hound that is on the verge of breaking through to the 9th-rank Saint realm!" Lu Sn eximed in surprise after identifying the savage beast.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head in an expression that was devoid of any ripple. He looked at the savage beast with indifference, but if one would look closely, there was a hint of desire in Jiu Shen¡¯s silver eyes.


    ¡¯Braised Dog Meat? Barbecued Dog Meat? Hmm...¡¯ Jiu Shen was still thinking about what kind of dish would he cook with the Horned Infernal Hound¡¯s meat.


    The beast felt Jiu Shen¡¯s peculiar gaze and it felt a primal kind of fear taking root in its heart. The Horned Infernal Hound became confused with its own emotion. Since when did it fear humans? Never...


    The Horned Infernal Hound could definitely feel the 8th-rank Divine realm cultivation of the woman dressed in white, but it couldn¡¯t even sense an ounce of power from Jiu Shen, so it didn¡¯t ce Jiu Shen in its eyes. But strangely enough, its beastly instincts were sending signals about the danger that came from Jiu Shen.


    "Roarrr!" The Horned Infernal Hound chose to disregard its instincts and pounced towards Jiu Shen with its mouth wide open.


    Lu Sn who was standing behind Jiu Shen felt the terrifying power of the beast as it leaped towards them.


    "This beast is so much stronger than me, but master is already a 9th-rank Saint realm martial and soul cultivator. This kind of beast is just like a small puppy in his eyes." Lu Sn muttered to herself, but she was still feeling somewhat nervous at the sight of a much stronger being than herself.


    Jiu Shen remained unperturbed at the Horned Infernal Hound¡¯s menacing attack. When the beast was just inches away from tearing his head off, Jiu Shen lifted a finger and casually tapped the beast¡¯s head as if he was just pressing a neighbor¡¯s doorbell.


    The Horned Infernal Hound could not even emit a cry of pain before it¡¯s huge body slumped on the ground, lifeless.


    The ever-burning nightmarish me around its body was gradually disappearing. What remained was just an intact burly body.


    Lu Sn gaped at the sight. The beast was not even able to touch the hem of Jiu Shen¡¯s clothes before it died in a blink of an eye!


    She didn¡¯t even know how it died!


    In fact, she only saw Jiu Shen casually tapped the Horned Infernal Hound¡¯s head before the beast¡¯s huge body dropped on the grassy field dead.


    Jiu Shen walked towards the corpse of the Horned Infernal Hound and poked its body with his finger.


    "The meat should be in perfect state since I only used my spiritual power to attack its brain in a short distance. This meat is quite firm and bouncy. It should taste much better if this is barbecued..." Jiu Shen nodded his head as he poked the beast¡¯s body from time to time.


    Lu Sn who was standing behind her master almost felt her head going dizzy after she heard what Jiu Shen said. ¡¯So he intentionally killed the Horned Infernal Hound that way just to maintain the perfect condition of its meat?¡¯


    Jiu Shen ced the Horned Infernal Hound¡¯s corpse inside his spatial sword earring while nodding his head in satisfaction.


    He then nced calmly at Lu Sn and ignored her doubtful nce as he said inly. "Let¡¯s go. There is still an 8th-rank spiritual nt waiting to be plucked."


    Lu Sn opened her mouth but then she chose to not speak. She just nodded her head with a helpless sigh. "Yes, master."


    Lu Sn had many questions inside her head, but she knew it wasn¡¯t the right time to talk about it.


    With a helpless look, she followed behind her master¡¯s figure. But despite that, she was also curious about the spiritual nt that her master spoke about.


    ¡¯Just what could this spiritual nt be to garner my master¡¯s interest? Perhaps it¡¯s another ingredient for his wine?¡¯ Lu Sn thought to herself.


    Jiu Shen who was unaware of his disciple¡¯s thoughts continued moving towards where he saw the Abyssal Vine Cranberry.


    Not long after, the pair saw a shrub that was as tall as an adult man. It had a few short trailing branches and there were also a number of small white flowers that clustered together. Dozens of small light red fruits can also be seen.


    The Abyssal Vine Cranberry had an imposing name, but it¡¯s actually just a harmless spiritual nt. It was just named as such since its fruit was the main ingredient of a highly potent poison created by an alchemist from the Alchemy Hall.


    Though its reputation was quite petrifying, the Abyssal Vine Cranberry wasn¡¯t really poisonous. In fact, it was one of the most precious and delicious fruits in Nuar.


    "Master, what is this spiritual nt called?" Lu Sn asked Jiu Shen as she inhaled the fragrant scent of the Abyssal Vine Cranberry.


    Jiu Shen touched the small fruit that was light red in color and gave it a gentle pinch. It felt quite soft to touch signifying that it was still unripe. "This spiritual nt is called the Abyssal Vine Cranberry."

 Chapter 52 - The Fourth Princes Breakthrough

    <h4>Chapter 52 - The Fourth Prince''s Breakthrough </h4>


    "Abyssal Vine Cranberry? Isn¡¯t that the main ingredient of a poison that was made by the Alchemy Hall?" Lu Sn asked with a stunned look. She had heard of the imposing reputation of the said spiritual nt, so she was surprised about her master¡¯s interest in it.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s lips twitched when he heard what Lu Sn said. He was familiar with alchemy, so he knew what those alchemists from the Alchemy Hall must¡¯ve done with the Abyssal Vine Cranberry in making their poison. ¡¯I bet those little brats from the Alchemy Hall used the unstable true essence inside the Abyssal Vine Cranberry. Too wasteful...¡¯


    "Those little brats don¡¯t know how to properly refine the unstable true essence of the Abyssal Vine Cranberry. That¡¯s why they used it as the main ingredient in making poisons instead. In actual fact, this spiritual nt has a miraculous effect in enhancing one¡¯s cultivation level and spiritual power." Jiu Shen said as he kept the Abyssal Vine Cranberry inside his spatial sword earring.


    Lu Sn was speechless at her master¡¯s reply. Although she didn¡¯t know anything about alchemy, she still understood its concept. ¡¯To think that the alchemists that I respected and admired are just wasteful little brats in my master¡¯s eyes...¡¯


    Jiu Shen ignored Lu Sn as he lightly tapped his foot on the ground to ascend in mid-air.


    "Let¡¯s go." He said as his figure streak through the sky.


    Lu Sn immediately followed behind her master after seeing him fly away. "Master, wait for me!"


    * * *


    Inside the throne room of the Silver Wing Empire¡¯s imperial pce, Defender Duanmu kneeled down respectfully in front of Emperor Elyk Silveria.


    "Your Majesty, the fourth prince is currently in closed-door cultivation so he can¡¯t be here at the moment." Defender Duanmu said in a respectful tone.


    Emperor Elyk¡¯s eyes shone when he heard Defender Duanmu¡¯s words. He couldn¡¯t help but lightly exim. "Oh! It appears that he had quite a bountiful harvest from that wine store. After his closed-door cultivation, he should already be at the 5th-rank Spirit realm. That¡¯s good news."


    The emperor was of course happy about his fourth son¡¯s cultivation progress. The Fourth Prince Dante Silveria was someone he doted secretly.


    Emperor Elyk was already tired about his three eldest sons squabbles and small skirmishes, so he took his time in showing care and affection to his two youngest children, the Fourth Prince Dante Silveria, and the Fifth Princess Sylvia Silveria.


    Defender Duanmu suddenly sighed and said. "Your Majesty, although the fourth prince advancement in cultivation is a happy asion, I have bad news to tell you."


    Emperor Elyk¡¯s eyes turned grim as he nced at the kneeling Defender Duanmu. He took in a deep breath and spoke. "What is it, Duanmu?"


    "Your Majesty, when I was inside the wine store recently, I¡¯ve heard of something from the Liu Family. Although it was spoken by an escapee from the Liu Family, I can still feel the authenticity of his words." Defender Duanmu said with a stern voice.


    "It appears that the Liu Family had already gotten news about the Beiming Family¡¯s illegal dealings with the outside forces. What do you think about this, Your Majesty?" Defender Duanmu added.


    Emperor Elyk Silveria frowned and slumped back on his throne with a tired look. "Honestly, I still don¡¯t believe everything about this at all. The Beiming Family has been the most loyal aristocratic n to our Silveria Imperial Family. They¡¯ve been serving us for many generations that it is very hard to believe this at all. In fact, I think that someone is deliberately making the waters muddy from behind the scenes."


    Defender Duanmu¡¯s eyes shed for a moment before he replied. "Your Majesty, you mean that a third party is involved in this? And they are trying to smear the reputation of the Beiming Family?"


    Emperor Elyk sighed and shook his head helplessly. "I¡¯m also unsure about everything, Duanmu, but it appears that a storm is brewing inside my Silver Wing Empire when there are still a lot of prying eyes outside waiting for a perfect chance to attack our empire."


    Defender Duanmu also felt the gravity of the situation. If the emperor¡¯s words were spot on, then their Silver Wing Empire might truly experience a wide-scale war in the near future. As for whether they could tide through that war, Defender Duanmu was also uncertain.


    "Your Majesty, I think it¡¯s best if we maintain a friendly rtionship with the wine store¡¯s owner. He might be of help if something untoward happens to our Silver Wing Empire." Defender Duanmu stated after a moment of thinking. The old man was still perplexed about Jiu Shen¡¯s reason for staying inside their empire, but he felt that Jiu Shen wasn¡¯t here with bad intentions.


    Emperor Elyk¡¯s eyes lit up but dimmed once again. "Duanmu, that man¡¯s origins is something that we are currently unaware of. But then, maintaining a friendly rtionship with him might bring us good benefits. Hopefully, he won¡¯t strike us when we are already beaten down from all sides."


    Defender Duanmu sighed and remained silent. He was betting on Jiu Shen¡¯s intentions towards their empire. Whether he was right or wrong in cing his bets on Jiu Shen, Defender Duanmu would know soon.


    Emperor Elyk Silveria closed his tired eyes as he rubbed his aching temples. Although he was one of the strongest experts in the Profound Dragon Continent, he still felt that he might be powerless to protect their empire if a war came about.


    ¡¯Jiu Shen... Are you a friend or a foe?¡¯


    * * *


    Inside a luxurious mansion, a young man with long ck hair was sitting crossed legged in his room. His eyes were wide open and his mouth gaped due to his surprise.


    "What the hell? I haven¡¯t even meditated yet but I already broke through to the 5th-rank Spirit realm?! This... this..." Instead of feeling happy about his breakthrough, the Fourth Prince Dante Silveria was dumbstruck.


    "Wine Master Jiu, did you perhaps added a Bottleneck Breaking Pill in your Deep Sea Spring Dew?" The fourth prince muttered in a silent voice as he sprawled on top of his bed.

 Chapter 53 - Heaven Trampling Cauldron

    <h4>Chapter 53 - Heaven Trampling Cauldron </h4>


    Lu Sn nced quietly at her master who appeared to be looking for something. She remained silent throughout the journey and just focused her attention on cultivating the Chaotic Ice me Form.


    Jiu Shen nced at the surroundings and nodded his head in approval. He said with a hint of satisfaction in his tone. "This ce is perfect for barbecuing the meat of the Horned Infernal Hound."


    Lu Sn who was partly immersed in her cultivation almost stumbled when she heard her master¡¯s words. ¡¯I thought master is looking for another spiritual nt. To think that he is just looking for a suitable ce to barbecue the meat of the Horned Infernal Hound...¡¯ Lu Sn thought to herself.


    Jiu Shen ignored the peculiar look of Lu Sn that was directed at him. He then took out the cauldron that the system rewarded him after he had sessfully refined ten Invigorating Meridians Pill in the Profound State. The cauldron¡¯s name was Heaven Trampling Cauldron.


    Jiu Shen has yet to see how the cauldron looked like, but he was looking forward to it especially after knowing the system¡¯s extravagance.


    "Roaaarr!" A roar that resembled a dragon¡¯s cry resounded when Jiu Shen took out the Heaven Trampling Cauldron. The sky appeared to have darkened as if the heavens was angry about the arrival of something!


    Thick dark clouds hovered above the sky as they continuously produced crackling sounds of thunder. It was as if a huge storm was about to hit the whole mountain range!


    Jiu Shen nced at the sky with an indifferent look before he turned to look at the cauldron in front of him.


    The Heaven Trampling Cauldron was approximately one meter in height with three legs supporting it. Embedded on the cauldron¡¯s body were four azure dragons that appeared to be roaring at the skies. The four azure dragons seemed so real that even low-level cultivators would tremble in fear if they took a nce at the cauldron.


    "This cauldron is actually made from a Heaven Copsing vard Stone. So that¡¯s why it was able to summon the Heavenly Tribtion Lightning because this heavenly metal attracts the most potent kinds of lightning. Aside from the Heaven Copsing vard Stone, each of the four azure dragons embedded in this cauldron¡¯s body also contains a true dragon¡¯s bone." Jiu Shen muttered to himself as he pped the cauldron¡¯s body causing it to produce a dull ringing sound.


    "Rooaarr!" As if angered by Jiu Shen¡¯s rough actions, the four azure dragons embedded on the cauldron emitted a resonating dragon cry.


    "Crackle!" The crackling sounds of thunder intensified as if the heavens was wary of the Heaven Trampling Cauldron¡¯s might.


    A streak of violent lightning smashed towards the Heaven Trampling Cauldron in a bid to erase its existence.


    Lu Sn¡¯s eyes had a trace of fear as she nced at the iing bolt of lightning. Although Lu Sn was an expert at the 8th-rank Divine realm, she was still powerless against the Heavenly Tribtion Lightning.


    Only those at the very peak of the 9th-rank Saint realm dared to face it head-on.


    The dragon tattoo on his right arm slowly morphed into a sword. He then turned to face the bolt of Heavenly Tribtion Lightning with an uncaring expression. It was if he didn¡¯t ce the violent streak of lightning in his eyes.


    In fact, Jiu Shen disdained the Heavenly Tribtion Lightning. In his past life, he only used the Heavenly Tribtion Lightning to scratch his itch...


    With a casual sword stroke that looked as if an immortal painter was wielding his brush to draw a beautiful painting, Jiu Shen brandished his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword with one hand in a carefree manner.


    When the bolt of Heavenly Tribtion Lightning hit the sword¡¯s de, a huge transformation urred in Jiu Shen¡¯s sword.


    It¡¯s ordinary-looking sword body slowly grew bigger until it reached two meters in length. Red archaic patterns slowly emerged from the sword¡¯s body and two red dragons can be seen on the sword¡¯s hilt that intertwined against each other.


    This was the true form of Jiu Shen¡¯s Baleful Dragon Sword!


    Like a droplet of rain that hit the solid ground, the Heavenly Tribtion Lightning wasn¡¯t even able to produce a ripple in the Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword¡¯s body. It was immediately extinguished after it hit the sword¡¯s body.


    Following that, the sky slowly reverted to its calm state.


    Lu Sn Heaved a sigh of relief after seeing that the Heavenly Tribtion Clouds were gradually disappearing. She then turned to look at her master and the huge heavy sword that he had wielded.


    It was the first time that she had seen a weapon that was unlike any other. She refused to believe that it was just an ordinary sword especially after it had effortlessly received a bolt of Heavenly Tribtion Lightning. Furthermore, her reverence towards her master increased significantly after seeing that he remained unscathed and unperturbed when faced against the Heavenly Tribtion Lightning.


    ¡¯Master, just how strong are you?¡¯ Lu Sn nced at her master in awe and worship.


    Jiu Shen took back his sword and flicked his right arm causing his robes to flutter.


    "Now, I can peacefully barbecue the meat of the Horned Infernal Hound." Jiu Shen muttered silently.


    Lu Sn numbly sat down crossed-legged on the grassy field while acting as if she hadn¡¯t heard of her master¡¯s words.


    With a snap of his fingers, a small wisp of ck mes materialized on his fingertips.


    Lu Sn¡¯s eyes grew wary when she felt the heating from the small wisp of ck me. She could still remember that it was the same me that Jiu Shen used when he refined the 8th-grade Invigorating Meridians Pill.


    Jiu Shen gently flicked his fingers and directed the wisp of ck mes at the bottom of the Heaven Trampling Cauldron.


    Jiu Shen then bit the tip of his forefinger causing a small drop of his blood to drip towards the Heaven Trampling Cauldron.


    After feeling a strong connection from the Heaven Trampling Cauldron. He knew that it had approved him in bing its owner.


    "Time to start barbecuing..."

 Chapter 54 - Skewered Meat Cubes

    <h4>Chapter 54 - Skewered Meat Cubes </h4>


    Jiu Shen took out the corpse of the Horned Infernal Hound that he had killed earlier.


    ¡¯I still don¡¯t have a knife meant for cutting meat. As of now, my Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword will do the job. Although it is a little demeaning for a God-rank weapon to be used as a meat cutter, I don¡¯t have any other choice.¡¯ Jiu Shen called his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword, causing the dragon tattoo on his right arm to glow.


    With a casual move of his wrist, he gently tossed the Horned Infernal Hound¡¯s huge body in mid-air.


    Jiu Shen¡¯szy eyes suddenly shed with a brilliant glow as his gaze sharpened considerably. His overallzy and uncaring demeanor suddenly took a drastic change as if a God-rank beast was suddenly awakened from its deep slumber.


    Time seemed to have slowed down in Lu Sn¡¯s eyes. She also felt the change in her master¡¯s aura and it was the first time that she had seen him with that kind of eyes.


    "Master looks way too cool..." She inadvertently said with a stunned expression lingering on her peerless facade.


    Jiu Shen was quite familiar with skinning savage beasts or be exact, he was used to skinning God-rank beasts.


    Following the change in Jiu Shen¡¯s aura, the air fluctuated around him causing his hair to break free from the ponytail holder. His long silver hair cascaded and sprung loosely amidst the turbulent wind.


    He then nced sharply at the Horned Infernal Hound that he had tossed earlier in mid-air.


    With a slight move of his right hand, Jiu Shen performed dozens of sword strokes in a blink of an eye. His strokes were so fast that the turbulent air became even stronger as he moved gracefully with his sword in hand.


    "Whoosh!"


    Lu Sn held her skirt together as she watched Jiu Shen¡¯s performance with a dumbstruck expression. "So master can be this serious sometimes..."


    The Horned Infernal Hound wasn¡¯t exactly a furry savage beast, but it had a thick ck skin that was even tougher than normal armors.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s goal was to separate this ck skin from the meat.


    Lu Sn saw everything that happened, but she was somewhat confused since it didn¡¯t look like Jiu Shen was trying to skin the Horned Infernal Hound. Instead, she thought that Jiu Shen was performing a graceful sword dance.


    With a mouth wide open, Lu Sn saw the ck skin of the Horned Infernal Hound gradually separate itself from the beast¡¯s meat. "What? I didn¡¯t even see his sword strokes clearly enough..."


    After skinning the Horned Infernal Hound, Jiu Shen¡¯s aura once again changed.


    This time, his eyes contained a hint of brutality and his demeanor felt as if he was an ancient demon god.


    With a savage glint, he ferociously diced the Horned Infernal Hound¡¯s meat into small cubes. He then swatted the huge bones away.


    Jiu Shen recalled his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword and gently opened the lid of the Heaven Trampling Cauldron. Hundreds of diced meat were perfectly put inside the cauldron.


    While ignoring the amazed look of his disciple, Jiu Shen took out a bunch of sticks that he had prepared along the way. He then handed half of it to Lu Sn and said in a calm and unhurried tone of voice. "Sn, help me skewer the meat cubes."


    Lu Sn absentmindedly received the sticks while nodding her head. And with intense idolizing gaze directed at her master, Lu Sn replied in a clear voice. "Yes, master."


    Jiu Shen took his time skewering the meat cubes with an indifferent look. He had finally reverted back to his usual calm self.


    ¡¯I think I got a bit carried away. Well, it has been millions of years since Ist barbecued meat in the wild.¡¯ Jiu Shen was feeling a bit nostalgic as he skewered the meat cubes.


    "Master, the sword strokes you performed earlier... Was that also a sword technique?" Lu Sn asked tentatively as she did her task.


    Jiu Shen nced at his disciple with a in expression and shook his head. "That was not a sword technique, so if you thought that it was one, then your swordsmanship needs more training. I¡¯ll tell you more about it after we¡¯ve gathered all the necessary ingredients for brewing the Frozen Origin."


    Lu Sn nodded her head meekly. Although she was already a top expert in Nuar, she still felt that she was insignificantpared to her master.


    ¡¯I¡¯m not even sure about master¡¯s true strength. Is he really just a 9th-rank Saint realm dual martial and soul cultivator? Or is he someone beyond that level?¡¯ Lu Sn thought to herself with slightly downcast emotion.


    Not longter, the duo finished skewering the meat cubes.


    Since they had no spices with them, Jiu Shen had no choice but to directly barbecue the skewered meat cubes on the Heaven Trampling Cauldron.


    With the quality of the ingredients and the materials used to barbecue the meat cubes, it could still be considered as a rare delicacy.


    Jiu Shen kept most of the skewered meat cubes and just barbecued a few.


    A sizzling sound echoed faintly as Jiu Shen ced the skewered meat cubes in the Heaven Trampling Cauldron. Puffs of white smoke drifted in the air as the meat was being barbecued.


    The meat of the Horned Infernal Hound was bouncy and lean, so it contained a lot of meat juices.


    Jiu Shen sprinkled drops of Deep Sea Spring Dew for the added vor.


    When the drops of wine touched the skewered meat cubes, another bout of sizzling sound echoed about.


    A meaty aroma lingered in the air as the fatty oil of the meat slowly oozed out making the meat cubes look even more enticing.


    Lu Sn stared at Jiu Shen who was calmly barbecuing the meat.


    She could hardly contain the grumbling of her stomach after she smelled the meaty aroma in the air.


    "Even without spices, the meat of an 8th-rank savage beast would never be shabby..." She said with a salivating look in her eyes.

 Chapter 55 - Nostalgia Evoked By A Barbecued Meat

    <h4>Chapter 55 - Nostalgia Evoked By A Barbecued Meat </h4>


    ¡¯What a pity! If only I had brought with me some spices, then I might have been able to make an even more delicious barbecued meat.¡¯ Jiu Shen thought to himself with a bit of regret.


    In barbecuing, there were a lot of factors involved in how to maximize the vor of the meat. For example, one could marinate the meat using their desired marinade blend. Also, one could brush the meat with their own homemade sauce to add vor to the meat.


    But Jiu Shen didn¡¯t want to waste too much time, hence, he skipped all those processes and just directly threw the meat cubes in the Heaven Trampling Cauldron. Just that the final oue might not be too vourful with theck of spices and preparation. Nheless, the Horned Infernal Hound¡¯s meat was still a high-level ingredient after all, so its taste shouldn¡¯t be too bad even without the addition of spices.


    The skewered meat cubes were now emitting a dense aroma as it sizzled under the intense heat from Jiu Shen¡¯s wisp of ck me.


    Though the ck me was just as small as a person¡¯s thumb, it was hot enough to cook the Horned Infernal Hound¡¯s meat.


    "The texture of a dog¡¯s meat is almost simr to a goat¡¯s meat, but the process of cooking the two is greatly different. The goat¡¯s meat is mildly gamey so it needs a lot of preparation in order to lessen the earthly taste and smell in it. As for a dog¡¯s meat, it is surprisingly simr to beef in terms of taste. Just that dog meat is chewier and not as sulent as beef." Jiu Shen muttered to himself as he recalled the skills and cooking knowledge that he had umted in his billions of years of life.


    Jiu Shen flipped the skewered meat cubes, making them produce another frizzling sound. A wave of beef-like aroma pervaded in the air as a dense white smoke lingered around the Heaven Trampling Cauldron.


    One side of the skewered meat cubes was already light brown in color. Jiu Shen knew what the color signified, so he remained meticulous in doing every process in barbecuing the meat cubes.


    "Master, is it already cooked?" Lu Sn could not help but ask when the beefy smell of the Horned Infernal Hound¡¯s cooked meat reached her nostrils.


    She had never tasted such high-quality meat before, so she was somewhat eager to have a taste of it. Although she had already tasted the meat of a 7th-rank Emperor realm savage beast, it was still a realm lowerpared to the Horned Infernal Hound.


    Jiu Shen did not nce at Lu Sn and continued looking carefully at the skewered meat cubes on the Heaven Trampling Cauldron. With an unhurried tone, he replied. "It¡¯s almost cooked and it should be ready soon."


    Lu Sn involuntary gulped at her master¡¯s words. She covered her nose and closed her eyes to free herself from the salivating feeling, but to no avail, her stomach still produced a faint rumbling sound.


    Lu Sn slightly opened her left eye to take a peek at Jiu Shen. She heaved a sigh of relief after seeing his same neutral expression.


    ¡¯That was so embarrassing! Good thing master is so focused on barbecuing the meat.¡¯ Lu Sn¡¯s ears reddened as she thought to herself.


    Of course, with Jiu Shen¡¯s sensitive senses, he heard his disciple¡¯sining stomach, but he chose to ignore her and just immersed himself in the cooking process. It was many millions of years ago since he hadst barbecued meat, so he was somewhat expectant about the result.


    Jiu Shen gently poked the barbecued skewered meat cubes. He disregarded the intense heat and checked the texture of the meat to see if it was already cooked.


    He nodded in satisfaction after feeling the softness of the meat. "It¡¯s done, but I have onest thing to do in order to add a bit of vor to it."


    With that, Jiu Shen took out another bottle of wine from his storage earring. This time, it was not the Deep Sea Spring Dew, but the Ables nc.


    The Ables nc may be many grades lowerpared to the Deep Sea Spring Dew, but what Jiu Shen wanted to add on his skewered meat was the oceanic taste of the Ables Oyster¡¯s honey which was present in the Ables nc.


    When Jiu Shen opened the bottle of Ables nc, an oceanic smell burst forth in the air. It lingered for a little while before it subsided.


    Jiu Shen sprinkled drops of the Ables nc on the skewered meat cubes in a rxed manner.


    He then kept the bottle of Ables nc and nodded his head with a satisfied look as he nced at the cooked skewered meat cubes in front of him.


    He took them one by one and gave half of it to his disciple who was already drooling at the sidelines.


    ¡¯Thisdy can sometimes act like a little girl...¡¯ He muttered in his heart after seeing the udylike expression of his beautiful disciple.


    Lu Sn eagerly took the skewered meat cubes from her master¡¯s hands. She then held one stick of the skewered meat cubes with one hand and gave it a light blow before she took a big bite out of it.


    "Munch!"


    Lu Sn¡¯s eyes widened when her tongue came in contact with the meat. She lightly chewed on the tender and soft meat of the Horned Infernal Hound that was still smoking hot.


    "Delicious! Although it tastes kinda earthly, but with the addition of master¡¯s wines, the earthly taste could be hardly noticed." Lu Sn eximed as she munched on her piping hot skewered meat cubes.


    The meat was surprisingly able to retain its juiciness despite the rough cooking procedure done. Furthermore, the sprinkles of Deep Sea Spring Dew and Ables nc made the skewered meat even more aromatic and vourful. The meat had the oceanic smell of the Ables Oyster¡¯s honey and also its own natural meaty scent.


    After taking a bite of the delicacy that he hadn¡¯t tasted for countless years, Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes shed with a nostalgic look. His lips curved up to form a faint smile as he chewed on the meat.


    "Not bad." He said with a slightly emotional tone.

 Chapter 56 - The Beiming Family

    <h4>Chapter 56 - The Beiming Family </h4>


    In the Beiming Family Estate.


    Inside the meeting hall, the older generation of the Beiming Family was in a heated discussion.


    "Someone is actually trying to ruin the reputation of our Beiming Family!?" A bald elder with a long grey beard stated with a fuming expression. It was evident that he was extremely furious about the rumors that had spread in the capital city during the past few days.


    In fact, it was not just the bald elder who was wearing an enraged expression. Almost everyone inside the meeting hall had the same look in their eyes.


    Sitting on the most prominent seat was an old man with sunken cheeks. His murky eyes shed with an intense glow as if he was in deep thought. This old man was the supreme elder of the Beiming Family, Supreme Elder Beiming Lei.


    Supreme Elder Beiming Lei was a peak 7th-rank Emperor realm expert. Although he looked like a decrepit old man, his great power didn¡¯t diminish by a tiny bit even after so many years.


    Supreme Elder Beiming Lei took a nce at a middle-aged man that looked to be in histe forties as if he was waiting for thetter to speak.


    The middle-aged man felt the supreme elder¡¯s familiar stare, so he immediately cleared his throat to get everyone¡¯s attention. "Ehem! Ehem!"


    This middle-aged man was the current patriarch of the Beiming Family, Patriarch Beiming Liqiang. He was already at the initial stage of the 7th-rank Emperor realm.


    After seeing that he had gathered everyone¡¯s attention to himself, Beiming Liqiang nodded his head in satisfaction.


    "Elders, I know that the current matter at hand is truly infuriating, but we have to think about what we should do regarding this... We cannot allow anyone to throw our Beiming Family¡¯s reputation down the mud!" Patriarch Beiming Liqiang said with an awe-inspiring tone.


    The elders nodded their heads in agreement as they clenched their fists with indignant looks.


    Their Beiming Family has always been loyal to the Silveria Imperial Family since their founding years, so they felt quite unhappy when some of the Silver Wing Empire¡¯s aristocratic ns chose to believe the rumors that had circted.


    They felt that their ancestor¡¯s efforts were for naught with the current attitude of everyone towards them.


    "The opinions of those aristocratic ns don¡¯t matter, but if the Silveria Imperial Family also choose to believe these rumors then..." The bald elder with a long grey beard didn¡¯t want to say the rest, so he just let out a sigh and shook his head.


    Patriarch Beiming Liqiang frowned and tapped his fingers on the table in a rhythmic pattern as he deeply thought about the bald elder¡¯s words. He understood the importance of the Silveria Imperial Family¡¯s stand regarding the circting rumors, but he believed in Emperor Elyk¡¯s foresight.


    "Your words are true but don¡¯t underestimate the intelligence of His Majesty. He didn¡¯t just ascend to the throne due to his luck. In fact, it¡¯s because of his overwhelming strength and wisdom that he had taken over the throne." Patriarch Beiming Liqiang said with a hint of reverence in his tone.


    Supreme Elder Beiming Lei who was silent all throughout the discussion nodded his head in agreement and said in a calm but aged voice.


    "What Liqiang said is right. As of the moment, the best thing to do is to learn the identity of the ones that wanted to besmirch the reputation of our Beiming Family..."


    All the elders¡¯ eyes glinted when they heard the supreme elder¡¯s words.


    * * *


    "Pu!" A streak of brilliant light pierced through the defenses of a high-level beast which also severed its head during the process.


    "Thud!" The headless corpse dropped on the ground with a dull but loud thud.


    The headless carcass of the beast lied in its own pool of blood painting the green field with a crimson hue.


    In front of the corpse, Jiu Shen indifferently waved his sleeves with a calm and detached look.


    "An 8th-rank Divine realm Spiked Earthen Bear King. Edible but unptable... Too bad..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself as he nced at the huge headless corpse lying on the grassy field.


    Lu Sn already had a numbed look when she saw how easy it was for Jiu Shen to take out so many high-level beasts. The savage beast in front of them was already the sixth beast that died under the hands of Jiu Shen.


    And the most surprising thing was that they all died in just one move!


    If it was herself, she would have a hard time battling with those savage beasts. But in front of her master, those strong savage beasts were just like weak and helpless farm chickens...


    So she was no longer surprised when she saw the 8th-rank Divine realm Spiked Earthen Bear King die with just one move of Jiu Shen.


    "Master, if you aren¡¯t going to take it, can I keep it instead? Although a Spiked Earthen Bear¡¯s Body tastes awful, its bones and internal organs are valuable materials in concocting some pills. I could sell the beast¡¯s body to the Alchemy Hall for a huge sum of true crystals." Lu Sn poked Jiu Shen¡¯s back as she gently spoke.


    Jiu Shen nced at Lu Sn and nodded his head. "Okay..."


    After getting her master¡¯s approval, Lu Sn eagerly kept the huge beast¡¯s corpse inside her storage space. Even the beast¡¯s head was not spared either as it simrly entered her storage space.


    Jiu Shen lips slightly curved upwards as he watched his disciple¡¯s eager actions. He then turned to look at the hugeke that was just a few hundred meters away from them.


    "Green Mountain Lake... Not a bad sight to see..."


    His pair of silver eyes were like two deep pools that peered through the distance.

 Chapter 57 - Origin Spring Water

    <h4>Chapter 57 - Origin Spring Water </h4>


    "What a beautifulke!" Lu Sn eximed as she nced at the hugeke in front of them with her glittering eyes.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s expression remained calm on the surface but he was actually surveying the surroundings with his spiritual power. And when his spiritual power reached a certain part of the Green Mountain Lake, he felt a strong presence trying to intimidate him.


    "A 9th-rank Saint realm savage beast? Interesting." Jiu Shen muttered with an unchanging countenance.


    Although he felt that the aura of the savage beast lurking below theke was that of a 9th-rank Saint, Jiu Shen still remained peacefully calm. After living for countless eons, only a few things could move his heart...


    Lu Sn¡¯s heart turned cold when she heard her master¡¯s muttering voice. She then nced at her master with a slightly anxious look and ask in a quivering voice. "Master, did you just say that a 9th-rank Saint realm savage beast is lurking below theke¡¯s surface?"


    Although Lu Sn was already an expert at the 8th-rank Divine realm, she was still quite fearful at the thought of facing a 9th-rank Saint realm savage beast.


    There was a significant gap between the 8th-rank Divine realm and the 9th-rank Saint realm. Although there was only a difference of one realm, it was like an unbridgeable separation that divided the two.


    In Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes though, it was only a slightly bigger ant. He might have regressed by many realms after his death, but the pride of a Heavenly God realm expert that once stood at the very peak of the Primordial God Realm was deeply etched in his bones.


    "It¡¯s indeed a 9th-rank Saint realm savage beast. Follow closely behind me and heighten your senses. Although it refuses to show itself, it does not mean that it won¡¯tunch a sneak attack." Jiu Shen gently reminded his disciple before he streaked through the skies.


    Lu Sn followed behind her master with a wary expression on her face as she kept her defenses at maximum. She didn¡¯t want to be the savage beast¡¯s meal...


    Although Jiu Shen didn¡¯t ce the aquatic savage beast in his eyes, he still used his spiritual power to check the most minute changes in theke below them. The moment the savage beast makes its move, Jiu Shen would immediately sense it.


    ¡¯It¡¯s quite careful. It must have felt the difference in our strength. What a sensitive beast it is.¡¯ Jiu Shen thought to himself as he led Lu Sn to the heart of the Green Mountain Lake.


    Thest ingredient for the brewing process of the Frozen Origin was the Origin Spring Water. In the world of Nuar, it was a pretty valuable liquid that could only be found in the heart of the Green Mountain Lake.


    The Origin Spring Water was also treated as a rare material by the Alchemy Hall. Aside from its delicious taste, the Origin Spring Water was also capable of enhancing the flow of one¡¯s spiritual energy and true essence. With its great effects, it was a good ingredient in increasing a medicinal pill¡¯s grade.


    As Jiu Shen and Lu Sn passed by the habitat of the hidden 9th-rank Saint realm aquatic savage beast, a huge pair of reddish pupils showed up below theke¡¯s surface. The pair of reddish pupils turned to look in the direction of Jiu Shen before it vanished.


    "I can¡¯t feel that human¡¯s strength at all. Who is he?" A beastly voice echoed silently within the deepest part of theke. Its tone sounded brutal and was filled with overwhelming strength, but there was also a hint of wariness to it.


    Jiu Shen who was already far from where the beast lurked didn¡¯t hear anything at all. But even if he did hear it speak, he still wouldn¡¯t be surprised since he already knew that once a savage beast broke through the 9th-rank Saint realm, they would be capable of speaking thenguage of humans. And when a savage beast reaches the 10th-rank God realm, it would be capable of taking the form of humans.


    As the master and disciple pair streaked through the skies, they saw that a certain part of the Green Mountain Lake had a different shade. The water of the Green Mountain Lake was blue with a slightly greenish hue, but the one that the master and disciple pair saw had a dull golden brilliance.


    At the sigh of it, the pair immediately knew that they had reached the heart of the Green Mountain Lake.


    The reason for its golden radiance was because of the Origin Spring Water that had merged together with theke¡¯s water.


    The Origin Spring Water was formed because of the extremely dense amount of true essence in the heart of Green Mountain Lake. Some of theke¡¯s water molecules mutated causing the formation of the Origin Spring Water.


    Jiu Shen took out an ordinary-looking bottle from his spatial sword earring. This bottle might look in in appearance, but it was far from ordinary. It was actually a bottle that had an internal space in it! It can hold tens of gallons of liquids in total!


    Jiu Shen threw the bottle towards the heart of the Green Mountain Lake.


    Lu Sn nced at it and felt that it wasn¡¯t as ordinary as it seemed to be. Not longter, her conjectures were proven right.


    She saw the in-looking bottle sucking the golden liquid around it as if it was a mini ck hole.


    In less than a minute, the bottle hovered towards Jiu Shen who immediately grabbed it with an indifferent look. He then kept it inside his storage earring and turned to nce at his disciple with the same unchanging expression.


    "Let¡¯s go back to the wine store." Jiu Shen said before he looked into the approximate direction of his wine store. He had to admit it, he kinda missed his idle life inside the store.

 Chapter 58 - Xue Tong

    <h4>Chapter 58 - Xue Tong </h4>


    - Ding!


    - Side Mission: Search for Frozen Origin Ingredients Completed!


    - Loading Rewards!


    - Received x2 Fruit of Cultivation!


    - Received Kitchen Tools Gift Package!


    ¡¯I¡¯ll check the rewardster. Now, I already have all the ingredients necessary in brewing the Frozen Origin. I¡¯ll rest for the remainder of the day and start the brewing process tomorrow.¡¯ Jiu Shen thought to himself as he streaked through the skies.


    After transmigrating in the world of Nuar, Jiu Shen felt carefree and burden-free. He wasn¡¯t that idle in the brutal environment of the Primordial God Realm, so he was enjoying his time here.


    He wasn¡¯t in a hurry to go back to the Primordial God Realm. Anyway, he had all the time to exact his vengeance. Furthermore, he was too weak at the moment to fight against Celestial Emperor Lao Gou who was one of the three Celestial Emperors that ruled the whole multiverse...


    Lu Sn followed behind her master with a slightly expectant look. She was curious to see what kind of store her master had established in the capital city of the Silver Wing Empire.


    "Master said that he owns a wine store in Beltran City. Considering my master¡¯s strength, he should be someone famous in Beltran City." Lu Sn muttered to herself as she imagined what kind of store her master had in the capital city.


    At the most bottom part of the Green Mountain Lake, a huge pair of reddish pupils emerged greatly scaring the smaller aquatic savage beasts swimming down below.


    "They¡¯re finally leaving..." It muttered in a beastly and barbaric voice.


    * * *


    The Immortal¡¯s Wine Store.


    With the recent rumors of a wine store that sells wine at absurd prices, the reputation of Jiu Shen¡¯s store reached its peak within Beltran City.


    A few cultivators with great strengths visited the wine store to have a taste of the so-called miraculous wines that were capable of enhancing one¡¯s spiritual power and true essence.


    Despite the high prices of the wines, many still chose to buy it especially after hearing so many things about its authenticity.


    Of course, some experts also tried to cause trouble inside the store...


    An arrogant-looking man in histe teens walked towards Jiu Shen¡¯s wine store with his hands behind his back. He was dressed in luxurious clothing with the insignia of the Xue Family on its back.


    Behind the arrogant-looking young man were four individuals dressed like guards. All four of them were emitting an intimidating aura that made the people around them to unconsciously step back a couple of steps.


    "Who is that kid? How dare he swagger around in Wine Master Jiu¡¯s territory like that?"


    "Shhh! Don¡¯t you know who he is? He is Xue Tong the son of Xue Family¡¯s Supreme Elder!"


    "Then do you know who Wine Master Jiu is? It is rumored that Wine Master Jiu is a reclusive expert who has the strength that was at least on par with the emperor!"


    "What?! That strong?"


    "Not just that. He is also..."


    Xue Tong who was still enjoying the crowd¡¯s attention heard them talked animatedly about the mysterious owner of the wine store. It made him frown in annoyance since he didn¡¯t want the others to steal the limelight from him. He didn¡¯t believe the absurd rumors of this mysterious wine master at all. In fact, Xue Tong believed that he was merely a conman who was trying to act mysterious in order to gain a reputation for his store.


    "That conman! If I ever see him, I¡¯ll show him what true strength and power is!" Xue Tong muttered with an incensed look as he clenched his fists tightly which produced a crackling sound of bones.


    He then went inside Jiu Shen¡¯s wine store with a dark countenance. Following behind him were his four guards who didn¡¯t even bother ncing at the people around them.


    When Xue Tong and his guards stepped inside the store, they were given a bit of scare. They realized that the space inside the store was much bigger than how it looked outside.


    "This... Space Maniption?!" Xue Tong eximed in shock.


    As the son of the Xue Family¡¯s Supreme Elder, Xue Tong had learned a lot about many things. This included the very profound and arcane ability of space maniption. With his father¡¯s teachings, Xue Tong learned that only strong individuals were capable of manipting space.


    ¡¯As far as I can remember, only those at the 10th-rank God realm were capable of controlling the power of space. But the possibility of this store¡¯s owner being at that level is quite low. The only possibility is that he has a high-level spatial treasure that was capable of controlling space!¡¯ Xue Tong thought to himself. His eyes shed with a hint of avarice when his thoughts reached that point, but he then hurriedly concealed it.


    ¡¯Although there is a high possibility of this space treasure existing. It is still but a possibility. As of the moment, I should act like a normal customer and slowly gather clues.¡¯ Xue Tong¡¯s eyes glowed cunningly as he smirked.


    "Hello, guest. What would you like to order?" A beautiful and pleasing voice entered Xue Tong¡¯s ears. He frowned and nced towards the source of the voice only to see the most beautiful goddess that he had ever seen in all his life.


    She was a beauty with long fiery red hair that reached her waist and a lithe figure that could make even the coldest of man fall in love. As for her face, it was the epitome of perfection!


    With his eyes wide open, Xue Tong was tongue-tied and could not speak.


    "Ehem." Hestia smiled and waited for Xue Tong to recover from his shocked state.


    It wasn¡¯t the first time that this scene happened, so Hestia remained patient in waiting for the other party to gather his senses.


    Actually, it wasn¡¯t just Xue Tong who was surprised at Hestia¡¯s otherworldly beauty. The four guards behind him were also looking at her with stunned faces.


    "Ah- Ehem. Pa-Pardon my rudeness, youngdy. Can you tell me your name please?" Xue Tong stuttered as he asked with an eager look.


    Hestia smiled and replied in an angelic voice. "My name is Hestia. Wee, dear guest. What would you like to order?"

 Chapter 59 - Xue Tong The Clown

    <h4>Chapter 59 - Xue Tong The Clown </h4>


    Xue Tong cleared his thoughts and put on the noblest and coolest look he could show. He then took a nce at Hestia¡¯s smile and thought that she was impressed by his charms.


    He smiled at his thoughts and said in a confident manner. "If Young Lady Hestia will drink with me, then I¡¯ll buy everything sold in this store."


    The smile on Hestia¡¯s peerless face turned stiff and it looked as if she was stifling a chuckle as she covered her mouth with her dainty hands.


    The customers who heard Xue Tong¡¯s confident wordsughed loudly and looked at him as if they were looking at a clown.


    "Young man, before you say those words, you might want to take a look at the prices first." Boss Scar who was enjoying wine with his brothers said before they guffawed.


    Xue Tong frowned at the mocking stares aimed at him. It was the first time he felt this humiliated especially in front of the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life.


    ¡¯Just what did I say wrong?¡¯ Xue Tong thought to himself as he took a look at the ckboard that everyone was pointing at.


    When his vision hovered on the list of prices, his eyes widened, clearly dumbstruck at what he saw.


    "What the fuck?!" He inadvertently spoke his inner thoughts out loud which made everyone inside the storeugh even loudlier.


    "Hahaha! Is this hic- kid here just to make hic- a fool out of himself? Who doesn¡¯t hic- know the prices of Wine Master Jiu¡¯s wines hic-?" Liu Xiufeng slurred but everyone could feel his disdain towards Xue Tong.


    Xue Tong red at Liu Xiufeng but he did not dare utter a rebuttal. He can sense that thetter was already at the mid-stage of the 4th-rank Knight Crusader realm. Furthermore, Boss Scar who was sitting beside Liu Xiufeng was already at the peak of the 5th-rank Spirit realm. Not to mention all the other mercenaries around. With his own initial-stage 3rd-rank Crusader strength, he would only be their punching bag.


    "Commoner, how dare you talk like that to the young master?! Do you not know who he is?!" One of Xue Tong¡¯s guards stepped forward and red at Liu Xiufeng without fear. He wasn¡¯t afraid of Liu Xiufeng at all especially with the Xue Family backing them.


    Boss Scar and the others nced at the guard before they looked at Xue Tong with obvious scorn. They knew that this young master was someone who bullies the weak but was timid in front of those with power.


    Liu Xiufeng smirked derisively and shook his head, no longer paying attention to Xue Tong and his guards.


    In actual fact, Boss Scar and the others have already seen the Xue Family¡¯s insignia on Xue Tong¡¯s clothes. Just that they were already under the effects of alcohol. Besides, they knew that nothing would happen to them as long as they were inside Wine Master Jiu¡¯s wine store.


    The guard who was ignored by everyone was incensed. He intentionally released a stream of his true essence in a bid to scare the other party.


    His peak 4th-rank Knight Crusader aura was felt by everyone inside, but they remained seated in their spots and just nced at him as if they were waiting for a show to happen.


    Xue Tong nced approvingly at his subordinate. ¡¯I like this guy. I¡¯ll give him a rewardter.¡¯ He thought.


    As the guard was about to attack Liu Xiufeng, the former suddenly felt a suffocating aura that descended upon him.


    "Arghh! Who-Who are yo-you?"


    The guard felt his knees growing weak and he could not help but kneel on the wooden floor while panting heavily.


    Xue Tong and his three other guards were stunned senseless at the scene. And before they could even gather their thoughts, they saw that the kneeling guard was forcibly thrown outside the store by an invisible force. He didn¡¯t even have the strength to resist it!


    At this moment, Xue Tong was already horrified. Someone who could throw away an expert at the peak of the 4th-rank Knight Crusader was never ordinary!


    ¡¯Are there experts inside this store? Or is it that wine master himself?¡¯ Xue Tong was feeling anxious as he looked around the store in search of the ¡¯expert¡¯, but what he saw was everyone¡¯s numbed expression as if they were already used to this kind of scene.


    "No violence is allowed inside the store. Those who break the rules will be kicked out without exception." A cold and indifferent voice of a woman reverberated inside the wine store like a divine decree.


    Xue Tong nced at the direction where the voice came from. There, he saw a blonde beauty with an explosive figure. He was stunned after seeing Theia¡¯s shapely body, but he did not dare ogle too much after witnessing the event that had just transpired.


    "This... This... What kind of ce did I go into?" Xue Tong muttered to himself with a distressed look on his usually arrogant-looking face.


    "Dear guest, are you still going to order?" Hestia said with the same unchanging smile.


    Xue Tong¡¯s mood became much better after seeing her smile. He then forced out a smile and took a nce at the list of prices written on the ckboard with a bleeding heart.


    "Haha, of course! Of course! Give us four bottles of Ables nc." Xue Tong said with a smiling expression that was on the verge of crying. It was such an ugly sight to behold!


    Hestia smiled radiantly as she received the order. She then gracefully turned around and walked towards the wine storage while smiling at the customers along the way.


    Theia who was standing near the entrance shook her head at the sight.

 Chapter 60 - Troublemaker Becomes A Customer

    <h4>Chapter 60 - Troublemaker Bes A Customer </h4>


    Xue Tong found himself a seat in one corner and sat down with a sullen look.


    Xue Tong went here after hearing the rumors about the wine store. He also thought that the people from the wine store were just intentionally hyping everything to gain a reputation for themselves.


    He didn¡¯t know that the rumors about them having a strong expert was true. Besides, she was also a very stunning beauty! Furthermore, even their waitress was also a very beautiful and graceful woman!


    "Just what kind of person is the owner of this wine store for him to make these two lovely women serve him?" Xue Tong muttered to himself with a downcast look.


    At first, he thought that the rumored wine master was merely a conman, but after everything that had happened, Xue Tong knew that the wine master was no ordinary person!


    "Here are your wines, dear guests. Enjoy." Hestia smiled gently as she carefully put the bottles of wine and silver wine sses on Xue Tong¡¯s table.


    Xue Tong recovered from his stupor after hearing Hestia¡¯s captivating voice. He then gave her a forced smile and said. "Thank you, Young Miss Hestia."


    Hestia shed a smile before she walked away leaving behind a bewitching natural scent of a young woman.


    Xue Tong and his three remaining guards closed their eyes in delight as their nostrils enjoyed the womanly scent that lingered in the air.


    Xue Tong slowly opened his eyes and looked at Hestia¡¯s figure for a moment before he turned to look at the wine bottle that he was holding in his hands.


    "Let¡¯s see if the rumors about these miraculous wines are true. If not, then I will demandpensation even if it means being thrown out of this store." He said with a dark look.


    Although the wine aroma that remained in the air was quite appealing, he believed otherwise.


    Xue Tong slowly pulled out the cork that sealed the bottle of Ables nc. With his strength, it wasn¡¯t a problem pulling it out even without a corkscrew.


    A strong oceanic smell that burst out of the wine bottle hit his face like a sea wave. As the smell seeped through his senses, his eyes widened in surprise. He couldn¡¯t believe that such a pleasant smell came from the wine inside the bottle he was holding!


    "This..." Xue Tong impatiently grabbed a silver ss prepared for them and filled it with the wine in his hands.


    A shimmering liquid flowed down from the wine bottle as it continuously emitted a dense aquatic aroma.


    After filling his ss to the brim, Xue Tong gulped down the contents with no hesitation.


    "Gulp. Gulp. Gulp."


    "This taste... Ables Oyster¡¯s honey?! How luxurious is this!? Even our Xue Family rarely used Ables Oyster¡¯s honey as an ingredient, but in this store, it is used in their wines as if it is justmon honey!" Xue Tong eximed exaggeratedly.


    He couldn¡¯t be med either. Although their Xue Family was a merchant family, it was also rare for them to acquire honey from an Ables Oyster.


    The three guards beside Xue Tong nodded their heads in agreement as they drank their share of wine with indulgence.


    Boss Scar and his brothers smiled mockingly after seeing the stunned expressions of Xue Tong and co.


    "Ah, I can see myself in them after I first went here. In fact, I was also skeptical about Wine Master Jiu¡¯s wines because of their absurd prices. Good thing I tried it and didn¡¯t make a lot of trouble that day or I would¡¯ve been banned by Wine Master Jiu. If that happens, I will surely regret it." Liu Xiufeng said in a clear and reminiscent voice. He had already recovered from his drunken state after seeing the sorry plight of Xue Tong¡¯s guard.


    "You sound like you¡¯ve been here for years, Old Liu. We haven¡¯t even been customers here for a month yet." Boss Scar smacked the back of Liu Xiufeng¡¯s head with a bit of force causing thetter to rub his head.


    "Ow! Ow!" Liu Xiufeng grimaced while ring at Boss Scar.


    "Hahaha! Hahaha!" The other mercenaries around the tableughed after seeing the charade between the two. It was quite rare for them to spend their time like today in their line of duty. And after bing Wine Master Jiu¡¯s loyal customers, their brotherhood also became a lot stronger after drinking wines together.


    Wines and friends are a great blend indeed...


    * * *


    A handsome man with long silver hair descended in front of the wine store. His expression was detached as if nothing could make a ripple in his emotion.


    Behind him was ady with icy blue hair wearing a white dress. She was looking curiously at the wine store in front of them.


    "Master, is this your store?" Lu Sn asked with a doubtful look in her eyes as she scanned the shabby-looking store that had a domineering name written in bold capital letters. ¡¯THE IMMORTAL¡¯S WINE STORE¡¯


    It was way different than what she had imagined. In fact, it wasn¡¯t even close to what she had in mind. Although the wine store looked spotlessly clean, it was still in to look from every angle.


    Without turning his head, Jiu Shen nodded his head indifferently. "This is indeed my wine store."


    After that, Jiu Shen walked towards his store while ignoring an unconscious man dressed in a guard¡¯s uniform who was lying face-first outside the store.


    Lu Sn raised her eyebrows when she saw the man but she also chose to ignore him and just silently followed behind her master.


    The moment they step inside the store, Lu Sn felt her strength being somewhat constrained by an unknown force. It was as if there was an array formation meant to weaken everyone who steps inside the store.


    Lu Sn surveyed the store and she couldn¡¯t help but gape in shock.


    "Spatial maniption?! But only 10th-rank God realm experts are capable of wielding the power of space! My master, is he perhaps a..." She had a horrifying thought in her head as she nced at Jiu Shen with an even more worshipping look.


    Jiu Shen ignored his disciple as he had already expected that kind of reaction from her. Perhaps only Jiu Shen would know that it was actually the system that had erged the space inside his store.


    Lu Sn lightly inhaled the lingering aroma of wines in the air with a sweet smile on her face.


    "Although the store looked rather in outside, the calm atmosphere inside the store is just like my master¡¯s neutral and indifferent disposition. Now I¡¯m beginning to like this store." She muttered to herself while looking at the pleased and smiling expressions of the customers inside the store.


    But then she saw something in the corner that made her stop in her tracks.


    "That small tree... I think I¡¯ve seen that somewhere... Wait! Isn¡¯t that the 9th-rank Earth Origin Dragon Tree?!" Lu Sn covered her small mouth as she eximed with wide eyes.


    "Oh, youngdy, are you talking about Wine Master Jiu¡¯s bonsais?" A customer who was seated near Lu Sn asked her with a bewildered look on his face.


    "What bonsai?" Lu Sn asked with a nk look on her face.


    "Wine Master Jiu has four of those bonsais. Aren¡¯t they beautiful? They even looked like small coiling dragons. Hehe." The customer smiled kindly as he spoke.


    "Four of them?!" Lu Sn hurriedly looked around. Indeed, there were four Earth Origin Dragon Tree inside the store.


    "Master mentioned that he has this. I thought he was just messing around... To think that he has four of it here. And he¡¯s even treating them like random ornamental nts..." Lu Sn¡¯s lips twitched as she forced out a smile on her face.

 Chapter 61 - Replanting Spiritual Plants In The Spirit World

    <h4>Chapter 61 - Renting Spiritual nts In The Spirit World </h4>


    It was early afternoon. The light from the scorchingly hot sun sshed down the world of Nuar basking the entire with a zing glow.


    The busy streets of Beltran City were noisy as usual, but it was entirely different in one isted corner of the city.


    There was an ordinary-looking store situated in that corner giving off a mundane but calm atmosphere. If the top experts would only take a look at this store, they would surely feel that it wasn¡¯t what it seemed to be. There was an oppressive but invisible aura that covered the entire store as if an imprableyer of divine armor protecting it. Just that no one but Jiu Shen was the only one who can see it...


    Inside the store.


    "Young Miss Hestia hic~, can I have hic ~ another order of Mystic Jade here, please hic~?" A young man in histe teens asked with a beet-red face. The usually arrogant expression on his face can no longer be seen. It was reced by a mild and noble countenance making him look like a schr. It was hard to believe but this man was Xue Tong...


    Hestia¡¯s long fiery hair swayed as she turned to look at the already drunk Xue Tong. She gave him a faint smile as she nodded her head. "Yes, Young Master Xue."


    Xue Tong chuckled while looking at Hestia¡¯s walking figure with his hazy vision. He forcefully blinked his eyes to prevent himself from losing consciousness. "The wines here are hic~ great!"


    In front of him were his three guards. They were also drunk but not to the point of losing consciousness since they had a much higher drinking tolerance than their young master who was only at the initial 3rd-rank Crusader realm.


    "Here is your Mystic Jade, Young Master Xue." Hestia gently ced a bottle of wine in Xue Tong¡¯s table as she said with a carefree smile.


    Even in their drunken states, Xue Tong and his guards were still bedazzled by Hestia¡¯s unrivaled beauty.


    "Thank you, Young Miss Hestia." Xue Tong said after temporarily regaining his senses.


    Hestia smiled at them before she went back to attend to the other customers.


    * * *


    Inside the store¡¯s kitchen.


    "Master, are those Earth Origin Dragon Tree outside real?" Lu Sn poked her master¡¯s back as she asked with a nk look.


    Jiu Shen stopped in his tracks and turned to nce at his curious disciple with a serene look.


    "Hmm..." He nodded calmly.


    "But... Is it okay to show it off inside the store? I mean that¡¯s a 9th-rank spiritual nt and if the top experts of the Profound Dragon Continent will learn about their existence, they will surelye to visit your store." Lu Sn said, feeling a bit worried about the thought of facing countless top experts.


    Although her master was also a top expert. Would he be able to fight off many cultivators in the same realm?


    Jiu Shen was at first calm, but when he heard what Lu Sn had in mind, he gently closed his eyes and recalled the scene where he had fought against tens of thousands of experts from the Celestial Paragon Tower when he was being pursued by them. He killed thousands during that day and was still able to escape despite receiving heavy injuries. He was only captured when Celestial Emperor Lao Gou took the matter with his own hands and sealed the injured Jiu Shen in his God-rank artifact, the God Sealing Tower.


    Lu Sn was confused at the change in her master¡¯s usually serene expression. There was a tinge of nostalgia and an inexplicable emotion lingering on his handsome face. Lu Sn didn¡¯t know what she said to evoke that kind of change in her master¡¯s emotion.


    "Master... I... I-" Lu Sn cast a worried look at her master. Just what kind of memory could make someone like her master be like that? She didn¡¯t know and she didn¡¯t dare ask either.


    Jiu Shen opened his eyes and shook his head gently. "Help Hestia attend to the customers outside. I¡¯ll just make some preparations for the wine that I will be brewing tomorrow."


    Lu Sn bit her lower lip, but in the end, she obeyed her master and said after bowing respectfully at Jiu Shen. "Yes, master."


    Jiu Shen nced at Lu Sn¡¯s fleeting figure serenely.


    "No one in this world can stop me..." He muttered calmly, but the atmosphere within the kitchen turned frosty causing the whole kitchen to be covered in ayer of ice. Seconds after, a brilliant light enveloped the whole kitchen removing the icyyer that covered the entire ce. It was the system maintaining the store¡¯s perfect condition...


    "System, open the Spirit World for me." Jiu Shen spoke after regaining his calm state.


    - Ding!


    - Opening the entrance to the Spirit World!


    - Host, please wait for a moment!


    The system¡¯s mechanical voice echoed inside Jiu Shen¡¯s head.


    A two-meter tall door made from Eonic Ragardwood Tree emerged out of thin air. Although Jiu Shen had already seen the striking appearance of the door, his mouth still twitched at the sight of it. Perhaps only the system could be this shy in making an entrance to a Spirit World...


    Jiu Shen pushed the door open with one hand and was greeted by a beautiful sight at the other side of the door.


    Humongous green mountains surrounded by thousands of tall trees. A huge blueke that glowed with a golden hue and numerous aquatic savage beasts living within. The grassynd of the Spirit World was also filled with plump and healthy savage beasts.


    Although the creatures inside the Spirit World were only low-level creatures, they were all giving off a vigorous and robust aura. With enough time, they would surely evolve into a much stronger species of savage beasts.


    "I was able to gather a few spiritual nts from the Green Mountain Lake. I should rent them here in order for them to continue growing. With the amount of true essence in this Spirit World, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem for these spiritual nts to further develop." Jiu Shen muttered to himself as he flew around the Spirit World to search for a perfect ce to rent the spiritual nts that he had found earlier.


    After flying around for some time, Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes shone when he saw an uninhabited ind. There was an unountable number of spiritual nts at the 3rd-rank Crusader realm and there were even some at the 4th-rank Knight Crusader realm. Jiu Shen fished out the spiritual nts inside his storage earring and nted them in different locations. He also ced a protective array formation around each of the spiritual nts just in case stray savage beasts would find their way on the ind.


    Jiu Shen then took out thest spiritual nt from his storage earring. It was the Abyssal Vine Cranberry, an 8th-rank Divine realm spiritual nt.


    Jiu Shen dug a small hole from thend he was stepping on and carefully put the small shrub before he covered its roots with soil.


    The soil on this ind was rather healthy and full of true essence. It was a sufficient ce to nurture these high-level spiritual nts.


    After nting the Abyssal Vine Cranberry, Jiu Shen used his spiritual power to create a protective array around it with a casual wave of his arm.


    It was enough to ward off 8th-rank Divine realm savage beasts.


    If Lu Sn saw how easy it was for Jiu Shen to create an array formation, she would surely gape at the sight. Because even the 9th-rank protective array around their Ice Cloud Sword Sect was made under thebined efforts of more than five 9th-rank Saint Array Formation Maker!


    "This should be enough..." Jiu Shen nodded his head with a satisfied look.

 Chapter 62 - Kitchen Tools Gift Package

    <h4>Chapter 62 - Kitchen Tools Gift Package </h4>


    Jiu Shen stepped out of the Spirit World after renting all the spiritual nts that he had collected from the Green Mountain Lake.


    ¡¯Tomorrow, I¡¯ll start brewing the Frozen Origin. The process of making it is also much lessplicated than making the Deep Sea Spring Dew. So it should be much easier...¡¯ Jiu Shen thought as he walked out of the kitchen.


    There, he saw Lu Sn wearing an apron over her white dress. She was serving wines to some customers with a stiff smile on her face. One look and anyone could tell that she wasn¡¯t used to acting like that.


    Jiu Shen lips curved upwards at the sight of it.


    "Who is this newdy here? Is she one of the staffs here?"


    "She should be. Wine Master Jiu really has a good taste."


    "Yeah! All the staffs here are peerless beauties. And they even serve Wine Master Jiu without protest. How lucky!"


    "Quitparing yourself with Wine Master Jiu! You¡¯re not even worth a crap in his presence."


    "Shut the fuck up! Look who¡¯s talking here!"


    The other customers simplyughed and joked with each other. Some were still curiously looking at Lu Sn¡¯s figure with heated gazes, but they didn¡¯t dare overdo it or else they might be thrown out by Theia who was eyeing the whole store with her cold gaze.


    Who among them didn¡¯t know the most violent ass-kicker in the whole Silver Wing Empire? Aside from that, she didn¡¯t even bat an eyelid when she killed those who had insulted Jiu Shen. With all those things in mind, the customers didn¡¯t dare misbehave inside the store. Even the most violent of mercenaries were now acting like well-mannered intellectuals, not even daring to let out a fart.


    Jiu Shen shook his head and walk upstairs towards his room. He was nning to check the rewards that the system distributed after he finished collecting the ingredients of the Frozen Origin.


    Lu Sn had already felt her master¡¯s presence, but she chose to give her master some space. She just quietly watched her master¡¯s broad but lonely back as he went upstairs.


    "Master..." She silently muttered with a worried expression.


    Lu Sn then felt a soft palm rubbing her back gently. Lu Sn turned sideways with a surprised look. It was Hestia, one of her master¡¯s store staffs.


    When Lu Sn first saw Hestia, she was shocked. This gentle and beautiful youngdy with long red hair was actually an initial 8th-rank Divine realm cultivator like herself! Not just that, Lu Sn also had an absurd feeling that Hestia was many times stronger than her! Although Lu Sn couldn¡¯t properly exin the reason for this, that¡¯s what she sensed after looking at Hestia.


    With a gentle and kind smile, Hestia rubbed Lu Sn¡¯s back and said. "Don¡¯t be too worried about, master."


    "I don¡¯t know about that, Miss Hestia. I might have said something wrong to master earlier..." Lu Sn said with a sigh.b


    Hestia didn¡¯t give a reply. She justforted the worried Lu Sn with her sweet smile.


    The customers¡¯ eyes shone brightly when they saw the two beautiesforting each other. It was such a rare sight for two peerlessly beautiful women to act like that.


    Lu Sn¡¯s face turned red after sensing everyone¡¯s gaze lingering on them. She then looked at everyone with a cold re as her 8th-rank Divine realm aura unconsciously gushed out of her body.


    All the customers inside the store felt the dense and suffocating aura that she was emitting causing everyone to feel their palms sweating heavily.


    ¡¯So this harmless-looking youngdy is also a top expert?! Why is everyone inside the store so absurdly strong? Don¡¯t tell me that even the gentle and kind Young Miss Hestia is also a top expert?¡¯ This was what everyone thought after feeling the aura around Lu Sn.


    Lu Sn felt a bit satisfied after seeing everyone¡¯s fearful looks. She then gave a cold harrumph before she found herself a seat. She was clearly not in the mood to continue serving the customers any longer.


    Hestia chuckled while covering her small lips with her hands.


    * * *


    Jiu Shen sat crossed legged in his room.


    "System, I want to open the rewards that I got earlier." Jiu Shen spoke.


    - Ding!


    - Loading Rewards!


    - Host, do you wish to open the Kitchen Tools Gift Package?


    "Yes." Jiu Shen replied.


    - Ding!


    - Congrattions to the host!


    - You received x1 Supreme Eternal Knife Set!


    - You received x1 Divine Devil Skull Frying Pan!


    - You received x1 White Tiger King Griller!


    Jiu Shen nced at the Supreme Eternal Knife Set with a probing look. There were ten knives sheathed in a wooden knife block. He could tell that those ten knives were far from ordinary. Even in their sheathed state, all ten knives were emitting a dense murderous aura. Those knives didn¡¯t look like kitchen tools at all. In fact, they could be considered as killing weapons if their overall power was taken into ount.


    Jiu Shen who already had the Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword just gave the knife set an indifferent nce before losing interest in it right after.


    He then moved his gaze on a grayish frying pan that didn¡¯t look like a frying pan at all. It was safer to say that it was a cut portion of a creature¡¯s skull with a small ck handle attached to it.


    It was the Divine Devil Skull Frying Pan! From the name itself, it was a pan made from the skull of a Divine Devil, a creature that didn¡¯t exist in Nuar and can only be found somewhere in Hell. A mysterious ce that everyone believed as the world that contained the vilest creatures and species in the whole multiverse.


    Jiu Shen was quite familiar with the ce since he had been there on many asions. The ruler of that ce was even an acquaintance of him. Recalling that person, the usually indifferent Jiu Shen felt his pupils constricting. He then shook his head and ced the distant memory at the back of his mind.


    After that, he nced at the third item with slightly squinted eyes. Just from one look, he could already tell what it was used for. The item looked like a typical griller just that it was emitting a dense beastly aura that covered Jiu Shen¡¯s entire room. It was the White Tiger King Griller...


    "Are these items really just kitchen tools?"

 Chapter 63 - Advancement

    <h4>Chapter 63 - Advancement </h4>


    Jiu Shen took the three kitchen tools and ced them inside his spatial sword earring. Though the three tools were not that important to him, he still had uses for them.


    At least he didn¡¯t have to use his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword in chopping savage beast¡¯s meat or use his Heaven Trampling cauldron to cook food, right?


    - Ding!


    - You received x2 Fruit of Cultivation!


    Jiu Shen squinted his eyes as he looked at the two golden palm-size fruits in his hands. The two fruits were emitting a sacred light that glowed with a golden luster.


    Just from the fact that the fruits were releasing a golden brilliance, even ayman could tell that these fruits were not ordinary.


    "System, this fruit... Each of these two contains a huge amount of true essence and I can even feel that they can enhance my cultivation if I consume them..." Jiu Shen muttered as he studied the fruits from every angle.


    - Ding!


    - Host, the fruits in your hands is called the Fruit of Cultivation. Anyone who consumes it will have their cultivation advance by leaps and bounds without receiving any kind of bacsh. Furthermore, it can also solidify one¡¯s cultivation making their strength stable and consolidated.


    - The two fruits will be able to help the host advance to thete stage 9th-rank Saint realm in both physical body and spirit!


    Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes slightly trembled when he heard the system¡¯s reply.


    He had been finding ways on how to breakthrough since the first day he had transmigrated in Nuar. But to no avail, his cultivation remained the same.


    Now that he saw the solution that he had been looking for, Jiu Shen could help but let out a smile. A smile so dazzling that it could make even the most detached immortal goddesses to blush in adoration. Just that, no woman was there to enjoy the scene...


    Without hesitation, Jiu Shen ate the two fruits in an instant.


    ¡¯It tastes like a pear but with a much stronger aftertaste...¡¯ Jiu Shen thought to himself as he munched on the two fruits.


    After eating the two fruits, Jiu Shen felt his slumbering cultivation level to slowly rise. He also sensed the changes in every fiber of his body.


    Initial 9th-rank Saint realm...


    Mid stage 9th-rank Saint realm...


    The increase in his strength slowed down but it did not stop right there. It continued to grow steadily albeit at a much slower pace.


    Jiu Shen remained calm throughout the process. He shut his eyes tight as he checked the changes happening in his dantian through his spiritual power.


    Late stage 9th-rank Saint realm...


    Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes sprung open, emitting an intense glow that generated several mini electric sparks around him.


    He then stood up from his spot and clenched his fists tightly producing a crackling sound of bones filled with unhidden monstrous strength.


    "Not bad... Although I didn¡¯t reach the 10th-rank God realm, at least I now have a clue on how to increase my strength..." Jiu Shen said as he opened the window of his room to get a look at the outside scenery.


    It waste in the afternoon, the brilliance of the sun subsided a bit. At the moment, the light it illuminated was crimson in color.


    Jiu Shen coldly nced at the sky as if he was looking at a certain person.


    "Wait for my return, my dear friend Lao Gou..." He muttered with unbridled killing intent raging toe out of his silver eyes.


    * * *


    Inside the Silver Wing Empire¡¯s imperial pce.


    Defender Duanmu walked towards the throne room with hurried footsteps. He ignored the respectful nces of the imperial guards and knelt in front of the throne room¡¯s entrance.


    "Your Majesty, your humble servant requests an audience with you." His aged but vigorous voice echoed within the pce.


    "Granted..."


    The huge door of the throne room sprung open allowing Defender Duanmu to see the man that he had been serving for more than a century. The emperor of the Silver Wing Empire and one of the top experts in the whole Profound Dragon Continent. Emperor Elyk Silveria...


    Emperor Elyk was able to stabilize the fate of their empire for several decades with his monstrous power and charisma, but the very man in front of him no longer looked the same as his glorious past.


    Elyk Silveria¡¯s once dignified countenance now had a tinge of tiredness and exhaustion. Although his physical strength remained the same, the man¡¯s emotional state was the exact opposite.


    Defender Duanmu sighed in his heart as he nced at the emperor. He felt sad when he saw the man he revered being reduced to such a state.


    Defender Duanmu walked towards the emperor with steady steps. He then stopped and knelt down on one knee.


    "Your Majesty, I wish to speak with you alone." He said while looking at the imperial guards inside the throne room.


    Although all the imperial guards were carefully chosen, he didn¡¯t want to take a risk in having other people hearing what he¡¯d tell the emperor.


    Emperor Elyk understood his concern so he signaled the imperial guards to leave the throne room with a wave of his hands.


    The imperial guards followed the order without protest.


    After seeing that only he and the emperor were left inside the throne room, Defender Duanmu released a sigh.


    "I apologize, your Majesty. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust our imperial guards, I just don¡¯t want any mishaps to happen." Defender Duanmu voiced out his concerns.


    "Are you talking about my three eldest sons, Duanmu?" Emperor Elyk nced at Defender Duanmu with a calm look, but thetter saw the sadness in the former¡¯s eyes.


    Defender Duanmu didn¡¯t reply and just released a heavy sigh.


    Emperor Elyk took in a deep breath and stabilized his emotions. He then gazed at Defender Duanmu and said. "Speak. What did youe here for?"


    Defender Duanmu¡¯s expression turned serious as he replied. "Your Majesty, Wine Master Jiu is already back in his store, but there is one person he brought with him."


    Emperor Elyk¡¯s eyebrows knitted closely together at those words.


    "And who is this person?" The emperor asked.


    Defender Duanmu nced at the emperor and replied. "The sect mistress of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect, Lu Sn."


    "Why is it her?!" Emperor Elyk¡¯s voice contained a hint of inexplicable emotion as he eximed in surprise.


    Defender Duanmu shook his head. "Not just that. She also appears to be subservient to Wine Master Jiu. I think the rtionship of the two is not shallow..."

 Chapter 64 - Brewing The Frozen Origin

    <h4>Chapter 64 - Brewing The Frozen Origin </h4>


    Emperor Elyk Silveria¡¯s exhausted eyes regained a hint of rity after hearing the name "Lu Sn".


    He had seen her once coincidentally during his visit to the branch of the Alchemy Hall in his Silver Wing Empire. It was a few decades ago when he was still in his primes.


    When he first saw Lu Sn, Emperor Elyk was immediately attracted to her captivating beauty and mour. But because of his pride as a monarch and a top expert, he refused to make the first move.


    The flower hasn¡¯t even bloomed for a day when it wilted down. He chose to kill the sprouting emotion inside of him before it could even grow...


    Up until now, Emperor Elyk couldn¡¯t forget his encounter with her...


    ¡¯What could be her rtionship with this Wine Master Jiu?¡¯ Emperor Elyk thought to himself as he let out a sigh.


    "Your Majesty, do you wish to speak with Wine Master Jiu now?" Defender Duanmu asked.


    The emperor thought for a moment before he shook his head. "Not at this moment. Just make sure that none of my three eldest sons will create trouble in his wine store. I can¡¯t even imagine the consequences of making an enemy out of that store..."


    Defender Duanmu nodded his head in agreement. Indeed, all the people working in that store were experts at the same level as their emperor. Just their strength alone was enough to create a big wave in their Silver Wing Empire. How much more the unfathomable Wine Master Jiu himself?


    * * *


    The next day.


    Jiu Shen went inside the Time and Space Chamber to start brewing the Frozen Origin. The time inside this ce was elerated by more than several hundred times the outside world!


    The Time and Space Chamber was like a world of its own. There were lush greeneries, vast oceans, and small creatures living within. Almost everything needed for brewing wines can be found here.


    The brewing tools inside the Time and Space Chamber were almost identical to the ones in a technological world. Just that there were arrays carved on these sets of equipment that served the purpose of enhancing the ingredients¡¯ quality.


    Jiu Shen then took out the ingredients in brewing the Frozen Origin and ced them neatly in front of him.


    "The first part of the brewing process was the making of yeast using the Violent Rosefinch." Jiu Shen closed his eyes to recall the brewing process of the wine. He then grabbed several handfuls of Violent Rosefinch leaves and ced them inside a cask.


    He no longer bothered to check the material used to make the cask since Jiu Shen already knew that it must be another God-rank wood...


    The leaves of a Violent Rosefinch had a distinct smell that was almost simr to grapes. Just that the former tasted bitter when eaten raw.


    Jiu Shen didn¡¯t throw away the stem of the Violent Rosefinch since it was the most important part of the whole nt. Although it was thorny and difficult to handle, it will be easy on the hands of Jiu Shen who already had the process engraved inside his brain.


    "First, I have to extract the juices in the stem before pouring it inside the cask." Jiu Shen cut the stems into smaller pieces using one of the knives from the Eternal Knife Set.


    He then put the cut stems inside a huge ss before covering the opening with a ss cover.


    With a casual snap of his fingers, the array engraved on the ss lit up causing it to shake a bit.


    "Whir! Whir!


    The ss emitted a whirring sound as the arrays engraved inside of it crushed the stems into finer pieces.


    The whirring sound subsided when only a light green fluid remained from the former thorny stems.


    Jiu Shen did this process to all the cut stems before he gently poured the light green fluid inside the cask.


    The viscous fluid mixed with the leaves of the Violent Rosefinchid inside the cask.


    "I just need to fill this cask until it¡¯s one-fourth full." Jiu Shen said as he poured the remaining light green fluid inside the wooden barrel with a calm but serious look.


    "That should be enough. With the elerated time inside the Time and Space Chamber, I only need to wait for an hour for the fermenting process of this fluid."


    The Violent Rosefinch was a peculiar ingredient. During the process of making yeast out of its juices, the fluid will solidify and bes silver in color.


    After an hour, Jiu Shen opened the cask and was greeted by a jelly-like substance that was silver in color. He already expected this to happen so he wasn¡¯t surprised.


    He then lifted the entire cask and poured the jelly-like yeast into another cask with a strainer on top of it. Jiu Shen still had to separate the leaves of the Violent Rosefinch from the mixture since he only needed to absorb its aroma.


    After less than a minute, the jelly-like yeast melted and turned to liquid once again. The silver liquid then slowly poured down the new cask.


    The mixture fizzed as the carbon dioxide from the melted yeast escaped its way upwards.


    Jiu Shen took away the strainer which had the leaves of the Violent Rosefinch and discarded it.


    "Next, add twelve liters of Origin Spring Water."


    After that, Jiu Shen grabbed a in-looking bottle. This was the same bottle that he used to contain the Origin Spring Water.


    Slowly, he poured the dull but golden Origin Spring Water inside the cask and mixed it with the silver liquid yeast. The result was a liquid that was green gold in color, but it would only remain like that for a few minutes. Later on, it will turn entirely into a golden liquid.


    He then grabbed a small block of Frozen Cloud cier that was as big as a newborn¡¯s fist and casually threw it on the mixture.


    "The next thing to do is to distill the mixture four times a day for one whole week." Jiu Shen muttered as he activated the array carved on the cask.


    The array on that cask would do the distilling process on its own. All Jiu Shen had to do was wait for it to finish its job.


    "After all of this, thest thing to do is to age the resulting liquid for two and a half years.

 Chapter 65 - Master Fengzi Visits The Store

    <h4>Chapter 65 - Master Fengzi Visits The Store </h4>


    After the distition process of the mixture, Jiu Shen opened the distilling barrel and took a whiff of the mixture lying inside.


    "It smells like grapes but with a much stronger kick. I just need to age this one for two and a half years and it should be ready to be sold by then." Jiu Shen nodded to himself as he poured the mixture into a muchrger cask. This time, it was a barrel meant for storing and aging wines.


    Jiu Shen then stepped out of the Time and Space Chamber after storing the mixture inside the cask.


    "With the elerated time inside the Time and Space Chamber, the Frozen Origin should be ready by tomorrow." Jiu Shen muttered to himself as he teleported back inside his store¡¯s kitchen.


    He saw Hestia and his disciple Lu Sn attending to the customers in the dining hall. Thetter was also much friendlier than usual which surprised the customers who had seen her sudden outburst of power yesterday. Even so, the customers didn¡¯t dare ogle too much at Lu Sn or Hestia.


    "Is this Alchemy Saint Jiu Shen¡¯s wine store?" An old voice echoed inside the store.


    Because it was fairly silent inside the wine store, everyone was able to hear the aged voiceing from the store¡¯s entrance.


    The customers squinted their eyes and turned to look at the iing guests. Everyone¡¯s eyes suddenly popped out of their sockets after seeing the face of the neer.


    It was an old man with unkempt hair. His pair of eyes was a bit murky signifying his declining age, but everyone could feel the overwhelming auraing from him. Aside from that, all the customers inside the store were very familiar with the insignia engraved on his robes. It was the famous crest of the Alchemy Hall depicting an adamantine cauldron with a pair of ck and white wings on its sides.


    With the old man¡¯s eye-catching clothes and immense aura, everyone immediately knew that he might be at least a high-ranking elder of the Alchemy Hall.


    "Branch Head Fengzi, we asked the people around the streets of Beltran City for the most famous wine store and most of them pointed us here." Behind the old man, a middle-aged man in his thirties wearing the same set of clothes said respectfully.


    The old man was the branch head of the Alchemy Hall¡¯s branch in Beltran City. Outsiders call him as Master Fengzi, but some of the alchemists call him Branch Head Fengzi.


    Master Fengzi felt that something was unusual about the store. Just that he couldn¡¯t tell what¡¯s peculiar about it. With that discovery, he was somewhat certain that this must be the doing of ¡¯Alchemy Saint Jiu Shen¡¯.


    "In that case, let¡¯s go inside and check it out ourselves." Master Fengzi said mildly as he stepped inside the store.


    There were four people behind Master Fengzi and all of them were the only four Alchemy Emperors of the entire branch in Beltran City!


    The moment these alchemists stepped foot inside the store, they felt the space warping which made them a bit stunned.


    "Space maniption? Interesting..." Master Fengzi muttered to himself. This new discovery made him a hundred percent sure that this was the store of ¡¯Alchemy Saint Jiu Shen¡¯.


    The four Alchemy Emperors were simrly dumbstruck, but their expressions recovered back quickly to normal.


    Master Fengzi smiled as he took a quick look at the store¡¯s interior.


    "Not bad! Not bad! The atmosphere is great, the smell of good wine is evident, and the bonsais... bonsais... What the hell?! Are these... No way!" Master Fengzi¡¯s murky eyes almost popped out of their sockets after he took a glimpse of four small nts lying inconspicuously in four different corners of the store.


    "If I were you, I¡¯d shut my mouth tight before I kick you out of this store." A beautiful but cold voice traveled in Master Fengzi¡¯s ears like a bucket of cold water.


    He hurriedly turned to the side and saw a valiant blonde beauty dressed in a knight¡¯s armor. Master Fengzi could feel an oppressive auraing from her and it was so immense that he almost fainted.


    Weaker cultivators might not be able to feel her strength, but Master Fengzi knew that this heroicdy in front of him was definitely a 9th-rank Saint realm expert!


    The four Alchemy Emperors could also subtly feel her aura and after looking at Master Fengzi¡¯s reaction, they instantly realized that the blonde beauty was someone they could not afford to offend.


    Master Fengzi regained his wits after sensing that the other party was merely giving him a warning. He then shed a relieved smile at Theia and nodded his head in understanding. "Don¡¯t worry youngdy, this old man will never spread a word about it."


    Theia peered deeply into Master Fengzi¡¯s eyes causing thetter to take a small step backward. She then went back to her usual spot and ignored them.


    Master Fengzi and the other alchemists heaved a huge sigh of relief and felt the weight on their shoulders lightening down by a bit.


    "Hello, dear guests. Wee to the Immortal¡¯s Wine." Hestia quickly defused the situation with a warm wee and a sweet smile.


    Master Fengzi nced at Hestia only to get another shocking discovery.


    This gentle-looking waitress with long red hair in front of them was an 8th-rank Divine realm expert! Another expert...


    ¡¯Just what the hell is this ce?!¡¯ Master Fengzi almost staggered, but he forcefully maintained his calm disposition to prevent themselves from bing aughingstock.


    "Ah- Thanks for the warm wee, youngdy." Master Fengzi forced out a stiff smile on his aged face as he said those words.


    "Dear guests, follow me to your table." Hestia smiled as she gestured for them to follow behind her.


    Master Fengzi and the four Alchemy Emperors trailed behind Hestia as they curiously nced around the store.


    They were surprised to see the usually loud and noisy mercenaries talking in mild and normal voices, but when they recalled the strength of the staffs inside the store, they immediately felt that it made sense for them to behave like that.


    There were even some nobles who were now acting reserved and refined which was a stark contrast to their typically arrogant and mboyant habits.


    Master Fengzi sighed to himself.


    ¡¯In the end, if you have sufficient strength, everyone else will respect you. But if you¡¯re weak, then you can only suffer the mockery of others.¡¯

 Chapter 66 - Wine Master Jiu Is An Alchemy Saint?

    <h4>Chapter 66 - Wine Master Jiu Is An Alchemy Saint? </h4>


    Master Fengzi and the four Alchemy Emperors sat down and nced at each other with weird looks lingering on their faces.


    They didn¡¯t expect that their visit here would shock them senseless. Who in their right mind would make a 9th-rank Saint realm expert serve as a door guard? Not just that, there was even an 8th-rank Divine realm expert acting as the waitress...


    Suddenly, their overall impression of the mysterious Alchemy Saint Jiu Shen increased by several degrees.


    "What would you like to order, dear guests?" Hestia smiled as she asked the alchemists with the same unchanging smile she gives every day.


    Master Fengzi nced at Hestia with respect and replied in a slightly careful tone. "Do you have a menu here, youngdy?"


    Hestia smiled apologetically and said. "Unfortunately we don¡¯t have a menu yet, dear guest. But all the things sold inside is written in that ckboard." She then pointed a ckboard hanging inconspicuously at the front.


    Master Fengzi and the four Alchemy Emperors followed the direction she was pointing and saw a small ckboard with rows of words written neatly.


    When they saw the prices, they were somewhat stunned, but they never showed the surprise they were feeling. They were only a bit curious about the high prices...


    Master Fengzi¡¯s expression remained the same as he took a nce at the prices. He then smiled at Hestia and said. "Five Deep Sea Spring Dew for us please, youngdy."


    Hestia had long since felt the cultivation of these new guests, so she wasn¡¯t surprised about what they ordered. She merely gave them a nod and said with a radiant look. "One Deep Sea Spring Dew is 120 True Crystals. You ordered five, so that would be 600 True Crystals. Is there anything else, dear guests?"


    "That¡¯s it for now, youngdy." Master Fengzi chuckled.


    ¡¯Although this is Alchemy Saint Jiu Shen¡¯s wine store, who knows if he¡¯s also a good wine maker right?¡¯ The alchemists thought in their hearts.


    After getting their reply, Hestia gracefully turned around to get them their wines.


    "Branch Head Fengzi, this store doesn¡¯t look normal at all. The maniption of space, the strength of the staffs, and the way the customers¡¯ are acting..." The middle-aged alchemist voiced out his thoughts with his eyebrows knitted closely together. This man¡¯s name was Wang Wei, one of the four vice branch head of the Beltran City Alchemy Hall Branch.


    Master Fengzi eyed Wang Wei with a deep gaze making thetter swallow down the words he was about to speak.


    "Remember, this ce is the turf of Alchemy Saint Jiu Shen. Someone like him is not short on experts serving under his wings. Don¡¯t talk too much lest you inadvertently incur his displeasure." Master Fengzi said in a serious tone.


    Master Fengzi suddenly recalled the words of their Alchemy Hall¡¯s supreme elder during his younger years.


    "Fengzi, your talent in the art of alchemy is astonishing that even I wouldn¡¯t dare take you in as my disciple. But even so, I will still pass you the entire Alchemy Hall when you be an Alchemy Saint yourself." A kind-looking old man with long white hair said as he patted the back of the then middle-aged Master Fengzi.


    "Supreme Elder, even if you don¡¯t take me in as your disciple, I will still remember you as my teacher." The middle-aged Master Fengzi replied in a serious voice.


    The supreme elder¡¯s lips quivered. The old man then chuckled heartily to mask his emotions. "Just remember this Fengzi. No matter how strong you be, don¡¯t let your achievements boost your ego. Because there is always someone out there who is much stronger than you."


    Master Fengzi let out an emotional sigh after recalling that event. ¡¯I should visit the supreme elder after this and tell him about Alchemy Saint Jiu Shen. Perhaps the supreme elder knows something about him.¡¯ He thought to himself.


    "Dear guests, here¡¯s your order of Five Deep Sea Spring Dew. Enjoy." Hestia¡¯s voice echoed beside the alchemists¡¯ ears like a sweet melody making their tensed nerves calm down by a margin.


    Hestia carefully ced the five bottles on their table and she also gave them one small silver cup each.


    "Thanks, youngdy. But before you go, can I ask if Alchemy Saint Jiu Shen is here?" Master Fengzi asked feeling a bit nervous. He really wanted to see Jiu Shen once again and speak with him about the art of alchemy.


    Hestia raised her eyebrows, feeling a bit surprised. But she then rxed after sensing that the other party didn¡¯t have any ill-intentions. "My master is currently brewing wine, but he should be here any time soon." She replied.


    Master Fengzi heaved a relieved sigh when he heard Hestia¡¯s reply. "Oh, really? That¡¯s great to hear. Honestly, I would like to speak with your master about-."


    "Eh, isn¡¯t this the little brat from the Alchemy Hall?" A calm and indifferent voice cut off Master Fengzi¡¯s speech midway.


    Master Fengzi¡¯s lips twitched when he heard the familiar voice. He then searched where it came from and saw a handsome man with long silver hair standing right in front of the kitchen¡¯s entrance with his arms crossed against each other.


    The samezy demeanor can also be felt from him, but the alchemists didn¡¯t dare belittle him for this man was the one they¡¯re looking for. The mysterious Alchemy Saint that manifested the Pill Aurora when he concocted the 8th-grade Invigorating Meridians Pill, Alchemy Saint Jiu Shen.


    "Alchemy Saint Jiu Shen!" Master Fengzi stood up from his seat and gave Jiu Shen a respectful bow. The four Alchemy Emperors followed suit despite not being there to witness Jiu Shen¡¯s magnificence when he concocted the Invigorating Meridians Pill. Branch Head Fengzi had no reason to lie to them about something so significant. Furthermore, many other alchemists were there to tell the tale.


    When the customers inside the store heard the words ¡¯Alchemy Saint Jiu Shen¡¯, their eyes went wide like saucers. They then nced at the silver-haired Jiu Shen with even more respect and awe.


    Everyone didn¡¯t doubt the authenticity even the slightest bit. They could feel the sincerity of the alchemists when they bowed to Jiu Shen. And knowing their great status, they would never bow to just any random person.


    "So Wine Master Jiu is also an Alchemy Saint?" Boss Scar felt his mouth go dry with this revtion.


    ¡¯The low-key and unassuming Wine Master Jiu was actually an Alchemy Saint?!¡¯ The customers¡¯ hearts were now in a frenzied state. Who could me them? That was an Alchemy Saint!


    An expert at that level would never show himself in front of everyone for no reason! And to think that the owner of the Immortal¡¯s Wine was actually an Alchemy Saint himself!


    ¡¯Okay... I should abandon my ns on stealing that space treasure...¡¯ Xue Tong muttered in his heart, feeling really scared at the moment.

 Chapter 67 - Immortals Are Also Humans

    <h4>Chapter 67 - Immortals Are Also Humans </h4>


    The customers inside the wine store could still hardly believe the events that had just transpired. Even if they tell the people outside about this news, would they believe them? Would the people believe if they tell them that the owner of a wine store in a random street of Beltran City was actually an Alchemy Saint? Definitely not...


    Suddenly, everyone felt a familiar murderous auraing from one corner of the store. They took a nce at the direction of the aura and saw Theia who had a calm but dark expression on her face.


    "No one is allowed to spread this news outside! The people that will circte this will die a slow and excruciating death!" Her voice was as chilly as the winter winds making everyone feel their hearts turning cold.


    Even Master Fengzi and the four Alchemy Emperors gulped in dread after hearing what she had said.


    Everyone felt their knees growing weaker by the second as Theia¡¯s aura slowly enveloped the whole store.


    After giving her final warning, Theia recalled back her aura and gave everyone a deep gaze before she returned to her spot stoically.


    The customers heaved a sigh of relief but thick beads of sweat still trickled down their faces as they nced at the heroic blonde beauty who was standing as straight as a ramrod in the store¡¯s entrance.


    ¡¯Her aura is even stronger than the supreme elder! How did Alchemy Saint Jiu Shen tame such a ferocious young woman?¡¯ Master Fengzi thought to himself as he slowly turned his gaze towards the young man with long silver hair. His old eyes contained an unhidden respect.


    Judging by his face, Jiu Shen looked to be in his early twenties, but Master Fengzi haven¡¯t heard of any prodigy as monstrous as that. He believed that Alchemy Saint Jiu Shen was much older than what he looks.


    ¡¯There might be a pill that could let one retain their youthful looks. And as an Alchemy Saint, he must have concocted it himself.¡¯ Master Fengzi made a wild guess, but of course, it waspletely far from the truth...


    "Just call me Wine Master Jiu like how the customers do." Jiu Shen stated indifferently as he looked at Master Fengzi and the four Alchemy Emperors.


    The alchemists hurriedly nodded their heads to express their understanding.


    "Wine Master Jiu, I don¡¯t mean to interrupt you, but I might not have this kind of opportunity in the future..." Master Fengzi spoke while looking at Jiu Shen with a determined expression.


    Theia who was listening at the sidelines frowned but she didn¡¯t step in. She just coldly nced at Master Fengzi¡¯s back.


    Thetter felt the familiar gaze lingering on him, but his determined eyes didn¡¯t waver. He faced Jiu Shen with feigned calmness as his body was shivering. It was unknown whether it was out of fear or excitement.


    "I would like to speak with you about the art of pill-making. I hope you would ept this humble request from this old man, Wine Master Jiu." Master Fengzi continued and gave Jiu Shen a sincere bow.


    Jiu Shen remained unperturbed at those words. He walked calmly and found himself a seat near the alchemists¡¯ table. After that, he put one of his legs on top of the other and pressed his back on the wooden chair with azy look on his face. He then nced at the bowing Master Fengzi and answered in a distant voice.


    "I decline."


    Hearing those two cold words, Master Fengzi and the four alchemists were surprised.


    Master Fengzi nced at Jiu Shen who now had his eyes closed. The former gave himself a bitter chuckle before he slumped back to his chair with a disheartened look.


    Master Fengzi nced at the wine bottle in front of him and grabbed it with one hand. He then ced his fingers on the cork and gave it a casual twist.


    <i>"Plop."</i> A soft popping sound echoed faintly.


    Master Fengzi closed his weary eyes as he inhaled the wine aroma from the mouth of the wine bottle. He didn¡¯t give any exaggerated reaction and merely sighed with deep emotions after he had perceived the wine¡¯s delicate scent.


    "A good wine." He muttered in a slightly shaky voice.


    The four Alchemy Emperors nced at each other and decided to open their wine bottles.


    Popping sounds echoed about as they took the cork from their bottles.


    Master Fengzi smiled weakly while ncing at them. He then took a swig from his bottle of wine,pletely ignoring the silver cup ced in front of him.


    Perhaps only those emotional people would understand why Master Fengzi drank his wine that way...


    Ice meowed at Jiu Shen before it deftly jumped on hisp.


    Jiu Shen stroked the ball-like and furry fat cat with his eyes still shut tight. He felt the sincerity of Master Fengzi but he did not want to involve himself too much with the people in this world. He knew that he wouldn¡¯t stay here for long. Perhaps the longest might be just a hundred or so years.


    He had lost so many friends during his past life. He couldn¡¯t even do anything as he watched them die of old age while he remained eternally young.


    No one in this world could fathom the pain he had gone through. Even after billions of years, he could still remember the faces of his friends on their dying breaths.


    Their graying hair, their murky eyes, their wrinkled faces...


    Jiu Shen¡¯s breathing sped up a bit, but he hurriedly channeled his aura to stabilize his state of mind.


    ¡¯After billions of years of living, I practiced myself to be stoic, but I could still not erase this human emotion in me. At least, I still haven¡¯t lost myself after all I had gone through...¡¯


    Jiu Shen opened his eyes slowly and watched the people inside the store.


    ¡¯<i>Sigh¡¯ </i>


    <i>¡¯</i>Wine can truly evoke the emotions hidden in one¡¯s soul. Even immortals aren¡¯t immune to this.¡¯


    He then nced at the downcast Master Fengzi and said in a detached voice. "After the store closes, youe and see me."


    Master Fengzi who was absorbed in drinking his wine almost choked himself when he heard those words, but he still stood up and bowed at Jiu Shen excitedly. "Thank you, Wine Master Jiu! Thank you very much!"

 Chapter 68 - Elder Mings Plot

    <h4>Chapter 68 - Elder Ming''s Plot </h4>


    Xue Family Estate.


    "Elder Ming, we have loaded the caravan with all the weapons and resources that you have instructed us to bring. It is now ready to be sent to the neighboring Blue Fang Empire." A figure dressed in full knight gear saluted as he spoke in a respectful voice while facing a person who had his back turned against him.


    The person turned around, showing the face of a man that was nearing his old age. It was the man who sent Sword Four and Sword Five to destroy Jiu Shen¡¯s store, an elder of the Xue Family, Elder Ming!


    "Make sure that everyone in this caravan will have the crest of the Beiming Family tattooed on their bodies." Elder Ming stated with a sly smile on his face.


    The knight saluted once more and replied in a deep voice. "As you say, Elder Ming."


    Elder Ming sat down on his chair and waved his right hand as a signal for the knight to step out of the room.


    The knight bowed deeply at Elder Ming and went out of the room.


    After the knight left, Elder Ming¡¯s smile broadened as he muttered to himself. "Beiming Lei, let me see how you will respond to this after it reaches the emperor¡¯s ears."


    After that, malicious peals ofughter reverberated coldly in that room.


    * * *


    "Prepare everyone to begin the march! Everything here must be sent out without mistakes!" A knight shouted loudly at the people who were dressed like merchants.


    The people who were dressed like merchants stood in attention neatly. The overall impression they gave was simr to that of apany of soldiers who had weathered through countless wars.


    The truth was that they were never merchants to begin with. In fact, they were death soldiers personally trained by Elder Ming to be sent on dangerous missions. They were only loyal to him and the Xue Family!


    After that, the ¡¯merchants¡¯ jumped on their respective caravans with deft movements.


    On either side of them were dozens of soldiers in full body armor mounting on their horses.


    "Begin the march!" After seeing that everyone was fully prepared, the knight ordered as he kicked his horse while facing forward. His whole face was covered by his helmet and only the light from his eyes could be faintly seen. It was emotionless devoid of any undtion.


    The whole caravan followed behind his lead without voicing out anything.


    If one would look at them, they would surely think that this caravan was just like any other. But if the top experts were to see them, they would surely realize that no one in this caravan was weak. In fact, the weakest among them was at least at the 3rd-rank Crusader realm and there were dozens of them in this group!


    They used a secret passage secretly built by the Xue Family to go out of the Silver Wing Empire without being noticed by the patrolling guards.


    It was a big tunnel that was enough for twenty men to fit in a row. Just that alone took the Xue Family many years of hard work to build.


    "Remain focused! Nothing should go wrong in this transaction!" The knight in lead shouted with a cold voice.


    The one leading the caravan was actually Sword Three, one of the five Sword Assassins nurtured by Elder Ming! His strength was at the initial stage of the 7th-rank Emperor realm!


    Just his presence in this caravan alone was enough to tell about how much importance Elder Ming ced in this transaction!


    It was the darkest of the night when the group sneaked out of the Silver Wing Empire. Only the faint clunking of the caravan wheels and the hooves of horses walking on solid ground echoed in the darkness.


    Sword Three squinted his eyes when he sensed another group ahead of them. He dismounted from his horse and walked forward by a couple of steps.


    He then spoke in an emotionless voice. "Who are you people? Are you guys from the Fang Imperial Family of the Blue Fang Empire?"


    <i>"p! p! p!" </i>The sound of someone pping resounded in the darkness. It was then followed by a voice that was filled with hidden mockery.


    "We are indeed the people sent by the Fang Imperial Family. And you guys should be the ones sent by the Beiming Family to deliver our goods, no? <i>Haha! </i>Impressive!" The man leading the other group chuckled.


    Sword Three felt the disdain from the man¡¯s voice but he feigned ignorance as he replied in an icy voice. "We have delivered the goods as promised. Take out the ves so that we can finish this transaction."


    <i>"Clomp! Clomp! Clomp!" </i>Faint footsteps could be faintly heard as Sword Three spoke. He then saw a towering silhouette dressed in a dull blue armor with a cape made from a savage beast¡¯s fur.


    "There¡¯s no hurry, my friend. I would just like to speak with you about the Beiming Family¡¯s reason for doing this? Are you perhaps nning to stage a rebellion with all those ves we have sent you? It has been many years and your people might have already been prepared for that. <i>Hahah!" </i>The man inquired with a look filled with understanding only to be met with Sword Three¡¯s deep and piercing gaze.


    The man felt his heart skip a beat when he saw the emotionless eyes of Sword Three. It was as if he wasn¡¯t looking at a man but instead a savage beast!


    He swallowed the words he was about to say and forcefully shrugged his shoulders to mask his rising fear.


    <i>"Haha! You¡¯re</i> too rigid, my friend. Don¡¯t worry. We care nothing about the well-being of the Silver Wing Empire. In fact, we would dly offer our assistance if you decide to start a revolution." The man let out a dry chuckle before he spoke with a smiling expression.


    Sword Three lips curved up beneath his helmet, but his eyes remained cold as he spoke. "The ves..."


    The towering man shook his head with a smile and signaled his men with his hand and ordered them in a deep voice. "Take out the ves and give them to our friends here!"


    "Yes, my lord!"

 Chapter 69 - Secret Transaction

    <h4>Chapter 69 - Secret Transaction </h4>


    More than a hundred ves tied in thick metal chains were slowly being pulled by the Fang Imperial Family¡¯s people. The ves were in groups of twenty and were separated randomly.


    "Stupid pigs, move faster! Can¡¯t you see that our dear friends here are in haste?!" A soldier from the Fang Imperial Family¡¯s side took out a whip from his hips and waved it around to scare the ves.


    More than ny percent of the ves were males and they all look emaciated and weak. Their eyes looked hollow and lifeless as if they hadpletely lost the will to live. But under the intense intimidation from the soldiers, they hurriedly moved to avoid themselves from getting into trouble.


    Sword Three nced at the ves with a calm look, but he was inwardly excited since this would be thest batch of ves that the Xue Family needed.


    As of now, they might look like people who are at the end of their ropes, but after they would receive the strict training of their Xue Family¡¯s instructors, these ves would definitely turn into elite soldiers in just several months!


    It was many years ago since the Xue Family had started their secret transaction with the Fang Imperial Family of the neighboring Blue Fang Empire. Of course, thetter thought that they were members of the Beiming Family.


    It was part of Elder Ming¡¯s ns to frame up the Beiming Family and create a rift between them and the Silveria Imperial Family of the Silver Wing Empire. Thus, they came up with this strategy of masking their identities as people from the Beiming Family.


    After they have trained all the ves that they got from the Fang Imperial Family, they would thenmence the final part of their plot!


    As Sword Three was upied in his thoughts, a deep voice echoed beside him, stunning him a bit. "Friend, it is nice doing business with you."


    The towering man from the Fang Imperial Family was seven feet tall and had a rather buff physique. He gave off an intimidating air but it was nothing to Sword Three.


    Thetter nced at the tall man and nodded his head slightly.


    "My name is Fang Shi and if you ever need help from our Fang Imperial Family, juste to the Blue Fang Empire and tell them my name." Fang Shi smiled and extended his thick arms to express his friendly intentions. Of course, he also had a hidden motive in trying to befriend the person in front of him.


    Fang Shi knew that this masked knight was an expert at the 7th-rank Emperor realm. They were on the same level but he had a strange feeling that this knight in front of him might be capable of besting him in a one on one fight!


    By helping their group, their Blue Fang Empire might gain another ally. But of course, they still have to win the war against the Silveria Imperial Family.


    Sword Three smiled beneath his mask and grabbed Fang Shi¡¯s hand and shook it firmly. And with a calm voice, he said. "I will remember your words, Lord Fang."


    Fang Shi smiled widely and patted Sword Three¡¯s shoulder before he walked away with his men. "Soldiers of my Blue Fang Empire! Let¡¯s head back!"


    Sword Three nced deeply at their receding figures before hemanded his people in his usually emotionless voice. "Put these ves inside the caravans and make sure that their lips are sealed tight! I don¡¯t want to hear them whimpering as we go back home!"


    The ¡¯merchants¡¯ stood neatly in attention and gave Sword Three a respectful salute as they answered in a sonorous voice. "Yes, Lord Three!"


    After that, they started bringing the ves inside the now empty caravans and they also sealed their mouths with a piece of cloth. It was to prevent them from attracting unwanted attention when they reach the periphery of the Silver Wing Empire.


    Everything must be done meticulously or everything that they had nned for many years might go down the cesspool.


    After putting the ves inside the caravan, Sword Three led his men on their way back home.


    * * *


    Inside Jiu Shen¡¯s store.


    Master Fengzi and the four Alchemy Emperors sat respectfully as they looked at Jiu Shen who was drinking a bottle of wine.


    "Hestia, bring me one Deep Sea Spring Dew. And ah, don¡¯t worry. These gentlemen will pay for it." Jiu Shen said calmly as he handed Hestia the empty bottle of wine in his hands.


    Master Fengzi and the other four alchemists¡¯ lips twitched when they heard his words but they didn¡¯t dare disagree. Who knows...perhaps Jiu Shen might change his mind if they don¡¯t agree with him.


    After hearing no response from the alchemists, Hestia covered her lips and let out a faint chuckling sound as she walked towards the wine storage.


    "So, what do you want to hear from me, you little brats of the Alchemy Hall?" Jiu Shen cut down the chase and asked in an indifferent voice.


    Master Fengzi and his group were momentarily stunned at Jiu Shen¡¯s straightforwardness. Their throats trembled and they almost forgot what they hade for.


    Jiu Shen nced at them with a nk look making these usually mboyant high-ranking elders of the Alchemy Hall to be flustered.


    "<i>Ehem! </i>Wine Master Jiu, I was fortunate to witness your magnificence when you concocted the 8th-grade Invigorating Meridians Pill some time ago! You were even able to summon the Pill Aurora of the legends! In all my life, it was the first time I saw someone capable of producing that kind of phenomenon when concocting pills! I would never forget that moment, even in my dying breaths." Master Fengzi said with a look of fanaticism. His aged voice was trembling and everyone could see the genuine excitement he was feeling.


    The four Alchemy Emperors¡¯ eyes were filled with reverence as they tried to imagine the glorious scene of Jiu Shen concocting the pill. They might not have witnessed the process, but they heard everyone who had seen the event talk about it animatedly.


    ¡¯If only I was there to witness everything.¡¯ Each of them thought to themselves.

 Chapter 70 - They Still Havent Paid...

    <h4>Chapter 70 - They Still Haven''t Paid... </h4>


    "Master, here¡¯s your Deep Sea Spring Dew." Hestia handed the bottle of wine to Jiu Shen with a smile on her face. She then stood behind Jiu Shen like an obedient maidservant waiting for her master¡¯s order.


    The alchemists looked envious after seeing how respectful the beautiful and kind Hestia was to Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen pulled out the cork with two fingers and took a habitual sniff of the wine¡¯s bursting aroma with his eyes closed.


    Master Fengzi and the other four Alchemy Emperors were also able to smell the aromatic scent of the wine. They swallowed down their saliva and nced away from the bottle in Jiu Shen¡¯s hands.


    <i>"Ehem! </i>Wine Master Jiu, after living here in the Silver Wing Empire for so long, it is my first time hearing about an Alchemy Saint being here. If you don¡¯t mind me asking, you¡¯re not a native of this empire, right?" Master Fengzi asked curiously. The alchemists beside him also nced at Jiu Shen. They were obviously interested in this Alchemy Saint¡¯s origins.


    Jiu Shen remained silent and took a light sip from the bottle of wine in his hand. He then nced at the alchemists who were now looking at him with probing eyes.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s gaze was one of extreme calmness as if no storm could move him.


    "Is this what you came here for?" Jiu Shen asked with a poker face.


    Master Fengzi¡¯s eyes widened at his words and he could not help but stand up. He then bowed at Jiu Shen and spoke in an apologizing tone. "I¡¯m sorry about that, Wine Master Jiu. Please pretend that I didn¡¯t ask that question."


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly and took another sip from his wine bottle.


    "Wine Master Jiu, could you please enlighten us about the Pill Aurora? Even our supreme elder is clueless about it since we only saw it in an archaic carving left behind by the ancient civilization." Master Fengzi sighed and shook his head.


    ¡¯I didn¡¯t think that the standards of alchemy here is too outdated that they didn¡¯t even know what Pill Aurora is...¡¯ Jiu Shen thought to himself.


    Jiu Shen wasn¡¯t a great alchemist in his previous life. In fact, his level of alchemy was too low to be worthy of attention. He only picked it up as a hobby when he was very bored and had nothing else to do.


    Jiu Shen ced the bottle of wine on the table and remained silent for a brief moment before he spoke. "There are six states of pill when it is sessfully concocted: Low State, Medium State, High State, Peak State, Perfect State, and Profound State."


    "But ah- Wine Master Jiu, we thought that there were only five states in total." Wang Wei, one of the Alchemy Emperors said with a baffled look.


    Jiu Shen took a cursory nce at him and replied in a distant tone. "That¡¯s because the Profound State exceeds the standard of this world."


    Master Fengzi and the others knitted their eyebrows in confusion, but they inwardly agreed with Jiu Shen¡¯s words.


    If there was really someone capable of making a pill at the Profound State then his name would surely be written in history books. But there was no one capable of doing that yet.


    "If that¡¯s the case, then how did you do it?" Wang Wei asked, feeling even more confused.


    Jiu Shen ignored him and added. "Once you¡¯re able to make a pill at the Profound State, you will then be able to summon the Pill Aurora. But in order for someone to produce a pill at that level, they must have a thorough understanding of the ingredients¡¯ponents. This includes age, environment, size, weight, smell, etc..."


    Jiu Shen talked about all his basic understanding of alchemy. Of course, he didn¡¯t tell them about theplicated ones because they might not be able to understand anything about it.


    Hestia, Theia, and Lu Sn who were standing behind Jiu Shen nced at his back with surprised expressions. It was the first time they had heard him talk so much.


    Normally, Jiu Shen would just speak a few words when he was asked. But this time, he talked non-stop for more than an hour.


    Even the three beauties who didn¡¯t have knowledge about alchemy were absorbed in his speech.


    As for Master Fengzi and four Alchemy Emperors, they were noting down everything that Jiu Shen said, afraid that they might forget about all the important things he had stated.


    "And that¡¯s how you enhance the quality of the pill during the concoction process. Although it is the most fundamental enhancing technique, there should be no problem with it." Jiu Shen nced at the people around him.


    It was only then that he realized that he had taken so much time to talk about something. He sighed inwardly and thought to himself. ¡¯Seems like I¡¯ll do good as a sect master if I can talk for that long...¡¯


    Master Fengzi and the others were still digesting everything that Jiu Shen told them. He didn¡¯t know how many times he had been enlightened that night. After listening to an hour of Jiu Shen¡¯s teachings, he felt like he had saved several decades of time in understanding about alchemy.


    It wasn¡¯t just him, the four Alchemy Emperors also felt the same. In fact, they were now looking at Jiu Shen as if he was a deity.


    "It¡¯s gettingte. You guys may take your leave. And Hestia, don¡¯t forget to ask them for the payment of this wine." Jiu Shen stood up from his seat and grabbed the wine bottle before he went upstairs. Lu Sn trailed behind her master with twinkling eyes.


    "Yes, master." Hestia bowed at Jiu Shen¡¯s back figure before she nced smilingly at the still stunned alchemists.


    "Young Miss Hestia, can we order a few wines before we go?" Wang Wei asked while rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.


    "The store is now closed... You may leave, but I can also make you guys stay here forever if you want to..." An icy voice echoed behind them making the alchemists scared shitless that they instantly stood up from their seats and made a hasty sprint out of the store.


    "Ahhh! Run!"


    "Ahhhh!"


    Theia smirked derisively while looking at their scurrying figures.


    "Wait. They still haven¡¯t paid for the wine..." Hestia muttered to herself.


    Theia¡¯s smile twitched and her eyes burned like torches. Her figure then disappeared from her spot.


    <i>"Woosh!"</i>


    Hestia chuckled and prayed that the alchemists would be able to return alive after this.

 Chapter 71 - The Clock Is Ticking

    <h4>Chapter 71 - The Clock Is Ticking </h4>


    Master Fengzi and the four Alchemy Emperors continued running at their speed. But then, a strong aura suddenly enveloped their surroundings which also prevented them from taking another step forward.


    "<i>Step! Step! Step!" </i>A series of light footsteps echoed in the darkness, scaring the five alchemists tremendously.


    They stiffly turned their heads in the direction where the footsteps came from and saw a blonde beauty dressed in a knight¡¯s armor walking slowly towards them.


    Her face could be hardly seen because of theck of light and only her pretty eyes were slightly visible.


    Seeing her, the alchemists suddenly recalled that they still haven¡¯t paid for the wine that Jiu Shen ordered.


    Master Fengzi who was as strong as an 8th-rank Divine realm cultivator was now shaking in dread. "Yo-Young Mi-Miss Theia, we¡¯re not running away from payment... He-Here! Take this. This has two hundred True Crystals inside..." He said in a stuttering voice as he took out a small pouch from his storage ring.


    Theia moved closer to Master Fengzi and she took the small pouch from thetter¡¯s hands. She then inspected it with her spiritual power and saw that there were indeed two hundred True Crystals inside. After that, Theia grabbed eighty True Crystals from the pouch and handed it back to the shivering Master Fengzi.


    "Old man, I don¡¯t take bribes..." She whispered to Master Fengzi before her silhouette vanished from the scene.


    <i>"Whoosh!"</i>


    Master Fengzi held his chest as he panted heavily. "That youngdy-That youngdy... She is even scarier than the de-demons of the Crimson Fiend Continent... Should I be happy... Should I be happy that a strong expert is living here in the Silver Wing Empire or should I grieve instead?" He muttered while catching his breathing.


    "Branch Head Fengzi, I doubt if she would even involve herself in the internal conflict of the empire." Wang Wei said while wiping the sweat from his forehead.


    Master Fengzi who was still taking heavy breaths was stunned. He then nced at Wang Wei and asked him with knitted eyebrows. "What did you just say?"


    Wang Wei sighed and replied in a serious tone. "The empire might face a huge conflict in theing days. The three eldest sons of the emperor are now bing restless. They will surely make a move any time now."


    Master Fengzi frowned when he heard the news. He was too focused in concocting the 8th-grade Invigorating Meridians Pill that he didn¡¯t even know what was happening to the Silver Wing Empire. "If any of the three eldest sons of the emperor wille to our Alchemy Hall to seek for political help, refuse them immediately."


    Wang Wei and the other three Alchemy Emperors were surprised and the former couldn¡¯t help but ask in a perplexed tone. "Branch Head Fengzi, I thought...we are supporting the crown prince this time... Isn¡¯t that what you told us before?"


    Master Fengzi shook his head and nced at the direction of Jiu Shen¡¯s store with aplicated look. "That was before we met Wine Master Jiu..."


    "Branch Head, what do you mean?" Wang Wei stared at Master Fengzi in confusion.


    "What do you think will happen if Wine Master Jiu decides to support one of those princes?" Master Fengzi didn¡¯t answer Wang Wei and instead threw another question at him.


    Wang Wei¡¯s eyes widened as a sh of understanding erased all of his doubts. "That prince would surely... But will Wine Master Jiu really involve himself in this event?"


    Master Fengzi took a nce at Wang Wei and smiled. "We will know soon..."


    * * *


    Inside Jiu Shen¡¯s room.


    "There are still three days left before your next acupuncture. And by then, the four Earth Origin Dragon Tree will also bear their fruits." Jiu Shen said with his back turned against Lu Sn.


    Thetter was delighted when she heard that, but then, she suddenly recalled something. "Master, the fruits... The alchemists might remain silent about it, but some of the customers should have been able to recognize such a treasure."


    Jiu Shen grabbed a chair for himself and satzily on it before he nced at his disciple who now had a worried expression lingering on her face. "You don¡¯t have to be worried. Instead, you might as well ce your worry to whoeveres to make trouble inside the store."


    Lu Sn¡¯s mouth gaped at his words and she couldn¡¯t help but let out a smile.


    <i>"Knock! Knock! Knock!" </i>


    "Come in. It¡¯s open." Jiu Shen said indifferently.


    <i>"Click!" </i>The door emitted a clicking sound as it opened, revealing the face of Theia.


    Lu Sn nced at her warily. Lu Sn was a bit afraid of this woman even though Theia was serving as her master¡¯s store guard.


    "Master..." Theia spoke gently as she handed a small pouch to Jiu Shen. The former¡¯s eyes contained deep affection and respect as she nced at Jiu Shen. It was hard to believe that the tyrant of the Immortal¡¯s Wine would behave so meek and gentle.


    Jiu Shen took the pouch but before he could even nce at its contents, it magically vanished from his hands.


    Of course, it was the system who had taken it...


    Jiu Shen then nced at Theia¡¯s eyes with an emotionless look. "Is there anything else, Theia?"


    "Ah- Nothing else, master." Theia was flustered when she met Jiu Shen¡¯s gaze. She also felt a slight pang in her heart after seeing his cold look.


    With a slightly heavy heart, Theia hastily left the room.


    Lu Sn nced at Theia¡¯s deste figure with pity before she turned to look at her master with a wry smile on her face. ¡¯Only master could evoke Lady Theia¡¯s womanly emotions, but he¡¯s too cold-hearted to ept her feelings...¡¯


    * * *


    Xue Family Estate.


    "Elder Ming, the final transaction with the Fang Imperial Family of the Blue Fang Empire was sessfully aplished. There are no casualties and the ves are now ready to be trained by our people." Sword Three bowed at the man in front of him with reverence.


    Elder Ming smiled and nodded his head. "Good job, Sword Three. You may leave now to take a rest. Tomorrow, make sure that those new batch of ves will be properly trained."


    Sword Three nodded his head and replied in a confident tone. "I will get it done, Elder Ming."


    After Sword Three left, a burst of eerieughter echoed inside the room.


    "Elyk, the clock is ticking. Your reign won¡¯tst for long...<i>Hahaha!" </i>

 Chapter 72 - Not Bad

    <h4>Chapter 72 - Not Bad </h4>


    The next day.


    Inside avish big manor situated at the center part of Beltran City, a group of men wearing thick battle armors was kneeling respectfully in front of a man in histe twenties.


    The man was wearing a luxurious-looking embroidered robes. He had a kind smile on his face as he nced at the soldiers in front of him.


    "Are you sure that what you saw was the Earth Origin Dragon Tree?" The man asked gently.


    "Your highness, I can never be wrong about it. It¡¯s definitely the Earth Origin Dragon Tree and there are four such spiritual nts inside the wine store." A soldier answered while facing the ground, not daring to face the man.


    "Oh? What an interesting store." The man let out a brilliant smile which highlighted his gentle countenance.


    "But ah- there is something weird about that store, your highness." The soldier added.


    The man nced at the soldier with the same mellow expression on his face and asked with a curious voice. "Eh? What is it? Tell me."


    "A woman is protecting that store and she doesn¡¯t seem to be weak. Not just her, even the owner himself is also believed to be a strong expert. We also heard of the news that this owner is actually an Alchemy Saint..." The soldier replied.


    The man¡¯s mild and warm eyes suddenly flickered because of the soldier¡¯s words but it swiftly reverted back to normal.


    "An Alchemy Saint opening an inconspicuous store in Beltran City... Prepare my carriage. I want to see this man for myself." He said with an unchanging smile.


    "Yes, your highness!"


    * * *


    "The Frozen Origin should be prepared by now." Jiu Shen muttered to himself as he opened his eyes after his daily meditation.


    He then stood up and directly went inside the Time and Space Chamber.


    Yesterday, he brewed the Frozen Origin and aged it inside a huge wooden cask. And with the elerated time inside the chamber, the wine¡¯s aging process should be done by now.


    Jiu Shen had high expectations for this new wine. Not with its taste, but its profitability.


    Although the system is taking all the revenue, Jiu Shen felt that if the store earned a specific amount, he might get an unexpected surprise.


    Considering the system¡¯s profligate nature, Jiu Shen was sure that whatever it gives him would never be ordinary.


    With the addition of the Frozen Origin, his store would surely earn more than usual since it¡¯s way cheaper and affordablepared to the Deep Sea Spring Dew.


    Jiu Shen slowly opened the wooden cask while taking out the spatial bottle from his storage earring.


    After opening the cask, Jiu Shen saw an ocean blue wine liquid that had a faint golden hue.


    Before the aging process of the mixture, the wine liquid was still golden in color. But after the aging of the liquid is done, the Frozen Cloud cier¡¯s natural color will be the dominant one.


    Jiu Shen transferred the wine inside his spatial bottle. The amount of wine liquid inside the wooden cask should be enough to fill hundreds of wine bottles but everything was perfectly stored inside the spatial bottle with no hints of it being fully filled.


    After that, Jiu Shen stepped out of the Time and Space Chamber. He still had to transfer the wine liquid inside the disy bottles so that he can already sell it.


    The store was still closed, so it was fairly quiet and tranquil.


    Jiu Shen then saw the threedies whispering to each other at one corner of the store.


    "Where¡¯s master? I knocked on his door, but no one answered me." Lu Sn asked the twodies in front of her.


    "Don¡¯t worry about him. Master should be preparing the new wine inside the Time and Space Chamber." Hestia smiled as she looked at Lu Sn.


    Theia remained silent, but she eagerly listened to their conversation.


    "Time and Space Chamber? What¡¯s that?" Lu Sn knitted her eyebrows as she took a nce at Hestia with a curious look on her face.


    Hestia giggled and said. "It is the ce where master brews his wines. As for what kind of ce it is... That¡¯s a secret. <i>H</i><i>ehe."</i>


    "Ehem!" Jiu Shen cleared his throat to gather the attention of the three. When he saw them nce at him, Jiu Shen gestured for the threedies toe near him.


    "Prepare your cups. You guys will be the first ones to taste the Frozen Origin." Jiu Shen said calmly.


    Lu Sn and the other two were exhrated at Jiu Shen¡¯s words. They had already tasted all the wines sold by the store and not even one failed to impress them, so they were expectant about this new wine.


    Their master even had to gather for its ingredients, so it shouldn¡¯t be ordinary right?


    "Hehe. Master, I have already prepared the cups for all of us." Hestia chuckled as she took out four silver cups. She then ced it on a table near them while winking at Jiu Shen yfully.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s lips curved upwards for an instant at the sight of it. He then shook his head before heading straight to the table.


    The threedies quickly found themselves a seat while looking at Jiu Shen with shining eyes.


    Jiu Shen ignored their gazes and poured the four cups with an ocean blue wine liquid from his spatial bottle.


    A burst of cold air struck their faces but every one of them took it with a pleased look.


    The feeling they got was simr to someone eating an ice cream in hot sunny weather.


    "How cold!" Lu Sn nced at her silver cup filled with blue liquid. She took the cup in her hands and took a sniff of the wine¡¯s aroma.


    Jiu Shen and the others did the same. The former was more reserved since he had already smelled the wine inside the Time and Space Chamber.


    The Frozen Origin had the distinct smell of grapes but it was entuated by the cold and cial aroma of the Frozen Cloud cier.


    He then ced the cup in his mouth and drank its content with his eyes closed.


    A cold sensation wrapped around his tongue and throat as he swallowed the wine. It was then followed by a mild grape-vored aftertaste that burst forth in his taste buds.


    "Not bad." Jiu Shen muttered to himself.

 Chapter 73 - The Second Prince

    <h4>Chapter 73 - The Second Prince </h4>


    Lu Sn and the other twodies released satisfied sounds as they gulped the wine from their silver cups.


    "Ah~ this wine... This will be good during the summer." Lu Sn said while looking at the empty silver cup in her hands.


    Hestia and Theia nodded their heads in agreement. They then took a nce at Jiu Shen with heated looks.


    At that moment, another line of words appeared on the small ckboard.


    Frozen Origin - 55 True Crystals


    Jiu Shen ignored the threedies¡¯ gazes and slowly walked towards the entrance of the store. He then opened the door and was met with the sun¡¯s brilliant illumination.


    It was still the middle of spring, but the light from the sun was beginning to turn warmer.


    After that, Jiu Shen nced at Lu Sn and the other two with a calm look and said. "Business will begin soon, so make sure that all of you are prepared. Also, the new wine is ready to be served."


    Jiu Shen went to the wine storage after he said those words. He still had to transfer the Frozen Origin in the disy bottles...


    * * *


    A fancy-looking carriage was being pulled by two 5th-rank Spirit realm Fire Leopards. The two savage beasts had red armor-like scales that covered their humongous bodies. Transparent crimson mes were also emitted by them as they pulled the carriage forward.


    Circling the luxurious carriage was a team of soldiers dressed in gold and silver armors with the insignia of the Silveria Imperial Family engraved on their capes. All the soldiers were riding a 3rd-rank Crusader realm spirit beast, the Brute War Horse.


    "That... The person inside should be one of the three eldest princes, right?" The crowd whispered when they saw the majestic line up of soldiers protecting the carriage.


    The people were very familiar with the insignia of the Silveria Imperial Family, but they also knew that only the three eldest sons of the emperor had the authority and power to have such a strong team of soldiers escorting them.


    A soldier leading the team frowned when he saw the people standing foolishly even in their presence. He red at the people and shouted in a ferocious voice. "Insolence! How dare you lowlymoners not kneel in the presence of His Highness the Second Prince! Kneel down!"


    The citizens immediately prostrated on the ground after hearing the angry soldier¡¯smand. They did not even dare lift their heads in fear of being punished.


    Cold sweat trickled down their backs as they shivered in dread as they quietly listened to the footsteps of the savage beasts as they continued to walk forward.


    "Stop." A gentle voice echoed from inside the carriage surprising everyone in the scene.


    The leading soldier heard themand and instantly gestured his men to stop their mounts.


    He then went to open the carriage, revealing the handsome and gentle face of the second prince.


    Thetter stepped out of the carriage with a warm and kind smile on his face. The second prince then stared at themanding officer leading his escort and patted his back forcefully, making the officer¡¯s heart skip a beat.


    Then, the second prince turned his gaze to the shivering people who were still prostrating on the ground in fear. And with a voice that was as heartwarming as the morning air, he said. "Everyone, don¡¯t be scared. I will apologize on behalf of my men¡¯s stubborn attitude."


    The people heard the second prince¡¯sforting voice were confused. Why would someone from the imperial family apologize to themoners?


    Nheless, all of them remained silent and stayed prostrating on the ground.


    "Everyone, please stand up. I just came here to visit a store to satiate my cravings." The second prince smiled at the people before he went back inside his carriage.


    Themanding officer heaved a sigh of relief and red at the prostrating people for onest time before he gestured for his men to proceed moving forward.


    After the second prince and his men left the scene, the citizens slowly stood up from the ground.


    "The rumors are indeed true! The second prince is truly a kind person. He even apologized to us on behalf of his men."


    "Yeah, but among His Majesty¡¯s three eldest sons, he has the weakest military strength. What a pity! If only he had more authority, our Silver Wing Empire might be able to prosper for the next centuries toe."


    "I agree with you. But the ones with the highest chances of seeding the throne is the crown prince and the third prince. Their military strength and connections are way aheadpared to the second prince¡¯s. <i>Sigh." </i>


    * * *


    In front of Jiu Shen¡¯s store stood the majestic team of soldiers escorting the second prince.


    With his head slightly sticking out of his carriage¡¯s window, the second prince nced at the unassuming store in front of them.


    "The Immortal¡¯s Wine... What a bold and imposing name! The owner must be confident with his wines to name his store like this. <i>Haha!" </i>The second prince chuckled to himself as he stepped out of his carriage.


    When he came near the store, he stopped for a brief moment with his eyes flickering with surprise.


    ¡¯Interesting...¡¯ He thought to himself as he resumed walking inside the store...


    The moment the second prince stepped on the store¡¯s entrance, he felt the space vibrating for an instant, making him smile.


    He nced curiously at the store¡¯s interior while searching for the reason of his visit, the Earth Origin Dragon Tree...


    And as expected, he saw four identical spiritual nts lying undistinguished in different corners of the store.


    "It¡¯s true..." He muttered with a bit of surprise.


    "Please don¡¯t block the store¡¯s entrance if you don¡¯t want me to kick you out." A melodic but cold voice echoed beside the second prince¡¯s ears stupefying him greatly.


    Slowly, he took a nce at his side and saw a peerlessly beautiful youngdy with golden hair. She was wearing a knight¡¯s light armor and had a short sword strapped behind her back. Her snow-white arms and legs were exposed making her look both seductive and valiant.


    But the second prince¡¯s attention was not on her assets but on the overwhelmingly strong aura he was feeling from her.


    He then clutched the pendant on his chest while looking at Theia with widening eyes.


    The second prince¡¯s breathing became erratic, but he swiftly took a deep breath to calm his shaking nerves. While putting up a gentle smile he said. "I apologize, youngdy. We were just stunned by the store¡¯s ster capabilities. We¡¯ll find ourselves a table, please excuse us."


    After that, the second prince smiled at Theia and led his men to a vacant table.


    Theia furrowed her eyebrows as she looked at the figure of the second prince. "That jade pendant... Why does he have that?"

 Chapter 74 - Liu Mengdi Meets The Second Prince

    <h4>Chapter 74 - Liu Mengdi Meets The Second Prince </h4>


    "Wee to The Immortal¡¯s Wine, dear guests. What would you like to order?" Hestia smiled radiantly as she nced at the second prince¡¯s group.


    She then nced at the jade pendant that he was wearing for a brief moment before she retracted her sight from it.


    The second prince felt his gaze which made him feel a bit nervous. "Ah- where¡¯s the menu, youngdy?"


    Hestia giggled and pointed in a certain direction as she said. "You can see the prices of our wines in that small ckboard."


    The second prince followed the direction she was pointing at and was surprised, but he did not show it outwardly.


    "Can you give me an order of Deep Sea Spring Dew and fifteen Frozen Origin for my men?" The second prince said with a smile.


    Hestia nodded her head and replied. "Not a problem, dear guest. And, is there anything else you would like to add?"


    The second prince shook his head and said. "No, but ah- can I ask you a question, youngdy?"


    Hestia raised her eyebrows in surprise, but she still replied. "Sure. What is it?"


    "Would I have the honor to speak with the owner of this store?" The second prince asked gently.


    Hestia had an apologetic look as she replied. "I don¡¯t know about that, dear guest. Our master is usually busy and rarely finds time to talk with someone, but I can notify him about this."


    The second prince sighed regretfully while shaking his head. "<i>Sigh. </i>In that case, we will just enjoy the wines here."


    The leading soldier escorting the second prince frowned. He was about to stand when he felt the second prince¡¯s stare lingering on him. He sighed inwardly and remained seated on his chair while sullenly looking at Hestia.


    Hestia smiled at the ring officer before she went to the wine storage to get their orders.


    While walking to get their wines, Hestia thought to herself. ¡¯I should notify master about the jade pendant.¡¯


    Inside the wine storage, Jiu Shen was still busy distributing the Frozen Origin wine liquid inside the disy bottles when he saw Hestia going inside.


    "Greetings, master." Hestia greeted Jiu Shen while bowing respectfully.


    Jiu Shen nced took a quick nce at her and waved his right hand as he said. "Don¡¯t mind me and just do your work."


    "Master, there is someone with that jade pendant. He should be a..."


    "I know. I already felt his presence the moment he stepped inside the store. Don¡¯t worry about his identity and just get them their orders. Anyone who steps inside the store is our customers no matter what their identities are. Now go and get their wines." Jiu Shen cut her off from her speech.


    "Yes, master." Hestia acknowledged Jiu Shen¡¯s words while giving him a reverential bow.


    After pouring out all of the Frozen Origin wine liquid in the disy bottles, Jiu Shen stepped out of the wine storage and went to check the dining hall of the store and took a seat in a random corner while listening to everyone¡¯s conversations with his spiritual power.


    This was what he does when he is bored.


    "Here are your orders. Fifteen Frozen Origin and one Deep Sea Spring Dew. Enjoy." Hestia slowly ced their orders on the table as she spoke.


    "Thank you, youngdy." The second prince said while giving Hestia a kind smile.


    Hestia smiled sweetly at their group and left.


    "Isn¡¯t that person the second prince? Why is he here?" Liu Mengdi who was enjoying his wine at a different table was surprised when he saw the second prince¡¯s group.


    "Let¡¯s go and pay our respects to him. Although his military strength is weak, he is still an imperial prince and has the blood of the Silveria Imperial Family flowing in his veins. Furthermore, there is something about this man that I could not understand. His group is the weakest among the three eldest sons of the emperor, but my instincts are telling me that this man is dangerous." Liu Mengdi added with a serious look as he stood up from his seat. He was only here with all his trusted subordinates, so he didn¡¯t mind speaking what was on his mind.


    The men from the Liu Family were surprised at the high evaluation that their young master gave to the second prince. Their young master might be capricious but he was someone gifted with great intelligence and high talent for cultivation. They treated his words seriously no matter how unbelievable it may be...


    Liu Mengdi stopped in front of the second prince¡¯s table and bowed respectfully. "Liu Mengdi from the Liu Family greets His Highness the Second Prince."


    Liu Mengdi¡¯s men followed his actions as they spoke in unison. "We greet His Highness the Second Prince."


    The second prince had a look of surprise as he nced at Liu Mengdi and co. They haven¡¯t interacted that much before and only saw each other during special asions, so the second prince was a bit stunned to see him here.


    "Oh, I didn¡¯t think that I would meet the young patriarch of the Liu Family here. Don¡¯t mind me and just continue to enjoy your wines." The second prince spoke cordially.


    "Since the second prince has spoken, I will go back to our table. If his highness wishes to speak with me, then just call my name." Liu Mengdi said and was about to go back on their spot when...


    "Young Master Liu, wait!"


    "What is it, your highness?" Liu Mengdi asked curiously.


    "Do you know anything about the Earth Origin Dragon Tree?" The second prince inched closer to Liu Mengdi and asked in a whispering voice.


    Thetter¡¯s eyed widened at the question. He then nced to his left and right to see if anyone else heard their discussion. Liu Mengdi then turned to look at Theia who was now eyeing them with a profound look.


    "Your highness, if you¡¯re nning to take away the Earth Origin Dragon Tree- you must abandon that n right away. This store isn¡¯t as simple as seems to be... Troublemakers didn¡¯t have a good ending..." Liu Mengdi whispered hastily. He was already feeling the warm perspiration on his back, but he still warned the second prince with good intentions.


    Liu Mengdi had already known the presence of the Earth Origin Dragon Tree inside the store, but he did not dare think of foolishly stealing it. He believed that he would no longer see tomorrow¡¯s sunshine if he really dared to do so.


    The second prince saw the fear in Liu Mengdi¡¯s eyes which made himugh in his heart in contempt, but he still put on a warm smile as he said. "Thank you for your warning, Young Master Liu Mengdi."

 Chapter 75 - Ice Begging For Milk

    <h4>Chapter 75 - Ice Begging For Milk </h4>


    "If there¡¯s nothing else, then we¡¯ll go back to our spot. Please excuse us, Your Highness." Liu Mengdi bowed at the second prince.


    Thetter nodded his head and waved his hands with a smile on his face.


    ¡¯The rumors about this store should be true considering how Liu Mengdi acted. If that¡¯s the case, I won¡¯t be able to get the Earth Origin Dragon Tree no matter how I try to. But it doesn¡¯t matter, I shall not let this disappointment ruin my ns...¡¯ The second prince thought to himself while ncing at an Earth Origin Dragon Tree in one corner of the store.


    He also saw a tiny fruit hanging on the small tree, but he did not dare look at it for long. ¡¯That fruit should be enough for me to enhance my strength even further, but I won¡¯t gamble my life for it.¡¯


    Jiu Shen gazed at the second prince with a calm look. Although he was slightly surprised at what he saw, it didn¡¯tst for long.


    "Something interesting is bound to happen to the Silver Wing Empire with this guy¡¯s presence. I should find some time to check it out when that happens." Jiu Shen muttered to himself.


    <i>"Meow."</i>


    Jiu Shen nced down below and saw a chubby white cat with fat cheeks looking at him with a pleading look. "Human, I want milk. <i>Meow</i>."


    Jiu Shen ignored the telepathic message sent by Ice and closed his eyes.


    <i>"Meow,</i> I know you can hear me! Give me milk or I¡¯ll scratch the tables and chairster!" Ice red at Jiu She who now had his eyes shut tightly.


    Jiu Shen smirked in his heart when he heard the childish voice of Ice ringing in his head. Ice actually sounded like a little girl at the age of six!


    "You finally decided to talk now huh, little tiger." Jiu Shen sent back a message to Ice with his eyes still closed.


    "How did you know?! Ah- I mean... What little tiger!? I¡¯m a cat! A cute and adorable cat!" Ice¡¯s cute loli voice echoed loudly in Jiu Shen¡¯s head.


    Jiu Shen remained silent, making the already angry Ice even more incensed. She then hopped onto Jiu Shen¡¯sp, but in the end, she did not dare scratch him.


    "Foolish human! Stupid human! Stinky human! <i>Meow</i>." Ice¡¯s childish voice reverberated loudly inside Jiu Shen¡¯s head.


    "I¡¯ll give you two bowls of milk if you can shut up." Ice expression softened after hearing Jiu Shen¡¯s indifferent voice.


    Her big blue eyes widened and a line of saliva can also be seen streaming out of her tiny mouth. "Two bowls of delicious and yummy milk?! <i>Hurhur</i>. <i>Meow</i>."


    Jiu Shen opened his eyes briefly and shook his head at the scene. "It¡¯s hard to believe that you¡¯re a 10th-rank God realm cial Sovereign Tiger..."


    Ice glittering blue eyes widened in shock when she heard what Jiu Shen said. No one else knew her identity in the whole of the Profound Dragon Continent. She hasn¡¯t even told anyone yet, so how did Jiu Shen know who she was?


    "You... You... How did you know?" With a dumbfounded expression that shouldn¡¯t be present on cats, Ice raised one of her dainty paws and pointed it at Jiu Shen while standing on her hind legs.


    Jiu Shen nced at Ice and smiled while patting Ice¡¯s little cat head. "You better behave or else I might throw you back to the Divine Beast Continent."


    Ice was still enjoying Jiu Shen¡¯s touch when her expression turned into extreme horror. "That... That... You also know that I came there?!<i></i>Stinky human! I hate you! <i>Meow</i>."


    Jiu Shen smiled and chuckled silently while looking yfully at the chubby white cat who was now lying pitifully in his arms.


    Lu Sn, Hestia, and Theia were now ncing at their master with stunned faces. They actually saw Jiu Shenugh for the very first time! The time might be short, but they will never forget that dashing smile lingering on his face as he rubbed the tiny head of Ice.


    "That fat cat..." Lu Sn and Hestia heard Theia¡¯s icy muttering voice ringing beside their ears. They both covered their mouths in hopes of preventing themselves fromughing.


    "What are the two of youughing about? Go back to your spots and attend to our customers!" Theia almost snapped after hearing the twodies giggling at the sidelines.


    Hestia stuck her tongue out and ran away while Lu Sn slowly walked away without turning her head around.


    * * *


    "Your Majesty, our men sent us a report that Second Prince Arn is now inside the wine store." An imperial guard said while kneeling on the ground in one knee.


    Emperor Elyk frowned when he heard the report. He then nced at the imperial guard and said. "Just let him be. It matters not as long as he doesn¡¯t provoke the people from that store."


    "But, Your Majesty... The fourth prince and the fifth princess are also headed there. If their group meets inside the store, they might cause trouble. It will be fine if it¡¯s just the fourth prince but the fifth princess is together with him." The imperial guard said with a contorted look.


    Emperor Elyk¡¯s eyes widened and he couldn¡¯t help but m the armrest of his throne. "What?! Howe no one stopped that little demoness from going out of the imperial pce?!"


    "Your Majesty, our men did, but her highness threatened us that if we don¡¯t let her go out, she will force us to run around naked in Beltran City. We didn¡¯t dare hold her for long or she might have really thrown down a tantrum. Thest time it happened... <i>Sigh." </i>The imperial guard had a look of distress as he spoke.


    Emperor Elyk let out a heavy sigh and rubbed his temples. "Is Defender Duanmu with them?" The emperor asked with a worried tone.


    "Yes, Your Majesty. Defender Duanmu is following behind them secretly." The imperial guard replied.


    Emperor Elyk sighed in relief and said. "Then let¡¯s just hope that the old man can handle them."

 Chapter 76 - Princess Sylvia Scamming The Second Prince

    <h4>Chapter 76 - Princess Sylvia Scamming The Second Prince </h4>


    "Fourth Brother, it¡¯s been a while since Ist visited Wine Master Jiu¡¯s store. I¡¯d like to order the Deep-fried Shrimp Tempura and boast about its taste to our imperial father." The fifth princess smugly said.


    The fourth prince¡¯s lips twitched at her words and was a bit jealous.


    His little sister was able to talk casually with their imperial father. If it was him, the emperor would surely cane him a hundred times.


    "I¡¯ll just order five Ables nc for now and also a serving of Deep-fried Shrimp Tempura." The fourth prince licked his lips as he spoke.


    "Eh? Isn¡¯t that our second brother¡¯s carriage? Is he here as well?" The fifth princess was surprised to see the carriage of the second prince outside Jiu Shen¡¯s store.


    The fourth prince knitted his eyebrows and said. "That seems to be the case..."


    "Hmph! Let¡¯s go. The second brother still owes me a thousand True Crystals." Princess Sylvia said with glittering eyes.


    Prince Dante was surprised at her words and he could not help but ask. "Huh? How did second brother owe you that much True Crystals?"


    Princess Sylvia red at her fourth brother and said with an evil grin. "Because I¡¯m the fifth princess and imperial father dotes on me. <i>Hehe."</i>


    Prince Dante paused from his steps and was stunned at his fifth sister¡¯s words. ¡¯This girl is bing smarter and smarter. My early condolences to you, second brother...¡¯


    Princess Sylvia pulled her brother after seeing him standing foolishly.


    "Hey, don¡¯t pull me! Fifth sister!"


    After the two left the scene, an old man dressed like amoner stood in where they previously were. The old man nced at the luxurious carriage of the second prince then onto the receding figures of the two youngsters he was secretly protecting. "Oh crap! I hope nothing bad happens..." He muttered as he swiftly followed behind the two youngsters without making them notice him.


    Princess Sylvia¡¯s smile widened after she saw the second prince sitting with his men. She then slowly walked towards them while ignoring her fourth brother¡¯s warnings.


    "Sister, don¡¯t cause trouble here. If you create a hugemotion, Young Miss Theia might throw us out of the store." Prince Dante whispered to her ears while pulling her half-heartedly.


    He had been conned many times by his fifth sister and he wanted to see someone else sumb as much as he did before. Furthermore, Prince Dante didn¡¯t like his second brother that much even though thetter was putting up a gentle and kind facade since they were young.


    Prince Dante had a feeling that their second brother was merely faking it, but he wasn¡¯t so sure either.


    "Oh, what are my cute little sister and my talented young brother doing here? Are you guys also here to enjoy wine? If that¡¯s the case, everything¡¯s on me." Prince Arn said with an affectionate smile.


    Princess Sylvia¡¯s smiled turned even more vibrant when she heard those words. "Second Brother, don¡¯t forget that you still owe me a thousand True Crystals." The fifth princess intentionally increased the volume of her voice so that everyone inside the store will be able to hear her clearly.


    Prince Arn almost choked on his wine when he heard the yful voice of the fifth princess. He then saw the little demoness winking at him skittishly which made his lips twitch in annoyance.


    "Ah- Of course! How could I forget that? Don¡¯t worry, little sister. Your second brother will give it back to you, but for now, let¡¯s enjoy the wines in this store." The second prince forced out a smile as he said that.


    Princess Sylvia frowned and said loudly. "I want it now! I want it now!"


    Prince Dante found himself a seat and looked at the scene with great interest.


    Prince Arn¡¯s pupils widened at the sudden outburst of the fifth princess. He didn¡¯t expect that she would make things difficult for him in front of many people.


    If he did not agree to her demands, he was sure that the little girl in front of him would surely throw a tantrum.


    He knew how hard it was to pacify the fifth princess, so he yielded and said with a slightly shaking voice. "Sure. Here¡¯s your one thousand True Crystals my dear fifth sister." Prince Arn took out a small pouch from his robes and handed it to Princess Sylvia with shivering arms.


    It was unknown if he was shaking due to anger or embarrassment. Nheless, the fifth princess epted the pouch with a wide smile on her face. "I know that second brother is the best! <i>Hehe." </i>She said frivolously.


    "Everyone, you heard what my second brother said, right? He said that everything¡¯s on him, so let¡¯s all enjoy our wine since he will be paying for our orders! <i>Hehe." </i>Princess Sylvia grinned after saying those words.


    The people inside the store cheered when they heard her words.


    "Long live the second prince!"


    "Thank you, your highness!"


    As for the second prince, his gentle face almost distorted and he could hardly control his raging emotions, but he still put on a kind-hearted smile as if he really meant it.


    Princess Sylvia felt a chill behind her back when her eyes met with Prince Arn¡¯s warm gaze. It felt as if she was looking at a viper who was silently waiting for its prey in the shadows.


    The second prince stood up and let out a smile that was as gentle as the morning air and said in an amiable voice. "Drink up, everyone! Everything¡¯s on me this time. <i>Haha."</i>


    <i>"Haha! Cheers! </i>We offer our respects to you, Your Highness!"


    "All hail the second prince!"


    When everyone else was cheering for the second prince, Jiu Shen was stillzily sitting on his chair while rubbing Ice¡¯s fur. He was the only one who looked calm inside the store when everyone else was shouting praises.


    The fat cat who still had an indignant look before was now closing its eyes in delight while enjoying the gentle touch of Jiu Shen. "More... More... <i>Meow</i>."


    The man and the cat duo seemed oblivious to what was happening inside the store as their eyes remained closed.


    In fact, they both knew what was happening, but they were just toozy to bother...

 Chapter 77 - Princess Sylvias Feelings

    <h4>Chapter 77 - Princess Sylvia''s Feelings </h4>


    The second prince sat down with a calm look, but he was inwardly cursing the fifth princess. He was also looking at her with a gentle gaze but hidden behind that facade was thick killing intent!


    Oblivious to her second brother¡¯s towering rage, Princess Sylvia sat beside Prince Dante and showed off the small pouch that contained the one thousand True Crystals that Prince Arn gave her.


    "Look, the second brother gave me a thousand True Crystals. <i>Hehe." </i>Princess Sylvia said to the fourth prince with a smug look on her face.


    Prince Dante smiled and patted her head gently. "Good job, fifth sister!" He said while giving her a thumbs up.


    Prince Arn who was still looking at the fifth princess became more incensed at what he saw. ¡¯Once everything is settled, I¡¯ll make sure that both of you will die by my hands! Did you guys really think that I fear that old bastard¡¯s rage?! Laughable!¡¯ Prince Arn thought maliciously.


    Lu Sn walked towards the fourth prince¡¯ and fifth princess¡¯ table and smiled at them. "Hello, dear guests. Do you like to order something?" Lu Sn asked while looking at the two in amusement.


    Princess Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as she looked at Lu Sn. And with a perplexed tone, she asked thetter. "Young Miss, are you a new waitress here?"


    ¡¯Young Miss?¡¯ Lu Sn muttered in her heart with delight and her impression of Princess Sylvia improved significantly.


    "That¡¯s right, your highness. I¡¯m indeed a new waitress here." Lu Sn said softly.


    Princess Sylvia¡¯s expression turned into excitement when she heard that. "Oh, really? Young Miss, how did you be a waitress in Wine Master Jiu¡¯s store? Could you please tell me how you did it?" The little princess said while looking at Lu Sn with shining eyes.


    Lu Sn¡¯s lips twitched at the fifth princess¡¯ words. ¡¯To think that my master¡¯s charm could even sway a young girl¡¯s heart...¡¯


    When Lu Sn saw the eager look in Princess Sylvia¡¯s eyes, she could not help but sigh. Lu Sn then inched closer to the little princess and whispered to her ears. "Your Highness, to be honest with you, I¡¯m Wine Master Jiu Shen¡¯s disciple."


    The fifth princess¡¯ eyes bulged at Lu Sn¡¯s words. "Disciple? He¡¯s taking in disciples?" The former muttered to herself while looking at Lu Sn with a bbergasted look.


    "Yes, I don¡¯t know what master saw in me. But I know that my fate has changed the moment I epted him as my master." Lu Sn smiled while looking at Jiu Shen who was sittingzily on his chair.


    Princess Sylvia followed her gaze and saw the man that was always present in her dreams.


    Her eyes turned vibrant and everything else blurred except for that very man she was looking at. And as if Jiu Shen felt her gaze, he opened his eyes and turned to look at Princess Sylvia.


    When their gazes met, Princess Sylvia felt her heart fluttering in glee and happiness. At that moment, she finally realized that she had fallen for this mysterious man.


    "Is this what they call love?" She muttered in the most gentle voice she had ever spoken in all her life.


    The fourth prince who was listening at the sidelines almost fell on his chair when he heard her soft voice. ¡¯Oh no! She haspletely sumbed to Wine Master Jiu¡¯s charms!¡¯ Prince Dante thought to himself while feeling a bit conflicted.


    He was happy for his sister but also worried at the same time.


    He was d that her sister found the man she likes, but he was worried that his sister¡¯s feelings might not be reciprocated.


    After visiting Jiu Shen¡¯s store for many days, Prince Dante had roughly understood the former¡¯s personality.


    Jiu Shen was a mysterious man who was even said to be an Alchemy Saint. His unfathomable strength and uncaring attitude were evident to all the patrons of his wine store. So the possibility of him reciprocating Princess Sylvia¡¯s feelings was almost impossible.


    Prince Dante sighed regretfully at his own thoughts. He then turned to look at his little sister who still had an infatuated smile on her pretty face. Prince Dante¡¯s expression had a tinge of pity when he saw her like that.


    Lu Sn held the same sentiments when she saw the little princess¡¯ look. She had interacted with her master for a couple of times already and she even held an inexplicable emotion towards him, but she knew that her master had never thought of entangling himself with any emotional ties at the moment.


    Lu Sn shook her head and turned her gaze to the fourth prince.


    Thetter understood Lu Sn¡¯s gaze, so he spoke silently. "I apologize for dying your tasks, young miss. Can we try the new wine?"


    Lu Sn nodded her head with a smile but still gave him a warning. "Yes, you can. But each of you can only drink half of it, okay? So I can only give you guys one bottle of Frozen Origin."


    The fourth prince had a regretful look, but he was still curious about the new wine, so he agreed. "No problem, young miss." He said.


    Lu Sn nodded her head at Prince Dante and turned to look at Princess Sylvia before she went to the wine storage.


    "Brother, that beautifuldy told me that she¡¯s a disciple of Wine Master Jiu." Princess Sylvia said without looking at Prince Dante.


    Thetter was dumbfounded at his sister¡¯s words. He then held Princess Sylvia¡¯s shoulders and shook her gently. "Fifth sister, what did you say?"


    Princess Sylvia nced at the fourth prince in annoyance and replied with a vexed tone. "Listen carefully, my idiot brother. I said Wine Master Jiu took her in as his disciple. That means there is a possibility of him taking in more."


    Prince Dante released Princess Sylvia¡¯s shoulders and sighed. He then looked at Jiu Shen who was rubbing the fur of a fat white cat and muttered to himself. "Is that really the case? I doubt that..."

 Chapter 78 - The One-Armed Barbarian

    <h4>Chapter 78 - The One-Armed Barbarian </h4>


    "Sister, we¡¯ve really offended our second brother right now. With the current state of our Silver Wing Empire, there is a chance that he might get rid of us to prevent future troubles for himself. Although we¡¯re not among those selected to fight for the throne, we are still of imperial bloodline after all. And our second brother... He is not as kind as he seemed to be." Prince Dante frowned as he spoke with a serious look.


    Princess Sylvia¡¯s cheeky expression turned grave when she heard her fourth brother¡¯s words. She then nced at their second brother who was now drinking with his soldiers with a brilliant smile on his handsome face.


    She could not pinpoint how her fourth brother came to believe that Prince Arn is capable of killing them, but some part of her believed Prince Dante¡¯s words might be possible.


    "I don¡¯t think he has the guts to kill us out in the open. And Even if we are in a deserted street, he will still hesitate in taking our lives." Princess Sylvia said while cupping her chin with her palms.


    Prince Dante nodded his head in agreement, but he still felt that Prince Arn would not let them off the hook easily. "With Defender Duanmu protecting us secretly, he shouldn¡¯t be that idiotic to kill us for some squabbles, but we still have to be careful about his revenge." Prince Dante said while eyeing their second brother who wasughing joyfully with his men.


    Other people might think of the second prince as a kind and caring individual, but Prince Dante thought otherwise. He didn¡¯t know why he was so certain about that, but he chose to believe in his instincts.


    "Dear guests, here¡¯s your Frozen Origin. Please enjoy it." Lu Sn smiled as she put the bottle of Frozen Origin and two silver cups on the table of the two imperial siblings.


    Prince Dante and Princes Sylvia nced at the bottle of wine that was releasing a dense amount of cold air. They were so surprised that they forgot to thank Lu Sn.


    <i>"Ehem." </i>Lu Sn let out a cough to gather the attention of the still stunned siblings.


    Prince Dante nced at Lu Sn apologetically and said with a smile. "I¡¯m sorry about that, Young Miss. We haven¡¯t seen wine as fascinating as this yet. I¡¯m now curious about why is it so cold. Do you mind telling us the reason for this?"


    Lu Sn smiled and shook her head. "Unfortunately, the master did not divulge the ingredients and the process of making this wine, so I also don¡¯t know anything about this. But if you¡¯re that curious, you might want to ask him yourselves. Who knows... Maybe master will tell you guys about it."


    Princess Sylvia¡¯s eyes twinkled when she heard that, but as she was about to speak, Prince Dante immediately spoke eloquently. "In that case, we¡¯ll ask Wine Master Jiu Shen at ater date. Thank you for your suggestion, Young Miss. Also, may I dare ask for your esteemed name?"


    Lu Sn¡¯s eyebrows raised in surprise. She didn¡¯t think that this naive-looking young prince was actually so quick-witted to speak before his sister did.


    "My name is Lu Sn." She answered while looking at them kindly.


    "Lu... Lu Sn?" Prince Dante¡¯s eyes bulged when he learned her identity. He was very familiar with the name ¡¯Lu Sn¡¯ since their father the emperor spoke about her some time ago.


    The emperor said that aside from the Alchemy Hall¡¯s branch head and himself, there was still someone in the Silver Wing Empire who had the strength of an 8th-rank Divine realm. She was the sect mistress of a hermit sect, the Ice Cloud Sword Sect. Her name... is Lu Sn!


    Lu Sn ignored Prince Dante¡¯s surprise and told them in a serious voice. "Dear guests, please remember that you have to divide the wine evenly in half. Because if you drink more than that amount, your bodies might experience something terrible."


    Looking at Lu Sn¡¯s grave expression, Princess Sylvia gulped in dread. "Don¡¯t worry, Young Miss Lu Sn. We won¡¯t drink more than the amount you told us." Thetter said while forcing out a smile.


    "Good." Lu Sn replied before she left the two of them.


    At a random corner in the store, Jiu Shen who was holding Ice in his arms nced in a certain direction with a curious look on his face. "Oh? Are you also going here for the fruit of the Earth Origin Dragon Tree? Interesting..."


    Ice who was lying in Jiu Shen¡¯s embrace looked in the same direction and scoffed in disdain. "<i>Meow. </i>I can break their bones for you if you give me one more bowl of milk."


    Jiu Shen rubbed her head gently and replied in a calm voice. "No need. Theia will be able to handle them herself."


    "Stingy! <i>Meow." </i>Ice swatted Jiu Shen¡¯s hand in annoyance.


    Jiu Shen ignored the rebellious fat cat and continued rubbing her fur while Ice rolled and kicked Jiu Shen¡¯s hand with her paws.


    * * *


    At the entrance of Beltran City, a group of people riding on high-level savage beasts came. They were wearing a set of light armors but it could hardly cover their bulging muscles.


    Leading them was a one-armed man mounting on a 7th-rank Emperor realm Crimson Lightning Tiger.


    The tiger was approximately six meters tall and was more than ten meters in length. It was crimson red in color with ck stripes all over its humongous body. Its two sword-like fangs can be seen extending out of its mouth!


    The man sitting on its back had a dark skin and a rather buff physique. He had a long wavy red hair and there was also a cape made from savage beasts¡¯ fur tied to his armor.


    Although he only had his right arm remaining, it did not stop the people who were with him to look at the man in reverence.


    The one-armed man looked at the bustling Beltran City with an awed look and said. "The capital city of the Silver Wing Empire is truly prosperous. The main district of our Mythos Wilnds could not even bepared to it."


    After he spoke those words, he led his men to go inside Beltran City under the scared gazes of the city guards who did not even dare to stop them from going in.


    Who could me them? Those barbarians emitted a strong and malefic aura that made these inexperienced soldiers shiver in trepidation.

 Chapter 79 - Danger

    <h4>Chapter 79 - Danger </h4>


    "<i>Hic. </i>Dis wine is so gewd~ <i>Hic."</i> The fifth princess muttered with a drunk look. Her face was beet-red and she could hardly open her dazed eyes.


    Beside her was the fourth prince who had a much betterplexion. Although he was in a much better conditionpared to his sister, he still had an intoxicated look after drinking the Frozen Origin. "<i>Hehe. </i>My head feels heavy. I think I want to sleep here." He said while resting his head on the table.


    Prince Arn¡¯s eyes glinted when he saw that the two were slowly losing their consciousness. He then whispered something to one of his soldiers. The soldier¡¯s eyes turned grim when he heard the second prince¡¯s words and he immediately went out of the store with an invisible dark aura revolving around him.


    Prince Arn smirked for onest time before he resumed talking with the rest of his men with his usual amiable expression.


    The customers insideughed when they saw that the two were already drunk after only drinking a bottle of wine. They didn¡¯t know what wine they ordered, but the customers had an idea of which one it was after looking at the state of the fourth prince and the fifth princess.


    "With their strength, they can¡¯t finish an entire bottle of Deep Sea Spring Dew. In that case, they must have ordered the new wine! It¡¯s the second most expensive wine sold at the moment, so it should be strong considering how it knocked down Prince Dante and Princess Sylvia who have considerable levels of cultivation." Liu Xiufeng muttered in amusement as he nced at the fourth prince and the fifth princess who now had their heads nted on their table.


    "Let¡¯s try it out ourselves next time."


    "Sure!"


    The mercenaries talked andughed as they continued drinking their wines.


    Sitting in front of Jiu Shen was an old man wearing a straw hat and thick grey robes. He sighed when he saw Prince Dante and Princess Sylvia who were slowly drifting into their dreands.


    "You should take them back to the imperial pce before it¡¯s toote." Jiu Shen nced at the man in front of him as he spoke. He knew that the man was Defender Duanmu in disguise.


    "Wine Master Jiu¡¯s eyes are truly piercing, but...I don¡¯t understand what you mean." Defender Duanmu raised his straw hat to take a look at Jiu Shen¡¯s expression only to see thetter¡¯s usual indifference.


    "You¡¯ll know soon. Now, take them with you so that their seats will be vacated. There are still more customers waiting outside." Jiu Shen added calmly.


    Defender Duanmu smiled and shook his head. The former was already used to Jiu Shen¡¯s uncaring nature that he was no longer annoyed with it. He then bowed at Jiu Shen and went straight to the fourth prince and the fifth princess.


    Prince Arn eyed him with a cold look, but he hurriedly retracted his gaze when he felt that Defender Duanmu was about to nce in his direction.


    Defender Duanmu looked at the second prince for a brief moment before he ordered his men who were stationed outside the wine store to get the fourth prince and the fifth princess.


    Ice nced at their retreating figure with a disinterested look and wriggled her fat ass to get a much better position as she spoke. "They will surely die if you leave them be. The soldier that went out earlier was an 8th-rank Divine realm demon while the old man is only at the peak of the 7th-rank Emperor realm. <i>Meow.</i>"


    Jiu Shen ignored Ice, but he was thinking to himself. ¡¯If I leave them alone, I¡¯ll lose a few patrons. This isn¡¯t good for my business.¡¯


    "Hestia,e here." Jiu Shen called out telepathically.


    Hestia was surprised at the sudden call of Jiu Shen, but she still walked towards him.


    "Master, what can I do to help you?" Hestia bowed her head as she asked in a respectful tone.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s indifferent eyes hovered on Hestia¡¯s face making thetter a bit self-conscious.


    "Hestia, follow the old man and protect them from danger. Make sure that they return to the imperial pce safely." Jiu Shen said.


    Hestia knitted her eyebrows and was curious about the reason for her master¡¯s order. Her cultivation level is already at the mid stage of the 8th-rank Divine realm. Since her master told her to protect someone, then there should be an enemy who¡¯s at least on the same level as her.


    "I understand, master. Leave this to me. I¡¯ll make sure that they¡¯ll arrive back to the imperial pce safe and sound." Hestia said confidently.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head and warned her. "Be careful. You¡¯re not facing a human."


    Hestia¡¯s expression turned grim as she nodded her head.


    "You may go." Jiu Shen closed his eyes as he spoke those words.


    Hestia bowed as she swiftly left the store.


    "Will she be fine? She¡¯s not just facing a normal demon. That guy should be a demon general considering how thick his demonic aura is. Meow." Ice said while looking at Jiu Shen¡¯s face with her round eyes.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s lips curved upwards and said. "Hestia isn¡¯t just a normal human either..."


    "Stop acting mysterious, you stinky human! Meow." Ice waved her paws but it was easily blocked by Jiu Shen.


    * * *


    "Sigh! These two kids will surely get another round of scolding from his majesty. But at least nothing much happened inside the store." Defender Duanmu muttered to himself as he urged his horse to walk forward.


    Beside him was an imperial carriage where Prince Dante and Princess Sylvia were resting. A group of imperial guards was also protecting the carriage, their expressions rigid and careful.


    These soldiers can be considered as elites even among the imperial guards and there were more than ten of them encircling the carriage. Each of them had the strength of a 5th-rank Spirit realm expert!


    Jiu Shen¡¯s store was located in a remote alley and there were hardly any people walking by. It was only around Jiu Shen¡¯s store where there are lots of people loitering.


    Defender Duanmu frowned as he looked at the quiet surroundings. He had an ominous feeling when he sensed a cold breeze. "This sensation... An expert? Everyone, prepare forbat! We havepany!" Defender Duanmu shouted as he red in a certain direction.


    <i>"p! p! p! </i>Impressive! Your title as one of the Silver Wing Empire¡¯s defender is not just for show indeed." A man dressed in long ck robes walked forward as he spoke in a condescending tone after pping his hands sarcastically.


    Behind the man was ten other people dressed in simr attire.


    Defender Duanmu and the imperial guards hurriedly surrounded the imperial carriage while ring warily at the neers.


    "Who are you people? Since you already know our identities, then please take your leave!" Defender Duanmu said as he got off his mount.

 Chapter 80 - Defender Duanmus Resolve

    <h4>Chapter 80 - Defender Duanmu''s Resolve </h4>


    "Leave? Do you think that you have the power tomand us, you old thing?!" The man dressed in long ck robesughed in disdain as he red at Defender Duanmu with his exposed eyes.


    Defender Duanmu frowned as he thought to himself. ¡¯Just who are these people? They¡¯re not even afraid even after knowing our identities. I can¡¯t even tell the strength of that guy leading them, but those people with him are at least at the 5th-rank Spirit realm with some at the 6th-rank King realm. It will be bad if we have a direct confrontation with them. How troublesome!¡¯


    Defender Duanmu nced at the imperial guards behind him and ordered in an irrefutable tone. "Go bring the fifth princess and the fourth prince back to the imperial pce! I¡¯ll hold them off here!"


    The imperial guards were surprised at themand but after seeing the determined look of Defender Duanmu, they nodded their heads and saluted with grim expressions.


    "You can rest assured, Defender Duanmu! Even if we have to sacrifice our lives, we¡¯ll do it as long as the fifth princess and the fourth prince can return to the imperial pce unharmed!" The leader of the imperial guards said with a resolute look.


    Defender Duanmu nodded his head gravely at his people after hearing those words. He then turned to look at the enemies while releasing the true essence in his body without constraints.


    The imperial guards grabbed the fourth prince and the fifth princess from the carriage and left hastily without looking back.


    "Ho? Some of you, go after them! Don¡¯t let them escape alive!" The man in long ck robesmanded his men.


    "I won¡¯t allow you people to harm them!" Defender Duanmu shouted as he released a violent punch at the opposing group.


    He had to buy as much time as possible for the fifth princess and the fourth prince to arrive safely in the imperial pce.


    "You don¡¯t have the capabilities to stop them, old thing!" The man in ck robes said while blocking Defender Duanmu¡¯s attack with a sword.


    "Booom!"


    A violent eruption resounded after Defender Duanmu¡¯s punch hit the man¡¯s sword. Dust and fierce gales covered the epicenter of the attack.


    When the dust particles subsided, the man in ck robes can be seenpletely unharmed even after taking the full brunt of Defender Duanmu¡¯s attack.


    "So the defender of the Silver Wing Empire is this weak? How pitiful!" The man said in a mocking voice.


    Defender Duanmu was a peak 7th-rank Emperor realm expert, but his attack didn¡¯t even leave any visible injuries on his opponent!


    The difference in their strengths was clear to see.


    "Enough with the nonsense and kill me if you can!" Defender Duanmu gazed at his opponent grimly.


    The man in ck robes smiled. "If that¡¯s the case, then I shall no longer waste my time here. Receive my strike!"


    Following those words, the man in ck robes brandished his sword, producing fierce gales that threatened to slice anything in its way.


    Facing such an attack, Defender Duanmu had a somber look. He then grabbed a spear from his storage pouch and shouted.


    "Sky Shattering Spear Strike!"


    Defender Duanmu pointed his spear at the opponent¡¯s throat andpletely ignored the attack aimed his way.


    The fierce gales left dozens of cuts on the old man¡¯s arms but he gritted his teeth and continued pushing his spear forward with an indomitable will.


    "What a crazy old bastard!" The man in ck robes cursed as he parried Defender Duanmu¡¯s attack with his sword. He then kicked thetter¡¯s abdomen, sending the old man flying towards the ground.


    "Baangg!" A huge crater was formed following the fall of the old defender.


    Defender Duanmu spat a mouthful of blood as he tried to stand up. ¡¯What a strong kick! That person is at least at the 8th-rank Divine realm! How can such a strong expert be here without us knowing? And who canmand such an individual?¡¯ He thought as he used his spear to hold himself up.


    "You¡¯re quite a resilient old thing to survive that kick, but for how long can you stand up? <i>Hahaha!" </i>The man in ck robesughed.


    "Just who are... you? What¡¯s... your purpose ining... to our Silver Wing Empire?" Defender Duanmu asked after wiping the trail of blooding out of his mouth.


    The man in ck robes smirked and replied with contempt. "A dead man has no right to know anything! Just stand still and ept your death!"


    After that, the man lifted his sword with two hands and shed towards Defender Duanmu¡¯s direction.


    Thetter immediately rolled sideways to evade the attack.


    "Bang!"


    Countless rock debris flew in the air after the sh hit the solid ground.


    Defender Duamu held his spear tightly and prepared himself for the next attack of his opponent. ¡¯Is this where I die? What will happen to our Silver Wing Empire after my death? No... No!! I don¡¯t want to die just yet! I still want to see our empire ovee all these troubles ande out as a much stronger force to be reckoned with!¡¯


    Defender Duanmu grabbed a pill from his storage pouch and gulped it without hesitation. ¡¯This is an 8th-rank Berserk Pill from the Alchemy Hall. It is capable of forcefully enhancing my strength to the 8th-rank Divine realm for a short period of time. As for the consequences of taking it... It doesn¡¯t matter! My death is worth it as long as the fourth prince and the fifth princess can escape safely!¡¯


    "Ahhhh!!" Defender Duanmu roared savagely. His strength reached the next realm after consuming the pill.


    "Shit! To think that this old man had such a trump card! Now, this is a bit troublesome!" The man in ck robes muttered in anger.


    Defender Duanmu¡¯s eyes reddened as he clutched his head with one hand. ¡¯This strength is still too much for my body. I should not waste too much time and end this before the effects of the pill subside.¡¯


    He then grabbed his spear and red hatefully at the man in ck robes. With his spear pointed at the man, Defender Duanmu said fiercely. "Whoever you are, I won¡¯t allow your ns to seed! Even if it means this old man¡¯s death!"

 Chapter 81 - Hestias Strength

    <h4>Chapter 81 - Hestia''s Strength </h4>


    "We must hurry! Defender Duanmu is currently fighting with their leader, but the underlings of that man should be tailing us." The leader of the imperial guards shouted with a solemn voice. He then nced at the fourth prince who was still unconscious in his arms before he turned to look at the fifth princess who was being carried by one of his men.


    ¡¯Just how strong are the wines in that store for them to make these two geniuses remain unconscious for an extended amount of time?¡¯ He thought to himself.


    "Halt!" More than ten men in ck robes blocked the imperial guards from their path.


    "Move away! The army of the Silver Wing Empire is just nearby! If you don¡¯t want to die, then step aside at this instant!" The leader of the imperial guards threatened while ring at the opposing side. His heart was beating faster than normal, but he had to act tough to prevent the morale of his people from dropping down.


    Although the imperial guards had the advantage in numbers, they were significantly weaker than the men in ck robes.


    One of the enemies stepped forward and sneered derisively. "So what if the army of the Silver Wing Empire is nearby? Even if you send them a distress signal, they still won¡¯t be able to see it! Our leader already blocked this zone from the outside world using a treasure! Hahaha!"


    The leader of the imperial guards felt his heart skipping a beat when he heard those words. His men were also starting to get nervous.


    ¡¯I have to maintain everyone¡¯s morale for us to escape here! Although we¡¯re weaker than them, we have the advantage in numbers. If we sacrifice our lives, the fourth prince and the fifth princess should be able to get out alive.¡¯ The imperial guard¡¯s captain thought while ignoring his rising nervousness.


    He was the only 6th-rank King realm on their side and the enemy group had more than five of them. Thebat strength of the two groups should be almost equal. But no matter who wins, the losses wouldn¡¯t be small for either side.


    "Stop buying time! That old defender of yours will die under our leader¡¯s hands! Hahah! Men, kill the fourth prince and the fifth princess!"


    Following that shout, the men in ck robes started charging towards the imperial guards.


    "Don¡¯t cower! We¡¯re soldiers of the mighty Silver Wing Empire! Even if the enemies outpower us, we will not back down!" The captain of the imperial guards shouted with vigor. He then grabbed the soldier holding the fifth princess and handed the fourth prince to him. "Soldier, you go and bring them back to the imperial pce. They must return alive!" The captain said with determined eyes.


    The soldier who was holding the two imperial children held back the tears that were about to fall out from his eyes and replied with a resolute look. "Captain, don¡¯t worry. I will not fail you."


    The captain nodded his head and red at the iing enemies with a fearless expression. "Brothers, let¡¯s use all of our strength in this final battle! Charge with me!" He shouted as he led the imperial guards to fight back.


    But just as the two parties were about to sh, a brilliant ray of light descended towards the men in ck robes. The scene surprised everyone greatly.


    "Boooomm!" A violent explosion rang out after the brilliant light hit the men in ck robes.


    The imperial guards covered their eyes from the light while feeling extremely shocked in their hearts.


    ¡¯Just what was that brilliant ray of light? Was it the Defender Duanmu?¡¯ The imperial guards thought to themselves as they slowly opened their eyes.


    They nced at where the men in ck robesst stood only to see a huge crater enveloped by raging mes.


    "What the hell?" The captain and the others were bbergasted at what they saw. He stopped his men from going near the crater and went there himself.


    As the captain was walking towards the crater, a lithe silhouette came into everyone¡¯s view.


    "That¡¯s... Isn¡¯t she..." The captain muttered with a nk look on his face.


    A woman with long red hair dressed in a maid¡¯s uniform walked out from the zing crater. She had a kind smile stered on her face but the short sword in her right hand which was covered in blood destroyed her saintly image.


    "Young Miss Hestia, why are you here?" The captain asked with a dumbfounded look.


    Hestia flicked her arm to removed the bloodstain on the de of her sword before she turned to look at the stupefied captain. "These people might have forgotten to pay for their wines. That¡¯s why the master sent me to let them rest forever." Hestia smiled tenderly, but that smile sent shivers down the imperial guards¡¯ spines.


    The captain of the imperial guards gulped in fear as he slowly inched towards the crater. He took a look at the situation down below only to see the mangled body parts of the men in ck robes.


    "Don¡¯t worry. All of them are now resting in peace." A gentle voice filled with warmth reached the captain¡¯s ears, making all the hairs on his body stand on end.


    "Tha-Thank you for your help, Young Miss Hestia." The captain forced out a smile as he bowed his head.


    Hestia giggled like a carefree teen after seeing the nervous imperial guards. She then turned to look at the fourth prince and fifth princess and said. "You should bring them back to the imperial pce... I still have to go back and help the old man."


    After saying those words, Hestia slowly rose in midair and flew out of their sights.


    The imperial guards stood rooted on the ground still not believing what they had just seen.


    "To think that the gentle and kind Young Miss Hestia is actually an expert at the 8th-rank Divine realm. So Young Miss Theia isn¡¯t just the expert in that store..."


    "Don¡¯t forget that Wine Master Jiu himself is also an Alchemy Saint. And there is also that new waitress working for him. Everyone in that store are monsters..."


    "Everyone! Let¡¯s not waste our time talking about this here! We still have to bring the fourth prince and fifth princess back to the imperial pce and report everything to His Majesty!" The captain said while looking at the horizon.

 Chapter 82 - Body Enhancers

    <h4>Chapter 82 - Body Enhancers </h4>


    "Old thing, you should just stop struggling. My men might have already killed the fourth prince and fifth princess at this time. Hahaha!" The man in ck robesughed scornfully as he looked at Defender Duanmu with taunting eyes.


    Thetter¡¯s eyes reddened as he let out a savage howl full of hate and anger. After consuming the Berserk Pill, Defender Duanmu¡¯s strength was temporarily upgraded to the next level. Although he was only at the initial stage of the 8th-rank Divine realm at the moment, he believed that he had sufficient strength to defeat the man in front of him.


    "Prepare to die you bastard!" Defender Duanmu held his spear in front of him and pointed it towards the man in ck robes.


    "Sky Cleaving Spear Thrust!"


    Defender Duanmu¡¯s biceps bulged and his feet sank deeper on the ground as he thrust his spear forward.


    His attack produced a vibrating wind de that sliced towards the man in ck robes. The wind de left fissures on the ground showing how destructive it was.


    The man who was on the receiving end of such an attack was still wearing a disdainful smile. "If I can only use my true form, this old man should have died earlier. But it doesn¡¯t matter, he will still die by my hands today! Hahah!" The manughed in contempt.


    The training method of the demons didn¡¯t differ much from the humans. Just that the former enhances their bodies mostly through body strengthening, while almost eighty percent of the humans enhance themselves by cultivating their true essence.


    The demons were so talented in the art of body strengthening that it was easier for everyone in their kind to improve themselves by simply training physically. Of course, their development will continue to be harder as their level increases.


    A cultivator can control ¡¯true essence¡¯, while a body strengthening expert can control ¡¯anma¡¯. The difference between these two energies lies in their ability to control the power of the elements.


    With sufficient true essence, a cultivator can freely control the power of elements once they reached a high level of cultivation, but a body strengthening expert can only use their anma to maximize the hidden potential in their bodies.


    The man in ck robes gathered the anma in his body and waved his sword against the iing attack aimed his way. ¡¯Tsk! I can¡¯t control my anma properly with this weak body, but it¡¯s more than enough to block that old man¡¯s attack.¡¯


    "Haaaa!!" The man in ck robes forcefully cleaved the wind de with his sword.


    "Baangg!"


    Defender Duanmu¡¯s eyes widened when he felt the energy from the man in ck robes. "You! You¡¯re a body enhancer! Who are you?! There is no body enhancing expert in our Silver Wing Empire. You must be from one of our neighboring empires." He red at the man in ck robes.


    Thetter ignored Defender Duanmu and started his assault.


    "Now, it¡¯s my turn, old bastard!" The man lifted his sword and dashed towards Defender Duanmu at breakneck speed. His movement was so fast that he left afterimages in his wake.


    After closing his distance against the old defender, the man raised his sword and shed it towards Defender Duanmu.


    Defender Duanmu raised his spear with two hands to block the sh.


    "ngg!" A thunderous nging sound echoed as their weapons collided.


    Defender Duanmu¡¯s feet sank even further on the ground after receiving the strike.


    ¡¯Crap! This man¡¯s physical strength is at the 8th-rank Divine realm! I can¡¯t continue fighting with him in closebat or I¡¯ll only be defeated.¡¯ Defender Duanmu thought to himself as he controlled more true essence from his dantian.


    The man in ck robes smirked after sensing his opponent¡¯s actions. "Do you think I¡¯ll allow you to gather more true essence? Keep dreaming you old bastard!" He sneered as he added more strength to his sword.


    Defender Duanmu gritted his teeth while holding on to his spear tightly. He then twisted his spear and backed off several meters away.


    The man in ck robes refused to give him time to gather himself together and swiftly rushed towards the panting Defender Duanmu.


    The man in ck robes somersaulted in mid-air and shed his sword with both his hands.


    As Defender Duanmu was about to raise his spear, he felt his body weakening at rapid speed. He spat a mouthful of ck blood and knelt on the ground with one knee. He then raised his head and nced at the approaching enemy with weary eyes. "Is this the end of my old life?" He muttered as ck blood continued to stream out of his mouth.


    "Diiiee!!" The man in ck robes shouted with a malicious look.


    Just as his sword was about to cleave Defender Duanmu¡¯s body, a short sword with a white handle blocked his strike.


    "Shiing!"


    The man in ck robes hurriedly distanced himself after feeling a grave sense of danger. His eyes dted as he nced at the graceful figure standing in front of the old defender. "Who are you?! Why are you putting your nose on someone¡¯s business?!" He shouted while looking at Hestia alertly.


    Hestia ignored him and turned to look at Defender Duanmu who was now looking at her with a stunned look.


    "Yo-Young Mi-Miss Hestia..." The old man muttered with difficulty. He wasn¡¯t really injured, but the effects of the Berserk Pill was slowly taking effect. If he wasn¡¯t treated right away, he might turn into a cripple.


    "Shh... Stop talking and drink this." Hestia smiled and stuffed a healing pill inside the old man¡¯s mouth.


    Defender Duanmu did not reject the offer and absorbed the effects of the pill in his mouth. He was very grateful for the help, but he was too weak to continue speaking.


    Hestia turned to look at the man in ck robes and shook her head gently. "Sigh. I don¡¯t want to kill a guest from our store, but your presence can destroy my master¡¯s business."


    The man in ck robesughed at her words. "Do you really think that I¡¯m afraid of you? You¡¯re just a mid stage 8th-rank Divine realm cultivator. Let me show you my true form!" He then grabbed a jade ne that was tied to his neck and pulled it.


    The man¡¯s body slowly morphed into a two-meter tall humanoid with dark purple skin. There were also two long ck horns attached to his head. His appearance looked grotesque as he let out a twisted smile that exposed his two rows of sharp teeth. "Little girl, I look forward to eating your body. Your taste shouldn¡¯t be too bad, right? Hahaha!"

 Chapter 83 - Yin-Yang Life Decaying Sword Slash

    <h4>Chapter 83 - Yin-Yang Life Decaying Sword sh </h4>


    Defender Duanmu was dumbfounded when he saw the man in ck robes slowly transform into a demon.


    The demons and humans were nemeses since the olden times. Countless wars ravaged the world of Nuar because of their feud. That¡¯s why their ancestors came into an agreement of living in two separate continents. The demons lived in the Crimson Fiend Continent while the humans and the alliance lived in the Profound Dragon Continent.


    "A demon?!" Defender Duanmu muttered in surprise while clutching his aching chest. ¡¯What could be the reason for a demon¡¯s emergence in our Silver Wing Empire? Is it the beginning of another continental dispute among countless races?¡¯ He felt horrified at his own thoughts.


    "Scared? It¡¯s toote for that. Since you have already seen my true appearance, I will not allow the both of you to leave this ce alive!" The demon generalughed eerily, causing his hideous face to be even more unsightly to look at.


    Hestia remained unperturbed at the scene. Although she could not remember anything about her life before meeting Jiu Shen, she had a strange feeling that it wasn¡¯t her first time seeing a demon.


    Hestia felt a sense of deja vu, but it was just a faint lingering sensation that she could not understand. All she knew was that there was a deep sense of loathing and hatred hidden inside her heart as she looked at the demon general.


    Hestia¡¯s smiling expression froze and was reced by an icy cold look. She nced at the demon general frostily and said while pointing her sword at him. "I shall not waste my time with you."


    Hestia¡¯s true essence fluctuated vigorously as she gathered all the strength she could muster from her dantian.


    The demon general¡¯s expression turned grim when he sensed the towering true essenceing out of Hestia¡¯s slender figure. He could not believe that this strength was being emitted by someone at the mid stage of the 8th-rank Divine realm. "This woman! Is she really just a mid stage 8th-rank Divine realm cultivator?!" He muttered in a grating and demonic voice.


    Hestia¡¯s silhouette vanished from her spot and reappeared behind the stunned demon general. She then lifted her sword and struck the back of the demon general.


    Thetter felt a cold sensation behind him and hurriedly distanced himself, but it was already toote to evade the attack.


    "Chiyaa!"


    The defenseless back of the demon general was split open creating a deep diagonal wound that stretched from his left shoulder to his right waist.


    "Aarrghh!" The demon swiftly channeled the anma inside his body to heal his gaping wound. He then nced at Hestia with a deathly stare. "You damn human! You sneak attacked me! Argghh!"


    The demon general ignored the painful sensation from his back and charged madly towards Hestia. He raised his muscr arms and aimed his fist at Hestia¡¯s slim figure.


    Hestia had a cold look as she watched the demon who was lunging straight in her direction.


    She gathered her true essence and created an invisible yin-yang diagram in mid-air using her sword. The diagram glowed brightly after Hestia finished thest strokes and it slowly manifested in front of her.


    "Yin-Yang Life Decaying Sword sh!"


    She shouted as she shed the diagram with her sword.


    White and ck rays of light intertwined against each other. The two opposing elements slowly merged as it traveled at a speed that was almost as fast as the speed of sound.


    The demon general had an rmed look when he felt the strength of Hestia¡¯s sword technique.


    "This can¡¯t be!" The demon general felt his adrenaline rising as he forcefully gathered the anma inside his body.


    "Frenzied ughter Body!" He shouted.


    Although body enhancers could not control the power of elements, they could tap the hidden potential of their physical bodies by awakening it with their anma. Just that the amount of anma needed to maintain this form was immense.


    ck metallic scales emerged from his body and his stature also grew twicerger. He was now almost five meters in height and looked like a giant armored monstrosity!


    The demon general then shielded his face with his thick arms as he covered his body with huge amounts of anma.


    "Baaangg!"


    Hestia¡¯s sword sh struck the demon general¡¯s body causing an ear-splitting sound that created shockwaves.


    Defender Duanmu weakly cast his true essence to shield his body from the st but he was still thrown several dozen meters away.


    "Is this the true strength of Young Miss Hestia? Just what kind of monsters are the people inside that store? Even if His Majesty was in his peak condition, he could still not survive that kind of sword technique..." Defender Duanmu who was now covered in dust muttered with a nk look.


    Hestia waited for the dust to subside but she was still holding her sword warily because she could feel that the demon general¡¯s aura was still present. "This demon isn¡¯t an easy opponent." She muttered silently to herself.


    Just then, a huge shadow dashed towards Hestia catching her unprepared.


    "Diieeee!!!" The demon general shouted as he raised his bloodied right arm in a bid to smash Hestia.


    Hestia lifted her sword hastily to block the pummeling fist of the angered demon.


    "Baanngg!" The demon¡¯s punch threw Hestia several hundred meters away.


    "Boooom!" Hestia¡¯s body created a huge hole in a nearby mountain.


    The mountain shook causing countless rock debris to fall.


    The demon general smirked but his face suddenly contorted in pain as he sprawled on the ground in all fours while coughing dark green blood.


    "Cough! Cough! Cough! Wha-What kind of... What kind of sword technique was that? It actually caused...caused severe damage to my internal organs. Fuck!" The demon general cursed as he slowly reverted to his two-meter demon form.


    "I need to get out of here before someone else from that storees here!" He muttered as he clutched his chest while weakly standing up. He then grabbed a jade ne from his storage ring and put it on his neck.


    His demon body morphed back into a human under the surprised gaze of Defender Duanmu.


    "Demon! I will not allow you to escape here!" Defender Duanmu stood up unsteadily as he shouted in a hoarse voice.


    The demon who was now in human form smiled widely in contempt and replied in a mocking voice. "Old thing, you¡¯re lucky that an expert helped you. But there will be no next time. For now, I will let you live. Hahaha!"


    His figure then vanished and Defender Duanmu could only stare helplessly at the ce where the demon previously stood. "I should report this to His Majesty as soon as possible. This news involves the safety of our Silver Wing Empire. No... It involves the whole of the Profound Dragon Continent..." He muttered as he walked towards the mountain where Hestia was thrown.

 Chapter 84 - Hall Of Life And Death?

    <h4>Chapter 84 - Hall Of Life And Death? </h4>


    Inside the Immortal¡¯s Wine Store.


    Jiu Shen nced at the void with a perplexed look on his face.


    "System, I can sense a feeling of doubt rising from within Hestia¡¯s soul when she saw that demon. You told me that she is a creation that you made for me, but it seems like her background isn¡¯t just that." Jiu Shenmunicated with the system through his mind.


    - Ding!


    "Host, Hestia is indeed a creation made by the system. Her soul is something that the system took from the Hall of Life and Death. Her reaction just now is something understandable since her death had something to do with the demons." The system replied in a mechanical voice.


    "Hall of Life and Death? To think that you¡¯re actually able to get a soul from that ce. Even the three almighty Celestial Emperors did not dare offend the people from there. Just how did you get Hestia¡¯s soul from them?" Jiu Shen who was usually calm felt surprised in his heart.


    * *


    In Jiu Shen¡¯s previous life, there was a majestic holynd floating up above the Primordial God Realm. No one knew when this hovering ind was made, but the oldest immortals mentioned that it had already existed even before they were born.


    Because of the mysteriousness of this ce many grew curious about its origin. Some tried to visit it, but there was some kind of restriction that prevented everyone from going near this floating holynd.


    The strongest of immortals tried, but they powerless in their endeavors of ascending this holynd. Celestial Emperor Lao Gou and Celestial Emperor Jian Wang also attempted to soar to that ce but they were simrly met with the restrictions. All they could do was stare at its towering silhouette helplessly.


    Everyer called that ce as the..."Three Towers of Divine Dao". The reason for its name was because of the three towers erected on top of this floating ind.


    No one knew what those three towers represented.


    Jiu Shen was among those people who tried to visit the Three Towers of Divine Dao, but like everyone else, he also failed. It was only when Jiu Shen met the third Celestial Emperor, the ruler of Hell that he learned the origins of the Three Towers of Divine Dao. As for how the ruler of Hell knew everything about it, even Jiu Shen was clueless.


    * *


    ¡¯ording to Asmodeus the Ruler of Hell, the Hall of Life and Death is responsible for the rebirth and death of all the souls in the multiverse. The Hall of Life and Death is also where the souls are kept before they are given the chance of rebirth. In that case, was my soul also kept in there before I was taken away by the system?¡¯ Jiu Shen thought to himself.


    The system remained silent and ignored Jiu Shen.


    Thetter sighed and then nced at Theia who was standing at the store¡¯s entrance.


    Theia had a cold expression, but Jiu Shen saw the zing fighting intent in her eyes. He knew that Theia might have already seen the fight between Hestia and the demon general. She was just holding herself back since Jiu Shen did notmand her to help Hestia.


    ¡¯Master should be training Hestia, so I should not intervene in this, but...¡¯ Theia used her spiritual power to watch the fight between Hestia and the demon general, but she was feeling restless as the fighting continued.


    When Theia saw Hestia was thrown to a mountain, the former unconsciously held the sword strapped behind her back. Thick murderous air shrouded the entire store making the customers shut their mouths in trepidation. They didn¡¯t know what made this demoness incarnation angry that it made her react like that.


    "Theia, don¡¯t be impulsive. Hestia won¡¯t be killed from that attack. It was just a moment of distraction on her part. That¡¯s why she was defeated. Furthermore, the demon is also severely injured. It will take much time for him to heal those wounds." Jiu Shen said telepathically to Theia.


    "But master, that demon hurt Hestia! I want to kill him!" Theia¡¯s murderous stare did not subside, instead, it became even stronger.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s calm eyes turned chilly all of a sudden, making Theia instantly recognize her imprudent actions. She sighed and bowed her head with a downcast look. "My apologies, master. It shall not happen again."


    Jiu Shen sighed and shook his head. "I understand your concerns, Theia. But as of the moment, I have no ns of intervening with the fate of the mortals in this world. That is unless if they decide to mess with us openly..."


    Theia exhaled a long breath and nodded her head in understanding. She then walked towards Jiu Shen and bowed with a look of regret. "Master, I was impatient just now. I deserve to be punished."


    Jiu Shen¡¯s indifferent eyes turned mild when he felt the sincerity in Theia¡¯s words. He walked near her and rubbed her head gently. "Don¡¯t worry, Theia. I know you¡¯ve been itching for a fight after being trapped inside this store as a guard. In fact, you don¡¯t have to wait for that long to have this wish granted."


    Theia blushed after having her desire exposed. She didn¡¯t know how Jiu Shen was able to know about it.


    ¡¯Just how did master know?¡¯ She thought while feeling a bit abashed.


    "Master, what do you mean?" Theia asked with a curious look. She was indeed craving for a battle, but all she did inside the store was kick the asses of the customers who created trouble.


    Jiu Shen patted her head lightly as he replied with a mysterious tone. "Haven¡¯t you felt all those strong presence gathering inside of Beltran City? They wille here soon and that¡¯s when you¡¯ll make a move."


    Theia had a sh of understanding when she heard her master¡¯s words. She then nced at the four Earth Origin Dragon Tree that each had three flowers blooming splendidly. That was the sign that the Earth Origin Dragon Tree was about to bear fruit!

 Chapter 85 - Hatred

    <h4>Chapter 85 - Hatred </h4>


    The second prince was feeling a sense of foreboding when he felt the strong fluctuations of true essenceing from Theia. He felt that the disparity between them was so huge that he could not help but swear in his heart.


    ¡¯Fuck! To think that this woman is so strong! Did she sense the demonic presence of my subordinate? That stupid fool actually pulled out his Shape-Shifting Jade Ne! Just what could be the reason that made him use his true form? Speaking of which, I saw Young Miss Hestiae out of the store... Perhaps...¡¯ Prince Arn¡¯s eyes narrowed when his thoughts reached that point. He nced at Jiu Shen and thought coldly in his heart. ¡¯Wine Master Jiu, did you already find out my identity?¡¯


    Jiu Shen felt the second prince¡¯s stare but he ignored himpletely. Even if thetter was a demon prince, Jiu Shen didn¡¯t give a damn about him. In his opinion, they were just like ants seeking for material things and emotional contentment to feed their ego. In his past life, aside from the three celestial emperors, no one even dared to nce his way...


    "Let¡¯s go!" The second prince stood up from his seat and issued amand to his subordinates.


    The soldiers bowed at Prince Arn and followed behind him obediently.


    Thetter walked towards Jiu Shen and gave him a fist-palm salute as a show of respect. "Wine Master Jiu, I really love your wondrous wines and I will surelye to visit here asionally. I hope you won¡¯t deny me entry then." Prince Arn said with a face full of smiles.


    Jiu Shen took a quick nce at the second prince and calmly nodded his head at him.


    Seeing the nonchnce of Jiu Shen, the second prince¡¯s smile twitched and he could not help butugh coldly in his heart. ¡¯Jiu Shen, Jiu Shen, Jiu Shen. I¡¯ll give the victory to you this time, but once my army arrives at this ce, I will remove that arrogance in you!¡¯


    Prince Arn gave Jiu Shen onest look before he turned around and walked away with his subordinates following behind him.


    Jiu Shen nced at his figure with a profound look and said telepathically. "I won¡¯t involve myself in the affairs of you demons, but if you dare to mess around inside my store, then I can¡¯t promise the same thing."


    Prince Arn¡¯s eyes flickered and he stopped in his tracks for a brief moment before he continued walking out of the store with a dubious smile on his face. ¡¯Just you wait, Jiu Shen. Today you win against me, but next time, it will be your turn to lose.¡¯


    "Master, that guy is up to no good." Theia muttered coldly as she red at the receding figure of the second prince.


    "It doesn¡¯t matter. What can an ant possibly do to us?" Jiu Shen replied in a cold and detached voice before he went to his room upstairs.


    Jiu Shen paused his steps for a moment and said without turning his head back. "Once Hestia arrives, bring her to my room immediately."


    Theia bowed her head and replied in a respectful voice. "Yes, master."


    * * *


    An hourter.


    In a remote location somewhere in Beltran City.


    A middle-aged man with average facial features and was wearing an imperial guard¡¯s standard military armor can be seen walking with unsteady steps while clutching his chest. Although he did not have any visible injuries on his body, he appeared to be in extreme pain. His expression contorted that it almost looked inhuman.


    "I¡¯ve already changed my appearance using the Shape-Shifting Jade Ne. That old fart Duanmu should not be able to identify me now! Fuck! That woman¡¯s final attack is so vicious that it left internal injuries in my body! But even so, I was lucky to have escaped from that ce..." The man said as he recalled the sword technique that Hestia used. He could not help but shiver as he thought about it. Luckily, he was able to activate his Frenzied ughter Body perfectly on time. If he wasn¡¯t able to, he didn¡¯t dare think about what might have possibly happened to him.


    "Balrog... What happened and why are you in this state?" A familiar voice suddenly echoed behind him, surprising the middle-aged man.


    He turned around and when he saw the face of the second prince, the middle-aged man immediately knelt down respectfully, ignoring the pain he was feeling. "Your highness, everything should have gone smoothly and I was also about to end the life of that old fart Duanmu. But then, an unexpected guest intervened!"


    Prince Arn¡¯s eyes narrowed into slits when he heard those words. "Is it Young Miss Hestia?" He asked with a cold voice. The moment Hestia left the store, he was already feeling suspicious.


    It was hard to believe that this man was the same kind and noble second prince that all the citizens revered and admired. Just that, he didn¡¯t have his usual gentlemanly facade.


    Balrog nodded his head with a look of anger. "Indeed, it¡¯s that woman! I didn¡¯t expect her to be that strong! I even had no choice but to use my Frenzied ughter Body to block an attack from her! But even with that, I still receive heavy internal injuries!"


    Prince Arn¡¯s expression became even colder after that. "So that means that old fart has seen your true appearance! What about the fourth prince and fifth princess?"


    Balrog was feeling nervous when he felt the second prince¡¯s worsening mood, so he immediately answered carefully. "I looked around for my subordinates, but it appears that the little bitch Hestia already helped them escape beforehand!"


    "So it¡¯s that bitch again, huh?! Rise and recuperate your injuries. For now, let¡¯sy low and avoid shing with the people from that store. It¡¯s not yet time for us to show ourselves and we must not destroy the ns of the Demon Lord! Just let them be for now. The time wille when we will exact our revenge!" Prince Arn muttered in an icy voice as walked away.


    Balrog stood up and followed behind him with a dark look as he recalled Hestia¡¯s figure. ¡¯Little bitch, your days are numbered!¡¯

 Chapter 86 - A Different Side Of Jiu Shen

    <h4>Chapter 86 - A Different Side Of Jiu Shen </h4>


    Jiu Shen carefully held Hestia who had received minor injuries from her battle with the demonic general. She was brought back to the store by Defender Duanmu who immediately left after bidding farewell. The old man appeared to be in a hurry, so Jiu Shen didn¡¯t stop him from leaving.


    "Master, I have failed to live up to your expectations. And I even allowed that detestable demon to escape from my grasp!" Hestia said with a look of remorse and self-me. Her hatred towards the demon general also soared which was evident in her burning gaze.


    She was stronger than the demon general by a minor realm since she was a mid stage 8th-rank Divine realm cultivator, while the demon general was merely an initial stage 8th-rank Divine realm body enhancer.


    If she wasn¡¯t distracted with her thoughts at that crucial moment, then she could have defeated that demon without a problem. But during that time, it was as if something at the depths of her soul was awakened. She felt like she had suddenly recalled something about herself but everything seemed too blurry for her to realize what it was.


    Jiu Shen shook his head and held Hestia¡¯s shoulder gently. He then nced at her and sighed. "Hestia, you don¡¯t have to me yourself for this. Besides, the mission I gave you was only to protect those humans and allow them to safely go back to the imperial pce."


    Hestia raised her head and looked at Jiu Shen with a look of dejection and puzzlement. "Master, the moment I saw that demon, something within me seemed to have been evoked. I don¡¯t know how to exin it, but... It feels like I have remembered a few things about myself. But I don¡¯t understand anything about it... I-" She held back her tears as she spoke in a trembling voice.


    Jiu Shen released another sigh and a rare look of gentleness flickered in his silver eyes. "Hestia, it¡¯s hard to exin this now, but I will tell you the truth about your origin."


    Hestia was confused but she still felt warmth in her heart when she saw the look of concern in her master¡¯s usually indifferent eyes.


    Lu Sn and Theia who were standing behind Jiu Shen tactfully left the room and provided the two their privacy.


    "You have already died and you¡¯re someone who was given the chance to reincarnate in order to serve me. And as to why you were distracted when you saw that demon... My guess is that your death had something to do with them..." Jiu Shen did not tell her about everything since his identity was too sensitive to be divulged. But what he said to her was not a lie either.


    Hestia covered her mouth with her dainty hands and her eyes flickered with surprise. "Master... That means all those hazy memories that surfaced within my mind earlier... they were something that happened during my past life?"


    Jiu Shen nced at her calmly and nodded his head. "Hm, that should be the case... If you wish to gain your freedom, you¡¯re free to do so. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t stop you." He said indifferently, but there was a faint ripple in his heart when he said those words.


    Hestia¡¯s eyes widened, and she could no longer control her tears from streaming down her face. "No! Master, ar- are you... throwing me out? No!" Hestia held Jiu Shen¡¯s arms while looked at him with sorrow.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s felt a prickling sensation slowly spreading in his heart when he saw the tear-stained face of Hestia. He thought that he had already trained his emotion to be rigid and cold, but the sensation he was feeling now was certainly out of his expectations. ¡¯To think that after billions of years, a woman¡¯s tears can still make my heart waver...¡¯ He mocked himself, but he didn¡¯t know why he was feeling relieved instead.


    Jiu Shen pulled Hestia to his embrace and rubbed her back gently. "I will never do that. I¡¯m sorry for suddenly saying that to you..."


    Hestia was surprised at her master¡¯s actions. She didn¡¯t think that Jiu Shen who was usuallyposed would actually hold her affectionately in his arms.


    She felt her heart beating wildly as if it was about to leap out of her chest. All the worries she was recently feeling was thrown at the back of her mind as she inhaled Jiu Shen¡¯s natural manly scent. She then buried her face in his chest and quietly listened to his rhythmic breathing. ¡¯Jiu Shen... Just what am I to you? No matter what it is, I will cherish this moment forever...¡¯


    Jiu Shen was oblivious to Hestia¡¯s thoughts as he absentmindedly rubbed her back. A familiar yet unfamiliar feeling rose in his heart as he held Hestia in his arms.


    "Master, can you hold me like this for a little bit more?" Hestia asked without looking at Jiu Shen, but she felt bashful when those words left her mouth.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s poker face broke into a smile. "Mn." He replied softly.


    * * *


    Inside the throne room of the Silver Wing Empire¡¯s imperial pce.


    "Are you speaking the truth, Duanmu?" The emperor¡¯s dignified voice echoed in the throne room.


    Defender Duanmu nodded his head and replied in a grim voice. "Your Majesty, this subordinate will never lie to you about such matters. This time, we¡¯re lucky enough to gain the help of Young Miss Hestia. If not for her, the fourth prince and the fifth princess would have... Sigh!"


    Emperor Elyk sighed in relief. "It must be Wine Master Jiu who ordered her to protect you guys. And we now owe him a huge favor..."


    Defender Duanmu remained silent after that.


    Emperor Elyk closed his eyes as he gathered his thoughts. "After the continental war fifty thousand years ago, no demons dared to step foot in our Profound Dragon Continent. Our ancestors already made an agreement with them to stay out of each other¡¯s territories. But to think that there is actually someone among them who dares to go against this agreement! Are they not afraid of the Alliance?" He muttered as he tapped his fingers on the armrest of his throne.

 Chapter 87 - Hu Xiandao

    <h4>Chapter 87 - Hu Xiandao </h4>


    "Your Majesty, another group of experts came inside our Beltran City. They are already the fifth group that entered in our territory. Furthermore, each of them has a 7th-rank Emperor realm cultivator leading their groups." Defender Duanmu reported.


    Emperor Elyk sighed weakly. ¡¯ I¡¯m almost at the age of abdicating the throne, but why are all these troublesome matters happening right now? Sigh!¡¯


    "Are there any 8th-rank Divine realm cultivator spotted within our borders?" Emperor Elyk asked with a weary voice. It was only in front of Defender Duanmu that he could disy this kind of weakness. Emperor Elyk trusted him so much and he even treated Defender Duanmu like a real brother.


    Defender Duanmu felt sorry for the emperor, but he didn¡¯t show it on his face. "Your Majesty, our people haven¡¯t reported any sightings of experts at that level, but there is a possibility of someone with that strength appearing in these troubled times. The Earth Origin Dragon Tree is just too precious for them to pass up, even I am feeling a bit tempted..." The old defender said truthfully.


    He couldn¡¯t be med for this. The Earth Origin Dragon Tree was, after all, a 9th-rank spiritual nt. Just its fruit alone was capable of helping an 8th-rank Divine realm expert to break through to the 9th-rank Saint realm. Such an astonishing treasure would surely be highly sought by many high-ranking experts!


    Emperor Elyk narrowed his eyes but still sighed in the end. "Even this emperor wants to take a single fruit from Wine Master Jiu. Just that after learning everything about his strength, I don¡¯t even have the courage to ask him for one. Just let those people be for now. Let them suffer a little bit for going inside our empire without notifying us." The emperor said.


    Defender Duanmu broke into a grin but he frowned soon after since his injuries weren¡¯t fully healed yet. Although Hestia already provided him with a high-level healing pill, he still needed more than ten days to recover his peak condition.


    "Those fools actually dared to harbor thoughts of snatching something from Wine Master Jiu. I just hope that Wine Master Jiu will be magnanimous enough to let them off. If not, then our Silver Wing Empire might have to face the full brunt of their factions¡¯ retaliation." Defender Duanmu said with a serious look.


    Emperor Elyk nodded in agreement. "Indeed. But no matter what Wine Master Jiu¡¯s choice will be, if his actions will implicate our empire, then even if I have to beg him, I will make sure that he will have to ride along with us." A trace of brilliance flickered in the emperor¡¯s eyes and the buried majestic air within him resurfaced in that instant. He might be nearing his twilight years, but the awe-inspiring regality and charisma of an emperor were already deeply rooted in his bones.


    Both men who were inside the throne room didn¡¯t even think that begging Jiu Shen was contemptible. They both know that an expert at Jiu Shen¡¯s level was far from their reach, so what is there to worry about begging someone like him?


    * * *


    The Immortal¡¯s Wine Store.


    A towering single-armed man with long wavy red hair and dark skin entered the store who then instantly garnered the attention of the customers due to his wild and untamed presence. It was as if they were facing an alpha lion that had escaped from the forest.


    Each of his steps created a loud thumping sound that caused the customers¡¯ hearts to beat wildly in nervousness.


    Behind this man were four individuals with the same ferocious air. Two of them were youths at the 4th-rank Knight Crusader realm and the other two were middle-aged men at the 6th-rank King realm.


    Aside from their feral aura, all these men had something else inmon. They were all tall and had hulk-like bodies that it almost looked as if they could crush their chairs into smithereens.


    "Can this little thing really be sat on?" The single-armed man muttered as he nced at the ordinary-looking chair in front of him. He touched the fragile-looking chair and used a bit of his strength to try crushing it. He was a high-level body strengthening expert and anyone with such strength could surely crush anything with their grip power alone!


    Just as he thought that the chair would crumble into dust, he felt a strong rebound force that made him release it instinctively.


    "Huh?!" He frowned while ncing at his hand in bewilderment. His hand was now feeling numbed and is slightly red in color as if it had experienced some kind of minor physical damage.


    He then nced at the chair and was about to smack it when he heard a cold and indifferent voice behind him.


    "If you still value your remaining arm, then I advise you not to do anything funny. Of course, you¡¯re free to disregard my words."


    The single-armed man paused his actions and narrowed his eyes as he turned around to face the person who had spoken such bold words.


    His narrowed eyes widened when his gaze locked onto the person in front of him. It was actually a valiant youngdy with short blonde hair! Everything about her was perfect and even her cold expression entuated her overall bearing.


    "This littledy, are you speaking to me, Hu Xiandao?" The man asked while looking at Theia in amusement.


    In their Mythos Wilnds, nobody dared to talk to him like that. Whoever dared to do so were heavily thrashed by him to the point that even their parents could no longer recognize their faces.


    Physical conflicts were prettymon in their ce since it was thend of the barbarians. Almost all of their people were uncultured individuals who think using their fists. And in order to gain the respect of such rough people, one had to have sufficient strength. This Hu Xiandao was someone heavily respected in the Mythos Wilnds not just because of his strength, but also because of his ferocity!


    Mythos Wilnds was a kingdom of barbarians in the northern part of the Silver Wing Empire. All of their people practiced body strengthening and they even battle with ferocious savage beasts almost on a daily basis.


    Their ferociousness and undaunting courage made them famous in the entire Profound Dragon Continent. Even a huge empire like the Silver Wing Empire was wary of their presence! Just this alone was enough to tell their strength.


    Facing such a man like Hu Xiandao, Theia remained calm.


    The face-off between them looked like a rabbit facing against a lion, but the customers inside the store had strange expressions on their faces.


    "If this person isn¡¯t sensible enough, then we might see someone getting kicked out like ragdoll once again..." Someone among the customers muttered.

 Chapter 88 - Hu Xiandaos Story

    <h4>Chapter 88 - Hu Xiandao''s Story </h4>


    Hu Xiandao released a bit of his anma in a bid to scare Theia with his strength. Although thetter was a beauty, he wanted to teach her a lesson for talking to him in such a manner.


    There was a faint glow in Hu Xiandao¡¯s body as his anma slowly gushed out of his body. He gave Theia a faint smile that looked terrifying to behold.


    "What a pity! That littledy is so pretty, but why did she have to provoke Lord Hu?" One of the young barbarians said as he shook his head.


    The other three barbarians held the same sentiments, but they could only watch the scene with a look of regret.


    They didn¡¯t even realize the weird atmosphere enveloping the whole store as the face-off between Theia and Hu Xiandao continued. The customers were wearing excited looks on their faces as if they were waiting for something to happen.


    The barbarians were confused at their reactions, but they could notprehend the reason for their behavior. They were also perplexed that no one even stood up to dissuade Theia from provoking an expert like Hu Xiandao. Just why?


    Being stared in such a way by Hu Xiandao, Theia¡¯s cold eyes remained tranquil with no hints of ripple. She looked like a stubborn little shrub facing a huge storm with an unbending will!


    "Are you done talking?" She asked in a calm and indifferent voice, but when the customers heard her speak, they could not help but shiver.


    "Hahaha! You¡¯ve got guts littledy. To think that there is someone in Beltran City with such an attitude. I respect your courage, but I don¡¯t want being looked down especially by a woman!" Hu Xiandao¡¯s smiling face turned ferocious as he spoke in an intimidating voice.


    It could be said that this Hu Xiandao was truly a full-blooded barbarian. The savagery of someone who had grown up from the vicious wilnds was already deeply-rooted in his bones. Just his overwhelming presence alone could even make the patriarchs of the noble ns treat him with respect. So how could he bend to a mere woman just because of her beauty?


    Suddenly, a bone-chilling true essence gushed out of Theia¡¯s body. It was so dreadfully dense that even Hu Xiandao had to take a step back!


    "Just a woman, huh?" Theia¡¯s calm voice was like death¡¯s whisper echoing beside everyone¡¯s ears.


    Hu Xiandao¡¯s yful expression froze and he could not help but put on a serious look as he hurriedly gathered the anma from his body to protect himself.


    At that moment, he finally realized that this blonde beauty was actually an expert that was many times stronger than he was!


    ¡¯The customers¡¯ weird expressions and their uncaring attitude. Now it all makes sense... They all knew that thisdy is a top expert...¡¯ Hu Xiandao thought to himself while cautiously looking at Theia.


    Just as the two sides were about to sh, an alluring voice echoed inside the store.


    "Wait, Sister Theia!"


    Everyone nced at Lu Sn with puzzled looks, but they didn¡¯t dare voice out their curiosity. They could only silently stare at her graceful figure while waiting for her to speak.


    Theia recalled her true essence and looked at Lu Sn in bewilderment. "Sister Lu, what¡¯s the meaning of this?" She asked in a mild tone, but she was obviously displeased. She really wanted to punish Hu Xiandao for daring to act impudently in her presence.


    Hu Xiandao nced at Lu Sn and his eyes widened like saucers. "Sect Mistress Lu? Why are you here? And why are wearing a maid¡¯s uniform?" He asked with a surprised tone.


    Lu Sn walked towards them and stood in between the two before she nced at Theia apologetically. "Please forgive Lord Hu, Sister Theia. He¡¯s someone from the Mythos Wilnds and barbarians like him are known for their overbearing attitude. But Lord Hu is someone with a kind heart" The former said gently.


    Theia knitted her eyebrows and nced at Hu Xiandao from head to foot. In her eyes, he didn¡¯t look kind at all.


    "Just this alone is not enough to stop me from punishing him." She said coldly.


    Hu Xiandao wanted to speak, but Lu Sn raised her slim arms to prevent him from speaking. The former reluctantly closed his mouth and he could only re at Theia.


    "Sister Theia, please. He may not look like a good person, but he saved my life when I was still young back then. One of his arms was even severed just to save me from being devoured by 7th-rank Emperor realm savage beast." Lu Sn could not help but feel a bit emotional as she recalled the scene that happened many years ago.


    She was still a 6th-rank King realm cultivator at that time and she was out on a mission given by the sect elders of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect.


    During her travel, she encountered a 7th-rank Mountain Breaking Serpent. And just as she thought that she would be devoured by the huge behemoth, a brave barbarian warrior raised his thick arms to shield her body from the serpent¡¯s bite.


    Lu Sn could still remember as that brave barbarian¡¯s arm was torn off by the serpent, but the barbarian gritted his teeth amidst the excruciating pain and carried Lu Sn away with his remaining arm.


    Starting then, their Ice Cloud Sword Sect became the strongest ally of the Mythos Wilnds...


    Lu Sn nced at Hu Xiandao¡¯s missing arm with teary eyes before she turned to look at Theia with a determined expression.


    Theia sighed as she listened to the story, but her overall impression of Hu Xiandao improved by many times. She nced at the headstrong barbarian and muttered. "I respect you for being a real man." She then walked back to her spot, making everyone sigh in relief.


    Lu Sn smiled at Theia¡¯s back figure and she then turned to look at Hu Xiandao with a faint smile. "Greetings, Lord Hu and wee to The Immortal¡¯s Wine."

 Chapter 89 - Boss Scars Plan

    <h4>Chapter 89 - Boss Scar''s n </h4>


    "Sect Mistress Lu, who is that woman? Howe such an expert is here?" Hu Xiandao asked with a baffled look. He could not fathom how an expert like Theia ended up working in this store as someone¡¯sckey. Just who was the owner of the store? Isn¡¯t he a bit too kick-ass for taming such a beautiful expert?


    Lu Sn smiled and gestured for Hu Xiandao to sit. "Lord Hu, that youngdy right there is Sister Theia and she¡¯s an expert who is even stronger than me. She is now serving as my master¡¯s subordinate and is also a guard of this store."


    Hu Xiandao¡¯s eyebrows knitted closely together as he listened to Lu Sn¡¯s words and he was surprised to find out that she had epted someone as her master.


    After that, he nced at the chair in front of him with unease, but he still sat on it after seeing Lu Sn gentle smile.


    After carefully sitting on the chair, he could not help but feel surprised that it was actually able to hold his weight. He was, after all, a tall and buff man, so his weight was at least three times heavier than an average man. ¡¯This little thing should be made from a sturdy tree...¡¯ He thought to himself as he gestured for his men to sit beside him.


    If he only knew that he was actually sitting on a chair made from a God-rank Sacred Safarwood Tree, what would his reaction be? Perhaps he might even shamelessly sit on it forever...


    "Lord Hu, if you want to order anything, you can choose which one to buy from that ckboard right there." Lu Sn pointed at the inconspicuous-looking ckboard in one corner of the store.


    Hu Xiandao and his men followed the direction she was pointing and when their gazes locked onto the price list, they could not help but widen their eyes in disbelief.


    Although their Mythos Wilnds was also a strong power within the Profound Dragon Continent, but their wealth isn¡¯t really that much. Since almost all of their people were mostly body enhancers, they rarely used true crystals for cultivation because the tonics they use to increase their cultivation speed are savage beasts¡¯ blood.


    True crystals might be capable of helping them in strengthening their bodies, but the upgrade in strength is much lesserpared to using savage beasts¡¯ blood. Furthermore, true crystal is a rare resource that can only be found in True Crystal Mines. On the other hand, they can just hunt for savage beasts any time they want and extract their blood to use as a tonic.


    "Am I seeing things wrongly? Brothers, can you confirm the prices for me? I think I might have read Silver Coins as True Crystals." Hu Xiandao said while looking at his men with a dumbfounded look.


    The other four barbarians acted as if they didn¡¯t hear his words and continued to stare at the ckboard with unblinking eyes.


    Lu Sn smiled after seeing how they acted. They couldn¡¯t be med either since her master¡¯s wines were just too precious that ordinary people could not afford to buy them. Only the wealthy and the strong could purchase and taste Wine Master Jiu¡¯s wines.


    "Lord Hu, if you didn¡¯t bring enough True Crystals with you, then please allow me to treat you guys. You can choose anything you like and I¡¯ll pay it for you." Lu Sn said generously.


    Hu Xiandao nced at Lu Sn with a sheepish smile and was about to tactfully decline her offer when one of the young barbarians behind him spoke eagerly. "Sect Mistress Lu, we thank you on behalf of Lord Hu! Hehe."


    "Come on, Lord Hu! Sect Mistress Lu means well, so why don¡¯t you just ept her offer?" The other young barbarian nudged Hu Xiandao with a mischievous smile on his face.


    Hu Xiandao red at the two young barbarians but they merely chuckled,pletely unafraid of him.


    In all honesty, they were already beaten many times by Hu Xiandao that they were no longer afraid of getting his aggro. Furthermore, how could they pass up such a rare opportunity of poking fun at him?


    Hu Xiandao¡¯s expression turned a hundred eighty degree turn when he nced at Lu Sn. He then put on a forced smile and said. "If that¡¯s the case, then we shall humbly ept Sect Mistress Lu¡¯s grace."


    Lu Sn smiled and waited for them to choose their wines. There are not that many customers anyway, so she could still wait for them patiently.


    Hestia was still recuperating, so Lu Sn was the only waitress for today.


    The customers were slightly disappointed at the oue of things. They really want to see some action today, but who knew that those barbarians were actually acquaintances of Young Miss Lu. Furthermore, they were also impressed by Hu Xiandao¡¯s bravery when they listened to Lu Sn¡¯s story.


    "To think that those fearsome-looking guys are actually amiable. You can¡¯t really judge a book by its cover. Sigh! I¡¯m ashamed to have judged that guy wrongly." Boss Scar shook his head and sighed.


    His mercenary brothers nodded their heads in agreement as they looked at Hu Xiandao and the other barbarians with a look of respect.


    "Boss, I can sense that something bad is about to happen to our Silver Wing Empire in theing days. I don¡¯t want to say it, but we are too weak to be involved in this turmoil. And even if we join, then we might only serve as cannon fodder." Liu Xiufeng spoke self-mockingly... He was someone from the Liu Family and he still had some connections with them, so he was quite knowledgeable about the current state of things in their empire.


    Boss Scar wanted to rebuke him when he heard those words, but he could not really find fault in what Liu Xiufeng said.


    "Sigh! Brother Liu is right, so I suggest we brothers ept that mission and train ourselves along the way." Boss Scar said after a moment of thought.


    Liu Xiufeng and the others nced at Boss Scar with surprise.


    "Boss Scar, do you mean that cave exploration mission posted just recently?" Liu Xiufeng asked excitedly.


    Boss Scar smiled and nodded his head. "Yes. It might be dangerous, but I know that us brothers will be able toe out of that cave safely since we¡¯ve already improved so much after drinking Wine Master Jiu¡¯s wines."


    Liu Xiufeng and the other mercenaries nodded their heads with shining eyes.

 Chapter 90 - Third Prince

    <h4>Chapter 90 - Third Prince </h4>


    "Lord Hu, I know you¡¯re not just here to drink wine. Are you perhaps here for my master¡¯s Earth Origin Dragon Tree?" Lu Sn smiled yfully.


    She had already heard from her master that the Earth Origin Dragon Tree will bear fruit in less than three days. Counting the days that have passed since then, the fruit should grow by tomorrow morning and ripen at night. And that¡¯s the time when all those hidden experts would show up to snatch the fruits for themselves.


    Hu Xiandao who was drinking his wine almost choked himself when he heard her words. He then nced at Lu Sn with a crooked smile and cursed the elders of the Mythos Wilnds in his heart. Still, he couldn¡¯t me them since they must have not known that Lu Sn was actually the disciple of the rumored Alchemy Saint Jiu Shen.


    It was still a few days since the customers have heard about Jiu Shen being an Alchemy Saint, but news has already spread far and wide that even the neighboring powers have already heard a thing or two about him.


    Just that, almost everyone found it hard to believe that an alchemist at that level would stoop so low and actually open a small wine store in a remote alley of Beltran City. So after hearing the rumors, most of those who have heard it merelyughed and thought that it was just an exaggerated joke to promote their store.


    This includes the Mythos Wilnds. They believed that it was merely a rumor purposely spread to incite fear and confusion to everyone. Some believed that it was a move to prevent those with covetous hearts from stealing their valuable treasures.


    Hu Xiandao and his men were sent here specifically to get ahold of the Earth Origin Dragon Tree, but who knew that their strongest ally¡¯s sect mistress was actually the disciple of the store¡¯s owner?


    Hu Xiandao nced to his left and right before he moved closer to Lu Sn. He then whispered silently. "Sect Mistress Lu, we are indeed sent here by the elders of our Mythos Wilnds to get the Earth Origin Dragon Tree. But since the owner of this store is your master, then we will never dare to continue this mission any longer. And as your ally, we will aid you in protecting this ce."


    Lu Sn smiled and she shook her head. "I¡¯m happy about your choice, but there is no need for Lord Hu to interfere."


    Hu Xiandao frowned and thought that Lu Sn didn¡¯t want them to be involved in the turmoil. With a determined look, he said. "Sect Mistress Lu, we¡¯ve been living in the destends of the north and fighting is amon urrence in there. And the barbarians of the Mythos Wilnds don¡¯t fear death!"


    Lu Sn felt warmth in her heart and she broke into a wry smile. Even if countless strong experts wille to strike them, she believed that her master was capable of subduing everyone with a mere flick of his fingers. Not to mention the existence of Theia who could even make an 8th-rank Divine realm expert like her feel an intense amount of pressure. She really didn¡¯t think that they were in need of support...


    "Lord Hu, have you forgotten about Sister Theia? Just her alone is more than enough to stop those people from taking away my master¡¯s Earth Origin Dragon Tree." Lu Sn said with a slightly proud expression. The feeling of having someone to rely on was truly a refreshing feeling to her since she was used to bearing the pressure alone during her time as the Sect Mistress of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect.


    Hu Xiandao was stunned and he was at loss for words. ¡¯Indeed! Although Sect Mistress Lu didn¡¯t tell the specific cultivation level of that little blondie right there, she should be a 9th-rank Saint realm cultivator. Even the Barbarian Emperor of our Mythos Wilnds is not her opponent, so what is there to be worried about?¡¯ He thought as he slowly calmed himself down, but deep inside his heart, he was still nning to offer his help even if Lu Sn had already declined his offer.


    "If that¡¯s the case, then I will bring my brothers to the nearest inn so that we can immediately provide our assistance if needed. Please agree to this, Sect Mistress Lu or I won¡¯t be able to calm down." Hu Xiandao said while scratching the back of his head.


    He was worried about her safety since she was very important in the alliance between their Mythos Wilnds and the Ice Cloud Sword Sect. If something bad happened to her, Hu Xiandao didn¡¯t dare think about the consequences...


    Lu Sn sighed, but she knew how stubborn Hu Xiandao was. In the end, she nodded her head and said with a confident look. "Okay, Lord Hu. I agree to your request, but you don¡¯t need to be on the frontline since my master and Sister Theia will surely suppress those people easily."


    Hu Xiandao nodded his head faintly and smiled. "I¡¯ll listen to your orders, Sect Mistress Lu."


    Lu Sn gracefully smiled and bowed her head before she left them.


    * * *


    Outside the Immortal¡¯s Wine Store.


    A cold-looking man in his thirties nced at the entrance of Jiu Shen¡¯s store with an intrigued gaze. "So this is the wine store of that so-called Alchemy Saint? From the looks of things, everything was merely a bluff." He tried to keep his calm, but the disdain in his tone was evident.


    One of the servants behind him stepped forward and bowed his head. "Your highness, our men have already gathered news about this establishment. And we have solid evidence that the owner is indeed someone with notable strength. As for him being an Alchemy Saint, many imed that it¡¯s true, but we are still unsure about this. But this humble servant suggests avoiding conflict with them before we know their true abilities." The servant said respectfully.


    The third prince gestured for the servant to step back before he walked inside the store with a cold smile.

 Chapter 91 - Third Princes Fury

    <h4>Chapter 91 - Third Prince''s Fury </h4>


    When the third prince stepped inside the store, he was surprised. "Oh? The owner does have some tricks up his sleeve indeed." He muttered and then nced around as if he was searching for something. When his gaze locked onto the four Earth Origin Dragon Tree, his eyes shed with greed, but he hurriedly concealed it.


    Theia nced at him coldly after seeing the avaricious look of the third prince, but when she felt his strength, the coldness in her eyes turned into disdain. She harrumphed and no longer bothered looking at thetter. "Just a puny 5th-rank Spirit realm cultivator and he dares to covet my master¡¯s Earth Origin Dragon Tree? Hmph!"


    The third prince found himself a seat near one of the Earth Origin Dragon Trees. He could not help but feel fascinated by the spiritual nt. Just the refreshing air it exuded erased the feeling of fatigue that he felt from his left long journey.


    "This is truly a divine treasure! ording to the historical record from our imperial library, the fruit from an Earth Origin Dragon Tree is capable of helping an expert at the peak of the 8th-rank Divine realm to break through to the 9th-rank Saint! If I eat one of its fruits, I wonder if I will be able to break through to the 6th-rank King realm right away?" The third prince muttered to himself with a heated gaze.


    The third prince¡¯s name is Erevard Silveria. He was known for his great bravery and talent inmanding an army. He was also present during thest battle between the Silver Wing Empire and the Blue Fang Empire and had even gained himself huge merit for valiantly leading his army into a charge that significantly destroyed the formation of the Blue Fang Empire¡¯s frontline. The Silver Wing Empire¡¯s victory at that time wasrgely to his credit.


    He was a battle maniac and despite his young age, he was already at the peak stage of the 5th-rank Spirit realm. However, because of his contributions to the Silver Wing Empire, Prince Erevard became more arrogant as time passed by.


    "Where¡¯s the waitress here?! Why are the staffs so slow?!" He grumbled coldly, making the other customers nce his way.


    "Isn¡¯t that guy his highness the third prince?" Someone was able to identify Prince Erevard after one look since thetter was quite popr among the hot-blooded men.


    "Tone down your voice, idiot. The third prince looks displeased so it¡¯s best that we avoid getting his attention."


    "You¡¯re right, but what could have made the third prince lose his temper?"


    "Do I look like someone who knows something?"


    The third prince crossed his legs and said to one of his servants with an impatient tone. "Go get the waitress of this store so we can order something!"


    The servant bowed his head and left with huge strides.


    A momentter, the servant came back with Lu Sn following closely behind him.


    Prince Erevard was surprised when he saw Lu Sn. He had seen countless beautiful young maidens from the noble families but none of them were as beautiful as the woman in front of him.


    Lu Sn¡¯s icy blue hair swayed as she walked with elegant steps. She then stopped in front of the third prince and said with an apologetic tone. "I sincerely apologize to have made you wait for so long, dear guest."


    Prince Erevard¡¯s expression lightened up a bit. He smiled and stood up from his seat and walked near Lu Sn. "Youngdy, my name is Erevard Silveria, third prince of the Silver Wing Empire. May I have the honor of knowing your name?" He said while putting up a gentle look.


    Lu Sn knitted her eyebrows and took a step back. She was about to speak when a rough voice interrupted her.


    "Boy! Who do you think you are to talk like that to Sect Mistress Lu?!" Hu Xiandao stood up from his seat and walked towards the third prince with heavy strides. The four other barbarians followed behind him while looking at the third prince and his group with cold stares.


    Prince Erevard was stunned at the scene. Someone actually dared to talk condescendingly to him?


    The third prince¡¯s gaze darkened as he looked at Hu Xiandao and his men. He could not read thetter¡¯s strength, but considering the strong and vigorous aura that gushed out of this single-armed barbarian¡¯s body, the third prince could immediately tell that this guy was a high-level body strengthening expert. However, he remained calm amidst the towering presence of Hu Xiandao.


    Hu Xiandao was internally surprised at how the third prince was able to remain collected. He red at Prince Erevard and said with a cold voice. "Little bastard, do you not know the identity of thisdy here?"


    Lu Sn indifferently watched them and refused to intervene. Although she was working as a waitress in her master¡¯s store, she didn¡¯t want her dignity as a top expert to be stepped on even by a prince.


    Prince Erevard frowned and a trace of killing intent shed in his eyes when he heard Hu Xiandao call him ¡¯little bastard¡¯. It was the first time that someone has spoken to him in such a rude and disdainful tone, but he held himself back from attacking when he heard Hu Xiandao¡¯s words. ¡¯From his words, it seems that this woman doesn¡¯t have a simple background. Who could she be?¡¯


    "Listen carefully, little bastard. Standing in front of you is the Sect Mistress of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect, an expert at the 8th-rank Divine realm!" Hu Xiandao¡¯s gaze was filled with contempt as he spoke those words.


    Prince Erevard could not help but feel his heart turning cold when he learned about Lu Sn¡¯s identity. He hurriedly calmed himself and bowed his head slightly. "Greetings, Sect Mistress Lu. I¡¯m sorry about my behavior earlier. I hope you can forgive this lowly prince."


    Even his father had to act humbly in front of Lu Sn, so Prince Erevard didn¡¯t dare neglect her.


    "Coward!" Hu Xiandao muttered under his breath, but the third prince heard it loud and clear since there was only a small distance between them.


    Prince Erevard suppressed his fury as he muttered coldly in his heart. ¡¯You damned barbarian! Just you wait! After I finish my matters, I¡¯ll make sure to slice that tongue of yours!¡¯

 Chapter 92 - A Strange Visitor

    <h4>Chapter 92 - A Strange Visitor </h4>


    "Lord Hu, don¡¯t cause a ruckus here or I might not really be of help if Sister Theia makes a move." Lu Sn appeared to be scolding Hu Xiandao but her eyes didn¡¯t look angry at all. In fact, she was d that thetter stood up for her for it was beneath her pride to bully a mere prince.


    He Xiandao gave onest look of disdain towards Prince Erevard before he turned his gaze at Lu Sn. He then let out a sheepish smile and said with a slightly embarrassed tone. "My apologies, Sect Mistress Lu. I just couldn¡¯t bear to see your esteemed self being bullied by this brat."


    Lu Sn waved him off before she shed a splendid smile at the third prince and co. "Dear guest, can I take your orders now?"


    Prince Erevard was still feeling furious after being humiliated by Hu Xiandao, but he didn¡¯t dare behave recklessly in front of an 8th-rank Divine realm expert like Lu Sn. He forced out a faint smile and replied in a humble voice. "Sect Mistress Lu, I¡¯d like to order..."


    The third prince¡¯s eyes almost popped out when he saw the prices of the wines sold. So the rumors about the wines here being sold at exorbitant prices were true?


    "What¡¯s the matter, dear guest?" Lu Sn asked with a look of concern, but sheughing in her heart.


    Prince Erevard nced at Lu Sn and said with a slightly trembling voice. "I¡¯d like to order ten Frozen Origin."


    He felt a bit pained to waste that much money on wines, but he didn¡¯t have a choice. He wasn¡¯t like the second prince who has a huge amount of wealth, so 500 True Crystals was already a huge amount for him.


    "Ten Frozen Origin... Is there anything else?" Lu Sn asked with a smile.


    Prince Erevard hurriedly shook his head. "That¡¯s it for now."


    Although he had many questions inside his head, the third prince was not in the mood to ask Lu Sn about that. So he immediately went back to his chair with a sullen look after ordering wines for himself and his subordinates.


    The customers thought that they would see another good show, but they were disappointed once again. However, they didn¡¯t take it to heart and resumed drinking their wines with red faces.


    ¡¯It looks like it will be hard for me to get these Earth Origin Dragon Tree with an expert like Lu Sn standing guard. If that¡¯s the case, I will wait for those experts to strike and fish during themotion.¡¯ Prince Erevard¡¯s greed didn¡¯t diminish one bit despite knowing that a strong expert was present inside the store.


    * * *


    The next day.


    Jiu Shen opened his store as per usual. He didn¡¯t even look the least bit worried and maintained a casual attitude.


    "Good morning, Wine Master Jiu. Hehe." Liu Mengdi greeted him with a respectful smile. He was almost present here every day with his subordinates, but he was somewhat surprised since he didn¡¯t see the most punctual group. Of course, he was talking about Boss Scar and his mercenary buddies.


    Jiu Shen gave him an indifferent look and didn¡¯t even bother to reply.


    Liu Mengdi smiled awkwardly before he stepped inside the store. He was already used to Jiu Shen¡¯s personality that it was no longer a surprise to him that he was ignored by thetter. Still, he felt a bit wronged in his heart. He was, after all, the young patriarch of the Liu Family. Someone who held a considerable amount of authority in the Silver Wing Empire, but to think that he was treated as a mere fart by Jiu Shen on a daily basis. It was truly a huge blow to his pride...


    "Wine Master Jiu, I¡¯ve heard some news from my father that a lot of experts mighte to strike your store today. It appears that they covet something in your possession." Liu Mengdi said after inching closer to Jiu Shen. He was present when the alchemists from the Alchemy Hall visited Jiu Shen¡¯s store, so he already knew about Jiu Shen¡¯s identity as an Alchemy Saint, but he still decided to warn him out of his good intentions.


    This time, Jiu Shen nced at Liu Mengdi and nodded his head at him. The former was a bit surprised that this kid was actually a bit sensible.


    "Wee, Young Master Liu." Hestia greeted him with a smile. She had already recovered from her injuries after a day of rest. Furthermore, she didn¡¯t suffer that much damage anyway and Jiu Shen also gave her a healing pill to hasten her recovery.


    Liu Mengdi smiled at Hestia and bowed his head slightly. "I¡¯m happy to see, Young Miss Hestia today. I wonder why you were absent yesterday." He asked with a curious look.


    Hestia¡¯s face froze but she hurriedly replied. "I just had some matters to do, Young Master Liu."


    Liu Mengdi didn¡¯t ask any further after hearing Hestia¡¯s vague answer.


    "Oh, as long as-"


    "Kekeke! So this is the store that stole this lord¡¯s Earth Origin Dragon Tree? What a shabby establishment! It¡¯s not even as big as my dog¡¯s kennel! Kekeke!" An eerie voice filled with malice resounded outside the store, scaring the customers who were about to go inside.


    Jiu Shen acted as if he heard nothing and simply found himself a seat. He pressed his back on the chair and crossed his legs with the same uncaring expression on his handsome face.


    "Meow!" A chubby white cat that could hardly walk due to its ball-like body rolled towards Jiu Shen and jumped on hisp. It then snuggled closer to him with its eyes closed.


    Liu Mengdi nced at the duo and was at loss for words. ¡¯Wine Master Jiu, there is a strong opponent outside your store. How can you remain calm in this kind of situation?¡¯ He thought to himself while looking at the entrance. He was a bit relieved when he saw Theia standing guard like a valiant war goddess.


    "The guy outside seems a bit strong. Will Young Miss Theia be able to hold him down?" Liu Mengdi muttered to himself while stiffly sitting on his chair.


    Jiu Shen nced at the stick-looking old man with a hunched back. He seemed to be in his eighties and didn¡¯t even look human anymore. It wasn¡¯t wrong to say that he was a walking corpse with his wrinkled face and feeble appearance.


    "An ant in this world is actually cultivating this kind of filthy technique..." Jiu Shen muttered coldly.

 Chapter 93 - Undying Corpse Sect

    <h4>Chapter 93 - Undying Corpse Sect </h4>


    Jiu Shen discovered that the old man¡¯s true essence was very peculiar.


    Thetter¡¯s aura was full of negative energies that were invisible to the mortal eyes, but with Jiu Shen¡¯s spiritual power, he saw through everything clearly.


    "Corpse Qi..." Jiu Shen muttered coldly after seeing the negative energies enveloping the old man.


    Corpse Qi was gained when someone uses the bodies of dead experts to cultivate themselves. These types of cultivators who practiced their techniques using corpses were hated by many. This includes Jiu Shen who was now itching to smack the old man to death.


    "Kekeke! What are you pests standing there for?! Get out of this lord¡¯s sight if you still value your lives! Kekeke!" The old manughed in an eerie manner that made everyone tremble in fear.


    They hurriedly distanced themselves from the old man, treating him like some gue. Aside from the old man¡¯s disgusting appearance, he was also emitting a dangerous vibe that made the other cultivators even more afraid of him.


    "So these are the cultivators of Silver Wing Empire? I don¡¯t see anything special about you trashes! Just some bugs that I can squash with one hand. Kekeke!" The old manughed with disdain.


    The cultivators felt angry about being humiliated by the old man. If not for his strength, they would have already thrown themselves at him to cate their fury.


    "Old man, I would have spared you if you have just unted your strength, but you actually insulted the cultivators of our Silver Wing Empire." A middle-aged man in his forties who was dressed as a beggar stepped forward while ring at the old man.


    This man¡¯s name was Can Ye and he was merely here to enjoy wines as per usual, but right before he could step inside Jiu Shen store, he heard the old man¡¯s arrogant words and he could not help but take action.


    The thin old man narrowed his eyes as he turned to look at Can Ye. His dried lips curved upwards to form a cold smirk when he sensed thetter¡¯s strength.


    "I was wondering who it was that have spoken such bold words. To think that it¡¯s just a mere clown at the initial stage of the 6th-rank King realm! You have truly broadened this old man¡¯s horizons! Kekeke!" The old man sneered in contempt.


    This old man was from a sect called ¡¯Undying Corpse Sect¡¯. This sect has quite the reputation in the whole Profound Dragon Continent. Their Sect Master was an old being at the 9th-rank Saint realm! With the presence of their mighty Sect Master, the sect remained untouched despite having done countless evil deeds.


    The disciples of the Undying Corpse Sect cultivated puppets made from the dead bodies of strong experts. That¡¯s right! They used the corpses of deceased cultivators and some other precious materials to make their puppets. And because of their hateful behavior, they earned the condemnation of everyone. However, no one had the guts to strike this sect due to the deterring presence of their Sect Master!


    Can Ye involuntary clutched the saber behind his back when the old man had easily seen through his cultivation level.


    He was someone with talent but was unfortunately born from a humble background. The speed of his growth might be considered as fast whenpared to other itinerant cultivators, but in front of the geniuses born from noble families, his cultivation speed was still a tad slower. Nheless, his reputation within the Silver Wing Empire was still great.


    "Old dog, who are you?" Can Ye asked while firmly clutching the hilt of his saber. He could not see through the old man no matter how much he looked at him.


    The old man¡¯s expression darkened when he heard how Can Ye called him. He red at thetter while taking out a stone coffin from his storage ring. The coffin was made from an unknown stone and it continuously emitted an awful stench.


    "Beggar from the Silver Wing Empire! This old man¡¯s name is Shiti Xibo and I¡¯m an elder of the Undying Corpse Sect!" Shiti Xibo shouted with fierce madness in his cloudy eyes.


    The crowd unconsciously stepped back when they saw the old man taking out a strange-looking coffin. The smell it emitted was so terrible that even these battle-hardened cultivators frowned in disgust. Some women even covered their noses due to their growing repugnance.


    "What?! Did he say Undying Corpse Sect?!"


    "What the hell are you screaming for?!"


    "The Undying Corpse Sect is an evil sect that uses the corpses of diseased cultivators in making their puppets! They even killed many people just to make them as puppets!"


    "What?! There is actually such a repulsive sect in our Profound Dragon Continent?!"


    The crowd suddenly felt apprehensive when they heard Shiti Xibo announce his identity. The Undying Corpse Sect was just too notorious for them and it was basically the stuff of their nightmares!


    Can Ye¡¯s breathing intensified and he could not help but pull out his saber ahead of time. He had also heard a thing or two about the Undying Corpse Sect, and even he was apprehensive towards them.


    "So you¡¯re someone with a loathsome origin! In that case, you have no right to continue living in this world! Die!" Can Ye shouted as he pounced towards Shiti Xibo. His saber gleamed and as he activated his true essence.


    Shiti Xibo lifted the stone coffin without difficulty as if he was merely holding a toy.


    "ng!"


    Sparks flew as Can Ye¡¯s saber hit the stone coffin, but surprisingly, his saber only left a small white mark on the coffin.


    Can Ye¡¯s eyes turned stern and he hurriedly kicked the coffin to create a distance between himself and Shiti Xibo.


    Shiti Xibo took a step back and smiled hideously at Can Ye, showing two rows of ck and yellow teeth. "Not bad! You¡¯re not too bad at all for an itinerant cultivator. Kekeke!" The old man praised sarcastically.


    He already knew that Can Ye was someone with no background when he saw thetter¡¯s in and ordinary clothing.


    Jiu Shen who was watching the battle with a calm expression suddenly smiled when he heard the system¡¯s mechanical voice.


    - Ding!


    - Mission: Protect the four Earth Origin Dragon Tree! Rewards will be given forpleting this mission!


    "So it¡¯s finally starting..." Jiu Shen muttered.

 Chapter 94 - Shiti Xibo Opens The Coffin

    <h4>Chapter 94 - Shiti Xibo Opens The Coffin </h4>


    Jiu Shen remained seated even after hearing the mission given by the system. Although he liked to personally kill the old man, he felt that it was beneath him to kill such an insignificant lowlife. Furthermore, he also wanted to see how the itinerant cultivator Can Ye would fight with Shiti Xibo.


    He had seen Can Ye¡¯s decisiveness and his righteous personality. And if this guy was born with a great background in the Primordial God Realm, he would surely be a top saber expert.


    "He¡¯s physique... Not bad. Although it¡¯s nothing inparison to Lu Sn¡¯s Verdant mes Saintly Vermilion Body, it¡¯s still a genuine Divine Physique. He can be nurtured." Jiu Shen muttered while nodding his head inwardly.


    In the Primordial God Realm, there were some people who were already deemed as geniuses the moment they were born. They were blessed by the heavens with physiques that surpassed the norms!


    There were three levels of physiques ording to their strengths and abilities. The first one is the Divine Physique, followed by the Saint Physique, andstly, the Immortal Physique!


    Lu Sn¡¯s Verdant mes Saintly Vermilion Body fell under the category of Saint Physiques, but it was among the best within that level! Jiu Shen was even nning to promote her physique into the cial Immortal Heaven Burning Body after resolving the issue that had almost destroyed her.


    Now, Jiu Shen discovered that this unassuming middle-aged itinerant cultivator was actually someone with a Divine Physique.


    He could not help but feel doubtful about the history of Nuar. A mortal world that gave birth to two heaven-defying physiques? Who would believe that it was merely a coincidence? Jiu Shen was now bing more curious about Nuar¡¯s history. Perhaps this world even had some kind of connection with the Primordial God Realm...


    "I need toe closer to them for me to know what kind of Divine Physique this man has..." Jiu Shen stood up abruptly, causing the sleeping Ice to fall on the ground. Her round body bounced on the floor making her let out a dissatisfied sound. "Meow!


    Jiu Shen walked out of the store and watched the fight with his hands behind his back. He then took out a chair from his storage earring and sat on it.


    Ice red at Jiu Shen¡¯s figure and trailed behind him by rolling her ball-like body. If not for her tail, anyone would have really thought that the rolling cat on the floor was a ball.


    Ice jumped on Jiu Shen¡¯sp and stood with her two hind legs like how a human would. She then tried to smack Jiu Shen with her tiny paws, but she was mercilessly swatted away by Jiu Shen.


    "Stinky human, if you anger this cute Ice any further, I will use my 10th-rank God realm strength to suppress you! Meow!" Iceined telepathically.


    Jiu Shen didn¡¯t even bother looking at her, but he still replied in an indifferent voice. "Try and you won¡¯t be able to drink milk for one month."


    Ice¡¯s expression froze and she could not help but make a very human-like wronged expression. "I was just joking hehe. Meow!"


    She then sat on Jiu Shen¡¯sp and crossed her front legs like a kid throwing a tantrum.


    "Eh? This old man is too ugly and smelly! He smells like atrine pit! Blergh!" Ice covered her nose with her paws while ncing at the fight with disdain. A fight at this level was just too boring for someone like her. She was even stronger than Jiu Shen at the moment with her 10th-rank God realm cultivation!


    Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes narrowed as he studied Can Ye¡¯s physique with his spiritual power. "Peerless Saber Divine Body... So he¡¯s really fated to wield a saber..."


    Unaware that he had already gained Jiu Shen¡¯s acknowledgment, Can Ye waved his saber, producing rays of saber light that streaked towards Shiti Xibo like small lightning serpents.


    Shiti Xibo was one realm stronger than Can Ye and was at the initial stage of the 7th-rank Emperor realm, but he still felt threatened when those saber lights came his way. "I have underestimated you, itinerant beggar! Now, I will show you the strength of our Undying Corpse Sect!"


    After blocking the saber lights with the stone coffin, Shiti Xibo ced his thin right hand on it and forced it open while chanting an iprehensible incantation as if he was trying to awaken a slumbering demon. "Gu Mi Sing Ka Su Pot!"


    The coffin sprang open making everyone see a human-shaped monstrosity!


    It was unknown what kind of creature it was since only its rotting flesh remained. There was also some kind of metallic material forcefully stitched on its body. Its eye sockets were hollow, but a pail green light can be seen on each hole.


    The creature then held two sides of the coffin with its long and ghastly arms and jumped out of it abruptly. It then issued an enraged roar as if it was furious for having been awakened.


    "Roooaarrr!"


    Everyone covered their ears while looking fearfully at the puppet that came out of the coffin.


    "That thing is at the peak stage of the 7th-rank Emperor realm! We¡¯re done for!"


    "Hurry! We need to escape from here!"


    "Run! Run!"


    Shiti Xibo nced mockingly at the scrambling cultivators and shouted with a crazed look. "Do you think you can run away from this lord?! Kekeke! Stay still and be a tonic for my puppet! Kekeke!"


    He then sent a mentalmand to his puppet while looking at Can Ye with an ugly smile. "Kill those pests!"


    The puppet let out another howl and the green light in each of its eye sockets became a shade brighter.


    "Roooaarr!!"


    Can Ye darted towards the puppet in a bid to stop it from killing the other cultivators, but Shiti Xibo was there to block his path.


    The old man lifted the stone coffin in his hands and swung it towards Can Ye. "I¡¯m your opponent! How dare you ignore me! Kekeke!"


    Can Ye frowned and didn¡¯t dare underestimate the stone coffin. It was even capable of blocking his saber strikes without receiving any substantial damage. This made him realize that the stone coffin was definitely a treasure! As for his saber, he had merely bought it from a random weapon shop. His weapon was definitely worth a crappared to Shiti Xibo¡¯s stone coffin!

 Chapter 95 - Can Yes End?

    <h4>Chapter 95 - Can Ye''s End? </h4>


    The puppet was like a wolf that was chasing a bunch of sheep. Each brandish of its sharp ws took the life of more than a dozen cultivators. They could only scream pitifully before they fell weakly on the ground, no longer having any signs of life.


    The puppet grabbed a screaming cultivator and tore his body in half. It then opened its huge mouth and devoured the two halves in mere seconds. Blood continuously streamed down from its mouth as the two green lights in its eye sockets flickered as if the puppet was ring at the fleeing humans.


    Everyone nced at the scene in horror and hurriedly scrambled away. They didn¡¯t dare stay any longer to spectate the fight or they might really be food for that monstrous beast of a puppet!


    "Stinky human, are you not going to intervene? You can swat that bug with one finger. Meow." Ice said while poking Jiu Shen with her paws.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes remained peacefully calm even after seeing such a bloody scene. He had seen something even worse than this during his past life, so how could it create a ripple in his heart? "This is something preordained by the heavens. Even if I save them now, in the end, they will still face a simr end. Besides, the Silver Wing Empire won¡¯t sit idly after this kind ofmotion. Just that, this old man seems to have brought some people over..."


    Ice remained silent as she sat on Jiu Shen¡¯sp while crossing her front paws. Her huge belly was fully exposed, but she wasn¡¯t the least bit embarrassed about it. In fact, she seemed to be unting it to the whole world as if it was something to be proud of...


    * * *


    Can Ye nced at his saber and saw web-like cracks on it. His face fell and he could not help but look at Shiti Xibo with a grim expression. ¡¯Just what the hell is that stone coffin made of?! I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s just an ordinary stone!¡¯


    "Itinerant beggar, I will give you the chance to surrender yourself and allow this old man to refine you into a corpse puppet! What do you think? It¡¯s not too shameful to be this old man¡¯s corpse puppet. Kekeke!" Shiti Xibo smiled wickedly while licking his lips.


    Can Ye¡¯s expression darkened as he clenched his fists in fury, but he could not do anything to Shiti Xibo since the old man was a realm stronger than he was. Not to mention that thetter also had that stone coffin in his possession.


    "Who wants to be your puppet?! Old dog, even if I die today, I will bring you down with me!" Can Ye sprinted towards Shiti Xibo and raised his saber, before shing it down.


    "Kekeke! You¡¯ve got guts, itinerant beggar! Die!" Shiti Xibo tapped the stone coffin and muttered a series of incantations. "Ma Ban Tot Pek Pek Mo!"


    The stone coffin lit up and dozens of thick rusty metal chains came out of it, rushing towards Can Ye like snakes.


    "Bang!"


    Can Ye¡¯s strike was blocked by the rusty chains and it didn¡¯t even leave any noticeable damage. It merely threw the metal chains further away, but soon rushed back towards him, not allowing him to escape!


    "Kekeke! Do you think you can damage a Divine Weapon with a trash saber?! Kekeke!" Shiti Xibo said in contempt, but his palms were already sweating heavily since the burden of using a Saint Weapon was still too much for him. Furthermore, he was also controlling his corpse puppet which made it even more burdensome for him.


    A cultivator¡¯s weapon was divided into three levels ording to their destructive power. The weakest was the Earth Weapon, followed by the Divine Weapon, andstly, the Saint Weapon.


    Earth Weapons were those used by 6th-rank King Realm and below, while Divine Weapons can only be used by someone with at least a 7th-rank Emperor realm cultivation level. As for Saint Weapons, only a 9th-rank Saint realm was capable of wielding such a powerful killing tool!


    "So that stone coffin is a Divine Weapon... No wonder!" Can Ye muttered as he shed the metal chains away, but the cracks on his saber were slowly increasing, making him a bit worried. He didn¡¯t have any more weapons to use, so once his saber is destroyed, he might really meet his end here...


    "Diee!! Kekeke!" Shiti Xibo shouted with a murderous look, making his old face even more unsightly to look at.


    The rusty metal chains converged together to form a huge chain that was a bucket thick and more than a hundred meters long. It was like a huge coiling serpent! Shiti Xibo then controlled it to attack Can Ye! The old man¡¯s eyes were bing even more ruthless as if he had already seen the light of victory!


    Can Ye gritted his teeth and gathered the remaining true essence in his dantian and covered his saber with it, making it produce a brilliant glow as if it was basked by the sun¡¯s light.


    With a twist of his saber, he met the huge chain head-on with a strike of his own, leaving the air splitting in his wake. Countless saber lights manifested as his saber struck the huge metal chain!


    "Booomm!!"


    Their battle created huge cracks on the ground, making the surroundings tremor with each of their strikes.


    "Crack!"


    Can Ye¡¯s saber could no longer hold on and it shattered into countless pieces!


    Although he had used his true essence to coat his saber, it was still insufficient to fight against a Divine Weapon. Furthermore, Shiti Xibo was also stronger than him by an entire realm.


    Without his weapon, the huge chain smashed on Can Ye¡¯s body, the sound of bones breaking echoed as Can Ye¡¯s figure was pathetically thrown away.


    "Kekeke! What a foolish beggar! Without a weapon, you can only die! Don¡¯t worry! I will use your corpse to refine another puppet! Kekeke! Now, die for me!" Shiti Xibo shouted maliciously.


    Can Ye spat a mouthful of blood as he weakly stood up while clutching his bleeding chest. "Cough! Cough! Is... thi-this where...my journey ends?" He muttered with difficulty as he nced at the approaching serpent-like chain.


    Suddenly, the scene in front of him seemed to have slowed down when he was close to epting his death. He then heard a voice whispering close to him. "No, this is where your journey begins..."

 Chapter 96 - Junior Brother?

    <h4>Chapter 96 - Junior Brother? </h4>


    Can Ye was surprised for a moment, but he had the sudden urge to prostrate in worship when he heard those confident words. He then saw a man with long silver hair slowly descending from the sky as if he was an immortal, ethereal, and profound. The man¡¯s silver hair and robes fluttered along with the wind, giving off a carefree and aloof aura that made Can Ye at loss for words.


    The strangest thing was that everything else moved in slow motion including Can Ye. Only that man was unaffected by the slowing of time.


    "Sigh! You¡¯re blessed by the heavens and was born with the Peerless Saber Divine Body, but unfortunately, you¡¯re in the wrong world... I will give you an opportunity... Kill this man and only until then will I allow you to follow me..." Jiu Shen muttered in a detached voice as he took out a huge knife from his storage earring.


    Because of its size, it was more appropriate to call it a saber. This huge knife was among the ten des of the Supreme Eternal Knife Set. It was supposed to be a tool for cooking, but Jiu Shen believed that it was sufficient to serve as a weapon of destruction!


    Jiu Shen also took out a 9th-rank healing pill that he had refinedst night and flicked his fingers, throwing the pill inside Can Ye¡¯s gaping mouth.


    Can Ye felt the injuries in his body recovering at breakneck speed. He even felt invigorated and there was also a sign of breaking through a minor realm!


    He was at the initial stage of the 6th-rank King realm and a pill that was supposed to heal him actually gave him the chance to break through to the mid stage of the 6th-rank King realm! Although it was only an increase of a minor realm, it would have taken him more than a year to achieve that level!


    "This... What kind of pill is this?" He muttered in his heart. He heard about the Alchemy Hall¡¯s pills, but those pills were definitely nothing inparison to the one that Jiu Shen gave him.


    Jiu Shen then handed the huge knife to Can Ye and said indifferently. "Whether you have the right to be one of my people will depend on your performance... Don¡¯t disappoint me..."


    Can Ye unconsciously grabbed the huge knife and felt its limitless power overflowing violently as if it disdained being used by a worthless mortal. The influx of the knife¡¯s power almost caused him to release it, but he stubbornly held on. He gritted his teeth and shouted like an enraged war general while holding the huge knife with both hands.


    At that instant, time seemed to have resumed back to normal.


    The huge serpent-like chain plunged towards Can Ye and Shiti Xibo was still wearing the same cold and merciless grin.


    Can Ye¡¯s eyes burned intensely as he controlled the knife¡¯s power with difficulty. "A mere weapon can¡¯t stop my rising spirit!!" He shouted furiously as he swung the knife with every bit of strength he could muster.


    Shiti Xibo was surprised to see a weapon in Can Ye¡¯s hands. He was certain that thetter was weaponless just seconds ago, but he still put on a cold smile when he saw Can Ye shing with the huge chain head-on.


    "Kekeke! Do you think that you can stop a Divine Weapon with a mere knife? Laughable! Kekeke!" Shiti Xibo was confident about his weapon, but then he saw something that almost made him jump in fright.


    When Can Ye¡¯s knife met with the huge chain, thetter was actually shed in half before it broke into countless pieces! Such destructive power! That was the power of the Supreme Eternal Knife Set! But only those who can wield all ten des of the set can truly use its full power!


    <i>"Shatter!"</i>


    Shiti Xibo¡¯s mouth gaped open when he saw what had happened, but his surprise turned into greed as he nced at the huge knife in Can Ye¡¯s hands.


    "To think that you actually something valuable in your possession! That knife should be a Saint Weapon, but howe you¡¯re able to wield its power?" Shiti Xibo muttered doubtfully.


    In his mind, only the supreme beings at the 9th-rank Saint realm are capable of activating the power of a Saint Weapon.


    "A dead man doesn¡¯t need to know anything!" Can Ye spat coldly as he raised the knife in mid-air while charging towards Shiti Xibo, leaving deep footprints on the ground.


    Shiti Xibo felt threatened at the knife¡¯s power, so he hurriedly controlled his corpse puppet to fight with Can Ye. He also tapped his stone coffin, producing more rusty chains after he chanted a strange incantation. The old man decided to go all out and end everything once and for all!


    Can Ye felt more confident after seeing the strength of the huge knife. He evaded the chains effortlessly before waving the knife in his hands, making the air produce violent ripples.


    The corpse puppet was unafraid of anything and it rushed towards Can Ye while brandishing its sharp ws. It emitted a strange sound as the green lights in its eye sockets burned intensely.


    "Swoosh!" Can Ye¡¯s knife struck the corpse puppet¡¯s ws, instantly severing it cleanly as if a hot knife slicing through butter!


    Although the corpse puppet felt no pain, it roared in madness after having its ws cut off.


    "Roooaarr!!"


    It opened its huge mouth in a bid to swallow Can Ye whole only to receive a casual stroke from thetter.


    "sh!"


    The decapitated head of the corpse puppet flew in mid-air and the green lights in its eye sockets dimmed.


    "Thud!"


    The headless corpse puppet knelt for a brief moment before it fell on the ground with a dull thud.


    Behind the fallen corpse puppet was Shiti Xibo who now stood frozen in disbelief. "No! This is a lie! No!" The old man shrieked like a deranged madman after having witnessed the absurd scene.


    Can Ye¡¯s face remained unceasingly cold as he slowly walked towards Shiti Xibo with the huge knife in his right hand. "Old dog, this is retribution for all the wicked deeds you¡¯ve done!"


    Jiu Shen who was watching the battle remained unperturbed, but he issued an order to Lu Sn. "Sn, help your junior brother when those old men hiding at sidelines willunch their attack."


    Lu Sn felt surprised in her heart, but she still nodded her head in obeisance. ¡¯Junior brother? Does master intend to...¡¯

 Chapter 97 - Lu Sulan Lending A Helping Hand

    <h4>Chapter 97 - Lu Sn Lending A Helping Hand </h4>


    "Don¡¯te closer!" Shiti Xibo has lost his confidence after seeing that his Divine Weapon was ineffective in the face of Can Ye¡¯s knife. Even his corpse puppet fell under one sh of the knife! Its sharpness was evident for being able to easily cut through the corpse puppet that was made from a dead body of a top expert and some other precious materials!


    Although Shiti Xibo¡¯s strength was a realm higher than Can Ye¡¯s, he was already drained of true essence after simultaneously controlling his puppet and wielding the stone coffin. On the other hand, Can Ye consumed a healing pill that renewed his strength and it even improved his cultivation level by a minor realm. Not to mention the knife of an unknown level that brought fear in his heart!


    Shiti Xibo¡¯s thin legs trembled when he saw the cold expression of Can Ye. He could not help but look in a certain direction and shout angrily. "Elders, will you really just stand idly by and watch me die here?!"


    Can Ye¡¯s eyes flickered and he hurriedly dashed towards Shiti Xibo. He felt that we wouldn¡¯t have the chance to kill the old bastard if he wasted more time. He then kicked Shiti Xibo who was busy calling for help and raised his knife in mid-air, his eyes gleamed coldly.


    "Friend, stay your hand!" A voice echoed nearby, but Can Ye ignored the warning and swiftly swung the knife downwards, aiming to cut off Shiti Xibo¡¯s head!


    "Diiiee!"


    Shiti Xibo felt scared and he hurriedly raised the stone coffin in an attempt to block the knife. This stone coffin might look ordinary on the surface but it was still a genuine Divine Weapon. It could block the attack of weapons at a simr level, but were the des of the Supreme Eternal Knife Set on the same level as it?


    When the knife¡¯s de struck the surface of the stone coffin, it sliced through effortlessly and cut the sturdy stone coffin in half!


    Shiti Xibo¡¯s eyes popped out of their sockets, but before he could scream in terror, the knife had already sliced through his neck!


    Shiti Xibo still had a look of horror as his severed head rolled on the ground. In hisst moments, he saw his headless corpse with huge amounts of blood streaming from his neck ceaselessly. At that final instant, his two eyes burst out of their sockets after seeing the dreadful scene!


    Can Ye let out a deep breath after killing Shiti Xibo. He then nced at the sky and basked his face with the warm rays from the sunlight. He appeared to have reached an epiphany, making his cultivation rise by another small realm. He was now at thete stage of 6th-rank King!


    "Insolent bastard! How dare you kill an elder of our Undying Corpse Sect?!" An enraged voice reverberated behind Can Ye. He immediately backed away after sensing an attack aimed his way.


    "Baang!!"


    The ce where he previously stood became a huge pit, and even Shiti Xibo¡¯s body was ttened into meat paste! What a vicious attack!


    Can Ye¡¯s heart palpitated wildly as he nced at the three silhouettes walking towards him.


    Among the three was a short old man in his fifties, but was only as tall as a ten-year-old kid. What was abnormal about him was his muscr right arm that was at least five times thicker than his body! It was definitely not his own arm, but the arm of a certain savage beast forcefully attached to his body!


    Behind the short old man were two ordinary-looking old men that looked to be in their sixties. They were giving off a dangerous presence that screamed with cruelty. One of them was holding a sickle and the other had a short sword strapped behind his back.


    It was clear that it was the shorty who hadnded an attack after seeing the furious look on his face. The dwarf¡¯s name was Da Bi. The one with with the sickle was Mu Bai and thest one was Cai Jun.


    If not for Can Ye¡¯s fast reaction speed, he might have already be a mangled and bloody mess...


    "Bastard! You actually disregarded this old lord¡¯s warning?! Are you deaf?!" Da Bi shouted with boiling hatred in his gaze.


    "Such bold wordsing from the man who had just desecrated hispanion¡¯s dead body." A gentle voice simr to a siren¡¯s whisper drifted, causing Can Ye and the other three to feel surprised.


    "Swoosh!"


    A graceful figurended in front of Can Ye, making thetter smell a delicate womanly scent, fragrant and refreshing.


    Lu Sn nced at Can Ye curiously and smiled at him. She was feeling mystified at this junior brother of his who looked like an ordinary middle-aged man with a resolute countenance. ¡¯Just how did he manage to gain master¡¯s recognition?¡¯


    Can Ye furrowed his eyebrows in surprise after sensing Lu Sn¡¯s cordial attitude, but when he recalled the man with long silver hair, he roughly understood who she was. ¡¯She should be someone working under that man or she might even be his disciple.¡¯ After reaching that kind of thought, Can Ye¡¯s expression turned respectful.


    "For someone at the 6th-rank King realm to kill a 7th-rank Emperor realm, you have great potential." Lu Sn said while looking at Can Ye with a mild look.


    She had seen Can Ye¡¯s fight with Shiti Xibo and she was impressed by the former¡¯s unyielding and resolute attitude. ¡¯It should be the reason why master acknowledged this guy...¡¯ She muttered in her heart.


    Can Ye¡¯s expression remained neutral even in the presence of a great beauty. His heart was only with the saber...


    "I dare not ept your praise, young miss." Can Ye said humbly. He knew that he only won the fight because of the knife that Jiu Shen gave him, so he wasn¡¯t the least bit arrogant even after winning.


    "You two insolent fools!" Da Bi¡¯s face darkened after having been ignored by Lu Sn and Can Ye. He was an expert at the peak stage of the 7th-rank Emperor realm, but he was actually brutally ignored by the two bugs in front of him! So outrageous!


    Da Bi¡¯s anger was on the verge of exploding but he held himself back because he could not see through Lu Sn¡¯s cultivation level...


    ¡¯Just how strong is this woman?¡¯ He thought to himself.

 Chapter 98 - Da Bis Corpse Puppet

    <h4>Chapter 98 - Da Bi''s Corpse Puppet </h4>


    "Junior brother, you should stay back for now and let me handle the rest here." Lu Sn said as she cast an indifferent nce at the three old men from the Undying Corpse Sect. Her eyes became cold as she confidently stood to oppose the three, even Can Ye could not help but admire her courage.


    ¡¯Did she just call me junior brother?¡¯ Can Ye was perplexed, but he hurriedly distanced himself from the scene.


    Those three people were on the same realm as Shiti Xibo in terms of cultivation level, and the strongest among them was even at the peak stage of the 7th-rank Emperor realm, but Lu Sn still dared to face them all by herself. With such confidence, Can Ye was certain that she was definitely someone on the same level as them, or she might be even stronger! So without feeling unsettled, he tactfully backed off. He was also curious to see that woman¡¯s strength.


    After seeing that Can Ye had already retreated at a safe distance, Lu Sn took out a blue sword from her space ring and directed a hostile look at the three old men. "I must show master that I wasn¡¯t idle all this time. My strength has increased so much after drinking all sorts of wines and cultivation pill that master concocted for me..." She muttered to herself, her blue eyes flickering with intense fighting intent.


    Da Bi ignored Can Ye who had retreated earlier not because he was afraid of Lu Sn, but because he was confident that he can kill that manter. He nced lewdly at Lu Sn¡¯s dainty figure, focusing his gaze on her delicate curves, the beautiful sight made him drool. "Little pearl, what do you think about bing this lord¡¯s concubine? I won¡¯t be stingy and offer you wondrous resources and even give you my utmost care. How about it?" He said with a lustful expression.


    Mu Bai and Cai Jun who were standing behind him smiled coldly as they looked at Lu Sn¡¯s peerless image. Even the both of them felt their old hearts wavering after seeing her unmatched countenance. Such a beautiful pearl would surely be fought over by even the strongest of men!


    Lu Sn¡¯s eyes became colder and a trace of killing intent gushed out of her gaze. She was an initial stage 8th-rank Divine realm expert, but the three old men who were a realm lower than her actually dared to harbor such malicious thoughts? Truly tired of living!


    "Old dwarf, what did you just say?!" Lu Sn spat with a furious look.


    Da Bi¡¯s smile froze when he heard what Lu Sn called him, his expression then turned ferocious and he no longer held back the desire in his dark heart. "You¡¯re quite a courageous youngdy to actually call this handsome lord a dwarf! I will punish you for your insolence and make you my ve!" His spittle rained as his expression became even more perverted as he spoke.


    Mu Bai and Cai Jun almost choked when they heard Da Bi call himself a handsome lord, but they didn¡¯t dareugh for fear of being beaten to death. Thetter was much stronger than the both of them, so they could only act as if they didn¡¯t hear anything.


    Ice who was observing the confrontation with her paws crossed erupted into peals ofughter. "Hahaha! Did I just hear this old sprout call himself a handsome lord? Hey stinky human, this old man is such a joker! Hahaha! Meow!" Tears and snot can be seen spilling out of her eyes and nose as she guffawed while rolling on Jiu Shen¡¯sp.


    Jiu Shen smacked Ice¡¯s head, making thetter rub her head with her paws. Ice then bared her teeth while looking at Jiu Shen in disgruntlement, but when she saw him lift his hand again, she immediately put on an ingratiating expression.


    "Meow."


    * * *


    Lu Sn could no longer hold back her fury, releasing her true essence for everyone to see.


    The three old men from the Undying Corpse Sect could not help but feel surprised. This beautiful youngdy was actually an expert in the 8th-rank Divine realm! Such a shocking revtion made their hearts go cold, but they remained standing on their spots with resolute expressions. Their sect master had personally ordered them to get the Earth Origin Dragon Tree. They could not afford to fail this mission or only death awaited them in their return!


    "So that¡¯s why you¡¯re so confident about facing us, but even so, this is still not enough to stop us. Mu Bai, Cai Jun, go get the Earth Origin Dragon Tree. I¡¯ll face this woman alone!" Da Bi became serious as he looked at Lu Sn. He didn¡¯t dare look down on her anymore after seeing her true strength.


    Mu Bai and Cai Jun nodded their heads and instantly darted towards the store. They were confident that Da Bi would be able to hold back Lu Sn for some time, so they sprinted without hesitation.


    Lu Sn grinned coldly and didn¡¯t stop the two from going inside the store. That ce still had a terrifyingdy that was many times stronger than her. Not to mention her master whose strength she could not even fathom...


    Da Bi was surprised that Lu Sn didn¡¯t stop Mu Bai and Cai Jun, but he didn¡¯t take it to heart. He took out a stone coffin from his space ring, it was simr to Shiti Xibo¡¯s, but the corpse puppet they refined were different.


    When Da Bi opened the stone coffin, a huge figure came out from it and it roared furiously at the skies.


    "Rooaarr!"


    Lu Sn narrowed her eyes and studied the corpse puppet carefully. It was actually a Six-Armed Mountain Ape, but one of its arms was missing. She then nced at Da Bi¡¯s humongous right arm, and realization dawned on her.


    ¡¯So this shorty might have killed this savage beast and took one of its arms for himself before refining the Six-Armed Mountain Ape as his corpse puppet.¡¯ Lu Sn thought to herself.


    Da Bi red at Lu Sn and ordered his corpse puppet.


    "Kill her, but leave her corpse intact!"

 Chapter 99 - Two Against One

    <h4>Chapter 99 - Two Against One </h4>


    Mu Bai and Cai Jun were also a bit surprised that Lu Sn didn¡¯t even hinder their path. They were already prepared for her sneak attack, but they didn¡¯t even see her turning her attention at them. It was as if she disdained to fight them, but the two of them merely frowned for an instant before they quickened their pace. Although they felt humiliated for being ignored, their mission was more important than their face, so they set their sights on the store ahead of them.


    The Earth Origin Dragon Tree must be taken at all cost! Their almighty sect master will surely behead the three of them if they returned without it!


    Can Ye frowned since the two old men were dashing in his direction. He gripped his knife tightly while intently looking at the two individuals, he could not afford to be careless while facing them!


    Mu Bai nced at Can Ye contemptuously as he raised his sickle with the intention to end thetter¡¯s life!


    "Be careful. This man killed Elder Shiti, so his strength should be on the same level as the both of us." Cai Jun narrowed his eyes while unsheathing the sword behind his back. He was a sword cultivator and a puppet master, so his strength was only slightly weaker than Da Bi.


    Mu Bai ignored Cai Jun¡¯s warning and sneered in his heart. He pounced at Can Ye while aiming the pointed end of his sickle towards thetter¡¯s heart.


    "You deserve death for killing an elder of our Undying Corpse Sect! Diieee!" Mu Bai shouted with a merciless glint in his eyes. He might be old, but his fighting capability was definitely not something to trifled with.


    After breaking through to thete stage of the 6th-rank King realm, Can Ye¡¯s confidence increased tremendously, so he didn¡¯t back down while facing two cultivators who were one realm stronger than him. Furthermore, he still had the knife that could even cut a Divine Weapon in half!


    He felt the strong killing intent behind Mu Bai¡¯s attack, so he hurriedly gathered his true essence to protect himself. Can Ye then lifted his knife with both hands, fearlessly meeting Mu Bai¡¯s attack head-on!


    Mu Bai was surprised at Can Ye¡¯s bravery, but he smirked coldly in his heart. ¡¯Do you think I¡¯m as weak like that old bastard Shiti Xibo? Laughable!¡¯


    However, the smile on Mu Bai¡¯s face froze and instantly turned into horror. Can Ye¡¯s knife effortlessly sliced his sickle in half!


    ¡¯Heck! That was a Divine Weapon, but it was actually destroyed in a blink of an eye? Just what kind of knife is this bastard holding?!¡¯ Mu Bai thought in dread.


    Luckily for him, he was able to evade the knife by a hair¡¯s breadth, making him break out in cold sweat. If he wasn¡¯t able to evade in time, his head would have been cut off...


    Mu Bai hurriedly distanced himself from Can Ye and nced at the knife in thetter¡¯s hand with a heated gaze. ¡¯If I can get my hands on that knife, my battle prowess will surely increase by manyfold.¡¯


    Cai Jun who was right behind Mu Bai didn¡¯t allow Can Ye to take a breather, he lifted his sword and swiped it towards thetter, producing an air-splitting sound as his sword inched closer to Can Ye.


    "Swoosh!"


    Can Ye felt the hairs on his body stood on end while facing Cai Jun¡¯s sword. ¡¯This old man is much stronger than the other.¡¯ The former muttered in his heart, but a strong battle intent flickered in his eyes!


    The two men brandished their weapons, causing the surroundings to be covered in dust, but neither of the two could even touch the other.


    Cai Jun knew that his opponent¡¯s knife was peculiar, so he didn¡¯t dare recklessly sh with him and merely evaded Can Ye¡¯s attacks.


    ¡¯This guy¡¯s knife should be a Saint Weapon at the very least, but how can he wield such an item with his trifling cultivation level?¡¯ For all he knew, only 9th-rank Saint realm experts were capable of wielding a Saint Weapon. If a cultivator with a low level of cultivation tries to forcefully control a weapon at that level, he would only harm himself, but Can Ye didn¡¯t look to be in dire straits. In fact, his battle prowess increased even further as if he was injected with chicken blood.


    Cai Jun frowned while taking out a stone coffin from his space ring. Facing an opponent with such a monstrous weapon, he decided to go all out.


    With a tap of his hand, his stone coffin sprung open, revealing a human corpse with rotting flesh. Cai Jun¡¯s corpse puppet had a sword in its right hand, so it must have been a sword cultivator before it was refined.


    An unbearable decaying smell wafted out from the stone coffin, but Cai Jun didn¡¯t even wrinkle his nose.


    "I have to admit that you¡¯re somewhat capable to even make me summon my corpse puppet, but without that knife of yours, are you even qualified to stand in my way?!" Cai Jun¡¯s cold voice drifted, making Can Ye feel a bit nervous.


    Indeed! Without the knife, he would have died right from the beginning, but Can Ye was confident that he could win against them if they were only in the same realm.


    Mu Bai watched the scene unfold and didn¡¯t want to be outdone. He summoned his corpse puppet, but it didn¡¯t look as impressive as the other. The only thing great about his corpse puppet was the strong presence it exuded. It was actually a puppet at the peak of the 7th-rank Emperor realm!


    The pressure that Can Ye felt significantly increased when the two elders of the Undying Corpse Sect summoned their corpse puppets. Even if he had the knife, how could he block thebined attack of two experts at the 7th-rank Emperor realm?


    However, Can Ye¡¯s fighting intent didn¡¯t waver, instead, it became even stronger!


    Just as the three were about to sh, several strong auras erupted near them, making the three men nce around.


    Jiu Shen who was reclining on his chair set his calm gaze on the neers.


    "Hestia, Theia, don¡¯t let anyone among those people step inside the store. If they try to barge in, kill them immediately." His voice remained indifferent as if reaping someone¡¯s life was something insignificant.


    Hestia and Theia nodded their heads in obeisance before they turned their cold gazes towards the people dashing towards the store.


    Ice yawned and decided to take a nap on Jiu Shen¡¯sp. The battle was just too boring for her to continue watching.

 Chapter 100 - Calm Before The Storm

    <h4>Chapter 100 - Calm Before The Storm </h4>


    There were more than five groups sprinting towards the store, and all of them had a 7th-rank Emperor realm expert leading their respective groups. Such a line up of cultivators would surely cause a major stir even in the Silver Wing Empire.


    The top experts of the noble families had long since felt the strong fluctuations within Jiu Shen¡¯s store, but none of them dared to intervene. Heck! Those experts were certainly people with huge backgrounds and even the likes of them could only watch the scene with worry.


    In the Xue Family¡¯s Estate.


    An elder stood on top of the highest building in the Xue Family¡¯s territory. He was wearing long ck robes with the insignia of the Xue Family drawn on its back. The elder appeared to be in deep thought, butter on, he let out a mocking smile while looking at the direction of the ongoing turmoil. This was Elder Ming, the elder of the Xue Family who trained five sword assassins!


    "After this event, the whole Silver Wing Empire will surely know the authenticity of the rumors around you, but even if you are lucky enough to survive this disaster, I will stille to you soon and im your life! When I achieve my break through, that¡¯s when this old man will shock the world with a single feat. Kekeke!" Elder Ming¡¯s figure turned into a dark smoke and then vanished into thin air.


    * * *


    Inside the throne room of the imperial pce of the Silver Wing Empire.


    "Your Majesty, I suggest that we send reinforcements to aid Wine Master Jiu. Although he doesn¡¯t need our help, we might gain his favor if we provide assistance to him in these hard times." Defender Duanmu suggested while kneeling in front of the emperor.


    Emperor Elyk remained silent for a brief moment before he replied. "It appears that this emperor will have to make a move this time." Flickering in the emperor¡¯s eyes was the fierce vigor of a top expert. It has been long since hest showed his strength to the world, so he was feeling rather excited at the thought of fighting with other cultivators at his level.


    Defender Duanmu¡¯s mouth gaped open when he heard the emperor¡¯s words and he could not help but nce at thetter. "Your Majesty..."


    The emperor waved his hands, cutting off Defender Duanmu¡¯s words midway. "It¡¯s about time to show my strength again in order to quell the avaricious hearts of those who want to im the throne for themselves! Duanmu, prepare my battle armor and my Silver Wing Sword! We wille to aid Wine Master Jiu!" Emperor Elyk stood up from his throne and ordered with raging battle intent.


    Defender Duanmu could feel his blood boiling in excitement when he heard the emperor¡¯s words. This was the man who once brought fear to the neighboring empires. He was finally back!


    Defender Duanmu hurriedly stood up and saluted the emperor with an emotional look. "I obey, Your Majesty!"


    * * *


    Dozens of strong experts came, but they were obviously here to make trouble...


    Even so, Jiu Shen¡¯s expression remained unchanged. He was besieged by thousands of strong immortals in his past life, but he was still able to escape right under their noses. It was only when Celestial Emperor Lao Gou took matters into his own hands and captured Jiu Shen using the God Sealing Tower. As for the scene happening right now, Jiu Shen couldn¡¯t even be bothered to make a move.


    ¡¯I might as well train my people using these annoying flies.¡¯ He muttered to himself.


    "Sect Mistress Lu, we¡¯vee to aid you in battle!" A ferocious voice echoed about, making everyone turn their heads to look at the one that has spoken. Who could it be other than Hu Xiandao?


    Behind him were the two 6th-rank King realm experts that he had brought with him. As for the two youths at the 4th-rank Knight Crusader realm, Hu Xiandao didn¡¯t allow them to join the fight. Although he was a brute, he wasn¡¯t an idiot who would foolishly send his men to die.


    After the arrival of Hu Xiandao¡¯s group, the other experts stopped in their tracks while looking at each other warily. All of them were here for the same thing, so they remained cautious.


    Lu Sn, Can Ye, and the three elders from the Undying Corpse Sect who were fighting earlier also decided to pause their battle.


    Everyone knew that this was the prelude before a huge fight!


    Just then, an average-looking middle-aged man wearing crimson red robes stepped forward and nced at everyone with an amiable look. His movements didn¡¯t escape everyone¡¯s sights and they immediately turned their gazes to him, looking at him curiously. "Friends, I know that all of us are here for the Earth Origin Dragon Tree." He said in a nonchnt voice, but his words instantly made all the experts knit their eyebrows.


    After seeing that he had gathered everyone¡¯s attention, the man smiled and continued. "This one is Shao Fenhua from the Crimson Sun Sect. I have a suggestion and I hope that everybody will consider this proposal." His voice was persuasive and full of confidence as he spoke.


    Da Bi nced warily at the man in crimson red robes and spoke with a questioning look. "This brother, I wonder what thoughts you have in mind."


    Da Bi was a peak stage 7th-rank Emperor realm expert, but he could not even discern the cultivation level of the man in crimson red robes.


    Shao Fenhua smiled and replied in a cold voice. "We all know that this store has a top expert protecting it, so I hope that everyone can temporarily refrain from stabbing each other¡¯s backs and ally ourselves together to barge inside the store."


    The crowd of experts murmured, but they all nodded their heads in agreement. They have heard from their respective groups that this unassuming store had a strong expert protecting it, so without further hesitation, they immediately agreed with Shao Fenhua¡¯s suggestion.


    "I agree, but who will take the Earth Origin Dragon Tree?" Someone asked the question that was bothering everyone. Indeed, with all of them joining forces, who had the right to im ownership of the Earth Origin Dragon Tree?


    Shao Fenhua chuckled and replied. "Of course it will belong to whoever gets it first." He knew that there were four Earth Origin Dragon Tree inside Jiu Shen¡¯s store, but he was thinking of taking them all for himself!

 Chapter 101 - Theias Battle Prowess

    <h4>Chapter 101 - Theia''s Battle Prowess </h4>


    Lu Sn nodded her head at Can Ye before she stood beside Hestia and Theia. Can Ye thought for a moment before choosing to stand together with them. Although he had no idea who Lu Sn and Jiu Shen were, he was familiar with Hestia and Theia since he had visited the store back then. Furthermore, Jiu Shen had also saved his life and he vowed to repay this huge favor.


    Hu Xiandao called out his men and stood together with Lu Sn and the others as well. Even if the odds were against them, he was still willing to offer his assistance, even if it means his death.


    Theia took out her sword and stood in front of her team while ring at the several dozen experts with cold eyes. She didn¡¯t feel intimidated even though they were severely outnumbered.


    "I¡¯ll give all of you onest chance to scram out of my sight!" Theia¡¯s voice carried amanding air as if she was a war goddess that disdained the mortal world.


    Shao Fenhua and the others became enraged at the clear contempt in Theia¡¯s tone. It was obvious that they held the advantage in numbers, but thetter was still confident enough to tell them to scram. Such a bold youngdy!


    Shao Fenhua¡¯s eyes burned intensely as raging crimson mes slowly gushed out of his body. The people beside him immediately moved away from him for fear of being burnt to death.


    The techniques of the Crimson Sun Sect was mainlyprised of me arts and other fire maniption manuals, so it came as no surprise that their people would practice such skills. Even so, Da Bi and the others still felt wary at Shao Fenhua¡¯s strength since they could still not see through his cultivation level at all! Either he was an 8th-rank Divine realm expert or he had a treasure that was capable of masking his strength!


    "Brothers and sisters, charge with me!" Shao Fenhua led the charge since he was the strongest within their temporary alliance. They had more than ten 7th-rank Emperor realm experts on their side and several dozen others at the 6th-rank King realm. Such a strong line-up was enough to turn the Silver Wing Empire upside down, but to think that such a strong group was only here to attack a small store!


    The temporary alliance of Shao Fenhua and the others prepared their attacks, but of course, they didn¡¯t want to expose much of their strength yet, since their enemies were not just the people from the store, but also everyone within their so-called alliance. They felt guarded and cautious that they advanced forward warily, making the atmosphere tense and unpredictable.


    The two sides issued their loudest battle cries, but the voices of Lu Sn¡¯s group was still overwhelmed by their counterpart. Nheless, their courage didn¡¯t dwindle as they fearlessly fought with fierce killing intent!


    Since Theia was at the forefront of their group, many cultivators tried to attack her, but they could not evene closer to her before their bodies were shed in half by a single sword strike. Decapitated bodies dropped on the ground with dull thuds. Theia¡¯s eyes remained indifferent and cold as she opened a bloody path, leaving corpses and mutted body parts in her wake!


    "Shit! This woman is a top expert! Her strength should have reached the 8th-rank Divine realm at the very least!"


    Sheer terror enveloped the hearts of the temporary alliance of Shao Fenhua and the others. Just what kind of monster was this woman for her to effortlessly kill those strong cultivators as if they were merely ants?!


    Lu Sn and Hestia stood side by side as they reaped the lives of those who charged their way. Although they didn¡¯t reveal an awesome fighting prowess, the both of them remained untouched despite being attacked from all sides!


    On the other hand, Hu Xiandao, Can Ye, and the other two barbarians were barely holding on, but they didn¡¯t want to back down especially after seeing Theia who was at the center of the enemies¡¯ formation, she was like a meat grinder shing anyone that came her way!


    Seeing that they held the advantage, Hu Xiandao leaped forward and swung his gigantic axe. He then shouted with a disdainful smile on his face. "Fools! Obediently stretch your necks for this lord!"


    Suddenly, a piercing sword light streaked towards him, making Hu Xiandao feel threatened. Facing such an attack, he immediately lifted his axe to block it.


    "Baang!"


    "Lord Hu!"


    "Lord Hu!"


    Hu Xiandao took several steps back before he managed to stand firmly on the ground. He then red at the iing figure with a wary look on his face. "Was it you who attacked me?"


    Cai Jun remained calm while facing Hu Xiandao¡¯s ferocious gaze. He then pointed his sword at thetter and replied. "Cripple, I will be your opponent!"


    Hu Xiandao¡¯s eyes flickered with violent killing intent when he heard how Cai Jun had called him. He howled at the skies and before pouncing towards thetter while raising his gigantic axe.


    "Lord Hu!" Can Ye and the two subordinates of Hu Xiandao called, but a cold streak of light prevented them from moving.


    "Kekeke! You destroyed my Divine Weapon earlier, so you have to pay it with your life!" Mu Baiughed hideously as he sprinted towards Can Ye and the other two. Following closely behind him was his corpse puppet that was roaring like a savage beast!


    Can Ye frowned while calming his tensed heart. It was the first time he had encountered so many experts who were much stronger than him, so he was feeling a mixture of excitement and worry.


    "The two of you, stand closely behind me!" Can Ye ordered in a grim voice.


    The two barbarians nodded their heads, their faces covered with beads of sweat as they gripped their weapons tightly in their hands.


    Shao Fenhua who was currently facing Theia didn¡¯t dare underestimate thetter. He had seen for himself how she had carved a path of blood that even he could hardly do. He was at the initial stage of the 8th-rank Divine realm, but facing Theia, he felt powerless. Luckily, there were more than four experts at the 7th-rank Emperor realm standing beside him, making him feel a bit assured.


    "Youngdy, if you step aside, our Crimson Sun Sect will be infinitely grateful. I can promise to give you ample rewards if you allow us to pass through." Shao Fenhua tried to use the name of his sect to intimidate Theia, but what he got was thetter¡¯s derisive smile.


    "Foolish! Your whatever Sun Sect will soon be reduced to ashes for opposing my master. You don¡¯t even know what kind of being you have provoked." Theia muttered in a cold voice.

 Chapter 102 - Scaring Shao Fenhua Out Of His Wits

    <h4>Chapter 102 - Scaring Shao Fenhua Out Of His Wits </h4>


    "Your master? What about him? Isn¡¯t he just an Alchemy Saint? The Lord Sect Master of our Crimson Sun Sect is a genuine top expert at the 9th-rank Saint realm! Lord Sect Master can just squash that whatever Alchemy Saint with just one finger! Hahaha!" Shao Fenhuaughed with contempt, but he was not just randomly boasting either.


    The sect master of the Crimson Sun Sect was indeed an expert at the 9th-rank Saint realm and it wasmon sense for everyone in Nuar that if an alchemist and a cultivator would fight, the alchemist was highly like to lose. Why? Because everyone believed that alchemists were only proficient in soul attacks and they could hardly resist a strong cultivator of simr level. Furthermore, most alchemists use cultivation pills to hasten their cultivation speed, and although doing this could indeed increase the speed of their cultivation, it would also make their foundations less stablepared to a cultivator who reached their level through sheer talent, will, and hardwork.


    Theia seethed with profound rage when she heard how Shao Fenhua disparaged her master. The coldness in her eyes became even more chilling, making Shao Fenhua and the other four 7th-rank Emperor realm shiver unconsciously.


    "I have to admit that your courage ismendable for having the guts to belittle my master. You don¡¯t know the immensity of heaven and earth. If my master was only willing, he could have even conquered this whole world and rule above everyone else! So how dare a trifling 8th-rank Divine realm ant mock such an esteemed person?!" Theia walked slowly towards them, each step carried a profound aura that made the air around her flow turbulently. The sword in her hand was still dripping with blood, making her look like an angel of death.


    Shao Fenhua and the others were stunned at her words, but before they couldugh at her, they suddenly felt her aura skyrocketing at an unimaginable speed.


    5th-rank Spirit realm


    6th-rank King realm


    ...


    The initial stage of the 9th-rank Saint realm!


    Shao Fenhua finally became horrified after sensing her true strength.


    So that was why she was able to reap everyone¡¯s lives as easily as swatting flies. Shao Fenhua and the others thought to themselves as they took several steps backward. They didn¡¯t want to face the wrathful strike of such an expert at all!


    "Run! We will only die here if we stubbornly remain!"


    "Shit! There was an error in the intel! Run!"


    Two experts at the 7th-rank Emperor realm instantly sprinted away after sensing Theia¡¯s cultivation level. Heck! They will only at thetter¡¯s mercy if they chose to stay.


    Theia sneered and produced two sword lights aiming for the two fleeing experts.


    Pu.


    Pu.


    The two experts halted in their tracks and felt their visions bing blurry, but before they could even realize what had happened, they already slumped on the ground with their eyes wide open. Even in their deaths, they still wore a perplexed look, not even knowing how they had died!


    Shao Fenhua and the remaining two experts watched the scene in horror. They had seen a ray of light streaking towards the two experts, and in the blink of an eye, a bloody hole can be seen on their chests. Everything happened in merely a few seconds, but two top experts already died without even having the chance to fight back! Such an absurd scene made those had seen it shiver in dread.


    Shao Fenhua finally realized that the blonde beauty in front of him was actually an expert that was on the same level as their sect master, but it was already toote for him to amend for his mistakes. He had already insulted Theia¡¯s master which was equivalent to touching the dragon¡¯s reverse scale!


    "Lord, we¡¯re blind and failed to recognize your esteemed self! We beg for your mercy!"


    "Don¡¯t kill us, esteemed lord! I still have a family waiting at home!"


    The two remaining 7th-rank Emperor realm experts behind Shao Fenhua dropped to their knees and begged for mercy. They mmed their heads on the ground, putting on a show for Theia that they had regretted their actions. Their foreheads bled profusely but the two didn¡¯t stop from kowtowing.


    "You spineless cowards! No matter how you beg for mercy, she will still kill you! I¡¯d rather die fighting than beg for mercy! The men from the Crimson Sun Sect never yield!" Although Shao Fenhua was already enveloped by fear, he stood tall and proud with no intentions of backing down!


    He would have looked cool if not for his shivering knees...


    Theia praised him internally for his bravery, but he will still die for insulting her master. She then nced disdainfully at the two experts who were groveling on the ground like dogs.


    "I hate cowards the most." Theia muttered as she brandished her sword at an iprehensible speed.


    Pu.


    Pu.


    Shao Fenhua didn¡¯t even see Theia¡¯s movements, but then, he felt a dreadful warmness in his feet. He unconsciously took a nce on the ground and saw the decapitated and bloody heads of the two experts who were begging for forgiveness just a few moments ago.


    A pool of blood dyed the ground red, making Shao Fenhua¡¯s heart pound even more erratically. He saw a vague outline of his reflection on the bloody pool which almost made his knees buckle in trepidation.


    He raised his head with great difficulty and turned his horrified nce at Theia¡¯s peerless visage. It was so hard to believe that such an ethereal and otherworldly beauty didn¡¯t even frown after killing a number of experts. Her face remained impassive as if she was merely killing a bunch of ants.


    Shao Fenhua drylyughed and muttered in his heart. "Lord Sect Master, why did you have to provoke such an individual? The person that this woman refers to as her master... just what kind of person is he?"


    Theia nced at him coldly and was about to take his life when she heard Jiu Shen¡¯s telepathic message.


    "I can sense the aura of that old brat Duanmu and another person at the peak stage of the 8th-rank Divine realm. That man should be the emperor of the Silver Wing Empire. Allow them to end things here and tell everyone toe back."


    Although Theia very much wanted to take Shao Fenhua¡¯s life personally, she didn¡¯t dare disobey Jiu Shen¡¯s orders. "I obey yourmand, master."


    She then took onest look at Shao Fenhua before she turned around and called Lu Sn and the others back.

 Chapter 103 - The Emperor Arrives

    <h4>Chapter 103 - The Emperor Arrives </h4>


    Under themand of Theia, everyone gathered back at the store. Although they were fighting their own battles, everyone was still able to see how unstoppable Theia was during the entire skirmish, so after hearing hermand to retreat, they immediately obeyed her. Even Hu Xiandao who had a minor conflict with her yesterday didn¡¯t dare voice out any form of protest. Heck! Even those experts who were on the same level as him died in merely one sword strike, so wouldn¡¯t he be courting death if he opposed this paragon of destruction?


    Throughout the entire fight, none of them received any fatal injuries. Can Ye, Hu Xiandao, and the two barbarians were only slightly injured, but with their cultivation level, it wouldn¡¯t take long for them to recuperate.


    Seeing their retreat, the remaining experts of the temporary alliance between Shao Fenhua and the others were perplexed. Their opponent will surely win in no time, so why the sudden retreat?


    Shao Fenhua felt the burden in his chest lightening a bit after Theia left. He sighed in relief while also feeling suspicious at this abrupt reaction from them. He was sure that Theia was about to kill him just now, but somethingpelled her to stop. Whatever it was, he didn¡¯t care anymore. His only thought left was to escape this forsakennd and never step foot in here again! He was even nning to no longer return to the Crimson Sun Sect. The mental and emotional trauma that this battle gave him was just too overwhelming that his body and soul almost copsed.


    Just as Shao Fenhua and the others were about to escape, a loud battle cry drifted on their ears. "His Majesty Emperor Elyk Silveria II has brought reinforcements to aid Wine Master Jiu in battle!"


    After hearing the loud shout, realization dawned on Lu Sn and the others.


    So that¡¯s why Sister Theia gathered all of us to retreat. They thought.


    Jiu Shen remained seated even after hearing that the emperor has personally arrived. His actions were disrespectful to the emperor¡¯s image and could be taken as a treasonous act, but would the emperor dare to punish him? Definitely not.


    Shao Fenhua and the others felt their bodies grew cold. Emperor Elyk¡¯s reputation was too resounding for them to disregard. He managed to prevent many neighboring empires and sects from attack the Silver Wing Empire. Although he was only an expert at the 8th-rank Divine realm, he was a genius in the field of warfare and battle tactics. No matter how the others schemed to conquer the Silver Wing Empire, they could only shake their heads and leave in defeat.


    "Shit! To think that even Emperor Elyk is willing to offer his assistance to this store! No, I have to escape here! As long as that woman does not prevent me from leaving, no one else could!" Shao Fenhua¡¯s eyes flickered as he nned on how to escape.


    The sound of more than a hundred savage beasts marching echoed about. Everyone including Jiu Shen nced at the majestic-looking line-up of soldiers. All of them were at least at the 5th-rank Spirit realm!


    Each soldier wore the standard military armor of the imperial guards. The savage beasts they were riding were also at the 5th-rank Spirit realm. It was a breed of a warhorse that was raised by the most trusted subordinates of the Silveria Imperial Family, the Blue-Eyed Unicorn.


    Leading this hundred-strong army was a man dressed in silver armor and with a golden cape behind him. The silver helmet he was wearing was shaped like a dragon opening its mouth. This was none other than Emperor Elyk Silveria II in his full body armor. Just his presence alone was enough to incite fear in weaker cultivators.


    He leaped off his mount in one graceful movement and rested his right hand on the hilt of his sword that was tied to his hips. His facial expression could not be seen but the towering killing intent of the emperor was truly oppressive that even Shao Fenhua felt apprehensive.


    "Is he really just an 8th-rank Divine realm expert?" Shao Fenhua muttered while silently gathering his true essence. No matter what, he had to escape here!


    With that thought in mind, Shao Fenhua immediately turned around and fled from the scene. I am a coward? Who cares! As long as I can leave this bloody ce alive! Then so what if I¡¯mbeled as a chicken?!


    It was as if all the righteous words he had spoken earlier was merely a pretense. In fact, he only said those words because he was too scared to even beg for mercy.


    After seeing Shao Fenhua¡¯s escape, Da Bi and the others who were still alive immediately fled in different directions, scattering like rats who had seen a cat.


    Emperor Elyk coldly watched them and issued amand in a loud voice. "Soldiers, kill them all!"


    "Kill! Kill! Kill!"


    The soldiers¡¯ battle cries resonated, making everyone¡¯s heart pound in excitement. Although these soldiers were much weaker than the fleeing experts in terms of individual ability, their solid teamwork and coordination were more than enough topensate for this weakness. Furthermore, the enemies¡¯ morale was already in tatters and theirbat prowess was also at their weakest since they had just fought with Theia and the others.


    The emperor did not join them in killing those defeated experts, instead, he walked towards the store while taking off his dragon helmet, revealing the face of a middle-aged man with a heroic image. His long wavy ck hair had signs of turning grey, and his sharp eyes also carried a hint of exhaustion, but among everyone present, only Jiu Shen saw through this.


    Can Ye, Hu Xiandao, and the two barbarians stood respectfully and bowed in respect. They could already be considered as top experts, so there was no need for them to kneel before the emperor.


    As for Lu Sn and Hestia, the two beauties remained standing as if they were treating the emperor as someone with equal status as them. Meanwhile, Theia stood subserviently behind Jiu Shen like how a maidservant would.


    Emperor Elyk did not take this too seriously. He had a rough estimation of everyone¡¯s strength, so he didn¡¯t mind theirck of proper salutation.


    Emperor Elyk stepped forward and gave Jiu Shen a light bow which made everyone present a bit surprised. "Wine Master Jiu, my apologies for ourte arrival."


    Can Ye¡¯s mouth gaped wide at what he saw. Is this really the majestic and lionhearted emperor of their Silver Wing Empire? I¡¯m not seeing things wrong, right?


    Even Defender Duanmu was a bit surprised, but since the emperor had already shown his stance, he could only follow suit. With a gesture of his hands, hemanded the few soldiers behind them to offer their respects as well.


    And with that, they all offered their respects to Jiu Shen who was still reclining nonchntly on his chair. He looked very calm even at this absurd scene. Who was he? He was a Heavenly God in the Primordial God Realm, someone that was only a bit weaker than the three Celestial Emperors! Who knew how many immortals were willing to pledge their allegiance to him, only to receive his cold rejection?


    Jiu Shen nodded his head at the emperor and waved his right hand as if telling thetter to stand at ease.


    Emperor Elyk smiled wryly, but he didn¡¯t dare express any form of discontent. The man in front of him was an Alchemy Saint and he had already asked Master Fengzi about this. Just Jiu Shen¡¯s status as an Alchemy Saint alone was enough for him to greet the former with warm respect. Aside from that, thetter also gave off a mysterious aura that was veiled by his cold and aloof air.


    ¡¯This Wine Master Jiu is an expert! Could he be a 10th-rank God realm expert?!¡¯ Emperor Elyk cried out in his heart. Although he had yet to see an expert at that level, the emperor was convinced that this man sitting calmly even in his presence was most likely an expert at the 10th-rank God realm! Just the thought of it made his heart quiver.


    A brief moment of awkward silence enveloped the scene, but Jiu Shen¡¯s indifferent voice suddenly drifted, making everyone recover from their stupor. "You should be Silver Wing Empire¡¯s emperor... Tell me your name since I don¡¯t have the habit of calling someone ¡¯emperor¡¯."


    Can Ye almost had a heart attack after hearing Jiu Shen¡¯s disrespectful tone when he spoke to the emperor, but to his surprise, Emperor Elyk merely smiled and replied in a humble voice. "It¡¯s an honor to make Wine Master Jiu remember this old man¡¯s name. Just call me Elyk."


    Can Ye¡¯s jaw dropped and his eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

 Chapter 104 - Discussion With The Emperor

    <h4>Chapter 104 - Discussion With The Emperor </h4>


    Can Ye was stunned silly, and he even thought that he might have gone crazy. The almighty emperor of their Silver Wing Empire was actually acting so reserved and humble in front of this mysterious man who had given him the knife. Just who was he to make an expert like the emperor behave as if he was a subordinate?


    "Elyk, is it? Tell your subordinates to clean this ce. This is bad for my business." Jiu Shen said as he slowly stood up from his seat.


    Ice who was resting on hisp once again dropped on the ground and bounced twice before she managed to stand steadily.


    "Meow!"


    She voiced out her displeasure, but she did not dare brandish her ws at Jiu Shen again. Who knew if that stinky human might really stop giving her that yummy and delicious milk? After thinking about that, she instantly put on an adorable look as if she had already forgotten what had happened.


    Emperor Elyk was stumped for words, but after seeing Jiu Shen¡¯s profound gaze, he could only put on a forced smile. Wine Master Jiu, since when did my subordinates be your street sweepers? He cried out in his heart.


    The soldiers behind Defender Duanmu immediately revealed hostile looks, and if not for the emperor¡¯s presence, they would have already pounced towards Jiu Shen and beat him to a pulp. But, could they really do that?


    Defender Duanmu stared at them coldly while feeling scared in his heart. You fools! You actually dare to reveal that kind of look to this person? A bunch of bastards! Luckily, you were still able to restrain yourselves or I would have cut your heads personally to appease Wine Master Jiu¡¯s fury. Defender Duanmu thought as he sighed in relief after seeing that Jiu Shen didn¡¯t care about it, but then, he sensed a powerful suppression that was aimed at him, making him take a step back. After regaining his calmness, Defender Duanmu saw Theia standing behind Jiu Shen with a dark look on her face. He swore that he would surely teach these soldiers a lesson once they go back to the imperial pce...


    The emperor was oblivious to this little exchange since his focus was entirely on Jiu Shen. No matter how he looked at thetter, he could still not fathom the depths of his power. This made him believed that his earlier conjecture about Jiu Shen being a 10th-rank God realm expert was most likely correct. The emperor¡¯s expression became even more respectful after that.


    "Not a problem at all, Wine Master Jiu. And to make sure that those people won¡¯t be able to cause a ruckus again, I will have some of my men to stand guard here." Emperor Elyk smiled as he gestured something to Defender Duanmu. Thetter understood his meaning and gathered a few soldiers to clean up the battlefield.


    This time, Can Ye was already numbed as he listened to the conversation between the two. He wouldn¡¯t even be surprised if the emperor would take Jiu Shen as his master...


    Jiu Shen pondered for a moment before he shook his head. "There is no need for you to send your subordinates here. Come inside, I have some matters to speak with you privately."


    Emperor Elyk was a bit surprised. He was curious about what Jiu Shen would like to discuss with him, but after pondering briefly, he still had no idea what it could be.


    Jiu Shen stepped inside the store while the emperor trailed behind him obediently.


    Defender Duanmu would like toe inside, but then he saw Theia standing at the entrance shaking her head with a calm look. The others were also curious about what Jiu Shen would like to discuss with the emperor, but after seeing Theia at the entrance, they instantly erased the thoughts of eavesdropping.


    Just then, a fat white cat strutted in front of Theia before it stepped inside the store while stumbling asionally due to its obese body.


    Seeing how easily the fat cat was able to go inside, everyone felt their hearts convulsing violently. To think that a cat, a chubby white cat to be exact, was allowed to go inside, while they were denied entry...


    * * *


    Jiu Shen took a seat while before he gestured for the emperor to sit down.


    Emperor Elyk looked around the store and was visibly impressed with the atmosphere. Furthermore, he had also seen the four Earth Origin Dragon Tree with each of them bearing three fruits, making his stunned. ¡¯I thought an Origin Dragon Tree can only bear one fruit, so howe I am seeing three fruits for each tree?¡¯ Emperor Elyk was perplexed but he didn¡¯t dare ask Jiu Shen.


    Normally, an Earth Origin Dragon Tree can only bear one or two fruits, but if it was nted in a good location with thick amount of true essence, then it wouldn¡¯t a problem for a single tree to bear three or even more.


    Emperor Elyk sighed in his heart and just acted as if he hadn¡¯t seen anything. He then sat down in front of Jiu Shen.


    The two of them were silent for a brief moment, but after a while, Emperor Elyk could no longer help but ask. "Wine Master Jiu, how can I help you? With your strength, you should be able to dominate everyone in this continent, so how can a minor expert like me offer my assistance to you?" His tone was incredibly humble and there was even a tinge of admiration in his eyes when he looked at Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen remained silent and took out one bottle of Deep Sea Spring Dew and two silver cups from his space earring. After that, he pulled the cork from the bottle causing an aromatic scent to waft out, making the emperor¡¯s nose twitch from time to time.


    "Good wine!" The emperor eximed while looking at the bottle of wine in Jiu Shen¡¯s hands. He also had a treasured wine in his possession, the Phoenix¡¯s Godly mes Wine. It was priced at 100 True Crystals by the imperial family and there was only a limited number produced every year. However, the aroma of his treasured wine paled inparison to the wine in front of him!


    Jiu Shen ignored the emperor¡¯s heated look and slowly poured wine on the two silver cups. He then pushed one cup to the emperor and replied. "I want one hundred ves with ages between thirteen to neen, the younger the better."


    The emperor¡¯s outstretched arms halted in mid-air when he heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words. Just what was he nning?


    Emperor Elyk frowned as he tapped the table with his fingers. Jiu Shen ignored the emperor¡¯s look and calmly drank his wine.


    "Wine Master Jiu, it is indeed not a problem for me to gather that amount of ves to be sent to you, but I¡¯m curious about..."


    Before he could finish his words, Jiu Shen gestured for him to stop speaking. "You don¡¯t need to know that, but you have nothing to worry about since I¡¯m not nning to conquer this little empire of yours." Jiu Shen put down his cup and nced at Emperor Elyk indifferently.


    Emperor Elyk sighed and shook his head. "If that¡¯s the case, I will send them to you tomorrow." He muttered in defeat before he drank his wine. The moment it touched his tongue, his eyes lit up and the worries in his heart vanished like a puff of smoke.


    "This wine..."

 Chapter 105 - VIP Card

    <h4>Chapter 105 - VIP Card </h4>


    In his past life, Jiu Shen was a solitary cultivator with no one to rely on. He achieved his cultivation through sheer willpower and talent, while the others had it much easier than him. Even so, Jiu Shen still managed to stand out despite hisck of background and was even termed as the Primordial God Realm¡¯s fourth strongest person, just right behind the three Celestial Emperors.


    Because of this resounding reputation, nobody dared to provoke him, but his peaceful life came to an end due to his dispute with Celestial Emperor Lao Gou. And without anybody¡¯s support, he was finally trapped by Celestial Emperor Lao Gou in his God Sealing Tower.


    So in order to prevent the same thing from happening, Jiu Shen nned to establish his own sect while he was still in this mortal world. As for the one hundred ves that he asked from the emperor, he had different ns for them.


    Little did he know that he will actually nurture the most terrifying army that will one day shock the whole Primordial God Realm!


    "Wine Master Jiu, this wine..." Emperor Elyk was truly curious about the wine in Jiu Shen¡¯s possession. Just the taste of thetter¡¯s wine made him feel that his Phoenix¡¯s Godly mes Wine was as nd as water. Not to mention its indescribable aroma that has yet to dissipate in the air.


    Jiu Shen nced at him and obviously knew what was on his mind. "It¡¯s my store¡¯s Deep Sea Spring Dew and it is 120 True Crystals per bottle."


    Emperor Elyk¡¯s eyes went wide in astonishment. He wasn¡¯t surprised because it was too expensive but because it was too cheap a price for such a great wine! He was already expecting that it might be at least 300 True Crystals, but to think it was only sold for 120 True Crystals...


    "I want five dozen bottles of this, Wine Master Jiu!" Emperor Elyk hurriedly said with shining eyes. There was no semnce of a true ruler in him at this moment, but he didn¡¯t give a damn about that anymore. No one else was there anyway aside from Jiu Shen.


    "Meow!" A chubby cat rolled over his feet before it jumped on Jiu Shen¡¯sp.


    The emperor nced at the fat cat and couldn¡¯t help but feel surprised. He was certain that he didn¡¯t sense it earlier. If not for it rolling on his feet, he wouldn¡¯t have discovered the cat at all! However, his focus was now on Jiu Shen since he really wanted to get his hands on the wondrous wine that he had just drunk.


    "Our store does not allow take-outs, and with your strength, you can only consume two bottles at most." Jiu Shen said calmly while stroking Ice¡¯s fur.


    Emperor Elyk felt disappointed after hearing that. After drinking one cup of the wine, he felt the true essence in his dantian expanding by a bit. Although this increase in strength was minuscule, it would have still taken him several months to achieve that kind of increase! So if he drank this wine daily, wouldn¡¯t he be able to break through to the 9th-rank Saint realm in no time? Just the thought of it made him so excited that he now looked like a kid that had taken his first bite of ice cream.


    "Wine Master Jiu, since you don¡¯t allow take outs here. What about giving me a discount every time I buy here? I wouldn¡¯t mind adding a few more ves, what do you think?" The emperor¡¯s eyes shed with a cunning glow, but how could Jiu Shen not see through his little tricks? He was still too young to fool this billion-year-old Heavenly God...


    The trade of ves was illegal in the Silver Wing Empire, but the emperor had his ways on how to give Jiu Shen the number of people that he wants. The Silveria Imperial Family had a training ground for servants where they nurture the future maids and imperial guards of the imperial pce.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s expression remained unperturbed despite his tempting offer, but he was actually telepathicallymunicating with the system.


    "System, do I have the power to give him discounts?" Jiu Shen asked. Although a hundred ves was already a huge amount, adding a few more wouldn¡¯t hurt his ns.


    - Ding!


    - Host, after you activate the next store expansion package, you will be able to give VIP cards to the customers. With this VIP card, they will get a 20% discount for all of their future purchases. Furthermore, they will also gain the privilege of taking out one order of each wine and dishes.


    "Oh? What about the next store expansion package, can I get it after Iplete the current mission?"


    - Ding!


    - Host, this is indeed one of the rewards for aplishing this mission.


    Jiu Shen became a bit curious about what these rewards would be.


    "After you give me what I¡¯ve asked, I might consider giving you a VIP card." Jiu Shen said while looking at the emperor.


    Thetter¡¯s jaw almost dropped after hearing Jiu Shen¡¯s reply. He had heard from Defender Duanmu that this Wine Master Jiu was a miser. He had even forced the old guy and the fourth prince to buy his wines. Recalling the aggrieved looks of the old defender and the fourth at that time, the emperor could not help but chuckle in his heart.


    "VIP card? What does it do, Wine Master Jiu?" The emperor asked curiously.


    "With that card, you will get a 20% discount for all your purchases in my store. Aside from that, you can also order a take-out, but you can only bring one wine and dish of each kind." Jiu Shen replied patiently. He was only nning to give VIP cards to those he finds interesting.


    "Oh? That good? Then I will surely deliver those one hundred people over to you soon, Wine Master Jiu." The emperor said with a smile. The VIP card that Jiu Shen mentioned was very precious in his eyes. With that, he can buy those miraculous wines at a much smaller price! Furthermore, he was even allowed to order take-outs if he had that card.


    After getting that VIP card from Wine Master Jiu tomorrow, I will show it to that old man Duanmu. I wonder what his reaction will be? Hahaha! Emperor Elykughed in his heart.

 Chapter 106 - News About The Profound Dragon Continent

    <h4>Chapter 106 - News About The Profound Dragon Continent </h4>


    After concluding his discussion with the emperor, Jiu Shen told Theia to allow the others to go inside.


    With the emperor¡¯s authority, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem for him to gather a hundred people in just a day¡¯s time. Jiu Shen wasn¡¯t in a hurry either, but the earlier he can start his ns, the better it would be for him. There was still a long way to go before he can regain his former cultivation level, so at the moment, he might as well nurture a group of elites that was loyal only to him.


    The emperor and Jiu Shen talked about random things after that, but it was more appropriate to say that the emperor was doing most of the talking, while Jiu Shen was merely nodding his head.


    "Wine Master Jiu, the Profound Dragon Continent may seem calm and devoid of huge conflicts, but it won¡¯t be long before the entire continent will be embroiled in a huge war if the dispute among the different races will continue to escte." Emperor Elyk said in a low voice.


    Although Jiu Shen looked uninterested on the surface, he was actually intently listening to the emperor¡¯s words. ording to him, the Profound Dragon Continent wasn¡¯t as peaceful as it seemed to be, and if not for the prying eyes of the demons, the Alliance between the countless races of the Profound Dragon Continent would have already descended into war and chaos. Nheless, there were still minor disputes within the Alliance since the leaders of each race were roughly on the same level. If only there was someone strong enough to quell the dispute within the Alliance, things might have been much better.


    The demons may be brutish and evil, but they treat their brethren with respect. With their strong cohesiveness, the overall power of the demon race continued to grow day by day. On the other hand, the strength of the Alliance stagnated due to the constant dispute between the leaders of each race. It won¡¯t be long before the Alliance¡¯s power would dwindle.


    Emperor Elyk was a man of foresight and talent, so he had already deduced what might possibly happen if the internal conflict within the Alliance wasn¡¯t resolved. Unfortunately, his standing within the Alliance was not that high since he had yet to cross the 9th-rank Saint realm.


    "Wine Master Jiu, although I am powerless about this matter, but it will be a different thing if you personally resolve things within the Alliance. And if you indeed decide to gather everyone under one banner, I will be the first one toe and offer my help." Emperor Elyk said with a serious look.


    Because of the gravity of their topic, Jiu Shen had long since blocked their area in order to prevent others from eavesdropping in their conversation.


    "I may have to disappoint you, Elyk. I have no intentions in conquering this continent." Jiu Shen replied with an indifferent look. His only goal was to exact his revenge on Celestial Emperor Lao Gou and uproot the Celestial Paragon Tower. As for conquering a small continent of a mortal world, he didn¡¯t have any intentions of doing so.


    Emperor Elyk sighed and shook his head.


    ¡¯What a pity! Wine Master Jiu is strong enough to lead the Alliance, but he doesn¡¯t seem to be interested in eating this huge pie. What can I do to change his mind?¡¯ The emperor thought to himself while pondering deeply.


    After more than two hours, the street outside Jiu Shen¡¯s store was already clean and devoid of blood and mutted body parts. It can be seen that the imperial guards truly had the talent in bing street sweepers...


    Can Ye was now inside the store sitting together with Hu Xiandao and the two 6th-rank King realm barbarians. They were still wearing nk expressions as if they couldn¡¯t forget the scenes earlier, but they couldn¡¯t be med either. It was just too shocking!


    "Lord Hu, do you know who that man is? I¡¯ve been away from the capital for quite some time toplete a mission, so I haven¡¯t been here in a while." Can Ye asked while poking Hu Xiandao¡¯s arm. The first time he came here in Jiu Shen¡¯s store, there was only Theia and Hestia running things. At that time, Jiu Shen was still gathering the ingredients for his wine.


    Hu Xiandao nced at thetter and replied in a slightly haughty voice as if he was enlightening a young kid. "You¡¯re a citizen of the Silver Wing Empire and you don¡¯t even know him? Brother Can, that man is Wine Master Jiu, the owner of this store! It was also said that he is an Alchemy Saint! Furthermore, he is also the master of Sect Mistress Lu Sn!"


    Can Ye¡¯s eyes widened and he could not help but take a clearer look at Jiu Shen once again. Thetter clearly looked very young, but ording to Hu Xiandao, Jiu Shen was an Alchemy Saint!


    ¡¯This Sect Mistress Lu should be the youngdy that helped me earlier. She should be an expert at the 8th-rank Divine realm, but an expert at her level actually took someone as her master? Then... Is that man perhaps also a top cultivator?¡¯ Can Ye thought to himself, but when he recalled how Jiu Shen had slowed down the passing of time during his fight with Shiti Xibo, he suddenly felt that it must be so. It was very difficult to manipte the element of time even for an expert at the 9th-rank Saint realm, but Jiu Shen did it so wlessly and he didn¡¯t seem to have put that much effort either.


    Can Ye¡¯s heart was overwhelmed with fright at the mere thought of it. Was there really such a kick-ass person in their Silver Wing Empire?


    ¡¯I seem to recall Young Miss Lu calling me her junior brother. Could it be...¡¯ Can Ye¡¯s heart pounded in excitement.


    - Ding!


    - Host, congrattions onpleting your mission!


    - Loading Rewards!


    - You received x1 Store Expansion Package!


    - You received x2 Fruit of Cultivation!


    Jiu Shen saw several shes of texts appearing in front of him as the system notified him about the sess of his mission. He had already expected the Store Expansion Package, but the two Fruits of Cultivation was out of his expectations! Will it be enough to promote him to the 10th-rank God realm?

 Chapter 107 - Second Disciple

    <h4>Chapter 107 - Second Disciple </h4>


    Jiu Shen¡¯s present cultivation was at thete stage of the 9th-rank Saint realm, but the gulf towards the next realm wasn¡¯t that easy to cross. Now that he has two Fruits of Cultivation, he felt that it won¡¯t be long to reach that level.


    - Ding!


    - Host, would you like to im your rewards now?


    "No. I¡¯ll open itter." Jiu Shen answered.


    After a little more than an hour, the emperor left with Defender Duanmu and the imperial guards. Emperor Elyk was satisfied with his discussion with Wine Master Jiu. Although he wasn¡¯t able to convince thetter in going to the Alliance with him, Emperor Elyk still managed to establish a good rtionship with Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen merely asked for a hundred ves, and with the emperor¡¯s power, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to gather that much in a day¡¯s time. On the other hand, he will be getting a VIP card from Jiu Shen. Emperor Elyk could not help butugh at the thought of it.


    Defender Duanmu and the imperial guards were surprised at the emperor¡¯s behavior, but they were gratified to see him happy. After all, the Silver Wing Empire has experienced a lot of conflicts and disputestely that the emperor no longer had much time to rest. This made his loyal subordinates to feel heartbroken.


    "Your Majesty, it seems that your discussion with Wine Master Jiu ended up great. Congrattions, Your Majesty!" Defender Duanmu said while looking at the emperor curiously. He truly wanted to know just what made Emperor Elyk so happy that his smile almost stretched to his ears.


    Emperor Elyk nced at the old defender and chuckled. "Old Duanmu, Wine Master Jiu will give me something great tomorrow. I don¡¯t think anyone else within the Profound Dragon Continent has this item."


    Defender Duanmu became even more curious about this item that the emperor spoke about. "Your Majesty, you truly want this old man to die in curiosity." The old defender said with a wry smile.


    Emperor Elykughed heartily and urged his mount to sprint forward.


    Defender Duanmu shook his head and smiled faintly. "No matter what is, I¡¯ll eventually know about it soon. Our rtionship with Wine Master Jiu should have improved, right? Being acquainted with such an expert is the good fortune of His Majesty. I just hope that Wine Master Jiu will be there if our Silver Wing Empire faces a cmity." He muttered as he gave a kick to his mount, urging it to follow behind the emperor.


    * * *


    Inside Jiu Shen¡¯s wine store.


    Jiu Shen nced at Can Ye and sent a message to him telepathically. "Go sit here with me. I have something to discuss with you."


    Can Ye almost jumped in fright when he suddenly heard someone speak inside his head, but the voice was very familiar to him. He then turned his gaze at Jiu Shen and saw thetter pointing a chair in front of him. ¡¯So, he wants to discuss something with me?¡¯ Can Ye thought.


    Can Ye smiled at Hu Xiandao and said apologetically. "Lord Hu, please excuse me for a moment."


    Hu Xiandao waved him off and replied. "No worries. Go ahead, Brother Can."


    Can Ye gave him a fist-palm salute before he walked towards Jiu Shen¡¯s direction.


    "Greetings, Lord Alchemy Saint." Can Ye bowed respectfully.


    "Sit." Jiu Shen said with an indifferent voice.


    Can Ye felt pressured sitting in front of such an esteemed individual like Jiu Shen. He did not even dare to lift his head to take a look at thetter, but in the end, he was still the first one to break their silence. "Lord Alchemy Saint, I want to express my gratitude to you for saving my life. No matter what you want me to do, I will get it done immediately."


    "Oh, really? Then why does it seem like you have no intentions in giving back my kitchen knife?" Jiu Shen nced at him calmly.


    Can Ye almost spurted blood when he heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words. ¡¯What?! That peerless weapon was actually his kitchen knife?! I thought it was some godly saber...¡¯


    "That... I am naturally nning to give it back to you, Lord Alchemy Saint." Can Ye forced out a smile while scratching the back of his head. He truly had ns in keeping the knife for himself, but since Jiu Shen had already spoken, he didn¡¯t dare hide it anymore.


    "Lord Alchemy Saint, here¡¯s your sab- kitchen knife..." Can Ye ced the knife on the table with a look of longing. Although it was only a knife, it was good enough to be used as a saber. Furthermore, it was even capable of cleaving a Divine Weapon in half, so the quality of this knife shouldn¡¯t be ordinary, right?


    Jiu Shen didn¡¯t nce at the knife on the table and focus his gaze on Can Ye. "I can give you that knife, but you have to take me as your master."


    Can Ye¡¯s eyes popped out when Jiu Shen¡¯s voice drifted. Without further hesitation, he stood up from his seat and immediately offered Jiu Shen three kowtows as he said in a solemn voice. "Disciple Can Ye greets master."


    Jiu Shen didn¡¯t stop him and merely nce at him with a satisfied look. Although Can Ye¡¯s Peerless Saber Divine Body was only a divine physique, it was still very rare even in the Primordial God Realm.


    The customers gasped in surprise at this sudden development. Who was Jiu Shen? He was Alchemy Saint! Anyone who bes his disciple would surely experience a massive change in fate! Liu Mengdi and the others could only nce at Can Ye enviously.


    Jiu Shen flicked his fingers making Can Ye abruptly stand up. "You¡¯re my second disciple, and I naturally have to give you a gift for taking me as your master, but that has to wait for now."


    Can Ye was feeling an intense excitement in his heart. He was already in his forties and he had no hopes in breaking through to the 9th-rank Saint realm with his current cultivation speed, but he now had a master who was an Alchemy Saint!


    "I will introduce you to your senior sisterter." Jiu Shen added.


    "Congrattions, Wine Master Jiu!"


    "Congrattions, Brother Can!"


    The customers offered their felicitations to the men, making the store somewhat boisterous.

 Chapter 108 - Present For Can Ye

    <h4>Chapter 108 - Present For Can Ye </h4>


    Lu Sn had already expected this scene the moment Jiu Shen told her to protect Can Ye. Even so, she was still curious about what was so special about this junior brother of her that even her master decided to take him as his disciple. ¡¯Looking at junior brother¡¯s face, he should be around forty years old, but he¡¯s cultivation is surprisingly at thete stage of the 6th-rank King. Although that kind of cultivation speed can only be considered as ¡¯not bad¡¯, it must be mentioned that Can Ye didn¡¯t have a noteworthy background, making it even harder for him to advance in level. Master might have discovered that he has some talent...¡¯ Lu Sn thought.


    A few hourster, Theia closed the store¡¯s entrance to end the day¡¯s business. She then took a nce at the four Earth Origin Dragon Trees and nodded her head internally. "These four spiritual nts bore fruits just this morning, but to think that it didn¡¯t even take much time for them to ripen. In a few hours, they can already be plucked." Theia muttered to herself as she walked towards Jiu Shen. The moment she was reincarnated to this ce, the first person she saw was Jiu Shen. There was also something within the depths of her soul thatpelled her to serve him faithfully, but in truth, even without that, she will still stay by Jiu Shen¡¯s side. She didn¡¯t know why she felt that way, but there was something inexplicable about Jiu Shen that made her want to be with him.


    "Can Ye, this is your senior sister Lu Sn. She is the sect mistress of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect. She is also much younger than you but her strength is already at the early stage of the 8th-rank Divine realm, and it won¡¯t be long for her to advance by another minor realm. You need to work hard if you want to catch up to her." Jiu Shen said indifferently.


    Hearing her master¡¯s praise, Lu Sn could not help but blush while looking at Jiu Shen coyly.


    Can Ye clenched his fists tightly with a determined look as he nodded his head at Jiu Shen. "Don¡¯t worry, master. I will not disappoint you."


    "Good! I will also be giving you guys your presents for taking me as your master." Jiu Shen muttered calmly.


    ¡¯I already have a suitable present for Can Ye, but I don¡¯t have anything else to give for my senior disciple. And it has been quite a while since I have promised to give her a present, so she might feel despondent if I don¡¯t give her anything now...¡¯ Jiu Shen sighed in his heart.


    "Can Ye." Jiu Shen called out.


    "Master." Can Ye bowed respectfully and looked at Jiu Shen expectantly. Just what kind of item would I receive from master? Considering his strength and identity as an Alchemy Saint, his gift shouldn¡¯t be ordinary.


    Jiu Shen took out the Supreme Eternal Knife Set that was still sheathed state on an ordinary-looking wooden block. The moment it was taken out from his space earring, an oppressive aura enveloped the whole store, causing Can Ye and Lu Sn to pale in fright. Even Hestia and Theia furrowed their eyebrows as they nced at the Supreme Eternal Knife Set in Jiu Shen¡¯s hands.


    If one would look close, there was an empty slot in the knife block. Indeed, it was the slot for the huge knife in Can Ye¡¯s possession.


    Can Ye could hardly stand up from the overpowering aura and even staggered. This! What kind of godly weapon is this?!


    Jiu Shen waved his hands, instantly removing the immense aura that weighed down on everyone. "This is the Supreme Eternal Knife Set. The huge knife in your possession is part of this set. Each knife from this set is an Immortal Weapon, and theplete set is a God Weapon. With your cultivation, you don¡¯t have the power to control the full set yet. As of the moment, you can only use one knife. Take it and brand it with your blood." Jiu Shen handed the knife block to Can Ye with an impassive look. He had no use for this since he already a weapon. Furthermore, Hestia was the cook of his store, so the Supreme Eternal Knife Set was now useless to him. Aside from that, he still had two more kitchen tools, the Divine Devil Skull Frying Pan and the White Tiger King Griller. However, he decided to keep it as a reward for his disciples.


    Can Ye¡¯s breathing intensified as he stretched out his shaking arms to receive his master¡¯s gift. Although he didn¡¯t know what an Immortal Weapon or a God Weapon was, he believed that it must be awesome especially after recalling that frightening aura earlier. "Master... Thank you..." He bowed solemnly at his master and vowed to work harder in his cultivation.


    Lu Sn was also shocked, but she merely smiled happily for her junior brother. "Congrattions, junior brother! You must cultivate well so that you can use the weapon¡¯s full potential."


    Can Ye smiled at Lu Sn and replied humbly. "Yes, senior sister. I won¡¯t disappoint you and master."


    Lu Sn then turned her gaze to Jiu Shen and asked with a stern look. "Master, in the history of Nuar, there are only three levels of weapons, the Earth Weapon, the Divine Weapon, and the Saint Weapon. So what are this Immortal Weapon and God Weapon that you speak about?" She grew curious about it the moment it left Jiu Shen¡¯s mouth and because of this, she also became even more suspicious about Jiu Shen¡¯s origins.


    Can Ye furrowed his eyebrows and was simrly curious, so he nced at Jiu Shen, waiting for him to speak.


    Jiu Shen looked at his two disciples and sighed after shaking his head. He didn¡¯t want to tell them about his identity, but since they were already his disciples, it might be good for them to know who he was. "Since the both of you are curious, I might as well tell you a bit about me. Hestia, Theia, you two can listen as well."


    After gathering his thoughts, Jiu Shen spoke in a cold voice.


    "I came from the Primordial God Realm."

 Chapter 109 - Lu Sulans Consecutive Breakthrough

    <h4>Chapter 109 - Lu Sn''s Consecutive Breakthrough </h4>


    "Primordial God Realm..." Lu Sn, Can Ye, and Hestia muttered curiously, while Theia revealed a thoughtful look.


    "Master, what kind of ce is that?" Can Ye asked as he sneaked a nce at Jiu Shen. He has not heard of such a ce before, but since his master came from there, then that ce should be awesome.


    Looking at their faces, Jiu Shen grabbed a seat and leaned on his chair, but instead of answering them, he asked a question of his own. "What is the strongest cultivation level that someone can attain?"


    Lu Sn knitted her eyebrows and replied. "Master, isn¡¯t it the 10th-rank God realm?"


    Jiu Shen nced at her and shook his head. "You are correct but also wrong. Everyone of you thought that the 10th-rank God is the strongest cultivation level that one can attain, but this isn¡¯t the case."


    Aside from Theia, the other three revealed a look of surprise. Who wouldn¡¯t be? In the history of Nuar, there were only a few 9th-rank Saints in every generation. As for 10th-rank Gods, there hasn¡¯t been one in the Profound Dragon Continent for tens of thousands of years.


    "Master, do you mean...there is still a level above that?" Lu Sn asked with wide eyes.


    Jiu Shen shook his head once again. "Not just one level, but several more... In order to achieve godhood, a peak stage 9th-rank Saint realm expert must ovee his tribtion lightning, and if one crosses that sessfully, they will be promoted to the Nascent God Realm. That¡¯s the start of one¡¯s path to godhood, and someone at that level is referred to as ¡¯Immortal¡¯ due to their long lives and supreme strength."


    Lu Sn and the others could feel the disdain in Jiu Shen¡¯s tone as he told them about that. It was as if someone at the Nascent God Realm wasn¡¯t even worth mentioning in his presence.


    "In that case, how strong is someone at that level?" Can Ye was stunned to hear all these words, but his eyes sparkled with longing.


    Jiu Shen thought for a moment and replied in a calm voice. "A Nascent God Realm expert can destroy the whole Silver Wing Empire in one casual attack."


    Lu Sn, Can Ye, and Hestia sucked in deep breaths of cold air when they heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words. The Silver Wing Empire upied a vast expanse ofnd in the Profound Dragon Continent, so when Jiu Shen told them that an expert at the Nascent God Realm was that strong, they couldn¡¯t help but break out in cold sweat.


    "Master, are you also at this level?" Can Ye asked carefully.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s expression turned strange, but he hurriedly concealed it. "Let¡¯s talk about this when Sn¡¯s cultivation is at the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint."


    Everyone felt disappointed, but they didn¡¯t reveal it outwardly after seeing Jiu Shen¡¯s serious look.


    "I have given Can Ye¡¯s present. This time it¡¯s for Sn. I initially wanted to give you a God Weapon as well, but I don¡¯t have a suitable weapon for you. However, I have something here that can make your cultivation jump to the 9th-rank Saint in less than an hour." Jiu Shen said while looking at Lu Sn.


    Lu Sn was at first dispirited, but after hearing the second half of Jiu Shen¡¯s words, her expression immediately became vibrant. "Master..."


    Jiu Shen sighed internally and took out the two Fruits of Cultivation from his space earring.


    The Fruits of Cultivation emitted a brilliant golden light that almost blinded everyone. They covered their eyes while also taking a look at the item in Jiu Shen¡¯s hands with difficulty. Just what kind of fruit was it for it to produce such blinding light?!


    Jiu Shen grabbed both Lu Sn¡¯s hands, making thetter blush coyly. The former then gave her the two Fruits of Cultivation with a slightly heavy heart. This was supposed to help him reach the Nascent God Realm...


    "Master, this is..." Lu Sn¡¯s trembling voice drifted in everyone¡¯s ears.


    "This is the Fruit of Cultivation. Consume it and you¡¯ll know its effects." Jiu Shen replied indifferently. This was supposed to be taken by him, but since he had nothing better to give to Lu Sn, he could only give it to her.


    He had already spoken with the system about it earlier and it had told him that Lu Sn will be promoted to the 9th-rank Saint if she consumes the two fruits. It was a much bigger jumppared to his own when he consumed two of such fruit, but after recalling that he had the Seamless Deity Physique, he could only sigh.


    Lu Sn gulped as she looked at the two golden fruits in her hands. The two fruits felt so weightless that it was as if she was holding two small feathers. She inhaled its fragrant aroma and instantly felt her true essence fluctuating wildly. What? I haven¡¯t even consumed the fruit yet, and just its smell alone is already capable of enhancing my true essence! How astonishing can this fruit be?!


    Looking at Jiu Shen¡¯s rare stern look, she immediately consumed the two fruits in severalrge bites. "The taste is not bad... Wait...My true essence... What?!"


    She was startled when she felt the absurd growth of her true essence after she consumed the two Fruits of Cultivation. Before, the true essence in her dantian was just like a small stream that flowed gently, but looking at the insane speed at which her true essence expanded, it was now like a vast ocean smashing the shore! Truly shocking!


    Early stage 8th-rank Divine realm...


    Mid stage 8th-rank Divine realm...


    Late stage 8th-rank Divine realm...


    She broke through consecutively and there was no sign of stopping yet! Can Ye, Hestia, and even Theia nced at the scene with dumbfounded expressions on their faces.


    Peak stage 8th-rank Divine realm...


    This time, the speed of her growth slowed down, but it still hasn¡¯t stopped.


    Lu Sn opened her eyes and a sh of power flickered within her gaze.


    Early stage 9th-rank Saint realm...


    She had finally broken through to the 9th-rank Saint realm!


    Lu Sn felt excited and she couldn¡¯t help but hug her master tightly in her embrace. And...It was already toote for her to realize her impulsive actions...


    "Ah!" Like a startled rabbit she hurriedly stepped back.

 Chapter 110 - Arrival Of The Dragon

    <h4>Chapter 110 - Arrival Of The Dragon </h4>


    Jiu Shen¡¯s expression remained calm even after he was embraced by a peerless beauty. Even Can Ye praised his master in his heart. Any other man would have definitely revealed heated expressions if they were in the same situation, but his master was actually able to maintain his indifference.


    With Jiu Shen¡¯s current heart realm that has reached the third stage; Heart Unmoved Like Mountain, it was easy for him to stabilize his emotions in seconds.


    Jiu Shen took a nce at Lu Sn and casually said. "You¡¯ve reached the early stage of the 9th-rank Saint realm, not bad. However, you still have to stabilize your power. Furthermore, the fruits of the Earth Origin Dragon Tree must have ripened by now. Do you know what that means?"


    Lu Sn¡¯s embarrassed expression turned eager when she heard those words. "That means master can concoct the 9th-rank pill for me?"


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly and walked towards an Earth Origin Dragon Tree. Lu Sn and the others immediately trailed behind him with expectant gazes. Their master was nning to concoct a 9th-rank pill! A pill at that level would surely make those esteemed 9th-rank Saints scramble and fight for it, but their master was able to refine such a pill!


    There were three oddly-shaped fruits hanging on the small tree. Each of them producing a pure draconic aura that made everyone inside the store feel the noble and dreadful power that each fruit contained.


    Under everyone¡¯s dumbstruck gazes, Jiu Shen plucked the three spiritual fruits as if he was merely plucking a random fruit from an ordinary tree. Everyone¡¯s mouths twitched after looking at the scene.


    Master, anyone would have been very careful while plucking such a high-level spiritual fruit. We know you¡¯re awesome, but can you at least allow us to prepare our fragile hearts?


    After plucking the three spiritual fruits, Jiu Shen went to another Earth Origin Dragon Tree and did the same, his expression remained neutral with no hints of changing.


    This time, Lu Sn and the others were already numbed, so they just stood behind Jiu Shen obediently as they stretched their necks to get a clearer look at the spiritual fruits.


    Just when Jiu Shen was about to pluck thest fruit, he turned his gaze in a certain direction and frowned. "It looks like that lizard from the Endless Forest has failed to achieve godhood, so it wants to get a piece of the Earth Origin Dragon Tree¡¯s fruit after sensing its pure draconic energy... Although the fruit is indeed capable of helping it attain godhood, but so what?" Jiu Shen muttered disdainfully as he plucked the remaining fruit. He then kept all the fruits and walked outside his store while taking out a chair from his space earring. After that, he ced the chair on a random corner and reclined on it with azy look on his face.


    "Meow!" Ice had already sensed that a strong being was moving towards them, but she merely took a cursory nce at the dark sky before she jumped on Jiu Shen¡¯sp.


    Lu Sn and the others were confused, and only Theia put on a grim look as she stared in a certain direction. She felt a very powerful aura streaking towards them at an unimaginable speed. Even this fearless beauty revealed a wary look and she could not help but ce her right hand on the hilt of her sword.


    Seeing her strange actions, Can Ye and the others were perplexed, but thenter on, Lu Sn also put on a serious look on her face.


    "Someone powerful ising straight to us." Lu Sn muttered grimly.


    This time, all of them turned serious. Just what kind of being wasing towards them that even the usually calm Theia was now putting up a solemn look?


    "Rooaarrr!!" A draconic cry reverberated throughout the whole Silver Wing Empire that instantly made the citizens pale in shock. Those weaker ones even spat mouthfuls of blood while covering their ears with terrified looks.


    A huge creature hovered above Beltran City and its huge eyes flickered with intense bloodlust as it searched for something below. Its gigantic wings created strong gusts of winds that wreak havoc in its wake. Luckily, there was a 9th-rank array formation that protected Beltran City from this.


    Everyone inside Beltran City became frantic after seeing the flying behemoth. It was the first time they had seen such a monstrous creature that even just the sight of it already made their hearts beat wildly in trepidation.


    Emperor Elyk hovered above the skies, but he didn¡¯t dare step out of the city¡¯s array formation. Standing on top of the city¡¯s city wall were four old men at the peak stage of the 7th-rank Emperor realm. One of them was Defender Duanmu. These old men were the four guardians of the Silver Wing Empire! They were usually cultivating within the imperial pce, and they would only step out when the empire was faced with extreme danger. Their presence signified the strength of this flying monstrosity!


    "Friend, what brings you here in my humble empire?" Emperor Elyk sped his hands as he respectfully asked the dragon.


    The dragon turned its bloodthirsty eyes on the emperor, instantly making thetter feel his heart contorting, but he stubbornly put on a calm expression. He had to maintain his powerful image as the emperor of his empire! If he showed a terrified look, then the citizens of his empire would surely descend into a state of unrest.


    "Hmph! You¡¯ve got guts for a weak human! This Saint Dragon will spare your worthless life as long as you offer me the Earth Origin Dragon Tree in your possession." A beastly voice drifted, causing strong vibrations in the air.


    The four guardians revealed angry looks, but they didn¡¯t daresh out after seeing that the emperor raised his hand to stop them from acting rashly.


    ¡¯It should be talking about Wine Master Jiu¡¯s Earth Origin Dragon Tree, what should I do?¡¯ The emperor¡¯s heart was now in turmoil on what he should do. He was facing a dragon that was most likely at the peak stage 9th-rank Saint, on the other hand, Jiu Shen¡¯s strength remained a mystery to him up until now. He weighed the pros and cons and let out a sigh.


    "Sigh!"


    Emperor Elyk nced at the dragon with a determined gaze and replied in a cold voice.


    "Insolence! What right do you have to speak lightly of this emperor?!"


    The emperor¡¯s majestic voice echoed throughout the whole Silver Wing Empire which made the citizens surprised and at the same time admire his courage. This was their emperor!

 Chapter 111 - The Dragons Rage

    <h4>Chapter 111 - The Dragon''s Rage </h4>


    The dragon¡¯s dreadfullyrge eyes emitted a chilly glow as it focused its gaze on the puny human in front of it. This weak human actually dared to shout at this Saint Dragon?! Since when did these cowardly humans learn to have some backbone?! Infuriating!


    The dragon that was almost as huge as the entire Beltran City suddenly raised its towering head upon the skies and opened its enormous mouth, showing everyone its sharp rows of serrated teeth. It then emitted an earth-shattering roar that shook the entire Silver Wing Empire!


    Roaarr!


    At the end of its earth-splitting cry, a massive ball of zingly hot mes materialized inside its wide-open mouth.


    Everyone inside of Beltran City was still affected by the dragon¡¯s mighty roar and some of those with fragile bodies even lost consciousness. Now, they could only watch as this flying behemoth produced a huge ball of fire; they all knew that it will definitely be aimed at the city¡¯s array formation.


    Emperor Elyk was drenched in a cold sweat as he stared fixedly at the dragon hovering above the sky. Because of the radiant brilliance from the scorching me in its mouth, everyone was finally able to clearly see the features of this gigantic dragon.


    Its humongous body was covered entirely by dark fish-like scales, each of which emitted a dull metallic luster that showed how sturdy it was. On top of the dragon¡¯s head was a single horn that was shaped like a karambit¡¯s de. The dragon had four huge limbs with appallingly sharp ws that could tear through mountains. The tip of its long whip-like tail was covered by sharp spikes, extremely hideous and frightening!


    The four guardians almost lost their courage when they saw the dragon¡¯s petrifying visage, but after seeing the lone figure of their emperor who was still hovering above the sky, the four old men resolutely remained standing on top of the city wall.


    Emperor Elyk¡¯s figure didn¡¯t waver even after facing this unusually tyrannical dragon. There was a tinge of fear underneath his solemn look, but the emperor refused to yield.


    "This emperor is unafraid! Bring it on!" He bellowed loudly, causing his veins to almost pop out of his face.


    Since he had already chosen to side with Jiu Shen, he could only stubbornly hold on and pray that Jiu Shen would immediately send his help. He could barely even maintain his sanity in front of this dragon that was nearing godhood, so the amount of pressure he was facing was inconceivable!


    After condensing the raging ball of fire in its mouth, the dragon immediately spurted it out with a furious look.


    A devastating dragon cry reverberated following the descent of the huge ball of mes.


    Rooaar!!


    The air trembled as the ball of searing mes descended towards Beltran City.


    Emperor Elyk felt his palms drenched in sweat and his eyes emitted a trace of panic, but he took a deep breath as he pulled out the Silver Wing Sword from his space ring.


    ¡¯If the array formation of the city is destroyed, I will use every ounce of my true essence to take this dragon¡¯s attack. As long as I can show my stance to Wine Master Jiu, even his stone-cold heart might possibly waver, right?¡¯ Emperor Elyk thought to himself as he silently gathered the true essence in his dantian.


    The sky brightened as the huge ball of mes struck the city¡¯s array formation.


    Baaang!!


    A terrible explosion boomed as spiderweb-like cracks slowly spread out on the array formation¡¯s defensive light.


    A rain of fire enveloped the whole of Beltran City, but luckily, the city¡¯s array formation was still able to prevent those searing mes to touch thend below or the whole city would have been wrecked and covered in mes.


    Emperor Elyk¡¯s hand that was holding the Silver Wing Sword quivered under the intense scene that he had witnessed.


    "This array formation is a peak 9th-rank protective array, but it actually almost crumbled after one attack from that dragon!" Emperor Elyk cried out in his heart.


    The dragon nced coldly at the array formation that was on the verge of crumbling. Its huge eyes revealed a hint of surprise, but it slowly turned into disdain. "I have to admit that I underestimated your city¡¯s protective array formation, but can it block one more attack from this Saint Dragon!?" Its draconic voice was full of ridicule as it slowly opened its mouth again.


    Everyone immediately turned scared as they watched as it slowly condensed another ball of mes.


    * * *


    In an ordinary-looking store, five figures can be seen staring at the sky with gloomy expressions.


    "Master..." Lu Sn nced at her master with a pleading look. Although her rtionship with Emperor Elyk was shallow, her Ice Cloud Sword Sect was still allied with the Silver Wing Empire, and she also didn¡¯t want to see the empire being reduced to ashes.


    Even Can Ye fixed his imploring gaze at his master... There was only one person he knew that might be able to stop that dragon... It was his master, Jiu Shen... Although he has yet to see Jiu Shen¡¯s true might, there was an inexplicable feeling in his heart that this stern and usually deadpan master of his was definitely a true paragon among experts!


    Jiu Shen sighed and stood up from his seat. Thezy look in his eyes turned horrifyingly cold as he gazed at the massive silhouette of the dragon hovering up above the sky. The serene aura around him vanished and was reced by a dark and dreadful air that made Theia and the others unconsciously take a few steps back.


    Even the usually mischievous Ice revealed a trace of fear in the depths of her crystal clear eyes. ¡¯That stinky human... just how strong is he? Meow.¡¯


    Jiu Shen¡¯s long silver hair fluttered as he streaked through the skies under the stunned gazes of Lu Sn and co.


    "Was that really master?" Lu Sn muttered with a nk look as she looked at Jiu Shen¡¯s figure that was slowly disappearing from their sights.


    Will they finally be able to see Jiu Shen¡¯s true power?

 Chapter 112 - The Resolute Emperor

    <h4>Chapter 112 - The Resolute Emperor </h4>


    As the dragon was conjuring its attack, Emperor Elyk felt an overwhelming sense of dangering from it. He hurriedly turned his gaze towards the four guardians standing on top of the city wall and shouted. "The four of you immediately go back and get my children to safety! Bring them to Wine Master Jiu¡¯s store and do everything as long as they will allow you to go inside!"


    Defender Duanmu and the other three nced at each other before they turned their gazes to the emperor. Their murky eyes turned red as they looked at the majestic figure of Emperor Elyk who was hovering just right behind the city¡¯s protective array formation. They knew that the emperor would surely use his body as a shield to block the dragon¡¯s attack, but would he be able toe out alive after taking its terrifying blow?


    After seeing their hesitant looks, Emperor Elyk¡¯s expression turned stern as he hollered. "Are you disobeying this emperor¡¯s words?! Go the fuck away and leave this ce to me!"


    Defender Duanmu hardened his heart after seeing the emperor¡¯s look. His lips quivered, but in the end, he didn¡¯t know what to say. Tears streamed down his wrinkled cheeks as he turned around with a heavy heart. "What are the three of you waiting for?! His Majesty has already spoken! Go back immediately!" Defender Duanmu shouted with a distorted expression.


    The three guardians felt their hearts being squeezed by a tumultuous sensation, but they were powerless to help the emperor. They looked at Defender Duanmu and nodded their heads gravely.


    The four old men took one final nce at Emperor Elyk¡¯s lofty figure before they darted out of the scene.


    Emperor Elyk sighed in relief and fixed his cold gaze on the dragon. He gathered the true essence from his dantian and coated his whole body with it. He then slowly conjured his own battle spell and waved his Silver Wing Sword to form a huge diamond pattern.


    "Sky Diamond Protective Halo. Materialize." Emperor Elyk muttered in a grim voice and the moment his voice left his mouth, the diamond pattern he drew in mid-air lit up and the incorporeal diamond shield slowly solidified.


    Emperor Elyk lifted his sword and pointed it towards the glowing translucent diamond shield. It looked incredibly sturdy, but the emperor¡¯s expression remained grave.


    The dragon finally spurted the second ball of mes, but it looked twice as strong as the previous attack!


    Roaaarrr!


    The night sky suddenly brightened as the raging orb of mes plummeted towards Beltran City.


    Swoosh!


    It left countless kes of fire in its wake, but everyone¡¯s focus was on the solitary figure of their emperor. He looked so tinypared to the descending fireball, but his reliable and staunch back made them feel that he might be capable of blocking this attack.


    When the colossal fireball struck the city¡¯s array formation, the protective light emitted a violent cracking sound before it shattered into motes of light.


    Shatter!


    Everyone revealed a panicked look when they saw that, and they solemnly prayed that the emperor will be able to block the attack.


    However, was that really possible?


    Emperor Elyk roared as he held his Silver Wing Sword with both his hands, pointing it straight towards the diamond shield in front of him. He was using hisst bits of true essence to strengthen it!


    "Stabilize!"


    Finally, the enormous ball of mes pounded his Sky Diamond Protective Halo, but it didn¡¯t evenst for a second before it fragmented into pieces. The emperor felt the smoldering heat burning his skin, but he continued to roar in a hoarse voice.


    Roar!


    Just as he thought that he would be burnt to ashes, a tall figure silently appeared in front of him and raised his right arms, his long silver hair fluttered vigorously.


    "Wine Master Jiu..." Emperor Elyk muttered in surprise as he stared at the familiar figure, but before he could even gather his thoughts, he felt a gentle push that made him fly several hundred meters away.


    "Don¡¯t forget our deal, Elyk." A calm voice drifted in the emperor¡¯s ears, but he could only stare at Jiu Shen¡¯s firm and solid back as thetter blocked the dragon¡¯s fireball with one hand.


    Baaaanngg!


    Multiple shockwaves blew out, blinding everyone as the huge fireball exploded violently.


    The emperor¡¯s figure was instantly blown away by the intense shockwaves produced after the explosion. He stumbled a dozen times in mid-air before he could stabilize himself.


    Some buildings down below also copsed after bearing the brunt of the shockwaves!


    Such devastating power, but the emperor waspletely certain that he saw Jiu Shen blocking it with only one hand! Emperor Elyk turned his gaze towards the sky, but his sight was obstructed by a thick cloud of ck smoke.


    "Wine Master Jiu..." He didn¡¯t know why, but he felt that the weight on his shoulder lightened down considerably after the arrival of Jiu Shen.


    Heposed himself and streaked towards the imperial pce. With Jiu Shen¡¯s presence, the dragon shouldn¡¯t be able to destroy Beltran City. Now, he must go back to ensure that his children were safe.


    Swoosh!


    Behind the thick cloud of ck smoke, Jiu Shen can be seen flying towards the gigantic dragon, but strangely, the dragon that was high and mighty just a few moments ago was now wearing a wary look as it nced at the human that was moving towards it.


    "This human..."


    After getting close to the stunned dragon, Jiu Shen waved his right hand. Archaic golden patterns materialized in a circr motion, making the dragon feel a sense of foreboding.


    Following Jiu Shen¡¯s movement, the space in front of the dragon slowly ripped open and abruptly produced a strong suction force that made the dragon pale in apprehension.


    Rooaar!!


    It issued a baleful draconic cry, but it waspletely useless under the strong suction force from the rift of space. It continued to suck the dragon, not giving it any chance to escape!


    The dragon frantically pped its enormous wings but to no avail, it was still sucked by the rift.


    Roaaarr!!


    After the dragon¡¯s figure can no longer be seen, Jiu Shen jumped into the rift before it vanished into thin air.


    A few minutester, the thick cloud of ck smoke subsided, making everyone see a tranquil starry night sky...

 Chapter 113 - Jiu Shens Power

    <h4>Chapter 113 - Jiu Shen''s Power </h4>


    Everyone stared speechlessly at the serene night sky. If not for the dpidated buildings around them, they would have believed that everything that happened earlier was merely a nightmare.


    The huge dragon that was about to destroy the whole Beltran City was nowhere to be seen. Everyone only saw the starry sky and the bright moon that gave off a pale white light.


    "His Majesty defeated the dragon!"


    No one knew who started shouting, but everyone immediately erupted into joyous cheers and chants as they loudly praised the emperor¡¯s victory.


    "His Majesty is invincible!"


    "Long live His Majesty!"


    "Long live His Majesty!"


    The citizens¡¯ cry resonated throughout Beltran City and anyone could tell the relief in their voices.


    Emperor Elyk who was flying towards the imperial pce heard their praises and he could only sigh ruefully. In the end, Jiu Shen still chose to remain anonymous despite having done a great deed for the Silver Wing Empire, but why did he choose to stay away from the limelight? Even the emperor didn¡¯t know his reason, but the former would never forget this huge favor.


    In not less than a few minutes, Emperor Elyk arrived at the imperial pce. Just right outside the pce, he saw the four guardians circling the fourth prince and the fifth princess with resolute gazes. They had juste out from the imperial pce, so they were unaware of what had happened. Of course, they have heard the violent rumbling in the sky, but they still had no idea what had transpired.


    The three eldest princes had their own manors, so they were not inside the imperial pce, and only the fourth prince and fifth princess were there among the emperor¡¯s children.


    "Huh? Where¡¯s the dragon?" One of the guardians spoke in a confused voice. His old face was painted with bewilderment.


    Defender Duanmu and the others knitted their eyebrows into a frown when they saw the peaceful evening sky.


    "Where¡¯s imperial father?!" The fifth princess balled her fists as she stared at the sky with a sorrowful look. Her cheeks had long since been drenched by her own tears as she sobbed forlornly.


    Everyone was affected by her emotion and they could not help but well up in tears. Even the fourth prince who was usually a cheerful fellow was now covering his eyes with the sleeve of his robes.


    Step. Step. Step.


    They heard a familiar sound of footsteps making them unconsciously turn their heads in a certain direction. There, they saw a middle-aged man with graying hair. His imperial robes was now a tattered mess and his exposed skin even had some burnt marks, but the stern expression on his face remained unchanged.


    "Father!"


    "Your Majesty!"


    The fourth prince and the others cried out pleasantly after seeing the bedraggled figure of the emperor. Although his appearance was now a ramshackled mess, the regality in his presence was still evident.


    Emperor Elyk sighed in relief and let out a warm smile after seeing their worried looks.


    The fifth princess dived on her father¡¯s figure and tightly embraced him as she continued to sob. "Huhu, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re safe, father."


    Emperor Elyk¡¯s eyes turned gentle and he could not help but rub his daughter¡¯s hair gently. "Mn, father¡¯s back now. Everything is over."


    The fourth prince heaved a huge sigh of relief after seeing that the emperor was safe. Although his cultivation was only at the early stage of the 5th-rank Spirit, he was still able to vaguely see his father¡¯s valiant figure when he faced off against the huge dragon. "Imperial father, that dragon..." He muttered with a frown.


    The emperor nced at him and turned his gaze at the clear sky. He looked like he had a million words to say, but in the end, he shook his head after letting out a sigh.


    The fourth prince and the others were confused, but they no longer asked since the emperor refused to divulge the truth.


    * * *


    Above the centermost part of the Endless Forest, a huge rift suddenly opened. Behind the rift, one can see apletely dark void that gave off an otherworldly and profound atmosphere.


    Suddenly, a dragon head emerged from the rift, and moments after, it was forcefully ejected out of the rift, causing the dragon to emit a baleful draconic cry.


    Roaaarrr!!


    Before the rift in space vanished, the figure of a man came out from it. His expression cold and filled with zing killing intent that made the surrounding beasts immediately scurry away from the scene.


    "Human, why did you stop this Saint Dragon from destroying that crappy empire?!" The dragon spoke in a beastly voice filled with extreme fury. Although it revealed a wrathful look, it was also looking at Jiu Shen intently. This human was actually able to control the element of space! From the knowledge that the dragon gained from its bloodline inheritance, only experts at the Nascent God Realm were capable of wielding the element of space! That was why it remained cautious in front of Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen ignored it and disappeared from his previous spot before reappearing on top of the dragon¡¯s head. He then lifted his fist and released an ordinary-looking punch that produced circles of ripples in its path!


    Swoosh!


    The dragon was caught unprepared and it didn¡¯t even realize that Jiu Shen was already standing on its head.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s fist struck the sturdy scales of the dragon and it was easily prated by his punch, causing it to frantically swing its head in pain.


    Roaaarr!!


    Roaaarr!!


    Jiu Shen pulled his fist leaving a trail of blood in the air. He then teleported several hundred meters away from the dragon that was still violently swinging its head. Dozens ofrge trees were toppled after being stomped by the distressed giant monstrosity.


    In Jiu Shen¡¯s right hand was the bloodied flesh of the dragon. He gave it a sniff as he slowly burned it in his hand. "I haven¡¯t tasted a dragon¡¯s meat for millions of years..." He muttered with a nostalgic voice.


    Although his voice wasn¡¯t that loud, with the dragon¡¯s sensitive hearing, it was still able to hear his words clearly.


    Jiu Shen was actually cooking its flesh right in front of it! How humiliating!


    A dense meaty aroma wafted in the air, causing the dragon¡¯s nose to twitch in anger.


    How hateful! This human actually cooked this Saint Dragon¡¯s flesh!


    The dragon cried out in its heart, but it could only stare at Jiu Shen with an enraged look as thetter consumed the cooked dragon meat in his hand. "Not bad! Although your dragon bloodline is impure to the point that it can be considered as trash, your flesh is still a bit tasty..."


    The dragon¡¯s eyes emitted a murderous flicker and its nose puffed clouds of gray smoke, but it didn¡¯t dare attack Jiu Shen after seeing his inestimable power.

 Chapter 114 - The Awakening Of Jiu Shen

    <h4>Chapter 114 - The Awakening Of Jiu Shen </h4>


    Under the dragon¡¯s murderous gaze, Jiu Shen calmly took thest bite of the cooked dragon meat.


    "Hm, not bad indeed, but it was too small to fill my stomach..." Jiu Shen muttered as he fixated his tranquil gaze on the dragon not far away from him, the tone in his voice revealed the arrogance of a former Heavenly God that once stood at the top of the hierarchy.


    Although he had already transmigrated into a mortal world, the billions of years of experience he had gone through was already deeply engraved in his marrow, so how could a mere dragon with impure bloodline and was only at the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint realm be worthy of his attention?


    Sensing the disdain in Jiu Shen¡¯s tone, the dragon was incredibly furious, and it could hardly restrain itself from smacking the hateful human in front of it. It was the first time the dragon had experienced this kind of humiliating treatment since it was always itself that had trampled upon others, not the other way around!


    "Human, I have to admit that you indeed possess a strong cultivation, but don¡¯t push me too far or else..." The dragon¡¯s cold and furious voice wasced with a threat as its huge body continuously trembled from holding back the extreme rage in its heart.


    Jiu Shen who was always silent and stern in his store now revealed a rare trace of a cold smirk on his handsome face. It was as if all the pent-up emotions after being trapped for millions of years surfaced at this instant! An overbearing and dense aura gushed out of him causing the surrounding air to be disordered, even the dragon who was still wearing a furious expression moments ago exhibited a flicker of horror.


    "Or what? Kill me? A lizard with impure dragon bloodline and failed to cross its tribtion wants to kill me?" Jiu Shen¡¯s calm voice drifted above the Endless Forest, his face remained unusually calm without any hints of ripple as if a pool of stagnant water. Just that, the indifference in his voice was filled with mockery and contempt.


    Roaaarrr!!


    The dragon could no longer suppress the towering wrath it concealed deep within its heart. The human had gone too far! Kill!


    Roooaarr!!


    The dragon pped its wings with a crazed look in its beastly eyes, its actions caused the scattered wind to coalesce and form more than a dozen tornadoes that were hundreds of meters tall that immediately wreaked havoc in the central parts of the Endless Forest.


    Trees that were a hundred meters tall were uprooted and flung away by the tempestuous wind. Although the beasts within this part of the Endless Forest were fairly strong, they instantly scuttled away, not daring to stay near the region where Jiu Shen and the dragon faced off.


    The dragon opened its enormous mouth and spurted a breath of mes that burned everything within its path!


    Roaaarrr!!


    Jiu Shen¡¯s indifferent expression disyed a sense of excitement that was never been seen after he had transmigrated in Nuar. He was unmatched in this world and nobody was capable of making him eager for a great battle, but the power that this dragon exposed was sufficient to awaken the slumbering passion hidden at the depths of his soul! And as if a string had snapped, Jiu Shen erupted with an unrivaled aura!


    His long silver hair fluttered vigorously and his dull silver eyes flickered with a golden hue. A pair of iparably dark and baleful burning wings sprouted behind his back like a butterfly breaking out from its cocoon! His new pair of dark wings fully opened leaving a trail of dreadful pitch-ck mes floating in the air.


    Jiu Shen moved his golden eyes on the sea of mes aimed his way, he then flicked his right arm casually. Shockingly, his rxed and ordinary movement created a separation in the dragon¡¯s me breath! What an inconceivable scene!


    Hm? The dragon¡¯s eyes dted after witnessing the absurd scene. It hurriedly circted the true essence left in its body to conjure another wave of attack, but before it could spurt another spell, Jiu Shen had already teleported right in front of its eyes!


    Jiu Shen didn¡¯t give the dragon a time to evade and promptly raised his right fist and swung it towards the dragon¡¯s exposed eyes.


    Pu!


    The dragon didn¡¯t have time to close its eyes and was thus prated by Jiu Shen¡¯s fist! Buckets of blood gushed out from its injured eye causing it to emit a pained cry.


    Roaarr!!


    Roaaarr!!


    The dragon violently struggled and attacked randomly, but how could it urately hit Jiu Shen when one of its eyes was already damaged?


    The dragon could not even touch Jiu Shen¡¯s shadow, making it iparably frustrated and furious.


    Roaaarr!!


    This Saint Dragon is unresigned!


    Roaaarr!!


    Jiu Shen didn¡¯t stay idle during this moment and he continued to attack the dragon from different angles, causing more injuries to surface in its huge body.


    The once majestic dragon that threatened to destroy Beltran City was now a bloodied mess after suffering the barrage of attacks from Jiu Shen. All it could do was violently struggle and swing its spiky tail randomly, but it was never even able to touch a hem of Jiu Shen¡¯s clothes. Such a one-sided battle was enough to tell the dragon¡¯s miserable plight, but Jiu Shen didn¡¯t have any thoughts of stopping his actions.


    He had been holding back for long! And this was the first time he could use a bit of his strength, so why would we stop mid-way?


    The dragon finally let out a horrified cry as it could no longer hold on after having been bombarded non-stop by Jiu Shen.


    Roaaarrr!!


    "Human, I submit! Stop!" The most arrogant among the savage beasts admitted defeat, a dragon, though with impure bloodline was still a dragon descendant, its body that was devoid of strength plummeted on the ground.


    Baangg!!


    A massive crater was formed as its huge body fell.


    Jiu Shen nced at the unconscious dragon and thought for a moment.


    "System, can I put this lizard inside the Spirit World?" Jiu Shen asked the system. Although he had a space earring, it could not take in living beings, so his only option was to bring the dragon inside the Spirit World.


    - Ding!


    - Host, this injured dragon can indeed be taken inside the Spirit World. Since the host is the ruler of the Spirit World, it can do nothing but submit to you no matter how it grows inside.

 Chapter 115 - Bringing The Dragon To The Spirit World

    <h4>Chapter 115 - Bringing The Dragon To The Spirit World </h4>


    At first, Jiu Shen had the intention of killing this dragon, but after hearing that he could take it inside the Spirit World, Jiu Shen immediately extinguished that idea. Although the True Dragon Bloodline that the dragon possessed was minuscule, it was still a dragon descendant after all. If he could somehow tame this dragon, he would have an iparably strong mount in the future! Furthermore, with his experience, he could even help it improve its dragon bloodline!


    Without further hesitation, Jiu Shen retracted his pitch-ck wings and stood before the unconscious behemoth. It had varying sizes of wounds all over its body that made Jiu Shen feel a shred of guilt. Something hidden within him had awakened a few moments ago and he found it hard to restrain himself at that time.


    Jiu Shen took out a 9th-rank healing pill from his space earring and stuffed it inside the dragon¡¯s mouth. He then told the system to open the Spirit World.


    A two-meter tall door emerged out of thin air, this time, Jiu Shen¡¯s expression was calm after seeing this door, but after looking at its small size, he frowned and looked at the dragon¡¯s iparably huge body.


    "System, can you make this doorrger?" Jiu Shen muttered.


    - Ding!


    - Host, please wait for a moment.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s calm and indifferent eyes suddenly twitched when he saw the two-meter tall door made from the immeasurably precious Eonic Ragardwood Tree expand to a size that could almost fit a huge mountain! Jiu Shen sighed and no longer bothered to be surprised with it, he then turned around and grabbed the dragon¡¯s body and dragged it towards the Spirit World.


    From an aerial point of view, an absurd scene of a human dragging a dragon¡¯s gigantic body can be seen...


    The huge door that led to the Spirit World slowly reduced in size and retained its normal length before it vanished into thin air.


    Inside the Spirit World, Jiu Shen lifted the dragon¡¯s body and brought it to a nearby ind.


    There were hundreds of inds in the Spirit World and a few of them were evenrge enough and can be considered as a continent! Jiu Shen brought the dragon to one of these huge inds.


    Although this Spirit World appeared to be dested, there were already a few species of savage beasts that lived within, and with the high concentration of true essence, it won¡¯t be long for them to be stronger and produce more offsprings.


    "System, you mentioned that I am the true ruler of this Spirit World. What do you mean by that?" Jiu Shen asked the system. He was a bit perplexed about what the system had told him earlier.


    - Ding!


    - Host, this Spirit World is naturally owned by you, but because you¡¯re still at the 9th-rank Saint, you are still unable to refine its World Heart.


    "World Heart? What is it?" It was the first time Jiu Shen has heard of that term, so he asked the system promptly.


    - The World Heart is the core of the Spirit World. After refining it, the Host can freely teleport from any part of the Spirit World. Furthermore, the Host¡¯s authority can never be challenged inside the Spirit World since you will be the Deity of this ce after you¡¯ve refined the World Heart.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s tranquil heart was shaken by these words. The ability to teleport from any part of the Spirit World was already absurd and heaven-defying. Even in his peak, he can only traverse a million miles using the element of space, but this Spirit World was so huge that it must have a diameter of several billions of miles! As for bing the true ruler of the Spirit World, that was even more ridiculous! That means that no matter how strong the inhabitants of this Spirit World be, they will still be at the mercy of Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen took out a chair from his space earring and his usualzy look once again surfaced on his handsome face. He leaned on the chair with one of his legs on top of the other.


    "I¡¯ll wait for this lizard to wake up and see for myself if it is willing to serve me. What a pity though. Its meat is delicious and I want to take another bite..." Jiu Shen¡¯s calm voice drifted as he nced at the dragon with a strange glint in his eyes.


    As if it had heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words, the dragon¡¯s body trembled ceaselessly and its closed eyes suddenly sprung open.


    Rumble. Rumble.


    The dragon slowly stood up and stared at Jiu Shen in horror as if it was looking at the messenger of death. The fear in its eyes was evident and the constant shivering of its body showed how scared it was of Jiu Shen.


    "Human, you may have defeated this Saint Dragon in battle, but I won¡¯t allow you to humiliate me like this!" Although it was terrified by Jiu Shen, the dragon still put on a brave front as if it had already forgotten that it was almost beaten to death by the human in front of it.


    Jiu Shen let out a light smile as he looked at the dragon, but thetter immediately felt its scales bing itchy after seeing Jiu Shen¡¯s smile. In the dragon¡¯s point of view, it was the smile of a demon!


    "I¡¯ll give you an opportunity to live, but under one condition." Jiu Shen¡¯s smile vanished and his expression turned incredibly serious as he fixed his cold gaze at the dragon which instantly made thetter swallow the words it was about to say.


    Looking at Jiu Shen¡¯s solemn gaze, the dragon sighed in its heart and replied in defeat. "Speak, as long as it does not go against this Saint Dragon¡¯s will, then I will agree."


    "Serve me." Jiu Shen¡¯s cold and indifferent voice reverberated and shook within the dragon¡¯s heart. His voice was full of confidence and serenity as if serving him was something to be proud of.


    The dragon¡¯s eyes narrowed as it took a deep breath before it finally released a sigh.


    This human¡¯s strength is unnaturally strong and even if I break through to the Nascent God Realm, I¡¯m still unsure if I can defeat him. Furthermore, he seems to be someone from that ce... If that¡¯s the case, he should be able to help me increase the purity of my dragon bloodline...


    After weighing the pros and cons, the dragon dipped its huge head and spoke in a respectful but beastly voice.


    "Long Meili greets master."

 Chapter 116 - Supreme Dragon Heavenly Canon

    <h4>Chapter 116 - Supreme Dragon Heavenly Canon </h4>


    Jiu Shen stood up from his seat and walked towards Long Meili with calm and unhurried steps. He stopped just right in front of her and extended his right arm and gestured Long Meili toe near him. Jiu Shen was only a few meters away from the Long Meili¡¯s sharp ws, but Long Meili didn¡¯t even dare harbor any thoughts of attacking Jiu Shen, since all the brutal beatings she had experienced at the hands of Jiu Shen was still freshly engraved in her memory.


    After seeing Jiu Shen¡¯s gesture, Long Meili was confused about his intentions, but she still dipped her head further, just close enough for Jiu Shen to touch her head.


    The moment Jiu Shen touched Long Meili¡¯s head, a soul contract instantly appeared in her mind.


    ¡¯This is... It¡¯s actually a soul contract! This kind of profound soul technique is definitely unavable in the world of Nuar, so howe he knows this kind of never been seen soul technique?¡¯ Recalling her earlier spections about Jiu Shen¡¯s identity, she immediately nodded her head inwardly. ¡¯So I was indeed right. This fellow is most likely someone from the Primordial God Realm. Only the Immortals from that ce has this level of soul technique. Bing his servant might not be a bad choice...¡¯


    The soul contract is a soul technique used by the Immortals when they want to take someone as their subordinate, but thetter has the choice to reject the contract, so in order for this to be sessfully bounded, the two parties involved had to be in mutual agreement.


    Long Meili only needed to bind the soul contract to her soul for it to take effect, and although she was slightly reluctant in her heart, she could only helplessly agree to it. She bounded the contract on her soul and it instantly vanished.


    The two immediately felt a slight connection between each other after the soul contract was bounded on Long Meili¡¯s soul. Now, she can no longer disobey him no matter how she wanted. Furthermore, Jiu Shen can also sense if she harbors evil intentions, but Jiu Shen believed that Long Meili was not stupid enough to do that.


    "Recuperate your wounds, but before that... Can you tell me why you failed to achieve godhood?" Jiu Shen asked with an amused look. It was rare for a dragon to fail in ascending to the Nascent God Realm since they were naturally endowed with great talent, not to mention the bloodline inheritance in their memories, so how did Long Meili fail her tribtion lightning?


    Tribtion lightning is the punishment of the heavens to someone who was going against the heaven¡¯s will. Apparently, the path to godhood was considered as going against the heaven¡¯s will, and the tribtion lightning will only be stronger as one¡¯s cultivation level increased.


    Long Meili was embarrassed after having been exposed by her master. She indeed failed to cross her tribtion lightning, but it was only because her bloodline inheritance was iplete. "Master, since I don¡¯t have a pure dragon bloodline, my bloodline inheritance was iplete. Furthermore, this isn¡¯t the first time I¡¯ve failed on crossing my tribtion lightning, and it seems like I have no more hopes in achieving godhood in this life." Her beastly voice revealed a trace of dejection as she spoke. She tried breaking through to the Nascent God Realm for quite a number of times already, but it all ended in failure.


    Jiu Shen was slightly affected by her sorrow because of their connection through the soul contract, so he somewhat felt pity for her. "The Heavenly Dao epasses all strands of things in..."


    Jiu Shen spoke a random chant, making Long Meili confused, but after intently listening to his words, she felt her dragon bloodline stirring violently within her body.


    This was a dragon¡¯s cultivation technique!


    Long Meili felt shocked in her heart, but she immediately closed her eyes to focus on remembering every word that Jiu Shen spoke, and as she muttered those words silently to herself, she felt that her true essence and dragon bloodline was stimted to a certain degree!


    This... How can this be? What kind of technique can produce this kind of change in my body? This...


    Long Meili¡¯s eyes sprung open and saw that Jiu Shen was smiling at her warmly. She felt gratitude in her heart and the slight reluctance that she had felt after taking him as her master instantly vanished. "Master this is..."


    Jiu Shen sighed in his heart as he recalled the origins of the dragon technique that he had chanted earlier. ¡¯I wonder how the Long n is doing right now?


    "This is the strongest cultivation technique of the Dragon Race, the Supreme Dragon Heavenly Canon..." Jiu Shen spoke in a calm voice, his tone revealed a sense of nostalgia, but Long Meili wasn¡¯t able to sense it.


    "Supreme Dragon Heavenly Canon... Master, how did you-" Long Meili wanted to ask Jiu Shen how he learned the Dragon Race¡¯s strongest technique, but she saw him shaking his head, so she promptly swallowed down her curiosity.


    Just who is my master? How did he even learn this Supreme Dragon Heavenly Canon? Judging its effect after I chanted it, I can confidently say that this technique is far from ordinary.


    Long Meili¡¯s curiosity was piqued, but she didn¡¯t dare ask Jiu Shen after seeing the look on his face. His expression changed a number of times as if he was recalling a distant memory.


    In the end, Jiu released a sigh and took out something from his space earring. It was a fruit from the Earth Origin Dragon Tree! He had twelve fruits in total and now he decided to give one to Long Meili.


    Seeing the small fruit in Jiu Shen¡¯s hand, Long Meili¡¯s eyes instantly brightened, but she obediently waited for Jiu Shen to speak.


    "After you recuperate your wounds, use this to increase your chance of achieving godhood, and with the addition of the Supreme Dragon Heavenly Canon, I¡¯mpletely certain that you won¡¯t have any problems in breaking through to the Nascent God Realm." Jiu Shen muttered as he tossed the fruit to Long Meili who immediately wrapped the tiny fruit with her true essence.


    She bowed her head gratefully at Jiu Shen and spoke in a solemn and respectful voice. "Master, Long Meili will not forget your help. I will follow master¡¯s orders even if it means this dragon¡¯s death!" Her tone was full of determination and resolution, making Jiu Shen smile lightly.

 Chapter 117 - Element Of Space

    <h4>Chapter 117 - Element Of Space </h4>


    Long Meili would have never thought that she would submit to a human. Before meeting Jiu Shen, she was even confident that she would one day rule the whole of Nuar with her identity as a dragon descendant, but who knew that she would meet such an extremely terrifying man that was able to defeat her without expending much strength.


    The difference in their strength was likeparing mud to a diamond; the gulf in their strength was just toorge that she couldn¡¯t even fathom the depths of Jiu Shen¡¯s power.


    Looking at Jiu Shen¡¯s lean and handsome figure, she found it hard to believe that hidden behind his striking facade was a strength that could only make others submit. She was lucky enough to have gained Jiu Shen¡¯s acknowledgment or she would have ended as his food. Recalling how Jiu Shen cooked a piece of her meat earlier, she could only smile wryly in her heart.


    Jiu Shen turned around and flew slowly towards the sky. "Don¡¯t take too long to break through to the Nascent God Realm. I might need your strength soon..." His indifferent voice traveled in Long Meili¡¯s ears causing her to feel slightly shocked at his words.


    I wonder what master needs my strength for? Well, no matter what it is, I will follow every word he says.


    Long Meili stared at Jiu Shen¡¯s receding figure with respect and veneration, it was only when she could no longer see his back that she started recuperating her injuries.


    "This ce has an abundant amount of true essence. Cultivating one day here is the same as cultivating one week in my previousir, such a huge difference! Anyway, I should heal my injuries now and consolidate my strength before attempting to break through. With all the resources that master gave me, if I still can¡¯t achieve a break through, then I might as well offer myself to him to be cooked."


    * * *


    Jiu Shen stepped out of the Spirit World and was once again within the central part of the Endless Forest. Looking at the chaotic mess in front of him, he felt even more guilty for Long Meili.


    "I should go back to the store. I still have to concoct the Crimson Astral ze Pill for Sn, and I might as well tell her more about her Verdant mes Saintly Vermilion Body. As for Can Ye, I will also tell him about his Peerless Saber Divine Body." Jiu Shen muttered to himself as he waved his right hand, causing a rift in space to break open. He then jumped inside the rift without further hesitation.


    Although Jiu Shen was only at thete stage of the 9th-rank Saint realm, he had the Seamless Deity Physique that was never been seen even in the Primordial God Realm. With hisprehension and deep understanding of the spatial element, it was not a problem for him to partially control the power of space. Although the element of space he could control at this instant was nothing inparison to his former self, it was still more than sufficient to traverse thousands of miles with a mere flick of his hands. As to why he didn¡¯t use this power when he was searching for the ingredients for his wine, it was because he wanted to roam and see for himself the scenery of this mortal world. Shallow as it may be, he just wanted to once again experience the beauty of nature since thest millions of years of his life was spent to slowly die in the cold and dark God Sealing Tower.


    * * *


    Right in front of Jiu Shen¡¯s store, a man with long silver hair came out of a rift in space, stunning Hestia, Lu Sn, and Can Ye. Only Theia remained calm, but she still felt a slight surprise in her heart. Of course, this man was none other Jiu Shen.


    "Master!"


    "Master."


    They called out promptly after seeing him walking out from a rift in space. How could they not be shocked at this inconceivable scene? From their knowledge, only those who had achieved godhood could control this mysterious element.


    Jiu Shen waved his right hand after hearing their greetings and spoke in a calm voice. "All of you go inside first."


    Lu Sn and the other three were bewildered but they still followed behind Jiu Shen with curious looks. They had seen him streaking towards the dragon earlier, and moments after he confronted the dragon, the creature vanished into thin air. They wanted to ask what had happened to the dragon, did Jiu Shen managed kill it? Or did the dragon escape after Jiu Shen came to confront it?


    All sorts of thoughts shed in their heads, but they truly had no idea what had happened. Such a powerful creature disappeared just like that, but they knew that it must¡¯ve something to do with Jiu Shen.


    After everyone was already inside, Jiu Shen took a nce at them and said. "Hestia, Theia, you may go back to your rooms and take a rest. As for you two... Sit down."


    Theia and Hestia bowed at Jiu Shen and went to their rooms respectively, while Lu Sn and Can Ye sat down with perplexed gazes.


    "Master, what happened to the dragon?" Lu Sn could not help but ask, she was truly curious about this.


    Jiu Shen fixed his gaze at her and replied indifferently. "You¡¯ll know soon. Just keep quiet and listen to what I have to say. What I¡¯m going to tell you both is important since it¡¯s rted to your future."


    After hearing their master¡¯s words, the two immediately went silent and looked at him intently. When the two heard that it was rted to their future, they swallowed down their curiosity and waited for Jiu Shen to speak. Just what was their master going to tell them?


    When he saw their expressions, Jiu Shen let out a faint smile. After awakening the lost passion in himself during his fight with Long Meili, Jiu Shen decided to no longer restrain his personality. He might as well go with the flow and ept what maye his way.

 Chapter 118 - Supreme Physiques

    <h4>Chapter 118 - Supreme Physiques </h4>


    "In the long history of the Primordial God Realm, there are countless earth-shaking geniuses with supreme talents whose names shook the entire cultivation world, and most of these great geniuses had something inmon; they possess supreme physiques." Jiu Shen sat down and started talking after seeing their earnest looks.


    "These supreme physiques are naturally endowed to them by the heavens and it is something that they were born with. There are three levels of supreme physiques known since the ancient times; the Divine Physique, the Saint Physique, and the Immortal Physique. The difference between the three physiques isn¡¯t noteworthy during the earlier levels of cultivation, but once one reaches the Nascent God Realm, the gulf between them will only continue to increase." Jiu Shen added and stopped for a moment to allow his two disciples to absorb his words.


    Lu Sn and Can Ye were both astounded by Jiu Shen¡¯s words. They finally realized that they were just like frogs at the bottom of a well; they could only see the same sky no matter how they look above, not knowing that the sky they were seeing was merely a tiny portion of what was not revealed to them. Now, after hearing Jiu Shen exin about the supreme physiques, they felt as if they had opened the first page of a new book, truly a marvel!


    "Master, are these supreme physiquesmon in the Primordial God Realm?" Can Ye asked promptly. He felt that the ce where Jiu Shen came was definitely a hundred more times better than the Profound Dragon Continent or even the whole of Nuar.


    Lu Sn was simrly curious, so she nced at Jiu Shen and waited for him to speak.


    Jiu Shen was amused at this question, but he couldn¡¯t me them either since they weren¡¯t inhabitants of the Primordial God Realm. "Although the Primordial God realm is thousands of timesrger than Nuar, the number of geniuses that have supreme physiques are still very rare, so if someone was born with such physique, countless strong powers will immediately contend in order to take them as disciples for their sects or ns." Jiu Shen answered.


    Can Ye and Lu Sn¡¯s expressions were painted with disbelief when they heard Jiu Shen¡¯s reply.


    "Among one million cultivators, there is only one that has a Divine Physique, and among one billion cultivators, there is one that has a Saint Physique. As for those with Immortal Physiques, geniuses like them are so hard toe by, but most of them are the ones that stand at the very top of the cultivation hierarchy." Jiu Shen said in a calm voice, but his words shook the hearts of his two disciples.


    "Master, this Primordial God Realm that you speak of, how can one go to that ce? I want to see for myself the geniuses with supreme physiques!" Lu Sn was like an excited young girl who had found herself a new toy, causing even the usually stern Jiu Shen to smile.


    "The Primordial God Realm isn¡¯t a peaceful ce. Death, infamy, and chaos is amon urrence in there. In that ce, only the strong have the right to speak while the weak can only live a life of humiliation or mediocrity. So if you want to go there, cultivate hard and I will bring you both to meet countless geniuses of your generation." Jiu Shen¡¯s reply caused his two disciples to be gloomy. Just hearing about how treacherous of a world the Primordial God Realm already made them turn pale, but their eyes burned with determination after hearing hisst sentence.


    "Master, how is this rted to our future?" Can Ye asked with a perplexed look.


    Jiu Shen smiled at them and replied. "The both of you have supreme physiques..."


    Bang


    Lu Sn wasn¡¯t surprised about this since Jiu Shen had already told her about her supreme physique, but Can Ye¡¯s heart quivered at his master¡¯s words.


    I have a supreme physique? Then, does that mean I am a genius as well?


    Can Ye thought to himself as excitement covered his face.


    "You two have supreme physiques, but you weren¡¯t able to maximize your true potentials since you didn¡¯t know anything about it. Especially you, Sn. You almost destroyed your own life since you cultivated a technique that greatly opposes the element of your supreme physique. If not for my abrupt visit, then only death awaited you in less than a few years. As for Can Ye, your case is just too pitiful. You have great natural talent, but because of your humble background, you weren¡¯t able to use your advantage from the very beginning. Such a pity." Jiu Shen¡¯s words was like a bucket of cold water, making Lu Sn and Can Ye incredibly dejected and sad.


    "Master, is that why you made the Chaotic Iceme Form for me?" Lu Sn asked as a sh of understanding dawned on her beautiful face.


    "That¡¯s right. As a disciple of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect, you cultivated many ice type cultivation techniques. This might have been great to someone else, but this was a foolish move for you. Sn, you have the very rare Verdant mes Saintly Vermilion Body which is of the fire element, but you have cultivated a technique with an opposing element. This was why you were experiencing asional pain and difort when you start cultivating. Later, I will concoct the Crimson Astral ze Pill for you since we already have the primary ingredient. With the help of that pill, your Verdant mes Saintly Vermilion Body will surely awaken, but since you¡¯re now cultivating both the ice and fire elements, we have to nourish your supreme physique with ice type treasures as well. With that, your cultivation speed will increase exponentially. However, we don¡¯t have any ice type treasures yet, so you only have to consolidate your strength for now." Jiu Shen replied patiently. He didn¡¯t tell her that he can upgrade her supreme physique to be an Immortal Physique since it was still too early for that. Furthermore, they needed to gather the necessary treasures in order to nourish that kind of heaven-defying physique.


    "Master, how about me? What kind of supreme physique do I have?" Can Ye asked with an expectant look on his face.


    Jiu Shen nced at him and said in a calm voice. "Can Ye, you have the Peerless Saber Divine Body. Although it¡¯s a bit weaker than your senior sister¡¯s supreme physique, your Peerless Saber Divine Body is much easier to cultivate. You don¡¯t need as many resources as your senior sister, and all you need to do isprehend the way of the saber..." Jiu Shen exined to him, which made the middle-aged Can Ye to look like a young man in his teens from the sheer excitement in his expression.


    Lu Sn and Can Ye asked more questions to their master who then immediately answered them. He didn¡¯t skimp on every detail and told them everything that he knew. Of course, he didn¡¯t tell them that he had once died and he also kept his enmity with Celestial Emperor Lao Gou to himself. He didn¡¯t want them to feel unnecessary pressure since it was still too early for them to know some things.


    "As of now, Elyk should have already gathered the one hundred people that I asked from him. By tomorrow, they should be here..." Jiu Shen muttered in his heart.

 Chapter 119 - Second Store Expansion Package Opened

    <h4>Chapter 119 - Second Store Expansion Package Opened </h4>


    Lu Sn and Can Ye were still seated with eyebrows knitted into a frown. Everything that Jiu Shen told them was too surreal, but somehow, their thirst in breaking through the higher levels of cultivation increased significantly. They wanted to see for themselves the so-called supreme geniuses of the Primordial God Realm, but they also knew that it was still too early for them to do that.


    As his two disciples were consolidating his teachings, Jiu Shen recalled the store expansion package that he got as a reward.


    "System, open the store expansion package for me. I still have to give the VIP card to Elyk tomorrow as what we have agreed upon."


    - Ding!


    - Commencing Store Expansion!


    - Host, please wait for a moment.


    The system¡¯s monotonous voice echoed inside his head. After the system¡¯s voice died down, the whole store was suddenly enveloped by a vast and profound aura that made others want to submit and prostrate in worship. Jiu Shen waved his right hand and wrapped Lu Sn and Can Ye with his true essence, greatly reducing the pressure they felt. However, the two could still feel the overwhelming aura inside the store, making them sightly confused and curious at the same time.


    "Senior Sister Lu, what¡¯s happening?" Can Ye asked in bewilderment.


    Lu Sn shook her head and replied. "Junior Brother, I have no idea about this, but look at master, he seems to be unperturbed, so it should be rted to him. Just keep quiet and don¡¯t disturb master."


    Can Ye spoke no more and only watched his master¡¯s back in awe and reverence.


    Golden patterns enshrouded the whole store and all things inside slowly changed as if the golden patterns evoked their transformation.


    Lu Sn and Can Ye stood up simultaneously as they watched how the store changed with gaping mouths.


    Just what kind of power was this that it could make such massive modifications on everything in a short span of time?


    Lu Sn and Can Ye thought to themselves.


    The two also felt that the store¡¯s internal space has erged and it was now twice as spacious as before!


    Wooden chairs and wooden tables emerged out of thin air, but all these furniture no longer looked ordinary; dragons and phoenixes were drawn on them, making them look imposing and regal. Although they were still made from the same Sanctum Safarwood Sacred Tree, the craftsmanship was many times betterpared to how they once looked. Last time, these furniture looked crudely made, but now, it was as if they were crafted by the most elite craftsman! The eye-catching design, the sleek surface, everything about them was close to perfection!


    "Eh? Senior Sister, look!" Can Ye pointed in a certain direction as he let out a surprised shout.


    Lu Sn followed the direction that Can Ye was pointing and was dumbstruck at what she saw. She saw a small spiritual tree that was emitting a chilly air. Its trunk was as thin as a newborn¡¯s arms while the icy blue leaves attached on its three small branches were shaped like swords. Although Lu Sn and Can Ye had no idea what kind of spiritual nt it was, they knew that it was definitely on par with the Earth Origin Dragon Tree just from its striking appearance alone!


    The two looked around and realized that there were four of the new spiritual nts inside the store. Including the four Earth Origin Dragon Trees, there were now eight spiritual nts inside the store! Too amazing!


    - Host, the store now has three floors. The topmost floor has five rooms in total including the master¡¯s bedroom at the centermost part. The second floor is an extension of the dining area and is already prepared to ept more customers. Lastly, the store¡¯s que is also modified by the system.


    The system said in an emotionless voice.


    "System, where can I get the VIP Card that you mentioned?" Jiu Shen asked promptly.


    - Ding!


    - Processing VIP Cards!


    - Host, please wait for a moment.


    Jiu Shen stood motionless for a little more than ten seconds before he saw two small cards hovering in front of him. The cards have a length of four inches and a width of two and a half inches. They were ck in color with golden highlights and the store¡¯s name was written in italic golden letters: The Immortal¡¯s Wine.


    Jiu Shen grabbed the two VIP cards and was slightly surprised at their smooth surface.


    "So I can only give two VIP Cards? Anyway, I don¡¯t n on giving it to someone else other than Elyk." Jiu Shen muttered to himself as he kept the VIP Cards inside his space earring.


    ¡¯The system mentioned that there are now three floors in total. I should go and checked the two floors above.¡¯ He thought to himself as he walked towards the stairs leading to the second floor.


    Lu Sn and Can Ye were still stunned at what they saw and after seeing Jiu Shen walking towards the stairs, they followed behind him curiously.


    "Master, what happened to the store? Did you use your power to make all those changes?" Lu Sn asked with shining eyes as she looked at her master¡¯s elegant side profile.


    Jiu Shen took a quick nce at her and nodded his head calmly. "Yes."


    He didn¡¯t want to expose the system¡¯s existence to them since it was too mysterious even for someone like him. Although he trusted his disciples, it was much better to keep the secret to himself.


    Lu Sn had a look of worship after hearing his response and even Can Ye was looking at Jiu Shen with the same expression as his senior sister.


    They haven¡¯t heard of anyone capable of making things out of thin air. Perhaps only their master was capable of such a feat!


    "Master, those four new spiritual nts below. What are those?" Can Ye asked while looking at Jiu Shen.


    Without turning his head back, Jiu Shen replied in a calm voice. "Just another 9th-rank spiritual nt, the True Heart Icy Sword Tree."


    Jiu Shen¡¯s indifferent voice contained a trace of disdain as he said those words, making his two disciples smile wryly.

 Chapter 120 - Ren Shuang

    <h4>Chapter 120 - Ren Shuang </h4>


    When they reached the second floor, Jiu Shen and his two disciples saw a man in histe twenties standing guard at the entrance of the second floor. His short inky ck hair was messy as if a vine that was left unattended for many years. He wasn¡¯t on the handsome side, but his face was finely chiseled that he looked like a valiant general who had gone through an uncountable number of wars. There was also an eye-catching scar that stretched from his forehead down to his left cheek, but it didn¡¯t make him look unsightly, in fact, it added a manly charm that enhanced his masculinity.


    This man was wearing a set of ck armor that looked even more imposing than the standard military armor of the imperial guards. Two swords were strapped on the man¡¯s back which formed an ¡¯X¡¯ shape.


    Looking at him, Lu Sn and Can Ye were unable to discern his exact cultivation level, but after sensing his rigid and bloody aura, they knew that this man must have gone through hundreds of bitter wars, which made them look at the man in fear and respect.


    "Ren Shuang greets master." The man who had his eyes shut tight moments ago immediately stood in attention and bowed respectfully at Jiu Shen.


    Although Jiu Shen was surprised at Ren Shuang¡¯s sudden appearance, he managed to quickly calm himself down.


    This guy should be someone that was reincarnated by the system, but looking at his fierce aura that is full of bloodshed, just what kind of world did hee from?


    Jiu Shen thought to himself as he waved his right hand, producing a stream of invisible energy that wrapped around Ren Shuang, making him stand straight abruptly. "I¡¯ll get back to youter. Stay here and don¡¯t disturb us inside." Jiu Shen spoke as he patted Ren Shuang¡¯s shoulder before stepping inside the second floor.


    Ren Shuang nodded his head respectfully and closed his eyes once more. He didn¡¯t even bother greeting Lu Sn and Can Ye as if the two of them were unworthy of his attention, but the two didn¡¯t feel displeased about this since they can subtly feel that Ren Shuang was a strong expert that was possibly even stronger than Theia. Just the thought of it already made their hearts quiver.


    Looking at the spacious second floor, it was no different than the store¡¯s first floor. Just that, there was a room at the far left with the word ¡¯Refining Hall¡¯ written on the que right outside this room.


    "System, what¡¯s that room for?" Jiu Shen asked the system with a thought.


    - Ding!


    - Host, that room is the Refining Hall. The Refining Hall is a perfect ce for pill refining, array formation making, weapon crafting, etc.


    Jiu Shen was pleasantly surprised at the system¡¯s words. With the help of that room, he can enhance his skills in pill refining, weapon crafting, etc. Although those are just auxiliary upations, it will be a significant help to his growth if he could somehow manage to increase his skills in those fields.


    Within the second floor, there were no longer any spiritual nts ced inside. However, there were several paintings on the wall that depicted different kinds of arts, each with its own beauty and charm.


    "An Immortal¡¯s Painting? Interesting." Jiu Shen put on an intrigued look as he stared at the paintings on the wall. Although the paintings looked normal and in, Jiu Shen can sense that each stroke on the paintings contained an Immortal¡¯s unique aura, so how could he not be surprised about this? Each of the paintings hid a deep secret that would be of great assistance to someone¡¯s cultivation if they managed toprehend the meaning within. However, only those with discerning eyes would be able to see the peculiarity of these paintings. Furthermore,prehending an Immortal Painting is too hard for those who haven¡¯t achieved godhood, so inside Jiu Shen¡¯s store, no matter how precious they were, they can only remain as ornaments that add more grandeur to his store...


    Not long after, Lu Sn and Can Ye nced at the paintings with curious expressions. Although they could somehow feel an indistinct oddity on the paintings, they still couldn¡¯t pinpoint what is it, so they instantly lost interest after looking at them for a while.


    Jiu Shen shook his head after seeing their reaction, but he wasn¡¯t disappointed by this since only those fated with the paintings can see through the secret behind them.


    "Sn, let¡¯s go inside the Refining Hall to start concocting the Crimson Astral ze Pill. Can Ye, you may go inside with your senior sister and watch me refine the pill." Jiu Shen said as he walked towards the Refining Hall. The Crimson Astral ze Pill was the pill that he had promised to concoct for Lu Sn when he got the Frozen Cloud cier from her Ice Cloud Sword Sect.


    The Crimson Astral ze Pill was a 9th-rank Pill that was mainly used to enhance a cultivator¡¯sprehension of the element of fire. Besides, it can also enhance someone¡¯s physical body, remolding it with the fierce energy hidden inside the pill. That means, it was also a great tonic for body strengthening experts, but Jiu Shen nned to use it to awaken Lu Sn¡¯s damaged Verdant mes Saintly Vermilion Body.


    After stepping inside the Refining Hall, the three of them felt the sudden change in the atmosphere. It was calming, serene, and tranquil, making them unconsciously forget the worries in their hearts to a certain degree.


    Lu Sn and Can Ye¡¯s expression became rxed and calm as if they had forgotten that a dragon almost destroyed Beltran City just a while ago.


    Jiu Shen frowned as he stared at an inconspicuous-looking crystal embedded on the wall. There were four such crystals inside the Refining Hall, each of which was embedded in different locations.


    The crystal emitted a dull bluish light that made whoever sees them feel a gentle and soothing aura enveloping their whole body. These crystals were the reason why the Refining Hall¡¯s atmosphere was different outside.


    "So that¡¯s why... It¡¯s actually the Heart Calming Bead..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself.

 Chapter 121 - Refining The Crimson Astral Blaze Pill

    <h4>Chapter 121 - Refining The Crimson Astral ze Pill </h4>


    Jiu Shen took out the Heaven Trampling Cauldron from his space earring and he also took the ingredients needed to concoct the Crimson Astral ze Pill, including one fruit from the Earth Origin Dragon Tree. After taking out everything, Jiu Shen set up his Heaven Trampling Cauldron and sat cross-legged before it, a serious expression suffused his handsome face.


    Seeing his solemn look, Lu Sn and Can Ye didn¡¯t dare make any noise. Although they were not experts in alchemy and pill refining, they knew that an alchemist needed a tranquil and silent atmosphere in order to properly concoct a pill. Furthermore, Jiu Shen wasn¡¯t just concocting any random pill, he was going to refine a 9th-rank pill, the Crimson Astral ze Pill!


    In the whole of the Silver Wing Empire, no one was capable of refining such a high-level pill, even Master Fengzi the top alchemist of the empire would be helpless if he was tasked to concoct it. Perhaps the Supreme Elder of Alchemy Hall might be able to do it, but no one knows his whereabouts.


    Jiu Shen flicked his fingers to create a small wisp of inky ck me. The ck me was so tiny and it flickered ceaselessly at the tip of his forefinger, but the heat it produced was enough to burn an expert at the 8th-rank Divine!


    Looking at the small dark fire in their master¡¯s finger, Lu Sn and Can Ye drew surprised gasps.


    Lu Sn still remembered how Jiu Shen used the same me to cook meat when they were searching for the Green Mountain Lake. Recalling the scenes back then, she couldn¡¯t help but let out a warm smile, making her peerless face look even more beautiful.


    As for Can Ye, he was focused on his master¡¯s every action. The way Jiu Shen conjured the me and the casualness in his movements made Can Ye sigh in admiration. If it was him, he would have to form several hand seals and mutter incantations to produce a me using his true essence, but his master was able to do it with such ease that he could only look up to him in worship.


    Jiu Shen who was focused on his pill concoction was unaware that his simple act of conjuring the weakest me he could produce actually made his two disciples drown in their own thoughts.


    Under his disciples¡¯ earnest gazes, Jiu Shen pointed the tip of his forefinger towards the bottom of the Heaven Trampling Cauldron, sending the small wisp of ck me flying towards it. The four azure dragons engraved on the cauldron lit up as if they had gained sentience. The four life-like dragons emitted a draconic cry with might that could shake the heavens, but strangely enough, they weren¡¯t able to draw out the tribtion lightning this time.


    Roaarr!


    Lu Sn was perplexed about this since she knew that this cauldron from her master was certainly a treasure that had attracted the tribtion lightning some time ago, but now, it seemed like the heavens wasn¡¯t even able to realize its presence after Jiu Shen took it out.


    Jiu Shen was simrly surprised but he suddenly thought of a possibility. ¡¯This Refining Hall might have blocked the heavens from sensing the presence of the Heaven Trampling Cauldron. Oh, this is getting interesting...¡¯


    The four azure dragons continued to emit baleful roars as their life-like figures flickered with a sh of golden brilliance.


    Jiu Shen knitted his eyebrows in displeasure and smacked the cauldron as if telling it to behave.


    ng!


    A dull nging sound echoed as Jiu Shen pped the cauldron, but after doing that, the four azure dragons immediately went silent.


    Without dallying any further, Jiu Shen grabbed the auxiliary ingredients and started refining them inside the Heaven Trampling Cauldron.


    If any alchemists saw this scene, they would instantly be dumbstruck since they would usually refine the ingredients one by one, not refine them all at the same time. Luckily, Lu Sn and Can Ye had no idea about pill refining, but they still stared at Jiu Shen with reverence especially after seeing how carefree he was when concocting a high-level pill.


    Jiu Shen tapped the cauldron with his finger from time to time. It might look like an ordinary set of actions, but behind these in movements, each tap of his finger actually contained vast amounts of true essence that continued to circte inside the cauldron, making the refining process of the ingredients even faster.


    Several secondster, Jiu Shen took out the main ingredient, the fruit of the Earth Origin Dragon Tree, and calmly threw it inside the cauldron.


    Inside the Heaven Trampling Cauldron, the ingredients were separated by Jiu Shen¡¯s true essence and were refined simultaneously. After refining the ingredients, the next thing to do was to seamlessly merge them into one mixture and form the pills.


    An alchemist had to have strong spiritual power in order to refine high-level pills, and as the quality of the pill increases, the spiritual power needed simrly increases. However, cultivating one¡¯s spiritual power was too hard and required strong will and determination since one needed to connect the spiritual nodes in their bodies. Just that, connecting one¡¯s spiritual nodes was a painful process and the sheer amount of soul strengthening treasures needed was humongous as well. Thus, one had to have sufficient wealth and will if they wanted to nourish their spiritual power.


    Jiu Shen ced his hands on the cauldron and focused his attention in forming the pills inside. Normally, an average alchemist could only form five pills in one set of ingredients, but inside the Heaven Trampling Cauldron, there were ten pills that were slowly taking form!


    "Condense." Jiu Shen¡¯s calm voice reverberated inside the Refining Hall and right after those words left his mouth, a blinding rainbow brilliance shed from within the cauldron.


    "Pill Aurora?" Lu Sn muttered in shock. She didn¡¯t know what that exactly means, but she could still recall the dumbfounded looks of Master Fengzi and the alchemists from the Alchemy Hall when they saw the same rainbow brilliance after Jiu Shen concocted the Invigorating Meridians Pill back then.


    "What does that mean, senior sister?" Can Ye asked with a perplexed look when he saw the surprised expression of Lu Sn.


    Thetter nced at him and told him about the events that happened in the Alchemy Hall, and after hearing the story, Can Ye¡¯s mouth gaped and his eyes widened that it almost popped out of his eye sockets.


    Jiu Shen ignored them and opened the cauldron, revealing ten pills that were still emitting hot steam, and a dense herbal aroma wafted about after Jiu Shen grabbed the pills.


    Crimson Astral ze Pill, acquired!


    With the same calm and indifferent look, Jiu Shen retrieved his Heaven Trampling Cauldron and kept nine of the Crimson Astral ze Pill from the ten that he had concocted. With Lu Sn¡¯s present condition, she only needed one pill to awaken her damaged Verdant mes Saintly Vermilion Body. He then grabbed Lu Sn¡¯s hand, making thetter produce a soft yelping sound simr to a startled rabbit that was trapped by its prey.


    Amidst her surprise, Lu Sn looked at the zing red pill in her hand, and she could not help but feel slightly emotional. "I can finally cultivate without feeling pain..." She muttered to herself.


    It has been many years since she had to endure the excruciating pain every time she cultivates. Now, the pill that would end her suffering was in her hand, who wouldn¡¯t feel emotional about it?


    "Consume it." Jiu Shen smiled as he patted her head gently, his expression was full of tenderness and care which was never been seen by Lu Sn. She felt her heart stirring violently when she saw her master¡¯s smile, her cheeks turned a shade redder as an alien feeling enveloped her heart.


    Lu Sn closed her eyes and slowly ced the pill inside her mouth.


    A fiery sensation struck her tongue, making her abruptly open her eyes. It was scalding hot and it was even hotter than her master¡¯s Viper Magma Chili.


    "Concentrate on extracting the pill¡¯s efficacy." Jiu Shen¡¯s gentle voice drifted to her ears, instantly defusing her emotional turmoil.


    Lu Sn sat crossed legged and with her eyes shut tight. Her mind was now focused on extracting the Crimson Astral ze Pill¡¯s efficacy.


    Jiu Shen smiled after seeing this. With Lu Sn¡¯s aptitude, she would certainly be able to awaken her Verdant mes Saintly Vermilion Body.

 Chapter 122 - Lu Sulan Awakens Her Verdant Flames Saintly Vermilion Body

    <h4>Chapter 122 - Lu Sn Awakens Her Verdant mes Saintly Vermilion Body </h4>


    "Can Ye, step out of the Refining Hall. You won¡¯t be able to handle the awakening of your senior sister¡¯s Verdant mes Saintly Vermilion Body with your current cultivation level." Jiu Shen said in a calm voice as he turned to look at Can Ye. When Lu Sn will awaken her Saint Physique which was of the fire element, she will produce a violent and raging me all over her body. Although this fierce me won¡¯t affect her, it was a different case to those around her. That¡¯s why Jiu Shen told Can Ye to temporarily leave the Refining Hall.


    Can Ye¡¯s expression turned serious when he heard those words, so he immediately bowed his head at his master and left the Refining Hall.


    Lu Sn who was refining the Crimson Astral ze Pill¡¯s efficacy looked calm on the surface, but she was experiencing a scalding sensation throughout her body. It was definitely painful, but that was the sign that her Verdant mes Saintly Vermilion Body was slowly awakening.


    Jiu Shen sat cross-legged in front of Lu Sn and awaited her awakening. This was only the first part of tapping her true potential, and Jiu Shen still had to help her bnce the element of water and the element of fire in her body which was quite difficult since the two elements were each other¡¯s bane.


    She could have chosen topletely neutralize the icy nature in her body, but she resolutely chose for it to remain and bnce it with the fire element instead. Just that, her cultivation speed will decrease because of this choice, but the good thing about this, her prowess will increase exponentially if she managed to properly control both elements. Furthermore, what is there to worry about when her master was an expert in the field of alchemy. No matter how slow her cultivation speed will be, Jiu Shen¡¯s pills and teachings will certainly help her increase her growth faster.


    Little did she know that the alchemy standard of Jiu Shen was actually worth crap in the Primordial God Realm. However, those are just things of the past...


    "<i>Ahh~</i>"


    Lu Sn let out a muffled groan as she gritted her teeth because of the excruciating pain she was feeling, but her abrupt cry came as a surprise since it sounded attractive and appealing.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes remained peacefully calm without a hint of ripple, and his expression was indifferent as if he had heard nothing.


    Lu Sn¡¯s body turned red as the element of fire within her body continued to circte to a terrifying degree. This was the effect of the Crimson Astral ze Pill, it strengthens the body¡¯s fire element.


    Crimson mes slowly enveloped her body and her skin turned red from the continuous cirction of the element of fire.


    "<i>Ah~</i>"


    "<i>Ah~</i>"


    She let out pained moans every now and then, but it sounded weird at the same time. Her red face and pained expression made it look even more unusual.


    Lu Sn panted and her face was covered in beads of sweat as the burning sensation she was feeling continued to increase. Her clothes slowly burned after it came in contact with the mes enveloping her body.


    <i>Crackle. Crackle.</i>


    The crimson mes around Lu Sn turned even fiercer and her pained expression became even more evident.


    "Ah~"


    <i>Crackle. Crackle.</i>


    After being subjected to her fierce crimson mes, Lu Sn¡¯s clothes finally disintegrated into ashes.


    No! Master and junior brother are still here!


    She thought to herself as her emotion became turbulent from the rising embarrassment she was feeling. She was, after all, a puredy who had not even allowed a man toe close to her, so she didn¡¯t want to be seen naked. Although she didn¡¯t mind if it was just her master... When those thoughts surfaced inside her head, she felt even more bashful, but then, she suddenly heard Jiu Shen¡¯s gentle voice carrying a hint of worry drifting to her ears.


    "Sn, I¡¯ve already asked your junior brother to step out of the room a few minutes ago. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything else, so just continue to refine the Crimson Astral ze Pill¡¯s efficacy."


    After hearing that, Lu Sn sighed in relief, but when she realized that her naked body was now in full disy for her master, the crimson mes around her body roared intensely as if it was significantly affected by her tumultuous emotions. This drastic turn of events intensified the pain she was feeling and she could not help but let out more suppressed groans.


    "Ah~"


    "Ah~"


    This time, Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes twitched. No matter how high his attainments in the heart realm was, he wasn¡¯tpletely immune to this kind of stimulus.


    "<i>Sigh, </i>this silly girl." He muttered with a wry smile and stood up from his position.


    Looking at his disciple¡¯s bewitching figure that was fully exposed in front of him, it would be a lie if he said that it was not affecting him. He hurriedly circted his true essence to calm his heart and moved closer to Lu Sn.


    He nned to let Lu Sn awaken her Saint Physique on her own, but with her present state of mind, it was likely that she would fail and even injure herself, so he had no choice but to help her circte the element of fire in her body.


    <i>Step. Step. Step.</i>


    Lu Sn¡¯s body quivered when she heard those familiar footsteps and could not help but abruptly open her eyes, revealing her tantalizing pair of blue irises which now had a tinge of crimson red.


    "M-Master~" Her trembling seductive voice echoed like an enchanting siren¡¯s whisper. Any other man would have jumped straight to her and devour her right away, but Jiu Shen remained calm and indifferent.


    Lu Sn stared at her master¡¯s charming facial features which was now wearing a stern look. She finally realized that she had failed to control her emotions, resulting in her current plight. She felt ashamed in her heart for failing her master¡¯s expectations.


    "Don¡¯t move and properly circte the element of fire in your body. I will help you refine the remaining pill efficacy, but you have to tame your own Verdant mes Saintly Vermilion Body." Jiu Shen¡¯s voice was strict as he reprimanded Lu Sn.


    Lu Sn nodded her head shyly and slowly pulled herself together. She then felt Jiu Shen¡¯s warm hands touching her back and his soothing true essence that directed the Crimson Astral ze Pill¡¯s efficacy throughout her body.


    "Concentrate, Sn." Jiu Shen said sternly, making Lu Sn obediently focus herself on awakening her Saint Physique.


    With Jiu Shen¡¯s help, the refining process of the pill became much easier and the burden on Lu Sn lightened down considerably.


    Crimson mes enveloped the two figures inside the Refining Hall. Jiu Shen controlled his true essence and directed half of his attention in protecting himself from Lu Sn¡¯s fierce mes while the other half was guiding thest bits of the Crimson Astral ze Pill all over Lu Sn¡¯s body.


    However, no matter how calm and indifferent he was, Jiu Shen still felt a burning sensation in his heart as he touched Lu Sn¡¯s smooth back. His lips quivered as he found it hard to control his emotions due to his divided attention, but his 3rd level heart realm; Heart Unmoved Like Mountain helped him in his awkward situation.


    Lu Sn could now sense that her Saint Physique was about to fully awaken, so she channeled her true essence to speed up the process, causing her to faintly feel the might of the Verdant mes Saintly Vermilion Body.


    "So this is the true power of a Saint Physique!" She eximed in her heart as the crimson mes around her burned even more intensely. If not for the system reinforcing the Refining Hall, there would have been burnt marks on the ceiling. With the level of its materials, it wouldn¡¯t burn so easily, but it would still have burnt marks if exposed to the mes of an awakened Saint Physique.


    <i>Shrieeekkk!</i>


    A majestic-looking and incorporeal Heavenly Vermilion Bird slowly manifested before Lu Sn. It emitted a sharp cry as it vehemently pped its wings as if trying to escape from its restraints.


    "Control it. Don¡¯t let it run wild. This is the manifestation of your Saint Physique and this is thest step in awakening it." Jiu Shen muttered as he nced at the figure of the translucent Heavenly Vermilion Bird. It was a genuine ancient beast with power that could topple the heavens. He had seen their kind several times in the Primordial God Realm, and each of them were so powerful that their mes could even burn a whole into ashes!


    <i>Shrieeekkk!!</i>


    Lu Sn¡¯s eyes flickered as she raised her dainty right hand before the struggling ancient beast. She then muttered in a cold voice that was as icy as the cial mountains.


    "Suppress!"


    Dozens of crimson chains appeared in front of her and locked themselves onto the Heavenly Vermilion Bird, forcing the ancient beast to stop its struggle.


    The violence in the ancient beast¡¯s incorporeal eyes subsided and became gentle as it emitted a soft chirp.


    <i>Chirp.</i>


    Lu Sn smiled and felt relieved in her heart. She had finally awakened her Saint Physique!


    After a few more seconds, she then realized that her master¡¯s warm hands were still pressing her back, making her involuntarily let out a shriek.


    "Ah!"


    Her startled cry stunned Jiu Shen, so he hurriedly retrieved his hands and looked at her back figure with a smile. She had finally awakened her Saint Physique, making him silently happy in his heart.


    He then stood up and walked in front of Lu Sn and said in a calm voice. "Are you not nning to get yourself dressed?"


    Lu Sn hurriedly covered her exposed body with her hands, but her chests were too big to fully cover everything. Instead, her actions made her look even more enticing and alluring.


    "M-Master, I- I don¡¯t have clothes anymore inside my space ring..." Her bashful voice echoed inside the Refining Hall, and the stern-looking Jiu Shen broke out into a smile as he chuckled lightly.


    ¡¯This silly girl. She can just cover herself with true essence, but she didn¡¯t... <i>sigh.¡¯</i>


    Jiu Shen removed his upper clothes, exposing a well defined and exquisite-looking muscles. He then approached Lu Sn and covered her body with his clothes. He could have given her the clothes inside his space earring, but that would only make her even more embarrassed. It was indeed a bit too shallow, but he still decided to do so. After all, Lu Sn was his first disciple.


    Lu Sn stared intently at her master¡¯s finely chiseled and well-proportioned upper body, making her face turn crimson red. She hadn¡¯t seen a man¡¯s exposed figure before, but she was certain that no other man couldpare to her master in terms of appearance and temperament. Not to mention his profound cultivation level.


    "Wait here. I¡¯ll tell Can Ye to call Hestia." Jiu Shen patted her head with a warm smile as he looked at her shy face. How could he not know his disciple¡¯s feelings?

 Chapter 123 - Misunderstanding

    <h4>Chapter 123 - Misunderstanding </h4>


    The moment Jiu Shen stepped out of the Refining Hall, he saw that Can Ye was seated on a random corner while covering his ears with both his hands. This perplexed Jiu Shen so he walked towards him and asked in a curious voice. "Can Ye, what are you covering your ears for?"


    With Can Ye¡¯s cultivation level, although he was way weakerpared to Jiu Shen, he still felt his master¡¯s presence approaching him and when he heard him speak, Can Ye stared at him with an unusual look and shook his head forcefully. "Master, I didn¡¯t hear anything I swear!"


    After hearing his reply, Jiu Shen was at first confused, but then he thought of something, which made his eyes twitch. His gaze towards Can Ye turned incredibly stern, causing thetter to misunderstand the situation even more.


    ¡¯Did master just...with senior sister? I¡¯m certain that it was senior sister¡¯s voice... So master is so fierce even in that field...¡¯ Can Ye muttered in his heart.


    "Master, I won¡¯t speak about this to anyone and no other soul will know that this happened! I vow under the heavens that this will remain a secret and if I break this promise, may the heavens incinerate my soul!" Can Ye stood up as he made a heavenly oath with a serious look on his face, but this made Jiu Shen¡¯s face twitch even more.


    A heavenly oath is a vicious vow that was usually established to protect secrets, and if the oath was broken, the person who made the vow will immediately be punished by the tribtion lightning. Just that, this scene lookedical in Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes...


    ¡¯This kid... I haven¡¯t even spoken yet... Oh well...¡¯ Jiu Shen sighed in his heart.


    "Go upstairs and tell Hestia toe down here." Jiu Shen said in a calm voice as he looked at Can Ye¡¯s ever-changing facial features.


    Can Ye nodded his head like a chicken pecking on rice and replied with a quivering voice. "Y-Yes, master!"


    After bowing at Jiu Shen, he immediately sprinted out of the second floor, but before he could take a step outside, he suddenly heard Jiu Shen¡¯s indifferent voice.


    "Oh, and ah, tell her to bring some clothes for Sn."


    Can Ye almost stumbled when he heard those words, luckily, he was able to bnce himself after taking several steps.


    ¡¯Master is so mighty! He didn¡¯t even spare senior sister¡¯s clothes!¡¯


    With a face full of reverence, Can Ye answered. "I¡¯ll be back right away, master."


    Jiu Shen waved his right hand impatiently and didn¡¯t even bother looking at Can Ye¡¯s figure. He was afraid that he might smack thetter to death if he saw his weird expression.


    "This is going to be a long night... If Theia hears this, she will most likelye down here and make things even worse... That kid Can Ye... <i>Sigh</i>." Jiu Shen shook his head with a wry smile suffusing his handsome face.


    * * *


    On the same night.


    Inside the Silver Wing Empire¡¯s imperial throne room, Emperor Elyk Silveria was already wearing a new set of robes and he was seated on his throne with a dignified look on his face.


    In front of him were the four guardians of the empire who had cultivation levels at the peak of the 7th-rank Emperor Realm. It won¡¯t be long before they break through to the next realm looking at their stable and vigorous true essence.


    "Your Majesty, what will Wine Master Jiu do with those one hundred people?" Defender Duanmu asked with a curious look. He was together with the emperor when thetter had discussed with Jiu Shen, but unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t allowed to join their discussion.


    Emperor Elyk recalled the scene when Jiu Shen blocked the dragon¡¯s me breath with just one hand. That kind of attack was enough to decimate half of Beltran City, but Jiu Shen merely used a hand to ward off that kind of frightening ball of raging me. Emperor Elyk thought that he had already overestimated Jiu Shen¡¯s strength, but it appears that he had underestimated Jiu Shen¡¯s true power.


    ¡¯That kind of power... Is Wine Master Jiu someone above the 9th-rank Saint?¡¯


    Emperor Elyk sighed in his heart.


    Defender Duanmu and the other three guardians were surprised at the emperor¡¯s silence, but they didn¡¯t dare disturb him after seeing his preupied look. It seemed like he was still affected by earlier events, but it was understandable since even the four of them were still shaken about it. After all, it was their first time seeing a dragon that was at the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint, but they were also curious about how Emperor Elyk managed to turn things around. However, the emperor remained silent and refused to talk about it, so they refrained from asking him.


    Emperor Elyk nced at the four old men kneeling before him and let out a gratified smile. They were willing to stay and die with him even in the most precarious situation, so he was happy to have such loyal subordinates.


    "I¡¯ve tried to ask Wine Master Jiu about what he will do with those one hundred people, but he refused to answer me. It¡¯s not too much anyway, so we can just give him what he wants. Furthermore, with his strength, he could have long since conquered my Silver Wing Empire, but he didn¡¯t do so. By this alone, I can tell that he doesn¡¯t harbor malicious intentions, so make haste and arrange this properly." Emperor Elyk was still uncertain about Jiu Shen¡¯s purpose in staying inside Beltran City, but he weed his presence especially after what had happened recently.


    Defender Duanmu and the three defenders bowed their heads in obeisance.


    "Yes, Your Majesty!" They answered in unison.


    Emperor Elyk closed his eyes as the figure of a woman with icy blue hair suddenly appeared in his mind. He could not help but shake his head and silently bury this unrequited emotion deep within his heart. "I can finally be at ease. With a man like Wine Master Jiu standing behind her, she will certainly reach the heights that I can only look up to. Lu Sn, I wish you good luck..." He muttered in his heart.


    * * *


    All the major households within Beltran City were still unable to calm themselves even if the dragon can no longer be seen. They saw the huge behemoth that towered over the skies as it looked down towards them as if it was looking at a group of ants. They couldn¡¯t forget how it had almost obliterated the whole capital city in just two attacks. However, their surprise was also because of their emperor¡¯s majestic presence during the entire event.


    The fearless and dauntless Emperor Elyk of the olden days was back with a much more frightening power! Some were happy about this, but a few were also feeling unsettled.


    Inside the Xue Family¡¯s estate, Elder Ming can be seen standing with his hands behind his back. The look on his face was unsightly as he stared at the three figures in front of him.


    "All of you failed in taking the Earth Origin Dragon Tree and even Shiti Xibo died! Useless fools!" Elder Ming¡¯s face contorted in fury as his spittle rained on the faces of the three old men who were kneeling before him.


    The three old men were none other than Da Bi, Mu Bai, and Cai Jun who were elders of the Undying Corpse Sect! They were actually showing a look of dread as they knelt before Elder Ming!


    "Lord Sect Master, there is a very strong expert in that store. She should be on the same level as the Sect Master in terms of cultivation prowess. Furthermore, the emperor also offered his assistance to them that even Shao Fenhua of the Crimson Sun Sect could only escape from the scene." Da Bi¡¯s voice was slightly quivering as he spoke. The person in front of him was the person he feared the most in his entire life. He might look like an amiable old man, but behind his facade was a vicious personality with great strength!


    Cai Jun and Mu Bai remained silent and they didn¡¯t even dare lift their heads. Thick beads of sweat trickled down their wrinkled faces as they faced Elder Ming¡¯s oppressive aura.


    Eldering Ming snorted and waved his sleeves, throwing the three old men a few dozen meters away from him.


    <i>Swoosh. </i>


    <i>Thud. Thud. Thud.</i>


    The three hurriedly knelt down after standing up with difficulty. Blood trickled down their lips and their bodies trembled ceaselessly in trepidation.


    "This is just a light punishment. Scram out of my sight before I kill you!" Elder Ming shouted with a dark countenance.


    Dabi and the other two immediately scrambled out of the scene and they even stumbled as they left.


    Elder Ming stared at their receding figures with a trace of killing intent, but he decided to let them off. "Jiu Shen. Jiu Shen. Jiu Shen. I have underestimated you severely and I even lost a capable elder! Besides, the dragon that came earlier... It was definitely a peak stage 9th-rank Saint, so how did that old bastard Elyk manage to defeat it?! I don¡¯t believe it was done by him, but I need to be careful with my actions now!"


    Elder Ming¡¯s voice carried a deep tone of furiousness and hate, but his contorted face slowly regained its usual amiable and kind look. It was as if two persons with different personalities exist in one body...


    His figure slowly turned into a small cloud of dark gas before it vanished from the scene.

 Chapter 124 - Furious Theia

    <h4>Chapter 124 - Furious Theia </h4>


    The next day, the brilliant ray of the sun illuminated Beltran City.


    The damaged infrastructures were now being rebuilt and the entire city also talked about the events that had happenedst night. To others, it was an unforgettable memory that made their blood boil in excitement at the mere thought of it, but to some people, it was a violent nightmare that they wish to forget...


    A lot of things happened in Beltran City that it was even almost decimated overnight. Not to mention Jiu Shen¡¯s store that was attacked on the same day, however, it remained unharmed and those who went to the store with malicious intentions were almost wiped out!


    When this news circted the city, everyone became stunned, and this slightly famous wine store became even more prominent in the whole of Beltran City.


    "Hey! Have you heard about that wine store that is the talk of everyone in the city?"


    "Of course! I even heard that the store¡¯s owner is an Alchemy Saint! Not just that, all the staffs inside the store are also strong experts!"


    "It¡¯s indeed as you said. Someone even told me that more than a hundred expertsunched a raid on the store. In the end, almost all of them were killed, and even our almighty Emperor Elyk went there himself to offer his assistance!"


    Four youngdies in theirte teens can be seen walking on the street that led towards Jiu Shen¡¯s store, and they were somewhat surprised at the news that had circted. The four of them wore the same set of icy blue robes with a sword and cloud insignia drawn on their right shoulder. Each of them were beauties with different temperaments, but the one leading them still stood out.


    "Sister Hua, I thought this ce is a remote part of Beltran City. Howe there are a lot of people walking in this ce?" One of the four youngdies spoke with a bewildered voice as she looked at the young woman leading the four of them.


    If one would look closely, this young woman was actually the disciple of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect that first received Jiu Shen¡¯s guidance in sword techniques. Furthermore, she was now at the peak stage of the 4th-rank Knight Crusader realm and was on the verge of breaking through the next realm! When Jiu Shen visited the Ice Cloud Sword Sectst time, she was only at the early stage of the 4th-rank Knight Crusader, so it can be seen how huge her development was after getting Jiu Shen¡¯s sword guidance.


    Xiao Hua was simrly surprised at the scene in front of her. She had oncee to this ce when she was out in a mission for the sect, but it was not as bustling as today. It was to the point that she almost thought that this wasn¡¯t the same street she had once been into.


    "I¡¯ve been here before and I¡¯m certain that it wasn¡¯t as prosperous as it is today, but I think I know the reason for this..." Xiao Hua¡¯s voice was filled with tenderness as she suddenly recalled the figure of the man who had helped her correct the mistakes in her sword techniques. Actually, after he had guided her that day, she could no longer forget his image and it even reached the point where she dreamt of him from time to time.


    Looking at Xiao Hua¡¯s blushing face, the three youngdies giggled teasingly which immediately attracted the attention of some nearby pedestrians.


    A few young men with notable backgrounds even tried to approach them, but when they felt the cultivation levels of the four young women, these confident young scions instantly lost their courage and left with dejected looks.


    "A bunch of useless men! Did they really think that they can unt their status to us sisters?! Hmph!" The youngdy with short ck hair snorted as she red at the young scions who were eyeing them like prey.


    "Little Sister Mei Gui, just ignore them. These people are not worth our attention. We should just quickly go to that senior¡¯s store since master told us to make haste." Xiao Hua said as she grabbed Mei Gui¡¯s arm and ran away from the scene as her peals ofughter drifted in the street.


    Looking at their two friends, the two youngdies who were left by two instantly sprinted towards them, leaving a sweet flower-like scent lingering in the air.


    * * *


    Right outside ¡¯The Immortal¡¯s Wine¡¯.


    The store was still shut tight, but a lot of customers were already waiting outside with patient looks on their faces. However, when the regr customers of Jiu Shen saw the new look of the store, their eyes widened in surprise and their jaws almost dropped to the ground from the sheer amount of shock that they felt.


    Yesterday, it was just two-stories, but now...


    Some customers rubbed their eyes, dumbstruck at what they¡¯ve seen, and pointed at the number of floors in the store as they counted silently in their hearts.


    One... Two... Three... Fuck! There are three fucking floors now?! Holy shit!


    Some of them eximed in their hearts as they excitedly nced at the store. Aside from the fact that it was now a three-story store, they also realized that it now looked more grandiose on the outside and they could even feel an imposing auraing from the store.


    The store¡¯s deep crimson color and the vivid phoenixes and dragons carved on the walls made it look so majestic and awe-inspiring!


    If the outside was already this great, then what about the inside?


    The regr customers thought excitedly in their hearts. They were now eager to go inside and take a look at the changes in the store¡¯s interior. They didn¡¯t even bother thinking how such an absurd change happened overnight. Who was Wine Master Jiu? He was a very awesome and glorious Alchemy Saint! He was definitely capable of making this much change in the store, right?


    Not long after, the entrance of the store suddenly sprung open, making everyone see the most beautiful and striking interior design that they had ever seen in their whole lives! Even the Silver Wing Empire¡¯s imperial pce paled inparison to the store¡¯s magnificent style! Truly awesome!


    The customers impatiently sprinted towards the store, but they suddenly saw the familiar figure of a blonde beauty who had a sword strapped behind her back. Those who knew her abruptly stopped in their tracks and like obedient kids, they walked slowly as if they were under the presence of the emperor, and they even forced out a crooked smile as they stared at Theia who was looking at them with a calm expression. When her tranquil gaze lingered on them, their hearts felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible energy, scaring them out of their wits.


    As for those new customers who didn¡¯t know who this hell¡¯s daughter was, they continued to sprint excitedly towards the store.


    This promptly made Jiu Shen¡¯s regr customers let out knowing smiles as they nced at each other with evil gazes.


    And just as they had expected, before these new customers could even step inside the store, they suddenly felt an oppressive aura weighing down on them, making them stumble on the ground face first.


    Putong.


    Putong.


    Putong.


    ...


    More than ten individuals who had run the fastestnded on the ground with their faces kissing the solid ground, making them grimace in pain.


    Those who were just a step behind them were confused, but before they could evenugh at those who were grimacing on the ground, they simrly met the same end.


    Putong.


    Putong.


    Putong.


    ...


    If it was just a few people stumbling, everyone would surely believe that it was just a coincidence, but if more than a few dozen stumbled all at the same time, then there should be a reason for it. The ones who had yet to suffer stopped in their tracks and they finally nced at the beautiful figure who came out from the store and thought to themselves. ¡¯Was it this weak and daintydy that caused the others to stumble as if their legs turned into jelly?¡¯


    "If you want to go inside the store, line up properly, and don¡¯t cause a ruckus. If not, then you can scram!" Theia¡¯s cold voice echoed like a morning bell that stunned the new customers who wished to go inside the store. As for the regr customers, they nced at the newbies as if they were waiting for a show. A trace of disdain shed in their eyes as they stood to witness the scene.


    There was bound to be someone who was unaware of the store¡¯s strength...


    And not long after, someone from the crowd of new customers indeed voiced out his displeasure.


    "What kind of attitude is this?! Is this how you treat your potential customers? If that¡¯s the case, then I might as well leave this ce since we¡¯re not weed here! Pah!" A middle-aged man dressed in luxurious robes spat a mouthful of phlegm as he stared angrily at Theia.


    Oh! Oh! Someone actually has the guts to do this to Young Miss Theia! Big bro, we admire your courageous heart! Admirable! Admirable!


    The regr customersughed coldly in their hearts as they spectated the scene with excitement.


    A flicker of killing intent shed before Theia¡¯s beautiful blue eyes.


    "Old dog, lick that phlegm off the ground and I¡¯ll spare your dog life!" Theia¡¯s cold voice wasced with a threat as she stared at the middle-aged man dressed in luxurious clothes.


    Here ites! Young Miss Theia¡¯s imcable rage!


    The middle-aged man felt furious as he spat another mouthful of saliva. He then pointed at Theia and shouted with an arrogant look. "Little girl, listen carefully, this old man is Bai Yot from the Bai Family! Who do you think you are to act wilfully in my presence?!"


    Theia¡¯s body trembled as the murderous look in her eyes intensified to a terrifying degree. The temperature in the surroundings changed and it turned cold all of sudden.


    Bai Yot nced at Theia mockingly after seeing her shivering body. He thought that he had scared her by mentioning his Bai Family, making him raise his head high proudly.


    "Are you fucking scared now? Don¡¯t worry I can spare your little life as long as you stay with me for a night. How about it? It¡¯s not too bad a deal, right? Hahaha!" Bai Yot¡¯s arrogantughter reverberated on the streets.


    The Bai Family was indeed quite strong in Beltran City since it was just below the top families in terms of power and authority, so Bai Yot¡¯s arrogance was not unfounded.


    However, he had just provoked the most baleful existence of the Silver Wing Empire...


    "What?! Are you too scared to speak n-" Before Bai Yot could even finish his words, his head suddenly nted sidewards before it dropped on the ground.


    Thud.


    Thud.


    His headless body managed to take two steps forward before it slumped on the ground, bathing in his own pool of blood.


    Thud.


    His severed head which was still wearing an arrogant look rolled on the ground...


    The bloody scene made the spectating crowd shiver in dread.

 Chapter 125 - Shocked Customers

    <h4>Chapter 125 - Shocked Customers </h4>


    A tranquil gust of wind blew by, sending shivers to the onlooking crowd.


    He died just like that.


    He was stillughing disdainfully just a few seconds ago, but his headless corpse now sprawled on the bloody ground, while his decapitated head still had an expression of arrogance.


    No one saw how Theia moved, but they all knew that it was her who had killed Bai Yot.


    A silent kill in less than a second...


    Looking at Theia¡¯s cold and indifferent expression, they finally realized that this seemingly weak and dainty youngdy was someone that shouldn¡¯t be trifled with.


    Even the regr customers who already knew Theia¡¯s personality drew gasps of surprise, but they calmed down much faster than the rest since they had already expected this to happen right from the very beginning.


    Theia nced icily at Bai Yot¡¯s corpse and flicked a small orb of golden fire towards him.


    The moment the golden mes touched his corpse, it was instantly engulfed by the raging golden mes, burning his body under everyone¡¯s petrified gazes.


    <i>Crackle. Crackle. Crackle.</i>


    Faint crackling sounds echoed about, sending chills down everyone¡¯s spines.


    And in not more than a minute, only a small pile of dust remained, even his blood evaporated from the intense golden me.


    A gentle wind blew past them, scattering the ashes in the air.


    <i>Gulp.</i>


    Someone could not help but gulp at this terrorizing scene, but no oneughed at him since all of them were feeling the same amount of fear.


    Suddenly, someone came out of the store. It was a peerlessly beautiful youngdy with long fiery red hair. She had a gentle smile on her face as she walked out of the store with graceful steps.


    "Sister Theia, what¡¯s everyone standing here for?" Hestia asked with a curious voice as she looked at the silent crowd standing still like wooden statues.


    Theia nced at Hestia and the former¡¯s cold face suffused with a light smile. "Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I just told them to line up properly."


    The crowd¡¯s lips twitched when they heard her words, but no one dared to voice out their opinions. Who would dare to that? Only those tired of living would be so foolish...


    Hestia giggled when she heard her reply, her faintughter gradually made everyone¡¯s heart calm down to a certain degree.


    "Wee, dear guests. Pleasee inside to our newly renovated store." Hestia said with a smile as she curtsied at the crowd.


    Her gentle gaze full of expectations instantly lightened the stiff atmosphere.


    "Since Young Miss Hestia has already spoken, then I shall go inside now. I¡¯m really excited to see the new look of the store." Liu Mengdi the young patriarch of the Liu Family was among the onlooking crowd, and he had also seen everything that had transpired. He hurriedly led his subordinates to go inside the store since he could hardly remain standing after witnessing the scene earlier.


    The other customers followed behind them and lined up neatly without causing any disturbance. Who would dare cause a ruckus before the daughter of hell?


    Not longter, Xiao Hua¡¯s group of four finally arrived at the store. They could not help but gasp in surprise as they looked at the majestic store in front of them.


    "Sister Hua, is this wine store of that senior? It looks awesome!" The short-haired young woman Mei Gui eximed with shining eyes. Even their Ice Cloud Sword Sect¡¯s ice castle was not as sublime as the store in front of them.


    Xiao Hua was simrly stunned to see the awe-inspiring exterior of Jiu Shen¡¯s wine store. She nced at the que and muttered the store¡¯s name. "The Immortal¡¯s Wine... Such a beautiful name! This name is definitely perfect for such an imposing wine store!"


    Mei Gui was already excited to go inside the store, so she hurriedly grabbed her three stunned friends.


    "Let¡¯s go! I wanna see how awesome the man our Sister Hua always talked about." Her excited voice echoed on the street as the figure of the fourdies moved inside the store.


    The faces of the four immediately lit up when they saw how beautifully decorated the interior was. From the ceiling down to the floor, everything was close to perfection! Even the chairs and tables didn¡¯t look ordinary.


    "Woah! What a beautiful ce!" Mei Gui¡¯s eyes widened as she kept on turning her head to see every corner of the store. She looked like a young kid who had just visited a theme park.


    Xiao Hua and the other two nodded their heads in agreement.


    "Why did the sect mistress told us toe to this ce?" Fei Lingrou asked with a perplexed look on her face. She was not that tall and was only 160cm in height, but her bosom was the biggest among the four of them. Her perky behind was also enough to make the imaginations of men to run wild. With her soft and supple lips and seductively beautiful pair of brown eyes, she can be considered as a budding young beauty.


    Xiao Hua shook her head. "I¡¯ve no idea why the sect mistress told us toe here, but her voice sounded urgent, so it should be something important. Anyway, this ce is nice and I don¡¯t think our time will be wasted here."


    Fei Lingrou crossed her arms as she thought deeply, her huge bosom trembled from her movements that it almost broke out of her tight robes.


    This scene instantly made Mei Guiugh wickedly as she walked towards Fei Lingrou with evil intentions in her eyes. The former sneakily stretched out her hands and grabbed Fei Lingrou¡¯s bountiful bust, which made thetter cry out in surprise.


    "Ah! Sister Gui, stop!"


    Xiao Hua rolled her eyes after seeing the two¡¯s actions. "Hey! Stop it you two! There are a lot of people watching." Her voice carried a half-hearted scolding tone. She was already used to this pair¡¯s teasing and bantering, but she still let out a soft chuckle after looking at their faces.


    When Mei Gui and Fei Lingrou heard her words, they were immediately stunned and they could not help but nce at the customers who were eyeing them with unusual gazes. Some looked at them with heated gazes, while others looked at them with a smile. However no one came to cause trouble for them which they found unbelievable since most men would usually approach them in this kind of situation, but even though some had heated gazes, they remained seated on their chairs.


    "Eh? The men here are surprisingly much better than those young scions outside." Mei Gui muttered in a soft voice.


    Xiao Hua and the other two nodded their heads in agreement.


    Just then, the four of them suddenly saw a familiar figureing towards them. Her icy blue hair now had crimson highlights, and her pair of irises were deep red in color. Her cold temperament also changed, and there was now a tinge of tantalizing fieriness in her aura. This was of course Lu Sn, the sect mistress of their Ice Cloud Sword Sect.


    "Master!"


    "Master!"


    The four bowed their heads in unison as they greeted Lu Sn respectfully.


    Lu Sn smiled gently after seeing them. These four youngdies were the most talented disciples among the youngest generation of their Ice Cloud Sword Sect.


    "It¡¯s good that you¡¯re here. Come, I¡¯ll introduce you to my master." Lu Sn said with a sweet smile.


    Xiao Hua and the other three were confused but they still nodded their heads promptly.


    Lu Sn led them towards the corner of the store where they saw a man with long silver hair reclining on his chair with a calm andzy look in his eyes. He was holding a sleeping chubby white cat in his arms as he stroke its fur gently.


    Xiao Hua¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw him, and she could feel her heart pounding loudly.


    "Master, these are the disciples that I told you about. Although they are still young, their talent is not that bad." Lu Sn gave Jiu Shen a respectful bow before she said those words.


    Looking at the man that their sect mistress called as ¡¯master¡¯, they couldn¡¯t help but be stunned. He looked so young and they couldn¡¯t even feel a strand of cultivation from him. It was as if he was an ordinary mortal who had not started cultivating, but they didn¡¯t dare reveal their usual attitude especially after seeing how respectful their sect mistress was when she spoke to him.


    Jiu Shen nced at the four youngdies, and his gaze lingered longer on Xiao Hua¡¯s figure. "Not bad. You¡¯ve managed toprehend the things that I taught you."


    Hearing hispliment, Xiao Hua broke into a splendid smile as if a lotus that had just bloomed.

 Chapter 126 - Body Reforging Heaven Pill

    <h4>Chapter 126 - Body Reforging Heaven Pill </h4>


    "Looking at your talents, you can indeed reach at least the 7th-rank Emperor realm." Jiu Shen calmly said as he studied the four youngdies in front of him. However, he was somewhat disappointed since none of them had a supreme physique.


    ¡¯I¡¯ve thought too much... A supreme physique is already so rare in the Primordial God Realm, so how can it be so easy to find someone with a supreme physique here? Perhaps Lu Sn and Can Ye are the only persons with the supreme physique in the whole of Nuar... However, thesedies can still be molded into elites. As long as I teach them my sword techniques and a few Mythic level cultivation techniques, then even if their talents are worth crap, their cultivation would still advance by leaps and bounds.¡¯ Jiu Shen thought deeply to himself.


    After they heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words, the four young women couldn¡¯t help but smile. A cultivator at the 7th-rank Emperor realm was already very strong in their eyes, so when they heard from Jiu Shen that they had the potential to be one, they felt happy and excited. Only Lu Sn was frowning when she heard her master¡¯s words. She was no longer the same ignorant woman she had once been, and after receiving Jiu Shen¡¯s guidance for quite some time, she had realized that her present cultivation was minuscule in her master¡¯s eyes.


    "Master..." Lu Sn wanted to say something, but the words were stuck in her throat when she saw Jiu Shen raising his right arm while looking at her.


    "Sn, I already know why you brought them here. Since my disciple wants me to help them, so how can I disappoint you?" Jiu Shen smiled gently at Lu Sn before he nced at Xiao Hua and the others.


    "From now on, the four of you will work for me, but don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t be working here for free. As long as you do your jobs well, then you will certainly get something in return." Jiu Shen¡¯s voice was calm and unhurried, but his words surprised the four. They thought that their master called for them to do a mission, but to think that they will be working in a wine store... They found it a bit too bizarre, but they didn¡¯t dare disobey their sect mistress.


    "What are the four of you standing there for. Hurry up and thank master!" Lu Sn berated them lightly, but the look in her eyes betrayed her excitement. With Jiu Shen¡¯s teachings, Xiao Hua and the others will surely achieve more in the future.


    Xiao Hua pped her friends¡¯ bottoms, which instantly awakened them from their stupor.


    "We thank grandmaster¡¯s grace." The four said in unison as they bowed their heads respectfully.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s hands which were rubbing Ice¡¯s fur froze all of sudden. ¡¯Grandmaster? Do I really look that old? Well... I don¡¯t even know how old I am...¡¯


    "Just call me Wine Master Jiu like how the others call me." He said to the four with an indifferent look. He then nced at Lu Sn and said. "Sn, bring them to Hestia and tell her to teach them how to serve our customers properly."


    Lu Sn bowed and replied in a respectful voice. "Yes, master."


    After that, Lu Sn brought the four to where Hestia was at.


    Jiu Shen smiled as he looked at their figures. With their presence, the workload of Hestia and Lu Sn will be lightened down considerably. They just have to be trained properly and they also didn¡¯t have to worry about the customers bullying them since there was this valiant blonde beauty standing guard on the store¡¯s first floor, not to mention the unfathomable Ren Shuang who was upstairs...


    Jiu Shen leaned on his chair and was about to close his eyes when he sensed the familiar aura of someone. He used his spiritual power to peer on the iing figure and smiled lightly after seeing who it was. Just right outside his store was the one-armed barbarian who had helped them fight off against the countless experts yesterday. Although his help was unnecessary, Jiu Shen still had a good impression of this rough and ferocious-looking man. Who could it be other than Hu Xiandao?


    Just then, Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes narrowed when he saw that there were two old men just right behind Hu Xiandao¡¯s group. He was familiar with the other old man, Master Fengzi of the Alchemy Hall, but the old man beside him, Jiu Shen had no idea who it was. "This old man¡¯s spiritual power is at the 9th-rank and he smells like he had just concocted a 9th-rank pill some time ago. Could he be..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself.


    "Hahaha! To think that there are so many changes in the store in just one night!" Hu Xiandao¡¯s loudughter reverberated inside the store, but when he felt a cold stare nearby, he immediately turned his head in rm.


    Theia with an indifferent expression on her face was staring at Hu Xiandao with a cold look. Thetter instantly shut his mouth when he saw thisdy. After seeing how she had killed numerous experts yesterday, Hu Xiandao developed a strong sense of fear towards her. He didn¡¯t dare behave wildly anymore and just went to look for Lu Sn.


    Since the Earth Origin Dragon Tree can no longer be taken, Hu Xiandao will return to the Mythos Wilnds and report everything to the elders and the chieftain, so he was here to bid goodbye to Lu Sn.


    "Sect Mistress Lu, our mission here is already done, so we have to go back to the Mythos Wilnds right away and report everything that happened to the elders and the chieftain." Hu Xiandao said as he looked at Lu Sn with his most gentle smile, but because of his ferocious face, his smile looked unsightly and appalling to behold.


    Lu Sn chuckled when she saw his expression. She knew that this guy was terrible at smiling and would instead scare people if he did so.


    "In that case, Lord Hu should drink the store¡¯s wine and also eat the Deep-fried Shrimp Tempura before he leaves. Don¡¯t worry, everything is on me." Lu Sn smiled gently.


    Hu Xiandao scratched the back of his head and put on an embarrassed expression. "Sect Mistress Lu, I-"


    "Lord Hu, please don¡¯t decline me. This is just my token of appreciation for helping us yesterday." Lu Sn smiled at the big guy.


    "If that¡¯s the case, we will stay for a bit and enjoy the wine and food here before we depart." Hu Xiandao found a seat for his group and nced at the new design of the store in awe.


    Jiu Shen smirked when he saw the simple look of Hu Xiandao. He then called Lu Sn through sound transmission and told her toe to him for a moment.


    Not longter, Lu Sn arrived with Xiao Hua and the other three youngdies following behind her. The four young women were holding the orders of Hu Xiandao¡¯s group.


    "Go bring these to the gentlemen right there. Make sure to be polite, okay?" Lu Sn told the four.


    "Yes, Sect Mistress Lu." The four replied in unison before they went towards where Hu Xiandao and his group were seated.


    "Master, what can I do for you?" Lu Sn suddenly recalled the embarrassing eventst night when she had just awakened her supreme physique. Her face blushed as she looked at Jiu Shen¡¯s handsome face.


    Jiu Shen ignored her ambiguous look and took out something from his space earring. It was a pill that emitted a dense amount of life energy. Even Lu Sn felt that it was definitely precious just from the life energy it contained.


    "Master this is..." Lu Sn muttered as she studied the pill in her hand.


    "That¡¯s an Immortal level pill, the Body Reforming Heaven Pill. It can regrow severed limbs and also enhances the physical body of whoever consumes it. Tell Hu Xiandao toe back here after he finishes his report to the Mythos Wilnds..." Jiu Shen calmly said as if he was merely passing on a random pill. He was also aware that two old men were standing just right behind Lu Sn with dumbstruck looks on their faces. They were looking at the pill in Lu Sn¡¯s hands with shining eyes.


    "Master, do you intend to take Hu Xiandao as your disciple?" Lu Sn asked with a surprised look. This was an Immortal level pill after all! And she knew that Jiu Shen wouldn¡¯t give it out randomly for no reason.


    Jiu Shen shook his head and waved his right hand. "No. Just give it to him and tell him toe back as soon as possible. I¡¯ve ns for him..."


    Lu Sn no longer asked after seeing the look on his face. She bowed her head at Jiu Shen before she went towards Hu Xiandao excitedly. She didn¡¯t even bother ncing at the two old men who were standing there behind her like wooden statues.


    Jiu Shen nced at the two with a tranquil look. "I would assume that you¡¯re Alchemy Hall¡¯s supreme elder. I wonder what¡¯s your reason for visiting my store?"


    His indifferent voice made the two old men break away from their stupor.


    Master Fengzi wanted to speak but he was stopped by the old man beside him. "For Wine Master Jiu to guess my identity with just one nce, I can tell that your eyes are truly piercing. This old man is indeed the supreme elder of the Alchemy Hall, but you can just call me Qi Hongtian." Qi Hongtian, the supreme elder of the Alchemy Hall smiled and cupped his fists at Jiu Shen. He had seen how he casually gave such a precious pill to someone, so he didn¡¯t dare take advantage of his seniority. That was an Immortal Pill! A pill that can only be concocted by Nascent God Realm experts! Although he wasn¡¯t sure if it was really an Immortal Pill, but the energy it contained was definitely more than what 9th-rank Pills have, so he was 70% sure that it was the Immortal Pill of the legends!


    Seeing Jiu Shen¡¯s silence, Qi Hongtian immediately asked with a curious voice. "Wine Master Jiu, that pill... Was it concocted by your esteemed self?"


    Jiu Shen was silent for a moment before he replied in a calm voice. "Indeed..."


    His reply was already expected by the two old men, but they were still surprised. After all, it was an Immortal Pill, and one needs to have the spiritual power of a Nascent God to refine such a high-level pill. Furthermore, the ingredients needed in refining the pill were definitely precious.


    With a fanatical look, Qi Hongtian grabbed Jiu Shen¡¯s arms stunning thetter greatly. Heck!


    "Please take me as your disciple!"


    Jiu Shen gently waved his right arm, making Qi Hongtian retreat several steps backward.


    "You¡¯re not qualified."

 Chapter 127 - Qualifications To Enter The Second Floor

    <h4>Chapter 127 - Qualifications To Enter The Second Floor </h4>


    Jiu Shen¡¯s cold and indifferent voice was like a p of thunder that reverberated in Qi Hongtian¡¯s heart. His face was drained of all colors when he heard those cold words, making his wrinkled face look like a corpse.


    Master Fengzi frowned at Jiu Shen¡¯s t refusal. It was as if thetter didn¡¯t even ce the supreme elder of their Alchemy Hall in his eyes. Although he felt dejected in his heart, he didn¡¯t dare voice out any sound of displeasure since Jiu Shen indeed had the ability to act like this. They have also heard about the events that had happened yesterday in his store, so how could they not know that aside from Jiu Shen¡¯s identity as an Alchemy Saint, there was a huge possibility that he was also an expert in cultivation. Just the thought of it alone made his heart tremble in agitation.


    Tempering one¡¯s spiritual power was already a very difficult road, but Jiu Shen was actually an expert in cultivation as well, so how could Master Fengzi be not shock at his power?


    The system created a perfect physical body for Jiu Shen, and it was something that goes against the heaven¡¯s will. It even exceeded the Immortal Physique of the legends! Jiu Shen¡¯s Seamless Deity Physique was a supreme physique that was perfect for cultivation, spiritual power, and even body refining! With an all-rounded supreme physique, his future would certainly be limitless, not to mention that he has an experience of countless eons during his past life. The only problem was that he had not yet found ways to improve his cultivation other than eating the Fruit of Cultivation.


    <i>Sigh!</i>


    "I apologize for my behavior Wine Master Jiu. I was just excited to see someone capable of refining an Immortal Pill. I¡¯ve only seen it recorded in an ancient stone fragment that I¡¯ve chanced upon during my younger years. I didn¡¯t know that I would get to see it with my own two eyes in this lifetime of mine." Qi Hongtian sighed and bowed to Jiu Shen with an apologetic look, but the excitement in his murky eyes was still evident. He was an alchemy maniac since his younger years, so everything rted to alchemy excites him so much. That was also why he had reacted on impulse earlier and even disregarded his image just to take Jiu Shen as his master.


    In the alchemy world, age was but a number, and the true seniority lies in one¡¯s ability to concoct high-level pills. So the higher the level of pill one can concoct, the greater the respect one could get from the alchemists regardless of their age.


    Jiu Shen waved his right hand and shook his head lightly. "Alchemy is but a hobby of mine and among all the things I¡¯ve studied, my alchemy refinement is the absolute weakest." His voice was calm and devoid of any ripples as if he was merely stating something ordinary, but his words was like a bolt of tribtion lightning smiting the two old man¡¯s hearts.


    What Jiu Shen said was actually true. His attainments in the field of alchemy refinement was indeed nothing worthy in the Primordial God Realm. However, he didn¡¯t know that he was a genius in the art of alchemy. He had only used several years to achieve the identity of an Alchemy Immortal in his past life which would normally take others several thousands of years or even millions of years, but he didn¡¯t even treat his alchemy skills seriously since his heart was only devoted to the way of the sword.


    Qi Hongtian and Master Fengzi forced out a broken smile, making this pair of old men look like they had swallowed a fly.


    ¡¯If alchemy refining is just your hobby, then what will happen if you train it seriously?¡¯ Master Fengzi thought in his heart bitterly. He had studied alchemy for several dozens of years, but his attainments was nowhere near Jiu Shen who only treated alchemy as a hobby. It was truly depressing...


    Even Qi Hongtian felt a sense of loss in his heart. This was a huge blow to him since he had devoted all his time to alchemy, but his centuries of bitter self-studying and alchemy research was not even worth mentioning in Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes.


    ¡¯I¡¯ve decided. I¡¯ll take him as my master even if he refuses me. I will do everything just to get his eptance.¡¯ Qi Hongtian muttered resolutely in his heart. The light in his cloudy eyes flickered with a sh of resolve, and the dying passion in his heart was stoked by Jiu Shen¡¯s presence.


    "Wine Master Jiu, I truly like to discuss the art of alchemy with you, but after speaking with you briefly, I realized that my centuries of expertise isn¡¯t even worth the knowledge you have. This time, I will enjoy Wine Master Jiu¡¯s wine and drink away my sorrows." Qi Hongtian chuckled bitterly as he bowed lightly at Jiu Shen before he went to search for a table for himself and Master Fengzi. Just that, the first floor was now fully upied since there were a lot more customers present due to the massive changes in Jiu Shen¡¯s store.


    "Theia, bring them upstairs." Jiu Shen¡¯s calm voice echoed inside the store, stunning the customers inside. How could they not know the identity of this man? Right after Jiu Shen spoke, all the customers immediately thought about his words.


    "Yes, master!" Theia responded right away and immediately brought the two stunned old men upstairs.


    "The second floor is actually open for business?"


    "I didn¡¯t hear wrongly, right? The second floor is open for business..."


    "What could possibly be there? If the first floor is already this amazing, then what about the second floor?"


    Even Liu Mengdi, this young patriarch of the Liu Family was curious about how the second floor of Jiu Shen¡¯s store looked like.


    "Wine Master Jiu, are there any requirements needed before we can have the chance to go to the second floor?" Liu Mengdi stood up and cupped his fist at Jiu Shen respectfully. He was among the first batch of customers of The Immortal¡¯s Wine, so he was somewhat familiar with Jiu Shen¡¯s personality.


    At this moment, Jiu Shen was alreadymunicating with the system to confirm this. The second floor was indeed more luxurious than the first floor, so there should be prerequisites before someone can go upstairs.


    - Ding!


    - Host, the second floor is only essible for those with cultivation at the 7th-rank Emperor and above. Those with VIP Cards can simrly go up regardless of their age.


    After getting the system¡¯s confirmation, Jiu Shen nced at the customers with a calm look and replied. "Only those with cultivations at the 7th-rank Emperor realm and above can go to the second floor."


    Everyone felt slightly dejected when they heard his words, but they could only sigh in their hearts since it was already a normal urrence in the cultivation world for there to be a segregation between the weak and the strong. Just that, they still felt a bit sad to be unable to see the second floor. However, this also made them even more determined to cultivate properly.


    To think that these people felt more motivated to cultivate seriously just to have the qualification to go to the second floor...


    Liu Mengdi and the other young scions clenched their fists tightly with determined gazes.


    The customers of Jiu Shen had already experienced the wondrous effects of drinking his wine, and they had even advanced in their cultivation by leaps and bounds, so how could they not be eager to know what was within the second floor?


    Jiu Shen felt amused in his heart when he saw their faces. Although he didn¡¯t know what they were thinking, he could still faintly guess what was on their minds just from their expressions alone. He couldn¡¯t me them though since the wines sold in his store were indeed precious and it could be said that they were evenparable to high-level pills.


    Just then, Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes narrowed as he felt another strong presenceing to the store, but this time, he knew who it was.


    Outside Jiu Shen¡¯s store was a line-up of more than several dozens of soldiers. Each of them wore rigid and ferocious expressions as they surveyed the surroundings with wary gazes. Although it was peaceful here, these soldiers were trained to never let their guards down in any kind of environment.


    Leading these soldiers were five individuals dressed in embroidered robes. They were the four guardians of the Silver Wing Empire and the emperor, Emperor Elyk Silveria II.


    The emperor was stunned when he saw the changes of the store and he could not help but let out a heartyugh that stunned the several dozen stern-looking soldiers behind him.


    "Hahaha! To think that after just a day, Wine Master Jiu¡¯s store has already changed so much!" Emperor Elyk jumped off his mount andnded gracefully on the ground. He was excited to see the changes inside after seeing the majestic exterior of the store.


    The emperor¡¯s loudughter was of course heard by everyone inside the store, and they abruptly stood up in surprise.


    This was their emperor! The man who had singlehandedly faced off with a huge dragon just to protect his empire and his people!


    "His Majesty is actually here? My god!"


    "I didn¡¯t know that even His Majesty is one of Wine Master Jiu¡¯s customers. Truly surprising!"


    Right after the emperor went inside the store, he didn¡¯t even have the time to utter his exmation when he heard the respectful greetings from the customers.


    "We greet you, Your Majesty!"


    "We greet you, Your Majesty!"


    Everyone except Jiu Shen bowed at the emperor with reverence. Even Xiao Hua and the other three looked at the emperor with curiosity.


    Emperor Elyk felt somewhat stunned by everyone¡¯s reverential gazes, and he felt gratified in his heart to have such people as the citizens of his empire. He gestured for everyone to take a seat and smiled at them lightly. "Take your seats, everyone. I¡¯m only here to visit Wine Master Jiu, so no need to bother with formalities."


    The customers bowed deeply at him before they went back to what they were previously doing, but everyone was now a bit more conscious with their actions with the emperor¡¯s presence inside.


    Emperor Elyk walked towards Jiu Shen with a smile on his face. After arriving in front of thetter, he immediately cupped his fists respectfully. The emperor¡¯s respectful attitude towards Jiu Shen instantly garnered surprised exmations from everyone inside the store.


    "Wine Master Jiu, I¡¯m notte, right?" The emperor¡¯s voice was jovial and friendly, but his tone still carried a dignified presence.


    Jiu Shen shook his head lightly and replied in a calm voice. "You¡¯rete, but that doesn¡¯t matter as long as you brought what I asked you to bring."


    Emperor Elyk smiled at his response and chuckled heartily. "Of course! I wouldn¡¯t dare go against my words, Wine Master Jiu. Hahaha!"


    Why is this old brat so chummy today? His head wasn¡¯t hammered, right?


    Jiu Shen muttered in his heart as he looked at theughing Emperor Elyk.

 Chapter 128 - Hu Xiandao Consumes The Immortal Pill

    <h4>Chapter 128 - Hu Xiandao Consumes The Immortal Pill </h4>


    Lu Sn had long since brought Hu Xiandao to the second floor since the Body Reforging Heaven Pill was just too precious to be taken out in front of everyone else, and only on the second floor would she feel at ease to give the Immortal Pill to Hu Xiandao.


    The barbarian nced around curiously as they went upstairs and his eyes asionally brightened after seeing how luxurious the store was. Their Mythos Wilnds¡¯ Lion Temple where the chieftain resides wasn¡¯t even worth mentioningpared to Jiu Shen¡¯s store.


    After arriving on the second floor, they saw a man with long and unkempt hair standing at the entrance with his eyes shut tight. He didn¡¯t even bother to greet Lu Sn and Hu Xiandao when they passed by him and just remained standing like a stone statue. This man was none other than Ren Shuang who was summoned after Jiu Shen opened the second store expansion package.


    Hu Xiandao felt a wave of terror in his heart when he took a nce at the man. With just one look, the former instantly knew that thetter was definitely a top expert!


    ¡¯This man is dangerous and reeks the air of ughter!¡¯ Hu Xiandao eximed in his heart as he hurriedly averted his gaze. He was familiar with the aura and atmosphere around Ren Shuang since almost all the warriors in their Mythos Wilnds possess simr traits. They were born in the wilds and fought countless times with savage beasts, so their aura already contained the air of ughter. Just that, the air of ughter around Ren Shuang was too suffocating that Hu Xiandao didn¡¯t dare nce at him for too long.


    When they both arrived inside the second floor, Theia had already brought Master Fengzi and Qi Hongtian, and both old men were wearing bewildered looks as they stared at the paintings on the wall.


    Looking at their expressions, Lu Sn chuckled in her heart. She then brought Hu Xiandao to a random corner and asked him to sit down. "Lord Hu, please take a seat. I have something important to discuss with you."


    Hu Xiandao was perplexed but he knew that Lu Sn wouldn¡¯t just bring him here for useless reasons, so he just nodded his head at her with a smile. "Sect Mistress Lu, I wonder what you want to discuss with me that you even have to bring me to the second floor?"


    Lu Sn sat opposite him and took out something from her space ring. She then looked at Hu Xiandao¡¯s non-existent left arm before she turned her gaze at thetter.


    "Lord Hu, you already know that my master is an Alchemy Saint, right?" Lu Sn asked while letting out a gentle smile.


    Hu Xiandao promptly nodded his head when heard the question. "Indeed. Even beforeing to this store, I¡¯ve already heard of rumors that Wine Master Jiu is an Alchemy Saint. Why do you ask this, Sect Mistress Lu?"


    Lu Sn smiled at him and showed Hu Xiandao the Body Reforging Heaven Pill that was given to her by Jiu Shen. "Lord Hu, this is a high-level pill refined by my master and it is capable of regrowing severed limbs. He asked me to give this to you as a token of appreciation for helping us yesterday."


    Hu Xiandao was stunned when he heard the effects of the pill. He took a deep breath and stared at Lu Sn with a serious look on his face. "Sect Mistress Lu, this is too precious and I can¡¯t ept such a gift from Wine Master Jiu." He sighed and shook his head.


    Lu Sn had already expected his rejection. She knew his personality well, but she was also determined to give this to Hu Xiandao. "Lord Hu, just treat it as me begging you. If you don¡¯t ept this, then I¡¯ll just have to crush it into pieces since I¡¯ve no use to it." She said with a pitiful look, making Hu Xiandao¡¯s heart waver.


    Hu Xiandaoughed weakly as he looked at Lu Sn¡¯s expression. He wanted to reject her once more but looking at her determined expression, it seemed like he didn¡¯t have a choice. With a defeated look on his face, he leaned on his chair and said. "s, I still can¡¯t bear to see that look on your face. Fine. Fine. Fine. I¡¯ll ept it." He smiled wryly and shook his head bitterly.


    Lu Sn smiled from ear to ear when she heard his reply and she immediately handed the pill to Hu Xiandao. "Lord Hu, my master wishes that youe back after reporting the matters rted to the Earth Origin Dragon Tree to the Mythos Wilnds. It seems like he is quite fond of you and is most likely willing to take you under him, but of course, the choice is still yours to make."


    Hu Xiandao wasn¡¯t surprised this time when he heard her words. He had somewhat expected this after Lu Sn brought up the pill earlier. Furthermore, who would give out such a precious pill for nothing? Just that, was it really worth it for Jiu Shen to give such a pill to him?


    Hu Xiandao felt aplicated sensation in his heart, but since he had already epted it, he could only ce his perplexed thoughts at the back of his mind.


    "I will consider it thoroughly, Sect Mistress Lu." He said as he studied the pill in his hand.


    Lu Sn smiled at him and said. "Lord Hu, you can consume the pill here and I will guarantee your safety."


    Hu Xiandao was also eager to drink the pill, so he nodded his head at Lu Sn before tossing the pill inside his mouth.


    ¡¯Bitter!¡¯ He almost spat the Body Reforging Heaven Pill out because of its extremely bitter taste, but he forcefully swallowed it down his throat.


    Dense amounts of life energy traveled all over his body which immediately healed all the hidden wounds he had umted. He felt afortable feeling enveloping his body as if he was lying on a pile of cotton. The scars all over his body were slowly vanishing which greatly surprised Lu Sn.


    The situation had already been seen by Theia and the two old men from the Alchemy Hall, and thetter two could not help but stare at the scene in excitement.


    ¡¯So the pill was meant for him? What a lucky guy to receive Wine Master Jiu¡¯s grace!¡¯ The two thought to themselves as they continued to spectate the changes happening on Hu Xiandao.


    Although Theia remained calm, there was also a light of surprise in her indifferent eyes.


    Ren Shuang¡¯s eyes sprung open as he gazed at the thick life energy around Hu Xiandao with a trace of bewilderment, but he went to close his eyes again after that brief moment.


    Hu Xiandao felt a wriggling sensation on his left shoulder as if hundreds of ants were crawling and gnawing his skin, but he gritted his teeth and endured the itchy feeling.


    A few momentster, everyone saw a white bone protruding out of his left shoulder and it slowly grew as the time ticked by. After that, strands of fiber wrapped around the protruding bone andter formed his muscles and tissues.


    Lu Sn and the others watched the scene with wide open mouths. Everything that happened in front of them was just too absurd that they almost thought that they were in a dream. Only Theia remained calm as she looked at the slowly regrowing arm of Hu Xiandao.


    Not longter, the finalyer of skin finally covered Hu Xiandao¡¯s exposed muscles and tissues.


    Hu Xiandao opened his eyes and took a look at his regrown left arm with an excited smile. "It¡¯s truly unbelievable that a pill has such miraculous effects!"


    He clenched his left fist and was still slightly unustomed to the feeling. He had just regrown his left arm and it would take him approximately a month to get used to it, but he didn¡¯t mind waiting for that long.


    "Unbelievable! It¡¯s truly as miraculous as the stone fragment mentioned!" Qi Hongtian gasped in surprise as his murky eyes flickered with a profound light. He was now even more determined to take Jiu Shen as his master.


    Master Fengzi was too shocked to even speak and he could only stand there like a pole as he stared at Hu Xiandao.


    Just then, everyone inside suddenly heard a cold voice drifting to their ears. "Because of you old fogies from the Alchemy Hall, the secret of master being an Alchemy Saint was exposed, but I let you off at that time. However, if the matter about this pill will be spread, I can assure you that your Alchemy Hall will no longer exist in this world."


    Theia¡¯s cold words was filled with killing intent, making the atmosphere within the second floor turn extremely cold.


    Qi Hongtian and Master Fengzi hurriedly nodded their heads like a rattle drum as thick beads of sweat streamed down their wrinkled cheeks.


    Hu Xiandao gulped in dread and said with a quivering voice. "Y-Young M-Miss Theia, I promise that this will never be known by anyone else..."


    Theia nced coldly at the two old alchemists and they instantly understood her intentions, so they hurriedly made an oath to the heavens.


    "With the heavens as the witness, I vow that I will never expose this to anyone else!"


    Theia¡¯s cold gaze subsided by a bit, but she still took onest deep look at them before she left the second floor.


    Everyone sighed in relief after she went downstairs.

 Chapter 129 - Giving The VIP Card To The Emperor

    <h4> Chapter 129 - Giving The VIP Card To The Emperor </h4>


    After Theia left the second floor, Hu Xiandao focused his attention on the changes in his body. He only realized now that the anma throughout his body was actually growing at a fast rate of time!


    He was already at the peak stage of the 7th-rank Emperor realm in terms of physical strength and it should take him a few more years before he could reach the 8th-rank Divine realm, but looking at the minute changes happening inside his body, he could faintly feel that he was on the verge of breaking through!


    Without dying any further, he sat cross-legged and directed the remaining life energy from the Body Reforging Heaven Pill to enhance his physical body and strengthen his anma.


    Aside from regrowing one¡¯s severed limbs, the Body Reforging Heaven Pill was also able to nourish his anma which means that this Immortal Pill was also a supplement for body strengthening experts like him! Just the residual energy from the pill alone was actually enough to help him break through to the 8th-rank Divine realm! It was truly a miraculous treasure worthy of being an Immortal Pill!


    The eyes of Qi Hongtian and Master Fengzi brightened when they realize the changes in Hu Xiandao¡¯s body. They became even more amazed at the effects of the Body Reforging Heaven Pill. Furthermore, the image of Jiu Shen who refined such a magical pill turned even more exalted in their hearts. After all, refining a pill at that level was impossible for even an Alchemy Saint. Only those at the Nascent God Realm were capable of concocting such a pill.


    Could it be possible that Wine Master Jiu is...


    Qi Hongtian and Master Fengzi nced at each other as an absurd thought appeared in their minds, making their hearts palpitate in fear and respect.


    Looking at the old men¡¯s stunned looks, Lu Sn smiled proudly. She knew that they were thinking about her master, and aside from her master, who else could make the supreme elder of the Alchemy Hall feel inferior? No one!


    Hu Xiandao opened his eyes and a flicker of limitless power gushed out of his gaze, making the air fluctuate irregrly. However, the atmosphere inside the second floor regained its calm in a mere blink of an eye as if what happened earlier was but a misconception.


    Hu Xiandao stood up and clenched his fists tightly, producing crackling sounds filled with explosive power. Hu Xiandao smiled foolishly after sensing his newfound strength. It was unbelievable for him to achieve this kind of change in just a few minutes. This was the power of a high-level alchemist!


    With a satisfied smile on his face, Hu Xiandao nced at Lu Sn and said gratefully. "I will not forget this grace, Sect Mistress Lu." He cupped his hands solemnly and he could not help but feel slightly emotional at the fact that he had now regrown his left arm. Although he looked rather calm on the surface, he was actually excited in his heart to finally regain his severed arm. Furthermore, he had even advanced into the 8th-rank Divine realm! Everything was too surreal that he still found it hard to believe, but the reality was already right in front of his eyes...


    Lu Sn smiled gently and shook her head. "Lord Hu, if not for you saving me back then, I wouldn¡¯t be here now. This is the heaven¡¯s reward for your good deeds, but of course, you still have to thank my master since he was the one who refined this pill for you."


    Hu Xiandao nodded his head firmly and thought of Jiu Shen¡¯s expressionless face. He could not help but smile for getting his grace. Although he had no idea about pill refining, he knew that Jiu Shen must have used a lot of valuable resources when he concocted the pill he just consumed. He silently remembered the favor in his heart and vowed toe back here as soon as he finished reporting the details about the Earth Origin Dragon Tree.


    "Don¡¯t worry, Sect Mistress Lu. I will thank Wine Master Jiu personally." Hu Xiandao smiled, but his smile was truly too appalling to look at that even Lu Sn could not help but chuckle happily.


    "In that case, I shall not hold you for long anymore, Lord Hu. Besides, you still have to go back to the Mythos Wilnds to report about what happened yesterday." Lu Sn smiled gently at him as she spoke.


    "Then I shall bid my farewell, Sect Mistress Lu." Hu Xiandao cupped his fists at Lu Sn one more time before he walked downstairs.


    Lu Sn smiled at then turned his gaze at the two old men who were still wearing stunned looks. "Guests, what would you like to order?"


    * * *


    On the first floor.


    Emperor Elyk was talking with Jiu Shen in a friendly manner, while thetter acted as if he was listening, but his attention was actually on the second floor. When he sensed the increase of strength in Hu Xiandao¡¯s physical body, he let out a faint smile.


    "Wine Master Jiu,eee! I¡¯ll show you the one hundred people that you asked for." Emperor Elyk thought that Jiu Shen was pleased with his attitude when he saw thetter¡¯s smile.


    This time, Jiu Shen was also slightly curious about what kind of people Emperor Elyk has brought for him, but he didn¡¯t really have high hopes for them since they were merely people of humble origins. Nheless, he was still looking forward to seeing them.


    "Elyk, lead the way." Jiu Shen stood up from his seat and gently ced Ice down on the floor, which instantly made the chubby cat raise her paws with a disgruntled look.


    <i>Meow!</i>


    <i>"</i>Hahaha! Of course, Wine Master Jiu! Come, follow me!"


    Jiu Shen ignored Ice and followed behind Emperor Elyk with a trace of anticipation in his heart.


    Under the dumbfounded looks of the customers, the two men went out of the store.


    The moment the emperor and Jiu Shen stepped out of the store, the four guardians and the several dozen soldiers immediately bowed their heads and greeted in unison.


    "We greet you, Your Majesty!"


    "We greet you, Wine Master Jiu!"


    Their deep voice reverberated on the now bustling street, making the onlooking crowd excited at what they heard.


    "The emperor is actually here to visit Wine Master Jiu!"


    "Of course! I¡¯ve heard that they have even be very close friends."


    The crowd chattered animatedly while looking at the figures of Jiu Shen and Emperor Elyk.


    Emperor Elyk smiled in embarrassment when he heard the crowd¡¯s words, but he hurriedly concealed it and brought Jiu Shen to the five huge carriages at the far end.


    Jiu Shen took a nce at the five carriages without any changes in his expression, but Emperor Elyk had long since expected this.


    Each of the carriages was indeedrge and was enough to amodate twenty people sitting closely together.


    "Men, tell them toe out and meet their master!" Emperor Elyk ordered loudly.


    "Yes, Your Majesty!" The soldiers replied in unison and they promptly went to open the five carriages, making everyone see the faces of the young kids inside. All of them were male with ages that range between thirteen to seventeen. Most of these young men had lean and healthy figures. It can be seen that the emperor was truly sincere in this trade between him and Jiu Shen. He even brought the ones with the most vigorous and robust figures among the servants that their Silveria Imperial Family had trained. However, he didn¡¯t feel that he was at a loss in this exchange since befriending Jiu Shen was already more than enough.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head in satisfaction. He was quite contented with the kids that the emperor brought.


    "Elyk, I can feel your sincerity in this exchange. Here¡¯s your VIP Card, don¡¯t lose it." Jiu Shen took out the VIP Card from his space earring and handed it to Emperor Elyk.


    Emperor Elyk nced at the small rectangr card in his hands and was a bit bedazzled by its stylish design. Its gold and ck color were intricately bnced and the imposing name of the store made it look precious and at the same time luxurious. "Wine Master Jiu, what¡¯s the benefit of having this card again?" He asked with a slightly excited look.


    Jiu Shen nced at him calmly and replied. "With this card, you¡¯ll get a 20% discount from all of your purchases in my store and you can also take out one order of each wine and dish. Furthermore, you can also temporarily give this to your children so that they can ess my store¡¯s second floor."


    Emperor Elyk smiled widely when he heard his reply, but when he heard thetter part of Jiu Shen¡¯s words, he could not help but feel curious about this second floor. "Wine Master Jiu, is there anything special about your store¡¯s second floor?" He asked while looking at Jiu Shen curiously.


    Jiu Shen was silent for a moment before he replied in an unhurried voice. "Only those at the 7th-rank Emperor realm can go up to the second floor. As for what¡¯s special about it, you can go and check it yourself."


    Emperor Elyk was now more curious about the store¡¯s second floor after hearing that only those at the 7th-rank Emperor realm were allowed to go there.


    "In that case, I¡¯ll take a look inside." Emperor Elyk smiled.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head and replied. "No problem."


    Emperor Elyk chuckled after seeing that Jiu Shen was unwilling to lead the way for him, but he didn¡¯t mind this minor matter and walked inside with a dignified look. "I¡¯ll be back, Wine Master Jiu."


    Jiu Shen ignored him and turned his gaze on the one hundred young men that were looking at him with curious gazes. They didn¡¯t look weak at all despite their young age and they appeared to have been trained how to fight when looking at their refined and growing muscles. They should have been the next batch of imperial guards, but they were now here to serve Jiu Shen.


    "Theia, find a suitable ce for these kids and make sure that it¡¯s big enough to set up a training field for them. Make haste and return immediately." Jiu Shen transmitted his message to Theia.


    "Yes, Master. I¡¯ll get it done right away!" Theia¡¯s gentle voice drifted inside Jiu Shen¡¯s head.


    Right after her tender and pleasant voice ended, a shadow abruptly leaped out of Jiu Shen¡¯s store at an iprehensible speed.


    No one other than Jiu Shen saw the figure that left the store. It was as if she was the embodiment of lightning with her shocking speed!


    "This is merely the first step of my ns." Jiu Shen muttered in his heart with a serene look on his face.

 Chapter 130 - Value Of The VIP Card

    <h4>Chapter 130 - Value Of The VIP Card </h4>


    Emperor Elyk brought the four guardians with him since all of them were already at the peak stage of the 7th-rank Emperor realm and they certainly had the qualifications to go up to the second floor of Jiu Shen¡¯s store.


    "Your Majesty, did Wine Master Jiu tell you what¡¯s special about the store¡¯s second floor?" Defender Duanmu asked as he moved closer to the emperor. Among the four guardians of the Silver Wing Empire, aside from being the strongest among them, he was also the closest to Emperor Elyk.


    Emperor Elyk¡¯s face froze and the smile on his face became slightly unnatural, and it was as if he hadn¡¯t heard Defender Duanmu¡¯s words at all. That¡¯s right! He was now looking at the two people descending from the second floor. One was the barbarian that he had seen yesterday, but if he remembered correctly, the guy was supposed to only have a single arm remaining. However, he had aplete pair of arms and even his strength seemed to have jumped to the next realm!


    Beside this barbarian was the woman that always appeared in his dreams. A memory that was hard for him to forget even though they virtually had no interactions whatsoever. This was, of course, Lu Sn, the sect mistress of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect and presumably Wine Master Jiu¡¯s disciple.


    "Lu Sn..." He muttered in his heart with aplicated emotion, but his face remained calm and dignified except for the faint trace of mncholy that was hidden within his sharp gaze.


    Lu Sn and Hu Xiandao simrly saw the emperor and they were also surprised to meet him here.


    "Greetings, Emperor Elyk." Lu Sn greeted with an indifferent look.


    Hu Xiandao cupped his fists and also paid his respects. After all, this was the ruler of the Silver Wing Empire. "This one is Hu Xiandao from the Mythos Wilnds. I greet you, Your Majesty."


    Emperor Elyk swallowed down theplicated emotions rising in his chest and put on a calm smile as he said. "No need for formalities friends. We¡¯re on the same level of cultivation and you don¡¯t need to be like this to me. Just call me by name."


    Emperor Elyk had no idea that Lu Sn had already broken through the 9th-rank Saint and thetter also didn¡¯t exin herself and just stood there like a celestial fairy, graceful and alluring.


    Hu Xiandao wasn¡¯t used to this kind of treatment so he was still a bit embarrassed, but after breaking through the 8th-rank Divine realm, he had gained more confidence for himself. "In that case, I shall be rude and call you Brother Elyk from now on." He said with a smile.


    The lips of Emperor Elyk and the four guardians twitched when they saw the unsightly smile of Hu Xiandao, but they remainedposed and didn¡¯t ridicule thetter for this.


    "Hahaha! It has been a long time since someone dared to call me that way, but I like it! Brother Hu, why don¡¯t youe up with me and enjoy Wine Master Jiu¡¯s wine together to celebrate our friendship?" Emperor Elyk held Hu Xiandao¡¯s shoulder andughed heartily. He truly liked Hu Xiandao¡¯s attitude and this kind of person was indeed worth befriending. Of course, he was also curious how Hu Xiandao was able to regrow his severed arm.


    Hu Xiandao¡¯s face changed and he could not help but scratch the back of his head. He had already dyed his return and he might really be punished by the chieftain if he stayed longer.


    To everyone¡¯s surprise, Lu Sn was the one who replied for Hu Xiandao. "Emperor Elyk, Lord Hu still has to return to the Mythos Wilnds to report some things. He would be put into a difficult situation if he stays longer, but I guarantee you that he wille back to drink wine with you once he returns here."


    Hu Xiandao nced at Emperor Elyk and nodded his head at him with an apologetic look. "Sect Mistress Lu is indeed right, Brother Elyk. I¡¯ve to go back to the Mythos Wilnds first and return here as fast as possible to invite Brother Elyk to drink wine."


    Emperor Elyk smiled at this and didn¡¯t make it hard for Hu Xiandao. With a friendly smile on his face, he said. "Then I¡¯ll wait for Brother Hu¡¯s return. I won¡¯t hold you any longer, Brother Hu. I still have to check the store¡¯s second floor."


    Emperor Elyk patted Hu Xiandao¡¯s back and took a brief look at Lu Sn¡¯s face before he went upstairs. Defender Duanmu and the three other guardians followed behind him after bidding farewell at Hu Xiandao and Lu Sn.


    Emperor Elyk didn¡¯t have time to gather his thoughts when he saw a man standing at the entrance of the second floor with his eyes shut tight. He felt a wave of surprise in his heart when he took a nce at thetter since he could not discern this man¡¯s strength! Emperor Elyk was already at the peak stage of the 8th-rank Divine realm, but he was actually unable to see through the man¡¯s depths!


    "Another expert?! To think that Wine Master Jiu is actually hiding another dragon inside his store!" Emperor Elyk eximed in his heart.


    The emperor hurriedly averted his gaze and didn¡¯t dare probe at him any longer. He also transmitted a message to the four guardians to never provoke the man. This instantly garnered their shock and bewilderment, but they knew that Emperor Elyk was not someone who spoke nonsense, so they immediately expressed their understanding. However, they were still curious about what kind of person could make their emperor react like this. Nheless, they still didn¡¯t dare turn their gazes on the man and simply followed their emperor inside the second floor.


    A flicker of surprise suffused their gazes when they stepped inside the second floor. It was no different from the store¡¯s first floor, but there were no spiritual nts within. Only several paintings attached on every side of the second floor can be seen. Just that, all of them felt that these paintings were far from ordinary when they sensed the profundity they possess. Furthermore, they also felt that the true essence within their bodies was revolving much faster when they stepped foot on the second floor, and they immediately realized that it must have something to do with the paintings!


    "Staying here for one hour is equivalent to bitterly cultivating for three days! This..." Emperor Elyk muttered with a dazed look.


    Defender Duanmu and the others were shocked when they heard the emperor¡¯s words and they could not help but admire Jiu Shen even more. After all, he was the owner of this ce!


    "Each of you can only remain here for an hour. No one is allowed to stay longer than that or you¡¯ll face the consequences." The ever so silent Ren Shuang suddenly came inside the second floor and announced in an indifferent voice.


    His sudden appearance surprised everyone inside and they also felt that it was such a pity that they could only stay inside the second floor for an hour at most. However, Emperor Elyk took out the VIP Card and showed it to Ren Shuang. "Then what if I have this with me?"


    Ren Shuang¡¯s eyes narrowed as he nced at the VIP Card in the emperor¡¯s hands. He then turned his gaze at the emperor¡¯s face and said in a cold voice. "I¡¯ll ask my master about this. Please wait here for a moment."


    <i>Swoosh! </i>


    Ren Shuang¡¯s silhouette vanished from their sights as if he was a phantom, swift, and fast.


    Not longter, Ren Shuang came back and said. "Since you possess this card, you can stay here indefinitely, but of course, you have to leave once the store closes."


    Emperor Elyk smiled and chuckled in his heart when he heard his words. This ce was a holynd for cultivation! He finally realized how precious the VIP Card was.


    "In that case, I won¡¯t hold and stay here for the entire day." Emperor Elyk said with a slightly eager look.


    Ren Shuang didn¡¯t bother to reply and went back to his spot and closed his eyes again.


    Seeing his attitude, Emperor Elyk merely smiled and shook his head.


    ¡¯This guy is an expert and he isn¡¯t someone I can afford to offend...¡¯


    Emperor Elyk found a spot for his group and took a seat. It was only now that he saw that there were already two people inside. "That¡¯s Master Fengzi. As for the old man beside him, could he be... Alchemy Hall¡¯s supreme elder?!" He eximed in his heart and promptly stood up from his seat when he guessed the identity of the old man beside Master Fengzi.


    The emperor¡¯s reaction surprised the four guardians and they then turned their gazes to the two old men who were busy looking at the paintings on the wall.


    "Eh? Isn¡¯t that Master Fengzi the branch head of Beltran City¡¯s Alchemy Hall branch?" Defender Duanmu muttered in surprise.


    Emperor Elyk walked towards the two old men and greeted them with an amiable look. "Hahaha! Pardon myck of courtesy. I actually failed to see my friends from the Alchemy Hall here!"


    Master Fengzi and Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian turned to look at the emperor. They were busy studying the profundity of the paintings that they didn¡¯t even realize that someone hade inside the second floor after them.


    "Emperor Elyk, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d see you here. What a coincidence!" Master Fengzi smiled as greeted back.


    Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian merely smiled at the emperor before he turned his focus on the paintings once again.


    Emperor Elyk wasn¡¯t angered by this since he knew that the supreme elder of the Alchemy Hall was an Alchemy Saint with a spiritual power at the 9th-rank Saint!


    "Master Fengzi, you guys are here earlier than us. What do you think is special with these paintings?" Emperor Elyk asked as he looked at the paintings once more. He felt that there was something unnatural about them, but he could not pinpoint what it was.


    Master Fengzi sighed and shook his head with a bitter look. "I¡¯ve no idea as well. We¡¯ve been here for more than thirty minutes, but we¡¯re still unable to see through the profundities within these paintings."


    Emperor Elyk was a bit stunned to hear that. If even the Alchemy Hall¡¯s supreme elder who had a spiritual power at the 9th-rank Saint was powerless in seeing the secrets of the paintings, then he would most likely meet a simr end, but he didn¡¯t give up.


    Just as they were about to start perceiving the paintings¡¯ profundities, a gentle and alluring voice resounded behind them.


    "Dear guest, I apologize for making you wait for long. I¡¯m here to deliver Master Fengzi and the supreme elder¡¯s orders."


    Everyone turned their gazes and saw Hestia who was smiling warmly at them.

 Chapter 131 - Fatty Xues Reappearance

    <h4>Chapter 131 - Fatty Xue''s Reappearance </h4>


    Jiu Shen did not have to wait for long before Theia sent him back a message transmission.


    "Master, I¡¯ve found a perfect ce for the kids to train and it isn¡¯t that far from the store. It was previously an illegal fighting arena for savage beasts, but I already told the former owner to leave the ce. You might want to check this ce yourself and see if it is to your liking." Theia¡¯s gentle voice traveled to Jiu Shen¡¯s ears and he could not help but smile at how fast she was able to find a suitable ce to train the young men. Although it was owned by someone before, he didn¡¯t care one bit since they were also rted to shady and illegal beast fighting.


    "Good! Come back here and tell these kids to help you clean up the ce... Ah nevermind, I¡¯ll look after them myself. Just release your spiritual power so that I can sense your location." Since he was idle and had nothing to do, Jiu Shen decided to supervise the clean up himself.


    Theia didn¡¯t want Jiu Shen to do it, but she didn¡¯t dare retort since she knew his personality well. Once he decides on things, it was rare for him to change his mind. "Yes, master!"


    She then released a stream of spiritual power above the skies that looked like a beam of traceless light. No one was able to perceive anything due to their low cultivation level, but Jiu Shen who was in the distance was able to sense it immediately. He closed his eyes for a moment and used his strong spiritual power to create a map in his head. He then silently marked the location of Theia before he opened his eyes.


    "All of you, follow me to a ce." Jiu Shen said to the young men in an impassive voice that made the one hundred of them feel a trace of worry. The moment they were born, they were already fated to be servants of the Silveria Imperial Family, so they had stayed in one of the imperial family¡¯s training facilities where servants like them were trained ording to their gender and expertise. So when facing this unfamiliar man that suddenly became their master, they felt quite uneasy and anxious. Nheless, they didn¡¯t dare disobey him and just silently trailed behind him with nervous looks. Although some of them tried to put on a calm look, the asional shivering of their legs betrayed their unsettled emotions.


    The imperial guards were surprised at Jiu Shen¡¯s sudden actions, but they still helped him in organizing the young men, while some of them remained to wait for the emperor and the four guardians.


    Just then, Jiu Shen saw a familiar figure in the distance. It was a fat man that looked like a walking mountain with all his exposed fats jiggling as he walked. ¡¯Isn¡¯t this Fatty Xue from the Xue Family? Why is he here?¡¯


    Jiu Shen was surprised to see him since it has been a while since he hadst seen this fatty. He can still remember that this Fatty Xue proposed a business deal to him, but Jiu Shen mercilessly rejected his offer. What was surprising was that this fellow was already in the 3rd-rank Crusader realm! Furthermore, Jiu Shen can sense a familiar aura that reeked out of his body and he could not help but frown when he saw this.


    "Corpse Qi..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself with a cold look on his face.


    Not far away, Fatty Xue was wearing an enraged look as he walked down the streets. His beady eyes were narrowed into slits making it almost indistinguishable. Each step he took was forceful as if he was venting his frustrations.


    "Fucking shit! Who the hell is that fucking slut?! She actually dared to throw away this Lord Fatty from my own territory! What a damnable bitch! Did she really think that I¡¯m not able to do anything to her just because she possesses a bit of strength?! I¡¯ll fucking call some people and take my revenge! I¡¯ll make her pay for humiliating this Lord Fatty!" Fatty Xue balled hisrge fists in anger as he muttered through the gaps of his teeth. His chubby cheeks trembled as killing intent gushed out of his narrowed eyes.


    He was just having fun in his beast fighting arena when a familiar-looking youngdy went inside and promptly asked him to scram. And as the owner of the ce, he immediately flew into rage and asked his subordinates to capture her, but who knew that the woman was actually an expert, so he could only watch as she killed his subordinates one by one. Left with no choice, he immediately escaped by himself while leaving his subordinates there. Although Fatty Xue had an inkling that he had already seen the young woman somewhere, he could not remember where he had seen her exactly.


    "Just who the fuck was that damnable bitch?! I don¡¯t fucking care even if she is someone from a noble family!" He strode away while asionally stomping his feet in rage. He didn¡¯t even see Jiu Shen who was not that far from him. If he did, his anger would surely explode even more...


    Jiu Shen watched Fatty Xue¡¯s disappearing back figure with a pondering look. "It appears that the Xue Family is rted to the Undying Corpse Sect. To think that there are so many variables hidden within this tiny empire. Things are getting interesting..." He muttered in his heart as he led everyone to Theia¡¯s location.


    After a little more than twenty minutes of walking, they arrived in front of an establishment that looked normal on the surface, but after everyone stepped inside, they saw several mangled bodies and bloody corpses everywhere. This scene made the one hundred young men apprehensive that their legs almost caved in from the terror that they felt. It was the first time they had seen such a gruesome sight, so their reaction was understandable.


    On the other hand, the imperial guards that came with Jiu Shen became alert as they surrounded the young men while surveying the surroundings with wary gazes. They also held their weapons tightly and prepared themselves for any surprise attacks.


    Their coordination and alertness were indeed extraordinary for mortal soldiers that even Jiu Shen silently praised them in his heart.


    <i>Swoosh! </i>


    A lithe shadow suddenly appeared in front of them which made everyone other than Jiu Shen step back in rm. However, when they saw the face of the neer, the imperial guards immediately sighed in relief.


    "Master, this is the ce that I told you about. What do you think about it?" Theia asked in a mild voice as she looked at Jiu Shen¡¯s face with unexpressed infatuation in her eyes. Although it wasn¡¯t distinguishable, Jiu Shen still perceived herplicated emotions as if she was hiding something from him. He was curious about this but Jiu Shen didn¡¯t ask her since Theia didn¡¯t n to tell him about it.


    Jiu Shen nced around the establishment and nodded his head in approval. "This ce is big enough to amodate these kids, but it needs to be properly cleaned up since it reeks the smell of blood. Anyway, you may go back to the store now, Theia." He said with a calm look.


    Theia bowed her head obediently and was about to leave when she suddenly heard Jiu Shen¡¯s voice transmission ringing in her head. "Tell Ren Shuang to monitor the Xue Family for me. I just want to confirm something, but remember to tell him not to expose himself."


    Theia nodded her head imperceptibly before she left the ce with a faint swooshing sound.


    Jiu Shen took a nce at the shivering young men and said indifferently. "Your first job is to clean this ce. As for these corpses, burn them..." Jiu Shen¡¯s silver eyes remained tranquil as if burning human corpses was but a simple task.


    All the kids felt the coldness in Jiu Shen¡¯s voice, making them reveal fearful looks. Even the imperial guards could not help but feel slightly scared of him. The one hundred young men immediately scrambled to find some cleaning tools to begin their job. They were afraid that Jiu Shen might punish them if they dyed any longer


    The ce became chaotic with the young men¡¯s unorganized cleanup, but Jiu Shen just stood there unmoved. He then nced at the stunned imperial guards and said. "All of you can go back to the store to report this incident to the emperor. This ce is an illegal establishment set up by one of the noble families. He might find out something if he investigates this thoroughly."


    The imperial guards were perplexed at his words but they didn¡¯t dally for long especially after hearing that this ce was an illegal establishment of a noble family. Such a crime was definitely punishable!


    "We will immediately report this to His Majesty, Wine Master Jiu." The imperial guards cupped their fists at Jiu Shen before they sprinted out of the ce.


    Now, only Jiu Shen was left to supervise the one hundred young men.

 Chapter 132 - New Mission

    <h4>Chapter 132 - New Mission </h4>


    While the young men were cleaning up the ce, Jiu Shen was pondering deeply on what he should do next. "These kids¡¯ bodies are still too weak to start training with my method. I should first help them nourish their bodies before I start training them." Jiu Shen muttered to himself as he stared at the situation within the establishment.


    Some of the young men were only doing what they were told to do and they simply cleaned the ce using the cleaning tools that they found. However, there were a few among them that led a group on their own to make the cleaning process faster and efficient. Jiu Shen silently took note of the faces of these young men who possess the qualities of a leader, but he was still not impressed by this.


    "None of them has a supreme physique, and they haven¡¯t started cultivating yet. However, this is much better. Just that, I will need a lot of resources if I want to increase their strength with their limited potential. Luckily, I have the Spirit World with me which has a limitless amount of resources, but getting them is slightly troublesome since they are located in different parts of the Spirit World. Looks like I need to break through to the Nascent God Realm as soon as possible so that I can refine the World Heart of the Spirit World and with the ability to freely teleport around the Spirit World, it will be easier to gather more resources." Jiu Shen muttered as he looked at the busy kids with a calm look.


    The system told him that his strength was still insufficient to refine the World Heart of the Spirit World, but this was nothing to Jiu Shen since he was confident that he will achieve his break through as soon as he finishes more missions. Just that, there was no active mission for him yet, so he could only wait patiently.


    And as if his prayer was heard, he suddenly heard the familiar notification sound of the system, making him feel a trace of anticipation. A smile slowly bloomed on his indifferent face.


    - Ding!


    - Mission: A hidden cave was discovered within the territory of Green Wood City. However, this was once a dwelling of a peak stage Nascent God who failed to break through to the Origin God Realm. In the deepest part of the cave, the system has detected the presence of several God Crystals which can be of help to the Host¡¯s cultivation.


    Jiu Shen was surprised when he heard the contents of the mission. "Howe there is an Origin God Realm in this world? With the thin amount of heavenly energy in Nuar, it¡¯s impossible for it to produce a character with such a level of strength. Unless... if he came from another world or even the Primordial God Realm..." Jiu Shen was now bing more curious about Nuar¡¯s history. There was also that stone fragment from the supreme elder of the Alchemy Hall which definitely came from someone with alchemy standards that surpassed Nuar.


    "Is it possible that Immortals had oncee to Nuar? But why?" Jiu Shen thought of countless possible scenarios but he couldn¡¯t really tell what could have possibly happened to Nuar back then with the little bit of clue that he had.


    "I¡¯ll ask Sn about Nuar¡¯s history. She might know a thing or two about the era before the bloody war between the Demon Race and the Alliance." Jiu Shen muttered to himself. He had heard of the continental war that urred more than fifty thousand years ago, but he was unsure if there were experts at the Nascent God Realm at that time. Although there were some rumors of the Nascent God Realm beasts¡¯ presence in the Divine Beast Continent, Jiu Shen still had not verified the authenticity of this. Nheless, this new mission made him feel a trace of expectation growing inside his heart.


    Now, Jiu Shen was already eager to begin searching for this hidden cave that was within Green Wood City, but he still had to finish his matters here before he can leave. He also had to make some preparations before he would leave Beltran City especially after knowing that the Xue Family might be rted to the Undying Corpse Sect. Although he didn¡¯t know the full strength of this sect, he had heard from Da Bi that their sect master was someone at the 9th-rank Saint. It would be fine if it was just their sect master who was at that level, but what if there were more experts at that level present in the Undying Corpse Sect? That was also why he sent Ren Shuang to monitor them.


    Among Jiu Shen¡¯s people, the strongest was Ren Shuang who was at the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint. He was just a step away from breaking through to the Nascent God Realm! Following behind him was Theia who was now at the mid stage of the 9th-rank Saint, then Lu Sn who had just stepped onto the ranks of Saints. Behind them was Hestia who had just broken through the mid stage of the 8th-rank Divine, andstly, Can Ye who was still at thete stage of the 6th-rank King.


    With their strength, they can definitely protect themselves against the people from the Undying Corpse Sect, but what about the Silver Wing Empire? Without the empire, how can he continue his business?


    Jiu Shen rubbed his temples as he thought. ¡¯The Undying Corpse Sect seemed to be waiting for an opportunity, but why are they not making a move yet? ording to my knowledge, the Silver Wing Empire¡¯s strongest expert was only Elyk and his strength has not even reached the 9th-rank Saint yet. So what¡¯s stopping them from attacking?¡¯


    While Jiu Shen was deep in his thoughts, the young men were still far from finishing their cleanup. Theia wasn¡¯t merciful when she killed the people here and she just mercilessly cut their bodies apart, leaving countless bloody remains and pools of blood around the entire establishment. With their current speed, it will take them until tomorrow to clean the whole ce.


    Not longter, Jiu Shen suddenly felt more than a dozen strong aurasing towards them. Each of them had the strength of a 5th-rank Spirit realm expert, and there was also one man at the 6th-rank King present among them. Behind these elites was the towering meatball Fatty Xue. He was wearing a merciless grin as he told these experts to go inside the beast fighting arena.


    "Brothers, that bitch is inside my territory and she even killed my subordinates! If you can apprehend her, I will pay you all handsomely. Furthermore, that little bitch doesn¡¯t look that bad. Maybe you can even have a go at her while you¡¯re at it. Hahaha!" Fatty Xueughedsciviously, making his fat cheeks tremble and bounce. The people he brought here this time werewless bandits that had some dealings with their Xue Family. He was confident that they were capable of apprehending the young woman that had stormed his ce.


    The man who was at the 6th-rank King smiled lecherously when he heard that they were capturing a young woman. The mes of lust and desire within his eyes burned intensely like a raging me. "Young Master Xue, you don¡¯t have to worry now that we are here. As for that bitch, she will naturally experience the best treatment from us brothers. Hahaha!"


    The rest of the banditsughed as well and the look in their eyes betrayed the dirty thought inside their head.


    Fatty Xue chuckled contemptuously in his heart, but he still put on a smile on his face as he looked at the leader of the bandits. "Of course! Of course! With the big brothers here, that little bitch will surely be captured. I just hope that big brothers will let me have a taste of that damnable woman as well. Hehehe."


    The banditsughed loudly when they heard his words, but they still nodded their heads. Although this Fatty Xue looked like a useless pile of fats, he was still someone from the Xue Family and they didn¡¯t have the courage to go against them, so they immediately agreed at his request. "Of course! It¡¯s not a problem at all, Young Master Xue! As long as you can pay us brothers, then you can do anything you want to that woman. Hahaha!"


    Fatty Xue smiled from ear to ear when he heard their respectful reply.


    As Fatty Xue and the bandits discussed their n, they didn¡¯t know that there was a pair of cold and serene eyes looking at them from the shadows with undisguised killing intent...

 Chapter 133 - Heads Exploding

    <h4>Chapter 133 - Heads Exploding </h4>


    Fatty Xue and the bandits were stillughing and talking as they stepped inside the beast fighting arena, but then, they suddenly heard faint footsteps from behind them.


    <i>Step. Step. Step.</i>


    One of the bandits turned around and frowned when he saw the unfamiliar figure walking calmly towards them. "Hey, brat! Who are you? Don¡¯t get involved in our business here and scram!"


    More bandits stopped in their tracks to watched the scene with interest, and even the bandit leader nced at the person who was steadily walking closer to them. The bandit leader could not see through the man¡¯s depths so furrowed his eyebrows while holding the hilt of his sword warily.


    Seeing his actions, Fatty Xue could no longer hold back his curiosity and turned to look at the situation, but when he looked at the man with familiar long silver hair, his beady eyes widened and a trace of undisguised hatred shed before his gaze.


    "Jiu Shen!" Fatty Xue said through gritted teeth as he pointed at Jiu Shen¡¯s face with his iparably fat right arm.


    <i>Swoosh.</i>


    Pu.


    A light swooshing sound echoed as Jiu Shen¡¯s robes gently fluttered. Everyone at the scene was perplexed, but soon they were horrified since Fatty Xue¡¯s right arm that was pointing at Jiu Shen earlier was no longer attached to his shoulder! They could not even emit a scream from the sheer terror that they had felt.


    Fatty Xue still didn¡¯t realize anything, but when he saw the bandits¡¯ shivering bodies and the weird sensation on his right shoulder, he finally noticed that he could no longer feel his right arm. And to his horror, he felt a warm sensation on the right part of his body as if something warm was streaming on his fats. "Blood! Blood! Ahhh!!"


    Fatty Xue screamed like a pig in a ughterhouse when he saw his severed arm on the ground, and he could now feel the numbing pain slowly enveloping his entire being.


    Painful! Too painful! Blood continuously streamed down his right shoulder and his face immediately turned pale from the loss of blood.


    "Sir, we are merely bandits hired by this fatty. Please spare us!" The bandit leader promptly knelt down with a terrified look on his face, but his right hand was actually holding a concealed dagger on his leg!


    The other bandits were still stunned and they could still not process the entire scene since everything happened too fast that they didn¡¯t even see how Jiu Shen managed to cut Fatty Xue¡¯s arm!


    Jiu Shen remained unperturbed when he saw their pleading looks, and the killing intent in his eyes was palpable that the bandits could not even utter a cry nor move their already stiff bodies.


    As for the bandit that told Jiu Shen to scram, he was already sweating buckets, and his body was shivering as if he was inside an icy chamber.


    <i>Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh.</i>


    <i>Pu. Pu. Pu. Pu.</i>


    Four heads exploded as Jiu Shen continued to walk towards them with steady steps. His cold eyes sent shivers down the spines of those who were still alive, but they could not even move their bodies because of the intense feeling of dread in their hearts.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s gaze was sedated and calm, and anyone thatid eyes on his iparably cold gaze seemed to feel as if their bodies were frozen stiff.


    "Lord! Lord! Have mercy!" The bandit leader shouted in horror and the hand that was holding his concealed dagger could not help but quiver.


    <i>Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh.</i>


    <i>Pu. Pu. Pu. Pu.</i>


    Four more headless corpses dropped on the ground, drenched in their own pools of blood. Now, there were only six of them left including the wailing Fatty Xue. And up until this point, no one was still able to perceive Jiu Shen¡¯s movements!


    "Lord! Please spare us! We can be your ves!" This time, the remaining bandits had almost lost their sanity and they immediately prostrated on the ground to beg for mercy. Their bodies were still shivering from the terrorizing scene that they had witnessed, and they didn¡¯t even dare nce at Jiu Shen¡¯s feet!


    Even the bandit leader almost lost his courage after seeing how easily Jiu Shen killed his subordinates. However, his shivering right hand remained on the concealed dagger attached to his leg. He was looking at Jiu Shen¡¯s shadow that was reflected on the ground and was prepared to make his move.


    "Dieee!" The bandit leader shouted and abruptly pounced at Jiu Shen with a gleaming dagger in his right hand, but before he could even lift the dagger, his body suddenly froze and his face contorted in pain.


    Bang!


    His whole body had exploded! Broken bones and bloody remains scattered all over the ground, staining it with a crimson red color. Some of the bandit leader¡¯s blood also sshed on his remaining subordinates and onto the wailing Fatty Xue.


    "Ahhh!!"


    "Ahhh!!"


    "Run! This guy is a demon!"


    "Flee!"


    The remaining bandits shouted in terror as they tried to flee, but their heads exploded before they could even take a step forward.


    <i>Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.</i>


    Only Fatty Xue was left from their group, and he was still on the ground, shaking in terror as he nced at Jiu Shen¡¯s face.


    "J-Jiu Shen er... W-Wine Master Jiu! D-Don¡¯t kill me! I... I am... I¡¯m the son of the Xue Family¡¯s patriarch!" His voice had almost be hoarse from the continuous wailing earlier. Now, he finally remembered the identity of the young woman who drove him out of his territory earlier! He cried out in his heart: Fucking shit!


    Jiu Shen stood before Fatty Xue and nced at his shivering fat face with an indifferent look.


    Seeing Jiu Shen¡¯s silence, Fatty Xue felt a bit of hope and he immediately spoke in a shivering voice. "W-Wine Master Jiu! T-The patriarch of the Xue Family... H-He... He¡¯s even stronger than Emperor Elyk! I-If you kill me, he will surely take revenge!"


    Jiu Shen felt a bit curious when he heard his words, but his eyes remained cold, and he didn¡¯t even bother to speak. He only nced at Fatty Xue as if he was looking at a dead person.


    Fatty Xue¡¯s teeth were now ttering from the intense anxiousness he was feeling. He thought that Jiu Shen wouldpromise after telling him the strength of his father, but thetter was still unmoved despite his warnings. This made him curse Jiu Shen inwardly.


    "W-Wait! Wait! T-There is something else that you need to know Wine Master Jiu! My uncle, Elder Mi-" Before Fatty Xue could spout his words, his fat head suddenly exploded into pieces, but Jiu Shen who was near him wasn¡¯t even stained by his blood. It was as if there was an invisible energy preventing him from being tainted by Fatty Xue¡¯s filthy blood!


    "So noisy..." Jiu Shen muttered coldly as he walked back inside the beast fighting arena, it seemed like nothing happened from his casual attitude. However, a dozen headless corpses served as an indication that a brutal scene had taken ce earlier.


    ¡¯It seems like my assumption was right. The Xue Family is indeed intricately rted to the Undying Corpse Sect, but with the death of Fatty Xue, will they daree here if they knew that it was done by me?¡¯ Jiu Shen thought in his heart with disdain. He didn¡¯t really think seriously about the Xue Family or the Undying Corpse Sect, but he still had to make some preparations since there was still a possibility of theming for revenge. Though he believed that neither the Xue Family nor the Undying Corpse Sect woulde any sooner with the present state of things since they were most likely preparing to overthrow the throne!


    "<i>Sigh. </i>I¡¯ll do that kid Elyk a favor and tell him about this. As for helping him... We¡¯ll see..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself while pondering deeply.


    ***


    <i>Huff! Puff! </i>


    The imperial guards that came with Jiu Shen to the beast fighting arena arrived inside the wine store.


    The customers¡¯ nced at their figures with perplexed gazes, but they didn¡¯t question them.


    The imperial guards wanted to go upstairs, but they were suddenly blocked by Theia. Ren Shuang was no longer inside the store since he had already headed to the Xue Family¡¯s Estate after receiving Jiu Shen¡¯s instructions, so Theia was now doing his task which was to monitor and protect the second floor.


    "Only those at the 7th-rank Emperor realm and above are allowed upstairs." Her voice was extremely cold and icy.


    The imperial guards furrowed their eyebrows, but they didn¡¯t dare reveal a displeased look since they knew who she was.


    "Young Miss Theia, we¡¯re sent here by Wine Master Jiu to deliver a message to the emperor." One of the imperial guards stepped forward and cupped his fists at Theia as he spoke in a respectful voice.


    Theia¡¯s cold countenance turned a bit gentler when she heard them say Jiu Shen¡¯s name, but she still prevented them from going to the second floor.


    "You don¡¯t need to go upstairs. I know what my master wants to say to the emperor, so you can go now. I¡¯ll deliver master¡¯s message to the emperor myself." She said mildly. She was the one who caused a massacre in the beast fighting arena, so she already knew what Jiu Shen would like to tell the emperor.


    The imperial guards nced at each other and sighed to themselves. They could do nothing at this woman since her strength was just too much for them to handle, so they could only agree to her with forced smiles. "In that case, we¡¯ll have to trouble Young Miss Theia."


    Theia gestured for them to leave before she walked upstairs.

 Chapter 134 - Emperor Elyks Fierce Determination

    <h4>Chapter 134 - Emperor Elyk''s Fierce Determination </h4>


    Theia stepped inside the second floor of the store and saw seven individuals standing in front of a painting. Their faces were filled with bewilderment and wonder as if they trying to discern something from the painting. Seeing their expressions, Theia smirked contemptuously and walked towards them.


    <i>Step. Step. Step.</i>


    "Hmm?" Emperor Elyk and the others turned their gazes towards Theia and their faces immediately became mild. They knew that she was one of the top experts under Jiu Shen, so they didn¡¯t dare behave arrogantly in her presence.


    "Young Miss Theia, what brings you here? Young Miss Hestia already went down to get out orders, and we don¡¯t have any more orders yet." Defender Duanmu smiled respectfully as he spoke.


    Theia took a momentary nce at him, but she ignored Defender Duanmu and didn¡¯t reply to him. Instead, she turned her gaze to the emperor and said with an indifferent look. "My master found a ce to settle those kids in, but it was a beast fighting arena owned by a noble family. Since it was an illegal establishment, I told them to scram and killed some of their people..." Her voice was calm and unhurried as if she was merely telling a minor issue, but those who heard her immediately furrowed their eyebrows.


    Emperor Elyk already knew about the existence of the beast fighting arena in Beltran City, but he ignored its presence since it didn¡¯t do anything too outrageous on the surface. Furthermore, he also found out that the ce was protected by the Xue Family, and with the precarious state of their Silver Wing Empire, he didn¡¯t want to entangle himself with the Xue Family at the moment. However, this matter became moreplicated with the involvement of Jiu Shen, and as the emperor, he could not act like he knew nothing or he would surely incur Jiu Shen¡¯s displeasure.


    "It seems like Young Miss Theia had seen the atrocious behavior of the people from the beast fighting arena. Don¡¯t worry, I will handle everything about it and make sure that the noble family protecting this establishment will be punished ordingly." Emperor Elyk¡¯s expression was dignified as he said those words.


    Although he wanted to stay neutral in this situation, the other party involved was Jiu Shen, and he didn¡¯t want to destroy his good rtionship with him for a mere beast fighting arena of the Xue Family. He might encounter some retaliation from the Xue Family, but Emperor Elyk didn¡¯t care. Their Silveria Imperial Family still had a huge secret that no one else other than himself knew. That secret was enough to protect their Silver Wing Empire from catastrophe, but he didn¡¯t want to expose it too soon. He didn¡¯t even bring it out when a dragon came at their doorstep. However, for the sake of maintaining his amiable rtionship with Jiu Shen, he didn¡¯t mind revealing it early on...


    Theia looked at the emperor and realized that thetter might have already known the existence of the beast fighting arena. She felt even more disdainful in her heart when she learned of this, but her countenance remained calm and cold. "Since the emperor already knows of their shady actions, I hope you won¡¯t sit idly by and do nothing. I don¡¯t want my master to be used as a borrowed knife to kill your enemies. My master might not care about it, but I¡¯m not the same." Her voice was freezingly cold and the eyes she used to look at the emperor shed with violent killing intent, scaring everyone within the second floor. Even the Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian who had a 9th-rank Saint spiritual power was stunned at the palpitating killing intent released by Theia. As for the others, they gulped in fear as they stared at her peerlessly beautiful visage that was wearing an aloof expression. She looked like an ice goddess that looked down upon the mortal world!


    Emperor Elyk was scared stiff when he felt her fluctuating killing intent, but the dignified look on his face didn¡¯t waver. He had faced off with death countless of times in his life, but he was still here standing with great willpower. He forced out a smile and gestured for Theia to calm down with both his hands. "Young Miss Theia, calm your anger. I will immediately take action after I leave the store, and I will not allow anyone to bully Wine Master Jiu. They will have to go through me first before they can do that!" His regal and valiant imperial aura unconsciously gushed out of his body when he spoke those words which greatly lessened the pressure on everyone from Theia¡¯s killing intent.


    Theia stared deeply at Emperor Elyk as if she was trying to see through his soul. The look in her eyes made the emperor feel a trace of terror in his heart, but he outwardly remainedposed. Seeing this, Theia praised him inwardly. ¡¯Such great disposition for an emperor in a mortal world! If he was born in the Primordial God Realm, he might even be a renowned expert...¡¯


    "I¡¯ll remember your words. Don¡¯t disappoint my master..." She muttered coldly before she left the second floor, leaving behind the seven people standing there with buckets of sweat streaming down their faces.


    <i>Phew.</i>


    Emperor Elyk heaved a huge sigh of relief after Theia left. Even with his strong willpower, he almost copsed when faced with her terrifying gaze. He then shook his head and said with a wry smile. "Young Miss Theia is too strong indeed. I feel that she could kill me in just one blow. I wonder how Wine Master Jiu managed to subdue her..."


    Defender Duanmu and the three guardians had a look of fear in their eyes, and they could hardly move their legs that were shivering slightly.


    Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian and Master Fengzi were simrly dumbstruck at Theia¡¯s power, but knowing that Jiu Shen might be even stronger than her, the two of them didn¡¯t feel surprised that she was willing to follow Jiu Shen.


    In the end, Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian still warned the emperor out of goodwill. "Elyk, Young Miss Theia is already a 9th-rank Saint realm expert, and Wine Master Jiu is someone even stronger than her. Don¡¯t do something that will destroy the rtionship between you two. It won¡¯t be good for your Silver Wing Empire to have him as your enemy."


    Emperor Elyk furrowed his eyebrows when he heard those words, but he was not that surprised since he had seen for himself the power of Jiu Shen. In fact, he already nned to mobilize the Silveria Imperial Family¡¯s forces to intimidate the Xue Family the moment Theia had spoken about the beast fighting arena.


    Emperor Elyk cupped his fists at Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian and replied in a calm voice. "I understand, Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian." He then turned to look at Defender Duanmu and the other three guardians and ordered with an imposing look. "The four of you, go back to the imperial pce and gather some of our men to intimidate the Xue Family, but don¡¯t do anything too serious to damage the Xue Family. We don¡¯t want a civil war at a time like this."


    Defender Duanmu and the other three solemnly bowed at the emperor. "We obey, Your Majesty."


    They hastily left the second floor after that.


    "I hope this matter won¡¯t escte further. The Blue Fang Empire and the Violet Thunder Empire are looking at ournds with hungry eyes all these years. If a civil war breaks out within my Silver Wing Empire, those two would surely take action. Not to mention the sects and other powers that held simr intentions... <i>Sigh." </i>Emperor Elyk sighed and shook his head.


    Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian and Master Fengzi nced at the emperor with a hint of pity in their eyes. Being an emperor was truly not easy, and even a talented person like Emperor Elyk might not be able to handle the situation if his empire was faced with thebined attacks in every direction.


    "If you can somehow manage to gain Wine Master Jiu¡¯s help, then your Silver Wing Empire might be able to tide through anything that may happen." Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian said as he patted the emperor¡¯s back encouragingly.


    Emperor Elyk¡¯s eyes burned with determination as he muttered fiercely in his heart. ¡¯I will make sure that my Silver Wing Empire will not fall from this war!¡¯

 Chapter 135 - Rebellious Yang Zenke

    <h4>Chapter 135 - Rebellious Yang Zenke </h4>


    The next day, inside the beast fighting arena. There was a huge tform at the very center with a measurement of one hundred meters on each side. This was where the savage beasts were forced to battle against each other.


    Standing on the tform was Jiu Shen and he was eyeing the one hundred young men that were standing before him. All of them were exhausted beyond belief since they had cleaned the ce for one whole day without rest and they could only take a short break every once in a while. They weren¡¯t even allowed to sleep by Jiu Shen, making these young men silently bear hatred towards him, but how could their feelings escape Jiu Shen¡¯s senses? Even so, he didn¡¯t care about what they felt since he knew that their anger would only turn into gratitude in the future.


    Jiu Shen gazed at them one by one and remembered their faces silently in his heart before he spoke in a cold tone. "I know all of you feel resentful and angry for being forced to clean this ce without rest, but you can¡¯t do anything about it because all of you are weaklings!"


    His cold words prated the hearts of the young men, but they could only clench their fists with furious looks. They were still afraid of Jiu Shen, so they could only aim their raging expressions on the ground.


    Looking at them, Jiu Shen smirked and his eyes shed with a cold glint. "All of you are just a bunch of weaklings with nothing noteworthy to be proud of! Even if you are forced to do things, what can all of you do with your puny strength?! Are you willing to remain as trashes in your entire lives?!" Jiu Shen¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t that loud, but it reverberated within the hearts of these young men like a p of thunder.


    Hearing his words, a few of them lifted their heads with red eyes. No one among them was willing to remain mediocre in their lives, but before they were even born in this world, they were already branded as servants of the Silveria Imperial Family.


    The few young men that lifted their heads still had traces of fear in their eyes, but the fact that they dared to look at Jiu Shen showed how much courage they had.


    One young man with a slightly darker skin tone and thin physique courageously nced at Jiu Shen with his eyes that had already turned red from exhaustion and furiousness. The boy gritted his teeth as he resentfully looked at Jiu Shen who was looking at them with a cold grin.


    Sensing the boy¡¯s piercing gaze, Jiu Shen was slightly amused and he could not help but take a clearer look at him. Among this batch of young men, this boy had the thinnest and frailest body, and he was also the only one that distanced himself from the others when they were asked to clean the beast fighting arena. He was like a lone wolf, silently enduring everything.


    After realizing that Jiu Shen was looking his way, the thin boy felt scared in his heart, but his gaze was still fixated on Jiu Shen¡¯s face like a rebellious little cub.


    "Boy, state your name." Jiu Shen said as he looked at the young man with interest. Even his newly epted disciple Can Ye didn¡¯t dare nce that way to him.


    The dark-skinned young man felt his heart thumping wildly as he faced Jiu Shen, and with a slightly trembling voice, he said. "Yang Zenke..."


    "Yang Zenke is it? From now on, you¡¯ll do more than twice they do." Jiu Shen said emotionlessly.


    Yang Zenke¡¯s face twitched when he heard those words, but he could do nothing about it since he was technically Jiu Shen¡¯s servant. They were trained to follow orders since they were young, but he hadn¡¯t experienced something like this before.


    With an indignant look on his face, he let out a sound through gritted teeth. "Why?!"


    Seeing his rebellious look, Jiu Shen chuckled coldly and replied. "Because among your peers, you are the weakest. So you need to work twice as much as them so that you won¡¯t be left behind. I did not get all of you just to have some little servants. I intend to train you all as warriors! And I don¡¯t need a wimp to be a warrior!"


    A warrior? The young men eximed in their hearts. Although they had no idea what kind of warrior Jiu Shen was talking about, all of them could not help but lift their heads with anticipation. In the Profound Dragon Continent, only the strong experts were respected, while the weak people were fated to be trampled upon by the others.


    Sensing their eagerness, Jiu Shen smiled at them, but his smile was slightly unnatural, making the young men shiver in their hearts. "Indeed. I want to train you as warriors, but to undergo my training, you will experience pain that is worse than death, and your road will only be filled with hardship. Now, are all of you still willing to be trained as warriors?!"


    The young men revealed stubborn expressions as if they were provoked by Jiu Shen¡¯s contemptuous nce.


    Without waiting for the rest to speak, Yang Zenke clenched his fists tightly and roared. "I¡¯m willing! As long as I be strong, I¡¯m willing to suffer pain!"


    His young face contorted as he shouted with all his might. The other young men also woke up from their stupor when they heard his loud shout.


    "I¡¯m willing!"


    "I¡¯m willing!"


    "I¡¯m willing!"


    Their young but vigorous voices reverberated within the arena. Jiu Shen smiled as he nced at this scene. ¡¯Elyk, to think that you gave me a bunch of fearless little cubs. I think I have to thank you in the future for this.¡¯ He muttered in his heart as he looked at the passionate looks of the young men.


    "In that case, I will train you all until you break your bones! But before that, I will let you eat to your hearts¡¯ content and allow you to have an ample amount of sleep to prepare for tomorrow¡¯s intense training!" Jiu Shen said as he took out countless spiritual fruits from his space earring and ced them neatly on a huge table. These fruits were from the Spirit World, and he had just prepared themst night. Although these fruits were merely low-level spiritual fruits, it was still enough to nourish the bodies of these young kids. He also had high-level spiritual fruits in his possession, but the young men wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the potent energy within the high-level spiritual fruits, so he could only provide them with the lowest level spiritual fruits.


    Seeing the spiritual fruits served before them, the young men¡¯s eyes brightened. They were attracted by the aromatic smell of the spiritual fruits, and since all of them were beyond exhausted, they needed to replenish their energies as soon as possible so that they won¡¯t be sick.


    Normally, cultivators wouldn¡¯t be sick, but these kids were yet to begin their cultivation journey. Except for their slightly stronger bodies, they were still mortals with no cultivation prowess, so all of them were still susceptible to sickness. That was also why Jiu Shen prepared these low-level spiritual fruitsst night. He brought out a few hundreds of spiritual fruits and they should be enough for the entire day.


    "You can eat, and you can do anything you want for the rest of the day, but you¡¯re not allowed to go out of this ce." Jiu Shen said before he vanished from the tform with a swooshing sound.


    <i>Swoosh.</i>


    Everyone was astounded at his sudden disappearance, but their gazes were instantly locked onto the fruits that piled like a mountain on the huge table.


    "Let¡¯s go eat first!"


    "Yeah, right! He said that we will begin the intense training tomorrow, so we should be in tiptop condition."


    Jiu Shen could have taken them inside the Spirit World, but he didn¡¯t want to expose it to the young kids too soon since there might be moles among them. Although he trusted Emperor Elyk, he didn¡¯t want to risk it. The guy might be beneath him in terms of strength, but he could not afford to be careless in exposing his secrets. He had to gain the kids¡¯ acknowledgment and trust before he would decide on taking them inside the Spirit World.

 Chapter 136 - Yang Zenkes Tenacity

    <h4>Chapter 136 - Yang Zenke''s Tenacity </h4>


    Another dayter, inside the Xue Family Estate, Patriarch¡¯s Hall.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    Xue Yangkai, the patriarch of the Xue Family punched the wall behind him with an expression full of rage and hatred. He then retracted his fist, showing a hole on the wall that revealed the scenery outside.


    It must be noted that the walls within the Patriarch¡¯s Hall was a foot thick and was made with a precious stone that was even harder than steel, but it was actually prated easily by Xue Yangkai¡¯s punch! Such absurd power was truly horrifying!


    "He dared to kill my son?! That fucking Jiu Shen! I¡¯ll fucking tear him into pieces!" Xue Yangkai roared, making everyone inside the hall feel their ears turning numb.


    Xue Yangkai looked to be in his forties and although he wasn¡¯t on the handsome side, his thick eyebrows and well-defined jawline made him more attractive. He was Fatty Xue¡¯s father, but it looked like Fatty Xue didn¡¯t inherit his genes aside from his skills in cursing.


    "Yangkai, calm your anger. That Jiu Shen is tough to deal with, and don¡¯t forget that he has still a servant at the 9th-rank Saint. It will be troublesome if we fight them now. Just endure for a bit until Elder Ming breaks through to the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint. Elder Ming said that his closed-door cultivation might take several months, and by then, who in the Silver Wing Empire can threaten our Xue Family? Not to mention that we still have the members of the Undying Corpse Sect secretly hidden in one of our territories." A thin old man with a rosyplexion said as he nced at Xue Yangkai. This old man was the supreme elder of the Xue Family, Xue Yangkun.


    <i>Humph!</i>


    Xue Yangkai turned his gaze at Xue Yangkun and snorted. The both of them were at the early stage of the 9th-rank Saint and their prowess was almost on the same level, so Xue Yangkai could only silently endure the death of his own son. It was truly infuriating for him.


    Looking at him, Xue Yangkun was also worried about his son, Xue Tong since thetter was a frequent visitor of Jiu Shen¡¯s store. ¡¯Later, I will tell that son of mine to not visit that damnable store starting today!¡¯


    "Supreme Elder Yangkun, I will stay silent about this for now, but I cannot promise the same once Elder Ming finishes his closed-door cultivation." Xue Yangkai said in a cold tone.


    Xue Yangkun shook his head with a solemn look suffusing his old face. "Don¡¯t destroy the ns of Elder Ming! He meticulouslyid out everything for many years and nothing must go wrong with this! We¡¯ve hidden ourselves for too long, and we can¡¯t afford to lose in this war just because of personal reasons! Yangkai, you might not fear me, but don¡¯t forget what would happen if you incur Elder Ming¡¯s wrath!"


    Xue Yangkai¡¯s face abruptly changed when he heard Xue Yangkun¡¯s words. ¡¯That¡¯s right! I must not anger Elder Ming, that demon or I might be refined as a corpse puppet!¡¯ Xue Yangkai eximed in his heart in terror.


    Seeing Xue Yangkai¡¯s terrified eyes, Xue Yangkun harrumphed coldly in his heart.


    The two of them and all the elders inside didn¡¯t even know that there was actually someone listening to their conversation from the hole that was punched through by Xue Yangkai.


    It was a man with long and unkempt hair. His expression was deadpan and aloof, but there was a ruthless look in his eyes. This man was none other than Ren Shuang who was tasked by Jiu Shen to monitor the Xue Family.


    ¡¯Two experts at the early stage of the 9th-rank Saint and someone who is on the verge of breaking through the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint. I really want to try my twin swords on them, but unfortunately, master said to refrain from attacking them now. In that case, I should just gather more information about their strength before Ie back to the store.¡¯ Ren Shuang muttered in his heart.


    <i>Swoosh.</i>


    His silhouette vanished from his spot with a faint swooshing sound.


    Xue Yangkai and Xue Yangkun who were deep in their thoughts didn¡¯t even sense his presence! It can be seen how good Ren Shuang was when concealing himself...


    * * *


    Inside the beast fighting arena, on top of the battle tform, one hundred young men were in a horse stance, and their young faces were covered in thick beads of sweat. They were in this position for more than an hour already, and some of them were almost reaching their limits. However, considering that they were merely mortal kids, their tenacity and willpower were still beyond their peers. Even Jiu Shen nodded his head in approval when he saw their stubborn looks filled with unyielding nature.


    ¡¯Elyk. Elyk. Elyk. Will you regret it if you see these young men¡¯s growth in the future?¡¯ Jiu Shen chuckled when he thought of that.


    After that, Jiu Shen appeared on the battle tform and said in a cold voice. "Everyone except Yang Zenke may take a rest."


    "Finally!"


    Huff! Puff!


    "Sigh! Finally, we can rest!"


    The young men immediately sat on the battle tform with exhausted and pained looks while they nced at Yang Zenke with a hint of pity.


    Yang Zenke¡¯s eyes were filled with intense fierceness and he wasn¡¯t even affected by everyone¡¯s nces. Although Jiu Shen was harsh on him, it was actually part of his ns since he had already decided to nurture Yang Zenke as the leader of this group of youths. And as the future leader of these elite young men, he had to be a lot stronger than them.


    "Are you tired?" Jiu Shen asked with a calm look as he walked towards Yang Zenke.


    "N-No!" Yang Zenke said fiercely, but his legs were already shivering from the numbing pain he felt, but his eyes burned with no intentions of surrender.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head and took out a chair from his space earring. He then took a seat and ced one of his legs on top of the other and reclined on the chair with azy look on his face. "Are you sure that you are not tired?" Jiu Shen smiled teasingly.


    Yang Zenke nced at Jiu Shen¡¯szy figure that was reclining on the chair with afortable look hanging on his face. "No! I can handle this! My physique is the weakest among everyone present here, so I have to double my efforts! I won¡¯t give up! I want to be stronger! I want to be stronger!" He shouted with a contorted look on his young face. Yang Zenke was still thirteen years old and was among the youngest of this group of young men, but his character was the most unyielding and fierce.


    Jiu Shen liked the kid¡¯s attitude more and more, making his cold eyes reveal a trace of heartfelt praise.


    "Up to you." Jiu Shen said in a calm tone.


    Pain! Pain! Pain! Arrghh! Yang Zenke shouted in his heart as he persevered with an unsightly look. He could hardly feel his legs anymore, but there was something within him that kept him from copsing. Everyone can already see that his legs were quivering from exhaustion, but Yang Zenke¡¯s legs didn¡¯t cave in.


    ¡¯I have to endure this pain if I want to be stronger! This is nothingpared to facing the ridicule of the noble scions! I don¡¯t want to be mocked again! Only with strength can I gain everyone¡¯s respect! This is nothing! Argghh!!¡¯ Yang Zenke roared in his heart and he didn¡¯t even realize that another hour had already passed by.


    Jiu Shen stood up from his chair and walked towards Yang Zenke. He then flicked thetter¡¯s forehead lightly, and Yang Zenke¡¯s frail figure instantly copsed on the ground.


    Thud.


    Huff. Puff.


    Yang Zenke breathed heavily as he tried to sit down in afortable position, but he found it hard to move his body with his numbed legs.


    "All of you can rest for another hour. One hourter, I will be back, so use this time to properly rest. We¡¯re still not done for today." Jiu Shen smiled at them, making the young kids feel their hair standing on end.


    <i>Swoosh.</i>


    After Jiu Shen vanished, some young men went towards Yang Zenke and revealed worried looks.


    "Brother Zenke, are you alright?"


    Yang Zenke nced at them and nodded his head lightly. "Mn."


    They sighed in relief after hearing his response.

 Chapter 137 - Jiu Shens Sword Techniques

    <h4>Chapter 137 - Jiu Shen''s Sword Techniques </h4>


    "Brother Yang, are you really okay?" A young man wearing coarse linen clothes asked as he nced at Yang Zenke with a worried look on his slightly handsome face. This youth¡¯s name was Han Sen.


    Yang Zenke furrowed his eyebrows as he nced at Han Sen in confusion. "Who are you?" His tone was nd and unfriendly which slightly surprised Hansen, but he merely smiled widely at Yang Zenke¡¯s unapproachable attitude.


    "Brother Yang, you can call me Han Sen. I truly admire your courage! You even dared to talk back to our master. Hahaha!" Han Sen gave him a thumbs up as he chuckled.


    Yang Zenke was not used to talking with someone else so he felt slightly ufortable. He wanted to move away from Han Sen, but his legs ached so much that he couldn¡¯t help but produce a muffled groan, making him grab his legs with both his hands.


    Argh!


    Han Sen immediately held him after seeing his pained expression. "Brother Yang, don¡¯t push yourself too hard! Don¡¯t worry. I will plead master to allow you to rest for another hour." Han Sen said while gently patting Yang Zenke¡¯s shoulder.


    "Noo!!" Yang Zenke red at Han Sen, making thetter a bit confused.


    "Master is testing me. I can sense it. Although this is indeed torturous for my body, he wouldn¡¯t do something without reason. If I can¡¯t persevere through this, then I¡¯m not worthy of his nurturing!" Yang Zenke added seriously as a sh of brilliance flickered in his eyes.


    Han Sen was dumbstruck at his words since he felt the grand ambition of Yang Zenke from his words. "Brother Yang, how do you think will master train us to be warriors? Although we received a bit of training from the Silveria Imperial Family, our master¡¯s method in enhancing our bodies is quite different than their style. Furthermore, I don¡¯t feel any substantial growth in our bodies aside from feeling painful and numb." Han Sen said with a wry smile.


    Yang Zenke frowned when he heard those words and he was about to reply when the both of them suddenly heard a swooshing sound.


    <i>Swoosh.</i>


    The two youths were stunned when they saw Jiu Shen in front of them, and they could not help but feel scared in their hearts since they had just talked about Jiu Shen behind his back.


    Jiu Shen stared at the two of them with a faint smile. "Indeed. This little guy here is right. During the first month of your training, all of you will experience extreme pain and suffering." Jiu Shen said as he casually sat down on a chair that he had just taken out from his space earring.


    "M-Master... I-I..." Han Sen¡¯s lips quivered as he stood up hastily, but he could not even speak coherently due to the fear he felt.


    "D-Don¡¯t punish him, master. He meant no offense with his words." Yang Zenke stood up with gritted teeth as he endured the pain in his legs.


    Jiu Shen remained silent and merely looked at the two with an amused smile. He then turned his gaze to the resting youths and ordered. "Your one hour is up! Everyone, go back to your positions and do the horse stance again for another hour! As for the both of you... You¡¯ll do it in two hours." Jiu Shen grinned as he leisurely looked at the expressions of the two kids.


    Yang Zenke¡¯s expression was still the same, but Han Sen looked as if he had swallowed horse shit. In the end, they both went back to their positions and did the horse stance once again.


    Jiu Shen was suddenly bored, but then, he thought about something. "I should start teaching my disciples with my sword techniques after the store closes. I¡¯ll also tell Sn that I will allow some disciples of her Ice Cloud Sword Sect to join." He muttered to himself as he observed the kids.


    In his past life, Jiu Shen instructed countless immortals about his swordprehension, and many talented youths also wished to take him as their master. However, Jiu Shen rejected all of them, including Celestial Emperor Lao Gou¡¯s second wife. Recalling that graceful figure who always wore a veil, Jiu Shen felt a trace of fluctuation in his cold heart.


    He sighed to himself and closed his eyes for a moment and cleared his thoughts before opening them again.


    After calming himself down, Jiu Shen transmitted a message to Theia. "Theia, tell Lu Sn and Can Ye to go here after the store closes. You and Hestia can also go with them."


    Jiu Shen didn¡¯t have to wait for long before he received Theia¡¯s reply. "Yes, master. How about the four new waitresses in our store?"


    Jiu Shen knew who she was talking about, so he immediately said. "You can bring them as well."


    "Alright. After we close the store, I will bring everyone there." Theia¡¯s gentle voice resounded inside Jiu Shen¡¯s head.


    Jiu Shen reclined on his chair and sifted through his memories to search for the most perfect sword technique for his people. "I¡¯ve made thousands of Mythical Level sword techniques and over several dozens of Supreme Level sword techniques in my entire life. Hmm, which one should I teach them?"


    Jiu Shen was in a dilemma since he had too many to choose from, but he took his time to recollect his memories.


    Cultivators sought to be immortals or powerful god-like figures that could control the heavens and earth through the palm of their hands. However, to be a strong cultivator, one needs to have a high-level cultivation technique, and meditate using their true essence to strengthen themselves.


    Cultivation techniques are divided into six levels ording to their overall potential and power: Common, Refined, Rare, Legendary, Mythical, and Supreme.


    In the Primordial God Realm where peak experts were as numerous as the clouds, there were billions of cultivation techniques that can be found. Just that, only the strongest sects and holynds owned Mythical Level and Supreme Level cultivation techniques. Furthermore, the number that they had umted in their respective sects definitely did not exceed Jiu Shen¡¯s.


    Jiu Shen might have lived his past life as a loner, but he wasn¡¯t idle for those billions of years. He researched the most profound sword techniques, and he even researched techniques in other fields during his leisure time, but most of his time was still dedicated to learning the extremity of the way of the sword.


    "The sword techniques of those kids are still too crappy, so I have to teach them the fundamentals of swordsmanship before I can give them the high-level sword techniques. For now, I can only teach them the ones at the Legendary Level. Hmm, that should be enough... They will be the core members of the sect that I¡¯m nning to establish, so I should do my best in helping them increase their prowess. However, to gain true enlightenment in the way of the sword, they need to experience countless battles. Hmm, this is a bit troublesome..." Jiu Shen muttered as he pondered with a deep look.


    "It seems like I have to involve myself in the affairs of this world to allow my disciples to achieve enlightenment through battle, but where should I start?" Jiu Shen thought in his heart, and he suddenly recalled about the recent events in the Silver Wing Empire.


    The Silver Wing Empire was currently in a precarious situation since there was a huge possibility of a civil war to ur especially after Jiu Shen learned that the Xue Family was rted to the Undying Corpse Sect. Furthermore, there was also the second prince who was a demon in disguise! Not to mention the other forces waiting at the sidelines...


    Jiu Shen suddenly felt that the Silver Wing Empire was a little too pitiful. It was actually housing so many tigers without their awareness, and they were not just some random tigers...


    Jiu Shen suddenly thought about Elyk¡¯s amiable look and he could not help but respect the man sincerely. Even if his empire was facing such a perilous situation, he was still able to retain his calmness and dignified attitude.


    "Since we are brought together by fate, I might as well help you tide through this." Jiu Shen smiled. He then turned his attention to the youths who were still in a horse stance and silently nned their training process.

 Chapter 138 - A Simple Sword Strike

    <h4>Chapter 138 - A Simple Sword Strike </h4>


    Night arrived, but two youths were still in a horse stance. They were Yang Zenke and Han Sen. Because the two were doing double the training of others, there was still another hour before they could take a rest.


    While gritting his teeth, Han Sen nced at Yang Zenke with difficulty. "B-Brother Yang, can you still hold on?"


    Yang Zeke nodded his head solemnly and replied. "Mn. You shouldn¡¯t have talked like that to master earlier."


    Han Sen chuckled bitterly when he heard that. "What¡¯s done is done. There is no need to think about it. Also, I still have to thank the master for his mercy. If our master was someone else, I would have died already." Han Sen said and shook his head.


    Yang Zenke was surprised at his reply. He didn¡¯t think that this young man called Han Sen was actually quite open-minded. Nheless, Yang Zenke remained silent and focused his attention on himself.


    Just then, both young men suddenly saw the silhouettes of a few individualsing towards the battle tform of the beast fighting arena.


    Jiu Shen who was sitting on his chair with his eyes shut tight remained unmoved despite having already sensed their presence. He was still in the process of searching for the best sword techniques for his people and he realized that it was actually quite hard to choose from the many that he had in his memory.


    Theia, Lu Sn, and the others stared curiously at the two youths who were in a horse stance before they turned their gazes on the other young men who were either resting or eating spiritual fruits.


    "Are they the ves brought by the emperor a few days ago?" Can Ye asked silently, but since the beast fighting arena was fairly quiet, his voice still echoed within the establishment.


    Theia red at him before she pointed at Jiu Shen who had his eyes closed. "Shut up."


    Can Ye immediately closed his mouth after seeing the look on Theia¡¯s face. He was very afraid of this youngdy, so he promptly remained silent and just stared silently at the group of young men. He was curious about why his master decided to train these kids and looking at all of them, they were young men below the age of neen.


    Theia walked in front of Jiu Shen and bowed respectfully as she spoke. "Master, I¡¯ve brought everyone here as per your instructions."


    Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes sprung open and he nodded his head at Theia. "Good. All of youe here."


    After hearing his words, Theia gestured the rest toe over.


    Looking at their bewildered expressions, Jiu Shen let out a smile which stunned all of them since it was quite rare to see him smile, but just recently, their master seemed to smile a lot more than usual.


    "Initially, I only wanted to teach Lu Sn and Can Ye, but I changed my mind. I consider all of you as my people, so I will remain partial to everyone. Now, I called everyone toe here because I will be imparting my sword techniques. However, your swordprehension is seriously wed so I still have to help you understand the fundamentals first before we can proceed to that." Jiu Shen said as he stood up from his seat.


    Hearing his words, Lu Sn and the others¡¯ eyes immediately lit up in excitement. They knew that Jiu Shen was a very strong expert with a formidable cultivation level, so they were eager to learn something from him even if it was just the basics.


    "Can Ye, although you are not a swordsman, the way of the saber and the way of the sword is intricately rted to each other. The only difference between them is their utilization, so you don¡¯t have to worry about this and just listen carefully." Jiu Shen looked at Can Ye as he said those words. Thetter nodded his head at his master to show his understanding.


    The dragon tattoo in Jiu Shen¡¯s right arm suddenly lit up as it slowly flew out and formed into an ordinary-looking ck sword.


    Lu Sn¡¯s eyes flickered when she saw this sword since she had already seen it when she was with Jiu Shen in the Green Mountain Lake. She knew that it was not the sword¡¯s true form, so she didn¡¯t take it lightly despite its shabby appearance.


    "Get your swords and maintain distance among yourselves." Jiu Shenmanded with a serious look.


    Everyone immediately followed his orders and took out their weapons. The others had exquisite-looking swords in their hands while only Can Ye had a huge machete-like knife. He smiled awkwardly after seeing their strange nces, but he didn¡¯t take it to heart since he knew the true power of this knife!


    "Watch closely." Jiu Shen lifted his sword and did a casual sword strike. Everyone studied his movements deeply, but they failed to sense anything special about it. But then...


    Bang!


    A hundred meters away from Jiu Shen, a stone pir that was two feet in diameter was suddenly cut horizontally in half.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes widened in surprise after seeing it. They only saw Jiu Shen brandishing his sword without any superfluous actions, but it actually cut a stone pir in half! What an unbelievable sight!


    Among them, only Theia had a thoughtful look as if she had recalled something from her memory, and in that instant, a trace of regret, mncholy, and nostalgia flickered in her beautiful pair of eyes, but she hurriedly concealed it, afraid that Jiu Shen would see her reaction.


    "Master, how did you do it?" Lu Sn had a look of anticipation in her eyes as she asked Jiu Shen. Although she had already seen the strength of Jiu Shen, she was still excited about the thought of learning swordsmanship from him.


    Can Ye and the others perked their ears as they stared at Jiu Shen¡¯s calm and collected look.


    Without making them wait for long, Jiu Shen replied. "That sword strike might have looked ordinary on the surface, but that isn¡¯t the case. My first lesson to all of you is Sword Comprehension."


    Seeing their confused looks, Jiu Shen smiled lightly. "I added my Sword Comprehension in that strike, but since your understanding of the sword is too superficial, none of you were able to discern the true might of that simple sword strike."


    "Sword Comprehension... I never heard of it." Can Ye muttered as he scratched the back of his head.


    Pak.


    Theia smacked the back of his head, making Can Ye fall on the ground face first.


    Jiu Shen ignored them and continued. "To learn about Sword Comprehension, one must have deep knowledge and understanding about the way of the sword. However, one can only gain enlightenment in Sword Comprehension through constant battles and wars. A sword is a weapon of killing, and only on the battlefield will your true potentials be unearthed..." Jiu Shen narrated his understanding of swordsmanship, but he only told them the fundamentals to strengthen their foundations.


    Lu Sn, Can Ye, and the others were deeply absorbed in his discussion, and they didn¡¯t even realize that there were already a few young men who joined them in listening to Jiu Shen¡¯s teachings.


    Jiu Shen didn¡¯t stop the kids from listening to his discussion. In fact, he intentionally paused from time to time to allow these young men to consolidate his words in their hearts.

 Chapter 139 - Master Wants To Set Up A Sect?

    <h4>Chapter 139 - Master Wants To Set Up A Sect? </h4>


    "Sn, I have something to discuss with you after this training." Jiu Shen said as he nced at Lu Sn. He nned to integrate the Ice Cloud Sword Sect in the sect that he will be establishing in the future. He wanted to discuss it with Lu Sn and see if she could somehow manage to gain the elders¡¯ approval.


    Lu Sn was confused but she still nodded her head after seeing the serious look of Jiu Shen.


    "Okay, before I end today¡¯s training, I will tell you about the five levels of Sword Comprehension:


    1st Level: Sword Intent Manifestation


    2nd Level: Sword Ray Maniption


    3rd Level: Heart of Sword


    4th Level: Birth of Sword Soul


    5th Level: Extreme Sword Dao


    Since none of you has achieved Sword Comprehension, so I will only talk about the first level, Sword Intent Manifestation." Jiu Shen recalled his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword and it turned into a small wisp of ck smoke before it went back to his right arm in the form of a dragon tattoo.


    Everyone was amazed when they saw that especially the young ves that joined the discussion.


    Jiu Shen remained unperturbed when he saw their surprise and continued his discussion. "The first level of Sword Comprehension is the first step for a sword cultivator in his path towards the peak of swordsmanship..."


    Everyone attentively listened and no one dared to make a sound, afraid that it might affect the others. At times, they disyed perplexed looks, butter on, it was as if they had gained some sort of minor understanding of the first level of Sword Comprehension.


    After Jiu Shen finished his discussion, everyone was still wearing thoughtful looks on their faces, so he calmly waited for them to digest everything that he said. He only told them the possible ways to learn Sword Comprehension and he didn¡¯t tell them how he did it himself since everyone¡¯s sword path was different.


    Not longter, everyone recovered from their usual state and they could not help but nce at Jiu Shen in worship. After listening to his teachings, they felt that it wouldn¡¯t be long for them to reach the first level of Sword Comprehension.


    "Everyone except Lu Sn can go now. Remember that we will meet at the same time tomorrow. That¡¯s it, leave." Jiu Shen waved his right hand and gestured for everyone to leave.


    They bowed respectfully at Jiu Shen before disappearing from the scene. Now, only Lu Sn was left standing in front of Jiu Shen.


    Thetter took out a chair from his space earring and gestured for Lu Sn to sit down. "Sn, take a seat."


    "Thank you, master." She bowed her head gently before she sat down.


    "You might be curious as to why I¡¯ve asked you to stay behind." Jiu Shen smiled at her.


    Lu Sn nodded her head and she felt slightly embarrassed when she stared at her master¡¯s mesmerizing eyes. It was so enthralling that she was almost lost in the depts of his gaze.


    "Sn, I¡¯m nning to establish a sect." Jiu Shen¡¯s voice was calm, but his words stunned his disciple greatly. Lu Sn thought that Jiu Shen had no ambition whatsoever and merely wanted to live an isted and peaceful life, so when she heard that Jiu Shen wanted to set up his own sect, she was shocked.


    "Master, why do you want to set up a sect? Are you perhaps nning to dominate the Profound Dragon Continent?" Lu Sn¡¯s eyes widened as she asked that, but she sounded as if was a natural thing to say. She believed in Jiu Shen¡¯s strength, and if he truly wanted to rule the entirety of the Profound Dragon Continent, Lu Sn was certain that her master had the ability to do so.


    At first, Jiu Shen wanted to say no, but after thinking it through, he replied with a smile on his face. "Who knows..."


    Lu Sn was speechless at this, but at least, there was a possibility that Jiu Shen was nning to do just that. Thinking about it, she felt a trace of anticipation growing inside her heart.


    "Anyway, after establishing my sect, I hope you can integrate your Ice Cloud Sword Sect into mine, but of course, you still have to consult the opinions of the elders of your sect about this." Jiu Shen promptly added after seeing the dreamy expression of Lu Sn.


    "Master... The sect that you¡¯re nning to establish..." When she heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words, she instantly understood his intentions, but she was still surprised at his ambition.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head with a calm look. "Indeed. The sect that I n to set up isn¡¯t just meant for the Profound Dragon Continent. I don¡¯t have ns to remain in this world forever. I want to go back to the Primordial God Realm, but before I go there, I have to make some preparations."


    Lu Sn had many questions to ask but she didn¡¯t know which one to say first, so she could only remain silent while staring at Jiu Shen¡¯s indifferent look.


    "I know you have a lot of questions, but it¡¯s still too early for you to know everything. So for now, go back to your Ice Cloud Sword Sect and tell the elders of your sect about what we had discussed earlier. Also, don¡¯t forget to tell the disciples of your sect toe here as soon as possible. As to where they will stay, I will give this task to you." Jiu Shen stood up from his seat and patted her head gently.


    Lu Sn bowed her head to hide her blushing cheeks, but she still answered in a small voice. "Yes, master. I will get this done immediately."


    Jiu Shen nodded his head and smiled. "Don¡¯t worry about your duties in the store, I¡¯ll just ask the fifth princess to temporarily work for us since I know that you¡¯ll be busy in the next few days."


    Lu Sn was speechless when she heard that. Her master actually wanted the most beloved daughter of Emperor Elyk to work in his store! If it was someone else, she might have scoffed in disdain, but Jiu Shen would definitely do as he said. "Master, will the emperor agree to this? After all, the fifth princess is the one he doted the most among his children." She asked with a wry smile.


    Jiu Shen chuckled when he heard that. "Elyk will not decline it." He said confidently. This was also a chance for Elyk to strengthen his rtionship with Jiu Shen, and knowing his brilliance, Jiu Shen was certain that Emperor Elyk won¡¯t hesitate to send his daughter to him.


    Sensing the confidence in her master¡¯s voice, Lu Sn no longer spoke and she just silently stared at his otherworldly visage with an infatuated look on her face.

 Chapter 140 - Ren Shuangs News

    <h4>Chapter 140 - Ren Shuang''s News </h4>


    It was another bright morning for Beltran City. Jiu Shen was now inside his store waiting for the emperor¡¯s arrival. As for the beast fighting arena, he left Can Ye there to monitor the kids¡¯ training. He had already taught the young men what to do for the entire day, and he wasn¡¯t worried since Can Ye was there to oversee everything.


    Almost half of the first floor was already upied by the customers, making Xiao Hua and her three friends busy, but there was not even a look of dissatisfaction in the girls¡¯ eyes.


    Not longter, Emperor Elyk arrived inside the store with the four guardians following behind him. The former¡¯s dignified expression was evident, but Jiu Shen can see a trace of solemnity within his gaze.


    ¡¯It seems like Elyk has encountered a problem.¡¯ Jiu Shen muttered in his heart as he remained seated on his chair.


    Emperor Elyk was in a bad mood since the men that they sent to punish the Xue Family didn¡¯t return. Although those soldiers were only at the 3rd-rank Crusader and below, they still represented the Silveria Imperial Family¡¯s face, but the Xue Family actually killed them without hesitation. This made Emperor Elyk furious, but he could only swallow this rage since he didn¡¯t want the conflict between the Silveria Imperial Family and the Xue Family to escte.


    As the emperor was deep in his thoughts, he suddenly saw a familiar figure sitting nonchntly in a random corner of the store. He was stroking the fur of a chubby white cat with an indifferent look on his face. Emperor Elyk¡¯s eyes brightened when he saw the man and he involuntarily let out a smile. The emperor then strode towards him with an eager look on his face.


    "Wine Master Jiu, it¡¯s nice to see you here today. How are the young servants that I brought here? Hehehe." Emperor Elyk smiled widely after he said those words. The four guardians behind the emperor remained silent but they still cupped their fists at Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen turned his gaze to the smiling emperor and replied in a mild tone. "Hm, I¡¯m satisfied with the kids you brought, Elyk."


    Hearing his answer, Emperor Elykughed. "Hahaha! I know you would be, Wine Master Jiu! It appears that you had some matters to take care of during the past few days, I wonder if it is rted to those kids?" Elyk probed with a smile.


    Jiu Shen remained silent, but he still nodded his head in reply since the emperor would still know about it. Furthermore, he nned to construct his sect¡¯s temporary headquarters within the territory of Beltran City, so even if he remained silent about it, Emperor Elyk would still discover it in the future.


    The emperor¡¯s smile broadened when he saw Jiu Shen¡¯s reaction.


    "Elyk, from the look of your face earlier, you seemed to have encountered something terrible. If I¡¯m not wrong, it should be rted to the Xue Family." Jiu Shen stood up from his seat and gestured for the emperor to follow him as he spoke in a calm voice.


    The emperor trailed behind Jiu Shen and furrowed his eyebrows at thetter¡¯s words. "Wine Master Jiu, you¡¯re not wrong. From what happened yesterday, it appears that the Xue Family isn¡¯t just a normal merchant family."


    Jiu Shen led the emperor and the four guardians to the second floor.


    The atmosphere between them became slightly solemn after Jiu Shen started talking about the Xue Family.


    After everyone took a seat, Jiu Shen stared at the emperor. "Elyk, I want to be honest with you. The Xue Family isn¡¯t as simple as you think."


    Emperor Elyk and the four guardians frowned when they heard him, and the former couldn¡¯t help but ask in a curious tone. "Wine Master Jiu, did you discover something about them?"


    Jiu Shen was silent for a moment before he replied. "Elyk, do you know about the Undying Corpse Sect?"


    Emperor Elyk felt his heart tightening from that question, but he still nodded his head gravely. "I know a bit about the Undying Corpse Sect. They are a bunch of demented people who refines the corpses of strong experts to be their corpse puppets. Why do you ask this, Wine Master Jiu? Do you mean the Xue Family is rted to them?"


    The four guardians¡¯ eyes shed with surprise but they remained silent.


    Jiu Shen shook his head calmly. "They are not just rted. If my assumption is right, the Xue Family is part of the Undying Corpse Sect. I¡¯ve already sent one of my people to monitor them and he should be here now."


    Jiu Shen decided to tell the emperor what he knew about the Xue Family since the Silver Wing Empire was truly in a precarious situation, and with the empire¡¯s current strength, Jiu Shen was certain that it will be destroyed or taken over by either the Undying Corpse Sect or the Demon Race. However, Jiu Shen decided to remain silent about the Demon Race as it might negatively affect the emperor¡¯s state of mind.


    The emperor and the four guardians were stunned at this sudden revtion.


    ¡¯So that¡¯s why they are not afraid of provoking my Silveria Imperial Family! To think that I¡¯ve been rearing a poisonous snake in my own turf!¡¯ Emperor Elyk mocked himself inwardly.


    <i>Swoosh.</i>


    A man dressed in ck armor suddenly appeared beside Jiu Shen which greatly surprised Emperor Elyk and the four guardians that they even stood up from their seats. The four guardians even held the hilts of their swords while looking at the man in rm. His arrival was so abrupt that they thought it was an assassination attempt.


    After looking carefully at the man¡¯s face, Emperor Elyk furrowed his eyebrows. ¡¯isn¡¯t this the guy that...¡¯


    "Calm down! This man is Wine Master Jiu¡¯s subordinate." Emperor Elyk gestured for the four guardians to not move as he apologetically smiled at Ren Shuang and Jiu Shen.


    The four guardians bowed their heads in embarrassment and they promptly sat down on their seats while looking at Ren Shuang with curiosity and respect. The man was able to arrive beside Jiu Shen without them detecting his presence. That means that the man was much stronger than them!


    Jiu Shen smiled in amusement. "Everyone, this is Ren Shuang. The guardian of my store¡¯s second floor."


    "Oh, so it¡¯s Lord Ren! Nice to meet you!" Emperor Elyk smiled amiably as he looked at Ren Shuang, but he was inwardly stunned since he could still not sense thetter¡¯s strength. No matter how he stared at Ren Shuang, it was as if he was looking at an ordinary person, but how was that possible?


    Ren Shuang remained silent and just nodded his head at them. He wouldn¡¯t even bother to nce at them if not for Jiu Shen¡¯s sake. "Master, I¡¯ve made you wait for long..." Ren Shuang muttered while bowing to Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen waved his right hand and shook his head. "It doesn¡¯t matter. Just tell me what you discovered about the Xue Family."


    Ren Shuang nced at the emperor and the four guardians in bewilderment, but since his master has already spoken, he nodded his head. "Master, there are three 9th-rank Saint experts in the Xue Family, and there were also eight 8th-rank Divine realm experts present there, but I think that this isn¡¯t their full force. I¡¯ve heard them speak that the members of the Undying Corpse Sect are hiding in one of their territories. I assume that there are still some top experts hidden there."


    Jiu Shen was unperturbed and he only remained silent, but Emperor Elyk and the four guardians had looks of disbelief spreading on their faces.


    "What?!" The emperor eximed.

 Chapter 141 - Wine Master Jiu Wants The Little Dragoness To Work For Him?

    <h4>Chapter 141 - Wine Master Jiu Wants The Little Dragoness To Work For Him? </h4>


    Emperor Elyk frowned and rubbed his temples as he thought deeply. ¡¯If the words of Lord Ren is true, then my Silver Wing Empire might really experience a catastrophic civil war, but if the Xue Family is really that strong, then why are they still not taking action until now? Could it be... Could they have known about my secret? Impossible! Only I know about it... But, it appears that the Xue Family discovered something. Do I really have to awaken him now? <i>Sigh...¡¯ </i>


    Jiu Shen nced at Ren Shuang and said. "Shuang, get us six bottles of Deep Sea Spring Dew here."


    Ren Shuang nodded his head and left.


    Emperor Elyk turned to look at Jiu Shen as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he just shook his head and sighed.


    Jiu Shen remained silent and just observed him. He knew that Emperor Elyk was now helpless at the current situation that his Silver Wing Empire was facing.


    The four guardians also remained silent since they knew that they couldn¡¯t do anything in this situation. The atmosphere became awkward, but luckily, Ren Shuang arrived with six bottles of Deep Sea Spring Dew floating around him.


    "Master, here are the wines." Ren Shuang bowed at Jiu Shen and ced the six bottles of Deep Sea Spring Dew on the table.


    "You can leave now, Shuang. If you want to take a rest, you can go back to your room." Jiu Shen said in a calm voice.


    Ren Shuang shook his head lightly. "There is no need, master. I¡¯ve already taken an ample amount of rest, so I should just stand guard as per usual."


    Jiu Shen waved his right hand and nodded his head. "Hm, okay."


    After Ren Shuang left, Jiu Shen opened one bottle of Deep Sea Spring Dew and took out six silver cups from his space earring. He then quietly filled each cup with the wine.


    Looking at the golden liquid inside the silver cups, Emperor Elyk¡¯s eyes turned a shade brighter.


    Jiu Shen was amused when he saw the expression on his face, but he just silently passed the silver cups to the five of them.


    "As of the moment, this is the most expensive wine in my store. You guys have drunk it many times already, what do you think about it?" Jiu Shen changed the topic to ease the atmosphere. He then held his cup of wine and looked at the golden liquid within as it emitted a dense fragrant aroma that could make anyone enchanted and enthralled.


    Emperor Elyk knew that Jiu Shen wanted to lighten the atmosphere around them, so he let out a smile as he answered. "To be honest, after drinking Wine Master Jiu¡¯s Deep Sea Spring Dew, I felt that my treasured Phoenix¡¯s Godly mes Wine tastes nd. Sigh! Too bad I only discovered it when I¡¯m already this old..." His mncholic voice had a tinge of regret.


    Emperor Elyk closed his eyes as he gently ced the cup close to his lips. He could already smell its pleasantly enticing oceanic scent which made his body quiver in delight. And with an entranced look, he emptied his cup of wine.


    "Sigh... Even after drinking it a couple of times, I still get dazzled by its unique taste and smell. Wine Master Jiu, I¡¯ll bring a bottle of this today." Emperor Elyk smiled at Jiu Shen as he said that.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly as he filled everyone¡¯s cup again. "Sure. Since you have the VIP Card, it¡¯s not a problem." He replied.


    Emperor Elyk smiled and he just quietly enjoyed the wine since he might not be able to drink it peacefully like this again.


    Jiu Shen the four guardians simrly remained silent.


    "Master, the one-hour time limit has just passed. These four can go, while he can stay since he has the VIP Card. " Ren Shuang suddenly came and pointed towards the four guardians and the emperor with a deadpan look. Now, aside from Jiu Shen, there is another expressionless block of wood in the store...


    Defender Duanmu and the other three guardians sighed in pity, but they did not dare linger for long since they didn¡¯t want to displease Ren Shuang and Jiu Shen. "Thanks for the wine, Wine Master Jiu. Your Majesty, we will wait for you downstairs." They then bowed before they left.


    Jiu Shen was silent for a moment before he spoke. "Elyk, you have good subordinates."


    Emperor Elyk smiled widely at his praise.


    "Oh, by the way, my people will be busy in theing days, so we might be understaffed. I¡¯d like to invite the fifth princess to work for me, what do you think?" Jiu Shen said with a smile. Actually, Jiu Shen also thought of inviting the fourth prince to work for him, but after careful consideration, he thought that it wouldn¡¯t be ideal for the emperor since he felt that Emperor Elyk was secretly grooming the fourth prince to join the fight for the throne.


    The emperor was stunned at this, but he suddenlyughed heartily. "Hahaha! Wine Master Jiu, if you like that little brat of mine to work for you, then it¡¯s not a problem at all. However, that little kid is quite hard to control and is untamable, and even everyone in the imperial pce could hardly restrain her. I don¡¯t know if that little brat will agree to this, but I¡¯ll tell her about it after I return to the imperial pce."


    Emperor Elyk was excited at the thought that Jiu Shen wanted to invite his daughter to work for him. Although she had to work as a waitress in his store, the emperor didn¡¯t think that it was something shameful since he knew Jiu Shen¡¯s strength. He truly wanted to immediately go back to the imperial pce and bring that little dragoness here. Who knows, maybe Jiu Shen would even decide to impart his teachings to her. That would really be good for her and the Silveria Imperial Family and even to their Silver Wing Empire!


    Jiu Shen¡¯s lips twitched when he heard his reply, and he then recalled the shy and adorable look of the young fifth princess andpared it with the emperor¡¯s description, but then he suddenly remembered the scene when the little girl scammed the second prince of his True Crystals. Jiu Shen couldn¡¯t help but nod his head in agreement at the emperor¡¯s words.


    "Don¡¯t worry about her, Elyk. She wouldn¡¯t act like a tyrant here under Theia¡¯s watchful eyes." Jiu Shen said in amusement.


    Emperor Elykughed when he heard those words. He had seen Theia a couple of times in the store, and he knew that thetter was an expert at the 9th-rank Saint. Thinking about the rumors about Theia, Emperor Elyk¡¯s smile abruptly froze.


    "It seems like my worries are unnecessary. With Young Miss Theia around, that little brat will surely behave herself..." Emperor Elyk forced out a smile.


    Jiu Shen remained silent when he heard that and he just quietly drank his cup of wine.


    "Wine Master Jiu, I know you just want to stay peacefully here in Beltran City, but I hope that you can protect Dante and Sylvia for me if ever a war breaks out." Emperor Elyk¡¯s tone had a trace of pleading in it, but he still maintained his dignified expression.


    Jiu Shen was surprised at this. He thought that the emperor would ask for his help, but it looks like he had misunderstood thetter. Jiu Shen nced at the emperor and nodded his head calmly. "You have my word, Elyk. I will protect those two when the timees."


    Emperor Elyk heaved a sigh of relief after getting Jiu Shen¡¯s promise. He was truly unsure if Jiu Shen would aid them if a battle urs in the future, so he could only ask for Jiu Shen to protect the fourth prince and the fifth princess, the two children that he doted the most.


    "With Wine Master Jiu¡¯s promise, I can now stay at ease. Later, I will tell those two toe here and work for you. I hope you don¡¯t mind taking my son Dante as well, Wine Master Jiu." Emperor Elyk smiled in embarrassment.


    Jiu Shen was pleasantly surprised when he heard that the emperor would also tell the fourth prince toe to his store, so he immediately nodded his head. "It¡¯s not a problem at all, Elyk."


    Emperor Elyk was overjoyed and he could not help but smile widely after getting Jiu Shen¡¯s approval. "Hahaha! Great!"

 Chapter 142 - Stunned Emperor Elyk

    <h4>Chapter 142 - Stunned Emperor Elyk </h4>


    A few hours after that, Lu Sn came to the second floor to look for Jiu Shen. She went back to the Ice Cloud Sword Sectst night to talk with the elders and the disciples about what Jiu Shen had told her. Of course, she did not divulge some matters to the disciples and only talked about it with the elders.


    Initially, the elders of her sect adamantly refused when Lu Sn told them about Jiu Shen¡¯s proposal, but when she told them about Jiu Shen¡¯s identity as an Alchemy Saint and also his unparalleled strength, their resistance became weaker, and then they decided to meet Jiu Shen before making any decisions.


    Lu Sn walked towards her master and was surprised to see him talking with the emperor. Her master even looked to be in a good mood which made her even more stunned. Although Jiu Shen¡¯s face was still indifferent, she could feel the tion in his eyes.


    "Greetings, master. Greetings, Your Majesty." Lu Sn bowed her head at Jiu Shen and then curtsied at the emperor.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s remained calm after seeing Lu Sn, but the emperor¡¯s face became slightly unnatural.


    "Sn, how¡¯s your discussion with the elders of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect? Did they agree to my proposal?" Jiu Shen asked in an indifferent tone.


    Lu Sn nced at her master and then to the emperor with a look of hesitation, but then she suddenly heard her master¡¯s voice.


    "You don¡¯t have to worry about Elyk. He will know about it soon anyway. Just say it."


    Lu Sn nodded her head in understanding and calmed herself down before she spoke. "As per master¡¯s orders, I went back to the Ice Cloud Sword Sect to discuss with the elders about your proposal. At first, they immediately refused it, but then after I told them about master¡¯s identity and strength, they decided topromise and meet with you first. They said that they want to see you before making any decisions since this matter is rted to the future of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect."


    Jiu Shen leaned on his chair and nodded his head calmly. "Mn, I see."


    Emperor Elyk who was listening at the sidelines was shocked when he heard Lu Sn¡¯s words. ¡¯Just what is Wine Master Jiu nning to do with the Ice Cloud Sword Sect? He seems to be making a big move now, but what could it be?¡¯


    "Sn, take a seat first. Tell me everything that happened during your discussion with them, including their reactions." Jiu Shen gestured for Lu Sn to sit beside him.


    "Yes, master." Lu Sn sat down and pulled her chair closer to Jiu Shen before she started talking about what had happened during her discussion with the elders of her sectst night.


    "Master, here¡¯s what happened..."


    Elyk wanted to leave and give them space, but he was truly curious about what Jiu Shen was nning, so he shamelessly remained seated on his chair and acted as if he wasn¡¯t listening to their conversation. However, the more he heard Lu Sn¡¯s words, the more he became stunned.


    ¡¯What?! Wine Master Jiu is nning to set up a sect?! And he¡¯s even nning to integrate the Ice Cloud Sword Sect as a part of his sect?! This...¡¯ Emperor Elyk almost choked on his wine as he listened attentively.


    It was truly a shocking surprise for Emperor Elyk to hear this since he had thought that Jiu Shen only wanted to live an idle life in his store, but to think that Jiu Shen was actually nning of establishing a sect... Even Emperor Elyk could hardly calm himself down from this piece of news. Who was Jiu Shen? He was an Alchemy Saint! Aside from that, he was also able to defeat a dragon with a cultivation level at the peak of the 9th-rank Saint! Not to mention that he has a few strong subordinates serving under him.


    After Lu Sn was done telling Jiu Shen about what happenedst night, she quietly filled his cup with wine while looking at his pondering face. Even until now, she could still not believe that this otherworldly man had be her master. ¡¯Jiu Shen...¡¯ Her heart which was like a frozen iceberg for many years slowly melted as she stared at this man.


    Jiu Shen didn¡¯t see the infatuated look of his disciples since he was pondering upon her words. ¡¯It seems like I really have to meet the elders of Sn¡¯s sect...¡¯ Jiu Shen muttered in his heart as he took a nce at the emperor only to see his dumbfounded expression.


    Jiu Shen was amused to see the look on his face.


    When Emperor Elyk saw Jiu Shen look his way, he cleared his throat and spoke in a probing tone. "Um, Wine Master Jiu, are you really nning to set up a sect?"


    Jiu Shen was silent for a moment, but he nodded his head at the emperor soon after. "Indeed. Since you¡¯re here. I will ask if it¡¯s fine with you if I set up my sect within Beltran City."


    Emperor Elyk lips quivered as a series of thoughts shed within his mind. ¡¯I know that Wine Master Jiu has no malicious intentions, but this is so sudden... Oh, right! I have an idea!¡¯


    "Wine Master Jiu, I can agree to this and I¡¯m even willing to give you the piece ofnd around your store, but I have one request." Emperor Elyk¡¯s expression turned serious as he spoke those words.


    "What is it?" Jiu Shen asked, but he could already guess what was on the emperor¡¯s mind. He understood thetter¡¯s plight, so he patiently waited for him to answer.


    Emperor Elyk suddenly stood up from his seat and bowed deeply at Jiu Shen as he spoke. "Wine Master Jiu, I hope that you can offer your assistance to the Silver Wing Empire if ever a war breaks out!"


    Lu Sn was a bit surprised when she saw the emperor disy such a humble attitude to her master, but she thought that it was understandable as well. Although she had no idea about the empire¡¯s precarious situation, she can still feel the tense atmosphere within the empire. After breaking through the 9th-rank Saint, her senses were heightened to a certain degree and she can somehow feel the danger lingering in the air.


    Jiu Shen sighed softly and replied. "Alright, I¡¯ll tell my subordinates toe and aid you when that timees."


    The emperor felt the pressure on himself lightening down after hearing his reply. "Thank you, Wine Master Jiu! If you ever need my help in the future, I will never hesitate!"


    Jiu Shen¡¯s lips curved upwards to form a faint smile, but he hurriedly concealed it. "Don¡¯t think too much about it, Elyk. This is merely a deal between us."


    Jiu Shen stood up and pulled Lu Sn¡¯s hands which made thetter blush. "Bring me to your elders." He muttered as he looked at Lu Sn.


    "Mn..." Lu Sn replied with her head down to hide her blushing face.


    "Elyk, I¡¯ve to go now. Don¡¯t forget your words. I want those people around this plot ofnd to leave as soon as possible so that I can begin the construction of my sect." Jiu Shen¡¯s voice drifted to the emperor¡¯s ears, but thetter remained silent as he watched Jiu Shen pull Lu Sn out of the second floor with aplicated look on his face.


    Sigh. It seems like you¡¯ve already found your man, Sn...

 Chapter 143 - Cold Rejection

    <h4>Chapter 143 - Cold Rejection </h4>


    Jiu Shen came downstairs with Lu Sn following behind him. Thetter was looking at her master¡¯s back with a crimson red face as her expression alternated between that of shyness and tion. When Jiu Shen held her hand a moment ago, she felt like she was walking in a field of flowers and greeneries, making the throbbing of her heart even more intense.


    As for Jiu Shen, he was unaware of his disciple¡¯s thoughts since his mind was upied by something else. He was confident that he can persuade the elders of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect into epting his proposal, so he wasn¡¯t worried about it in the slightest. And after he¡¯s done with his discussion with them, he was nning to visit Green Cloud City andplete his mission to get the God Crystals and the rewards from the system.


    "Sn, where are the elders of your sect?" Jiu Shen turned to nce at Lu Sn and saw her dazed expression.


    "Ah! T-There they are seated there..." Lu Sn woke up from her stupor and pointed in one corner of the store where ten maturedies can be seen seated closely together. They were wearing the standard robes meant for the elders of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect. Each of these maturedies looked to be in their early thirties with different kinds of charms, but they all had one thing inmon - they have the same frosty expressions on their faces.


    The ten of them were already aware of Jiu Shen and Lu Sn¡¯s arrival, and they could not help but feel surprised when they saw Jiu Shen. His face was otherworldly like an immortal that had descended to the mortal world, and even these frosty maturedies felt their hearts fluttering when they saw his handsome face. And they didn¡¯t even realize that their eyes shed with a bright glow at that instant.


    Just as these beautiful elders of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect were about to greet Jiu Shen, the respectful voices of two old men suddenly echoed inside the store.


    "Wine Master Jiu, Qi Hongtian would like to ept you as my master! Please ept me!"


    "Wine Master Jiu, Fengzi would like to ept you as my master! Please ept me!"


    Everyone inside the store was surprised to hear their words and they instantly turned their gazes towards the two old men who were now kneeling beside Jiu Shen. They disyed the most humble expression as they prostrated reverently before Jiu Shen. However, the customers¡¯ expressions turned strange when they recognized the identity of the two.


    "Aren¡¯t they Master Fengzi and Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian of the Alchemy Hall?! They actually want to ept Wine Master Jiu as their master? Woah!"


    Even the ten elders of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect were dumbstruck at what they saw. Their beautiful faces suffused with a look of disbelief.


    They finally realized that Lu Sn wasn¡¯t exaggerating Jiu Shen¡¯s strength at all! Heck! He even made the two proud top alchemists of the Alchemy Hall willing to take him as their master! No one else was capable of doing that!


    Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes remained peacefully calm as he slowly turned his gaze towards the two old men kneeling before him. "The both of you are not qualified to be my disciple. Leave." His voice was cold and emotionless as if he didn¡¯t regard the two old men seriously.


    The bodies of Master Fengzi and Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian trembled when they heard his cold rejection. They thought that Jiu Shen would ept them considering their high attainments in alchemy, but they didn¡¯t know that Jiu Shen never treated their alchemy skills seriously.


    The two old men lifted their heads and looked at Jiu Shen¡¯s calm face with dejected and perplexed looks.


    "Wine Mas-"


    "The both of you may be talented in everyone¡¯s eyes, but to me, your talents in alchemy is mediocre at best. Leave now." Jiu Shen cut them off and no longer bothered with them.


    The customers and everyone else was dumbfounded at this. To think that Jiu Shen didn¡¯t ept the two as his disciples. It was truly shocking for them!


    Master Fengzi and Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian nced at each other and saw the despair in each other¡¯s eyes. They then stood up and left the store, but to everyone¡¯s surprise, they actually knelt outside the store amidst the hot sunny weather! Everyone admired their determination, but they could only sigh in their hearts since Jiu Shen didn¡¯t even bother to nce their way.


    "We greet you, Wine Master Jiu!"


    "We greet you, Wine Master Jiu!"


    The elders of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect who were as pretty as the flowers hurriedly stood up from their seats and greeted Jiu Shen with utmost respect in their eyes. They didn¡¯t dare treat him lightly anymore especially after witnessing the scene earlier.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head at them and gestured for them to sit down. "Everyone, please sit down."


    The ten elders promptly sat down and looked at Jiu Shen¡¯s face with eager looks.


    Lu Sn who was standing behind her master could not help but let out a smile when she the expressions of the elders.


    "Sn might have already told you guys about my ns, but I will tell it to you once again." Jiu Shen grabbed a seat for himself as he spoke those words, while Lu Sn stood behind him with a look of reverence.


    "I n to visit Green Cloud City this time and after Iplete my business there, I will begin the construction of my sect here in Beltran City. At that time, I hope that your Ice Cloud Sword Sect will be willing to be part of my sect." Jiu Shen added with an indifferent look as he eyed thedies in front of him. He was confident that they would ept his proposal.


    The ten elders nced at each other and knelt in front of Jiu Shen without hesitation. "We greet you, Lord Sect Master Jiu Shen!"


    "We greet you, Lord Sect Master Jiu Shen!"


    Their beautiful voices reverberated within the store, but their words came as a surprise to everyone.


    "What?! Wine Master Jiu is setting up a sect?!"


    "This is an astonishing piece of news! I need to go back to my n and report this to the elders."


    "I would surely apply to be a disciple of Wine Master Jiu¡¯s sect!"


    The customers¡¯ discussed excitedly as they watched the scene with wide eyes.


    Jiu Shen didn¡¯t stop them and only gestured for them to return to their seats after a few seconds. "Inform the disciples of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect about this and settle them down here in Beltran City. Also, the emperor will give this plot ofnd to us, so you must help the Silveria Imperial Family in cleaning the entire ce. Make sure that nothing goes wrong while I¡¯m gone, and you don¡¯t have to worry about experts at the 9th-rank Saint since there will be someone who will deal with them if ever they decide to confront us."


    Jiu Shen gave a series ofmands, but there was no displeasure on thedies¡¯ expressions. In fact, they were eager to serve this handsome and unfathomable man.


    "We follow Lord Sect Master¡¯s orders." They said solemnly as they stared at Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen was pleased with their attitude so he let out a smile. "Great."


    Looking at his smile, thedies went into a daze and they seemed to be enchanted by his looks.


    "Master, I want to go with you!" Lu Sn held Jiu Shen¡¯s right arm and looked at him with a pleading expression.


    Jiu Shen felt her warm and soft body sticking closer to him, but he remained indifferent. "Absolutely not."


    "But master..."


    "Sn, don¡¯t be stubborn. Don¡¯t leave the elders here to work alone. Besides, you have to protect everyone while I¡¯m away. I will feel more at ease with you present here to oversee everything." Jiu Shen rubbed her head gently with a smile.


    After hearing his words and feeling his tender touch, Lu Sn dipped her head shyly as she replied in a small voice. "Okay, master. I will stay here."


    Staring at Jiu Shen who was surrounded by more than ten prettydies, the customers could not help but click their tongues in admiration.

 Chapter 144 - Preparations

    <h4>Chapter 144 - Preparations </h4>


    Jiu Shen didn¡¯t mind how other people called him, as long as they maintain their respectful attitude, then it¡¯s fine with him.


    "Lord Sect Master, although Sn can¡¯t go with you to Green Wood City, you should bring someone along who can help you do the menial tasks." One of thedies nced at Jiu Shen in anticipation as she spoke those words. This elder¡¯s name was Xia Xinyue. She was not the prettiest among the elders, but her figure was definitelyparable to Lu Sn. Aside from that, her cultivation level was also at the peak stage of the 7th-rank Emperor realm. Within the whole of the Silver Wing Empire, she could already be considered as a top ss expert!


    Jiu Shen thought for a moment and felt that she made sense, so he nodded his head in agreement. "Hm, okay. You¡¯ll go with meter, but before we leave, you go make some preparations first."


    Xia Xinyue smiled and nodded her head eagerly. "Yes, Lord Sect Master! I will prepare immediately!"


    She then bowed her head at Jiu Shen and sprinted out of the store to prepare herself, leaving behind a group of women who were wearing peculiar gazes as they watched her disappearing figure. Even Lu Sn giggled when she saw Xia Xinyue act like that.


    "Everyone, I have to go and prepare as well. You can return to your lodgings and begin with your tasks. Sn, you¡¯ll manage things in my stead, okay?" Jiu Shen patted Lu Sn¡¯s head gently, making thedies reveal a trace of jealousy.


    "Yes, master..." Lu Sn replied in a mosquito-like voice.


    After he got Lu Sn¡¯s reply, Jiu Shen stood up from his seat and walked towards Ice who was lying on the floor with her chubby belly facing upwards. Jiu Shen then grabbed the fat cat and walked towards the exit of the store while carrying it in his arms.


    "Meow! Human, where are you taking this cute cat?! You actually dare to kidnap me?! Meow!" Ice waved her paws threateningly while ring at Jiu Shen¡¯s face with a hostile look.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s nced at the cat and his face suddenly turned incredibly serious, making the fat cat put on a wary look.


    "Meow!"


    "Ice, after I leave Beltran City, I want you to protect everyone while I¡¯m gone. Although Ren Shuang and Theia are here to keep an eye on things, it would still be difficult for them to protect so many people at once, so I want you to help them if ever something happens." Jiu Shen¡¯s voice was solemn, making the usually arrogant and mischievous fat cat nod her head involuntarily.


    "Meow. I want two bowls of milk a day and I¡¯ll agree to this request." Ice replied with a pair of big shining eyes.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head promptly at her request. This wasn¡¯t a problem for him at all in exchange for her protection. "No problem."


    Although this little creature waszy in nature, it was still a genuine god beast progeny with a cultivation level at the early stage of the Nascent God Realm! She was even stronger than Jiu Shen at the moment! Of course, it will be different if Jiu Shen wields his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword...


    Ice¡¯s cuterge eyes brightened in tion when she heard his promise.


    Outside the store, Jiu Shen saw the figure of two old men kneeling with resolute gazes. When the both of them heard Jiu Shen¡¯s footsteps, they immediately stared at him with firm looks on their aged faces. They were already rejected once, so they no longer spoke and just silently nced at Jiu Shen¡¯s figure. They only hoped that their unswerving determination would move Jiu Shen¡¯s heart.


    In the end, Jiu Shen didn¡¯t even bother to stop in front of them and just walked past them, ignoring the two old menpletely.


    Master Fengzi and Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian sighed in their hearts, but they remained kneeling on the ground while looking at Jiu Shen¡¯s receding figure.


    "Sigh! It looks like our talent is truly nothing in Wine Master Jiu¡¯s eyes." Master Fengzi shook his head with a dejected look.


    "Indeed, but we should still wait here until he epts the both of us as his disciples. We¡¯re already so old, and with our current attainments, the best we can achieve is only the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint in terms of spiritual power, so we have nothing to lose anymore." Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian nodded his head with a wry smile.


    Hearing his words, Master Fengzi¡¯s eyes flickered with resolve.


    Jiu Shen brought Ice to the beast fighting arena and threw her randomly to the establishment, making the cat bounce on the ground a couple of times before she managed to bnce herself. "Some of our people are there inside, so make sure that none of them dies. If one of them is missing, I¡¯ll throw you back to the Divine Beast Continent."


    Ice¡¯s fur stood on end as she red at Jiu Shen while raising her front paws. "Meow!"


    Jiu Shen smirked and ignored the chubby cat who was looking at him with a fierce look. "It¡¯s hard to believe that you¡¯re a descendant of a cial Sovereign Tiger..." He muttered to himself with a look of disdain which garnered Ice¡¯s displeasure, but in the end, she could only stare at Jiu Shen¡¯s figure as he swaggered out of the scene.


    "What a hateful human! Stinky human! Meow!"


    * * *


    In the outskirts of Green Wood City, more than a dozen groups of cultivators and mercenaries can be seen sprinting towards a certain location. If one would look closely, there was a huge cave in the direction where these people were headed into.


    "Boss Scar, there are a lot of strong people this time, so it might be hard for us to gain a lot of benefits." Liu Xiufeng nced warily at the other groups as he spoke those words.


    Boss Scar¡¯s gaze became solemn when he heard him speak. "Xiufeng, some of them may be stronger than us, but don¡¯t forget that there are also a lot of groups here, and it is still unknown who will get more benefits. We just have to act carefully and not provoke these people."


    Liu Xiufeng and the others nodded their heads gravely as they followed behind Boss Scar. Although they were not optimistic in the mission this time, they were still willing to follow Boss Scar even if the situation was unfavorable for them.


    This was the group of Boss Scar and they were coincidentally in Green Wood City to inspect the cave that was discovered by the locals of the city. This mission was the reason why they were not present in Jiu Shen¡¯s store during the past few days. Their goal here was to temper themselves and get a few treasures if they were lucky enough...


    Boss Scar thought that only a few people would dare to check this ce, but when they arrived in Green Wood City a few days ago, the mysterious cave was already the talk of everyone, making it quite famous in the city.


    "Everyone, tempering ourselves is the number one priority here, and the treasures onlye second, so make sure to stay safe and be wary at all times." Boss Scar warned his friends with a solemn look.


    Liu Xiufeng and the other mercenaries nodded their heads in understanding.

 Chapter 145 - Streaking Through The Skies With A Beauty In His Arms

    <h4>Chapter 145 - Streaking Through The Skies With A Beauty In His Arms </h4>


    "With Ice overseeing things here, I can now visit Green Wood City without worrying about anything." Jiu Shen muttered to himself as he went back to his store.


    Just right outside his store, Jiu Shen met Emperor Elyk who had just exited. Thetter was somewhat surprised when he saw Jiu Shen, but he immediately let out a smile filled withplicated emotions. "Wine Master Jiu, I heard that you will be going to Green Wood City. What might your reason be for visiting that ce?" He inquired with a curious look.


    Jiu Shen nced at Emperor Elyk and remained silent for a moment before he replied in a calm voice. "Nothing special. I¡¯ll just pluck a few spiritual nts and other ingredients for my wines."


    Emperor Elyk looked at Jiu Shen deeply, but he could not read thetter¡¯s expression, so he could only choose to ept his reason. "Hm, I see. I wanted to discuss more things with you, Wine Master Jiu, but it appears that you are in a hurry, so I won¡¯t take much of your time. For now, I¡¯ll just return to the imperial pce and tell those two little brats of mine to immediatelye here and work for you. Hahaha! Be careful on your journey, Wine Master Jiu!" Emperor Elyk chuckled before he left with his men. He was eager to let the fourth prince and the fifth princess work in Jiu Shen¡¯s wine store. If they receive Jiu Shen¡¯s guidance, their growth would surely increase by leaps and bounds.


    Jiu Shen watched their disappearing backs indifferently and turned to walk inside his store. He also ignored the two alchemists who were still kneeling outside his store. This made the two old men bitterly shook their heads.


    If they thought that it was that easy to move Jiu Shen¡¯s heart, then they are terribly wrong...


    Inside the store, Jiu Shen saw that Xia Xinyue was already there waiting for him. He could also see the excitement in her eyes as she talked with Lu Sn and the other elders of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect, but when thedies saw Jiu Shen¡¯s figure walking towards them, they abruptly stood up from their seats and bowed respectfully at him.


    Jiu Shen waved his right hand and gestured for them to sit down before he turned his attention to Xia Xinyue. "Have you prepared your things?" He asked.


    Xia Xinyue put on a meek appearance as she faced Jiu Shen¡¯s expressionless face. "Yes, Sect Master Jiu. I¡¯ve already prepared everything on my end." She replied while stealthily looking at his eyes. She didn¡¯t dare stare at him for too long, afraid that she might be enchanted by his charms again.


    "Good! Let¡¯s go." Jiu Shen turned around as he said those words, but he suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked at Lu Sn with a serious expression.


    "Sn, you stay here and handle the store for me, okay?" He said solemnly.


    Lu Sn nodded her head at her master and smiled gently. "Master, don¡¯t worry about the store and just focus yourself on your journey. With Young Miss Theia and Lord Ren¡¯s presence, no one will dare to create a ruckus here."


    Jiu Shen nodded his head at Lu Sn and beckoned at Xia Xinyue to follow him. He thenmunicated with the system inside his head. "System, give me the mission details."


    - Ding!


    - Mission: A hidden cave was discovered within the territory of Green Wood City. However, this was once a dwelling of a peak stage Nascent God who failed to break through to the Origin God Realm. In the deepest part of the cave, the system has detected the presence of several God Crystals which can be of help to the Host¡¯s cultivation.


    "God Stones... Could it be... System, are the God Stones in that cave sufficient to help me break through to the Nascent God Realm?" He asked with a hint of anticipation.


    - Ding!


    - Host, you have to find out about this yourself. Please work hard!


    Jiu Shen¡¯s face twitched when he heard the system¡¯s reply, but he was now feeling slightly expectant about this hidden cave. The owner of the mysterious cave was an Origin God Realm expert which was the next realm after the Nascent God Realm. With his strength, he should have a lot of treasures in his possession, but this was nothing to Jiu Shen since what hecked right now were not treasures, but resources that could help him promote his cultivation level. Aside from that, the mission provided by the system only stated about the God Stones, so Jiu Shen¡¯s number one goal in this trip was to get those God Stones from the cave.


    "Lord Sect Master, can I know your purpose in visiting Green Wood City?" Xia Xinyue asked while looking at Jiu Shen¡¯s side profile.


    Jiu Shen nced at her with a calm face and replied indifferently. "You¡¯ll know soon."


    Xia Xinyue pursed her lips at his reply, but she didn¡¯t ask him about that again. However, she was really curious as to what made Jiu Shen decide to visit Green Wood City. ¡¯Just what could it be...¡¯


    Jiu Shen then looked at Master Fengzi and Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian who were still prostrating before him and sighed in his heart.


    "The both of you should stop doing this. You will only waste your time here since I will never change my mind." Jiu Shen said in a cold tone.


    Master Fengzi and Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian stared at Jiu Shen unyieldingly.


    "Wine Master Jiu, even if you don¡¯t ept the both of us as your disciples, we will still willingly follow you." Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian balled his thin and weak-looking hands as he gazed at Jiu Shen.


    Master Fengzi remained silent, but his expression was the same as the supreme elder.


    Jiu Shen shook his head and grabbed Xia Xinyue¡¯s waist tightly in his embrace before he unfurled his inky ck wings. While ignoring Xia Xinyue¡¯s embarrassed look, he soared through the skies as he hugged her supple figure tightly.


    Xia Xinyue was still at the peak stage of the 7th-rank Emperor realm, so she was still incapable of flying. Only when one breaks through the 8th-rank Divine realm will they be able to use their true essence to manipte the power of the elements and allow themselves to fly in the skies.


    Xia Xinyue¡¯s face was beet-red as if she was drunk, and she also appeared to be in a dazed state as she held Jiu Shen¡¯s arms tightly, afraid that she might fall from the sky.


    With the power of Jiu Shen¡¯s dark wings, it wouldn¡¯t be long before they would arrive in Green Wood City. He didn¡¯t use his ability to cut through space as it consumes a lot of his true essence. Furthermore, he already expected that the mysterious cave wouldn¡¯t be safe, so he must conserve his strength. The deceased expert was an Origin God Realm, and that kind of cultivator was still too strong for Jiu Shen. He might have ced some traps inside the cave, so every bit of Jiu Shen¡¯s true essence was needed for the exploration within the mysterious cave.


    * * *


    More than several hundred cultivators were standing outside the mysterious cave. Some of them were in groups, while a few others were lone travelers. All of them were wearing cautious expressions as they nced at the cultivators around them.


    "Boss Scar, we¡¯ve been waiting here for several hours already, but no one is still willing to go inside first. It looks like everyone is afraid that there might be some trapsid inside the cave." Liu Xiufeng muttered as he alertly observed the other cultivators around them.


    Boss Scar nodded his head gravely and replied. "No one here is dumb enough to send themselves to an unknown ce. Later, the stronger groups might force the weaker ones to lead the exploration, so everyone must prepare for that."


    Liu Xiufeng and the others nodded their heads solemnly. Although their group was fairly strong, they still remained alert as they waited for things to happen.


    The atmosphere suddenly became tensed as all the cultivators held the handles of their weapons tightly. No one wanted to be the cannon fodder, so they didn¡¯t dare step forward to go inside the cave...


    "Fellow warriors, I have a suggestion!" A bald man with dark skin shouted in a loud voice which instantly made everyone nce his way. The bald man looked like a monk, but the dangerous presence he emitted was simr to those who had gone through countless battles, so no one dared to make any rash moves.


    Here ites...


    After getting everyone¡¯s attention, the bald man smiled and said inly. "I can see a few friends here who are at the 2nd-rank Elite Warrior realm. How about letting these friends lead the way for us?"


    Everyone¡¯s expression turned weird when they heard his words. They understood his intentions and they could not help but feel that this bald man was truly vicious. He was actually suggesting to send the weakest among them to lead the exploration! But upon thinking it through, they also thought that his suggestion was reasonable, so they didn¡¯t oppose the idea.


    Boss Scar and his buddies heaved a sigh of relief. The weakest among his group was already at the 3rd-rank Crusader realm. They felt that they had just survived a disaster at that instant.

 Chapter 146 - Hu Xiandaos Gentle Heart

    <h4>Chapter 146 - Hu Xiandao''s Gentle Heart </h4>


    All the 2nd-rank Elite Warrior realm cultivators felt indignant in their hearts, but they couldn¡¯t do anything since the baldy looked like a very strong person. Even if the bunch of them grouped up together, they would only bembs for him to ughter.


    "I won¡¯t join this exploration anymore. Farewell."


    "Me too. I don¡¯t want to use my life to exchange for the unknowns. I might as well return to Green Wood City."


    A few of the 2nd-rank Elite Warriors voiced out their thoughts. None of them wanted to be the cannon fodder, so they could only choose to leave. Who would want to trade their lives for something uncertain? Not to mention that the mysterious cave might be very dangerous.


    Everyone frowned when they heard those low-level cultivators speak, but none of them stopped them from leaving.


    Just then...


    "Did I give you guys the permission to leave?" The bald man¡¯s face darkened as he nced at those low-level cultivators in disdain. He was a 7th-rank Emperor realm expert, so he didn¡¯t really take them seriously.


    After hearing his cold words, those low-level cultivators who initially wanted to leave suddenly stopped in their tracks. They could not help but look at the bald man in fear while holding their weapons tightly.


    When he saw their actions, the bald man chuckled in derision. "Friends, please lead the way while I¡¯m still in a good mood."


    His threatening words reverberated within the minds of everyone, making them feel slightly anxious. The only thing that consoled them was the fact that this bald man appeared to be a lone cultivator. However, their vignce towards this bald man still heightened considerably.


    "Sir, this is the territory of Greeb Wood City! No one can force us if we want to leave!"


    "That¡¯s right! You may be strong, but do you have the guts to ignore Green Wood City¡¯s rules?"


    The bald man became enraged when he heard their dissatisfied voices. He then sneered at them. "Rules? Do you think I care about some measly rules? Since you guys are tired of living, there¡¯s no use in keeping you alive anymore!"


    After saying those words, the bald man pounced towards the low-level cultivators and raised his fists in midair causing a violent fluctuation in the surroundings.


    His abrupt attack surprised everyone around and they didn¡¯t even have the chance to stop him.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    And just like that, the bald man started his killing spree without even a look of hesitation in his pair of dark obsidian-like eyes that seemed to contain a trace of cruelty in his already brutal visage.


    Those 2nd-rank Elite Warriors didn¡¯t evenst after a single blow from him before their bodies burst into smithereens. Blood and broken bones scattered on the grassy field, painting a crimson color in this beautiful greenery.


    The bald man¡¯s eyes shed with a flicker of savagery as he killed those low-level cultivators, while the other warriors could only look on in surprise. No one even dared to offer help to those pitiful cultivators since everyone was scared witless at this man¡¯s cruel nature.


    "You¡¯re a demon! Stop! The City Lord of Green Wood City strictly forbids killing within his territory! If this is known by him, you¡¯d surely be punished by him!" A middle-aged man with rough facial features nced fearfully at the bald man¡¯s face as he grabbed his bleeding left shoulder which no longer had an arm attached to it. He grimaced in pain and hisplexion was already pale. If not for him being a 2nd-rank Elite Warrior, he would have already passed out from the severe loss of blood.


    "Friend, hold back your anger. We can talk this out, so there is no need for this unnecessary killing. Just give me some face here, how about it?" A voice echoed in a distance, stunning the bald man. He was surprised that someone was actually brave enough to stop him from killing, but when he saw the owner of the voice, his killing intent died down almost instantly.


    Walking towards the bald man was a towering figure with bulging and refined muscles. His head was covered by long wavy red hair and there was also a tinge of coldness in his pair of eyes. If Jiu Shen was here, he would surely recognize this man since this was none other than Hu Xiandao who formerly only had one arm but had fortunately regrown his severed limb with the help of Jiu Shen¡¯s Body Reforging Heaven Pill.


    Currently, Hu Xiandao was already an expert at the early stage of the 8th-rank Divine realm in terms of physical body strength, and his aura which had weathered through countless bloody battles in the violent and dreary Mythos Wilnds unconsciously gushed out of his body.


    The bald man immediately let out a warm smile when he saw Hu Xiandao stepping out for those low-level cultivators. He could not see through Hu Xiandao¡¯s exact level of strength, but he could still somehow sense his overpowering and oppressive aura. With this, he no longer dared to continue his madness and abruptly stopped his killing spree.


    "Since this friend has spoken, I will of course take a step back, but these bastards will have to lead the way for us inside the cave." The bald man smiled at Hu Xiandao as he cupped his fists at thetter to show his respect.


    Hu Xiandao nodded his head at his greeting but he frowned when he heard the bald man¡¯s words. "Friend, although letting them lead the way inside is indeed a good idea, but I don¡¯t like using the lives of other people to get what I desire." Hu Xiandao shook his head calmly and nced at the low-level cultivators.


    "Leave. This ce isn¡¯t something that the likes of you could casually enter. Only death awaits you inside."


    After hearing Hu Xiandao¡¯s clear warning, the low-level cultivators no longer hesitated and left one by one after offering their heartfelt thanks to him. They also didn¡¯t forget to re at the bald man before they left the ce.


    The bald man felt somewhat humiliated for having been disregarded by Hu Xiandao. In all his life, he had never been treated like this, so he was truly furious in his heart. However, he was wary of Hu Xiandao¡¯s power so he didn¡¯t dare act rashly, and he could only force out a crooked smile.


    "Friend, may I have the honor of knowing your name?" The bald man asked while hiding his displeasure inside his heart.


    Hu Xiandao fixed his gaze on him and replied in a cold tone. "Hu Xiandao." After telling him his name, Hu Xiandao turned around and went back to his spot.


    The bald man¡¯s eyes flickered with rage after seeing Hu Xiandao¡¯s attitude, but he forcefully pressed down his anger and coldly snorted.


    Hu Xiandao sighed as he looked at the bloody remains of those who died. At first, he didn¡¯t want to help them, but after seeing their unswerving will and pitiful faces, Hu Xiandao¡¯s gentle nature immediately kicked in. ¡¯It looks like I¡¯ll have to dy my return to Wine Master Jiu¡¯s store. I hope he won¡¯t be displeased by my actions. I just can¡¯t pass up on this opportunity or I would surely regret it for the rest of my life.¡¯


    He was supposed toe back to Beltran City after sending his message to the Mythos Wilnds, but he inadvertently heard the rumors about this cave from the residents of Green Wood City. And as a man with great aspirations, he instantly decided to take a look at this ce, but who knows that before he could even step inside the mysterious cave, he would actually see this brutal sight. Although those that had died were only strangers with weak cultivation bases, Hu Xiandao didn¡¯t want to see them dying for just a simple reason. That¡¯s also the reason why he decided to intervene.


    Now, the situation returned to how it has been a few minutes ago, but everyone was already starting to get impatient, so some daring groups decided to sprint towards the cave. This instantly drew the crowds¡¯ attention, and not long after that, many others went towards the cave after seeing that those people arrived safely inside.


    Boss Scar and the others also followed behind the crowd but their faces were grim and alert as if they were prepared for any surprise attacks. They had seen how the bald man had killed those low-level cultivators without even a hint of hesitation. This action made Boss Scar and the others feel a huge amount of dread in their hearts, making them slightly nervous as they went inside the cave.


    "Brothers, we must all stick together at this instant. I¡¯m afraid that this journey is much harder than ourst missions. I apologize for implicating you guys in this. Sigh!" Boss Scar sighed and shook his head in regret. He was the one who suggested in going to this ce to temper themselves, but he didn¡¯t think that it was actually extremely dangerous...


    Liu Xiufeng and the others bitterly shook their heads, but they didn¡¯t me Boss Scar for this since his intention was good.


    "Boss, what are you apologizing for? All of us agreed toplete this mission and this was not your choice alone." Liu Xiufeng chuckled as he lightly pped Boss Scar¡¯s back with a smile on his face, while the others nodded their heads in agreement.


    Boss Scar felt a surge of warmth in his heart after seeing the consoling looks of his buddies, and he immediately vowed in his heart that he would protect them at all cost!

 Chapter 147 - Meeting Acquaintances

    <h4>Chapter 147 - Meeting Acquaintances </h4>


    Jiu Shen with Xia Xinyue on his bossomnded on the grassy field outside of the mysterious cave. The pair saw a few dead bodies strewn all over the ce which made Xia Xinyue a bit surprised. Jiu Shen merely took a quick nce at those corpses with his emotionless gaze before he walked straight towards the mouth of the mysterious cave.


    "Lord Sect Master, are you here for this cave?" Xia Xinyue was truly curious about this. With the strength that Jiu Shen showed and his high and mighty identity, what could be inside this cave that suddenly moved his heart? She started to specte, but she really had no idea what Jiu Shen was here for.


    Jiu Shen turned his gaze to Xia Xinyue and replied in an indifferent tone. "This cave is an abode of a top expert, and hidden inside hisir are countless high-level treasures. I¡¯m here for those treasures, so don¡¯t ask any more questions and just silently follow behind me."


    Xia Xinyue sensed the impatience in his voice, so she promptly nodded her head in an obedient manner. In her mind, Jiu Shen was not someone who can be easily swayed by treasures, so her doubt increased when she heard his reply. ¡¯Just what did hee here for?¡¯


    Jiu Shen used his spiritual power to scan the passage ahead of them. He can sense that more than a hundred cultivators had already gone inside, but Jiu Shen wasn¡¯t worried that they would take the God Stones since he had already seen theyout of this mysterious cave through his spiritual power.


    This cave actually had ten levels in total, and the deeper one goes inside, the more treasures they would find. However, hidden inconspicuously within this cave were numerous traps that could even threaten an 8th-rank Divine realm expert. And if not for the long passage of time, these traps could have had the ability to even kill Nascent God Realm experts, but since so many years have already passed by, the power of these traps had greatly diminished.


    Along the way, the pair saw a few bloody corpses that met their ends from those hidden traps. That¡¯s why their journey was rather carefree since most of the traps were already disabled by the cultivators that went inside earlier.


    Xia Xinyue hid behind Jiu Shen and held the hem of his robes when she saw how those cultivators met their ends. Although she was already a peak stage 7th-rank Emperor realm expert, she was strangely meek and reliant if she was together with Jiu Shen. Furthermore, she could feel that her heart was at ease if she was near him, it was as if nothing could go wrong as long as this man was there for her.


    This was a strange and new feeling for Xia Xinyue.


    She had been cultivating diligently in the Ice Cloud Sword Sect for many years and she had no idea about the rtionship between a man and a woman, so she could not understand the sensation she was feeling right now.


    Just then.


    Shua! Shua! Shua! Shua!


    Dozens of bone arrows suddenly streaked towards them which instantly made Xia Xinyue went pale in shock. She could feel the strength behind these arrows and it was definitely enough to injure her severely and it could even possibly take her life. Although her life was at risk, she believed that Jiu Shen could easily ward off this attack, so she only let out a surprised shout without taking any further actions.


    "Ahh!"


    Jiu Shen didn¡¯t even bat an eye as they faced those bone arrows, and before those arrows could prate their bodies, they evaporated into thin air, leaving no traces behind.


    Xia Xinyue¡¯s eyes widened when she saw that and she could not help but nce at Jiu Shen in awe, surprise, and bewilderment. He didn¡¯t even see how Jiu Shen moved, but those bones arrows weren¡¯t even able to touch their shadows...


    Initially, Xia Xinyue wanted to ask how Jiu Shen managed to destroy those bone arrows, but when she recalled his words earlier, she immediately decided to swallow down her curiosity.


    As the pair moved deeper inside the mysterious cave, the corpses that they encountered increased.


    "Pay attention to your surroundings. We¡¯ve already reached the second level of the cave and this ce is much more dangerous than the first level. The hidden traps here are many times deadlier than that one earlier." Jiu Shen grabbed Xia Xinyue¡¯s hand and pulled her closer to him.


    Xia Xinyue nodded her head while pursing her lips.


    Earlier, Jiu Shen tried controlling the space element to arrive inside the tenth level right away, but it seemed as if there was a strong formation that prevented him from using his power to control space. So he had no choice but to go through all levels and he even had to take care of Xia Xinyue long the way.


    After walking for several minutes, they could finally see the cultivators who had gone inside the mysterious cave earlier than them. There were only a little more than a hundred of them left and they all appeared to be in a sorry state.


    After staring at them for a brief moment, Jiu Shen was a bit surprised since he saw a few acquaintances among the group, but when he looked at the injuries all over their bodies, Jiu Shen knew that they definitely had a tough time surviving.


    "Let¡¯s go." Jiu Shen pulled Xia Xinyue¡¯s dainty hand, causing thedy to produce a light sound of protest, but she didn¡¯t pull her hand away from Jiu Shen¡¯s grip.


    Hu Xiandao¡¯s ears suddenly twitched and he immediately turned around to check the situation, but when he saw Jiu Shen walking towards them, he could not help but feel a bit stunned. "Wine Master Jiu!?" He eximed in surprise.


    Hu Xiandao¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t that loud, but the volume of his voice was loud enough for everyone to hear it, so these cultivators instantly turned around to see what¡¯s going on. And when they saw the two persons walking nonchntly towards them, they felt a bit indignant in their hearts since they had gone through fire and water just to reach this ce, but the both of them didn¡¯t even appear to be injured.


    The bald man frowned when he saw the unharmed Jiu Shen and Xia Xinyue. He had already been pressing down his rage since they had gone inside this damnable cave, and now he saw that this pair was totally unharmed, and this made his anger soar, so he strode towards Jiu Shen and Xia Xinyue with bloodshot eyes.


    "Friends, did you intentionally let us go inside the cave first to disable the traps for you? The both of you are unharmed because we have already disabled all the traps on the first level! You wretched couple!" The bald man could no longer hold back his rage as he spat out those cold words.


    Jiu Shen didn¡¯t even spare a nce at him and continued walking towards the severely injured Boss Scar and his buddies. To his surprise, all of them were alive and this perplexed him a bit, but when he saw Hu Xiandao standing together with them, he suddenly understood what had happened.


    Hu Xiandao must have protected Boss Scar¡¯s group from the traps of the first level.


    Jiu Shen casually threw a couple of healing pills to them and nodded his head at Hu Xiandao as if he was praising his actions.


    Hu Xiandao smiled foolishly as he stared at Jiu Shen¡¯s figure with a look of worship.


    Not far from them, the bald man who was ignored nced murderously at Jiu Shen and Xia Xinyue.

 Chapter 148 - Illusionary World

    <h4>Chapter 148 - Illusionary World </h4>


    Jiu Shen felt a strong killing intent piercing through his back and he could not help but smirk in amusement. A flicker of imperceptible anger shed before his pair of silver eyes as Jiu Shen turned to face the bald man with a calm look.


    "I chose to ignore this ant earlier since I don¡¯t want to dirty my hands with his filthy blood, but who knows that this guy is actually tired of living..." Jiu Shen muttered as he looked at the bald man as if he was looking at a corpse.


    Hu Xiandao, Boss Scar, and the others who were familiar with Jiu Shen¡¯s personality were surprised to hear these kinds of words from him. The Wine Master Jiu in their minds was quiet and had azy disposition, but this face of Jiu Shen in front of them gave a different feeling.


    The baldy¡¯s face contorted with fury when he heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words.


    "Brother Hu, I want to give you face, but this damnable bastard is just too much so don¡¯t me me for being merciless!!" The bald man red at Jiu Shen with a face full of wrath.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes looked calm and tranquil on the surface, but the killing intent in his heart has reached to a terrifying degree that everyone could feel the atmosphere around them suddenly drop.


    Just because he appeared to be harmless and quiet doesn¡¯t mean that Jiu Shen didn¡¯t want to kill. It¡¯s just that he preferred to live a peaceful life in this mortal world, but never did he thought that he would actually be treated casually by the mortals of Nuar.


    "It seems like I have truly been merciful all this while. Sigh." Jiu Shen shook his head lightly and the majestic and overpowering demeanor of one of the top paragons in the Primordial God Realm suddenly burst forth from his being, bringing awe and fear to the onlooking crowd.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes were still serene, but this time, even the weakest among everyone present could already feel the oppressive might that Jiu Shen possessed.


    The bald man¡¯s eyes went wide in panic and he immediately regretted his rashness. To think that this brat that didn¡¯t look older than twenty could actually exude such an earth-shaking aura. This truly made the bald man vexed in his heart, but he could do nothing but sigh to himself with a bitter look.


    "Little bro-"


    Pu.


    Like a watermelon hit by a huge mace, the bald man¡¯s head suddenly exploded under the dumbstruck gazes of everyone.


    The headless corpse staggered briefly before it dropped to the ground.


    Thud.


    Fear enveloped the hearts of the onlooking crowd after seeing how a 7th-rank Emperor realm expert died just like that. He wasn¡¯t even able to continue speaking before his head exploded into a bloody mess. Such cruelty...


    Jiu Shen¡¯s silver eyes were still tranquil as if nothing noteworthy happened. He then grabbed the dumbfounded Xia Xinyue towards the deeper parts of the mysterious cave while ignoring the crowd who stood rooted in their spots.


    Suddenly, Hu Xiandao, Boss Scar, and the others heard Jiu Shen¡¯s voice inside their heads. "Leave this ce. You will only be courting death if you foolishly get inside."


    After that, they all looked at each other and smiled wryly to themselves.


    "Let¡¯s go back. Since Wine Master Jiu has already spoken, we should just listen to his orders." Hu Xiandao said to Boss Scar and his buddies. At first, they were strangers, but after casually talking among each other, Hu Xiandao learned that they were actually customers of Jiu Shen, so he readily provided them with help and prevented them from dying. If not for this barbarian¡¯s assistance, Boss Scar and his buddies might have already lost their lives.


    Boss Scar nced at Jiu Shen¡¯s back with aplicated look and shook his head. "Wine Master Jiu has hidden himself deeply, but it seems like he is now allowing others to see his true power. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?" He muttered in a barely noticeable voice.


    Hu Xiandao naturally heard Boss Scar¡¯s words and his heart became agitated all of a sudden. Even this fearless barbarian felt fearful as he recalled Jiu Shen¡¯s pair of iparably cold and emotionless eyes.


    "Luckily, I¡¯m not his enemy." He muttered in his heart with relief.


    After that, their group started to leave the mysterious cave. When the other groups saw them leaving, they promptly abandoned the idea of going deeper into the cave, but some brave souls still dare to go deeper with resolute faces.


    * * *


    Within the 3rd level of the mysterious, the scene in front of Jiu Shen and Xia Xinyue suddenly changed.


    Before them was a vast expanse of greeneries, tall mountains, and beautiful rivers. There were also a few savage beasts that emitted violent roars after sensing the pair¡¯s arrival.


    Xia Xinyue¡¯s gorgeous face revealed a hint of pleasant surprise when she saw the splendid scenery in front of them.


    "Illusionary World?" Jiu Shen muttered under his breath and nodded his head inwardly.


    "The fellow who owned this ce isn¡¯t just an ordinary Origin God Realm expert if he was capable of constructing this illusionary world. If it wasn¡¯t eroded by the endless passing of time, it could have trapped Nascent God Realm experts, but now, it could only manage to confine experts below the 9th-rank Saint realm. What a pity." Jiu Shen said in a casual tone, but Xia Xinyue who heard his words suddenly revealed a tinge of cruelty and she took out a cold and gleaming sword before plunging towards Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen sneered as he swiped his right arm, brandishing it like a dragon¡¯s w which instantly tore through the air and sliced Xia Xinyue¡¯s body apart.


    Rip.


    The scene in front of Jiu Shen once again changed. This time, he was back inside the cold and gloomy cave with dim lighting.


    He saw that Xia Xinyue was still under the effects of the illusionary world, but he didn¡¯t help her right away and instead went towards a corner of the third level. He then pressed his hands on a bulging part on the wall, which caused a clicking sound to echo faintly.


    Click.


    And as if forcefully awakened from a long slumber, Xia Xinyue panted while holding her ample chest with a look of terror. She finally realized that the beautiful ce that she had seen earlier was only an illusion created by a high-level array formation. Thinking about this, sweat trickled down her pretty face as her chest rose up and down as she breathed heavily.


    She then looked in front of her and her eyes exhibited a trace of horror after realizing that herpanion wasn¡¯t present. Jiu Shen. Sect Master Jiu Shen. Where is he? She suddenly felt a sense of emptiness as if she was abandoned by the world...


    Step. Step. Step.


    When she heard those footsteps Xia Xinyue abruptly turned around and immediately dashed towards Jiu Shen after seeing his figure. She dived into his embrace and sobbed like a married woman who had finally seen her husband after being separated for many years.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes flickered and wanted to push her away, but when he heard her sobbing sounds, he just stood there foolishly and allowed her to vent her emotions.


    ¡¯Ays... This little girl is so troublesome. I shouldn¡¯t have brought her here...¡¯

 Chapter 149 - Unexpected Customers

    <h4>Chapter 149 - Unexpected Customers </h4>


    Jiu Shen didn¡¯t know how to coax a woman, so he just rubbed Xia Xinyue¡¯s back gently. If there was someone else here, they would have surely believed that they were a couple.


    ¡¯She¡¯s already a very strong woman in Nuar¡¯s standard, but she¡¯s still acting like a little girl. Perhaps she might be someone with a not so nice past.¡¯ Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes turned milder when he thought about that.


    After crying her heart out for several minutes, Xia Xinyue realized that she was too childish, so she couldn¡¯t help but blush in shame as she stared at Jiu Shen¡¯s handsome but expressionless face. ¡¯If only I could see his smile...¡¯


    "Lord Sect Master, my apologies for having wasted your time." Xia Xinyue dipped her head in embarrassment. She actually cried in front of someone that she had just met. Although she admired Jiu Shen¡¯s power and charisma, it didn¡¯t reach the point of feeling affection towards him.


    Jiu Shen shook his head and pulled her towards the fourth level of the mysterious cave. He wanted toplete his mission as soon as possible so that he can try to break through to the Nascent God Realm.


    * * *


    A dayter.


    The Immortal¡¯s Wine.


    The wine store was packed with people like always, and the four little beauties Xia Hua and her friends were so busy attending to the customers, but there was not even a hint of dissatisfaction on their youthful faces. In fact, they were even proud to work as a staff in Jiu Shen¡¯s store.


    At first, they had some resistance, but after receiving Jiu Shen¡¯s sword guidance, the four of them no longer harbored any discontent. Aside from that, nobody dared to bully them because no one had the guts to do so. Who would be foolish enough to flirt with these little beauties inside the store when there was always a pair of incredibly cold eyes watching them?


    Not longter, Emperor Elyk came back to the store with a broad smile on his face. His appearance inside the store brought exmations from the customers, but they instantly reverted to their normal states since they already knew that the emperor was also a regr customer of Jiu Shen¡¯s wine store.


    Following behind the emperor were two teens wearing excited looks as they nced at the new design of the store; they were the Fourth Prince Dante Silveria and the Fifth Princess Sylvia Silveria.


    The emperor had already told them about Jiu Shen¡¯s proposal, and the both of them immediately epted the offer without even voicing out their displeasure. This surprised Emperor Elyk especially after he saw the eager look of Sylvia, his only daughter. He thought that the little demoness would reject it instantly, but who knew that she was even more excited than him about it. As stunned as he was, the emperor looked at his fourth son to know why his daughter was acting weird, but the fourth prince merely let out an ambiguous smile. The emperor had a bad premonition about it when he saw the fourth prince¡¯s cheeky smile, but he didn¡¯t dare think about it anymore.


    Emperor Elyk was not surprised about Jiu Shen¡¯s absence since he already knew that thetter would visit Green Wood City. However, he was dying to know the reason for Jiu Shen¡¯s sudden decision in going there.


    "Young Miss Theia, I¡¯ve brought my kids here under the instructions of Wine Master Jiu." Emperor Elyk smiled warmly while pushing his son and daughter forward.


    Theia nodded her head indifferently at the emperor before she swept a casual nce at the fourth prince and the fifth princess. Her icy gaze sent shivers down their spines, but the two still shed a forced smile.


    "Greetings, Young Miss Theia."


    "Greetings, Young Miss Theia."


    They already heard about Theia¡¯s strength from their father, so they were more reserved and respectful to her this time.


    "Go look for Hestia. She will teach both of you about what to do here." Theia said calmly.


    The fourth prince and the fifth princess timidly nodded their heads and they didn¡¯t even dare look at Theia¡¯s eyes. After that, the two immediately sprinted out of the scene to look for Hestia. They were afraid that they might copse if they stay near Theia for a much longer time.


    Now, only the emperor and Theia were left standing there. The atmosphere suddenly became awkward as the two remained silent.


    "Young Miss Theia, do you know how long will Wine Master Jiu stay in Green Wood City?" Emperor Elyk could not help but ask to dissolve the awkward air.


    Theia shook her head lightly and answered with an imperceptible longing in her pair of enchanting eyes. "I don¡¯t know, but master wouldn¡¯t stay there for long. Afterpleting his matters in Green Wood City, he will certainly return right away."


    Emperor Elyk nodded his head in understanding and hesitated for a moment before asking another question. "Then what about Su... Sect Mistress Lu?" He didn¡¯t know why he asked that question, but his heart seemed to have not released all his feelings for Lu Sn yet.


    Theia¡¯s beautiful face turned weird when she heard him ask that and she didn¡¯t even bother to reply. And without even looking at him, Theia walked out away, leaving the emperor behind who was wearing a self-mocking smile.


    ¡¯Sigh... Why is it so hard to forget her?¡¯ He muttered in his heart as he walked towards the second floor with a deste look.


    Just as he was about to go upstairs, he suddenly sensed two strong auras outside the store, making Emperor Elyk abruptly stop in his tracks. He frowned and peered deeply towards the figure of the two and he could not help but gasp in surprise.


    "Two 9th-rank Saints?!"


    Outside the store stood two old men wearing a set of embroidered ck robes and their murky eyes revealed a trace of Corpse Qi that was invisible to the eyes of others.


    "So this is the store of that bastard Jiu Shen. It doesn¡¯t look that bad." Xue Yangkai the Patriarch of the Xue Family muttered in a disdainful tone, but he was inwardly shocked at the store¡¯s exquisite design. He could even feel a strong fluctuation of energy surrounding the store that seemed to be a protective barrier. Although he could barely sense it, he could still somehow tell that it was definitely a high-level array formation. This revtion shocked him senseless since it was even stronger than their Xue Family¡¯s protective array formation.


    Xue Yangkun the Supreme Elder of the Xue Family furrowed his eyebrows as he looked at the store with great interest. "Oh, this Jiu Shen isn¡¯t simple indeed. Perhaps only Elder Ming can stand on the same level as him." He muttered.


    The two old men impatiently stepped inside the store and their faces immediately changed after sensing the slight shift in space. The store looked huge from the outside, but it was actually a lotrger inside!


    "Space Maniption!" The two nced at each other as they eximed with dumbfounded looks. They¡¯ve already heard about this from the customers of the store, but they still felt shocked after experiencing it themselves.


    "Wee dear guests." Xiao Hua smiled radiantly at the two old men as she curtsied elegantly. Hestia taught them that everyone that steps inside the store was their customer and they should be treated with equal respect no matter what their race or social standing was. So upon seeing these two old men, she immediately revealed a professional smile.


    Xue Yangkai and Xue Yangkun nced at Xiao Hua with amiable smiles on their faces. They didn¡¯te here to wage war with the store, and they were only here to gather information about the store¡¯s strength.


    "Guests, may I be presumptuous and ask you guys about the level of your cultivation?" Xia Hua asked in a humble tone, but the two old men were caught off guard by this sudden question.


    "Littless, why do you ask this?" Xue Yangkun smiled gently at her, revealing the look of a cordial and kind-hearted elder.


    Xiao Hua nced at him gently and pointed her right index finger upwards and said in a mysterious tone. "Experts at the 7th-rank Emperor realm and above are allowed to go to the store¡¯s second floor."


    Xue Yangkai and Xue Yangkun revealed confused expressions when they heard her answer, but their curiosity towards this second floor intensified.


    "Oh, littless, can you tell us what is the benefit of going up there?" Xue Yangkai asked.


    Xiao Hua gave them a brilliant smile before she replied. "Guests, you¡¯ll know about it once you go upstairs."


    Xue Yangkai and Xue Yangkun felt a bit doubtful since this might be a trap set up for them, but when they saw Xia Hua¡¯s innocent smile, they instantly discarded the thought.


    "Ho, you¡¯re ying mysterious with us old men eh? In that case, we shall see what¡¯s so special about this second floor. If we will be disappointed about this, I won¡¯t be lenient with you littless." Xue Yangkai jokingly said as if he was a harmless old man.


    Xiao Hua giggled when she heard that and she didn¡¯t even realize that Xue Yangkai actually meant his words. "Guests, follow me upstairs and you¡¯ll know why I¡¯m so confident about this."


    Xia Hua turned around and gestured for the two old men to follow him.


    Xue Yangkai and Xue Yangkun smiled widely and trailed behind her with amused faces.


    Looking at their figures, Emperor Elyk who was now standing beside Theia frowned as he pondered deeply.

 Chapter 150 - Broadening Horizons

    <h4>Chapter 150 - Broadening Horizons </h4>


    Jiu Shen and Xia Xinyue were already at the seventh level of the mysterious cave, and the traps were also bing stronger and deadlier as they moved deeper, but Jiu Shen¡¯s expression was still calm. He could have been at the tenth level of this cave by now if he was just moving alone, but with Xia Xinyue following him, he naturally had to protect her from danger, making this exploration a bit longer.


    At the moment, the pair was now resting in front of a bonfire that was set up by the sensible Xia Xinyue. Of course, she had to use a fire element treasure to build this bonfire because she was not proficient in fire elemental spells. After all, her Ice Cloud Sword Sect only focused on Water and Ice elemental spells and cultivation techniques.


    Jiu Shen could actually make a much better bonfire with his power, but he didn¡¯t want to dampen Xia Xinyue¡¯s mood, so he just allowed her to do as she pleased. Furthermore, the coldness inside the mysterious cave was of no effect to him with his present cultivation level, so he didn¡¯t really care much about the coldness.


    "Lord Sect Master, the traps here are getting more and more dangerous. Just what kind of expert was able to build this entire ce?" Xia Xinyue¡¯splexion turned pale as she thought of the dangers that they had faced in the lower levels. She knew that she would have already died many times if not for Jiu Shen¡¯s protection, and she felt useless during the entire journey since Jiu Shen did everything on his own without even needing her help.


    Jiu Shen who had his eyes shut tight a few moments ago raised his head to look at Xia Xinyue. Looking at her terrified appearance, his gaze softened as he replied in an indifferent voice. "The owner of this cave is a bit special. Although he is just an Origin God Realm cultivator, his attainment in array formation making isn¡¯t that low. Just that, the power of the array formations inside this cave has already weakened after thousands of years of inactivity..." Since Xia Xinyue was already one of his people, Jiu Shen decided to tell her the truth. Besides, he also wanted to broaden her horizons by telling her this.


    Xia Xinyue¡¯s gorgeous eyebrows knitted in confusion. Origin God Realm? What is that?


    "Lord Sect Master, what is this Origin God Realm that you speak of?" She asked as she eagerly looked at Jiu Shen¡¯s face. She didn¡¯t know what the Origin God Realm was, but she could tell that it was definitely a higher level of cultivation, so she was wanted to know everything about it.


    Jiu Shen reclined on the chair that he brought out from his space earring and ced one of his legs on top of the other before speaking in azy tone. "With what I¡¯ve seen so far, the cultivation levels of the cultivators in the Profound Dragon Continent are divided into nine levels:


    1st-rank Warrior


    2nd-rank Elite Warrior


    3rd-rank Crusader


    4th-rank Knight Crusader


    5th-rank Spirit


    6th-rank King


    7th-rank Emperor


    8th-rank Divine


    And 9th-rank Saint


    However, do you know what is after that?" Jiu Shen¡¯s fixed his nonchnt gaze on Xia Xinyue¡¯s face.


    Xia Xinyue was stunned when she heard Jiu Shen¡¯s question, but she still replied albeit with a perplexed look. "After the 9th-rank Saint isn¡¯t it the 10th-rank God?"


    "10th-rank God? You¡¯re not entirely wrong, but you¡¯re not correct either." Jiu Shen shook his head lightly.


    He then continued. "After the 9th-rank Saint, a cultivator will face their lightning tribtion. Everyone¡¯s lightning tribtion differs depending on their strength, and after one survives this, they will be promoted to the Nascent God Realm, gaining tens of thousands of years of additional lifespan."


    Xia Xinyue¡¯s beautiful eyes widened and her jaw almost dropped to the ground, making this prettydy look silly. "Lord Sect Master, you mentioned that the owner of this cave was an Origin God Realm expert, could it be the next realm after the Nascent God Realm?" She asked with shining eyes. This was quite shocking to her since she thought that the 10th-rank God realm was the final phase of cultivation.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly. "Indeed. After the Nascent God Realm is the Origin God Realm... I¡¯m just curious how Nuar was able to give birth to such an expert with its thin amount of true essence? Perhaps this was once a ce with an abundant amount of true essence and cultivation resources. Just that, how did it devolve into this after merely a few tens of thousands of years?" Jiu Shen muttered to himself with a pondering expression, but his voice was still loud enough for Xia Xinyue to hear.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s words made Xia Xinyue tremble in shock. How can Jiu Shen speak these words so casually? And howe he knows so much about this as if it was the back of his hands? Could he be...


    Xia Xinyue¡¯s scalp tingled and her thoughts were now in disarray after hearing all of this. The way she looked at Jiu Shen also changed and there was even more respect and veneration in her violently flickering eyes.


    "Lord Sect Master, we have a few books that recorded the presence of 10th-rank God realm experts during the great war between the Demon Race and the Alliance fifty thousand years ago. However, the details about these experts are only so few." Xia Xinyue shook her head regretfully. She had read those books before, but it didn¡¯t mention anything about what Jiu Shen had just told her earlier.


    ording to Jiu Shen, the experts at that level had more than several ten thousand years of lifespan, but why did they suddenly disappear without a trace in the Profound Dragon Continent? Some of them should still be alive, but she had heard none at their level throughout all these years. The strongest that she knew were only the Alliance Leaders of the Alliance, but they were only at the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint. She could sense that this matter wasn¡¯t as simple as it seemed to be, and there might be a hidden conspiracy about this.


    "Lord Sect Master, what do you think about it? As far as I can remember, the strongest in the Profound Dragon Continent is only at the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint." Xia Xinyue nced at Jiu Shen who was still absorbed in his own thoughts. At this moment, the image of Jiu Shen suddenly changed in her heart. How could a normal person know about all this?


    Jiu Shen shook his head and sighed in his heart. He wasn¡¯t an inhabitant of Nuar, so he truly had no idea about what might have happened many years ago to this ce.


    "There¡¯s no use in asking me about this since I also don¡¯t know, but we might be able to get a few clues from this cave." Jiu Shen replied calmly. Now, he was even more curious concerning the history of Nuar.


    Xia Xinyue¡¯s eyes shone when she heard that. Right! The owner of the cave was an expert at the Origin God Realm, so he might have written a few things about events of their time, but it was still not certain whether they can get any clues regarding the era of those experts.


    "Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ve rested enough. It¡¯s time to go to the eighth level." Jiu Shen stood up from his seat and put the chair inside his space earring as he said those words.


    Xia Xinyue nodded her head with a solemn look.


    * * *


    The Immortal¡¯s Wine Store.


    Xue Yangkai and Xue Yangkun followed Xiao Hua to the second floor of the store with cautious looks. They didn¡¯t dare put down their guards since the possibility of them being ambushed at this point wasn¡¯t low.


    Suddenly, the pupils of the two old men contracted when they saw the figure of Ren Shuang standing upright outside the entrance of the second floor. They could not see through thetter no matter how hard they looked, and this alone made the both of them greatly rmed.


    ¡¯An expert?!¡¯


    Xue Yangkai and Xue Yangkun were both experts at the early stage of the 9th-rank Saint, so they were surprised that they couldn¡¯t read the strength of the man standing outside the second floor.


    "Guests, please follow me inside." Xiao Hua smiled at the two old men as she opened the entrance of the second floor. And the moment she opened the door, Xue Yangkai and Xue Yangkun immediately felt an abundant amount of true essence hitting their bodies. The faces of the two old men brightened as they stepped inside the second floor. They even momentarily forgot about Ren Shuang after feeling the dense amount of true essence inside.


    They didn¡¯t know that right after they entered, Ren Shuang who had his eyes shut tight the entire time suddenly revealed a cold grin, but it soon reverted to his usual calmness.


    "What a good ce for cultivation!"


    "Littless, you didn¡¯t deceive us indeed! Hahaha!"


    Xue Yangkai and Xue Yangkun eximed as they nced around.


    Xiao Hua smiled proudly as she replied. "I told you guys that this ce won¡¯t disappoint you. Now you know why I¡¯m confident. Hehe."


    Xue Yangkai and Xue Yangkun nced at each other and smiled amiably.

 Chapter 151 - Destroying Undead With Ease

    <h4>Chapter 151 - Destroying Undead With Ease </h4>


    At the eighth level of the mysterious cave, Jiu Shen and Xia Xinyue were surrounded by a little more than a hundred skeletal warriors. Each of them was wearing a set of steel-ted armor and they were also holding a huge broadsword in their ghastly bony hands.


    Looking at the more than a hundred 7th-rank Emperor realm skeletal warriors, Xia Xinyue¡¯s eyes exhibited a trace of worry, but when she looked at Jiu Shen¡¯s calm and indifferent face, she felt a bit relieved. However, she still put on a vignt look as she held her sword tightly in her hand. ¡¯No matter how strong Lord Sect Master is, he will still sumb under this many 7th-rank Emperor realm skeletal warriors, but if he can break past their encirclement, he might be able toe out alive.¡¯


    After thinking about that, she then stared resolutely at Jiu Shen¡¯s side profile and muttered with a slightly quivering voice. "Lord Sect Master, you don¡¯t need to protect me. Throughout the entire journey, I¡¯ve only been a hindrance to you, so there is no need for you to waste your energy in protecting me. I just hope that you will help Sn in bringing our Ice Cloud Sword Sect to eternal glory..."


    Actually, she didn¡¯t want to die, but facing this kind of circumstance, she would feel guilty even if she managed to survive since she was just a burden to Jiu Shen in this whole exploration.


    Jiu Shen lifted his eyebrows in surprise when he heard her determined voice and he could not help but take a clearer look at the beautiful face of this lovelydy. He didn¡¯t think much about her during the entire time and merely treated her as a subordinate, but upon sensing her resolve, his impression of this woman changed considerably.


    "Do you think that these puny undeads can stop me, Jiu Shen?" Jiu Shen chuckled in an amused tone.


    Xia Xinyue sensed the disdain in Jiu Shen¡¯s voice, and she could not help but be bewildered in her heart. Just where did he get his confidence? Facing this many undeads at the 7th-rank Emperor realm, even Emperor Elyk wouldn¡¯t be able to say such bold words, so how can he still remain calm in this kind of situation?


    Roaarr!!


    Roaarr!!


    The skeletal warriors roared as they pounced towards the pair while lifting their broadswords. Their loud roars shook the entire cave that even the bravest of men would surely be terrified by it.


    Xia Xinyue¡¯s legs almost buckled at the stifling aura they produced and the hand she used in holding her sword trembled lightly.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s silver eyes shed and turned golden in color as a pair of inky ck wings sprouted behind his back. His calm and indifferent expression suddenly changed as an incredibly cold smile hung on his devilishly handsome visage.


    The dragon tattoo in his right arm suddenly turned into a wisp of ck smoke before it turned into an ordinary-looking ck sword.


    Roaarrrrr!!


    An ear-piercing draconic cry reverberated like a p of thunder, stunning the group of undeads that were about to attack Jiu Shen and Xia Xinyue. Their hollow eyesck a sense of sentience, but strangely, they exhibited a trace of horror when they heard the dragon¡¯s roar of Jiu Shen¡¯s Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword.


    The appearance of the ordinary-looking ck sword in Jiu Shen¡¯s hand slowly changed, and in not less than a few seconds, it turned into an iparably threatening and malicious-looking heavy sword that looked even more imposing due to the ancient patterns on its de and the life-like dragon engraving that intertwined on its hilt.


    Thezy and casual aura of Jiu Shen can no longer be sensed, and only an awe-inspiring and peerless air of a top expert can be felt around him.


    Xia Xinyue¡¯s eyes widened at this sudden change that she even forgot the situation they were facing. ¡¯Is this his true strength? He looks so cool...¡¯


    And without waiting for the undeads to recover, Jiu Shen¡¯s figure flickered as he dashed towards them with his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword in hand.


    He then pped his wings and brandished his sword with a set of graceful movements. He didn¡¯t look like he was attacking at all, instead, it was as if he was an immortal that painted the scenery with a wless sword dance.


    Bang!


    More than a dozen skeletal warriors disintegrated after being hit by Jiu Shen¡¯s sword strike and their weapons were not even spared, breaking into pieces as if a block of brittle ss.


    Xia Xinyue who had already willed herself to die suddenly felt that her words earlier were somewhatughable to Jiu Shen.


    ¡¯To think that there was someone this strong in the Silver Wing Empire. I wonder how strong he ispared to the Alliance Leaders of the Alliance?¡¯ She thought in her heart as she looked at how Jiu Shen dismembered more than a hundred 7th-rank Emperor realm skeletal warriors as if they were a bunch of hapless chickens. It was truly shocking that her eyes glittered in admiration at the sight of him effortlessly destroying those creatures.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    On the other hand, Jiu Shen didn¡¯t want to waste any more time in this ce, so he hurriedly finished off the remaining skeletal warriors. The bunch of them were not even able to get near Jiu Shen before they became a pile of dust under his overwhelming sword strikes.


    The Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword in Jiu Shen¡¯s hand turned into a wisp of ck smoke as it went back into his right arm.


    Jiu Shen retracted his pitch-ck wings and his pair of golden eyes reverted to its natural silver color. Hiszy and apathetic temperament once again returned, making Xia Xinyue almost believe that everything that happened was but a fleeting mirage.


    With a slight turn of his head, he nced at Xia Xinyue¡¯s face with a calm but milder look. Seeing Jiu Shen¡¯s indifferent gaze fixed on her figure, Xia Xinyue smiled in embarrassment.


    "Let¡¯s go. There are still two levels before we can reach the end of this mysterious cave." Jiu Shen said with a poker face.


    Xia Xinyue nodded her head but she could not help but grumble after not even seeing a single treasure around them. "That Origin God Realm expert is so stingy. After going through eight levels of his abode, we didn¡¯t even encounter a single treasure. What a miser!"


    Hearing her words, Jiu Shen¡¯s lips curved upwards to form a faint smile, but Xia Xinyue was now looking elsewhere so she didn¡¯t see this.


    "Stopining. If I¡¯m not wrong, the treasures he left behind should be on the final level of this ce. Just that, don¡¯t expect too much since so many years have already passed by. Some of his treasures might have already turned into dust." Jiu Shen muttered as he walked away, leaving behind the stunned Xia Xinyue who immediately sprinted towards him. She was afraid that there might still be a few skeletal warriors along the way. If she wouldn¡¯t stay near Jiu Shen, then she would only be courting death.


    After knowing Jiu Shen¡¯s strength, she was now sure that she would be protected as long as she was near him. Xia Xinyue also became excited at the thought of him suddenly bing their Sect Master. Only a few days have passed, but she was now wholeheartedly devoted to serving this man. She was certain that their Ice Cloud Sword Sect would be feared throughout the whole of Nuar just because of him.


    "Lord Sect Master, you seem to be proficient in array formations. Could it be you are also a high-level Array Formation Maker?" She stared at Jiu Shen with a curious look on her face. Along the way, they encountered a few array formations, but they were easily cracked by Jiu Shen. Her Ice Cloud Sword Sect also had a few Array Formation Maker, but they were only 7th-level Array Formation Makers, and they surely wouldn¡¯t be able to discern the array formation inside this mysterious cave.


    Looking at Jiu Shen who was presumably an Alchemy Saint and a top cultivator, she found it hard to believe that he was also a high-level Array Formation Maker. Was there really such an all-around genius? However, the proof was already right in front of her eyes, so she could only ask Jiu Shen to satisfy her curiosity.


    Jiu Shen stopped in his tracks and his face became imperceptibly unnatural. High-level Array Formation Maker? Perhaps, only in this world was he qualified to be called as such.


    "I merely studied a bit of Array Formation Making, and my attainment in this field is mediocre. I am only a 9th-rank Array Formation Maker..."

 Chapter 152 - Golems

    <h4>Chapter 152 - Golems </h4>


    Mediocre? 9th-rank Array Formation Maker? Xia Xinyue didn¡¯t know whether tough or to cry when she heard his answer. And looking at his serious expression, Xia Xinyue could only roll her eyes secretly. ¡¯Since when did a 9th-rank Array Formation Maker be weak?¡¯ Xia Xinyue felt a bit agitated in her heart.


    She couldn¡¯t be med since Array Formation Makers are rare in Nuar and they were even rarer than the Alchemists, that¡¯s why they were treated with respect anywhere they go. Even in their Ice Cloud Sword Sect, the number of Array Formation Makers could only be counted with one hand. And now, Jiu Shen was actually telling her that a 9th-rank Array Formation Maker was weak... Just who was he?


    "Lord Sect Master..." Xia Xinyue¡¯s face twitched but she didn¡¯t know what to say after seeing Jiu Shen¡¯s calm but handsome face. In the end, she could only sigh and shake her head.


    Jiu Shen ignored Xia Xinyue and slightly frowned when he felt the situation in the ninth level of the mysterious cave.


    Upon seeing the serious look of Jiu Shen, Xia Xinyue suddenly became tense. Throughout the whole journey inside this cave, she had never seen Jiu Shen react that way, so she couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit nervous when she saw his expression. She immediately took out her sword as she surveyed their surroundings with a wary gaze.


    In front of them was a massive stone door that was about ten meters tall and five meters wide. The surface of the stone door was covered by ayer of dust signifying the number of years it was left unattended.


    After looking at this stone door, she didn¡¯t realize that anything was amiss, but she was somehow certain that behind this stone door was very dangerous. What else could make Jiu Shen look perturbed?


    The reason why Jiu Shen was disying this kind of expression was because he felt the fluctuation of a few life forces behind the stone door. It means, there were living beings behind this door, but what kind of creatures could survive for tens of thousands of years?


    He ced his hands on the stone door and pushed it with all his strength, making the huge stone door emit a sound. Not long after that, as if it could no longer hold against Jiu Shen¡¯s strength, the stone door slowly crumbled into pieces. Huge pieces of broken stones crushed the ce where the stone door was previously located.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Jiu Shen grabbed Xia Xinyue and lifted her away before they would be buried by those huge stone debris.


    Dust and smoke enveloped the ce ahead of them, but Jiu Shen could now clearly see the creatures in front by using his spiritual power.


    "Golems? Hm, I see." He muttered with a bit of a surprise. Golems were stone creatures with sentience, but their intelligence was only simr to a three year old kid and their procreation level wasn¡¯tparable to humans, making golems very rare even in the Primordial God Realm. However, the golems in the Primordial God Realm were not weak and some even had developed their intellect to a certain extent. Some stronger golems could even speak like normal humans and their strength was also unfathomable...


    After the dust and the cloud of smoke subsided, Jiu Shen and Xia Xinyue saw five gigantic creatures made from several stacks of stones. Xia Xinyue¡¯s eyes widened when she saw the golems since it was her first time seeing these strange creatures. "What an ugly creature..." She muttered unconsciously as she stared at those golems.


    Jiu Shen smirked when he heard her words. He then took a nce at those golems and discovered that their strength wasparable to a body enhancer at the 9th-rank Saint realm. The thought of taming them suddenly came inside his head, but he hurriedly discarded the idea since taming these creatures would be hard and needed quite a long period of time. He didn¡¯t want to stay longer in this ce just to get his hands on these creatures. Furthermore, he already had a few strong subordinates working under him, so he didn¡¯t really need to tame these ugly creatures.


    After sensing the arrival of the intruders, the red eyes of the five golems suddenly flickered and their stone-like faces revealed a look of fury. And with a stomp of their foot, they madly charged towards the pair, creating a massive disturbance within the cave.


    Rumble. Rumble. Rumble.


    The cave shook as if there was a strong earthquake after the five golems initiated their attack. Seeing this, Jiu Shen¡¯s figure changed once more as his silver eyes slowly turned golden and a pair of pitch-ck wings sprouted behind his back. However, Jiu Shen didn¡¯t take out his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword this time since physical attacks were useless on these golems and they would only regenerate themselves. Only elemental attacks were effective on them.


    Xia Xinyue didn¡¯t wait for Jiu Shen¡¯s warning and she hurriedly distanced herself several dozen meters away. She wouldn¡¯t be useful in this fight since these creatures were at the 9th-rank Saint realm, so she sensibly backed away to avoid distracting Jiu Shen.


    A golem pounced towards Jiu Shen and lifted its huge mountain-like fist, causing the air to produce a violent swooshing sound as its fist struck towards Jiu Shen.


    Swoosh!


    Jiu Shen pped his wings and evaded the attack nimbly without a change in his expression, causing the golem to hit the empty ground.


    Bang!


    A huge crater was formed where the golem¡¯s fist struck.


    The four other golems were not idle and they hurriedly lifted their gigantic fists to punch Jiu Shen, but he was able to evade their attack with great ease.


    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!


    These golems might be strong and had tough bodies, but their speed and mobility was its weakness, making it more vulnerable. Just that, one needs to have a strong elemental prowess if they wanted to kill these creatures.


    Jiu Shen waved his arms in midair producing hundreds of ck mes that caused the temperature of the entire ce to rise higher.


    "Too bad I¡¯m in a hurry. If not, I would have chosen to bring you guys with me..." Jiu Shen muttered as he fired those ck mes towards the golems.

 Chapter 153 - Final Stage

    <h4>Chapter 153 - Final Stage </h4>


    Raging ck mes enveloped the figures of the five golems and they could only emit devastated roars as they slowly melted from the intense temperature of Jiu Shen¡¯s ck mes.


    Although these creatures were equivalent to 9th-rank Saint realm body enhancers, they seemed like ducks and chickens being mercilessly incinerated under Jiu Shen¡¯s violent and brutal ck mes!


    The golems twisted their stone bodies vigorously, causing violent movements inside the ninth level of the mysterious cave that shook the ground like an earthquake, but in the end, the five golems still powerlessly slumped on the ground before melting into ava-like substance that emitted a cloud of ck smoke. Not longter, not even an ash was left behind from the golems¡¯ humongous bodies.


    Looking at this scene from afar, Xia Xinyue could not help but gasp in fear and veneration. The eyes she used to look at Jiu Shen were now twinkling like stars as she muttered silently to herself. "Lord Sect Master¡¯s power is too strong. Perhaps, he is a Nascent God Realm expert..."


    Because she could not sense Jiu Shen¡¯s strength and also from the overpowering battle ability that he showed during the fight recently, Xia Xinyue thought that Jiu Shen was a Nascent God Realm expert...


    Om!


    A two-meter tall portal suddenly appeared in front of Jiu Shen making him a bit surprised, but when he recalled that the owner of this mysterious cave was an Array Formation Maker, he calmed himself down and turned his head to look at the stunned Xia Xinyue.


    "Follow closely behind me. If I¡¯m not wrong, behind this portal should be the final stage of this cave. We¡¯ll see what that deceased top expert left behind before his death." His indifferent voice rung beside Xia Xinyue¡¯s ears, waking her up from her stupor.


    She hurriedly dashed towards Jiu Shen who had already stepped inside the portal, and after the figure of the two could no longer be seen, the portal produced a ripple.


    Om!


    A faint vibrating sound echoed from the portal before it slowly vanished.


    * * *


    Jiu Shen and Xia Xinyue looked around them and they realized that they were no longer within the cave.


    In front of them was a vast expanse of rocky terrain. No trees or even a de of grass could be seen, and only an ancient stone coffin was hovering just a hundred meters ahead of them.


    The stone coffin emitted a sacred light as if a great personage was buried inside of it, but Jiu Shen scoffed disdainfully in his heart when he saw it since he knew that this was merely an effect created by an illusionary array formation, so how could he be impressed by this? ¡¯This guy actually wants other people to believe that he is an almighty figure. Well, he could be considered as a top expert here in Nuar, but still, to think that he wants this kind of vainglory. What an egoistic fellow...¡¯


    The two of them didn¡¯t get closer to the stone coffin because there was still a conspicuous-looking statue beneath it, and Jiu Shen felt a dangerous vibeing from this statue. It was the first time that Jiu Shen felt this kind of sensation after he transmigrated here in Nuar. It was a stifling kind of feeling that he only experience every time he faced strong opponents.


    Looking at this statue, Jiu Shen¡¯s golden eyes revealed a strange glint. He then silently gestured for Xia Xinyue to back away.


    Xia Xinyue saw the trace of solemnity in Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes and she could not help but take a clearer look at the statue beneath the hovering stone coffin.


    It was the statue of a middle-aged man with heroic facial features. His muscr upper body was naked and was riddled with battle scars. The lower part of his body was covered with thick battle armor that seemed to be made from a high-level metal. On the hands of this middle-aged man was a huge stone axe that was at least twice longer than this two-meter tall statue. The de of the axe looked imposing and threatening with its sickle-like edge.


    After seeing that Xia Xinyue had already distanced herself, Jiu Shen summoned his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword.


    Roarrr!!


    Jiu Shen¡¯s sword emitted an explosive draconic cry as if it was announcing its arrival to the world. However, the lifeless eyes of the statue suddenly sprung open after the Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword produced its sound. A pair of purple orbs flickered incessantly within the statue¡¯s hollow eyes.


    "A puppet made from array formations? Interesting." Jiu Shen muttered as he nced at the statue of the middle-aged man with a rare serious look.


    Crack. Crack. Crack.


    Cracking sounds echoed as the statue slowly twisted its limbs as if it had awakened from its slumber. It then looked at Jiu Shen with an emotionless look as it slowly walked towards him. Its steps were steady and unhurried as it left deep footprints on the rugged ground.


    "Nascent God Realm puppet!" Jiu Shen eximed in his heart. If it was in his past life, he wouldn¡¯t care about a measly puppet at the Nascent God Realm, but currently, he was only at thete stage of the 9th-rank Saint realm, so he still has to be cautious when facing this statue that had the strength of a Nascent God Realm expert.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s muscles became tensed as the puppet came nearer to him.


    He hasn¡¯t encountered an enemy as strong as this puppet since his arrival here in Nuar, so his battles mostly ended after just one attack from him, but this time, it might be different.


    "Looks like I¡¯ll have to use my sword techniques now... What a nostalgic feeling..." He muttered as he slowly lifted his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword.


    As if it had sensed that Jiu Shen was preparing for an attack, the puppet who was just walking casually before suddenly pounced towards Jiu Shen while lifting its huge axe with both its hands. The air rippled as Jiu Shen suddenly felt a strong sense of danger. He quickly tapped his feet on the ground and he also pped his pitch-ck wings to fly in midair.


    Baanng!


    The rocky surface where Jiu Shen had once been now had a huge and deep hole on it with spiderweb-like cracks all around.


    The puppet emitted an enraged roar after seeing that it had only hit the empty air and the pair of purple orbs in its eye sockets flickered wildly.


    Roaaarrr!!


    Its vicious voice didn¡¯t sound human-like and it was correct to say that it sounded more like the cry of a beast.


    "Fleeting Sword Heavenly sh." Jiu Shen silently muttered as he spun in the air before producing a keening sword sh that struck towards the puppet like a de of wind that ripped the air apart!


    Swoosh!


    A violent gust of wind abruptly followed behind his sh which seemed like a tornado in stormy weather.


    The puppet lifted its iparably huge axe and violently swung it, meeting Jiu Shen¡¯s attack fearlessly.


    Booooomm!!!


    The figures of the two were hurtled away because of the strong impact from their attacks, and even the distantly watching Xia Xinyue felt the true essence within her body revolving crazily.


    "How strong! This is definitely not the strength of a 9th-rank Saint! Did I guess it right? Lord Sect Master Jiu Shen really is a Nascent God Realm expert? Amazing!" Xia Xinyue¡¯s eyes contained a fanatical light as she watched the battle between Jiu Shen and the puppet. Although she could hardly follow the figures of the two, she was still able to see how intense their exchange was.


    Violent explosions rang out as the two collided dozens of times, but only several seconds have passed by at this instant.


    The ce around them was already in a mess with multiple craters and indents on the ground. Only the stone coffin remained hovering ceaselessly in midair while emitting a dense sacred light.


    Xia Xinyue¡¯s mouth widened and she could not help but cover her tiny mouth with her dainty hands as she stared at the battle with a stupefied look on her face.


    It was the first time she had seen a battle at this level and she would never forget this scene even after many yearster.


    Jiu Shen narrowed his eyes as he looked at the lightly damaged figure of the puppet. He was one realm weaker than his opponent and he could battle evenly with it because of his physique and weapon, but the puppet¡¯s strength had also exceeded his expectations. It was actually able to regenerate itself like those golems from the ninth level of the mysterious cave! However, Jiu Shen has yet to use his full strength and stronger sword techniques and he was merely fighting with it casually because it has been long since he had a fight this intense. Even the dragon descendant Long Meili was not as strong as the puppet he was facing right now.


    He wanted to prolong this battle as it might take a few more years before he could find another opponent as strong as this puppet.


    Jiu Shen golden eyes exhibited a tinge of excitement as he held his sword. "Come on. Don¡¯t disappoint me." He muttered with a cold grin.

 Chapter 154 - Fighting Continues

    <h4>Chapter 154 - Fighting Continues </h4>


    The puppet seemed to have felt the excitement and disdain in Jiu Shen¡¯s tone, making it emit an ear-piercing roar that shook the surroundings visibly.


    Roaarrrr!!


    After hearing its beast-like shout, Jiu Shen let out a taunting smile as he pointed his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword towards the puppet in a provoking manner as he said with an imperceivable excitement. "Come! Show me your full strength!"


    Roooarrr!!


    The puppet cried out once more before it dashed towards Jiu Shen while lifting its axe above its head causing violent ripples in the air. It then furiously struck down aiming to split Jiu Shen in half!


    With a faint smile on his face, Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes glinted as he held his sword with both hands before brandishing it against the puppet¡¯s axe without fear. He actually wanted to meet the puppet¡¯s attack head-on!


    A keening sword sound echoed as the ancient carvings on the Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword in Jiu Shen hands lit up, illuminating the uneven ground with a bright golden light.


    Unaware of the changes in Jiu Shen¡¯s sword, the puppet continued its attack.


    Booommm!!!


    After the two weapons collided, a thunderous explosion rang out, creatingyers of huge ripples in the air.


    At the epicenter of this explosion were two figures stubbornly holding their weapons while ring at each other.


    There were visible cracks on the arms of the puppet, but it was healing at a discernible speed. On the other hand, Jiu Shen appeared to be spotlessly clean with no noticeable injury. He was still wearing a calm smile as he looked at the puppet with a nostalgic gaze.


    "More! Let me experience it once more!" Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes contained the lust for battle. He had been confined for millions of years in the God Sealing Tower, with his soul being tortured every day. He missed the days when he could freely roam the Primordial God Realm to battle with top experts and god beasts. Now, he felt as if he was back into his earlier years in the Primordial God Realm, making him crave for a more stimting fight.


    The purple orbs within the puppet¡¯s hollow eyes suddenly flickered vigorously as if it was provoked by Jiu Shen¡¯s expression. And with a twist of its body, it spun towards Jiu Shen like a tumultuous hurricane, producing strong gusts of wind as it came nearer to Jiu Shen.


    Crack. Crack. Crack.


    The rocky ground cracked following the puppet¡¯s violent movement. Looking at this from afar, Xia Xinyue felt dread in her heart as she nced at the puppet that now looked like a meat grinder as it continuously spun at a rapid speed.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes shone when he saw this and he immediately did a casual and natural sword stance as he muttered silently. "Wind Breaking Sword Implosion."


    The Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword in Jiu Shen¡¯s hands produced dozens of sword lights that streaked towards the spinning puppet as he brandished it in a fluid motion. He looked like a sword immortal that danced through the skies with his set of graceful sword movements.


    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!


    The sword lights struck the spinning puppet which slowed down its movements considerably.


    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!


    More sword light struck it, and not longter, the puppet was flung away like a kite with a broken string.


    Thud!


    The puppet¡¯s broken body copsed hundreds of meters away, but it was still tightly holding the giant axe in its hands.


    The puppet now had countless cracks on its body that it looked as if it would break into pieces anytime by now, but the purple orbs in its eye sockets were still burning intensely.


    Jiu Shen looked at the puppet with an interested smile. He realized that the deceased owner of this puppet was a genius in array formation and weapon refining since the puppet he created was actually so strong despite being left here for thousands of years.


    The puppet suddenly stood up after it had regenerated a part of its broken body, and it stared at Jiu Shen as if it wanted to eat him whole.


    Roaarr!!


    It emitted a loud sound but it seemed much weaker than before. The damage done by Jiu Shen¡¯s attack can be perceived by this change.


    The puppet abruptly leaped towards Jiu Shen, wanting to catch him unprepared, but thetter was already aware of its actions the moment it started moving, so with a p of his wings, it looked as if Jiu Shen had barely evaded the puppet¡¯s strike.


    Bangg!!


    Jiu Shen gracefullynded on the ground before bolting towards the puppet while brandishing his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword forward, creating a massive burning sword light that stretched up to ten meters in length. It looked like a zing giant de of a scythe that shot towards the puppet, leaving behind countless kes of fire in the air.


    Swoosh!


    The puppet felt the danger and it didn¡¯t dare face this sword attack head-on, but it could only move slowly as if it was greatly pressured by the iing fiery sword light.


    Baangg!!


    The right half of the puppet¡¯s body melted from the intense and raging fiery sword light. The huge axe it was holding just a few moments ago had now be a pool ofva. It can be seen how devastating the attack Jiu Shen had just thrown to it.


    The pair of purple orbs in its hollow eye sockets suddenly dimmed as it knelt on the ground. The right torso of the puppet was now gone, and the remaining part was now covered with meltedva, making it look very miserable.


    The awe-inspiring Nascent God Realm puppet was reduced into such a plight with Jiu Shen¡¯s sword attack.


    "I¡¯m done ying with you." Jiu Shen muttered as he swung his sword towards the kneeling and absent-minded puppet.


    Crack!


    The puppet¡¯s body broke into countless pieces after receiving Jiu Shen¡¯s sword sh.


    Jiu Shen nced at the puppet¡¯s fragmented pieces before he turned his apathetic gaze towards the stone coffin that hovered ceaselessly in midair.


    He then flew closer to the stone coffin with a p of his pitch-ck wings.


    p. p. p.


    After getting a clearer look at the stone coffin, Jiu Shen saw the array carvings on its surface that protected it from being eroded by time.


    He touched the coffin and felt its ice-cold surface. He then circted his true essence to provide heat for his body. If it was anyone else, they would have turned to ice sculpture if they had touched the stone coffin without thinking, but Jiu Shen had the Seamless Deity Physique making him invulnerable to such low-level coldness.


    After seeing that there was no danger from the stone coffin, Jiu Shen recalled his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword. He then destroyed the array carvings on its surface before bringing it to the ground.


    "Elder Xia,e here. There¡¯s no more danger." Jiu Shen gestured for Xia Xinyue toe near to him to inspect the stone coffin.


    Xia Xinyue quickly darted towards Jiu Shen. She was a bit curious about what was inside the stone coffin. Was the body of the deceased expert buried inside?

 Chapter 155 - Beauty Doing Hard Labor

    <h4>Chapter 155 - Beauty Doing Hard Labor </h4>


    After Jiu Shen removed the array carvings on the stone coffin, the bright golden radiance it emitted suddenly died down, making it look like an ordinary stone coffin. Although Jiu Shen had already deactivated the array formation engraved on this stone coffin, he still didn¡¯t lower down his guard since there might be a trapid inside.


    Without looking at Xia Xinyue, he said to her in a calm voice. "Elder Xia, move back a bit. There might be something dangerous inside."


    Xia Xinyue nodded her head gravely when she heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words. She then took a few steps backward while looking curiously at the stone coffin.


    Jiu Shen fixed his gaze on the coffin and muttered to himself. "The main material used in making this stone coffin is the Purple Obsidian Rock which can block the use of spiritual perception. With my current spiritual power, my spiritual perception still can¡¯t prate this stone coffin made from Purple Obsidian Rock."


    Jiu Shen tried using his spiritual perception to get a glimpse of what¡¯s inside the coffin, but an invisible power seemed to block his sight. In the end, he could only pry it open to see what is inside this stone coffin.


    Jiu Shen slowly pushed open the lid of the stone coffin causing it to emit a sound simr to the grinding stones. He rxed his guard after seeing that there was nothing wrong with the stone coffin. And when he saw what was inside, Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes revealed a pleasantly surprised expression.


    Inside the coffin was a partially dried-up corpse dressed in embroidered purple robes. The corpse¡¯s hands were resting on its chest where an intact book with glittering silver cover can be seen.


    Jiu Shen ignored the book since he had already seen what it was. It was a book about Array Formation, and it was definitely the book that cultivated this deceased expert into a high-level Array Formation Maker. Although it was precious, Jiu Shen had already read countless books that were many times betterpared to that one. However, he would still take a look at the book on the corpse¡¯s handster as it might contain a piece of precious information about array formation. Finally, Jiu Shen¡¯s gaze rested on the space ring on the corpse¡¯s left index finger.


    "The God Crystals should be inside this space ring. After getting it, my mission here will be done." Jiu Shen smiled as he reached out his hands on the space ring.


    Xia Xinyue was nervously looking at Jiu Shen as he took the space ring from the corpse¡¯s hand. After seeing that nothing went wrong, she sighed in relief. "Good thing this expert still had some conscience before he died..."


    Jiu Shen inspected the space ring and saw hundreds of God Crystals inside. There were also some misceneous items such as Earth Weapons, Divine Weapons, cultivation pills, and etc.


    Seeing this Jiu Shen felt a bit excited since the system had already mentioned that the God Crystals could help him in increasing his cultivation level. Although this amount of God Crystals was minuscule in his eyes, it was still a good harvest for the current him as it had many uses. However, he will keep it to himself since he had already nned to break through to the Nascent God Realm.


    He then took a casual nce at the book on the corpse¡¯s hands and read the contents of the book only to be disappointed. "Book of Array Formation. What a low quality trash! This can be found in every sect of the Primordial God Realm... Hm, I can give this to Sn so that she can train a few Array Formation Makers for the sect."


    Without hesitation, he ced everything inside his space earring, including the contents of the space ring owned by the deceased expert. He then tossed the empty space ring to the curious Xia Xinyue and said calmly. "The contents of the ring are useful to me, so I can only give this to you. Although it looks shabby, it is still much betterpared to themon space rings in Nuar."


    Xia Xinyue caught the space ring with a surprised look. She became even more stunned when she realized that the space ring could actually increase the cirction speed of her true essence. It must be noted that if one¡¯s true essence cirction is fast, the time one needed to cast their techniques will be much lowerpared to those with slower true essence cirction speed. With this, she would gain an advantage if she fought against cultivators with simr levels of strength, and even if she encountered cultivators that are much stronger than her, she could still escape from them. Aside from all of this, the space inside this ring was also many times bigger than the one she owned right now. The value of this space ring wasn¡¯t small just from the space inside. Not to mention its ability to increase its owner¡¯s true essence cirction speed.


    Xia Xinyue felt grateful in her heart as she looked at Jiu Shen¡¯s expressionless face. She didn¡¯t do anything during the entire cave exploration and she was even a burden to Jiu Shen, but he still gave her something with great value.


    "Lord Sect Master, thank you for your gift." She said as she bowed her head respectfully. In her heart, she had already vowed to follow Jiu Shen¡¯s orders faithfully.


    Jiu Shen didn¡¯t know that he could gain this beautifuldy¡¯s loyalty with just a space ring that he deemed as trash. He nodded his head at her and said in an indifferent tone. "Since we¡¯ve alreadypleted our mission here, we should leave this ce now."


    Xia Xinyue bowed her head in obeisance. "Yes, Lord Sect Master, but what about the corpse of this expert?"


    Jiu Shen thought for a moment before looking at the corpse inside the stone coffin. "Since we have already taken his possessions, we should give him a proper burial."


    Xia Xinyue nodded her head in agreement. "Yes, Lord Sect Master. I will get this done immediately."


    After saying those words, she immediately closed the stone coffin before looking for a spot to dig. After finding the perfect spot, she started digging using her sword. Of course, she used her true essence as she dug out the ground, making the digging process fast, but looking at the scene of this beautiful woman doing hardbor, it would surely elicit anyone¡¯s sympathy and pity, but Jiu Shen merely nced at this with a poker face.


    He then took out a chair from his space earring and watched Xia Xinyue with a look of interest after taking a seat on his chair. "This woman isn¡¯t that bad. She knows what to do..." He muttered with an amused expression.


    - Ding!


    - Side Mission: Gather God Crystals in the mysterious cave. Completed!


    - Loading Rewards!


    - Received x2 Fruit of Cultivation!


    Jiu Shen heard the system¡¯s notification forpleting his mission, making him let out a faint smile. "With the help of the two Fruits of Cultivation and the God Crystals, I wonder how strong I would be..."


    His cultivation level was now at thete stage of the 9th-rank Saint. Although his strength isparable to a Nascent God Realm expert with his Seamless Deity Physique and Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword, he would still have to use a bit of effort when fighting against them. He might have defeated the puppet earlier but its strength was onlyparable to an early stage Nascent God Realm expert. Not to mention that some of its strength was greatly eroded after the long passing of time.


    Just that, what kind of lightning tribtion would he encounter especially because he has the Seamless Deity Physique? Even Jiu Shen had no idea about it.

 Chapter 156 - The Eye In The Sky

    <h4>Chapter 156 - The Eye In The Sky </h4>


    Jiu Shen and Xia Xinyue were still within the tenth level of the mysterious cave. Although the surroundings looked like a rocky terrain, Jiu Shen knew that it was merely an effect of an array formation that created this sort of false scenery. In fact, they were still at the deepest part of the cave.


    Jiu Shen was already eager to consume the two Fruits of Cultivation at this instant, and he pondered deeply for a moment before taking the two Fruits of Cultivation from his space earring. "Since that little girl is still doing something, I should use this idle time to consume both fruits. It won¡¯t take too much time to absorb them anyway." Jiu Shen muttered to himself as he gazed at the two fruits in his hands with a hungry look.


    After a moment of hesitation, Jiu Shen moved far away from Xia Xinyue before he consumed the first Fruit of Cultivation in just a few big bites. Although he was already familiar with the taste of the fruit, he could still not help but let out a satisfied smile as munched the fruit inside his mouth into pieces. After finishing the first fruit, he then swallowed down the remaining one and closed his eyes to perceive the changes within his body.


    A warm current passed through his veins and to every part of his muscles and bones, giving him a pleasant feeling. The true essence in his dantian vigorously circted as if it was stimted by the dense energy contained by the two Fruits of Cultivation. Jiu Shen felt every pore in his body violently sucking the true essence within his surroundings which created a tempest of gentle wind around him.


    Jiu Shen calmed his breathing and steadied his state of mind. After sensing that his strength was increasing, he knew that his lightning tribtion would soon follow. If it were anyone else, they would have prepared for many days, months, or even years before they would n to break through to the Nascent God Realm, but to Jiu Shen, he decided it on a whim as if he treated the lightning tribtion as a mere fart.


    Late stage 9th-rank Saint


    Peak stage 9th-rank Saint


    At this instant, Jiu Shen felt his dantian expanding by at least twice as if it was preparing for something. Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes remained shut tight as he sat cross-legged on the cold ground.


    Outside the mysterious cave, the sky suddenly darkened, enveloping Green Wood City with a stifling atmosphere. Everyone nced at the dark sky with a look of shock and fear. A few minutes ago, it was still sunny and there were no signs of rain at all, but it suddenly became like this...


    Some experts¡¯ eyes shone with greed as they gazed at the ckening sky because they thought that a rare heavenly treasure was being birthed. On the other hand, some people felt a sense of trepidation in their hearts when they saw this scene. They haven¡¯t seen this kind of phenomenon in Green Wood City, so every one of them was curious to know the reason behind this sudden change in the weather.


    Suddenly, the space above the sky parted and a huge eye abruptly sprung open, causing everyone within Green Wood City to be stunned in extreme apprehension. The huge eye blinked once before it looked towards the mysterious cave. Its gaze was very threatening as if it could see through all deceit and disguise which seemed as if nothing could escape its sight.


    Everyone within Green Wood City shivered when they saw the huge eye casting its profound gaze down below. Although they were not the target of this gaze, they still felt apprehensive in their hearts since the aura emitted by thisrge eye was ancient and mysterious, and even some of them could not help but kneel down in worship and fear, treating the eye above the sky as a god.


    "What the hell is that thing?! It¡¯s the first time I¡¯m seeing this kind of strange phenomenon..."


    "What a scary eye! It must be an eye of a god for it to have that kind of stifling and unfathomable aura!"


    "I think it¡¯s looking in the direction of the mysterious cave! Just that, what is it looking for in that ce?"


    Everyone discussed in a lively manner while guessing the reason for the sudden appearance of the eye in the sky.


    Just as everyone was discussing animatedly, the pupil of the huge eye suddenly shrunk as if it had seen something dangerous inside the mysterious cave. Its ck iris suddenly turned crimson red and the dark sky also turned blood red in color.


    Crackle! Crackle! Crackle!


    shes of red-colored lightning lit up in the sky and violent ps of thunder echoed deafeningly.


    As the sky was enveloped in a bloody shade of red, everyone within Green Wood City suddenly realized that things were bing dangerous. And without hesitation, they fled far away while looking at the crimson sky with shaken hearts.


    "Bloody hell! What was that?!"


    "Shut the fuck up! We should flee at this instant! That thing looks dangerous and that red shes of lightning are definitely not normal!"


    Everyone desperately ran for their lives after sensing the destructive power of the red streaks of lightning. They knew that they would die if one of those bloody lightning would strike their bodies.


    Just then, the blood-red eye suddenly trembled and it hastily closed its eyelid. At that instant, there was a trace of fear in the iparably huge eye. Not long after that, it slowly lifted its eyelid and there was a stream of blood at the corner of the eye. Those who were still looking at this strange phenomenon were surprised to see this, but they had no idea what caused it to be injured.


    Within the tenth level of the mysterious cave, Jiu Shen¡¯s closed eyes suddenly sprung open. A few moments ago, he felt a suffocating gaze piercing through him, but all of sudden, a stream of gentle energy wrapped around his body removing the stifling sensation he felt. "Did the system help me? And what was that cold gaze?" Jiu Shen muttered to himself as he used his spiritual perception to check the situation outside. He was still at the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint and his lightning tribtion was yet to strike him.


    When Jiu Shen¡¯s spiritual perception saw the injured bloody eye in the sky, he felt a bit stunned since he knew what it was. In fact, he had seen it more than several dozens of times in his past life. The reason for his surprise was because that blood-red eye would only show itself when top experts are trying to break through to the Celestial God Realm! After billions of years, only Celestial Emperor Lao Gou and the other two celestial emperors managed to survive the onught caused by that eye!


    "The God Exterminating Divine Eye! Howe it¡¯s here?!" The usually calm Jiu Shen suddenly stood up and he could help but feel a bit anxious.


    Even Celestial Emperor Lao Gou and the other two celestial emperors almost died after being punished by this divine eye, so how could he not be anxious at the sight of this? It would have been fine if he had his former Heavenly God Realm cultivation level, but he was only a pitiful 9th-rank Saint at the moment.


    "Could this bloody thing be my tribtion lightning?" Jiu Shen muttered with a wry smile on his face.

 Chapter 157 - God Exterminating Divine Eye

    <h4>Chapter 157 - God Exterminating Divine Eye </h4>


    The God Exterminating Divine Eye was something that even the three celestial emperors greatly feared. The ferocious blood-red streaks of lightning that it brought along with it upon its arrival was something that was capable of sundering the heavens and overturning the skies!


    Jiu Shen¡¯s palms suddenly moistened as he stared at the God Exterminating Divine Eye with his spiritual perception. He was worried that it might destroy the whole of Nuar along with him.


    "Oh, crap! Is this because of my Seamless Deity Physique? Just what kind of monstrous supreme physique do I have for it to summon this bloody thing here?" Jiu Shen¡¯s heart tightened as he looked at the huge eye above the skies of Green Wood City.


    Just then, he squinted his eyes when he saw the gushing blood at the corner of its eyelid which made Jiu Shen a bit perplexed.


    "Howe it¡¯s injured?" Jiu Shen muttered in surprise. This God Exterminating Divine Eye was even capable of vanquishing the top experts of the Primordial God Realm, so it was a supreme existence without equal in the hearts of everyone in the Primordial God Realm. However, it was actually injured and it was even showing a trace of fear as it looked at Jiu Shen¡¯s figure.


    Jiu Shen furrowed his eyebrows, but then, he suddenly recalled the gentle sensation that removed the oppressive feeling that was caused by the God Exterminating Divine Eye¡¯s gaze. "It should be the system¡¯s doing, but how did it injure that bloody thing? Just what is the origin of the system?" Jiu Shen felt shocked in his heart, but he promptly calmed himself down with the help of his 3rd level heart realm.


    The unease that he had felt earlier was now gone, and his face once again recovered its usual indifferent expression.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s pair of eyes suddenly burned with an intense fighting will. "Since this thing is my tribtion lightning, what is there to fear about?! Come! I, Jiu Shen fear nothing!" He shouted as he destroyed the array formation within the mysterious cave.


    After losing the array formation, the restriction on the use of the element of space was removed. After that, Jiu Shen grabbed the stunned Xia Xinyue and teleported with her outside the mysterious cave.


    Jiu Shen then calmly said as he looked at the dumbfounded Xia Xinyue who was absentmindedly looking at the surroundings. "Elder Xia, you should stay within Green Wood City first. I still have to face that thing before we can go home."


    Xia Xinyue was shocked when she realized that they were already outside of the mysterious cave in just a blink of an eye. She wasn¡¯t even able to sense the danger in the atmosphere and it was only when Jiu Shen spoke that she realized the dangerous situation they were in. She then lifted her head upwards to take a look above only to be stunned shitless. "What the hell is that?!"


    Jiu Shen frowned and gave her a hard look as he said. "Leave immediately! You will die any time from now if you don¡¯t leave this ce. Just wait for me in Green Wood City."


    Xia Xinyue nodded her head like a chicken pecking on rice. She was truly scared at what she had seen. "Yes, Lord Sect Master!"


    She hurriedly left the scene with her fastest speed after she spoke those words. The aura emitted by the huge eye above them was so suffocating that she could hardly look at it. She knew that she would only be courting death if she stubbornly stayed behind, so she immediately followed Jiu Shen¡¯s orders withoutint. "Just what was that eye?! Could it be that Lord Sect Master is the reason for its appearance here? But why?"


    After seeing that Xia Xinyue had already left the ce, Jiu Shen turned his gaze on the God Exterminating Divine Eye, and when it sensed Jiu Shen¡¯s staring at it, its pupil suddenly shrunk as if it felt threatened by him.


    "Come on! Bring down those bloody lightning!" Jiu Shen shouted tauntingly as a pair of pitch-ck wings sprouted behind his back. He also summoned his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword which emitted a loud draconic roar that reverberated thunderously.


    Roarrrr!!


    The dark de of the Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword looked rather imposing as it changed into its battle form which was a two-meter tall giant heavy sword. The dark red archaic carvings on the de suddenly lit up, making it even more threatening to look at. The heads of the two dragons that intertwined on its hilt also lit up as if they wanted to fly and devour the God Exterminating Divine Eye.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s silver hair fluttered as he pped his wings vigorously to move closer to the huge eye. Now, the streaks of blood-red lightning shed continuously as if it was provoked by Jiu Shen¡¯s taunting expression.


    "Come! Are you afraid?!" Jiu Shen¡¯s mocking voice echoed in the skies and even those experts hiding within Green Wood City could sense the disdain in his voice.


    "What a madman! He actually dared to provoke that thing!"


    "That man must have gone crazy! Is he courting death?!"


    "What ad! Such a crazy person!"


    Although these words were said by them, they could still not help but admire Jiu Shen¡¯s courage and bravery. They could only see Jiu Shen¡¯s tiny figure hovering beneath the huge eye, but his small figure strangely looked broad and mighty in the onlookers¡¯ eyes.


    The God Exterminating Divine Eye became furious after sensing Jiu Shen¡¯s disdain. More streaks of blood-red lightning shed as it gazed at Jiu Shen with a solemn look.


    Crackle! Crackle! Crackle!


    Zapp!


    A bolt of bloody lightning suddenly shot towards Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes narrowed as he red at the iing bolt of lightning. He abruptly lifted his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword with both hands as he brandished it with a grave look on his face.


    "With my sword in hand, I¡¯m invincible!" Jiu Shen¡¯s deep and majestic voice reverberated coldly as a huge sword light manifested and met with the blood-red bolt of lightning!


    Baaannggg!!!


    Huge and violentyers of ripples in the air burst forth, causing fierce fluctuations in the air that toppled the nearby trees and hills.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s clothes fluttered as the tumultuous gusts of wind struck his figure. His indifferent eyes were still looking at the God Exterminating Divine Eye with disdain.


    "Bring it all down!" Jiu Shen initiated an attack as if he was unsatisfied with the strength of the blood-red lightning.


    The huge crimson eye red at Jiu Shen as three bolts of blood-red lightning struck his figure like three divine spears, leaving behind a crimson trail in the skies.


    Jiu Shen smiled widely in contempt. He realized that this God Exterminating Divine Eye was severely injured which made the bolts of blood-red lightning it produced to be thousands of times weaker than the ones he¡¯d seen in his past life.


    Although he didn¡¯t know how the system managed to injure such a strong existence, he understood that the system must be an even higher existencepared to the God Exterminating Divine Eye. If that was the case, who created it? And why did it choose him as the host? Jiu Shen didn¡¯t know the answers to these questions, but he will slowly uncover the truth as he increases his strength!

 Chapter 158 - Fury Of The God Exterminating Divine Eye

    <h4>Chapter 158 - Fury Of The God Exterminating Divine Eye </h4>


    Facing the three bolts of crimson lightning that looked like three red serpents gliding through the air, Jiu Shen¡¯s silver hair danced wildly and his clothes fluttered vigorously as he waited for the three serpent-like bolts to strike him down. He could sense that the strength behind these three streaks of bloody lightning had weakened terribly, and with his Seamless Deity Physique, he should be able to survive even if he was struck by it.


    Jiu Shen wasn¡¯t doing this out of madness. He just wanted to see whether he could use these bolts of lightning to temper himself. Although his supreme physique was the best he had seen and needed no further enhancement, he wanted to exceed his limits to tap the full potential of his supreme physique. These actions might be crazy in the eyes of others, but to Jiu Shen, he treated it as a form of tempering.


    Zapp!! Zapp!! Zapp!!


    The three bolts of blood-red lightning struck his body, making Jiu Shen¡¯s senses turn numbed that he almost lost his grip on his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword. His body convulsed under the intense electric current that flowed within his body like a violently coursing river in the midst of a storm. Despite the numbing sensation he felt, Jiu Shen¡¯s figure remained hovering above the sky like a deity that refused to bend even under the extreme punishment of the God Exterminating Divine Eye.


    His embroidered robes was now a mess with cuts and torn pieces, but the imposing aura that he emitted didn¡¯t even diminish. With a grim smile on his handsome face, Jiu Shen lifted his head to look at the God Exterminating Divine Eye with an unyielding expression.


    "Hahaha! God Exterminating Divine Eye, your strength truly disappointed this Heavenly God! Come! Show me everything you¡¯ve got!" Jiu Shen suddenly remembered his adventures during his younger years. Didn¡¯t he experience these kinds of dangerous situations before? Even so, he was still able to survive everything and he even managed to increase his strength during those times.


    Thinking about that, Jiu Shen¡¯s expression bloomed into a splendid smile. He was no longer worried about the might of the God Exterminating Divine Eye.


    The huge eye ring at Jiu Shen suddenly trembled as if it was furious at thetter¡¯s arrogance. And as a supreme existence feared by everyone in the Primordial God Realm, how could it bear Jiu Shen¡¯s insulting words? After that, it suddenly closed its eyelid as if it was preparing for an even stronger attack.


    Jiu Shen could feel an even more dangerous energy fluctuationing from the God Exterminating Divine Eye, but he remained standing tall and straight like a divine spear!


    Numerous streaks of blood-red lightning continuously struck his majestic figure. Each bolt of lightning was capable of turning a 9th-rank Saint realm expert into ashes, but it only made Jiu Shen tremble because of the wild electric currents that circted within his body. Other than that, he embraced the streaks of bloody lightning that continuously struck his body.


    Jiu Shen controlled his true essence and guided the currents of lightning to strengthen his physical body and spiritual power. And to his amazement, it was indeed able to increase his strength by a tiny bit. Although it was only a small increase in power, this still made him pleasantly surprised since he thought that it would be hard to temper his Seamless Deity Physique.


    "It seems like I can also temper myself with the help of the tribtion lightning. In that case, give me more!!!" He shouted loudly as his body quivered.


    Within Green Wood City, some experts chose to move closer to continue watching the scene. They¡¯ve heard Jiu Shen¡¯s every word as he faced those bolts of blood-red lightning, and they also saw his proud and heroic figure that remained hovering straight and erect amidst the violent lightning that unendingly hit his body.


    Seeing this, everyone was visibly moved and they unconsciously clenched their fists as they gaze at Jiu Shen¡¯s silhouette with a look of veneration and worship. Who wouldn¡¯t admire such an iron-willed man?


    Xia Xinyue who was among those people that were looking at the scene felt her maiden heart stirring violently without her knowing it. She gazed at Jiu Shen¡¯s figure with unblinking eyes, saving this scene in her memory.


    "Lord Sect Master..." Xia Xinyue¡¯s voice was filled with unconcealed admiration and there was also a tinge of tenderness. She felt her eyes bing cloudy and hazy as she looked at this man withplicated emotions.


    "Who is this exalted expert? Is he a 10th-rank God realm cultivator?"


    "This man is too strong! He is still alive even after being strike dozens of times by that bloody thing! Just who is he?!"


    Because of the great distance between them, everyone couldn¡¯t clearly see Jiu Shen¡¯s face, and they only knew that he was a man because of his voice. However, they could not help but revere him at the bottom of their hearts.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s body was now bloodied and had numerous cuts and torn muscles, but even with that being the case, he still tightly held his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword with both his hands while ring disdainfully at the God Exterminating Divine Eye that had closed its eyelid a few minutes ago.


    At this moment, the eyelid of the God Exterminating Divine Eye suddenly sprung open, producing an archaic and ancient aura that made the onlookers¡¯ legs turn into jelly with its oppressive might. Purple veins can be seen on the bloodshot God Exterminating Divine Eye.


    The blood-red bolts of lightning in the sky suddenly turned into deep purplish red as their figures slowly changed into shes of dragon-like lightning.


    Roaarrr!!


    Roaaarrr!!


    Rooarrr!!


    The sky was filled with draconic roars as the dragon-like lightning bolts surrounded Jiu Shen¡¯s lone figure like a pack of hungry wolves staring at their prey.


    Facing this scene, Jiu Shenughed contemptuously, causing his wounds to open up. His whole body was now covered by blood, and only his pair of golden eyes remained untainted by his injuries. "Come! You¡¯ve made me wait for too long! Is this your final attack?! Hahaha! Bring it on!"


    The pupil of the God Exterminating Divine Eye shed with rage as it instantly controlled the dragon-like lightning bolts to attack Jiu Shen.


    Roooarr!!


    Roooarr!!


    Roooarr!!


    Sonorous dragon cries echoed in the air as shes of dragon-shaped lightning assaulted Jiu Shen¡¯s trembling figure which chilled the onlooking crowd¡¯s hearts. They believed that Jiu Shen wouldn¡¯t be able to survive this onught even with his might. Everyone felt that it was such a pity for an expert like him to fall in this kind of situation.


    "What a pity! No one can survive in this kind of destructive power. <i>Sigh.</i>"


    "Even so, I will never forget this unyielding man. s, even such a strong figure couldn¡¯t escape death..."


    Baaaannnggg!!!


    An earth-shaking explosion rang out and enumerable debris of huge rocks burst into the air after the shes of dragon-shaped lightning struck Jiu Shen mercilessly.


    Everyone inside Green Wood City covered their ears with panicked looks to prevent their eardrums from breaking.


    The earth trembled for several minutes before everything settled down, but the shock in everyone¡¯s heart didn¡¯t recede.


    Is he still alive? No one knows...

 Chapter 159 - Looking For An Inn

    <h4>Chapter 159 - Looking For An Inn </h4>


    "Lord Sect Master!" Xia Xinyue cried out in rm after seeing the damage done by those terrifying lightning bolts.


    The vast greenery outside of Green Wood City was now a terrible mess. Toppled trees, broken mountains, andrge craters can be seen which made her heart jump in shock.


    Xia Xinyue wanted to find Jiu Shen, but when she recalled his orders earlier, she chose to believe in him and waited patiently as she stared intently at the ce covered by a thick cloud of ck smoke. "Lord Sect Master should be fine..." She tried to console herself, but she could not help but feel worried since those shes of lightning were just too frightening and she could even feel the strength behind them even though she was a great distance away.


    Looking at the sky, Xia Xinyue could still see the huge crimson eye that was simrly looking at the cloud of ck smoke. Just that, Xia Xinyue had no way of knowing the thoughts of this being, but she could somehow sense that it was stunned. However, she wasn¡¯t so sure about this and it was merely her intuition.


    The sky and the clouds were still painted with crimson color, but the shes of lightning could no longer be seen. Only the gigantic God Exterminating Divine Eye remained as it looked unblinkingly at the cloud of ck smoke. Suddenly, it squinted its pupil, and this time everyone could sense that it was expressing its surprise.


    Not longter, the sky became clear and everyone could see a naked figure hovering in midair like a deity. He was no longer covered in blood and his eyes golden eyes shed with an unfathomable light.


    Jiu Shen smiled at the God Exterminating Divine Eye and said with limitless confidence in his tone. "We will meet again, but I hope you won¡¯t disappoint me the next time we meet. Hahaha!"


    After saying those words, Jiu Shen¡¯s silhouette vanished into thin air and only his unbridledughter lingered in the air. Everyone could sense his arrogance, but no one thought that it was wrong because he definitely has the qualifications to say those words.


    "Woah! He actually managed to survive that?!"


    "A scary figure is born in our Silver Wing Empire! Just that, who is that man?"


    "Big news! I have to report this to my n elders!"


    "Me too!"


    "Me three!"


    The God Exterminating Divine Eye didn¡¯t move for several seconds before it promptly closed its eyelid and its huge figure slowly turned incorporeal before vanishing like a mirage.


    Seeing that the scary eye was already gone, everyone heaved sighs of relief. They then went back to their homes and ns to report what they had seen. Everything was too shocking and this news would definitely stun the whole of Silver Wing Empire. Just that, no one was able to identify the identity of the man who faced off against that mysterious eye.


    Xia Xinyue was happy when she saw that Jiu Shen was still alive and she could not help but feel excited at the thought of serving such a man. She had seen his disy of strength, and if she could not even tell that he was already a Nascent God Realm cultivator, then she might as well find a piece of tofu and smash her head with it.


    Thinking about the future of their Ice Cloud Sword Sect, the excitement in her heart intensified.


    <i>Swoosh.</i>


    A gust of gentle wind brushed Xia Xinyue¡¯s figure, making her a bit surprised. She turned her head sideways and saw Jiu Shen who was now wearing a set of embroidered white robes that made him look even more enchanting. When she looked at his pair of tantalizing golden eyes, Xia Xinyue felt her soul leaving her body. He was so handsome that it made her maiden heart quiver with inexplicable emotions.


    "L-Lord Sect Master..." She muttered while looking at him with a dazed look. She didn¡¯t even realize that her voice was already trembling as she spoke those words.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head at her indifferently and he could also sense the change in her way of speaking to him, but he just ignored it. "Elder Xia, let¡¯s stay here for a day before we go back home. I need to consolidate my strength first."


    Xia Xinyue felt a bit sad at his distant way of speaking with her, but upon thinking about it, she had just met him for a few days, so they were not that familiar with each other yet.


    "Yes, Lord Sect Master. Do you want me to find an inn for us?" Xia Xinyue asked with a smile on her face.


    Jiu Shen thought for a moment before he nodded his head. "Mn, you can do that."


    Xia Xinyue smiled as she bowed her head lightly before she went to look for someone to ask where they could find an inn to stay.


    There were still many people loitering around, so it wasn¡¯t long before she found someone she could ask for. It was a middle-aged man dressed in light body armor and there was also a long sword strapped behind his back. He looked rather bedraggled so he should be one of those people that went inside the mysterious cave.


    "Mister, where is the nearest inn here?" Xia Xinyue asked in a respectful tone. Although she was much stronger than this middle-aged man, she still gave him a kind smile since she felt that this man¡¯s current appearance looked a bit too pitiful.


    The middle-aged man was at first irritated after being randomly pulled by someone, and he was also depressed since he had lost all of his buddies inside the mysterious cave, but just as he was about to rain curses, he saw that the person who pulled him was actually a beautifuldy with a curvy figure. He immediately revealed a warm smile as he answered her question. "Just right ahead is Green Wood City¡¯s biggest and most luxurious inn, the Green Wood Pavilion, but young miss has to be careful since there are a lot of arrogant nobles in there."


    Xia Xinyue thanked the middle-aged man before she walked towards Jiu Shen who was now immersed in his own thoughts.


    The middle-aged man nced at Xia Xinyue¡¯s swaying figure with a wide smile, but when he saw her walking towards a man, his smile suddenly turned stiff. Looking at Jiu Shen¡¯s devilishly handsome face andparing it to his own, he looked no different than cow manurepared to that man with long silver hair. The middle-aged man then shook his head dejectedly before leaving the scene with a broken smile.


    "Lord Sect Master, there is an inn up ahead and it¡¯s also the most luxurious one here in Green Wood City. Should we go there?" Xia Xinyue nced at Jiu Shen¡¯s face with admiration as she asked him.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head half-heartedly. He really didn¡¯t think too much about the luxuriousness of the inns in the Profound Dragon Continent since everything in here was just a shabby ce in his eyes. Only his store was giving him a more pleasant and peaceful feeling.


    Seeing his agreement, Xia Xinyue immediately led the way with a beautiful smile on her face.

 Chapter 160 - Crown Prince?

    <h4>Chapter 160 - Crown Prince? </h4>


    The Green Wood Pavilion was indeed well-known in Green Wood City, and it was even famous among the noble families. Aside from that, the owner of the Green Wood Pavilion was also a very mysterious person with unfathomable strength, and because of the owner¡¯s great reputation, no one dared to cause trouble in this establishment.


    Under the ring heat of the sun, two individuals can be seen walking conspicuously along the road. They were a pair of a man and woman, and both of them were endowed with attractive looks, causing surprised exmations from the people that saw them. Of course, they are none other than Xia Xinyue and Jiu Shen.


    Xia Xinyue was a beautiful woman with long ck hair that cascaded down to her hips. With her mature air and curvy figure, she managed to capture the crowd¡¯s attention as she led Jiu Shen to the Green Wood Pavilion. Xia Xinyue¡¯s seductively swaying hips and demure appearance blended perfectly to create an enchanting image that captivated the eyes of the onlooking men.


    On the other hand, Jiu Shen who was wearing an embroidered white robes trailed behind Xia Xinyue with an indifferent and cold expression on his face. He asionally nced at the crowd with a calm look and those women, young or old that caught a glimpse of his peerless visage felt their hearts leaping out of their chests in infatuation, and even the young misses of the noble families that acted cold and icy disyed mesmerized looks as they gazed at Jiu Shen¡¯s striking figure.


    "What a perfect couple! They look like immortals with their graceful bearing and attractive looks!"


    "Look at that man, he¡¯s so handsome! I want to make babies with him! Ah~"


    "What a pity! If only that man smiles at me, how beautiful would it be?"


    Jiu Shen and Xia Xinyue ignored the murmuring crowd, but thetter could not help but blush at the attention they were getting. Xia Xinyue always stayed inside the ice castle of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect almost everyday and she rarelyes out, so she wasn¡¯t used to this kind of feeling. On the other hand, Jiu Shen remained unperturbed since he was already used to this kind of scene even in his past life.


    Seeing the enchanted looks of the women around them, Xia Xinyue could not help but sigh in her heart. Jiu Shen was just too handsome that even some of the married noblewomen were throwing flirtatious nces at him. She couldn¡¯t really me them since Jiu Shen was really too attractive that even she found it too difficult to calm her maiden heart every time she looked at his face. Even then, Xia Xinyue knew that she didn¡¯t deserve to be Jiu Shen¡¯s woman, but it was alright as long as she could see him every day. Thinking about that, her face burned in embarrassment as she hurriedly discarded those thoughts.


    After walking unhurriedly for a little more than ten minutes, the pair arrived in front of a ten-story building with ssical architecture and design. The entrance of the building was heavily guarded by more than ten warriors, with each of them dressed in extravagant-looking knight armor. They looked rather imposing and fearsome, and their cultivation level at the 5th-rank Spirit realm deterred those with malicious intentions.


    A constant stream of people came in and out of the building, signifying its well-deserved reputation.


    Seeing this, Xia Xinyue nodded her head in satisfaction before she turned to look at Jiu Shen with a gentle smile. "Lord Sect Master, we¡¯ve arrived in Green Wood Pavilion."


    "Not bad. Let¡¯s go." Jiu Shen said perfunctorily as he walked towards the entrance of the building with a calm look.


    Xia Xinyue smiled as she looked at his back figure before following behind him obediently.


    Looking at Jiu Shen and Xia Xinyue who were walking towards them, the ten or so warriors guarding the entrance of the building could not help but feel astonished in their hearts, but they hurriedly concealed their shock.


    Just as the two were about to go inside the building, a gentle voice filled with confidence and respect suddenly echoed behind them. "This youngdy, would you be kind enough to allow this young master to have the opportunity to see your beautiful face?"


    Jiu Shen stopped in his tracks and looked at the neer with interest, while Xia Xinyue furrowed her eyebrows before turning her head to nce at that person with a cold look.


    He was a young man in his early twenties, and he looked quite handsome and elegant with his stylish blue robes. There was also a short sword hanging on his left hip, giving him a more appealing vibe. His short ck hair was messy, but this gave him a wild kind of appeal.


    After seeing Xia Xinyue¡¯s pretty face, this young man suddenly revealed a bbergasted look, but it instantly bloomed into a charismatic smile. He then stepped forward and cupped his fists respectfully at Xia Xinyue as he spoke. "Greetings, youngdy. This one¡¯s name is Reinhardt Silveria. My apologies for suddenly interrupting you. I just couldn¡¯t help but call out for youngdy when I saw your graceful silhouette."


    After hearing his respectful and kind words, Xia Xinyue¡¯s face eased up, but when she heard the man¡¯s name, she couldn¡¯t help but ponder in her heart. ¡¯The only ones with the surname Silveria in Silver Wing Empire is the imperial family. Is he perhaps someone from the Silveria Imperial Family?¡¯


    Looking at Xia Xinyue¡¯s pondering expression, the smile on Reinhardt¡¯s face became even more vibrant. "Youngdy, this is not a good ce to talk. How about wee inside first?" He asked as he stared at her with a charming smile.


    Xia Xinyue was stunned at Reinhardt¡¯s bluntness, but she could not find any reason to refuse him since he didn¡¯t look like someone who harbored malicious intentions. However, Jiu Shen was right behind her and it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to go with another man no matter how friendly he was, so with an apologetic look, Xia Xinyue shook her head lightly. "I¡¯m sorry Prince Reinhardt, but I am apanying his Lordship Jiu Shen today."


    When Reinhardt heard Xia Xinyue refer to him as ¡¯prince¡¯, he was a bit surprised since thetter might have already realized his identity. He then took a nce at the man behind her that he chose to ignore earlier, and when Reinhardt saw the man¡¯s face, he gasped in shock and gave Jiu Shen a meaningful smile before he turned his attention back to Xia Xinyue. "It appears that young miss has already guessed who I am, but I on the other hand don¡¯t even know young miss¡¯ name." He said while shing a dejected smile.


    Xia Xinyue still didn¡¯t know Reinhardt¡¯s true intentions, but upon seeing his expression, she sighed and said. "Your highness, you can call me Xia Xinyue."


    Reinhardt¡¯s broken smile suddenly blossomed when he heard her reply. "Oh, so it¡¯s Young Miss Xia! Since Young Miss Xia is busy right now, I won¡¯t take much of your time. I¡¯lle back another day to look for you. Farewell."


    After cupping his fists at Xia Xinyue, Reinhardt nced at Jiu Shen with an imperceptiblepetitive look before he elegantly turned around and left the scene.


    Xia Xinyue frowned as she looked at his receding figure. She was certain that Reinhardt was one of the empire¡¯s princes, and after interacting with him, he should be the famously known romantic crown prince of the Silver Wing Empire.


    Jiu Shen who was silent throughout the whole scene suddenly called out. "Elder Xia, do you who know that person is?"


    Xia Xinyue nced at Jiu Shen and nodded her head. "Lord Sect Master, that man seems to be the crown prince of Silver Wing Empire. And if he is indeed the crown prince, then the rumors about him should be true..."


    Jiu Shen¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but he felt a bit curious since he felt that the cultivation level of Reinhardt was at the early stage of the 7th-rank Emperor realm. Just that, Reinhardt had a treasure that concealed his strength and everyone else could only see that he was a 5th-rank Spirit realm cultivator. As for why he was hiding his strength, no one knows.


    Among Emperor Elyk¡¯s children, the crown prince was the oldest, but everyone thought that he was merely an affectionate man with little strength. And Jiu Shen who was running a wine store in the capital has already heard so many rumors about this romantic crown prince. However, it seemed like everyone else was wrong about him. How could a 7th-rank Emperor realm cultivator be an ordinary man?


    "Crown Prince Reinhardt... It looks like all of Elyk¡¯s children can be considered as peak geniuses in this world. A tiger would never have a dog of a child..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself.


    The situation in the Silver Wing Empire was already bing moreplicated with all the hidden characters suddenly showing up. If only the Silver Wing Empire didn¡¯t have an internal conflict, it could have been one of the most peak existences feared in the Profound Dragon Continent.

 Chapter 161 - Xia Xinyues Misunderstanding

    <h4>Chapter 161 - Xia Xinyue''s Misunderstanding </h4>


    The moment Jiu Shen and Xia Xinyue stepped inside the Green Wood Pavilion, two rows of scantily dressed maids bowed at them as they spoke in unison. "Wee, Young Master (Young Miss)."


    Xia Xinyue was embarrassed at this reception and she could not help but blush while looking at Jiu Shen¡¯s side profile. She wanted to see what his reaction would be while facing these women d in revealing clothes. Any man would have revealed licentious or lecherous expressions if they encounter a scene such as this, but to her surprise, Jiu Shen appeared to be unmoved even after he looked at thedies. After looking at the women casually for a moment, he then moved his gaze towards the interior design of the building. He didn¡¯t seem to be interested in them even by the slightest bit.


    ¡¯Howe Lord Sect Master isn¡¯t attracted to them? Could it be that he doesn¡¯t like women?¡¯ Xia Xinyue¡¯s heart turned cold and she hurriedly erased the thought in her heart.


    How could a person like Jiu Shen be attracted to any random woman? Just that, she could still not help but feel worried in her heart since Jiu Shen¡¯s reaction was just too unbelievable for a man. There should at least be a little bit of reaction, right?


    Xia Xinyue nced suspiciously at Jiu Shen, and thetter could help but feel perplexed when he saw Xia Xinyue¡¯s weird gaze.


    However, how could he know what she was thinking? If he knew what was in her mind, he would surelyugh in amusement.


    How could he fancy the women of a mortal world? There might be a few peerless beauties here, but were they evenparable to the immortal goddesses of the Primordial God Realm? Surely not.


    A woman in herte twenties suddenly walked towards them with a sweet smile stered on her face. Her exposed and towering bosom trembled as she moved, while her seductive eyes were scanning Jiu Shen and Xia Xinyue from head to foot. She was enchanted when she saw Jiu Shen¡¯s face and her heart beat faster when their eyes met. ¡¯What a handsome man!¡¯ After eximing in her heart, her expression recovered her smile.


    "Wee, dear guests! Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Liuli, the proprietress of Green Wood Pavilion. I would assume that you are a couple. You just came at the right time! We still have some unupied rooms meant for couples like you guys." Liuli chuckled meaningfully, causing her explosive assets to produce fleshly waves that could make any other man crazy.


    Xia Xinyue let out a shy smile when she heard Liuli say ¡¯couple¡¯, and she could not help but take a look at Jiu Shen¡¯s reaction. However, he remained detached as if he didn¡¯t take Liuli¡¯s words to his heart. Seeing this, Xia Xinyue¡¯s suspicion intensified. ¡¯No! I have to make sure that...that Lord Sect Master is a man...¡¯


    Xia Xinyue then looked at Liuli¡¯s cleavage that revealed a deep ravine. Thetter¡¯s chest continuously rose and fell as thetter chuckled to her heart¡¯s content.


    ¡¯This seductress! Hmph!¡¯ Xia Xinyue muttered coldly in her heart.


    With an impatient look, Xia Xinyue gloomily stared at Liuli¡¯s face as she said in a cold voice. "Madam Liuli, please give us one room."


    Hearing her words, Jiu Shen wanted to speak, but he decided not to. He knew that it was troublesome to involve himself in the dispute between two women.


    When Liuli felt the coldness in Xia Xinyue¡¯s tone, she merely smiled as she nodded her head. "No problem, young miss. I will take you two to your room. Please follow me." She then turned around leaving behind a lingering womanly fragrance in the air.


    Liuli was wearing a short dress that only covered a tiny portion of her hot figure. Her long legs were partially exposed, giving her a tempting and arousing atmosphere.


    Looking at their proprietress leading the pair to their room, the women who greeted Jiu Shen and Xia Xinyue earlier were a bit surprised.


    "Who are those two? Madam Liuli is actually leading them personally."


    "Didn¡¯t you see the man? He looks so dashing. He should be someone with a great background."


    "Shhh! Don¡¯t let the proprietress hear you guys or she would surely punish youter."


    The Green Wood Pavilion has ten floors in total, and Liuli led the pair to the highest floor where only the most luxurious rooms can be found. Xia Xinyue didn¡¯t know why Liuli was treating them with this much courtesy, and she had even forgotten that she had asked for a single room for herself and Jiu Shen.


    Just then, Xia Xinyue suddenly remembered the rumors about the owner of this establishment. ¡¯Could she be the true owner of this ce? If that¡¯s the case, howe I did not see anything special about her? ording to the rumors, the owner should be an unfathomable expert with a mysterious background. However, aside from her hot figure, this Liuli looks just like an ordinary mortal woman with no cultivation...¡¯ Xia Xinyue muttered in her heart as she nced at Liuli¡¯s seductive back figure.


    On the other hand, Jiu Shen was looking at Liuli with interest. ¡¯Things are getting interesting. It seems like the hidden experts of the Profound Dragon Continent are slowly gathering in this ce. However, what does the Silver Wing Empire possess for it to attract this many top experts? Elyk. Elyk. Elyk. It looks like you¡¯re still hiding many things from me...¡¯ Jiu Shen muttered to himself.


    "Dear guests, this is your room, and here¡¯s your key. If you want to order food or something else, just press the rm button inside the room." Liuli handed a golden key to Xia Xinyue with an alluring smile. She also didn¡¯t forget to wink at Jiu Shen provocatively which made Xia Xinyue frown in displeasure.


    "Thank you for leading us here, Madam Liuli. You may take your leave now. We can handle everything else on our own." Xia Xinyue blocked Liuli¡¯s field of vision as she spoke in a slightly annoyed tone. Liuli¡¯s flirtatious advances towards Jiu Shen are getting on her nerves, and she didn¡¯t want to give her any more chances.


    Liuli chuckled while looking at Xia Xinyue with a provocative smile. She then walked away while intentionally brushing against Jiu Shen¡¯s arms.


    Liuli¡¯s seductiveughter reverberated within the tenth floor of the Green Wood Pavilion, making Xia Xinyue curse the former in her heart.


    "Elder Xia, let¡¯s go inside." Jiu Shen had just broken through the Nascent God Realm after consuming two Fruits of Cultivation, and he wanted to consolidate his strength before going back to Beltran City.


    Like a startled rabbit, Xia Xinyue jumped in surprise as she looked at Jiu Shen¡¯s expression. ¡¯I will be staying in one room with Lord Sect Master...¡¯ She felt embarrassed when she thought about it which made her cheeks turn a shade redder.


    Jiu Shen took the golden key from the stunned Xia Xinyue and with a clicking sound, the door of their room abruptly sprung open, revealing a spacious room with an amorous air. It was indeed a room meant for couples...


    Without waiting for Xia Xinyue, Jiu Shen had already stepped inside the room. He wanted to quickly enter into a meditative state and consolidate his newly gained strength. The Fruit of Cultivation didn¡¯t disappoint him and he was indeed able to advance to the Nascent God Realm after eating the two fruits. He still had the God Crystals inside his space earring, but he was not in a hurry to further advance his cultivation level. He wanted to stabilize his realm first to prevent unnecessary problems in the future.


    There was a king-sized bed in the middle of the room, and it could fit almost ten people at the same time. However, Jiu Shen was not in the mood to admire it, and he quickly jumped onto the bed and sat cross-legged.


    Swoosh.


    Xia Xinyue was still dumbstruck and she didn¡¯t know what she should do in this kind of situation. A man and a woman in one room...it was just too ambiguous, but a determined expression blossomed on Xia Xinyue¡¯s face. She wanted to know if Jiu Shen was truly a man...


    She then stepped inside the room and locked the door behind her before she walked towards the big bed with a nervous look. She was already forty years of age, but because of her high cultivation level and the countless beauty products she had consumed, Xia Xinyue still had the face of a young woman in her early twenties. In fact, she could still be considered as a young woman in the cultivation world.


    Oblivious to her thoughts, Jiu Shen who was sitting cross-legged, sunk deeper in his meditative state as he slowly regted his breathing while checking the changes in his body.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s tribtion lightning was too strong this time, but luckily, the system helped him in decreasing the might of the God Exterminating Divine Eye or he would have turned to ashes in merely a second. He was even able to nourish his physical body and soul using the bolts of lightning produced by the God Exterminating Divine Eye.

 Chapter 162 - Consolidating Strength

    <h4>Chapter 162 - Consolidating Strength </h4>


    Liuli, the proprietress of Green Wood Pavilion went to a secret room. Inside the room, was a simple wooden chair and a table, and there was a fist-size crystal ball on top of the table that emitted a dull and dim white light.


    She then lit up themp inside the room before she took a seat on the only chair inside.


    "That woman is merely a 7th-rank Emperor realm cultivator, but that man... I can¡¯t detect his cultivation level at all no matter how I look at him. I don¡¯t believe that someone with that kind of temperament is merely just a normal man. Let me see who you truly are..." Liuli muttered to herself as she ced her hands on the fist-sized crystal ball while mumbling an iprehensible mantra.


    A momentter, the crystal ball suddenly lit up, and an image can be seen within the crystal ball. If one would look closely, the scene ying within the crystal ball was actually the room of Jiu Shen and Xia Xinyue.


    Liuli saw that both Jiu Shen and Xia Xinyue were on top of the bed. The former was seated cross-legged with his eyes shut tight and he looked to be cultivating. On the other hand, Xia Xinyue was sitting on one corner of the bed while looking at Jiu Shen¡¯s side profile.


    Liuli furrowed her eyebrows when she saw this scene, and just then, she saw that Jiu Shen who was just closing his eyes a few moments ago suddenly opened his eyelids. He then took a nce straight towards a random corner as if he had already realized that somebody was looking at them.


    Thest scene that Liuli saw was Jiu Shen flicking his right arm before the vision within the crystal ball vanished.


    "Hehe. It seems like my guess was right. That man isn¡¯t someone ordinary at all, but... Who is he?" She muttered with a contemting look. There were only a handful of people who could enter her eyes, but she knew almost every one of the experts in the Profound Dragon Continent. However, she had no idea who Jiu Shen was...


    * * *


    Jiu Shen nced at the broken crystal ball lying inconspicuously in one corner of their room. Earlier, he felt that someone was watching them through the crystal ball, so he immediately destroyed it without hesitation. He didn¡¯t want the feeling of being watched when he was in a vulnerable state, so he felt a bit angered by this. "Proprietress Liuli... that woman actually dared to monitor me? Hm... I will punish youter..." Jiu Shen muttered with a cold smile before he closed his eyes.


    Xia Xinyue had also seen Jiu Shen destroying the crystal ball, and when she heard his words, she instantly became incensed. "That seductress! I know she¡¯s up to no good! Hmph!"


    Jiu Shen was now at the early stage of the Nascent God Realm and he could be considered as one of the strongest beings in Nuar right now. Even those rumored god beasts in the Divine Beast Continent shouldn¡¯t be as strong as him, but it was uncertain since there might be god beasts stronger than a Nascent God Realm cultivator living within the Divine Beast Continent.


    After eating two Fruits of Cultivation, Jiu Shen¡¯s strength experienced a qualitative increase. It was not just his cultivation prowess that improved, even his physical body and spiritual power had also reached the Nascent God Realm! Aside from that, the bolts of lightning produced by the God Exterminating Divine Eye also helped him in strengthening and solidifying his realm. Now, he only needed to consolidate all his gains and he would be good to go.


    ¡¯This time, I¡¯ve truly gained a lot. I didn¡¯t think that I would actually summon the God Exterminating Divine Eye when I¡¯m only breaking through to the Nascent God Realm, then just what kind of tribtion lightning will I summon if I decide to break through to the Celestial God Realm in the future? Sigh. It¡¯s no use thinking about this now since it would still be long before I can recover my past cultivation level.¡¯ Jiu Shen thought in his heart.


    The cultivation levels after the 9th-rank Saint realm are as follows:


    Nascent God Realm


    Origin God Realm


    Ancestral God Realm


    Sovereign God Realm


    Heavenly God Realm


    Celestial God Realm


    In his past life, it took Jiu Shen several billions of years before he reached the Heavenly God Realm, so it was unknown whether how many years it would take him to attain his former level of strength in this life. However, he was optimistic about his cultivation speed with the help of the system.


    Jiu Shen sat cross-legged on the bed for several hours as he slowly consolidated his strength. It was not a long process, but it needs his full concentration. That¡¯s why he chose to meditate in this inn instead of meditating in the wilderness where there are many variables.


    Xia Xinyue was bing restless as time goes by, but she didn¡¯t dare disturb Jiu Shen since she knew that he was at a critical juncture in his cultivation.


    "He should be done any time by now. Should I call a servant over to get us some food? Okay, it¡¯s decided." Xia Xinyue muttered silently before she stood up to press the rm. She then told a servant to bring some food to their room.


    Not longter, Xia Xinyue heard a series of soft knocks on their door, so she hurriedly stood up to open it since she didn¡¯t want to disturb Jiu Shen.


    After opening the door, Xia Xinyue saw Liuli, the proprietress of the building holding a pushcart with a tray filled with various delicacies. Xia Xinyue frowned when she saw Liuli and she immediately revealed a hostile expression.


    The former stepped out of their room before closing the door.


    "Young Miss, this is the food that you ordered. Do you want me to help you ce it inside your room?" Liuli asked with a charming smile as she looked at the annoyed look of Xia Xinyue in amusement.


    Xia Xinyue exhaled a breath of warm air before she replied in a cold voice. "You don¡¯t need to do that, Proprietress Liuli. I will bring it inside on my own."


    Liuli smiled as she nodded her head. "If that¡¯s the case, then I will leave this cart here. After you guys eat, just press the rm to call a servant to bring this back after you guys use it."


    Xia Xinyue nodded her head impatiently. She then opened the door to their room and grabbed the cart before pushing it inside. "Proprietress Liuli, I advise you not to anger Lord Sect Master. You wouldn¡¯t want to be enemies with him." Xia Xinyue¡¯s icy voice was full of warning, and just as Liuli was about to reply, the door to Jiu Shen and Xia Xinyue¡¯s room was already closed.


    m!


    "This woman¡¯s temper is a bit fiery. Hehe! To think that she actually dared to threaten me. It has been long since someone had such guts. What an interesting pair!" Liuli smiled as she looked at the closed door with a mysterious glint in her eyes. It was as if she wanted to poke a hole in it.


    Inside the room.


    Xia Xinyue pushed the cart near the bed as she looked at Jiu Shen who was still sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed. It was only around this time that she dared to look at his handsome face with unblinking eyes. "I just hope that my suspicion about Lord Sect Master isn¡¯t true, but how would I know about the truth? Should I do that...that..." She muttered in a mosquito-like voice.


    Just then, Jiu Shen slowly opened his eyelids, showing a pair of golden pupils. Before he reached the Nascent God Realm, his eyes were still silver in color, but after his breakthrough, it suddenly turned golden. Furthermore, his eyesight had also strengthened and he no longer needed to use his spiritual perception to detect an illusion. He didn¡¯t know why his eyes have be like this, but it was most likely rted to his Seamless Deity Physique.


    Looking at those unfathomable golden eyes, Xia Xinyue was suddenly lost in her own thoughts as if she beguiled by the depths of his eyes.


    "Elder Xia." Jiu Shen called out gently as he jumped out of the bed.


    Xia Xinyue broke away from her stupor when she heard Jiu Shen¡¯s charming voice, and she could not help but put on a meek look. She was actually caught by Jiu Shen when she was still looking at him, how embarrassing!


    "Ah... This... L-Lord Sect Master, please eat this. Although you no longer need to eat food with your current strength, the feeling of eating something is still enjoyable. Furthermore, these are the best dishes of Green Wood Pavilion." Xia Xinyue hid her embarrassment as she spoke with a smile.


    Jiu Shen didn¡¯t want to decline when he saw her eager expression, so he agreed right away. "In that case, join me in eating these delicacies, Elder Xia."


    Xia Xinyue¡¯s lips curled upwards when she heard his words, and she nodded her head excitedly. She felt over the moon when Jiu Shen invited her to eat with him. Although it was only a minor thing, she still felt happy about it. She was usually a cold and detached woman like most of the elders and disciples of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect, but in front of Jiu Shen, she was like a young woman in her teens.


    The two sat down side by side as they ate the food on the tray. They revealed satisfied looks as they stuffed food after food in their mouths.

 Chapter 163 - Poaching Liuli

    <h4>Chapter 163 - Poaching Liuli </h4>


    Jiu Shen stood up after eating his fill. Although the food wasn¡¯t that good in his eyes, it was still ptable and refreshing for him.


    "Elder Xia, stay here for now and wait for my return. I¡¯ll just do something quickly." Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes shed with a cold glint when he recalled the crystal ball that he had destroyed earlier. He knew that Liuli the proprietress of Green Wood Pavilion had something to do with it.


    Swoosh.


    Xia Xinyue wanted to speak up, but Jiu Shen¡¯s silhouette had already vanished from where he previously stood. She heaved a soft sigh before muttering silently to herself. "I wonder what will happen to that seductress..."


    Inside the secret room within Green Wood Pavilion, Liuli was seated on a simple wooden chair with a thoughtful expression on her face as she cupped her chin with both her hands. "That woman called her as Lord Sect Master. That means he has a sect, but considering his strength, his sect should be well-known throughout the whole of the Profound Dragon Continent. Unless... Unless if he had ordered his sect to refrain from intervening in the affairs of the continent. Hmm... That should be the case."


    Just then, Liuli¡¯s eyes suddenly dted when she sensed an ominous presence appearing before her.


    Swoosh.


    A man with long silver hair and golden eyes stood in front of her with a cold expression on his face. He was looking directly at her which caused the hairs on her body to stand on end. She couldn¡¯t even muster the courage to stand up from her seat and she could only watch him in horror and surprise. "D-Dear guest, i-is there anything I can help you with?" She stuttered as she spoke with a forced smile while looking at Jiu Shen¡¯s face, but upon seeing his pair of icy-cold golden eyes, she hurriedly averted her gaze in fear. It was as if she was looking at a demon at the depths of hell!


    Jiu Shen ignored Liuli and just quietly grabbed a seat from his space earring. He then ced the chair in front of her and took a seat with a nonchnt expression.


    Liuli felt a bit embarrassed after having been ignored, but she didn¡¯t dare voice out any displeasure since she couldn¡¯t see through the man in front of her. However, when she saw him suddenly appear in front of her like a ghost, she knew that his strength was most likely greater than her own, so she could only watch as Jiu Shenfortably sat before her.


    Jiu Shen leaned on his chair and ced one of his legs on top of the other while looking at Liuli with a cold look. "Proprietress Liuli, do you know why I¡¯m here?" Jiu Shen¡¯s voice was distant and aloof.


    Liuli felt her heart turn cold when she heard his icy voice. She knew that Jiu Shen was offended when she had secretly peeked at their room earlier.


    "D-Dear guest... Please don¡¯t misunderstand this little woman. I-I only did that out of curiosity and I have no ill-intentions." Liuli let out a pitiful smile as she replied in a trembling voice. She was truly scared at Jiu Shen¡¯s unfathomable strength, and she was afraid that he might do something serious for what she did earlier.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s lips curled upwards to form a cold smile, causing shivers to run down Liuli¡¯s spine. She was already an expert at the early stage of the 9th-rank Saint realm, but she felt like she was just a hapless chicken in front of this man.


    "Proprietress Liuli, I don¡¯t like the feeling of being spied, so I came here to punish you for that." Jiu Shen spoke as if it was only natural for him to punish her. His bloody aura suddenly enveloped the whole room, making Liuli feel as if she was standing at the gates of hell with a pile of corpses crawling towards her feet. Thousands of ghosts were wailing and screaming as they circled around her with baleful looks. This sensation made her tremble that she almost pissed her pants in fear, and the eyes she used to look at Jiu Shen contained extreme trepidation. Just how many lives had he taken for his aura to emit this kind of terrorizing atmosphere?!


    Liuli¡¯s face fell and regretted her actions earlier. If only she knew that Jiu Shen was this powerful, then even she had the guts of steel, she still would not dare to spy on them.


    Liuli¡¯s mouth was already dry and she tried to speak, but no words came out of her mouth.


    Looking at her expression, Jiu Shen lost his interest and he immediately recalled his aura.


    Huff. Puff. Huff. Puff.


    Liuli panted heavily as she wiped the sweat on her forehead with her quivering hands. She didn¡¯t even dare lift her head to look at Jiu Shen and her usually seductive expression was now dark with horror and fear. It was the first time she had felt that kind of overpowering aura and even those old freaks from the Alliance didn¡¯t give her that kind of suffocating feeling. Is he perhaps a 10th-rank God realm cultivator? She thought fearfully.


    The room was filled with rough breathing sounds from Liuli, and if someone from outside would hear her panting sounds, they would certainly misunderstand what was happening within the room. Luckily, only Liuli knew the passage to this room.


    "Proprietress Liuli, I want you to work for me..." Jiu Shen¡¯s indifferent voice was filled with confidence as if he knew that Liuli would not decline his offer. At first, Jiu Shen wanted to discipline her even further, but since she harbored no malice, he decided to drop the matter.


    Liuli revealed a stunned look and she could not help but lift her head to take a look at Jiu Shen, but when she saw his eyes, she hurriedly looked away.


    "T-This lord... I-I don¡¯t even know your name and origin...I mean I don¡¯t mind working for you, but can you at least tell me your esteemed name?" She muttered helplessly. Her Green Wood Pavilion had many branches within the Silver Wing Empire, and she also had many experts working under her. She had been carefree and unrestrained for more than ten years, but who knew that she would actually provoke such a maleficent existence today...


    Jiu Shen let out an amused smile as he looked at Liuli¡¯s quivering figure. She looked like a small rabbit trapped by a big bad wolf.


    "My given name is Shen and my surname is Jiu, and I¡¯m only a wine store owner, nothing special." Jiu Shen calmly said.


    Liuli almost cursed out loud when she heard his casual reply. ¡¯Wine store owner my ass! Who would believe that an expert like you is only a wine store owner?! Even if you beat me to death, I still won¡¯t believe your fart! Hmph!¡¯


    Although Jiu Shen can¡¯t read her thoughts, he could still sense that Liuli didn¡¯t believe him, but he didn¡¯t bother to exin it to her and just silently stared at this woman whose figure is as bewitching as a fairy.


    When Liuli saw that Jiu Shen was staring unblinkingly at her, she felt a bit scared, but after she looked closely. She realized that his eyes didn¡¯t have any impure or indecent thoughts which were always present in the eyes of the men that she had interacted with in her life.


    Most men would disy a chivalrous and gentlemanly facade, but she could sense that they wanted to devour her body. However, the man in front of her was different. His golden eyes which were like two deep pools of ocean didn¡¯t contain any trace of impurity or obscenity. Liuli couldn¡¯t even see a ripple in his indifferent expression. Looking at this, she suddenly felt that her charm was ineffective against this man, making her feel a bit annoyed.


    "L-Lord Jiu Shen, if you don¡¯t dislike this little woman, then...then I will serve you from now on." Liuli gritted her teeth after making a choice. Since she no longer had any choice, she could only ept his offer. Furthermore, it wouldn¡¯t be embarrassing to serve such a strong person. Just that, she felt a bit reluctant because this signified the end of her carefree life.


    "Since you¡¯re already one of my people, I will drop the matter about you spying on me, but you¡¯ll have to follow me back to Beltran City to take orders from me." Jiu Shen already had the thought of poaching Liuli under his banner when he had firstid his eyes on her. It was rare to see a 9th-rank Saint in the Profound Dragon Continent, and he was alsocking in people with acute management skills like her. Although his senior disciple Lu San could handle sect matters, she was not as good as Liuli in handling people. Furthermore, thetter could lead her Green Wood Pavilion to such heights in merely a few decades, so she should be proficient in managing, right?


    With the help of Liuli, the growth of his sect would surely increase tremendously. Of course, he still had to observe this woman and make sure that she wouldn¡¯t betray him, but Jiu Shen was certain that he could gain her absolute loyalty after some time.


    Liuli heaved a sigh of relief and she felt as if she was given a new lease on life, and when she heard that she needs to follow Jiu Shen to Beltran City, she strangely felt curious as to what he was up to. "I obey, Lord Jiu Shen."


    "Good. Settle your matters here since we won¡¯t stay in Green Wood City for long. Also, bring a few experts with you. I might need them for my ns..." Jiu Shen ordered with a calm look. He knew that it wouldn¡¯t be long before the Silver Wing Empire would be engulfed by the mes of war, so he had to make some preparations to make sure that nothing would go wrong. After all, if many people from the empire died, then how would he continue his wine business? He should at least do something to prevent the empire from falling apart.

 Chapter 164 - A Warm Night

    <h4>Chapter 164 - A Warm Night </h4>


    "Lord Jiu Shen, please wait a moment. I need one day to prepare everything before I can go with you. I don¡¯t want anything to happen to my Green Wood Pavilion while I¡¯m gone." Liuli said as she grabbed Jiu Shen¡¯s arm with a pitiful look.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s expression remained peacefully calm even after Liuli¡¯s sudden intimate actions, but he still nodded his head at her. He didn¡¯t mind waiting for another day as long as he could get the help of this 9th-rank Saint realm cultivator. "Mn. Tomorrow evening, we will leave immediately."


    Liuli gratefully nodded her head before she released Jiu Shen¡¯s arm with an embarrassed look. Usually, she would only act coy and shy in front of the nobles in order to fool them into spending more True Crystals, but this time, her reaction was natural and not faked.


    "Thank you, Lord Jiu Shen." Liuli bowed deeply, revealing her jade-like cleavage that almost jumped out of her clothes because of its sheer size.


    Jiu Shen took a nce at her and shook his head internally. ¡¯This woman is indeed good at seduction, but if she wants to seduce me, then she needs to train for a few billions of years.¡¯


    Swoosh.


    When Liuli lifted her head, Jiu Shen¡¯s silhouette had already vanished inside the room, and only his lingering manly fragrance remained. Liuli closed her eyes as she inhaled Jiu Shen¡¯s scent, and when she opened her eyes, she revealed a dreamy look. "I guess it wouldn¡¯t be that bad following Lord Jiu Shen..."


    * * *


    It was already night time when Jiu Shen teleported back inside his room. He didn¡¯t think that he would actually gain a strong subordinate here in Green Wood City. Just that, Liuli¡¯s origin was still unknown, so the moment hees back to Beltran City, he will ask Ren Shuang to investigate her identity before he could ce his trust in her.


    When Jiu Shen arrived inside the room, he felt a bit stunned because he saw that Xia Xinyue was lying naked on the middle of the king-sized bed, and she was only covering her most intimate parts with a white quilt. Looking at her shy and blushing expression, Jiu Shen already had a rough idea of what she was nning to do, but he feigned ignorance and asked her with a calm expression. "Elder Xia, what¡¯s the meaning of this?"


    Xia Xinyue felt the coldness in Jiu Shen¡¯s tone, but since she had already decided about this some time ago, she didn¡¯t want to back out midway, so while biting her lower lip, she said with a shy look. "Lord Sect Master, please allow me to warm your bed."


    Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes twitched when he heard her enchanting voice, but his facial expression was still calm and indifferent. He could sense that Xia Xinyue was a bit reluctant to do this, but then what was pushing her to this thing? Furthermore, after interacting with her for quite some time, he knew that Xia Xinyue wasn¡¯t the kind of woman who treated her body casually. Besides, he could even sense that she was still a virgin, so why was she suddenly doing this?


    Jiu Shen furrowed his eyebrows as he pondered. ¡¯This girl, does she want to gain more power by bing my woman? No, she doesn¡¯t seem to be like that...¡¯


    After seeing that Jiu Shen was still standing unmoved, Xia Xinyue gritted her teeth and she slowly removed the quilt that covered her youthful body, making Jiu Shen see every inch of her curvy figure. Her towering bosom, her pink cherries, and that maiden crevice that was sparsely covered with thin curly hair were allid bare before his eyes


    It would be a lie if Jiu Shen said that he wasn¡¯t tempted, but with his third level of heart realm, he managed to force down the rising evilness within his heart. After all, it has been long since he had touched a woman, and what kind of man would remain unmoved after seeing a young and beautifuldy lying naked in front of him?


    Jiu Shen wasn¡¯tpletely an unromantic person. In fact, he had a few wives that lived together with him during his earlier years.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s tranquil eyes suddenly fluctuated as he recalled his women who had long since died after the perpetual passing of time. He couldn¡¯t even do anything to keep them alive, and he could only watch as they slowly died of old age. Jiu Shen¡¯s lips trembled as he closed his eyes to remember their wrinkled faces when they were at death¡¯s door. Jiu Shen saw their endless love and affection for him from their cloudy eyes; and their dying smiles before they parted with him forever...


    Jiu Shen didn¡¯t want to experience that kind of pain again. It was a heart-wrenching experience to carry the memories they left behind, and starting then, he no longer epted the affections of countless immortal goddesses.


    The moment Jiu Shen opened his eyelids, he immediately walked towards Xia Xinyue while putting up a warm smile. Although he didn¡¯t know why she was doing this, he didn¡¯t me her.


    Xia Xinyue¡¯s breathing became hurried when she saw Jiu Shen walking towards her, but when she saw his gentle smile, the restlessness in her heart slowly evaporated. His smile was filled with warmth and tenderness, but Xia Xinyue could see that his eyes were nk as if he was thinking about something. Looking at his bleak and forlorn eyes, Xia Xinyue felt as if her heart was being crushed for some reason.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s golden eyes became blurred as the memories during his youth surged within his mind like a recorder ying backward. It happened in an instant, but to Jiu Shen, it felt as if several years had passed by. Now, when he looked at Xia Xinyue¡¯s naked body, his golden eyes revealed a hint of tenderness.


    He softly caressed her silky smooth cheeks with his hand while looking at her eyes with warmness.


    Xia Xinyue felt her heart melting when she saw his gentle expression. Was this still the cold and aloof Jiu Shen that she knew? He looks like a different person when he smiles. She thought as she stared at Jiu Shen¡¯s face, and she could already feel that her maiden heart was slowly softening.


    Jiu Shen nced at her naked body and sighed with emotions. He then slowly climbed on top of the bed and lied closely to Xia Xinyue.


    He could already feel her warm and ragged breath blowing to his neck. He could also see her slightly quivering body that was starting to be restless after he suddenly lied beside her.


    Seeing this, Jiu Shen gently rubbed her back to pacify her uneasiness as he stared at her pair of onyx eyes that were looking at him with mixed emotions.


    ¡¯Her eyes are still so innocent and pure... She could already be considered as a mature woman in terms of age here in Nuar, but she seems to be inexperienced with the matters between men and women... What a cute youngdy...¡¯ Jiu Shen expressed his heartfelt opinion when he saw her dazed eyes.


    Xia Xinyue was both nervous and excited when Jiu Shen lied beside her, but she could not help but look away when she saw his handsome face. ¡¯Do I really deserve to be intimate with him?¡¯ She thought as her self-esteem slowly crumbled when she faced Jiu Shen up close, but when she felt that gentle hand stroking her back as if it was caressing a precious jade, her tensed heart suddenly calmed down and she closed her eyes to enjoy this feeling.


    Her lips parted and formed a joyful smile.


    "Xinyue, what made you do this? I know you have a reason for doing this." Jiu Shen¡¯s gently said as he lightly caressed her back. There was not even a trace of lust in his golden eyes.


    Xia Xinyue felt ashamed for doubting Jiu Shen¡¯s sexuality, and she finally realized that she had only misunderstood him. "L-Lord Sect Master, I-I... I saw that your eyes never revealed even a trace of desire when we were weed by those little seductresses at the entrance earlier, so...so I thought that you might not be interested in women which made me a bit worried..." Her voice was so small that anyone would find it hard to hear, but after his recent increase in strength, Jiu Shen heard her words loud and clear.


    Pfft.


    He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle when he heard her response. To think that someone actually doubted his...


    Hahaha!


    Jiu Shen who had neverughed for millions of years suddenly erupted into peals ofughter, making Xia Xinyue reveal a surprised expression.


    So Lord Sect Master can alsough like this? Xia Xinyue thought as she stared at Jiu Shen¡¯s face with an infatuated smile.


    Her maiden heart that was aloof and detached for several decades suddenly thawed at that moment.


    Looking at this man who was beyond handsome, Xia Xinyue unconsciously touched his face with her hand.


    Not longter, she felt a strong pair of arms embracing her delicate body. She then rested her head on his sturdy chest and let out a contented smile as she slowly drifted into her dreand.


    When Jiu Shen heard her calm breathing, he smiled and held her closer to his body. He suddenly recalled her bold words earlier.


    "Lord Sect Master, please allow me to warm your bed."


    "Silly girl... This warmness is already enough." He muttered as he closed his eyes with a gentle smile.

 Chapter 165 - Meeting The Crown Prince Again

    <h4>Chapter 165 - Meeting The Crown Prince Again </h4>


    Xia Xinyue opened her eyes slowly and when she realized that she was naked, she suddenly recalled the events that happenedst night. Thinking about that, her face turned bright red as she hastily covered herself with a quilt to hide her embarrassment.


    She then checked her body and she found out that Jiu Shen didn¡¯t touch her most intimate part. She heaved a sigh of relief, but she also felt a hint of disappointment.


    Touching the empty bed, Xia Xinyue could not help but let out a broken smile. In the end, she could only bury her sorrow while thinking about Jiu Shen¡¯s heartyughterst night.


    On the ground floor of the Green Wood Pavilion was the public dining area. Jiu Shen sat alone in one corner while pulling the cork of the wine bottle that he ordered from the kitchen. He wanted to try if their wine was at leastparable to his Mystic Jade.


    Pop.


    After removing the cork, Jiu Shen filled his cup with wine, but when he saw the slightly cloudy yellowish liquid that streamed down to his cup, his interest faded a bit. He then held the cup near to his nose and took a light sniff.


    What a sour smell!


    Jiu Shen frowned and his curiosity died down after smelling the sour smell of the wine. He didn¡¯t like it, but he still took a small sip from his cup.


    Sip.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s lips twitched as he disappointedly ced his cup on the table. "It seems like there are only a few good wines in this world. What a pity." He muttered silently as he watched the diners with a curious look. Among them, he could see the familiar face of the crown prince Reinhardt, and he was talking with a few middle-aged people that looked to be mercenaries. Their strength wasn¡¯t bad, but it was still not enough to enter his eyes. However, because of his curiosity, he decided to listen to their conversation through his spiritual sense.


    "Your Highness, what do you think about that senior who faced that huge eye with great heroism and majesty?"


    Hearing the question, Prince Reinhardt¡¯s eyes shed with a look of admiration as he recalled that scene. "That senior is so much stronger than most of the experts in our Silver Wing Empire. I think only the emperor father could be his match." Although he sounded a bit unconfident, he didn¡¯t want to undermine the strength of his father the emperor. After all, he had also seen how his father had faced off against a dragon in Beltran City. He was even able to scare off the dragon with his might.


    Everyone still believed that it was Emperor Elyk who made the dragon retreat since they didn¡¯t see everything too clearly at that time.


    At the mention of the emperor, admiration and worship shed on the eyes of the mercenaries before it suddenly dimmed down. Although the emperor was a strong person, the man they had seen yesterday was just too awesome, and they believed that he should be stronger than the emperor, but they didn¡¯t dare say it out loud as they might be punished for it especially with the presence of the crown prince.


    "Your Highness, can you tell us why you called us here?"


    Prince Reinhardt smiled at them and replied. "I wanted to go back to Beltran City, but I found a beautiful fairy here in Green Wood Pavilion, so I decided to stay for one more day here."


    The mercenaries looked at each other with knowing smiles when they heard the crown prince¡¯s words. They knew that this seemingly harmless man was a fickle person who loves beautiful women, so they were not surprised when they heard his words.


    "Then what do you want us to do, Your Highness?"


    Prince Reinhardt¡¯s smile vanished and was reced by a serious look as he recalled the man with long silver hair. Reinhardt felt a sense of defeat when he saw that man¡¯s iparably handsome face. Even someone as confident as Reinhardt felt his self-esteem taking a huge hit when hepared himself with that man.


    With a forced smile, Prince Reinhardt said. "It¡¯s not that hard. I only want you guys to prevent the man who is together with that fairy from intervening in my matters. Of course, there is no need to use violence, or I might be ced under house arrest by emperor father."


    "Oh, so it¡¯s like this. Don¡¯t worry, Your Highness. We won¡¯t allow that man to interfere when you make a move to im the beauty¡¯s heart. Hahaha!"


    "That¡¯s right! Leave this to us, Your Highness!"


    The mercenariesughed confidently as they cheered the crown prince with fawning smiles. They were also experts, but they didn¡¯t have a strong background like the crown prince, so they wanted totch themselves on his thighs to get more resources to boost their cultivation. They were ready to do anything just to get in his good books. After all, this man was the crown prince, and he was the most likely person to inherit the throne.


    Jiu Shen who was listening from the sidelines was amused at their conversation. ¡¯Ays, Elyk. Your third son is talented in the art of military and stratagem, but he is arrogant and conceited. Your second son is most likely dead since a demon is now upying his body. As for this eldest son of yours, he might be talented in cultivation, but his fickle heart will be the downfall of him. What a pity! Although your three eldest sons are tigers like you, their characters are wed.¡¯


    Suddenly, Jiu Shen saw a familiar figure at the corner of his vision. He raised his head and saw the proprietress of the Green Wood Pavilion, Liuli. She had a charming and seductive air as she walked towards the dining area, and she would smile at her guests from time to time.


    Everyone that looked at her smiled mysteriously as they stared at her exposed skin. Their eyes were already twinkling with unknown light as they nced unblinkingly at her voluptuous figure.


    Liuli was already used to this kind of scene, so she didn¡¯t take their actions to heart.


    "Proprietress Liuli, what a coincidence to see you here!" Prince Reinhardt rose from his seat as he greeted Liuli with a charming smile. She was one of the women that he coveted the most, but her strength was unfathomable so he didn¡¯t dare behave wantonly in her presence despite his identity as the crown prince.


    Liuli stopped in her tracks and she covered her small mouth as she giggled coquettishly while looking at the crown prince. "Oh, so it¡¯s Your Highness! What a surprise to see you here this early! I wonder what brought Your Highness¡¯ esteemed presence here in my humble establishment." Liuli nced at the crown prince with a curious smile even though she already knew that he was here for a beauty. In fact, the crown prince always came here for the same reason, to hunt beauties. However, she didn¡¯t expose him since it was unwise to provoke the crown prince for a matter like this. Of course, if he was here to take liberties with her, then that would be a different story.


    Prince Reinhardt merely chuckled when he heard her question. He also didn¡¯t forget to take a quick look at Liuli¡¯s deep cleavage. ¡¯Ays! This fox is too tempting that I want to grab her and be done with it. What a pity that she has a bit of strength, but it won¡¯t take long before I can get you for myself. By then, no matter how strong you are, you can¡¯t escape my wolf ws... Hahaha!¡¯ A strange glint shed imperceptibly in his eyes as he smiled at Liuli like how a gentleman would.


    As Liuli was talking with the crown prince, she saw a lone silhouette seated in a random corner. He was looking at her with an indifferent expression, but she didn¡¯t mind this. She then smiled at the crown prince as she curtsied elegantly. "Your Highness, I still have some matters to do. Please excuse this little woman. Hehe."


    Reinhardt nodded his head at her with a warm smile and sat back on his seat. Just then, he saw Liuli walking towards a certain direction with quick steps, but when he saw who the person she was headed to, the smile on the crown prince¡¯s face turned ugly and malevolent, but he quickly concealed it. ¡¯That bastard! It¡¯s him! What¡¯s his rtionship with Proprietress Liuli? It looks like their rtionship is not normal. This fucking shit actually dares to steal my woman in front of my eyes!¡¯


    The eyes of the crown prince almost spurted fire when he saw how Liuli acted in front of Jiu Shen. Even a retard would know that their rtionship was not shallow especially after looking at Liuli¡¯s respectful and genuine smile.


    ¡¯This bastard! See how I trample youter!¡¯ Reinhardt concealed his fury as he walked towards Jiu Shen with his signature charming smile.


    Sensing his arrival, Jiu Shen ignored the noisy Liuli as he took a look at this amusing crown prince.


    Liuli furrowed her eyebrows in displeasure after having her time with Jiu Shen suddenly interrupted by someone, but when she saw who it was, she repressed her annoyance. "Your Highness, do you need anything else from me?"


    Prince Reinhardt shook his head with a smile and said. "I just want to make friends with this gentleman here. I hope Proprietress Liuli would introduce me to him."

 Chapter 166 - Returning To Beltran City

    <h4>Chapter 166 - Returning To Beltran City </h4>


    Liuli was a smart woman and she already knew that the crown prince was up to no good, but she was confident that Prince Reinhardt couldn¡¯t do anything to Jiu Shen, so after a moment of hesitation, she nodded her head at the crown prince. "Since Prince Reinhardt wants to know this gentleman here, then how could I refuse?" She smiled charmingly.


    Liuli then took a nce at the poker-faced Jiu Shen and she almostughed after seeing his disinterested look. "Lord Jiu Shen, let me introduce this man to you. He is a great personage here in our Silver Wing Empire. He is the crown prince, Prince Reinhardt Silveria."


    Reinhardt raised his head slightly after her introduction. He was obviously pleased with it, but when he saw that Jiu Shen didn¡¯t even bother to greet him, the crown prince¡¯s face darkened. This fellow didn¡¯t even bat an eye after Liuli told him his identity.


    He actually dared to embarrass him in front of his woman? What a cocky bastard!


    Looking at Jiu Shen¡¯s calm look, Liuli coughed lightly to get his attention.


    Cough. Cough.


    Jiu Shen decided to give her some face since she was already his subordinate, so he nodded his head at the crown as he said with an apathetic look. "I¡¯ve heard a lot about you."


    Prince Reinhardt¡¯s anger almost burst out, but Liuli hurriedly spoke to pacify the tensed atmosphere. "Hahah! Don¡¯t mind him too much, Your Highness. His name is Jiu Shen, a very strong expert, and I am one of his people." She decided to tell her rtionship with Jiu Shen to prevent things from escting further. She didn¡¯t want the reputation of her Green Wood Pavilion to be tarnished, so she could only do this. Furthermore, with the crown prince¡¯s power, it wouldn¡¯t take long for him to know the rtionship between him and Jiu Shen.


    After hearing her words, the crown prince was a bit surprised and he couldn¡¯t help but take a doubtful look at Liuli before ncing at the calm Jiu Shen. Although he couldn¡¯t read the exact strength of Liuli, he was certain that she was at least at the 8th-rank Divine realm. However, she emphasized that Jiu Shen was a very strong expert and she was also working under him. Does that mean that he was the true owner of the Green Wood Pavilion? Thinking about that, Prince Reinhardt thought that things were bing a bitplicated, but still, he didn¡¯t want to give up on getting this seductress Liuli for himself no matter how strong Jiu Shen was. ¡¯After I inherit the throne and awaken the slumbering ancestor, who would dare disobey me!?¡¯


    In only an instant, the crown prince¡¯s expression returned to normal as he cupped his fists at Jiu Shen. His bright smile masked the towering wrath in his heart. "So it¡¯s Lord Jiu Shen. What a great hero to actually have the ability to take Proprietress Liuli as your subordinate. I admire you!"


    Admire my ass! I can¡¯t wait to tear that fucking boytoy face of yours. I will also let you watch how I fuck this little bitch Liuli in front of you! Hmph!


    Jiu Shen didn¡¯t know what Reinhardt was thinking, but he could sense the rage that he tried so hard to suppress. And if not for his friendship with Elyk, he would have already punished this fickle and conceited prince. Having lost his mood to stay here, Jiu Shen ignored the crown prince as he stood up. He then took a sidelong nce at Liuli and said in a cold voice. "Don¡¯t dy our matters and pack up right away."


    After hearing his cold voice, Liuli shivered and she hurriedly bowed at him with the utmost respect. "Yes, Lord Jiu Shen."


    After that, Jiu Shen left the scene without even taking onest look at them. The disdain and contempt in his actions almost made Prince Reinhardt lose his control, but he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists tightly as he suppressed his anger.


    "Prince Reinhardt, I advise you not to act impulsively. Lord Jiu Shen isn¡¯t someone you want to mess with. I¡¯m only saying this to you on ount of your father. Farewell." Liuli left after speaking in a slightly annoyed tone. It was the first time Reinhardt heard her talk to him that way, so he felt iparably incensed.


    "Jiu Shen is it? I remember you." He muttered with dense killing intent.


    He then left the Green Wood Pavilion, leaving behind the middle-aged mercenaries with nk looks.


    "What happened to the crown prince? Why did he leave in such a hurry?"


    "I don¡¯t know, but it seems like our work has to be put on hold. What a pity!"


    * * *


    Night arrived, and the moon illuminated the night sky with a dim white light. It was a tranquil dark sky, but for how long could this tranquility remain?


    There were still quite a number of people within the streets of Green Wood City, and most of them were still talking about the fantastical event that happened yesterday morning.


    Looking above, eight figures could be vaguely seen on top of the Green Wood Pavilion¡¯s building, but because it was night time, it was difficult to see their facial features.


    "Let¡¯s go back home." Jiu Shen muttered as he nced at the sky.


    Liuli who was standing behind him nodded her head as she took out something from her space ring.


    It was a huge flying boat with an intricate design. It was a precious treasure that could fly through the skies, and its flight speed was evenparable to that of a 9th-rank cultivator. Although this flying boat is such a valuable and rare treasure, using it also burned a lot of True Crystals. However, True Crystals meant nothing to the rich Liuli.


    She then nced at Jiu Shen and Xia Xinyue before taking a nce at the five subordinates that she chose to bring with her. All five of them were men, and the strongest among them had the strength of a peak stage 7th-rank Emperor realm expert, while the remaining four were at the early stage of the 7th-rank Emperor realm. "Hop in, everyone."


    Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh.


    Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh.


    After everyone hopped inside the flying boat, Liuli grabbed a handful of True Crystals and ced it inside the core of the boat, causing it to produce a bright luster.


    Swoosh!


    The huge flying boat streaked through the skies under Liuli¡¯smands. She then asked one of her subordinates to control the flying boat.


    * * *


    Beltran City, Xue Family Estate.


    "Is Elder Ming not out of seclusion yet?" Xue Yangkai muttered with an impatient tone. He was already dying to create chaos within Beltran City to avenge the death of his son, but they still had to wait for Elder Ming before making a move.


    Xue Yangkun red at him and snorted. "Patriarch, I¡¯ve already told you that Elder Ming¡¯s retreat might take a few months or more. Just wait patiently, okay? The moment hees out, you can do whatever you want."


    Actually, Xue Yangkun was also bing tensed especially after they had entered Jiu Shen¡¯s store. They discovered that the store wasn¡¯t as simple as it seemed to be, and it was even protected by an unfathomable expert. Recalling that man with long wavy ck hair who stood like a stone statue outside of the store¡¯s second floor, Xue Yangkun felt his heart turning cold.


    That being said, this idiot patriarch in front of him might also spoil the grand ns of Elder Ming, so he had to keep an eye on him to prevent him from destroying the n that they had brewed for dozens of years. ¡¯I hope that Yangkai this idiotic old man can remain patient during this time that Elder Ming is still absent. This is an opportunity for our Xue Family to rise, and after Elder Ming¡¯s breakthrough, we would be able to gain sufficient authority to control a part of the Alliance. However, things might beplicated if that store intervenes in our matters...¡¯

 Chapter 167 - Progress

    <h4>Chapter 167 - Progress </h4>


    The ring sun radiated with a bright light that lit up the whole of Beltran City, awakening everyone from their deep sleep. The clouds drifted across the sky as the morning wind passed by. It was another sunny weather for the capital city.


    Jiu Shen who was seated cross-legged on the floor inside his room abruptly stood up and stretched his muscles after the first rays of sunlight touched his face.


    Crack. Crack. Crack.


    The cracking of his muscles can be heard as he stretched his limbs with a bit of force. This sudden noise awakened the little beauty who was lying on top of Jiu Shen¡¯s bed. She raised her head and took a nce at Jiu Shen with a beautiful smile on her face. This woman was Xia Xinyue.


    After she had slept naked beside Jiu Shen that night, she had already treated herself as his woman even though he didn¡¯t receive his acknowledgment.


    She would be satisfied as long as she could stay with him.


    When they arrivedst night in Beltran City, Xia Xinyue even insisted to stay inside Jiu Shen¡¯s room which was immediately rejected by thetter, but after her endless pleading, Jiu Shen agreed reluctantly.


    "Lord Sect Master, do you want me to make tea for you?" Xia Xinyue¡¯s soft voice drifted inside the room.


    Jiu Shen nced at her and nodded his head with a calm look. Regarding Xia Xinyue¡¯s feelings for him, he already knew about it, but his heart wasn¡¯t prepared to ept this kind of emotion yet.


    After that, Jiu Shen stepped out of his room and went downstairs to tell his subordinates to open the store. He also wanted to check the progress of the kids that he left in Can Ye¡¯s care. Aside from that, he will inspect the relocation process that was promised by the emperor.


    When she saw Jiu Shen leaving the room without even speaking to her, Xia Xinyue sighed lightly, but her expression was still full of affection. "Even if I serve you as your maid, I will be willing..." She muttered tenderly.


    On the second floor, Jiu Shen saw Ren Shuang who instantly stood up after sensing Jiu Shen¡¯s presence.


    "Good morning, master." Ren Shuang bowed respectfully as he spoke.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head at him and recalled about Liuli¡¯s matter. "Shuang, I want you to investigate the woman that came with mest night. I don¡¯t need to tell you who I¡¯m talking about, right?"


    Ren Shuang shook his head confidently. There were only two women that came together with Jiu Shenst night. Among the two, one was an elder of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect, and the other one was someone he wasn¡¯t familiar with, so he was certain that Jiu Shen was talking about thetter one. "Master, during your absence, experts from the Xue Family and the Undying Corpse Sect visited the store frequently. Their top experts always visited the second floor to enjoy the fast cultivation speed, while their mid level members stayed within the first floor to gather information about us. Aside from this, I did not discover any strange movements from them, so they should be still waiting for that Elder Ming toe out of his seclusion."


    While Jiu Shen was away from Beltran City, Ren Shuang wasn¡¯t idle. He continuously monitored the movements of the Xue Family and the Undying Corpse Sect. He also secretly protected the one hundred young ves that were staying in the beast fighting arena, but he didn¡¯t know that there was already a god beast progeny protecting those kids.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes shed when he heard Ren Shuang¡¯s words. He then patted thetter¡¯s shoulder and said. "Good job. Now go and investigate Liuli for me. The second floor will temporarily be protected by her while you¡¯re away."


    "Yes, master." Ren Shuang bowed before his figure vanished with a faint swooshing sound.


    Swoosh.


    On the first floor, he saw that Theia and Hestia were already preparing to open the store. He also saw eight young women dressed in western maid outfit that barely covered their youthful figure. Hestia was dressed in a simr fashion, while Theia was still wearing a knight¡¯s armor.


    Looking at those four additional waitresses, Jiu Shen was a bit stunned, so he gave Hestia a curious look.


    Hestia immediately understood his questioning gaze, so she shed a pretty smile at him as she exined. "Master, the customers of our store doubled after you left, so I asked Sn to bring four more disciples to work here. I hope you don¡¯t mind."


    Jiu Shen slightly shook his head. He wasn¡¯t good at managing his store since he didn¡¯t experience doing this in his past life, so he didn¡¯t really mind the additional young waitresses. "It doesn¡¯t matter. You may open the store now."


    After hearing his words, Theia nodded her head and grabbed the door, slowly opening it.


    Looking outside, there were already a number of customers waiting, and they were even standing in line with patient looks on their faces. In fact, no one among the customers would dare to behave wantonly anymore since they have already heard the rumors about Theia. Even the Bai Family which was a reputable noble family in Beltran City didn¡¯t dare let out a fart despite knowing that the death of one of their n members was rted to Theia...


    "Hestia, I will leave the store for a while. If Liulies here, tell her to guard the second floor temporarily." Jiu Shen ordered before leaving the store.


    Hestia bowed at where Jiu Shen had previously stood. "Liuli? She should be that woman." Her voice was gentle like the spring breeze.


    * * *


    At this moment, Jiu Shen teleported above the sky of Beltran City to survey the ongoing relocation. There were still a few people that refused to leave their houses, but it was only a matter of time before they will leave since this was handled by the emperor. "Elyk that old brat is indeed trustworthy. Not bad."


    His figure then vanished as he teleported inside the beast fighting arena.


    Before Jiu Shen left Beltran City several days ago, he gave the training schedule to Can Ye and he also told him to instruct the young men in their practice.


    One hundred teens with youthful faces were doing their morning routine under Can Ye¡¯s orders. The kids were afraid of this middle-aged instructor since he looked scarierpared to Jiu Shen appearance-wise, so they didn¡¯t darein during his lectures.


    Can Ye treated this seriously since this was his master¡¯s orders, so even though he was a bit bored here, he didn¡¯t neglect his duties as the trainer of the young men.


    Looking at this, Jiu Shen nodded his head in satisfaction. "Good. Looks like no one is cking."


    Just as the words left his mouth, he saw a ball of fur lying inconspicuously in one corner of the arena. If one would look closely, this ball of fur has a furry tail wagging left and right.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s lips curved upwards when he saw this. "I take back my words. This cat is still aszy as always."

 Chapter 168 - Ices Human Form

    <h4>Chapter 168 - Ice''s Human Form </h4>


    A chubby white cat who was sleeping soundly on the floor just a few moments ago suddenly rolled sideways before abruptly rising on its feet. It then red towards where Jiu Shen was roughly located. It could sense a very strong presence in this direction which greatly surprised it, but when it saw Jiu Shen¡¯s face, it revealed a dumbfounded human-like expression.


    Swoosh.


    A streak of white light traveled towards Jiu Shen, and an adorable fat cat came into his view. This was none other than Ice, thezy cat that Jiu Shen left here to protect the kids secretly.


    "Stinky human, howe you look different now? Strange. This is very strange indeed. Aren¡¯t you just a 9th-rank Saint realm expert? Could it be... No way! You just left for a few days and you¡¯re already a Nascent God Realm expert?! Impossible! I must be dreaming! Yeah, that¡¯s right! This must be a dream! Meeow!" Ice¡¯s lolita voice reverberated inside Jiu Shen¡¯s head.


    Jiu Shen ignored her words as he smiled and smacked the fat cat¡¯s head. "Lazy cat." He muttered.


    Smack.


    Ow! Ow! Meow!


    Ice put on a hostile look as she grabbed her big furry head with both her front paws. Of course, she wasn¡¯t really injured since she was already a Nascent God Realm beast. She just felt that she was being treated like a kid by Jiu Shen, so she immediately became incensed.


    "Smelly human! Don¡¯t treat this cute cat as a kid! I¡¯m already more than a hundred years old! Hmph! Meow!" Ice crossed her front paws on top of her bulging belly as she stood in front of Jiu Shen like how a human would.


    More than a hundred years old? Jiu Shen chuckled in his heart as he tried to recall his age, but to no avail. He had even forgotten when he had stopped counting how old he was. If he celebrated his birthday, he might even fill a whole world with candles and lit it aze. That would be amusing...


    With a look of disdain, Jiu Shen smiled at Ice while looking at her huge belly. "Youzy fatso does nothing but drink milk and sleep all day. Look at your tummy, it¡¯s already so big. Do you want to be a pig?"


    Ice¡¯s cat face darkened as she tried to look at her belly, but she couldn¡¯t even look downward anymore due to her excessive fats. Her expression revealed a human-like dejection when she realized this, and she could not help but nce at Jiu Shen pitifully. "Smelly human! Howe I¡¯ve grown this chubby after merely a few months?! Huhuh! I don¡¯t want to be a fat pig! Meow!"


    Jiu Shen almost burst intoughter when he saw theical appearance of the fat cat. "Aren¡¯t you a Nascent God Realm god beast progeny? Try transforming in your human form and see if you are still as fat as you are now."


    The eyes of the chubby cat lit up and she immediately raised her thumbs up to Jiu Shen with her front paws. "Right! Why did I not think of that? You still have some brains for a smelly human! Meow!"


    After saying those words, Ice¡¯s figure slowly morphed into a small girl with short white hair. She looked like a little girl at the age of six with her baby face and short and chubby limbs. If she were to stand in front of Jiu Shen, she would only be as tall as his knees.


    Looking at her adorable face, anyone¡¯s heart would surely melt and they would certainly want to hug this little lolita in their embrace. She looked just like a little angel in her white furry clothes. Truly cute!


    Ice stretched her four limbs as she familiarized herself with her human form, and she was pleasantly surprised when she realized that she could now look at her belly. Although her limbs were slightly chubby, at least she could now move normally unlike in her cat form.


    "Hahaha! I can now see my belly! Hey! Smelly human, look! I can see my belly! It¡¯s not that big! Meow!" Ice was ecstatic at her discovery and she could not help but grabbed Jiu Shen¡¯s arms to get his attention. Her cute smile almost reached her ears as she erupted into peals ofughter.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s face turned gentle as he rubbed Ice¡¯s little head. "Let¡¯s go back to the store. I¡¯ll let you drink some milk." He said with a smile.


    After hearing his words, Ice¡¯s expression lit up and she immediately nodded her head with an expectant look. "Hehehe! I want three bowls of yummy milk! Meow!"


    Jiu Shen smiled as he hugged the lolita in his arms before he teleported with her back inside his store.


    The sudden appearance of Jiu Shen inside the store surprised the customers, and they could not help but cast a series of curious nces towards the cute little lolita in Jiu Shen¡¯s arms.


    What a beautiful and adorable little girl! Is she Wine Master Jiu¡¯s daughter? Thinking about that, everyone¡¯s eyes went wide as they stared at the duo who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Even Hestia and Theia had doubtful looks on their faces as they stared at Jiu Shen and the little girl in his embrace.


    "Master, this is?" Hestia asked as she looked at Jiu Shen in bewilderment.


    "Don¡¯t ask so many questions. Just give me a ss and fill it with milk." Jiu Shen said as he ruffled Hestia¡¯s hair.


    Ah!


    Hestia covered her head as she looked at Jiu Shen in surprise. There seemed to be something different with Jiu Shen and he seemed more cheerful than usual, but when she heard that he wants a ss of milk, she nced at the young girl with a head of white hair in his arms with a suspicious look.


    Theia who was standing near the entrance of the store was also curious, but she didn¡¯t bother asking Jiu Shen. She believed that he would exin it to them at the right time. Aside from that, she could sense a familiar aura from that little girl... "Could she be...so my guess was right. That cat must be a god beast progeny. A creature that is already at the Nascent God Realm at the moment of its birth..." She muttered with a look of realization.


    Theia had bits and pieces of information in her memory, and it should be rted to her past life. Suddenly, she saw a scene that always shed inside her head.


    A lonely silhouette with a short sword strapped behind his back as he gave lectures about swordprehension. "I can¡¯t recall his name... Who is he?"

 Chapter 169 - Daughter?

    <h4>Chapter 169 - Daughter? </h4>


    "Wine Master Jiu!" An excited exmation rang out inside the store. This surprised everyone and they could not help but take a look at the direction of the voice.


    At the entrance, they saw two figures dressed as a waitress and a waiter respectively, and when everyone realized who they were, their expressions immediately eased up.


    Jiu Shen simrly nced at them, but his face remained unperturbed. He had already expected their presence in his store since he had discussed this with Emperor Elyk.


    Just then, he suddenly felt a supple and fragrant body hugging him tightly like an octopus.


    The fragrance of a young jasmine flower assailed his nostrils.


    "Wine Master Jiu, you¡¯re finally back! Huhu!" This was none other than Sylvia, the fifth child of the emperor and the only daughter he had.


    Looking at the young girl with long and silky ck hair, Jiu Shen recalled the day he had first met her and he could not help but let out a smile.


    The fourth prince, Prince Dante who was about to pull his sister from Jiu Shen suddenly saw thetter¡¯s smile and he almost staggered from shock. "Wine Master Jiu?" He muttered absent-mindedly.


    Was this really the aloof Wine Master Jiu that he knew? Then what was that smile just now?


    Jiu Shen gently pushed Sylvia away as he spoke to them. "Why are the two of youte for work?" He asked.


    Prince Dante and Princess Sylvia nced at each other before taking an embarrassed look at Jiu Shen.


    "Wine Master Jiu, the imperial pce is far from here and since the area around your store is under relocation, there is no ce to stay nearby. Emperor father also prohibited us from living outside of the imperial pce, so we had no choice." Prince Dante exined while scratching the back of his head with a forced smile.


    Beside him, Princess Sylvia nodded her head like a chicken pecking on rice. She was happy to see Jiu Shen again, and when she recalled that she had actually hugged him out of excitement, she dipped her head to hide her blushing face. ¡¯Ah!! I hugged him?! He smells so nice. Hehe!¡¯


    Jiu Shen thought for a moment and realized that the fourth prince¡¯s words made sense. He knew that the emperor prohibited them from living outside of the imperial pce because it¡¯ll be dangerous for the both of them. The Silver Wing Empire might be calm on the surface, but he knew that it could erupt any time by now.


    "In that case, you both should get to work. After the store closester, you must stay and follow me somewhere." Jiu Shen said as he rubbed the head of the little lolita in his arms.


    The fourth prince and the fifth princess finally saw the small figure in Jiu Shen¡¯s arms, making them dumbstruck.


    "Wine Master Jiu, this...is she your daughter?" Princess Sylvia asked in a slightly trembling voice.


    Everyone listened attentively, including Theia who appeared to be calm outwardly.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s expression was calm as he shook his head. "No...but you could also take it that way."


    Everyone was confused, but they no longer asked Jiu Shen when they saw him walking away with the little girl in his arms.


    Ice who was surprisingly silent throughout the whole conversation suddenly trembled, but Jiu Shen hurriedly rubbed her tiny head gently, making her ease up considerably.


    Ice covered her adorable pair of eyes with her chubby right arm as she sobbed quietly. She then buried her face into Jiu Shen¡¯s chest since she was afraid that the other people might see her crying.


    "Let¡¯s go to my room. You can tell me your story right there." Jiu Shen said as he embraced the lolita closer to him. He knew that she might have recalled her family earlier.


    After arriving on the second floor, Jiu Shen saw that Liuli was already standing at the entrance of the second floor with a bored expression and pouted lips. Seeing this, Jiu Shen chuckled in his heart. ¡¯Girl, that¡¯s what you get for messing with this Heavenly God.¡¯


    Liuli¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw Jiu Shen, and when she saw the little girl in his embrace, she was a bit stunned but she didn¡¯t ask him any questions and just pursed her lips to express her dissatisfaction with Jiu Shen¡¯s arrangements for her. After all, she was a 9th-rank Saint realm expert, but she was actually working as a door guard? She couldn¡¯t stomach this kind of treatment especially after leading a carefree life for many years, but who told her to provoke this malevolent being in front of her? She only had herself to me for this...


    "Don¡¯t worry. This is only a temporary arrangement for you. Think of it as my little punishment to you." Jiu Shen said as he patted the head of the pouting Liuli.


    Liuli wanted to smack his hand away, but when she sensed the warmness and his gentle touch, she couldn¡¯t bear to do it, so she could only puff her cheeks like a little girl. She was surprised at herself that she actually disyed this kind of expression to someone else and it was even to a man at that.


    "Lord Jiu Shen, I know I was wrong. I-I..."


    "Go inside and see for yourself. You might even want to get this position forever after you check this second floor that you¡¯re guarding." Jiu Shen cut her off as he went straight to the third floor without turning his head back.


    Looking at his back figure, Liuli stomped her foot in a bit of annoyance, but because of her curiosity, she went to check the second floor.


    "Huh?! This! What?! So that¡¯s why he is so confident... Hahaha! He¡¯s indeed right. I¡¯d be willing to work as a guard in this kind of ce!" Liuli eximed as she checked every corner of the second floor. She was stunned at the concentrated amount of true essence inside, and she realized that cultivating in this ce was even much better than in her own abode.


    "What a good cultivation environment! How did Lord Jiu Shen create this ce? He¡¯s truly an unfathomable man..." She muttered as she looked around the second floor with a dazed look.

 Chapter 170 - Ices Past

    <h4>Chapter 170 - Ice''s Past </h4>


    Jiu Shen pacified the sobbing Ice by gently rubbing her head. Along the way, they met Xia Xinyue who was holding a cup filled with tea.


    Xia Xinyue was startled when she saw Jiu Shen holding a crying little girl in his arms, and when she saw how beautiful the little thing was, she instantly had one question in her heart: Is she Lord Sect Master¡¯s daughter?


    "Lord Sect Master, I was just about to deliver this tea to you." Xia Xinyue said as she looked at Jiu Shen with an affectionate smile. Anyone who knew Xia Xinyue would certainly be dumbstruck if they saw her expression right now. After all, she was one of the coldest and most aloof elders of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect, but she was actually disying such a tender womanly expression to a man.


    Xia Xinyue hasn¡¯t experienced love before, but she was a hundred percent sure that she wants to be together with the man in front of her. Even if he rejects her, she would still follow him.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s expression warmed up a bit when he saw how considerate Xia Xinyue was. "Xinyue, bring it to my room."


    Xia Xinyue¡¯s smile became wider when she heard how Jiu Shen addressed her. During their time in Green Wood City, he would only refer to her as ¡¯Elder Xia¡¯, but now, he was willing to call her by her first name. Although it was only a form of address, it still made her beyond ted since it can already be considered as a step forward to their rtionship.


    Jiu Shen walked towards his room while carrying Ice in his embrace. Following behind him was a happy Xia Xinyue who was holding a cup of tea.


    Jiu Shen went straight to his bed and let the little lolita sit on hisp. Xia Xinyue sat beside him after putting the cup of tea to a nearby table.


    "You¡¯ve been quiet along the way, do you want to speak about what had happened to you before you came here in the Profound Dragon Continent?" Jiu Shen asked as he ruffled Ice¡¯s white hair.


    Ice pouted in dissatisfaction but she could not conceal the happy smile on her face after feeling Jiu Shen¡¯s gentle touch. "Smelly human! I¡¯m not a kid! I¡¯m already a hundred years old!"


    Xia Xinyue giggled as she looked at the adorable little girl in Jiu Shen¡¯sp.


    Jiu Shen shrugged flicked Ice¡¯s forehead. "Little tiger, I know that god beasts like you have long lifespans, so you can still be considered as a kid. Age-wise, your not even a millionth as old as I am." Jiu Shen said in a joking tone, but he was actually speaking the truth.


    Ice puffed her cheeks as she brandished her ws in front of Jiu Shen, but she then realized that she was in her human form, so her actions looked cute andical instead.


    "Stinky human, you infuriate this cute cat!"


    Looking at them bantering, Xia Xinyue giggled while covering her small mouth with her hands.


    "Come on, just tell us about it. We will listen to your story." Jiu Shen smiled as he pinched the little girl¡¯s cheeks.


    Ow! Ow! Ow!


    "You¡¯re tearing my face apart! Meow! I¡¯ll speak! I¡¯ll tell it to you!" Ice pleaded while looking at Jiu Shen pitifully with her huge eyes.


    Jiu Shen released her cheeks and waited for the lolita to speak. He had coincidentally found this god beast progeny injured near his store, and he immediately knew what her origin was the moment he saw her. Without hesitation, Jiu Shen brought her inside the store and treated her injuries. Starting then, the emaciated little white cat slowly increased in weight, but she still didn¡¯t talk to him even after many days. It was only until recently that she started talking to him, but he still didn¡¯t ask about her past.


    Ice¡¯s cheeky expression turned serious before it turned sad. Her lips quivered as she held back her tears from falling. "I¡¯m a cial Sovereign Tiger, a god beast with an ancient bloodline. I lived peacefully in the Divine Beast Continent with my parents. Both of them are only normal savage beasts of the Tiger n, but they gave birth to me, a god beast with an ancient bloodline. They didn¡¯t know why this happened and only treated it as a miracle, but they were also cautious, so they didn¡¯t divulge my identity as a god beast to anyone. Everything was fine for a hundred years until an elder of the Lion n discovered my identity."


    Ice¡¯s voice paused since she could barely prevent her tears from spilling out. After a few seconds, she continued with a slightly trembling voice. "The Lion n is one of the strongest beast ns in the Divine Beast Continent since they have an old ancestor with a cultivation at the Origin God Realm. After that elder of the Lion n discovered my identity, the Lion n started to covet my bloodline. They wanted to capture me and consume my ancient bloodline to strengthen their own..."


    Hearing this, Xia Xinyue and Jiu Shen felt surprised and angry at the same time.


    "The Lion n waged war with our Tiger n, but our n was powerless against them since the strongest expert of our Tiger n was only at the peak stage of the Nascent God Realm. Left with no choice, my parents decided to send me far away using a teleportation array formation, and they told me to nevere back. I-I¡¯m so...so useless even though I am a g-god beast progeny! I couldn¡¯t even protect my parents and my n... Now, I-I don¡¯t know wha-what happened to them..."


    Ice balled her tiny fists as glistening tears streamed down her face.


    Jiu Shen cupped the little girl¡¯s face with both his hands as he wiped away the tears on her cheeks with his two thumbs. "Little tiger, after finishing the matters here, I will bring you to the Divine Beast Continent to search for your parents and your Tiger n. Don¡¯t worry. I will let those from the Lion n pay for their crimes." Jiu Shen¡¯s cold voice drifted inside the room.

 Chapter 171 - Theias Tears

    <h4>Chapter 171 - Theia''s Tears </h4>


    "But there is an Origin God Realm expert in the Lion n! I know you¡¯re strong, but you just reached the Nascent God Realm! I won¡¯t allow you to go there, stinky human!" Ice stood up on Jiu Shen¡¯sp and held his face with her chubby hands as she said those words.


    Although she was always ridiculed by Jiu Shen and was even often bullied by him, she could still feel his care for her. She had already treated Jiu Shen as her family, so she didn¡¯t want to put him in danger.


    Jiu Shen grabbed the lolita¡¯s chubby arms as he let her sit on hisp with a smile. "Do you look down on my strength? Listen closely little tiger, even if the whole of Nuar fights against me, they would only be buried beneath my feet. Don¡¯t worry. Just trust me, okay? Wait until the matter in the Silver Wing Empire is settled, then we will go to visit the Divine Beast Continent." His voice was filled with confidence as if no one in the whole world could stop him.


    Actually, Jiu Shen didn¡¯t really treat the beings of Nuar in high regard. If he had his full strength, he could even destroy the whole with a mere flick of his finger. And even with his current strength, he was still confident that he could defeat anyone in Nuar...


    Strangely, Xia Xinyue and Ice felt that he wasn¡¯t boasting, but they were still worried since the other party had an Origin God Realm expert among them.


    "But..."


    Jiu Shen ced his index finger on the little girl¡¯s lips and shook his head with a smile. "No buts. Just listen to me, okay?"


    The lolita¡¯s eyes became misty again when she heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words, but she held her tears from streaming out as she hugged Jiu Shen tightly.


    Xia Xinyue smiled when she saw the two hugging each other like a family. Unknowingly, she had already stretched her arms to join the two of them.


    Inside the room, three people hugging each other can be seen, and they looked like a family, enjoying each other¡¯s warmness.


    * * *


    More than a monthter.


    Many things happened in the past month in Beltran City. The whole Ice Cloud Sword Sect relocated their ice castle near Jiu Shen¡¯s wine store. This sudden movement from them stunned the civilians and nobles living in the capital city, but seeing that there was no movement from the imperial family, the people had eventually forgotten about this.


    The area around Jiu Shen¡¯s wine store had also been emptied, and no one else was living within aside from Jiu Shen¡¯s subordinates. With this, he started the construction of his sect¡¯s main building with the help of the emperor¡¯s servants, but he has yet toe up with a suitable name for his sect. However, Jiu Shen wasn¡¯t in a hurry about this so he just continued to do his usual tasks.


    Jiu Shen had also started training his subordinates with the way of the sword, and he even allowed the one hundred young ves to join them every time he started his lessons. After his teachings, everyone gained significant insights that enhanced their strengths substantially. Even the one hundred young men had already started their cultivation journey under the guidance of Jiu Shen.


    Under the respectful nces of countless eyes, Jiu Shen casually showed a sword technique that made everyone cheer in excitement.


    A burning dragon phantom manifested out of thin air and it released an earth-shaking roar as it rose to the skies with an overwhelming power that almost suffocated everyone present.


    Roarrrr!!


    After the burning dragon phantom reached a hundred meters above the sky, its figure slowly turned into countless motes of crimson light that covered the heavens with a rosy color.


    Looking above, everyone gasped in admiration and worship. Even those ice goddesses in the Ice Cloud Sword Sect revealed looks of fascination as they nced at the motes of crimson light that was slowly vanishing.


    "The power I used in that sword technique is equivalent to a 7th-rank Emperor realm cultivator. However, because of my strong swordprehension, my attack¡¯s overall power was multiplied by several times, making it even more powerful. If you train ording to my teachings, you will eventually be able to do what I did earlier, so every one of you has to work hard." Jiu Shen said as he stared at those worshipping expressions with a calm look.


    "That was only the power of a 7th-rank Emperor realm?! It looked like an attack from a 9th-rank Saint! Amazing!"


    "Of course! Who do you think the Lord Sect Master is?"


    Jiu Shen¡¯s lips curved upwards as he said. "That¡¯s it for today. Everyone can now return to practice on their own."


    Everyone stood up and bowed at Jiu Shen respectfully before they dispersed. They were eager to return and start practicing after seeing Jiu Shen¡¯s astonishing performance. They long for the day when they were already capable of unleashing even half of what Jiu Shen had shown them.


    Just then, Jiu Shen discovered a lone silhouette who appeared to be absent-minded. Jiu Shen was surprised to see that it was actually Theia.


    "Theia, is there anything wrong?" Jiu Shen asked with a hint of concern.


    Theia was still in a daze and she appeared to have not heard of Jiu Shen. In her mind, she could recall a hazy figure of a man discussing the art of the sword. He looked familiar and unfamiliar at the same time, and every time he recalled him, she would always feel her heart throbbing with emotions. "Who are you? Just who are you? Why do I always see your figure even in my dreams? Who are you?"


    Her voice sounded hoarse as tears unconsciously streamed down her cheeks.


    This scene stunned Jiu Shen, but then he suddenly thought of a possibility. "Could it be that Theia also remembered her past? It must have been a lonely past if it could even make the strong-willed Theia cry like this..." He muttered. He was simrly a transmigrator like them, but he could fully remember his past life.


    Jiu Shen sighed and gave Theia her private space. He knew that she would be embarrassed if anyone would see her current appearance, so he chose to leave her alone.

 Chapter 172 - Long Meilis Tribulation Lightning

    <h4>Chapter 172 - Long Meili''s Tribtion Lightning </h4>


    Among Jiu Shen¡¯s subordinates, the coldest and most unapproachable was certainly Theia. He had never seen that kind of look from her ever since she was summoned by the system to serve him, so he felt a bit worried. He wondered just what kind of painful experience had she gone through in her past life for such a tough woman like her to cry just like that.


    "System, could you tell me anything about Theia¡¯s past life?" Jiu Shen muttered as he blocked the one hundred meter radius around Theia. He didn¡¯t want anyone else to see Theia in that state, so he could only do this for her.


    The system remained silent and didn¡¯t answer Jiu Shen¡¯s question, but a momentter, the system¡¯s voice echoed inside Jiu Shen¡¯s head. Strangely though, there was a tinge of imperceivable emotion in its mechanical voice.


    "Host, everyone¡¯s life is predetermined by fate. If you¡¯re destined to meet someone, then even death can¡¯t stop it..."


    Jiu Shen didn¡¯t understand why the system had spoken such words, and even with his lifetime of knowledge andprehension, he could still not fathom the meaning behind those words. However, he could feel that if his heart realm was at the fourth level, he might be able to somehow understand the system¡¯s words, but as of the moment, Jiu Shen was incapable of doing this.


    That was how important the heart realm was to a cultivator. The higher the attainment in one¡¯s heart realm, the easier it is for someone to understand theplexity and intricacies of the universe. Aside from that, a cultivator with high attainment in the heart realm will experience fewer bottlenecks in cultivation, making their progress much faster than most.


    With a nk look, Jiu Shen suddenly thought about the dragon girl that he had tamed some time ago. It has been a while since he had given her some healing pills and cultivation resources. She should be about to break through to the Nascent God Realm once again. Aside from that, it was also time for him to refine the World Heart of the Spirit World and be its Deity.


    Thinking about that, Jiu Shen immediatelymunicated with the system. "System, open the Spirit World for me."


    Om!


    A two-meter tall door suddenly appeared out of nowhere.


    Jiu Shen stared at the door with a calm look as he tried so hard to ignore the fact that it was made from a Celestial Tree.


    Jiu Shen pushed the door open and immediately went to the ind where he had left the dragon girl.


    With his current strength, he now had a much better control in manipting the element of space, so he arrived on the ind in just less than ten minutes.


    "I can sense the little lizard, Long Meili. Oh! It seems like she¡¯s trying to summon her tribtion lightning. Looks like she¡¯s already been trying to break through to the Nascent God Realm for several days. With her current progress, it¡¯s only a matter of time before her tribtion lightning will descend. Not bad!" Jiu Shen muttered as he teleported near Long Meili¡¯s direction.


    He saw the huge dragon on top of a mountain with countless toppled trees around her. There were also huge cracks and shattered boulders on the surface of the mountain. Jiu Shen didn¡¯t know why Long Meili had caused such massive damage to the mountain, but he guessed that the dragon girl might have been feeling anxious at her iing tribtion lightning...


    Roaarrrr!!


    Long Meili issued an earth-shaking roar that shook the entire mountain, causing countless huge boulders and stones to break into pieces. Jiu Shen could also sense that her tribtion lightning was about to descend.


    "System, if I face my next tribtion lightning here in the Spirit World, could I use my ability as the Deity of the Spirit World to weaken my tribtion lightning?" Jiu Shen suddenly asked. The system told him some time ago that if he could refine the Spirit World¡¯s World Heart, then he would be the Deity of the Spirit World. So he thought that if he could use the ability of a Deity, then even if he faced the God Exterminating Divine Eye once again, wouldn¡¯t his next tribtion lightning be as easy as eating rice?


    - Ding!


    - Host, the tribtion lightning is something that is governed by a different set of rules. It is something that maintains the bnce of the multiverse... If you decide to break through in this Spirit World as its Deity, your tribtion lightning will be much fiercer and deadlier. Host, I suggest facing the tribtion lightning outside of the Spirit World for your next breakthrough.


    The system¡¯s words was like a bucket of cold water which instantly made Jiu Shen erase his previous thoughts of breaking through inside this Spirit World.


    "Well, it looks like I can¡¯t cheat my way up." Jiu Shen muttered in a self-mocking tone. He then focused his attention on the huge dragon that emitted thunderous roars from time to time.


    Suddenly, the sky above the Spirit World parted and a cluster of purple clouds appeared, bringing along with it several dozens of pale purple thunderbolts. Although it was a lot weakerpared to the crimson thunderbolts that struck Jiu Shen in his tribtion lightning, the streaks of purple lightning above were by no means weak. After all, Long Meili was still a dragon descendant, so her tribtion lightning was still stronger than the normal tribtion lightning of an average cultivator.


    Zapp!


    A bolt of purple lightning suddenly came down, painting the sky with a purplish hue.


    Long Meili let out an enraged roar as she faced the iing lightning with rage.


    Roaaarrr!!


    This was the tribtion lightning that made her fail many times in transcending the boundaries of mortality. How could she not be enraged with it?


    A dragon descendant that failed her tribtion for a number of times, if this was known by the god beasts in the Primordial God Realm, then she would surely be aughingstock.


    This time, she consumed the Earth Origin Dragon Fruit which made her more confident. Not to mention that she also had the Supreme Dragon Heavenly Canon that her mysterious master gave her.


    Raising her dragon head, Long Meili red at the purple clouds above while emitting fumes of grey smoke from her nose.


    Baaangg!


    The purple lightning struck her body, but Long Meili didn¡¯t flinch as she continued to re at the sky as if she couldn¡¯t wait to spit a breath of mes towards it.


    The ground beneath Long Meili shattered from the devastating power produced by the bolt of purple lightning, and the toppled trees near her turned into ashes.


    Roaarrr!!!


    Long Meili issued a taunting draconic cry as if she was unsatisfied by the power of the purple streak of lightning.


    Looking at this scene, Jiu Shen smiled unknowingly. He didn¡¯t think that this dragon that submitted to him actually have such guts to taunt her tribtion lightning. "To think that this little lizard is actually as crazy as me. Interesting."


    Multiple bolts of purple lightning streak towards Long Meili as if they wanted to burn her body into ashes.


    Hmph!


    Facing this, Long Meili snorted as she spat a scorching ball of fire that was almost as big as the mountain that she was stepping on.


    Roaarr!!!


    Her attack managed to destroy those bolts of lightning!


    Long Meili whipped her tail in excitement when she saw how strong her attack had be. This was the effect of eating the Earth Origin Dragon Fruit that was given to her by her master! It enhanced her draconic abilities by quite a margin!


    Zaapp! Zaapp! Zaapp!!


    This time, dozens of purple lightning bolts came down from the sky as it wanted to cleave the heavens apart.


    Long Meili¡¯s beastly eyes shed with a trace of seriousness and she immediately spurted another breath of scorching ball of mes. However, it only managed to block less than ten bolts of lightning, while the rest continued to streak towards Long Meili¡¯s body.


    Baaaanngg!!!


    Baaaanngg!!!


    The mountain she was stepping on was split apart and the ground beneath her turned ck like charcoal.


    Long Meili¡¯s huge body trembled as more than several dozens of lightning bolts struck her body with devastating might!


    Baaannggg!!


    Baaaanng!!!


    She then spat several mouthfuls of blood as she used her true essence to shield her internal organs, but because of the sheer strength from the lightning bolts, she still sustained substantial amounts of internal injuries which made her body feel light and numb.


    Her knees almost caved in, but as prideful as she was, Long Meili forced herself to remain standing as she cried out.


    Roaaarrrr!!!


    She spurted another mouthful of blood as the bolts of purple lightning continued to smite her body. Quite a number of long and deeps gushes covered her huge body, drenching Long Meili with her own blood.


    Her knees trembled and her body swayed as she felt that she was almost losing her consciousness.


    Just then, she muttered the mantra of the Supreme Dragon Heavenly Canon which immediately stirred her draconic bloodline.


    A strong and overpowering aura of a dragon descendant surged out as Long Meili¡¯s hidden potential was being utilized.


    The pain she was feeling suddenly vanished and all she could feel was the warm current passing through her body and then down to her dantian, strengthening her cultivation on the process.


    Even after thest bolt of purple lightning pounded her body like a sledgehammer, she appeared to be unaffected as she focused her senses on the changes happening inside her dantian.


    A bright ray of light suddenly covered her body, but Jiu Shen could still see what was happening to Long Meili with the help of his enhanced vision. His pair of golden eyes stared at the transformation happening to Long Meili.


    "This little lizard didn¡¯t let me down..."

 Chapter 173 - Innocent Long Meili

    <h4>Chapter 173 - Innocent Long Meili </h4>


    Long Meili¡¯s huge dragon body slowly morphed as she transformed into her human form. This transformation was a sign that she was already at the Nascent God Realm! It must be noted that only savage beasts at the Nascent God Realm were capable of transforming into their human forms.


    A valiant beauty with long purple hair gracefully stood atop the broken mountain. She wasn¡¯t wearing any clothes, so her ample jade bosom, slim waist, and that sparsely forested maiden cave were in full disy. She gave off a heroic and seductive aura that was very tempting to any man. There was also a short dagger-like horn on top of her forehead which added a distinct charm to her beauty.


    Long Meili thought that no creature would dare stay near the mountain since the strength of her tribtion lightning was destructive, but she didn¡¯t think that there was actually a pair of golden eyes secretly looking at her unblinkingly.


    Long Meili¡¯s eyes were still shut tight as she observed the changes in her body. She then clenched her fists and stretched her muscles which produced a series of popping sounds.


    "I¡¯ve finally broken through to the Nascent God Realm after so many years..." Long Meili¡¯s enchanting voice echoed on the mountaintop as she felt slightly emotional in her heart when she recalled everything she had gone through just to achieve her breakthrough. She knew that her breakthrough was made possible by her mysterious master, and she could not help but recall his expressionless image.


    "Master... Long Meili¡¯s life is yours from now on..." Long Meili opened her eyes, showing a beautiful pair of purple irises that look like miniature universes!


    Dragons are proud god beasts with limitless arrogance and overpowering might. Because of their overwhelming strength, they were dreaded by everyone in the Primordial God Realm, and even the three Celestial Emperors didn¡¯t dare anger them too much. However, if you manage to gain their loyalty, they will never betray you even if it means their death. They might be prideful creatures, but they were also loyal down to their bones!


    Suddenly, Long Meili¡¯s peaceful expression turned solemn as she stared in a certain direction. "Who are you?! Roll out for this Immortal Dragon!"


    Long Meili¡¯s voice was filled with rage. There was actually someone that dared toe close to her during her tribtion lightning! Luckily, the other party didn¡¯t sneak attack her, or she might have perished. Thinking about that, Long Meili felt her heart turning cold. She didn¡¯t know what kind of ce her master had brought her to, so she was somewhat cautious.


    Jiu Shen chuckled in his heart as he walked towards Long Meili with a smile on his face.


    Looking at the man who hade out, Long Meili¡¯s wrathful expression turned into surprise before it turned into joy. Her full lips curved upwards as she expressed her heartfelt happiness when she saw this man.


    "Master!" Her eyes lit up as she eximed eagerly. She then sprinted towards Jiu Shen, causing her jade rabbits to jumped up and down. Her hips also swayed with natural seductiveness as she ran towards Jiu Shen.


    Looking at this naked woman who wasing nearer to him, Jiu Shen could not help but smile wryly. ¡¯This little lizard... How can she run around like this? Even that little tiger was much more civilized than her...¡¯


    Long Meili stopped in front of Jiu Shen and she immediately bowed her head respectfully at him. "Long Meili greets master."


    Cough. Cough.


    Jiu Shen cleared his throat before he spoke in a serious tone. "Little lizard, don¡¯t you have any clothes with you? Don¡¯t run around like this in front of anybody, okay?"


    Long Meili raised her eyebrows in confusion. She couldn¡¯t understand what her master was talking about.


    Since Long Meili only had an impure dragon bloodline, she wasn¡¯t truly a noble dragon descendant, and she could only be considered as someone with a bit of dragon bloodline. After living an isted life in the Endless Forest, she didn¡¯t know the customs of humanity and how they should act. Even in her bloodline inheritance, such things were not mentioned. That was why she was perplexed at Jiu Shen¡¯s words.


    Looking at her confused look, Jiu Shen suddenly thought that he was facing an innocent littledy. He sighed as he grabbed an embroidered white robes meant for women. This time, Jiu Shen was already prepared for this kind of event especially after what had happened when Lu Sn awakened her supreme physique. At that time, he had to face the dubious look of his junior disciple Can Ye, so he had already prepared several clothes for women just in case a simr event happens.


    He then handed it to Long Meili as he said in a serious tone. "Little lizard, your body is precious and you shouldn¡¯t allow anyone else to see it."


    Long Meili nced at the white robes in Jiu Shen¡¯s hands before she looked at her naked body. Although she had no concept about humanity¡¯s customs, she wasn¡¯t a stupid dragon. With a brilliant smile on her face, she said to Jiu Shen. "Don¡¯t worry, master. Other than you, no one else is allowed to see my body. Everything I own is only yours..."


    Looking at this pure youngdy with a dragon horn, Jiu Shen could almost not believe that this was the same dragon that threatened to dismantle Beltran City. He could not even sense a hint of overbearingness in her, and he could only see an innocent and enchanting dragondy with a brilliant smile.


    Jiu Shen smiled as he stroked her purple hair. "I¡¯ll teach you how to put this on. Now be good and don¡¯t move around as I help you wear this, okay?"


    Long Meili nodded her head with a sweet smile.


    Jiu Shen was still a bit unustomed to this sudden change in her personality. After all, she was a feisty and arrogant dragon during their first encounter, so Jiu Shen felt as if this young dragondy in front of him was someone different. There was no semnce of an aggressive dragon in her at all!


    Although Long Meili was innocent regarding the traditions of humans and how their two opposite gender perceived each other, she still felt nervous and shy at this intimate contact with Jiu Shen. It was as if something within her changed after she transformed into her human form.


    As Jiu Shen was helping her wear her clothes, he ¡¯identally¡¯ touched her inappropriate ces, but his expression remained the same. Of course, he was sweating nervously in his heart, but luckily, his heart realm continuously maintained his calmness...


    Only a eunuch would not have any reaction in this kind of situation. Even though he had met countless immortal goddesses in his past life, it has been many millions of years since he had such intimate contact with one. Of course, that was excluding what had happened to him and Xia Xinyue in Green Wood City.


    "Little lizard, you didn¡¯t disappoint me. You¡¯re now a Nascent God Realm dragon, and with the help of the Supreme Dragon Heavenly Canon, it won¡¯t be long before your bloodline would be much thicker and nobler. By then, you can be considered as a true dragon descendant." Jiu Shen gently patted her head after helping her wear her clothes.


    "I won¡¯t be able to break through without the master¡¯s help. I don¡¯t dare take all the credit." Long Meili bowed her head humbly as she spoke.


    Jiu Shen smiled at her words.

 Chapter 174 - World Heart

    <h4>Chapter 174 - World Heart </h4>


    "Little Lizard, consolidate your strength here first. Your master still has something to do somewhere, so just wait for me here." Jiu Shen stroked the back of Long Meili¡¯s head gently as he looked at her with a smile.


    Last time, Jiu Shen could still not refine the World Heart because of hiscking strength, but he now had the qualifications to refine with his Nascent God Realm cultivation.


    Long Meili nodded her head at her master. Although she wanted to talk with him some more, she knew that she still had to consolidate her strength in order to eliminate any negative effects brought upon by her breakthrough. If not, her foundation might be shaky which would severely impact her future cultivation. She didn¡¯t want that to happen, so she instantly followed Jiu Shen¡¯s orders with obeisance.


    "Master, I¡¯ll wait for your return." Long Meili bowed her head.


    Jiu Shen smiled at her before he flew through the skies, leaving behind countless afterimages in the air.


    Long Meili nced at Jiu Shen¡¯s disappearing figure for quite a while before she sat cross-legged on the ground.


    "I have to quickly consolidate my strength and await for my master¡¯s return..." She muttered as she closed her eyes to begin her meditation.


    "System, where can I find the World Heart of this Spiritual World?" Jiu Shen asked as he stopped his flight. He hovered in the air while waiting for the system¡¯s reply.


    - Ding!


    - Host, the World Heart is located at the deepest part of the ocean beneath you.


    "Beneath me?" Jiu Shen was a bit surprised, but he still nced at the deep blue ocean beneath him.


    The sea waves here were quiterge since the ocean wind was particrly fierce and strong.


    "In that case, I just have to dive down and search for it..." Jiu Shen said as he dived down to the sea without hesitation.


    Ssh!


    With his current level of cultivation, it was not a problem for him to breathe underwater.


    "I didn¡¯t think that it would be harm here..." He muttered as he swam downward like a torpedo. He saw a fair bit of aquatic savage beasts and some of them were even powerful. However, they were still nothing in Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes since he could casually kill them with a mere flick of his fingers.


    As Jiu Shen was swimming deeper into the ocean, he felt that the temperature was getting warmer and warmer, and it was also getting darker. Luckily, he was still able to see clearly because of his enhanced vision and also with the help of his spiritual perception


    The number of oceanic savage beasts were also bing fewer, but their strength was definitely a lot strongerpared to those in the shallower parts of the ocean. However, these savage beasts still didn¡¯t dare approach Jiu Shen. They could feel that this human had an unfathomable power that they dreaded him so much after seeing him.


    Jiu Shen ignored these savage beasts since he was not here for them, but he had to admit that he was a bit tempted to catch a few to cook for himself. "After refining the World Heart, I¡¯ll capture some of you. By then, I hope that you could just obediently stretch your necks for me." Jiu Shen chuckled in his heart as he increased his speed.


    The savage beasts felt rmed when they saw the peculiar look in Jiu Shen¡¯s expression, and they hurriedly fled in different directions, afraid that this human might harbor bad intentions to them.


    One hourter.


    This time, Jiu Shen¡¯s vision was significantly reduced and he could only see the five-meter radius around him. Even if he used his spiritual perception, he could only extend his vision by another five meters. Sensing this, he could not help but feel a bit surprised, and he was certain that this was attributed to the mysterious World Heart of the Spirit World.


    Just what kind of thing was this World Heart for it to limit his sense of sight despite his Nascent God Realm cultivation level? Jiu Shen was now feeling eager to find out more about this World Heart.


    Two hourster.


    The water pressure was bing heavier and Jiu Shen had to circte his true essence to prevent his blood vessels from bursting apart. Furthermore, his vision was also bing vague and fuzzy...


    Suddenly, Jiu Shen could see something shining with a bright white radiance down below and he could not help but smile excitedly. "Could that thing be the World Heart?"


    Even with Jiu Shen¡¯s impaired vision, he could somehow see the light emitted by this object due to the sheer brightness that it exudes.


    As Jiu Shen was moving closer, he could now see the silhouette of this object. It looked epileptical and it also had a pure and out of this world aura.


    Jiu Shen felt his heart palpitating as he stared at this object.


    - Host, this is the World Heart of the Spirit World. Just ce your hand on top of it and put a fraction of your soul in it using your spiritual power.


    Jiu Shen frowned when he heard the system¡¯s words. Removing a fraction of his soul would decrease the strength of his spiritual power, and he felt quite reluctant to do it. However, when he recalled what he could do after refining the World Heart, Jiu Shen¡¯s hesitation vanished.


    Aftering closer to the World Heart, he could now sense its dense and pure unadulterated aura. He had never seen anything like this before, so felt fascinated and enamored. He looked at the five-meter tall World Heart for a brief moment before he ced his hands on its surface.


    Ha?! It¡¯s sucking my blood?!


    - Host, the World Heart is checking your constitution and potential since it would not allow a person with insufficient potential to be its master.


    Jiu Shen calmed himself down after hearing the system¡¯s words. He was confident about his potential and if he didn¡¯t have the qualifications to be its owner, then no one else was capable of owning it. After all, he had the Seamless Deity Physique and his physical body was even basked by the God Exterminating Divine Eye¡¯s draconic lightning. Coupled with his experience andprehension, he even had the potential to exceed the three Celestial Emperors!


    Jiu Shen focused his attention on cutting a part of his soul. It wasn¡¯t that hard, but it was a painful process since it involves a cultivator¡¯s soul which was particrly more fragile than other creatures.


    As Jiu Shen was separating a fraction of his soul, he felt as if his body and mind were being pierced by millions of needles simultaneously. The excruciating process continued for an hour before Jiu Shen had sessfully divided a small portion of his soul.


    Throughout the whole process, Jiu Shen¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, and he only furrowed his eyebrows slightly. "This is nothingpared to the lightning that the God Exterminating Divine Eye brought along with it..." He said in his heart as he ced the fraction of his soul onto the World Heart.


    The World had already stopped sucking his blood as well, and right after Jiu Shen branded it with his spiritual power, the pure aura emitted by the World Heart became even denser that it almost made him exim.


    Right in front of his eyes, the five-meter tall World Heart slowly reduced in size. It became as big as a basin, then it became as big as a football, and then it turned into an egg-sized crystal. Its decrease in size only stopped when it was only an inch in length.


    Jiu Shen tried to grab the one-inch crystal, but it embedded itself on his left wrist which made him a bit stunned. Touching it with his right hand, he could now feel a sense of connection with the Spiritual World through this World Heart. "So this is what it feels like to be a Deity... I can even see that Little Lizard through this World Heart in my wrist. Interesting indeed..."


    Aside from gaining ownership of the Spiritual World, Jiu Shen could also sense that his spiritual power was further reinforced after the World Heart embedded itself in his left wrist. "Not bad. The fraction of my soul wasn¡¯t wasted. In fact, I have even gained more than what I lost..."


    - Ding!


    - Congrattions to the Host for sessfully refining the World Heart.


    After hearing the system¡¯s words, Jiu Shen could not help but smile.

 Chapter 175 - Hunting Cooking Ingredients

    <h4>Chapter 175 - Hunting Cooking Ingredients </h4>


    After Jiu Shen refined the World Heart, he could now ¡¯see¡¯ everything within the Spirit World as if it was part of his body. Now, he understood why the system told him that he would be the Deity of the Spirit World after refining its World Heart. It was because he could now teleport anywhere in the Spirit World and no one else could also challenge him here no matter how strong they were. Of course, this rule only applies to the inhabitants of this Spirit World.


    "First, let me capture a few fishes to cookter, and uh... isn¡¯t this a Fragrant Luminous m? It¡¯s only a 7th-rank aquatic savage beast, and it has pearl which can be melted into a delicious liquid that can enhance the vor of any wine or food. This thing¡¯s pearl is a good ingredient for wine-making. Not to mention its tasty meat. Good!" Jiu Shen muttered after discovering a certain aquatic savage beast that was not too far from where he was.


    "I¡¯ve been making wine using the system¡¯s ingredients all this while. Maybe I should make my own wine recipe and sell it in the store..." Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes lit up as he thought about that.


    - Ding!


    - Sudden Mission: Create a personal wine recipe that can pass the standard of the system. The final product of the Host will be assessed by the system and the price will be dependent on the quality of the wine.


    Oh? A sudden mission?


    Jiu Shen who was about to head in the direction of the Fragrant Luminous m suddenly stopped in his tracks when he heard this abrupt notification from the system.


    After looking at the mission details, Jiu Shen smiled confidently. When he first transmigrated in Nuar, he had been constantly practicing his wine-making skills under the system¡¯s orders, so he was fairly confident in himself. He didn¡¯t even have to do much since there were already pieces of equipment that could help his winemaking even more efficient.


    "This can wait at ater time. After all, I still need more ingredients if I want to make a good wine recipe. For now, I will get this Fragrant Luminous m first." Jiu Shen said as he disappeared from his location.


    Several kilometers away deep within the ocean, Jiu Shen reappeared in front of a giant m that was as huge as an ordinary elephant. Its intimidating mouth had two rows of sharp saw-like teeth. One look and anyone could tell that it could even tear metals apart. The huge m had a dark color that made it look inconspicuous in the deepest part of the ocean where there is no light. However, Jiu Shen knew that it could produce a brilliant light to attract its prey.


    The Fragrant Luminous m wasn¡¯t even able to discover Jiu Shen¡¯s presence and it appeared to be in a state of deep slumber as it burrowed half of its body into the seabed.


    Looking at this huge m, Jiu Shen smiled with a strange look. ¡¯This guy should be hibernating here. Unfortunately, I will have to disturb your deep sleep since I still need to use your meat to cook delicious seafood. Hmm, how should I cook this big guy?¡¯


    Unaware that there was a devil in front of it, the Fragrant Luminous m remained burrowed into the ground. Although it was hibernating, it could still sense its surroundings perfectly, but it still wasn¡¯t able to detect Jiu Shen who was now walking towards it with a bad smile hanging on his face.


    "Since this guy is offering himself to me, how could I bear to disappoint it?" Jiu Shen chuckled in his heart as he used his spiritual power to attack the defenseless soul of the poor Fragrant Luminous m.


    A streak of invisible light struck towards the hibernating m, and it could not even emit a shriek before it died in a blink of an eye. Its soul was eradicated in just a single second!


    The huge mouth of the Fragrant Luminous m slightly parted after its death and Jiu Shen could already smell its alluring fragrance even though he was still deep in the ocean floor.


    He clicked his tongue as he stored the dead Fragrant Luminous m inside his space earring. "This one is not enough, I have to get more and let my most trusted subordinates eat a few delicacies made by me. I¡¯ll let them taste the best seafood in their entire lives. Hehe."


    Bubble. Bubble.


    Not too far away, Jiu Shen appeared in front of a shark-like savage beast. It was more than ten meters in length and its body was covered by tough metallic scales, making it look like an imprable ocean tank. On top of its head was a sword-like horn that was about twelve inches long.


    Looking at this monster of the sea, Jiu Shen let out a warm smile that was even more beautiful than the blooming of flowers.


    Seeing Jiu Shen¡¯s smile, the huge shark felt its heart contorting in rm. This human is dangerous!


    It hurriedly darted away like an arrow that was shot from a crossbow, leaving behind a trail of bubbles.


    This aquatic savage beast had a cultivation level at the peak stage of the 7th-rank Emperor realm. It could be considered as a top predator in the ocean.


    "This little fish looks tasty. Not bad. I can make a delicious side dish with your meat." Jiu Shen said in his heart as he used the same spiritual attack to kill the pitiful shark-like savage beast. He pointed a finger at the escaping shark and a streak of imperceptible light came out of his finger and it instantly shot towards the shark.


    As if it was struck by lightning, the huge shark suddenly turned stiff as it stopped from its tracks.


    Jiu Shen ¡¯walked¡¯ towards the carcass of the savage beast and immediately stored it inside his space earring. "I need to get a few more before I go back to that Little Lizard."


    Thus, Jiu Shen spent another hour hunting for high-level aquatic savage beasts. He was quite picky, so he spent most of his time looking for a suitable savage beast to hunt.


    And after an hour, Jiu Shen hunted a little more than ten savage beasts!


    "This should be enough. With these ingredients, I can cook some mouthwatering dishes for my people." Jiu Shen smiled as he stored the aquatic savage beast that he just killed a few moments ago.

 Chapter 176 - I Messed Up

    <h4>Chapter 176 - I Messed Up </h4>


    After hunting more than ten aquatic savage beasts, Jiu Shen sorted everything inside his space earring before he teleported to the mountain where he left Long Meili.


    Swoosh.


    In front of him was a youngdy with long purple hair, and she was dressed in a beautiful and embroidered white robes which entuated perfectly with her beauty. There was also a dagger-like horn on top of her forehead, but it didn¡¯t decrease her charm.


    Looking at the meditating Long Meili, Jiu Shen smiled as he took out a chair from his space earring. He then sat down and looked at her with unblinking eyes.


    "This little lizard¡¯s true essence is bing more vigorous and robust like a true dragon descendant. The Supreme Dragon Heavenly Canon wasn¡¯t wasted on her. Just that, how would the Long n react if they discovered that I passed down their most treasured cultivation technique to someone with an impure dragon bloodline? I guess their supreme elder would beat me up." Jiu Shen chuckled as he recalled the face of an old man with a long gray beard and two horns. A momentter, he shook his head and let out a soft sigh.


    Jiu Shen silently watched Long Meili as she meditated. She had just broken through the Nascent God Realm, so her foundation was a bit unstable, but with the Supreme Dragon Heavenly Canon, it wouldn¡¯t take much time for her to consolidate her strength.


    An hourter, Long Meili slowly opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was a man with long silver hair seated nonchntly on a wooden chair. He had a smile on his face as they stared at each other.


    "Master." Long Meili hurriedly stood up and bowed at Jiu Shen with a respectful look. After she received the Supreme Dragon Heavenly Canon from Jiu Shen, her cultivation speed increased by many times, and even her physical body was strengthened by leaps and bounds. Before, she had a bit of doubt that it was the best cultivation technique for the dragons, but now, all those doubts vanished.


    Jiu Shen smiled as he rose from his seat.


    "Congrattions, Little Lizard." He said as he stroke her hair gently.


    Long Meili remained silent and she could only foolishly stare at this man. Their first encounter was quite dreadful since she almost died by his hands, but she didn¡¯t regreting to invade Beltran City because that decision allowed her to meet him. He was the main reason why she was able toplete her breakthrough.


    No words could describe her current emotions and she could not thank him enough, so she just silently vowed to serve him unconditionally.


    "Let¡¯s go to my store. From now on, you¡¯ll follow me wherever I go." Jiu Shen said as he patted her shoulder.


    "Mn." Long Meili nodded her head with a sweet smile.


    After that, Jiu Shen took her hands as he told the system to lead them out of the Spirit World.


    Om!


    * * *


    Om!


    A two-meter tall door suddenly appeared in Jiu Shen¡¯s room, and two individuals stepped out of this door hand in hand.


    "Master, is this your store?" Long Meili nced around the room with a confused look. Although she had no idea what a store was, this wasn¡¯t the ce that she had expected to see.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s room didn¡¯t look luxurious or extravagant. Aside from the huge bed and clean surroundings, nothing else was noteworthy.


    Jiu Shen ruffled her hair as he replied. "This is my room. As for the store, it¡¯s downstairs. Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll show you around." He then pulled her out of his room.


    The person guarding the second floor was now Ren Shuang since he had alreadypleted his investigations on Liuli, the proprietress of the Green Wood Pavilion. And ording to what he had discovered, Liuli¡¯s background wasn¡¯t as simple as simply being a proprietress. In fact, she was intricately connected to the Alliance since her father was one of the Alliance Leaders!


    Jiu Shen wasn¡¯t surprised when he heard this news, and in fact, he had already guessed it. Just that, they still had no clue as to why she had established an inn within the Silver Wing Empire.


    After sensing the arrival of Jiu Shen, Ren Shuang immediately bowed his head as he greeted with reverence. "Master."


    He had also seen the dragondy beside his master, but he didn¡¯t even bother to greet her despite sensing that her strength was greater than his own. As to where his confidence and pride came from, even Ren Shuang himself didn¡¯t know...


    Jiu Shen nodded his head at him before he pulled Long Meili down to the first floor.


    It was early in the morning, and the customers were already abundant. They greeted Jiu Shen with smiles while also taking curious nces at the youngdy beside him, but they didn¡¯t dare harbor any lewd thoughts about her at all since there was a pair of cold eyes looking at them... Who could it be other than Theia?


    "Master (Lord Sect Master) (Wine Master Jiu)." Everyone greeted Jiu Shen with respect.


    Jiu Shen smiled at his subordinates as he announced. "After the store closester, I will cook for everyone, and I will also let you drink wine for free. Tell all of our people to gather tonight at the beast fighting arena." He then took a nce at the fourth prince and the fifth princess who was now a waiter and a waitress of his store respectively as he said.


    "You can also invite your father to join us."


    After hearing this, the fourth prince and the fifth princess¡¯ eyes lit up as they immediately nodded their heads. "Yes, Wine Master Jiu." They said with excited voices.


    "Wine Master Jiu, what about us your loyal customers? Hehe." Liu Xiufeng who was drinking with Boss Scar and his mercenary buddies suddenly said which immediately garnered everyone¡¯s attention.


    The loyal customers of the wine store knew that anything that Jiu Shen makes was priceless and helpful in their cultivation. Even just a cup of his wine was already equivalent to a cultivation pill, so upon hearing that he would cook for his subordinates, the loyal customers were already curious and excited. They just didn¡¯t dare voice out their opinions because they were afraid that Theia would kick them out. And when they heard Liu Xiufeng¡¯s words, all the customers silently praised him in their hearts. Such a brave man! Commend! Commend!


    And right after Liu Xiufeng¡¯s words fell, he suddenly felt a piercing nce aimed his way which sent shivers down his spine. ¡¯Oh f*cking sh*t! I messed up...¡¯ He cursed in his heart as he watched the gloating looks of Boss Scar and his buddies. ¡¯These motherf*ckers!¡¯


    Liu Xiufeng who was in his drunken state immediately sobered up. He then stood up and smiled wryly at Theia as he said in embarrassment. "Young Miss Theia, you don¡¯t need to throw me out. I can go out on my own."


    Liu Xiufeng walked towards the exit with a regretful look on his face. Why did he have to interrupt Jiu Shen¡¯s speech in the presence of the she-devil Young Miss Theia?


    "Wait."


    Liu Xiufeng was surprised and he stared at Jiu Shen with a confused look.


    "You can join us tonight. And everyone here can also join uster." Jiu Shen said with a faint smile.


    Liu Xiufeng¡¯s brokenhearted face lit up as he cheered loudly. "Woah!"


    All the customers also erupted into sonorous cheers of excitement when they heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words.

 Chapter 177 - Unplanned Celebration

    <h4>Chapter 177 - Unnned Celebration </h4>


    At night.


    The beast fighting arena was already remodeled and it can now amodate thousands upon thousands of people.


    It was supposed to be a quiet night, but this ce was bustling with people and activity.


    More than several thousand individuals chattered in groups, and all of them were wearing excited expressions as they looked at the lone man on top of the arena.


    His long silver hair was tied in a ponytail, and he was now dicing a savage beast that looked like a gigantic shark.


    Under his sleek and precise cutting skills, the huge shark was cleanly cut into thin pieces, with each piece as thin as a cicada¡¯s wings!


    The cut pieces of shark meat were then neatly piled on the tes on top of several huge tables that surrounded the arena.


    Jiu Shen grabbed a bottle of Mystic Jade from his space earring and pulled the cork that sealed the bottle of wine. He then threw the bottle in midair causing the liquid inside to spill out, but under his maniption, the droplets of wine liquid were perfectly sprinkled on the diced shark meat on each te.


    His beautiful and shy movements garnered the crowd¡¯s cheers and everyone immediately pped their hands in fascination.


    "Such precise cutting skills! Even the knife experts of the Crouching Dragon Pavilion couldn¡¯t hold a candle to Wine Master Jiu!"


    "Crouching Dragon Pavilion? I no longer went there after I tasted Wine Master Jiu¡¯s wines and dish."


    The Crouching Dragon Pavilion that they talked about was the most famous restaurant in Beltran City and it housed a good amount of skilled chefs. Its reputation was resounding not just in Beltran City, but also in the whole Silver Wing Empire.


    "The emperor has arrived!" A eunuch announced the arrival of the emperor in a shrill voice.


    Everyone inside the beast fighting arena instantly stood up from their seats after hearing that the emperor has arrived. This was another person that everyone respected, the emperor of the Silver Wing Empire, Emperor Elyk Silveria II.


    Emperor Elyk was wearing a gold and silver embroidered robes with the insignia of the Silveria Imperial Family printed at the back of his clothes. On either side of him were the fourth prince and the fifth princess, each of them was now wearing their imperial robes.


    Behind the three were the four guardians of the empire, and the most surprising thing was that Defender Duanmu was now at the early stage of the 8th-rank Divine realm! Looking at him, the old man seemed to have regained a bit of his youthful looks, and his graying hair was now ck in color. Even the wrinkles on his face were nowhere to be seen...


    "Greetings, Your Majesty."


    Lu Sn and Can Ye personally greeted the emperor. As the only disciples of Jiu Shen, they had already given enough face to the emperor with the both of them greeting him in person.


    "Hahah! No need for formalities. I¡¯m very ttered that I am invited by Wine Master Jiu toe here!" Emperor Elykughed heartily while looking at Lu Sn and Can Ye. His gaze lingered for half a second longer on Lu Sn¡¯s face before he focused his attention back on the man next to her. This was Can Ye, the second disciple of Jiu Shen.


    Just a month ago, this guy was still at the peak stage of the 6th-rank King realm, but now, he was already at the early stage of the 7th-rank Emperor realm!


    The speed of his cultivation almost made the emperor gasp in astonishment. It must be noted that it took even Emperor Elyk himself a few years before he had broken through the 7th-rank Emperor realm from the 6th-rank King realm.


    ¡¯How in the world did Wine Master Jiu cultivate this guy? I don¡¯t see anything special from him, but as a disciple taken by Wine Master Jiu, this man must have some secrets in him.¡¯ Emperor Elyk muttered to himself.


    "Your Majesty, please follow us. We¡¯ve already prepared a seat meant for your distinguished self." Can Ye smiled warmly at the emperor.


    Can Ye who looked middle-aged before now looked like a man in histe twenties after he broke through to the 7th-rank Emperor realm. He wasn¡¯t that handsome, but he could still be considered as good-looking.


    "Oh, thanks to you guys." Emperor Elyk smiled in a friendly manner. He chose to ignore Lu Sn and he only nced and talked with Can Ye. He didn¡¯t want to involve himself with her since he didn¡¯t believe that Lu Sn¡¯s rtionship with Jiu Shen was only that of a master and disciple. So to prevent his friendship with Jiu Shen from going down the cesspool, he decided to forget hisplicated feelings for Lu Sn.


    Lu Sn didn¡¯t discover that anything was amiss, so she just led the emperor and his people together with her junior brother Can Ye.


    On top of the arena, Jiu Shen flicked his fingers, making more than a hundred wisps of me to suddenly appear above him. And with another flick of fingers, he sent the wisps of me on each te, cooking the thinly sliced shark meat in the process.


    This way of cooking was definitely unheard of and everyone was spellbound by Jiu Shen¡¯s graceful set of movements. He didn¡¯t look like he was cooking at all. It was as if he was performing a beautiful dance on top of the arena.


    "Amazing! I can watch Wine Master Jiu cooking all day..."


    "Wine Master Jiu, please make babies with me!"


    Theia immediately red at them when she heard those confident young misses expressing their love to Jiu Shen so openly. And when they sensed Theia¡¯s cold gaze, those youngdies instantly covered their mouths in rm.


    It would be embarrassing if they get kicked out in front of a lot of people.


    "With the average strength of everyone here, they wouldn¡¯t be able to eat a lot of dishes made from high-level ingredients, so that should be enough. I have also reduced the potency within these dishes so that they can enjoy them more. As for the wines, I can only serve them ording to their level of strength, or they might explode if they drink something that exceeds the limit that their dantians can hold." Jiu Shen muttered as he kept the ordinary knife he used to cut the huge shark.


    On top of the huge arena, there were hundreds of tables filled with mouthwatering dishes that were cooked by Jiu Shen. Everyone was already dying to take to a bite of each dish, but under the watchful eyes of Theia, nobody dared to move.


    The fragrant aroma of the cooked tes of seafood permeated in the air like a tempting vixen trying to enchant a young man. Everyone could hardly resist this mouthwatering aroma, and some of them even had a trail of drool at the corner of their lips.


    Looking at their excited faces, Jiu Shen smiled while also feeling a bit proud of his cooking.


    Ehem. Ehem.


    With a dignified look on his face, Jiu Shen cleared his throat before he randomly bullsh*tted. "Everyone, I¡¯ve invited you here to celebrate the making of my sect. Although I¡¯ve yet to formally announce the founding of my sect, it is only a matter of time before that happens. And by then, I hope that everyone coulde to celebrate with me."

 Chapter 178 - Shark Gossamer Sashimi

    <h4>Chapter 178 - Shark Gossamer Sashimi </h4>


    Everyone was not surprised when they heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words because they had already known his ns of establishing his own sect since a month ago. Besides, Jiu Shen didn¡¯t even bother to conceal this news from circting, so in not more than a week, almost everyone in Beltran City already knew what he was up to.


    "Wine Master Jiu, we will definitelye to celebrate with you after your sect is formally established."


    "Right! How could we miss such a grand asion? We will certainly be there, Wine Master Jiu!"


    "Count me in!"


    Everyone inside the beast fighting arena immediately expressed their good intentions. Who wouldn¡¯t want this kind of opportunity to further deepen their rtionship with Jiu Shen? All of them knew that Jiu Shen was not just an ordinary person and his strength was also unfathomable deep. Such a person was destined to be a great character in the whole Profound Dragon Continent! They will do anything in their power to be acquainted with such a man...


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly after hearing their words.


    He had already expected this kind of response from the crowd, so he wasn¡¯t surprised by this. He then nced at the emperor who was now looking at him with a friendly smile. Seeing this, Jiu Shen nodded his head at him as he said. "Elyk, I have yet to thank you for your help during the past month, so to express my thanks, join me here in the arena. I will let you be the first person to taste the dishes that I have made."


    When the crowd heard how Jiu Shen had just casually called the emperor¡¯s name without even batting an eye, they felt a bit stunned. They finally realized at this time that Jiu Shen was definitely close to the emperor, and the two even seemed to treat each other as equals.


    Emperor Elykughed heartily when he heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words. Even before he came inside the beast fighting arena, he had already smelled the fragrant aroma of the dishes that Jiu Shen made, and it became even more apparent after he stepped inside the arena.


    "In that case, I won¡¯t hold myself back, Wine Master Jiu. Hahaha!" Emperor Elyk leaped on top of the arena and he could not help but close his eyes in delight when he smelled the vourful aquatic fragrance that surrounded him. He felt as if he was swimming in the middle of the ocean waves.


    When he opened his eyes, he was faced with different kinds of mouthwatering seafood delicacies which made his eyes sh with excitement. He had already eaten a lot of tasty dishes, but the aroma of the dishes made by Jiu Shen was many times denser and more enchanting than those he had tasted before.


    Jiu Shen gestured for the emperor to follow him when he saw thetter¡¯s eager look.


    "Elyk,e. This is the best dish among what I¡¯ve cooked, and I call it the Shark Gossamer Sashimi. Please." Jiu Shen pointed his index finger at a dish filled with thinly sliced shark meat that looked like transparent leaves.


    The thinly sliced shark meat was covered by a fragrant sauce made from the Mystic Jade and other high-level ingredients. Just from looking at it, the emperor¡¯s eyes already had a drunken look and he didn¡¯t even wait for Jiu Shen to speak as he took the fork on the table before lightly poking the sashimi.


    Emperor Elyk felt the fork easily prating through the shark meat and he could not help but feel a bit surprised. He knew that this shark meat came from a high-level aquatic savage beast and the meat of such a creature was definitely not easy to pierce through even though it was only a thin piece!


    Glistening shark oil flowed down from the pierced part of the shark meat and it produced a wave of tantalizing aroma that evoked the hunger of the emperor.


    Looking at this, Emperor Elyk impatiently shoved the shark meat in his mouth, and just as it touched his tongue, he felt as if he was electrocuted.


    He was motionless for a brief moment before he started to chew the shark meat in his mouth with an indescribable look of fascination on his face.


    Gulp.


    "Delicious!" The emperor muttered as he licked his lips without even caring for his image. If there wasn¡¯t anyone else, he would have also licked the fork he was holding. Unfortunately, all eyes were on him, so he could only remove this thought from his head.


    Jiu Shen chuckled in his heart when he saw how the emperor behaved. ¡¯This is only made using some low-level ingredients. If I had a god beast¡¯s meat, then it would have tasted much better and the increase in cultivation wouldn¡¯t be small either..¡¯ He muttered in his heart and he unconsciously searched for the figure of a fat white cat among the crowd.


    Ice who was in her cat form felt a strange gaze that made her scalp tingle in rm. And with a wary look on her face, she fiercely rose from the ground as she red at Jiu Shen. "Meow!"


    Jiu Shen smirked when he saw Ice¡¯s reaction. He then shifted his attention back to the emperor.


    Emperor Elyk lost his dignified demeanor as he shoved pieces after pieces of shark meat in his mouth without end.


    "Delicious..." He muttered once again, but this time, his voice was quivering with emotions.


    The emperor had already forgotten the fact that he was being watched by countless pairs of eyes. His attention was only focused on the extraordinary taste that covered his tongue and mouth.


    ¡¯I thought the shark meat would be chewy and difficult to swallow. I never thought that it would be this sulent and it even seemed as if it would melt every time it touches my tongue. Such excellent cooking skills! Even the imperial chefs in my imperial pce could not cook such dishes. <i>Sigh.¡¯ </i>The emperor sighed in his heart. He didn¡¯t even realize that he had already finished the entire te. This made him stunned and a bit embarrassed.


    He actually lost his cool after eating the food cooked by Jiu Shen!


    Cough! Cough!


    The emperor coughed to hide his embarrassment. He thenughed as he said with unconcealed admiration. "Hahaha! Wine Master Jiu, I can¡¯t believe that you are actually hiding such godly cooking skills. You have hidden your talent well. Hahaha!"


    Jiu Shen smiled at this obvious ttery. He then replied in a calm voice. "Elyk, since you¡¯ve already tasted my dish, I hope you don¡¯t mind if I allow everyone toe and join us here."


    Emperor Elyk chuckled and shook his head. "Not at all! These dishes must be tasted by everyone! Hahaha!"


    After hearing his response, Jiu Shen nced at the crowd and announced in a calm voice. "Everyone, you¡¯ve heard him, so pleasee here and have a taste of the dishes I cooked."


    "Ah, finally! I can get to eat the dishes personally cooked by Wine Master Jiu!"


    "I¡¯ve been holding myself back for quite some time. Food here Ie!"


    Everybody cheered as they jumped onto the arena with excited faces.


    This beast fighting arena was already remodeled and even after the crowd had joined the emperor and Jiu Shen on top, it was still a bit spacious.


    Looking at the thousands of people enjoying the food he cooked, Jiu Shen felt a bit proud in his heart. He then saw a fat white cat strutting on the arena with a look of disdain on its face.


    "Little Tiger,e. I¡¯ve already prepared something else for you." Jiu Shen grabbed Ice which made her squirm from his grasps.


    "Stinky human, I don¡¯t like to drink milk this time! I want to eat the food you cooked! Meow!" Ice kicked her lower legs and crossed her two front paws while looking at Jiu Shen with a dissatisfied face.


    There was already a trail of drool at the corner of her mouth.


    Jiu Shen patted the chubby head of Ice as he said. "Little Tiger, I won¡¯t be giving you milk this time. Look, this is what I have prepared for you."


    On Jiu Shen¡¯s hand was arge te with a thick piece of shark meat lying at the very center. It was cooked in a style simr to a seared steak, and it was overflowing with meat juices that produced an exquisite meaty aroma that made the nose of the fat cat in Jiu Shen¡¯s left arm twitch continuously.


    The trail of drool at the corner of her mouth streamed like the gushing of a river, and her big and adorable eyes were staring straight at the big piece of shark meat. "Stinky human! Release me! I want that! I want that shark meat! Meow!" She fiercely smacked Jiu Shen¡¯s arm with her paws, but she didn¡¯t dare use her ws since she didn¡¯t want to injure Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen released the fat cat from his embrace and Ice immediately leaped towards the huge te he was holding in his right hand.


    With nimble movements, Ice grabbed the thick piece of shark meat with her paws before taking a big bite out of it.


    "Ahh! I like this! Meow!" The huge eyes of the fat white cat lit up as she munched on the thick piece of shark meat with gusto.


    Looking at the fat white cat¡¯s adorable look, Jiu Shen smiled warmly while stroking her thick fur gently.

 Chapter 179 - Annual Martial Arts Contest

    <h4>Chapter 179 - Annual Martial Arts Contest </h4>


    Jiu Shen held a chubby cat as he strode towards the emperor with steady footsteps, his face was expressionless and calm. There were still a lot of people enjoying the delicacies on top of the arena, but every one of them gave way to Jiu Shen the moment they saw him. Some of them even greeted him with respectful smiles and ttering looks.


    Following behind Jiu Shen were the three beauties, Liuli, Long Meili, and Xia Xinyue. All three of them were staring daggers at each other as if they couldn¡¯t wait to scratch someone¡¯s face.


    Long Meili¡¯s dragon horn was also nowhere to been since Jiu Shen had told her to hide it. Her dragon horn was just too conspicuous and although she didn¡¯t look like a demon, it was still much better to not show it in public since demons are hated by everyone in the Profound Dragon Continent. And to prevent unnecessary attention and gossip, Jiu Shen told her to hide it temporarily.


    Hm?


    Emperor Elyk saw that Jiu Shen was walking towards him, and from the looks of his face, he knew that Jiu Shen must have something important that he wanted to talk about.


    The emperor then moved his gaze on the three beauties who were following closely behind Jiu Shen and he could not help but feel a bit jealous in his heart. All three of them were country toppling beauties with looks that could charm any man, especially the one with long purple hair. ¡¯This youngdy, she¡¯s giving me a very thick sense of danger. Who is she? Wait... This otherdy beside her, isn¡¯t this Young Miss Situ, the daughter of Alliance Leader Situ?!¡¯


    Emperor Elyk¡¯s heart spasmed when he identified Liuli. How could he not be restless when the daughter of a top expert in the Alliance was right in front of his eyes? He hasn¡¯t gone to Jiu Shen¡¯s store recently since he was upied with certain matters, so this sudden encounter with Liuli came as a surprise.


    He didn¡¯t know how Jiu Shen managed to attract Liuli, and from how she behaved, it seemed as if she was Jiu Shen¡¯s subordinate. This thought made him admire Jiu Shen even more since he knew that Liuli was also a top expert of the Alliance. She might not look like one, but behind that enchanting look of her was a dreadful power that could subdue anyone.


    ¡¯How the hell did Wine Master Jiu manage to get Young Miss Situ under him? Hmm, I wonder how Alliance Leader Situ would react if he learns that his most treasured daughter is serving under a man? Although Wine Master Jiu¡¯s strength is unfathomable, no one knew his real strength. Perhaps I¡¯m the only one who knows how strong he really is aside from his people. It looks like Alliance Leader Situ mighte to visit my Silver Wing Empire and make things difficult for Wine Master Jiu... Interesting.¡¯ Emperor Elyk thought in his heart.


    "Elyk, how¡¯s the food I made? Are they to your liking?" Jiu Shen nced at the emperor. He could sense that thetter¡¯s dantian was almost full, a clear sign that he was infinitely close to breaking through the 9th-rank Saint realm. And from the density of his true essence, the longest time he needed before he could break through should be around three months or so.


    Emperor Elyk nodded his head in satisfaction when he heard Jiu Shen ask that. "Wine Master Jiu, whoever eats the food you cook would be mesmerized by it. It even helped my cultivation to progress by a notch. I really have to thank Wine Master Jiu for inviting me here! Hahaha!"


    Emperor Elyk was satisfied with the delicacies served in the arena. Although there were a lot of people who dined with him, he didn¡¯t mind it too much since his focus was entirely on the tes of seafood. Each of them made him feel as if he was floating in the clouds. A truly wondrous sensation! Not to mention the fact that the food also boosted his cultivation.


    "It¡¯s good that you like it."


    Jiu Shen¡¯s lips curved upwards upon hearing his words, but his expression turned serious all of a sudden as he asked. "Elyk, how¡¯s the situation of the Silver Wing Empire?"


    Emperor Elyk¡¯s smile vanished and it was reced by his usual dignified and calm look. And with a slight shake of his head, he answered in a whispering voice. "Wine Master Jiu, I¡¯ve followed your suggestions to monitor the Xue Family, and I discovered that they are somehow rted to the illegal transaction of smuggled weapons and resources with the neighboring Blue Fang Empire. It looks like it was also the Xue Family who ruined the reputation of the Beiming Family."


    After speaking those words, Emperor Elyk nced at the women behind Jiu Shen with a bit of concern. He didn¡¯t feel at ease speaking about this kind of matter in front of anyone else. He was particrly nervous about Liuli since she was rted to the Alliance.


    The three women could sense the emperor¡¯s wary gaze lingering on them, but they didn¡¯t move back without Jiu Shen¡¯s orders.


    Liuli who had the most rebellious attitude among the three sneered in her heart. She knew that the emperor was cautious about her because of the identity she had.


    "Elyk, you don¡¯t need to be afraid to speak about this matter. Thesedies are my most trusted subordinates, so you can freely say anything without holding back. I have also blocked the space around us to prevent anyone from hearing our conversation." Jiu Shen said as he patted the emperor¡¯s shoulder. Of course, Jiu Shen was still monitoring Liuli...


    Upon hearing Jiu Shen¡¯s words, the eyes of the threedies lit up. They then nced at his side profile with warm and gentle expressions. The fact that Jiu Shen trusted them made their little hearts ttered and happy.


    Emperor Elyk heaved a sigh of relief as he continued speaking in a heavy tone. "Wine Master Jiu, I¡¯ve also discovered that the Xue Family had some dealings with the Undying Corpse Sect, and from the looks of things, some of their nsmen might even be disciples and elders of the Undying Corpse Sect. If I¡¯m not wrong, they should be nning to usurp the throne within a year or so."


    Xia Xinyue and Liuli were surprised when they heard his words. They were familiar with the Undying Corpse Sect, so they were both stunned when they learned that the Xue Family was rted to them. As for Long Meili, she had been staying in the Endless Forest throughout her life and she rarelyes out, so she had no idea about what the Undying Corpse Sect¡¯s name signified.


    Jiu Shen gave Emperor Elyk an imperceptible nce of pity as he said. "Elyk, the problem of your Silver Wing Empire isn¡¯t just the Xue Family and the Undying Corpse Sect..."


    Emperor Elyk felt his heart bing heavier upon hearing that. He knew that Jiu Shen wasn¡¯t someone who spoke nonsense, so it must be something serious.


    "Wine Master Jiu, what do you mean by that?" The emperor asked while feeling a bit anxious. The Xue Family and the Undying Corpse Sect already made him very restless, so if there was another one, he didn¡¯t know if he could still maintain his sanity.


    "There is no use in telling you about this right now. You just have to focus on monitoring the Xue Family and the Undying Corpse Sect. As for what I¡¯ve told you just now, you can rest assured that they wouldn¡¯t attack your Silver Wing Empire at this time." Jiu Shen replied in a calm voice. He didn¡¯t want anything to happen to the Silver Wing Empire since his business was at stake, so he decided to bring up this topic to the emperor.


    Emperor Elyk¡¯splexion was pale after hearing all this, but his expression became calm in an instant as he changed the topic. "With Wine Master Jiu¡¯s assurance, I feel at ease. By the way, Wine Master Jiu, the annual martial artspetition of our Silver Wing Empire ising close. I hope you¡¯ll be there to watch the younger generationpete among themselves. You can also register some of the young ones under you to join thepetition... Although my Silver Wing Empire is in a precarious situation, I must not show weakness during these troubled times! Thepetition will continue as per usual since it¡¯s already a tradition of the empire..."


    ¡¯Ho, this guy has some backbone. It seems like he still has something to rely on. Interesting.¡¯ Jiu Shen muttered in his heart.


    Xia Xinyue who was listening at the sidelines felt excited after hearing about the martial artspetition and she could not help but ask the emperor. "Your Majesty, what is the age requirement for thispetition?"


    There are some talented young disciples in their Ice Cloud Sword Sect, and after receiving Jiu Shen¡¯s guidance, their strength increased by leaps and bounds. And since their Ice Cloud Sword Sect was already part of Jiu Shen¡¯s sect, she wanted to gain prestige and honor for him.


    The emperor wasn¡¯t angry for the sudden interruption of Xia Xinyue. From the clothes she was wearing, he knew that she was an elder of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect.


    "The martial artspetition is for the younger generation of the Silver Wing Empire, so only those with ages 25 and below are eligible to join. The fourth prince and the fifth princess will also be there as participants." Emperor Elyk replied with a smile.

 Chapter 180 - Body Transforming Dan

    <h4>Chapter 180 - Body Transforming Dan </h4>


    The fourth prince had just turned twenty this year, and he is already at the initial stage of the 5th-rank Spirit realm, while the fifth princess who is thirteen years old is at the peak stage of the 3rd-rank Crusader realm. The fifth princess is also on the verge of breaking through to the 4th-rank Knight Crusader realm after drinking and eating in Jiu Shen¡¯s store. Since there was still two weeks before thepetition starts, she still had the chance to increase her strength before the contest begins.


    "Wine Master Jiu, I would be happy if you spectate in thising event. The imperial family and patriarchs of the three great ns would also reward the top ten for this contest. It¡¯s a good opportunity for the young ones to gain experience, so I hope that Wine Master Jiu could bring some of your little disciples to join the fun." Emperor Elyk smiled widely at Jiu Shen to ease up the atmosphere. He didn¡¯t want to talk about the problems that the Silver Wing Empire was facing since it gave him too much headache, luckily, he recalled this annual martial artspetition that would take ce in two weeks.


    Jiu Shen thought for a moment, before eventually nodding his head. It was indeed not a bad idea to exercise the bones of the one hundred kids that had received his special training all this while. After a month of vigorous physical training and tempering, all of them were already at the 1st-rank Warrior realm, and there were even two kids that stood out among them. One was Yang Zenke who was now at the peak stage of the 2nd-rank Elite Warrior realm, while the other one was Han Sen who was at the early stage of the 2nd-rank Elite Warrior realm.


    As to how they improved that much in a short amount of time, it was because of Jiu Shen¡¯s torturous training that was as strict as to how elite soldiers were trained. Besides, the young men also ate spiritual fruits and cultivation pills like they were eating candies. With all those experiences, even an ordinary pig would be a strong savage beast...


    "I¡¯m interested in this martial artspetition that you speak about, so I¡¯ll bring some of the little ones that I¡¯ve trained to register in this contest. Aside from that, I will also add something to the rewards for the top ten participants." Jiu Shen¡¯s words made the emperor¡¯s eyes lit up which also made himugh heartily.


    "Hahaha! That¡¯s more like it! In that case, I¡¯ll expect your presence in two weeks, Wine Master Jiu." Emperor Elyk was excited at the thought of Jiu Shen spectating theing martial arts contest. With his presence, Emperor Elyk was more confident that nothing would go wrong in the event.


    After that, all of them talked about other matters as the unnned celebration continued for the whole night.


    * * *


    Two dayster, inside the beast fighting arena.


    A huge cauldron that was almost as big as a mountain can be seen on top of the arena. If one would look closely, this cauldron somehow looked simr to Jiu Shen¡¯s Heaven Trampling Cauldron. In fact, this was indeed the Heaven Trampling Cauldron and Jiu Shen merely increased its size.


    Screams of pain and agony reverberated within the cauldron as the bodies of a hundred young men were being soaked in the boiling mixture inside the cauldron.


    The faces of the young men were contorted in suffering that they almost looked inhuman. However, none of them stepped out of the cauldron and they all continued to soak their bodies inside.


    Yang Zenke was the calmest among them, and he was only shivering in pain as he gritted his teeth, while asionally letting out muffled groans.


    ¡¯I want to be strong! I don¡¯t others to look down on me! I will prove to the master that I can be a strong expert! Arghh!¡¯ Yang Zenke shouted in his heart as his figure shook slightly.


    Beside him was Han Sen who looked much worse inparison. His eyes were already bloodshot and his skin had several burnt marks as he let out heavy breaths like a wounded savage beast.


    Jiu Shen stood at the opening of the cauldron observing the entire process with cold unblinking eyes. This kind of body tempering might look dangerous and deadly on the surface, but the effect of this special tempering was significant since it could greatly enhance the physical body¡¯s strength.


    He was also controlling the temperature of the mixture inside the Heaven Trampling Cauldron just enough for these young men to survive without dying. He wouldn¡¯t allow anyone among them to die, since they would be his arms and legs in the Primordial God Realm!


    With a cold expression hanging on his face, Jiu Shen observed the faces of everyone inside the cauldron as he suddenly asked. "Are you in pain?!"


    One hundred pairs of bloodshot eyes nced at him with unbending willpower. Veins protruded on their faces as they replied like snarling wolf cubs. "NO!!!"


    Jiu Shen smiled for a brief moment after hearing their answers, but it abruptly turned cold. "Then stay here for another hour!"


    Bone-chilling creams of agony echoed non-stop for another hour.


    Jiu Shen waved his right hand, producing invisible ropes that tied around the bodies of the young men. He then pulled them out of the piping hot cauldron before bringing them to the arena.


    Through the invisible ropes, Jiu Shen injected his true essence to heal the bodies of everyone.


    Yang Zenke, Han Sen, and the others felt a soothing sensation enveloping their mutted bodies, healing them at a discernible speed. The burnt marks on their skins slowly vanished under these calming threads of true essence which also continuously healed their other injuries.


    Every one of them felt as if they were desert people who had finally swum in a coolke after bathing under the sun for several years...


    In not less than ten minutes, the injuries of the young men were fully healed and they were now seated cross-legged on the ground as they meditated. All of them had various gains after that torturous body tempering, so they immediately started to consolidate their strengths.


    When the emperor had first brought them to Jiu Shen¡¯s store, they were still weak-looking youths with frail bodies, but looking at them now, their bodies were now tanned with explosive and lean muscles. Their once innocent eyes were now painted with maturity and growth.


    After another ten minutes, Jiu Shen pped his hands loudly as he said. "Stand up!"


    The young men instantly rose from their feet upon hearing hismand. All of them nced at Jiu Shen while silently waiting for his next orders.


    With a wave of his right hand, Jiu Shen handed them one pill each as he said. "The pill in your hands is the 9th-rank Body Transforming Dan which will transform your constitutions. Drink it."


    This Body Transforming Dan was a 9th-rank pill that was able to enhance a person¡¯s physical constitution. Even a waste would transform into a peerless genius after eating this pill! However, this kind of pill didn¡¯t exist in Nuar and it could only be seen in the Primordial God Realm. All the young elites of the Primordial God Realm would consume this to enhance their constitution... Now, Jiu Shen had given them the opportunity to change their fates with just a single pill!


    They might not know the importance of this because of their inexperience, but they knew that it was something with unequal value especially after they heard that it was a 9th-rank pill!


    With slightly emotional expressions, they swallowed the Body Transforming Dan...

 Chapter 181 - Effects Of The Body Transforming Dan

    <h4>Chapter 181 - Effects Of The Body Transforming Dan </h4>


    Once again, the arena was filled with howls of pain after the one hundred young men consumed the Body Transforming Dan.


    "Endure it! If you can¡¯t even withstand this baptism, then you¡¯re unworthy to be top experts!" Jiu Shen said in a strict voice as he observed them with a cold look. In fact, this Body Transforming Dan was supposed to be consumed together with the 9th-rank Pain Subduing Pill, a healing pill that could remove any painful feeling that a person has. Aside from removing pain, it could also elerate the healing process of someone.


    The reason why Jiu Shen didn¡¯t give them a Pain Subduing Pill was because he wanted to give them a final test since only those with strong willpower could survive his hellish training procedure.


    After hearing Jiu Shen¡¯s words, all of them immediately shut their mouths as they gritted their teeth with contorted looks. They felt as if there were millions of ants gnawing their internal organs. The faces of the youths were covered with sweat and protruding veins as they clenched their fists so hard that their nails already pierced deeply on their skins.


    The Body Transforming Dan would change the structure of one¡¯s physical constitution upon consumption, but whoever consumes it would experience excruciating pain for a period of time until the transformation of one¡¯s body ispleted.


    "All of you are low-born ves with no talent to boast about, but with the help of the pill you just consumed, it isn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that your talents would exceed even the renowned geniuses of the Profound Dragon Continent. So you have to endure this pain if you want to be dragons among humans!" Jiu Shen said as he took out a chair from his space earring. He then sat down and put one of his legs on top of the other, looking nonchnt and calm. After that, a youngdy with long purple hair suddenly appeared behind him and gave his shoulder a massage. This was none other than the dragondy, Long Meili.


    Jiu Shen didn¡¯t mind this kind of contact, and he seemed to be unbothered by it as he continued to watch the young men with a satisfied look.


    Yang Zenke, Han Sen, and everyone¡¯s eyes lit up when they heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words. They finally realized how precious the pill that Jiu Shen had just given them. It was actually able to change someone¡¯s physical constitution and talent! What a heaven-defying pill!


    Yang Zenke closed his eyes as he focused himself on refining the efficacy of the Body Transforming Dan. ¡¯This is the start! I can finally be an expert! This pain is nothing! Argh!¡¯ He shouted in his heart.


    It was not just him, Han Sen and the other youths also closed their eyes and sat cross-legged to refine the pill¡¯s efficacy.


    Looking at this, Jiu Shen was quite satisfied that none of them passed out from the pain. Even the young elites of the Primordial God Realm could hardly do this without the help of the Pain Subduing Pill.


    After thirty minutes or so, Yang Zenke opened his eyes fiercely and he abruptly rose to his feet. He cracked his head sideways while clenching his fists tightly with a joyful smile on his face. "Initial stage of the 3rd-rank Crusader realm! Hahaha!"


    One after another, the other youths also stood up with happy smiles. All of them had broken through! Even the weakest among them was already at the peak stage of the 1st-rank Warrior realm!


    Jiu Shen who was seated on his chair smiled as he looked at them. These young men didn¡¯t let him down. All of them were able to refine the full efficacy of the Body Transforming Dan without passing out! With this kind of achievement, they would surely be nurtured with care by any supreme powers in the Primordial God Realm.


    Jiu Shen slowly stood up from his seat, while Long Meili also took a step back. She remained silent all day since she didn¡¯t want to disturb Jiu Shen.


    "Since all of you have already practiced your sword techniques for the past month, what you need right now is practical training. Later, I will bring all of you somewhere to test everything that you¡¯ve learned, but first, divide yourself into groups of ten." Jiu Shen ordered coldly.


    Yang Zenke and the others hurriedly grouped themselves into ten different groups after hearing Jiu Shen¡¯smand. They were quite excited about the practical training that he spoke about and they could not even conceal the excitement on their faces.


    After seeing that they had already divided into ten groups, Jiu Shen opened the Spirit World through the World Heart that was embedded on his left wrist.


    Om!


    Yang Zenke and the other youths were stunned when they saw a two-meter tall door suddenly appearing out of thin air.


    "What is that thing?"


    "Just shut up and wait for the master¡¯s orders!"


    Jiu Shen pushed the wooden door open, making everyone see a different world behind the door. "Follow me inside. Remember, no one must know anything about this!" Jiu Shen said with a serious look. The existence of the Spirit World was one of Jiu Shen¡¯s most closely guarded secrets, and he didn¡¯t want anyone else to know about it other than his most trusted subordinates. Although no one in Nuar could identify it, the same could not be said in the Primordial God Realm, so he had to be cautious about this.


    Yang Zenke and the others felt the gravity in Jiu Shen¡¯s tone, so they immediately nodded their heads to express their understanding.


    "Yes, master!"


    "Yes, master!"


    Jiu Shen wanted to let them experience bloodshed, but since they only had less than two weeks before the start of thepetition, he didn¡¯t have the time to bring them into theirs of bandits, so he could only bring them to the Spirit World to fight with the savage beasts living within.


    He will leave them for ten days in the Spirit World and he would only save them if they are already close to death. They had to experience countless life and death situations to be full-fledged experts!


    "What a beautiful ce! Is this a paradise?"


    "Indeed! The true essence in the atmosphere of this ce is many times denser than in the beast fighting arena. This ce is a cultivation holynd!"


    The youths eximed one by one after arriving inside the Spirit World. They have been locked inside the training facilities of the imperial family for all their lives, so they haven¡¯t seen anything as beautiful as the Spirit World.


    "Save your breaths! I will bring every one of you into the dens of countless savage beasts! You must survive for ten days! You will hunt for food on your own, and your strategies will depend on what your groups would decide!" Jiu Shen said calmly, but his words made everyone¡¯s hearts turn cold. This was the first time that they would be sent into the wilnds, so they felt a bit nervous in their hearts. However, they didn¡¯t want to disappoint Jiu Shen who had given them the chance to be top experts, so in order to repay his kindness, they vowed in their hearts that they would survive this training!

 Chapter 182 - Sending Liuli And Xia Xinyue To Manage The Sect Construction

    <h4>Chapter 182 - Sending Liuli And Xia Xinyue To Manage The Sect Construction </h4>


    "Before sending all of you away, I will provide you with the most basic pieces of armor and swords." Jiu Shen said as took out a pile of items from his space earring.


    Not longter, Jiu Shen had already taken out one hundred ordinary swords and armors for the youths.


    "This will be your equipment. If you manage to survive this training, I will give you guys something much better than these, so you have to work hard and survive this. And after this training, I will select ten among you to participate in the uing martial artspetition. Okay, that¡¯s all. Now, I will teleport your groups into different locations." Jiu Shen said as he opened multiple rifts in space effortlessly.


    Looking at how Jiu Shen had easily used the element of space in such a manner, even Long Meili who was already a Nascent God Realm felt stunned in her heart.


    ¡¯How did Master do it?¡¯


    Of course, this was because Jiu Shen was already the Deity of the Spirit World, and he had the power to do anything as he pleases here!


    "What are you waiting for?! Jump into the portal that I¡¯ve made together with your respective groups!" Jiu Shen reprimanded sternly after seeing the dumbfounded looks of the young kids.


    "Y-Yes, master!"


    "Yes, master!"


    The young men immediately acknowledged themand after hearing Jiu Shen¡¯s stern call. And so, with resolute gazes, the youths separated into ten groups as they stepped inside the rifts in space.


    After thest kid was gone, Long Meili who was silent the entire time could not help but voice out her thoughts. "Master, will they be alright? I mean they¡¯re still inexperienced kids despite the vigorous training that they¡¯ve undergone. I fear that they might not be able to survive in the wilds..."


    Jiu Shen took a nce at her and said with a calm look. "Only through experiencing bloodshed would they emerge as experts. Don¡¯t underestimate those kids, Little Lizard. Although they haven¡¯t experienced this kind of training yet, the student¡¯s that I¡¯ve trained would not die that easily, and if ever they truly face a life-threatening scenario, then I will save them in an instant."


    Jiu Shen then walked closer to Long Meili and patted her head. "Let¡¯s go back to the store. I can monitor their progress through this crystal here." He said as he pointed at the crystal that was embedded on his left wrist.


    Long Meili stared at the crystal in her master¡¯s wrist with a curious look before nodding her head in obeisance. "Yes, master. I obey."


    * * *


    A weekter, Jiu Shen was seated in a random corner on the first floor of his store. His face remained expressionless even though he was being attended by the threedies, Liuli, Xia Xinyue, and Long Meili.


    "Lord Jiu Shen, I¡¯m bored to death here. Could you please give me a mission? I¡¯m not used to staying idle like this..." Liuli grabbed Jiu Shen¡¯s right arm, hugging it tightly in her embrace as she nced at him with pleading eyes.


    Xia Xinyue¡¯s lips twitched when she saw Liuli¡¯s intimate contact with Jiu Shen and she could help but re at her with piercing eyes. ¡¯This vixen is trying to seduce Lord Sect Master again! Hateful!¡¯ Xia Xinyue thought to herself while also feeling a bit jealous in her heart.


    Long Meili stared daggers at Liuli and from the looks of her eyes, it was as if she couldn¡¯t wait to spit a breath of mes at her.


    Jiu Shen heard Liuli¡¯s words and he was slightly taken aback. Indeed, he had neglected this rare management talent, but he didn¡¯t have any job for her at this moment since his sect¡¯s base was yet to be conducted, but suddenly, he thought about something. ¡¯That¡¯s right! I can just send her to begin this construction process and let her handle it, but I have to let someone monitor her as well. Hmm...¡¯


    Jiu Shen slowly opened his eyes and met Liuli¡¯s pleading look that was simr to a puppy asking for a treat. He then said in a calm voice. "In that case, I will give you a job. This is important, so I don¡¯t want any mistakes to happen."


    Liuli¡¯s eyes lit up and she promptly nodded her head in excitement as she grabbed Jiu Shen¡¯s arm even more tightly that it almost squeezed her towering bosom. "Yes, Lord Jiu Shen! Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t fail you. Hehe..."


    Jiu Shen¡¯s lips twitched when he sensed two soft mounds rubbing against his right arm, but he still nodded his head at her with a poker face. He already expected her confidence. After all, she was able to make the Green Wood Pavilion a renowned hotel in the whole Silver Wing Empire.


    "I want you to manage the construction of my sect¡¯s base. I already have a draft of how it should look like, and as for the materials and people, you will handle it for me. Can you do this?" Jiu Shen asked with an indifferent look as he handed a scroll made from a savage beast¡¯s skin to her.


    Liuli unrolled the scroll and her eyes brightened upon seeing the design that Jiu Shen had drawn. She was most confident in her ability to manage things, so she nodded her head at Jiu Shen with a smile. "Lord Jiu Shen, you can rest assured. I will handle everything carefully and won¡¯t let you down. Hehe." She then stuck her tongue out while looking at Xia Xinyue with a provoking look.


    "Good. Xinyue, I want you to help Liuli in doing this. Although she doesn¡¯t need any help, more people working together will make things go smoother." Jiu Shen said while looking at Xia Xinyue.


    Xia Xinyue who was staring piercingly at Liuli was pleasantly surprised by Jiu Shen¡¯smand, and she immediately cast a smug smile at Liuli which made thetter snort tenderly in response.


    "Yes, Lord Sect Master. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let this vix- Liuli make any mistakes." Xia Xinyue smiled at Jiu Shen reassuringly.


    "I trust that the both of you would be able toplete this with ease. If you need anything from me, don¡¯t hesitate to ask. Okay, you may begin this now." Jiu Shen said.


    The two girls stood up from their seats and bowed at Jiu Shen.


    "We will get this done as soon as possible, Lord Sect Master."


    "Leave this to us, Lord Jiu Shen."


    After that, thedies gave Jiu Shen onest look before departing from the store while ring at each other.


    "Master, the two of them... They wouldn¡¯t fight, right?" Long Meili asked while smiling in amusement as she pointed at the disappearing silhouettes of Xia Xinyue and Liuli.


    Jiu Shen remained silent for a moment before he shook his head lightly. "Xia Xinyue isn¡¯t a violent type of woman, so she wouldn¡¯t make things more difficult for the both of them. As for Liuli, she might be a cunningdy, but her heart is not treacherous. With their skills, the construction of my sect¡¯s main base would definitely progress without a problem."

 Chapter 183 - Ten Chosen

    <h4>Chapter 183 - Ten Chosen </h4>


    It was the final day of the young men¡¯s training and there were only a little less than 3 days left before the start of the annual martial artspetition.


    Jiu Shen was standing on top of the huge tform inside the beast fighting arena. He was wearing a set of azure-colored robes which gave him a regal and noble aura.


    "To think that these kids didn¡¯t even need me to save them. And from the looks of it, their strength had also improved a lot that even the weakest among them is already at the early stage of the 2nd-rank Elite Warrior realm. As for those two little guys, Yang Zenke and Han Sen, they are even more impressive. Thetter had just broken through the peak stage of the 3rd-rank Crusader realm after experiencing quite a number of life and death battles. As for that brat Yang Zenke, he actually had a lucky encounter and found a high-level spiritual fruit, and he had even broken through the early stage of the 4th-rank Knight Crusader realm after consuming it. Impressive! With the strength and experience of these two little brats, they should be able to get into the top ten even if their cultivation level is weakerpared to their opponents." Jiu Shen muttered as he used his connection with the World Heart to eject the one hundred youths out of the Spirit World.


    Om!


    A number of rifts in space appeared in front of Jiu Shen and several silhouettes were forcefully thrown out from these rifts in space.


    All the youths were now in a disheveled state and they had wounds all over their bodies, and even the two most promising young men among them were in no better condition. All of them looked like beggars with their tattered clothing and armors, and even the swords in their hands appeared to be damaged to a certain degree. However, despite their sorry states, the looks in their eyes were sharp and cold-blooded as if they wolves scanning their surrounding with cautious gazes.


    They had experienced quite many life and death battles during their ten days of stay in the Spirit World. Some of them had even almost died, but luckily, they had their teammates who never gave up on them. And because of this training, the friendship and brotherhood between these youths deepened even further.


    All of them could now be considered as cultivators!


    Looking at the changes in their bearing and aura, Jiu Shen was fairly satisfied with their performance.


    While clutching their injured bodies, Yang Zenke, Han Sen, and the rest stood up snappily after realizing that they were no longer in that ¡¯dangerous ce¡¯. They then nced at Jiu Shen with respectful looks as they bowed in unison.


    "Greetings, master!"


    "Greetings, master!"


    A smile appeared on Jiu Shen¡¯s expressionless face. He then said. "You have done a great job in surviving that kind of environment, however, that is merely the start of your bloody paths. The road ahead is even more dangerous and life-threatening, but since everybody survived, I will give you guys a present for this achievement."


    One hundred wooden boxes were neatly ced in front of the youths, making them curious as to what was hidden inside.


    "Open it. These boxes are your rewards." Jiu Shen said after seeing that the young men were still standing foolishly.


    After hearing Jiu Shen¡¯smand, they hurriedly took one box each and opened it without hesitation. And upon seeing what was inside, they could not help but feel stunned.


    Inside each box was an embroidered ck robes with red dragon patterns that looked noble and imposing. Other than that, there was also a one-meter sword that was blood-red in color. The sword gave off an elegant and graceful feeling that couldn¡¯t be found in any ordinary swords. It was actually an Earth-rank Weapon!


    Every one of them received the same set of equipment, but the youths were satisfied with this.


    Looking at the materials of the ck robes and the blood-red swords, both didn¡¯t look simple, and it could be said that they looked luxurious and regal which made these cold-looking youths reveal hearty smiles on their faces.


    "Master, is this really our reward?" Yang Zenke held the blood-red sword and the ck robes firmly in his hands as he lifted his head to look at Jiu Shen with a disbelieving expression. It was the first time that these former ves have seen such expensive-looking pieces of equipment, so they felt as if they were in a dream.


    Jiu Shen smiled at him in amusement, but he still nodded his head at the kid as he said. "Indeed. Wear your new robes now while I announce who I would bring with me for the annual martial arts contest three days from now."


    Everyone nodded their heads upon hearing his words and they immediately changed into their new set of ck robes. After changing into their new clothes, the temperament and aura of the young men took a drastic change. If they looked like beggars on a roadside just a few moments ago, then as of the moment, all of them looked like young elites from an ancient sect or n.


    "I¡¯ve been monitoring the progress that every one of you had experienced in these ten days, so this time, I will bring the ten strongest individuals among you guys to register in thepetition. Those who will follow me ar: Yang Zenke, Han Sen, ..."


    The weakest among the ten that Jiu Shen had called was already at the early stage of the 3rd-rank Crusader realm, but it was not a problem for him to defeat someone at the 4th-rank Knight Crusader realm with his superior sword techniques and Earth Weapon. Not to mention that the ck robes he was wearing was also not simple. In fact, it was made from a high-level fabric that could withstand the attack of a 5th-rank Spirit realm savage beast!


    As Jiu Shen announced the ten names, everyone held their breaths. Those youths whose names were called clenched their fists in excitement. And after Jiu Shen announced the ten names, those who weren¡¯t called felt slightly dejected in their hearts, but their faces instantly lit up with fighting intent. They might not be the strongest right now, but it wouldn¡¯t be the same in the future.


    "The rest of you will stay here to train and familiarize yourselves with your new weapons. As for the ten of you whose names are called, follow me to the imperial pce." Jiu Shen said.


    The registration process for the participants was still ongoing, and thepetition would be held right outside the imperial pce. At present, there should still be a lot of youths signing up for the contest.


    Hm?


    Just as Jiu Shen was about to step out of the beast fighting arena together with the ten chosen youths, he suddenly felt a familiar auraing towards them.


    He nced in a certain direction and saw the familiar silhouette of his senior disciple Lu Sn. Following behind her were ten youngdies with cold and icy temperaments. All of them looked below twenty in age, so Jiu Shen guessed that they should be the participants that Lu Sn¡¯s Ice Cloud Sword Sect would send for the contest. Looking at them, they didn¡¯t look weak at all, and even the weakest among them was also at the early stage of the 3rd-rank Crusader realm.

 Chapter 184 - Auction?

    <h4>Chapter 184 - Auction? </h4>


    Lu Sn saw Jiu Shening out of the beast fighting arena, so she told her disciples to walk faster. After getting nearer, she was a bit surprised to see the ten youths behind Jiu Shen since she knew who they were. ¡¯These kids. Aren¡¯t they part of those youths that are personally trained by master? How the hell did their strength and cultivation level increase by this much in such a short time?! Looking at their aura, their cultivation seems to be stable and not shaky at all! Amazing! Only master can aplish this. Hehe.¡¯


    After a moment of amazement, a smile blossomed on Lu Sn¡¯s face as she stared at Jiu Shen. "Greetings, master."


    The ten youngdies behind Lu Sn also bowed respectfully as they greeted Jiu Shen in tender voices. "Greetings, grandmaster."


    The group of youths behind Jiu Shen nced at these youngdies with curiosity, and they were quite surprised when they sensed that their cultivation level was actually simr or even greater than their own.


    Jiu Shen smiled at Lu Sn before he took a nce at the tendies behind her. He knew four among them since they were the first waitresses in his store. They were Xiao Hua and her three friends. Xiao Hua was still at the peak stage of the 4th-rank Knight Crusader realm, but it won¡¯t be long before she could break through to the next realm. As for her three friends, although they were weaker than Xiao Hua, they were all at the early stage of the 4th-rank Knight Crusader realm.


    "This is Lu Sn, my first disciple. Come and greet her." Jiu Shen beckoned to the youths behind him as he introduced Lu Sn. They already knew who she was because they always see Lu Sn together with Jiu Shen, so they immediately greeted her with respect.


    "Greetings, Senior Sister Lu."


    Lu Sn smiled at them for a moment before she shifted her gaze at her master. She then asked him. "Master, are you also nning to let these kids join the martial artspetition?"


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly as he replied. "Indeed. And since you¡¯re already here, you might as welle with us to the imperial pce to register."


    Lu Sn¡¯s eyes lit up and she nodded her head. "Yes, master. We will follow you to the imperial pce."


    The youngdies behind her were also excited when they heard that. They had received Jiu Shen¡¯s guidance in sword techniques for the past month and theirprehension and skills improved by a margin. Because of this, they treated him with respect and admiration.


    Thus, Jiu Shen and Lu Sn went to the imperial pce together with twenty young men and women.


    Jiu Shen waved his right hand as he produced twenty-two flying swords using the element of wind. The green-colored flying swords that were about two meters long and twelve inches wide hovered three meters above the ground.


    "Wow! Are these flying swords?"


    "Cool! The grandmaster actually has this kind of skill. Amazing!"


    Looking at this, everyone was stunned and they could help but praise Jiu Shen, and even Lu Sn was dumbstruck at this. ¡¯What a splendid control of the wind element! Even I could not do this...¡¯


    "With this, we will arrive much faster in the imperial pce. Everyone, hop onto these flying swords. Just sit cross-legged on the flying sword and I¡¯ll do the rest." Jiu Shen said as he jumped onto one of the flying swords with graceful movements. Swoosh.


    Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh.


    After hearing his words, Yang Zenke, Han Sen, and their buddies immediately leaped onto the swords and sat cross-legged with eager expressions. They were quite excited at the thought of flying through the skies with a flying sword.


    "G-Grandmaster, we wouldn¡¯t fall from this, right?" One of the youngdies behind Lu Sn voiced out her concern with a timid look on her pretty face.


    After hearing her words, the other young women felt a bit worried as well. Although they were cultivators, they would still die if they fall from the skies...


    Jiu Shen chuckled in his heart when he heard that, but he still out on a serious look as he replied in a calm tone. "You don¡¯t have to worry about falling since I will be the one controlling the flight of these swords. And even if you did fall, I will immediately rescue you."


    The young girls felt much upon hearing that, and they promptly hopped onto the swords before sitting cross-legged. Their faces were pale and excited at the same time.


    Lu Sn smiled apologetically at her master. Her disciples might have strong cultivation levels for their age, but they haven¡¯t experienced any life and death situations yet which made them no different than ordinary girls.


    "Master, I heard that there will be an auction tonight in the Silver Dragon Auction House. And I heard that a few rare treasures will be auctioned as well. I¡¯d like to see whether there is some truth to this rumor." Lu Sn suddenly said.


    Upon hearing that, Jiu Shen¡¯s curiosity was piqued. Although Nuar¡¯s resources were poor and low-level for him, he kinda missed the atmosphere inside an auction house, so he was a bit interested in this.


    "It looks like you have already decided about this beforehand. In that case, I wille with you to this auction and see if I could buy something for these young men." Jiu Shen said.


    A beautiful smile appeared on Lu Sn¡¯s face upon hearing that. "Good! I will also bring these little girls with me to gain some experience."


    It didn¡¯t take them a long time to arrive in the imperial pce, and upon their arrival, they saw thousands of young people lining up for the registration of the martial artspetition.


    "Eh? So many people! It looks like we can¡¯t attend the auction tonight. They should be thest batch of participants that wants to register." Lu Sn was a bit annoyed and helpless when she saw a huge number of people outside the imperial pce.


    There were one hundred square battle tforms prepared for theing contest, and each tform was currently used to register the young people who wanted to participate.


    Looking at this, Jiu Shen furrowed his eyebrows. ¡¯If we line up now, we wouldn¡¯t be able to register even until tomorrow. I should inform Elyk about our arrival. He should be able to help us register faster.¡¯


    If anyone would know what Jiu Shen was thinking at this moment, they would surely not know whether tough or to cry. He actually wanted the emperor to cut the queue for him...

 Chapter 185 - Registration

    <h4>Chapter 185 - Registration </h4>


    Jiu Shen and the others were still on the flying swords as they remained hovering above the skies.


    "Look above! There are people on those flying swords!"


    "What kind of supreme power did theye from? Our Silver Wing Empire actually has such people?"


    "Whoever they are, we could not afford to offend them.


    The crowd eximed when they saw Jiu Shen¡¯s group in the skies. They looked like immortals that looked down upon the mundane world. Just their bearing and aura alone was enough to scare the people down below. Even the disciples of the three strongest noble families swallowed a mouthful of saliva at the sight of them.


    "Let¡¯s go down first. Everyone, get ready. We¡¯re descending." Jiu Shen said as he controlled the flying swords to descend.


    "Look! They¡¯re descending!"


    "Let¡¯s go! I wanna see what kind of people would show up like this."


    "They actually have flying swords! Amazing!"


    The onlookers stared wordlessly at Jiu Shen¡¯s party as they descended from the skies. There was a look of anticipation on the crowd¡¯s faces since they were truly curious as to who these guys were. After all, no one was capable of even making a flying sword. However, they didn¡¯t know that those flying swords were merely produced by Jiu Shen¡¯s power by manipting the element of wind.


    When they were close to the ground, Yang Zenke and the rest rose from their feet with calm and cold looks. As for the young girls from the Ice Cloud Sword Sect, they only stood up when they were only ten meters above the ground.


    Swoosh.


    Jiu Shen jumped off from his flying sword and gracefullynded on the ground. He ignored the admiring nces of the people around them as hemanded his people.


    "Let¡¯s go."


    Lu Sn and the others immediately followed behind Jiu Shen while disregarding the onlooking crowd.


    Yang Zenke and his buddies had developed a cold and merciless aura after going through countless battles in the Spirit World. And because of the hellish physical tempering that they had gone through, their faces didn¡¯t look like immature teens at all. In fact, they might even be mistaken as young adults because of their lean and power builds. Coupled with their grim ck robes with red dragon patterns and the blood-red swords that were uniformly strapped behind their backs, they looked like elite sword cultivators. Even the young disciples of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect lost to them by a tiny bit in terms of temperament and bearing. However, these young girls had practiced ice techniques since they had started cultivating, so they were unconsciously giving out a cold and distant aura as if they were ice fairies from a mysticalnd. This gave them a detached air, making the hot-blooded youths among the crowd drool endlessly.


    Looking at Jiu Shen¡¯s group, the crowd parted and they didn¡¯t even dare block their path. Who would foolishly block the path of such a strong-looking group? Even a retarded person would not dare provoke them...


    "Master, it looks like we don¡¯t need to fall in line." Lu Sn chuckled softly while covering her small mouth with her right hand.


    "Eh? Isn¡¯t this Wine Master Jiu? So that¡¯s why their group looks so strong! It¡¯s actually Wine Master Jiu and his people!"


    "It¡¯s really Wine Master Jiu! He actually brought twenty young elites with him! Even Young Miss Lu is here with him!"


    Some of the people recognized Jiu Shen and Lu Sn, so they immediately became excited. After their identities were exposed, even those that didn¡¯t know how they look were finally able to recognize them. Who in Beltran City didn¡¯t know about the most luxurious wine store in the capital was owned by this man right here?


    Jiu Shen realized that the people were actually making way for them which made things easier for them. ¡¯Hm... I thought I would need Elyk¡¯s help to cut the queue.¡¯ He thought.


    And so, without any difficulty, Jiu Shen and the others were able to register themselves without a problem. And even the elder who managed their registration was giving them ttering smiles.


    "Young friend, what¡¯s your name?" The elder asked as he looked at Yang Zenke with a smile.


    Yang Zenke¡¯s face remained cold and calm, his expression was almost the same as Jiu Shen. With an indifferent expression, he answered. "Yang Zenke."


    The elder didn¡¯t mind his attitude and he already expected it especially after seeing their grand entrance from the skies.


    "Young Friend Yang, ce your right hand on this crystal ball. It will detect your age and cultivation level." The elder smiled humbly. He didn¡¯t want to offend this group, so he had to be extra courteous. Even though he was already a 6th-rank King realm cultivator, he could not see through the level of Jiu Shen and Lu Sn who came together with these young disciples, so he was careful not to provoke them.


    Yang Zenke extended his right arm and ced his hand on the crystal ball which immediately lit up uponing in contact with him.


    "Fifteen years old, early stage of the 4th-rank Knight Crusader realm!" The elder eximed as he recorded Yang Zenke¡¯s information.


    "Woah! That guy is actually so strong! Looks like they are the real deal!"


    "Shush! Shut up! What if they hear you speaking about them?!"


    Yang Zenke lifted his right hand from the crystal ball and cupped his fists at the elder before he left without saying another word.


    The others also registered themselves after Yang Zenke, and the elder was quite surprised since all of them were actually formidable despite their young age. ¡¯To think that there are actually young geniuses who are as monstrous as the fourth prince and the fifth princess! Sigh! The young would truly surpass the old...¡¯


    "Sister Hua, it¡¯s our turn to register! Go and shock these people. Hehehe." The little sisters of Xiao Hua giggled as they urged her to go first.


    Xiao Hua smiled wryly but she still stepped forward and cupped her fist at the elder as she said. "Elder, my name is Xiao Hua."


    The elder smiled amiably after seeing the innocent smile of Xia Hua. ¡¯This littless shouldn¡¯t be as monstrous as those guys, right?¡¯ He thought.


    "Young Miss Xiao, ce your hand here on the crystal ball."


    Xiao Hua did not waste any time and immediately put her hand on top of the crystal ball.


    The elder¡¯s smile vanished when he saw the results and he almost fell from his seat from the sheer surprise that he felt.


    "17 years old, peak of the 4th-rank Knight Crusader realm!"

 Chapter 186 - Silver Dragon Auction House

    <h4>Chapter 186 - Silver Dragon Auction House </h4>


    "Woah! Such a young expert! And she¡¯s also as pretty as a flower!"


    "Don¡¯t even think about wooing her. Have you seen those guys with her? Especially that Yang Zenke, he¡¯s still fifteen years old, but he¡¯s already an early stage 4th-rank Knight Crusader realm expert! Even the best disciples of the three great noble families aren¡¯t as strong as him."


    "Hey! Have you forgotten about the son of the Xue Family¡¯s supreme elder? I heard his strength had mysteriously increased, and he¡¯s now at the peak stage of the 4th-rank Knight Crusader realm!"


    "You mean Xue Tong? That guy is already twenty-one this year, and you¡¯re actuallyparing him to a fifteen-year-old? What an idiot!"


    The crowd talked among themselves as they observed Yang Zenke and Xiao Hua¡¯s group. They were about the same age as them, but Yang Zenke and co were still much stronger and their backing isn¡¯t one to be trifled with either.


    "Master, how did you manage to increase the strength of these little brats in just a little more than a month? When Ist saw them, they were not this strong. I can even sense that they reek the smell of blood and murderous intent. This is a clear sign that they¡¯ve already experienced killing." Lu Sn nced probingly at her master. Although she already knew that her master was someone from the Primordial God Realm, she had no knowledge about that ce. So she was somewhat mystified by Yang Zenke and the others¡¯ sudden jump in strength.


    Jiu Shen was quite secretive about how he had tempered Yang Zenke and the other youths. Even Can Ye who had supervised their training didn¡¯t know anything about it.


    "Don¡¯t forget that your master is a high-rank alchemist. And as to how I trained them, you¡¯ll know it after the sect is formally established." Jiu Shen replied indifferently.


    Lu Sn pouted, but she didn¡¯t pester Jiu Shen anymore. She knew that he wouldn¡¯t tell her no matter how she asks him.


    "Master, let¡¯s go to the auction house. It¡¯s still early, but it should already be opened for their guests." Lu Sn changed the topic. She was very interested in the auction tonight, so she was a bit excited to talk about it.


    Jiu Shen was simrly interested in this auction, but he wasn¡¯t hoping to find something valuable in there. Could there be anything that would interest him in a mortal world¡¯s auction? That was close to impossible. Besides, he would only go there to have fun.


    "I initially wanted to inform Elyk that we are here, but since you¡¯re this eager to go to that auction, then let¡¯s go. If I¡¯m not wrong, this Silver Dragon Auction House should be owned by the imperial family, so he should be present in the auction tonight. It won¡¯t be toote to see him by then." Jiu Shen said.


    After getting Jiu Shen¡¯s approval, Lu Sn naturally ice-cold expression suddenly melted into a pretty smile. "Master, let¡¯s go." She said as she pulled her master¡¯s arms.


    Jiu Shen shook his head helplessly, but he still followed behind her. ¡¯Sigh. This girl is even more excited than the kids. It looks like she¡¯d truly been cooped up in their ice castle because of her past condition.¡¯


    Yang Zenke, Xiao Hua, and the others followed behind the two with excited looks. It¡¯s the first time that they would be going to attend an auction, so they were eager about it.


    It was not a long walk towards the Silver Dragon Auction House since it was not that far from the imperial pce.


    Upon looking at the imposing building with a dragon statue at the entrance, Jiu Shen became even more certain that this auction house was owned by the Silveria Imperial Family. Who else other than the imperial family would dare to ce a dragon statue at their entrance?


    There was already a long line of people going inside this building. It was a very big establishment, so it wasn¡¯t a problem for it to amodate several ten thousand people. Besides, only the rich had the ability to enter such a ce, as for those without background, they could only dream about entering it.


    The entrance of the auction house was guarded by two middle-aged imperial guards. Their cultivation level was at the early stage of the 6th-rank King realm. These two imperial guards sized up Jiu Shen¡¯s group, and one of them seemed to have recalled something as he immediately said with a smile. "Guests, you may go inside without paying the entrance fee."


    The other imperial guard was surprised by this, but when he saw his partner¡¯s signal, he swallowed the words he was about to say.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s expression remained calm upon hearing this, but he still nodded his head at the two imperial guards to express his thanks. He then went inside the building without even saying another word.


    After no longer seeing the figures of Jiu Shen¡¯s party, the imperial guard who was silent the whole time finally spoke in bewilderment. "Brother, why did you allow that group toe inside without even asking for the entrance fee?"


    The other imperial guard red at him and replied in a reprimanding tone. "I say brother, you¡¯re really ill-informed! You don¡¯t even know the famous Wine Master Jiu of our Beltran City?"


    The imperial guard was stunned at this. "You mean that man is Wine Master Jiu? I heard that he is great friends with His Majesty."


    "Not just that..."


    * * *


    The interior of the Silver Dragon Auction House was quite huge and spacious, and there was a tform at the very center where the items to be auctioned would be disyed. There were already a lot of people inside, but they didn¡¯t even upy a fourth of the total seats inside.


    "Such a huge auction house! Amazing! I wonder what would be auctionedter."


    "Won¡¯t we know by then? Just stop asking questions and don¡¯t embarrass our Ice Cloud Sword Sect."


    The young disciples of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect talked among themselves excitedly. As for Yang Zenke and the others, although they were also excited about the auction, they were still able to remain calm.


    "Hello, guests eh- Wine Master Jiu?!" A sharp cry of exmation made Jiu Shen¡¯s group nce at the youngdy who had greeted them. Upon seeing her face, they were dumbfounded since they knew who she was.


    "Greetings Your Highness the Fifth Princess!" Yang Zenke and Xiao Hua¡¯s group of disciples immediately greeted her.


    "So this is why you¡¯re absent this time for work in the store? You¡¯re actually here to manage this auction house." Lu Sn teased Princess Sylvia with a smile.


    Jiu Shen wordlessly nced at the fifth princess and only nodded his head at her in greeting.


    "T-This... this is emperor father¡¯s arrangement and he said that I would manage the imperial family¡¯s auction house in the future. He sent me here to gain experience... Nevermind about that. Follow me to the VIP room upstairs." Princess Sylvia said as she forced out a smile. She was a bit embarrassed after being teased by Lu Sn. They were quite familiar with each other since they both work as a waitress in Jiu Shen¡¯s store.


    Princess Sylvia didn¡¯t wait for their answer and she immediately led them upstairs. There were five VIP rooms inside the Silver Dragon Auction House, and only the most distinguished individuals were allowed to go inside. Three of the five VIP rooms were already taken by the Beiming Family, Liu Family, and the Alchemist Hall, so there were only two VIP rooms left. Thest two were supposed to be taken by the imperial family and the Xue Family, but since Jiu Shen was here, Princess Sylvia didn¡¯t even hesitate to offer the VIP room that was meant for the Xue Family to his group.


    "Your Highness, didn¡¯t you say that this VIP room is prepared for our Xue Family? Why are you bringing people here?" An old man in ck and purple robes said with a displeased tone. He just came here earlier and he had already discussed with Princess Sylvia that this room was to be reserved for the Xue Family, but now, he saw her bringing a group of people to this ce, so how could he not be displeased?


    Princess Sylvia might be subdued and meek in front of Jiu Shen, but she is a naughty and mischievous young girl in front of others.


    "Did I say that? I don¡¯t remember discussing something with you. Old grandpa, please step aside. Can¡¯t you recognize Wine Master Jiu and Sect Mistress Lu with your aged eyes?" Princess Sylvia snorted haughtily. She didn¡¯t even spare a nce at this elder from the Xue Family as she went inside the VIP room.


    "You!" The elder¡¯s beard red and he almost lost hisposure after being looked down upon by the little demoness, but he hurriedly calmed himself and put on a grim smile at Jiu Shen¡¯s group before he left with heavy strides.


    "Littless, you are really good at making trouble. You even dare to mess with the Xue Family." Lu Sn giggled as she looked at the fifth princess¡¯ mischievous face.


    "Hmph! What can that old man do? If he dares to mess with me, I¡¯ll pull his beard off!" The fifth princess snorted in disdain. She didn¡¯t ce anyone in her eyes at all.


    Jiu Shen nced at her and sighed in his heart. ¡¯Looks like this little kid is still clueless about the Xue Family...¡¯

 Chapter 187 - The Four Princes Gathers

    <h4>Chapter 187 - The Four Princes Gathers </h4>


    "Your Highness, can you tell us what kind of treasures would be auctioned tonight?" Xiao Hua asked while looking at the fifth princess with a smile. The both of them are waitresses of Jiu Shen¡¯s store and they had be good friends after working in the same ce for quite some time. Although they had a difference in status, the fifth princess treated everyone in Jiu Shen¡¯s store as her friends without prejudice.


    Princess Sylvia put on a mischievous smile upon hearing that. She then replied in a slightly mysterious tone. "I¡¯m not telling you. Emperor father had already guessed that you¡¯de here, and he told me to leave you guys in suspense, so I won¡¯t speak anything about it. However, I am certain that you would definitely like some of the items that will be auctionedter. Hehe." She stuck her tongue out yfully after saying those words.


    Lu Sn had the urge to knock the little girl¡¯s head after seeing her naughty expression, but she held herself back and just slumped on her chair while ring at the fifth princess.


    Most of Lu Sn¡¯s time was spent inside the Ice Cloud Sword Sect¡¯s ice castle for the past decade, so she was a bit excited about this auction. She might already be a top expert in the Profound Dragon Continent, but she was still a woman who wanted to buy luxurious things to satisfy herself. Besides, her Ice Cloud Sword Sect wasn¡¯t short in True Crystals.


    Xiao Hua smiled helplessly when she saw the expression on the fifth princess¡¯ face, and she knew that she couldn¡¯t force thetter about it especially because it was the emperor¡¯smand. In the end, she could only sh a wry smile.


    "I¡¯ll have to excuse myself now, everyone. I still have to greet the other guests or else emperor father might punish me for my negligence. If anyone from the Xue Family makes trouble for you, just call me and I¡¯ll help you thrash them. Hehe. Wine Master Jiu, Sect Mistress Lu, please excuse me." Princess Sylvia smiled as she curtsied at Jiu Shen and Lu Sn.


    Jiu Shen remained silent, while Lu Sn gestured for her to leave.


    After the fifth princess left the fourth VIP room, Lu Sn turned her gaze to Jiu Shen and asked in a small voice. "Master, do you want me to tell that little girl about the Xue Family? They might do something harmful to her for this humiliation."


    Jiu Shen told his most trusted subordinates about the present condition of the Silver Wing Empire, and Lu Sn was already aware of the Xue Family¡¯s involvement with the Undying Corpse Sect. She was worried that something might happen to the fifth princess considering what thetter had done earlier.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s expression remained calm, and he was looking at the people inside the auction house through the thin ss from their VIP room. He didn¡¯t look the slightest bit worried about the fifth princess at all. He then replied to Lu Sn with an indifferent tone. "You don¡¯t need to be worried about her. Although the Silveria Imperial Family looks much weaker on the surfacepared to the Xue Family and the Undying Corpse Sect, I can tell that Elyk still has something under his sleeves. Besides, I wouldn¡¯t allow them to harm her with me around here." His voice was still calm after he said thest sentence, but Lu Sn felt a sense of coldness at that instant. She knew her master was not joking after sensing that strange feeling of coldness!


    Jiu Shen might be indifferent to the lives of mortals, but Princess Sylvia was now a waitress in his store. She had even received his guidance in swordsmanship and cultivation.


    Jiu Shen had already considered Princess Sylvia as one of his own, and he wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to harm his people!


    "In that case, I can rest assured." Lu Sn said with a sigh of relief.


    Not long after that short interaction, the Xue Family arrived inside the auction house. There were also ten disciples among them, and they were led by three elders. One of these elders was the one that was humiliated by the fifth princess earlier, and he was now looking at her with suppressed killing intent. This elder wasn¡¯t weak at all. He was already at the early stage of the 7th-rank Emperor, and the other two elders standing beside him also had simr levels of cultivation.


    These three elders were surrounded by a dense amount of corpse qi, but the only one who could sense it was Jiu Shen. Even Lu Sn with her 9th-rank Saint realm cultivation wasn¡¯t able to sense it.


    Princess Sylvia snorted in her heart when she saw the elder¡¯s face, but she still put on a professional smile on her face. "Guests from the Xue Family, I¡¯m so sorry to inform you that all the VIP rooms in our Silver Dragon Auction House are now upied, but don¡¯t worry, I will arrange the front seats for you guys so that you can see the auctioned item in a much closer distance." Her excuse was wless and she even spoke in a polite tone as if sitting at the front was something to be proud about, but Elder Kuan who was humiliated by her earlier wasn¡¯t happy about this arrangement.


    The Xue Family was supposed to be inside the fourth VIP room, but they were actually denied entry because of Jiu Shen¡¯s arrival. If it was before, Elder Kuan would never dare show his anger, but after learning the secrets of his Xue Family, his confidence was increased. "Your Highness, do you really want to bully our Xue Family like this?" His voice was eerily cold as if he couldn¡¯t wait to tear the fifth princess apart.


    The crowd sensed the tense atmosphere at the reception hall, but they didn¡¯t dare make any rash move. They just silently spectated the scene with interest.


    Princess Sylvia put on an innocent appearance as she replied. "What do you mean, Elder Kuan? Are you dissatisfied with this arrangement? Let me tell you the truth, this is the emperor father¡¯s decision!"


    "Someone actually dared to snatch the Xue Family¡¯s VIP room? But if this is truly His Majesty¡¯s arrangements, then the Xue Family could only swallow this insult."


    "What do you know? The ones who snatched the fourth VIP room are Wine Master Jiu and Sect Mistress Lu of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect."


    "So that¡¯s how it is. What a pity."


    Elder Kuan red at the crowd after hearing their discussion which made everyone shut their mouths abruptly. They could sense that the strength of Elder Kuan was greater than their own, and no one among them was foolish enough to provoke the Xue Family, so they immediately ceased their chattering.


    Hmph!


    Elder Kuan snorted in disdain after seeing that he had scared the crowd with his gaze. He then brushed past the fifth princess as he led his group to the seats in front.


    Princess Sylvia made a face while looking at their back figures. She then went back to the reception hall to receive the other guests.


    "The emperor has arrived!" The shrill voice of a eunuch echoed inside the auction house, and everyone immediately stood up from their seats while looking respectfully at the man being led by the fifth princess. Even the Elder Kuan and the Xue Family stood up from their seats to stare at the man being led by the fifth princess.


    Emperor Elyk had a dignified look as he walked with steady steps. Behind him were his four sons, Crown Prince Reinhardt, Second Prince Arn, Third Prince Erevard, and Fourth Prince Dante. All of the four princes looked elegant and poised with different kinds of charms. Everyone was shocked to see all four of them present at the same ce.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty!"


    "Greetings, Your Majesty!"


    Although everyone inside the auction house came from the most prominent families and sects in the Silver Wing Empire, none of them dared to disrespect the emperor. Who among them didn¡¯t see his valiance when a huge dragon hade to Beltran City more than a month ago? Even Elder Kuan who had an ugly expression just a moment ago didn¡¯t dare offend the emperor.


    "No need for formalities, everyone. You may go back to your seats. I just came here since I heard that my good friend Wine Master Jiu is here." Emperor Elyk said before he went straight to the fourth VIP room to meet Jiu Shen. There was still a bit more time before the auction would start, so he could still chat with Jiu Shen with the remaining time. The emperor also wanted to see the young kids that Jiu Shen brought with him to register in the martial arts contest two dayster.


    Princess Sylvia led them to the fourth VIP room where Jiu Shen and his group were staying. She then knocked on the door as she said. "Wine Master Jiu, emperor father is here and he wants toe inside and chat with you for a bit."


    The room was silent for a moment before an indifferent voice drifted. "Let them in."


    Princess Sylvia grinned upon hearing his reply. She then pushed open the door before gesturing for her father and four brothers toe inside the VIP room.


    Emperor Elyk saw the naughty smile hanging on his daughter¡¯s face, but he could only helplessly chuckle in his heart. Even though he was the emperor, he didn¡¯t have the heart to scold his most precious daughter. Who told him to spoil this little girl?

 Chapter 188 - Warning The Emperor

    <h4>Chapter 188 - Warning The Emperor </h4>


    Everyone inside the fourth VIP room was now standing after the emperor stepped inside. Even Lu Sn rose from her seat to express her respect to Emperor Elyk.


    "Greetings, Your Majesty."


    "Greetings, Your Majesty."


    The young disciples brought by Lu Sn and Jiu Shen bowed as they greeted the emperor.


    Yang Zenke, Han Sen, and the others who were formerly the ves of the imperial family nced at Emperor Elyk withplex expressions. However, their expression promptly returned to normal after recalling that they were now under a new master! They were now the swords of Jiu Shen!


    There was only one person inside the fourth VIP room who had remained seated on his chair. Jiu Shen didn¡¯t even face the emperor and he just nonchntly sat with a calm look.


    The emperor and Fourth Prince Dante who knew Jiu Shen¡¯s attitude were unbothered by hisck of courtesy. However, the crown prince, the second prince, and the third prince frowned when they saw this. Dissatisfaction covered their faces, but it was instantly reced by fake smiles.


    "Wine Master Jiu, we meet again! Hahaha!" Emperor Elykughed happily as he stared at Jiu Shen who was still seated on his chair. He didn¡¯t mind Jiu Shen¡¯s nonchnce since he already knew thetter¡¯s strength and ability.


    Jiu Shen didn¡¯t even nce at the emperor, and he just spoke indifferently. "Elyk, sit and we¡¯ll talk."


    Emperor Elyk was all smiles upon hearing this and just as he was about to walk, an unhappy voice suddenly echoed inside the VIP room, making everyone stunned.


    "Wine Master Jiu, what is the meaning of this?! You didn¡¯t stand to greet emperor father, but I just let it slide. And now, you even dare to order emperor father around?! Who do you think you are?!" Crown Prince Reinhardt said with a loud volume of voice. It was obvious that he was angry about Jiu Shen¡¯sck of respect.


    The second prince, third prince, fourth prince, and even the fifth princess were stunned upon hearing this. They immediately cursed in their hearts: Crap!


    Every one of them knew that Jiu Shen was not a simple man, but the crown prince was unaware of this since he was not present in Beltran City all this time. He had been moving from one ce to another to gather more men to serve under him. He had also visited many noble families all over the Silver Wing Empire in order to strengthen his status as the crown prince, so he was truly unaware of what was happening to Beltran City since he had juste back a few days from his long trip.


    Emperor Elyk red at the crown prince, but thetter wasn¡¯t even looking at his father. Reinhardt was staring straight at the back of this so-called Wine Master Jiu. He had heard a lot about Jiu Shen after he hade back to Beltran City, but he didn¡¯t think too highly of this so-called Alchemy Saint and unfathomable expert. He didn¡¯t believe that there was really such a capable man in Beltran City.


    Jiu Shen had his back facing against them, so the crown prince could still not see his face.


    "Reinhardt! Apologize to Wine Master Jiu right now!" Emperor Elyk shouted angrily while looking at his foolish eldest son with disappointment.


    Hm?


    "E-Emperor father... T-This..."


    The crown prince was surprised at the sudden outrage of his father. He was actually telling him, the crown prince, to apologize to someone?


    Reinhardt frowned as he thought of countless possibilities. Could it be that this man is truly as the rumors say he is? He suddenly regretted speaking without thinking at that moment, but there was no pill for regret.


    The second prince and the third prince smiled gloatingly at the crown prince, while the others remained silent as they looked at the scene with shocked expressions.


    "Do you want me to repeat my words?!" Emperor Elyk¡¯s voice was a tad louder this time, and his face also started to warp because of his anger. ¡¯This foolish eldest son of mine! Why did I even confer him as the crown prince? Sigh...¡¯


    Before the crown prince could speak, an indifferent voice drifted into everyone¡¯s ears as Jiu Shen turned to face the emperor. "Elyk, it seems like you failed to teach your son some manners."


    The crown prince wanted to retort, but when he saw Jiu Shen¡¯s face, Reinhardt¡¯s expression froze.


    "It¡¯s you!" Crown Prince Reinhardt pointed his finger at Jiu Shen¡¯s face, but he hurriedly retracted it after seeing the fiery look on his father¡¯s face. ¡¯Lord Jiu Shen... Wine Master Jiu... So that¡¯s how it is! It¡¯s actually this bastard!¡¯


    Jiu Shen turned his gaze to the crown prince and said with a disinterested look. "Your Highness, we meet again." There was a tone of sarcasm in his voice when he said the word ¡¯Crown Prince¡¯. It was as if Jiu Shen disdained to talk to him.


    "This... So it¡¯s Lord Jiu Shen. I apologize for my disrespect Lord Jiu. I didn¡¯t know it was you. By the way, how is Proprietress Liuli?" The crown prince said with a forced smile. He wasn¡¯t aplete idiot, and he realized that he had misspoken, so hurriedly changed the subject.


    Emperor Elyk¡¯s expression softened a bit after seeing that the two knew each other. He then said with an angry look. "Reinhardt, you must not talk like that to Wine Master Jiu again, or else I¡¯ll beat you up personally."


    "Yes, emperor father. I wouldn¡¯t dare." The crown prince bowed at the emperor with a forced smile. His father had actually spoken such words in front of a lot of people. Although he felt humiliated, he didn¡¯t dare express his dissatisfaction. He just silently cursed in his heart. ¡¯This fucking Jiu Shen again! First, you stole my woman, and now, you even have my father dancing at your fingertips!¡¯


    Jiu Shen ignored the crown prince as he turned his gaze back to the emperor. "Elyk, you can send your sons back. I only want to talk to you." Jiu Shen said.


    After seeing that Jiu Shen actually ignored him, Reinhardt gnashed his teeth while cursing Jiu Shen¡¯s eighteen generations inside his heart.


    Emperor Elyk sensed the seriousness in Jiu Shen¡¯s tone, so he turned to look at his four sons. "You all can go back to the fifth VIP room." He then turned his gaze to his daughter and said in a berating tone. "And you! Go back to the reception hall to receive the other guests!"


    The four princes and the fifth princess immediately scurried out of the fourth VIP room. They didn¡¯t want to anger their father any longer. They knew that they wouldn¡¯t end well if they remained.


    Now, the only ones left inside the fourth VIP room were Jiu Shen¡¯s people and the emperor.


    Lu Sn nced at the young disciples and gestured for them to give space to the two. Although she was curious as to what Jiu Shen wanted to speak with the emperor, she didn¡¯t dare sit beside them.


    Jiu Shen flicked his fingers, forming an invisible barrier around him and the emperor which blocked the hearing of everyone inside the fourth VIP room.


    The emperor sensed it, but he acted normal.


    "Wine Master Jiu, what do you want to speak about?" His voice sounded calm, but he was feeling slightly anxious in his heart. Anything thates out of Jiu Shen¡¯s mouth was something serious and usually involves his Silver Wing Empire, so he could not help but feel his heart tightening.


    Jiu Shen nced at him calmly and replied. "I initially wanted to tell you this at ater date, but I keep on sensing that something bad will happen to the Silver Wing Empire anytime now."


    Jiu Shen paused for a moment, and the emperor waited for him to continue.


    "Elyk, you have to be careful about your second son. He isn¡¯t how he used to be." Jiu Shen wanted to tell Emperor Elyk about the identity of the second prince, but he held himself back. It might significantly affect the emperor¡¯s psyche and it would be detrimental for the Silver Wing Empire if their emperor¡¯s state of mind is unstable.


    Emperor Elyk frowned when he heard that and he remained silent. His silencested for about three minutes, but Jiu Shen gave him some time. In the end, the emperor released a heavy sigh and he seemed to have aged by a few years. He was no fool, he had also seen the changes of his second son, and although he didn¡¯t know what happened to him, Emperor Elyk already had his guesses. Just that, he wasn¡¯t sure of what really happened.


    "Sigh. Thanks for your reminder, Wine Master Jiu. I¡¯ll keep an eye on that brat Arn." The emperor said with a weak voice.


    Jiu Shen patted the emperor¡¯s back and said. "Don¡¯t make him discover anything abnormal and just keep a close look at his movements. He¡¯s no longer the Arn that you know..."


    He left some clues in his words, but he didn¡¯t speak the whole truth. It was better left unsaid at this moment.

 Chapter 189 - The Beautiful Host Of The Auction

    <h4>Chapter 189 - The Beautiful Host Of The Auction </h4>


    Inside the fifth VIP room, the crown prince punched the thick wall of the room that was made from abination of several precious metals.


    Bang!


    A dull banging sound echoed inside the fifth VIP room.


    "That fucking bastard! He hid himself so well! Now, even emperor father is so close to him. Dammit!"


    The crown prince¡¯s strength carried no true essence and it only contained his raw physical power, so it didn¡¯t leave any noticeable damage to the wall.


    His fist bled, but the crown prince¡¯s face remained cold as he stood rooted in his spot.


    The third prince and the second prince sneered in their hearts after seeing this, but the both of them put on a consoling look as they swiftly calmed their brother. Both their faces were full of worry, and anyone would surely believe that they were close. However, only the three of them knew that this was merely an act.


    As for the fourth prince, he nced at the crown prince in dissatisfaction and disappointment. Prince Dante respected his eldest brother for his strength even though thetter was a fickle man. However, everything changed today when his eldest brother disrespected the person he admired the most, Jiu Shen.


    ¡¯Sigh. I can¡¯t believe that my eldest brother would actually end up like this. It looks like emperor father would pass the throne to either my second brother or my third brother, but I don¡¯t think my third brother is fit for the throne. As for my second brother, I can¡¯t understand his personality now.¡¯ Prince Dante sighed in his heart as he sat down with a heavy look. He didn¡¯t even bother to nce at the fake looks of his three brothers. It was as if he didn¡¯t know them anymore.


    "Big Brother Reinhardt, don¡¯t be like this. If emperor father hears you cursing that Wine Master Jiu, he might punish you for it." The second prince, Prince Arn said as he patted the crown prince back with a worried look.


    "Second Brother is right. You must not let this humiliation take over your head, Big Brother. You have a lot of time to take your revenge, but I advise you not to do it. This Wine Master Jiu is not a simple man." The third prince, Prince Erevard added.


    The crown prince, Prince Reinhardt nced at his two brothers and put on a forced smile, but he was inwardly cursing them. He knew that these two fools wereughing in their hearts after seeing him getting humiliated in the fourth VIP room. However, it wasn¡¯t a good idea to provoke them right now. He didn¡¯t want to provoke the both of them for this, or they might gang up on him in the fight for the throne. His ascension as the future emperor must not bepromised for his personal feelings. He didn¡¯t want all of his efforts to go down the drainage.


    ¡¯These two fools! After I destroy that Jiu Shen, these two brothers of mine will be next to face my wrath! Did they really think that I don¡¯t know about their ambition?! Just you wait!¡¯


    * * *


    Inside the fourth VIP room, Emperor Elyk and Jiu Shen were still talking about important matters. The former¡¯s expression was filled with worry and unease. After all, the news that Jiu Shen told him earlier was something that involves his second son. Although his second son didn¡¯t reveal anything outstanding about his talent in cultivation, the attitude that he disyed all this time was the best among the three who were now in line in the fight for the throne. He even had ns on giving him the chance to be the crown prince, but it seems like it was not going to happen.


    The two of them remained silent which made the atmosphere grew heavier, but there was a sudden knock to their room.


    Knock. Knock. Knock.


    Emperor Elyk heaved a sigh of relief secretly when he heard that, while Jiu Shen remained expressionlessly seated on his chair.


    "Emperor father, the auction is about to start." The tender voice of the fifth princess drifted from outside the fourth VIP room. Just from her voice, anyone could tell that she was excited about this auction.


    Emperor Elyk stood up from his seat and smiled at Jiu Shen as he said. "Wine Master Jiu, the auction is about to start, so I have to gack to the fifth VIP room. If you have something that you¡¯d like in this auction, just have someone to notify me and I¡¯ll get it for you."


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly upon hearing this. He didn¡¯t take the emperor¡¯s words seriously. He wasn¡¯t optimistic about seeing a treasure in this mortal world that could move him. However, if there is a God Crystal to be auctioned, then that would be a different case.


    "Thanks." Jiu Shen said indifferently.


    Emperor Elyk smiled as he cupped his fists. He then left the room, leaving behind a group of young disciples sighing in relief.


    After the emperor left, Lu Sn swiftly sat down beside her master, but she didn¡¯t ask him what he had talked with the emperor.


    Not longter, a woman in herte twenties strode towards the tform at the center of the auction house. All eyes were suddenly attracted to her voluptuous figure and long pair of jade-like legs.


    "This woman... Isn¡¯t this Vice Guild Leader Tang Tianyin, the vice guild leader of the Mercenary Guild?!"


    "To think that the Silver Dragon Auction House would actually invite Vice Guild Leader Tang for this auction! What an eye-opener!"


    This Tang Tianyin is indeed the vice guild leader of the Mercenary Guild. Her cultivation was already at the peak stage of the 7th-rank Emperor realm. She was one of the strongest women of the Silver Wing Empire!


    The eyes of the men among the crowd suddenly turned fiery and filled with desire as they looked at the enchanting woman at the stage.


    She was dressed in half-revealing white clothes that hugged her body tightly which exposed the outline of her slim waist and her thick assets. Her subus-like face carried a seductive smile as she walked with confident strides. Her long ck hair swayed as she nced at the crowd with a flirtatious look.


    She stopped walking when she was already in the middle of the tform. She then nced at the big crowd with a smile that could take a man¡¯s breath away. "Good evening,dies and gentlemen. Wee to the Silver Dragon Auction House! Most of you might have already known my identity, but please allow me to introduce myself to those who don¡¯t know me. My name Tang Tianyin and I am the vice guild leader of the Mercenary Guild. I will be the host for tonight¡¯s auction, and I hope that everyone would be willing to give their all in bidding for the items that would be auctionedter."


    "Miss Tang, I¡¯m willing to spend all my life¡¯s fortune to bid for the item that you desire! Just tell me!"


    "Don¡¯t worry, Miss Tang! We won¡¯t disappoint you!"


    "Miss Tang, I will spend all my True Crystals today if you¡¯re willing to go on a date with me!"


    Tang Tianyin was a beautiful woman and she wasn¡¯t short on admirers, so the instant she stopped talking, all of her suitors among the crowd immediately voiced out their feelings.


    It must be noted that everyone present in tonight¡¯s auction was the wealthiest and most powerful individuals of the Silver Wing Empire. Some of the leaders from many different cities even came to participate in this auction. They were the most outstanding people of the Silver Empire and they couldmand the winds and clouds with their power. However, some of them were still mesmerized by this beautiful host, and there was a look of undisguised thirst in their eyes. After all, it was so rare to find such an aplished woman with strength and power, so the sight of Tang Tianyin invoke their eagerness to conquer her heart.


    Tang Tianyin was still smiling at the crowd. She didn¡¯t mind their suggestive looks since she was already used to it. However, a trace of ridicule bloomed in her heart as she nced at those men who were looking at her with burning desire.


    Tang Tianyin raised her right arm to signal the crowd to quiet down, and they immediately stopped talking and shouting after seeing that. They didn¡¯t want this beautiful woman to be displeased at them.


    Tang Tianyin¡¯s smile broadened after seeing that she had gained the crowd¡¯s attention. She then said. "I¡¯d like to inform everyone that there will be a special item that would be auctionedter. Alright, I shall no longer waste everyone¡¯s time, and I will now announce the start of the auction!"


    Thunderous apuse echoed inside the Silver Dragon Auction House. Everyone was also curious about the special item that Tang Tianyin had mentioned. What could this item be? They were eager to find out more about this special item...

 Chapter 190 - Start Of The Auction

    <h4>Chapter 190 - Start Of The Auction </h4>


    "I wonder what the first item would be? It should not be too shabby, right? After all, this is the Silver Dragon Auction House."


    "They even invited Vice Guild Leader Tang to be the host for this auction. That means the Silver Dragon Auction House is going all out in tonight¡¯s auction! There are even some people here who are not residents of Beltran City. They should be here for the treasures that would be auctionedter."


    Everyone was excited about the auction, and with a beautiful woman like Tang Tianyin hosting the event, everyone¡¯s excitement was at its peak.


    Just then.


    "The first item to be auctioned is a Divine Weapon. It is crafted by one of the best cksmiths of our Silver Wing Empire! This Divine Weapon is a spear and is named as ¡¯Violent Thunder Spear¡¯. The starting price is 500 True Crystals! Every increment needs to be at least 50 True Crystals!" Tang Tianyin tender voice echoed inside the auction house as she announced the first auctioned item.


    The price for a Divine Weapon was indeed high and it was even five times more expensive than Jiu Shen¡¯s most expensive wine, the Deep Sea Spring Dew! His wine was indeed helpful when ites to increasing the speed of cultivation, but it needs to be taken on a daily basis before a big leap in cultivation can be seen. As for a Divine Weapon, only a person in the 8th-rank Divine realm would be able to control its power, and it could enhance someone¡¯s strength by a huge margin depending on the person¡¯s ability to wield the weapon.


    "550 True Crystals!" An imposing voice shouted right after Tang Tinayin announced the start of the bidding.


    "600 True Crystals!" Another voice which was no less imposing followed after that.


    Jiu Shen and Lu Sn remained silent. The both of them were wearing calm looks as they watched the ongoing bidding for this Divine Weapon.


    Jiu Shen has his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword while Lu Sn also has her Saint Weapon, so they weren¡¯t really interested in this Violent Thunder Spear. As for the young disciples who are with them, they were not yet 8th-rank Divine realm experts, so this Divine Weapon would only be useless for them.


    The bidding for the Divine Weapon finally stopped and the final bidding price was 800 True Crystals. It was bought by a rising noble family in Beltran City.


    "The next item is a rare spiritual nt that was found by a top expert near the central parts of the Endless Forest." Tang Tianyin deliberately increased the volume of her voice when she spoke about the Endless Forest.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes shone when they heard that. They knew quite a few things about the Endless Forest. It was a ce infested by countless ferocious savage beasts, and the most dangerous part of the Endless Forest is its central part. There was a lot of 9th-rank Saint realm savage beasts present in that area and only a few people who went there were able to escape with their lives, but whoeveres back from that ce would be able to bring some high-level spiritual nts or spiritual fruits.


    The alchemists among the guests immediately became excited. They weren¡¯t here for the weapons or cultivation techniques. They were attracted to this auction because of the presence of some rare spiritual nts and spiritual fruits which were necessary ingredients for the making of their pills and dans.


    Looking at the excited faces of everyone, Tang Tianyin smiled as she said. "The next auctioned item is an 8th-rank spiritual fruit called ¡¯Grim Moon Mango¡¯. This is a rare type of high-level spiritual fruit that would only grow after a hundred years and it needs to be nourished by the moon¡¯s light for more than twenty years in order for it to fully mature. It has been many years since thest of this kind of spiritual fruit was seen in Beltran City, so everybody should know the rarity of this. The starting price for this Grim Moon Mango is 1000 True Crystals! Every increment needs to be at least 50 True Crystals!"


    It was indeed an expensive price for an 8th-rank spiritual fruit, but no one voiced out their disagreement. This Grim Moon Mango can be used in many different ways, and it is also helpful in increasing one¡¯s cultivation upon direct consumption, but the best way to increase its efficacy was still to use it as an ingredient in making a pill or dan.


    "1100 True Crystals!"


    "1150 True Crystals!"


    "1200 True Crystals!"


    "I¡¯m Alchemy Emperor Han of the Alchemy Hall! I bid 1400 True Crystals!" An aged but powerful voice echoed from the first VIP room where the people from the Alchemy Hall were seated. Everyone immediately cursed when they heard him speak of his background. He actually used the name of the Alchemy Hall to deter others from bidding! It was a very bold move, but no one among the minor noble families dared to fight against this behemoth. They would only be courting death if they continued bidding.


    "Do you think everyone is afraid of your Alchemy Hall?! Our Xue Family bids 1600 True Crystals for this Grim Moon Mango!" Elder Kuan shouted without fear in his eyes. He might be a bit wary of the emperor, but he didn¡¯t think too highly of the alchemists of the Alchemy Hall since they were not strong when ites to fighting abilities.


    The alchemists inside the first VIP room were incensed by Elder Kuan¡¯sck of respect.


    "Elder Kuan, don¡¯t think too highly of yourself! You¡¯re just a minor elder of the Xue Family! Our Alchemy Hall bids 2000 True Crystals! Fighting using wealth against us alchemists? You must be dreaming if you think that your Xue Family is richer than our Alchemy Hall! Hmph!"


    Elder Kuan¡¯s veins protruded when he heard those insulting remarks, but he didn¡¯t dare behave wantonly. After all, this Silver Dragon Auction House was under the protection of the Silveria Imperial Family!


    Elder Kuan gritted his teeth, but he didn¡¯t continue to bid. It wasn¡¯t worth it to waste his time fighting with the Alchemy Hall for the Grim Moon Mango. It might be an 8th-rank spiritual fruit, but it needs to be concocted into a pill first to increase its effectiveness.


    "2000 True Crystals going once! 2000 True Crystals going twice! Congrattions to the guests from the first VIP room for getting this Grim Moon Mango!" Tang Tianyin smiled as she looked at the first VIP room. There were thin sses covering the VIP rooms, but everyone could still see the silhouettes of the people seated inside.


    Jiu Shen was quite tempted to buy the Grim Moon Mango, but it was still a level lower for the wine that he wanted to brew, so he decided to not join the bidding for it.


    ¡¯I might be able to see a 9th-rank spiritual nt or spiritual fruit in tonight¡¯s auction. I just hope that it could be used as an ingredient for my wine.¡¯ Jiu Shen muttered in his heart as he nced at Tang Tianyin who was at the very center of the tform. His expression remained calm, but his eyes shone with a different light. No one knows what he¡¯s thinking.

 Chapter 191 - Demon Crystal

    <h4>Chapter 191 - Demon Crystal </h4>


    ¡¯Those damnable alchemists! I¡¯ll let them off this time, but after Elder Ming finishes his retreat, I will destroy their Alchemy Hall! Even if their supreme elder is present, what could he do against the true power of our Xue Family?! Hmph!¡¯ Elder Kuan snorted in his heart as he nced at the first VIP room with a dark look on his face.


    After learning about the core secrets of their Xue Family, he no longer feared the Alchemy Hall! However, he had to swallow the insult today so that Elder Ming¡¯s n would not be foiled. Thinking about the unfathomable Elder Ming, Elder Kuan let out a cold smirk...


    "The next auctioned item is a Demon Crystal from a 9th-rank Demon Saint! Everyone, you heard it right! Only demons who are at least at the 5th-rank Spirit realm level are able to produce a Demon Crystal, but the one that we have right now is something that came from a 9th-rank Saint realm demon! I assume all the guests here understand the scarcity of this item. The starting price is 1500 True Crystals and every increment should be at least 100 True Crystals!" Tang Tianyin¡¯s voice echoed, and the item she mentioned caused quite a stir among the crowd.


    Within the fifth VIP room, the eyes of Second Prince Arn shed with momentary rage, but it was gone in an instant. This Demon Crystal was from the heart of his subordinate, so he was pained to see it being auctioned. However, he could only repress his anger or the emperor might discover that something was amiss.


    "Woah! Someone is actually willing to sell this kind of item? Is he crazy?!"


    "Don¡¯t think too much. Maybe he or she is afraid of keeping such a precious item."


    "I bid 1700 True Crystals for this Demon Crystal!" Someone from the crowd immediately added 200 True Crystals to the starting price.


    "1800 True Crystals!"


    "1900 True Crystals!"


    "2000 True Crystals!"


    This time, Jiu Shen¡¯s dull eyes imperceptibly shone as he looked at the Demon Crystal disyed to everyone. He didn¡¯t have any use for it, but he could give this to Hu Xiandao.


    The Demon Crystal can only be produced by demons after they cultivate their second hearts. High-level demons have two hearts, and the second one that they grow was called the Demons Crystal! It has the ability to enhance their physical strength and raw power. This was a very important item for body strengthening experts since it could directly increase their power. However, it was very rare to see someone from the Demon Race in the Profound Dragon Continent after the peace treaty fifty thousand years ago, so there were only a few Demon Crystals left since most were already used by the others.


    After seeing such a tempting item, who wouldn¡¯t bid for it?


    ¡¯That brat Hu Xiandao is already on the verge of breaking through the mid-stage of the 8th-rank Divine realm. With the help of this Demon Crystal, he might be able to advance to thete stage of the 8th-rank Divine realm in one go. I must get this.¡¯ Jiu Shen thought to himself as he nced at Lu Sn.


    "Sn, get this item for me." Jiu Shen said in a calm voice. He didn¡¯t have many True Crystals with him since most of his items were only pills, wines, and different kinds of savage beast carcasses. Although he had some God Crystals with him, it wasn¡¯t worth it to use it in buying Demon Crystal, so he could only rely on his eldest disciple.


    Lu Sn didn¡¯t mind this. She was able to advance to the early stage of the 9th-rank Saint realm solely because of her master¡¯s help. She was even given the chance to awaken her supreme physique. Aside from that, Jiu Shen also gave her pointers in sword techniques and cultivation. His help to her was immense and it could not be bought with True Crystals, so she was willing to do anything for her master.


    "2500 True Crystals." Lu Sn¡¯s calm voice reverberated inside the auction house. Everyone inside knows of her identity since they were the most elite people of the Silver Wing Empire, so after she spoke, some people hesitated in continuing their bids.


    Elder Kuan who was among those who are bidding for the Demon Crystal also hesitated. He knew that standing behind Lu Sn was a person that even the patriarch and supreme elder of their Xue Family dreaded so much. That was also why he didn¡¯t dare provoke them even after they took the fourth VIP room from him.


    "2500 True Crystals going once! 2500 True Crystals going..."


    "Wait a second! I bid 2600 True Crystals for this Demon Crystal." The cold voice of the second prince drifted into everyone¡¯s ears.


    Lu Sn wrinkled her eyebrows, but she didn¡¯t stop bidding. Jiu Shen told her that he wants this item, so she didn¡¯t want to disappoint him. "2800 True Crystals!" Her voice became increasingly colder as she spoke.


    The second prince¡¯s mouth twitched, but he wasn¡¯t willing to give up. After all, this was his subordinate¡¯s Demon Crystal! He didn¡¯t want it to end up as a tonic for someone. It was such a great humiliation for a demon to have his Demon Crystal taken after his death only to be used as a tonic...


    "3000 True Crystals!" Second Prince Arn¡¯s voice was a volume louder this time. He could barely hold back the rage in his heart.


    3100 True Crystals!"


    "3400 True Crystals!"


    "..."


    "5000 True Crystals!" The second prince¡¯s voice now sounded like a beast. It was obvious that he was angry, and everyone could sense it.


    Emperor Elyk frowned when he saw the expression of his second son. He hasn¡¯t seen his son disy such a dark expression, so he was somewhat suspicious. He also recalled the words that Jiu Shen spoke to him earlier; ¡¯Elyk, be careful of your second son. He isn¡¯t someone he used to be...¡¯


    ¡¯Wine Master Jiu, your words... What does it mean?¡¯ Emperor Elyk thought it in his heart as he watched his second son with a heavy look.


    "5100 True Crystals!" Lu Sn¡¯s voice remained calm and cold, but she was inwardly displeased by the second prince¡¯s anger that was directed at her.


    Just as the second prince was about to increase his bid, Emperor Elyk suddenly mmed the armrest of his chair as he shouted.


    Bang!


    "Arn! That¡¯s enough!"


    The second prince¡¯s bloodshot eyes regained rity when he heard the outburst of the emperor.


    "Emperor father, why are you siding an outsider?! I¡¯m your son!" Prince Arn put on a disappointed look as he nced at the emperor.


    "Insolence!" Emperor Elyk thought of pping him, but he discarded the idea. Arn was his son, so he didn¡¯t want to embarrass him so much in front of a lot of people. He was also feeling conflicted in his heart especially after his talk with Jiu Shen.


    Prince Arn¡¯s eyes shed for a moment. ¡¯Did this old fart discover my identity, or did that Jiu Shen told him something a while ago!? Dammit! The time is not yet ripe! The reinforcements need a bit more time before they would arrive here. Do I really have to let go of this Demon Crystal?¡¯


    In the end, Prince Arn sighed as he bowed and said. "Emperor father, I apologize for my behavior. I will step down from this bidding and I will also leave the auction house to atone for disrespecting you."


    Emperor Elyk¡¯s gaze softened, but he still replied in a cold voice. "Leave. I don¡¯t want to see you today!"


    The second prince rose from his seat and bowed to the emperor before he left the fifth VIP room, leaving behind three stunned princes who were looking at his retreating back figure. They were also confused as to why their father sided with Lu Sn, but they didn¡¯t dare voice it out.


    "5100 True Crystals going once! 5100 True Crystals going twice! 5100 True Crystals for the Demon Crystal, sold! Congrattions to the guest from the fourth VIP room for getting this precious item!" Tang Tianyin announced with a sweet smile.


    Quite a few rare items were sold after that, and Jiu Shen also told Lu Sn to get some of them. However, he was yet to see a 9th-rank spiritual fruit or spiritual nt for his wine brewing mission.

 Chapter 192 - Blue Fire Lotus And The Damaged Sword

    <h4>Chapter 192 - Blue Fire Lotus And The Damaged Sword </h4>


    "There are only a few items left for the auction tonight, but the remaining ones are also the best I¡¯ve seen. I shall not waste your time anymore. Let¡¯s proceed to the next auctioned item. It is a 9th-rank spiritual nt, the Blue Fire Lotus."


    Right after Tang Tianyin had spoken those words, everyone immediately erupted into a series of heated discussions. After all, this was a 9th-rank spiritual nt! Its value was extraordinary and this Blue Fire Lotus also had many different uses.


    The eyes of the alchemists inside the Silver Dragon Auction House shone. High-level spiritual nts were very fatal temptations for them, and it would be a lie if they said that they didn¡¯t want it. However, there were quite a lot of distinguished alchemists inside the venue, and even the famous alchemists from the Alchemy Hall were present, so it would be hard for them to get their hands on this spiritual nt.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s lips curved upwards when he saw this Blue Fire Lotus. In his eyes, it was just a low-level spiritual nt that didn¡¯t even deserve to be nted in his garden, but this item could be added as an auxiliary ingredient for brewing his own recipe of wine.


    The Blue Fire Lotus had nine petals in total, and each petal was five inches long. It looked like an ice-type spiritual nt at first nce because of its color and outward appearance, but this spiritual nt releases a blue-colored fire once every year to expel the toxins within its system. This Blue Fire Lotus is actually a dual-attributed spiritual nt, so its value is twice as much as other 9th-rank spiritual nts or spiritual fruits.


    "The starting price for this Blue Fire Lotus is 1800 True Crystals, and every increment should be at least 100 True Crystals!"


    "1900 True Crystals! I must get this item for the Beiming Family! I apologize in advance to the noble alchemists of the Alchemy Hall." Amanding voice echoed from the second VIP room where the Beiming Family¡¯s people were seated. This voice sounded cold, but everyone could sense the respect he had given to the alchemists of the Alchemy Hall.


    "Hahaha! No need to hold back! This is an auction, and everyone is free to ce their bids here! I bid 2100 True Crystals!" This voice sounded familiar and Jiu Shen didn¡¯t need to guess who it was since this person was someone he knew. It was none other than Master Fengzi.


    Jiu Shen nced at Lu Sn and thetter immediately understood her master¡¯s gaze, so she nodded her head at him.


    "I bid 2500 True Crystals." Her calm voice echoed from within the fourth VIP room.


    "2600 True Crystals!" The people of the Liu Family who were seated inside the third VIP room could no longer sit still. They also ced their bids. This 9th-rank spiritual nt had many uses and this could strengthen the foundation of any noble family if it was used well.


    "2800 True Crystals!"


    "..."


    "4000 True Crystals!"


    "4200 True Crystals!"


    "4300 True Crystals!"


    The bidding for the Blue Fire Lotus continued fiercely and no one seemed to have the intention of giving up on this spiritual nt. The only ones who remained quiet throughout the entire bidding were the people from the fifth VIP room where the emperor was seated.


    Initially, the emperor also nned to join the bidding, but when he heard Lu Sn cing her bid, Emperor Elyk decided to stop. He knew that Lu Sn wasn¡¯t an alchemist, so why would she need a 9th-rank spiritual nt? There was only one reason why she wanted to get it; Jiu Shen told her to do it.


    With this thought in mind, the emperor could only choose to let go of this Blue Fire Lotus. It wasn¡¯t worth muchpared to his friendship with Jiu Shen.


    "6500 True Crystals!" The elder from the Beiming Family¡¯s side gritted his teeth as he ced his bid. Their Beiming Family was a military family and their wealth was notparable to the Xue Family. How much more the alchemists of the Alchemy Hall who could be considered as ¡¯walking banks¡¯...


    The elder from the Liu Family also hesitated, but he didn¡¯t continue to bid. This 9th-rank Blue Fire Lotus was indeed a great treasure, but its worth had already exceeded the current bidding price. Besides, they still had to pay for the pill concoction after they bid for this item, and it was not even guaranteed that the alchemist would seed in refining a pill from this Blue Fire Lotus.


    Lu Sn nced at her master and saw him nod his head, so she immediately said. "I bid 6600 True Crystals."


    ¡¯I already have the Fragrant Luminous m¡¯s pearl, the Earth Origin Dragon Fruit, the leaves of the True Heart Icy Sword Tree, and other misceneous ingredients. I only need one core ingredient so that I can start brewing my own recipe of wine. Where can I find it?¡¯ Jiu Shen muttered in his heart.


    "6900 True Crystals!" The voice of Master Fengzi was starting to waver. The current bidding price had already exceeded the true price of the Blue Fire Lotus by a lot, so he was a bit hesitant to continue bidding.


    "7000 True Crystals!" Lu Sn¡¯s voice echoed, and it was as calm as before without any hints of hesitation, but in reality, this price was also too much for her. However, she would do anything for her master, and she could feel that her master needed the Blue Fire Lotus for a very important reason.


    "I bi- sigh. Nevermind. Congrattions Sect Mistress Lu! I give up on bidding for this Blue Fire Lotus." Master Fengzi said with a slightly sour tone. He was feeling depressed. He thought that no one could match the wealth of their Alchemy, but he didn¡¯t think that Lu Sn was actually willing to empty the resources of her Ice Cloud Sword Sect just to buy everything that her master wants.


    "7000 True Crystals going once! 7000 True Crystals going twice! 7000 True Crystals for the Blue Fire Lotus, sold! Congrattions to the guest from the fourth VIP room!" Tang Tianyin announced with a wide smile.


    Lu Sn heaved a sigh of relief. She then nced at Jiu Shen and she could not help but ask him. "Master, what do you need this Blue Fire Lotus for?"


    Jiu Shen lightly smiled at her and replied. "I want to use this as an auxiliary ingredient to brew a new wine. As you can see, our store only has a few kinds of wine on disy, so I have toe up with a new recipe, but this time, it wouldn¡¯t be just any ordinary wine."


    Lu Sn¡¯s full lips twitched when she heard that her master wanted to use it as an ingredient for his wine brewing, but she still didn¡¯t regret bidding it for him. The wine that her master makes were all precious and it could even help cultivators increase their cultivation level and power! Thinking about it, she could already envision herself drinking the first batch of this wine with a satisfied expression on her face.


    "The next auctioned item is a Saint Weapon! It was found on an ancient battlefield where countless remains of the top experts from over fifty thousand years ago can also be seen. This Saint Weapon is damaged, but its power is still astonishing and it could bepared to a mid-rank Saint Weapon. Expert cksmiths said that this was a God-rank weapon, but unfortunately, it was damaged so it only has the power of a Saint Weapon at this moment." Tang Tianyin said in a regretful voice as she pointed at the rusty sword ced inside an opened sword box made from rosewood. The dark blue de of the sword had long lost its luster with quite a few nicks and scratches, and a major part of it was covered in rust. The handle of the sword appeared to be rusty as well, but everyone could see that it was cleaned by an expert cksmith.


    "Too bad this sword is damaged. If it was in pristine condition, then the Silver Dragon Auction House would surely not auction it off."


    "If this sword only had a few scratch marks and damage, I would be willing to bid for it, but from the looks of it, it could break any time from now. What a pity! Sigh."


    Looking at this sword, everyone felt that it was such a pity. This was indeed a God-rank Weapon, but it had lost the prestige and might of a weapon at such a level. However, it still has the power of mid-rank Saint Weapon, so its price was still high.


    Looking at the expressions of the crowd, Tang Tianyin sighed, but she still put on a smile as she said. "The starting price for this sword is 1000 True Crystals, and every increment should be at least 50 True Crystals!"


    Everyone hesitated, but someone from the crowd ced his bid after a moment of hesitation. "1050 True Crystals!"


    "1100 True Crystals!"


    Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes narrowed as he stared at this damaged God Weapon. He used his spiritual perception to take a look at theponents of this damaged sword and he found out that it was indeed a God Weapon. Furthermore, it wasn¡¯t just an ordinary God Weapon. It was an Origin God Weapon at the very least.


    "Sn, this is most likely an Origin God Weapon. If you can get it, I will help you repair this sword to its peak condition." Jiu Shen¡¯s words made Lu Sn¡¯s eyes twinkle in anticipation. She was a bit envious of her junior brother¡¯s Supreme Eternal Knife Set, and she truly wanted to have a God Weapon of her own. Now that she had this chance, she wouldn¡¯t let it slip by.

 Chapter 193 - Should I Change Profession?

    <h4>Chapter 193 - Should I Change Profession? </h4>


    "1200 True Crystals!" Lu Sn ced her bid with a calm tone, but she was inwardly screaming in excitement.


    ording to her master, this damaged sword was an Origin God Weapon!


    She wanted to get this sword so that she can already change her main weapon. Although her current sword was a Saint Weapon, it no longer holds any significant value to her. After all, Jiu Shen had continuously widened her horizons after interacting with him for more than a month, and she could sense the disdain in his eyes every time he looked at her Saint Weapon.


    "1300 True Crystals!" The people from the Beiming Family ced their bid. Quite unexpectedly, they also appeared to be interested in this damaged sword. However, Lu Sn remained unfazed at this.


    ¡¯My Ice Cloud Sword Sect has vast amounts of umted True Crystals, so it wouldn¡¯t be a problem even if the three great noble families bid against me for this damaged sword. I¡¯m just worried about the Alchemy Hall since they are definitely the richest guest in tonight¡¯s auction... I hope they won¡¯t join in the bidding for this sword...¡¯ Lu Sn thought nervously.


    "1500 True Crystals!" The Liu Family ced their bid.


    "1550 True Crystals!" The Beiming Family added 50 True Crystals. They weren¡¯t as rich as the other noble families because their power lies in their individual strength.


    "1700 True Crystals!" Lu Sn shouted calmly.


    "Why are they fighting so fiercely for a damaged sword? Are they idiots? This weapon might have the power of a mid-rank Saint Weapon at this moment, but from how it looks, it seemed as if it is about to break. They might not even be able to use this on a battlefield, so why waste our True Crystals on this?" Elder Kuan muttered coldly as he watched the bidding process of the damaged sword with contempt. He didn¡¯t think too much about this sword since it looked like a rusty piece of garbage.


    Elder Kuan nced at the ten disciples of his Xue Family and saw he saw that none of them looked interested in this sword, so he let out a satisfied smile. ¡¯These kids are smart. They can be nurtured well.¡¯


    "1800 True Crystals!"


    "1900 True Crystals!"


    "1950 True Crystals!"


    "..."


    "3650 True Crystals!" The elder from the Beiming Family shouted with clenched fists. The bid was almost reaching his bottom line, and from the looks of it, the damaged sword wasn¡¯t fated to be owned by his Beiming Family.


    "3800 True Crystals!" The elder from the Liu Family continued to bid.


    "4000 True Crystals!" Lu Sn wasn¡¯t the least bit intimidated by the price. She was willing to get this sword no matter how expensive it was!


    "Sigh! You both continue. Our Beiming Family won¡¯t join in the bidding for this sword anymore."


    The elder from the Liu Family hesitated, but he still shouted. "4300 True Crystals!" This was the final bid he could ce and if Lu Sn would continue, then he would stop by then.


    Lu Sn could sense the hesitation of herpetitors, so she could not help but smile excitedly. "4400 True Crystals!" She shouted.


    "4400 True Crystals going once! 4400 True Crystals going twice! 4400 True Crystals for the damaged sword, sold! Congrattions to the guest inside the fourth VIP room." Tang Tianyin announced with a smile as she lightly pped her hands.


    Lu Sn¡¯s smile widened and she also heaved a sigh of relief. She then nced at her master and asked curiously. "Master, is this damaged sword really an Origin God Weapon?"


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly and replied indifferently. "I¡¯m 80% sure that this is an Origin God Weapon, and even if it¡¯s not, I have my ways to upgrade it one level higher."


    Lu Sn¡¯s eyes brightened upon hearing that.


    "There are still two items left for this auction. The next one is a 9th-rank cultivation pill called the Expanding Essence Pill. It has the effects of increasing one¡¯s cultivation level, but one should be at least at the 7th-rank Emperor realm in order to consume this pill since the ingredients used in concocting it are very potent. One may explode if they eat it without sufficient strength. The starting price for this pill is 4000 True Crystals and every increment should be at least 100 True Crystals!" Tang Tianyin said as she slowly exined the effects of the Expanding Essence Pill. She was also quite tempted to get this pill, but she knew that she had no way of fighting for it in front of these tycoons.


    A 9th-rank Pill was indeed expensive. Not to mention something like the Expanding Essence Pill which could permanently increase someone¡¯s cultivation level.


    "Woah! There is actually such a high-level pill auctioned tonight! In the Profound Dragon Continent, the only known Alchemy Saint is the supreme elder of the Alchemy Hall, Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian. Is he the one who concocted this pill?"


    "Hey brother, don¡¯t be stupid! There are a few other Alchemy Saints in our Profound Dragon Continent. It is just that they are not as high-profile as Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian. Even so, the possibility that Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian concocted this pill is high."


    Jiu Shen nced at the 9th-rank Expanding Essence Pill that was ced inside a small jade bottle, but his eyes twitched when he saw it. ¡¯That is indeed the Expanding Essence Pill, but this is only at the High State, so its efficacy is not that strong. It could at most enhance a 7th-rank Emperor¡¯s strength by two minor realms. As for the others, they could only enhance their cultivation by one minor realm after consuming it. What a waste of ingredients!¡¯ He muttered in his heart.


    There are six levels of pills ording to their efficacy: Low State, Medium State, High State, Peak State, Perfect State, and Profound State.


    The Expanding Essence Pill that was on disy was only at the High State, so Jiu Shen¡¯s disdain was understandable, but in the eyes of others, this level of pill was already valuable.


    Lu Sn was also disinterested in this cultivation pill. Her master provided them with high-level pills from time to time, so she wasn¡¯t even tempted to bid for this pill.


    Other than Jiu Shen¡¯s group, everyone else discussed animatedly when the Expanding Essence Pill was taken out. Even the emperor appeared to be tempted to bid for it. In fact, he knew that this was concocted by Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian, and he even tried to directly buy it from him. However, Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian declined his offer since he wanted to auction it off to gain more profit.


    "4500 True Crystals!"


    "4800 True Crystals!"


    "5000 True Crystals!"


    The bidding for the Expanding Essence Pill became chaotic. Everyone was eager to get this pill since it could permanently increase their strength. Who wouldn¡¯t want such a treasure?


    Jiu Shen wasn¡¯t surprised by this sudden spike in price, but he still felt a bit dumbstruck by the crowd¡¯s enthusiasm for such a low-level pill.


    ¡¯Should I change profession? Maybe I can earn more as an alchemist...¡¯


    Of course, this was merely a passing thought for Jiu Shen...

 Chapter 194 - Accepting Two Alchemy Disciples

    <h4>Chapter 194 - epting Two Alchemy Disciples </h4>


    The bidding for the Expanding Essence Pill concluded and the final winner was the emperor.


    He got the 9th-rank pill with an astronomical price of 9100 True Crystals! Even the noble families participating in the auction gasped at the wealth of the Silveria Imperial Family. It wasn¡¯t a surprise because the Silveria Imperial Family reigned the Silver Wing Empire for more than fifty thousand years and their umted wealth could even drown the other households...


    There were several items auctioned after that and almost all of them were taken away by the three great noble families. The other noble families couldn¡¯t do anything about it since they weren¡¯t rich enough to bid against them. As for Jiu Shen, he remained silent when the other auctioned items were disyed. He didn¡¯t even show an ounce of interest when he saw the auctioned items. Only Lu Sn ced her bid asionally, but she didn¡¯t manage to outbid the others since she didn¡¯t bring many True Crystals with her. However, she wasn¡¯t disheartened about this because she already had the damaged sword which was actually an Origin God Weapon!


    The auction concluded after that.


    Some people went out of the Silver Dragon Auction House with wide smiles on their faces, while the others left with regretful looks.


    Jiu Shen and Lu Sn went to retrieve the items that they bid for in the iming area of the auction house. Some people were also there to do the same thing, and they even saw a few familiar faces.


    "Greetings, Wine Master Jiu!"


    "Greetings, Wine Master Jiu!"


    Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian and Master Fengzi bowed reverentially at Jiu Shen as they greeted him. They didn¡¯t even bother to hide the admiration on their faces as they nced at Jiu Shen who had an expressionless face.


    "Greetings, Supreme Elder Qi."


    "Greetings, Master Fengzi."


    Lu Sn cupped her fist at the two old men to show her respect. They were the ones who helped her when she was still sumbing to her ¡¯illness¡¯, and she was grateful for their help.


    Lu Sn then red at her disciples and Yang Zenke¡¯s group. The youths immediately understood her gaze, so they hurriedly greeted the two old men as they cupped their fists respectfully.


    "Greetings, Supreme Elder Qi!"


    "Greetings, Master Fengzi."


    The two old men smiled at them with a warm look. They then shifted their gaze to Jiu Shen who merely nodded at them perfunctorily.


    Looking at this, the two old men could only smile wryly.


    During the past month, they always pestered Jiu Shen to ept them as his alchemy disciples, but Jiu Shen remained unmoved and he rejected them every single time. This didn¡¯t stop the two old men, and they continued to beg him almost on a daily basis.


    "Wine Master Jiu, I-I..." Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian said, but Jiu Shen cut him off.


    "I ept." Jiu Shen said without letting him continue to speak. His eyes remained calm and indifferent as he stared at the two old men in front of him.


    "Huh? What do you mean, Wine Master Jiu?" Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian¡¯s heart thumped as he asked with a bewildered tone. Did Jiu Shen just ept them as his disciple? He wasn¡¯t certain.


    "I said I ept you both as my alchemy disciples." Jiu Shen replied calmly, but his words came as a surprise to everyone who was listening to them.


    "This..." Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian and Master Fengzi nced at each other with perplexed looks, but their expressions turned into excitement not longter. They were already expecting to be rejected, but Jiu Shen actually epted them without even letting them speak. Did they finally move his heart after begging him non-stop for more than a month?


    Jiu Shen sighed in his heart while looking at Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian and Master Fengzi. The other one was more than a hundred years old, while the other was more than eighty years old. In any other circumstances, he wouldn¡¯t even bother to nce at them since their talent wasn¡¯t evenparable to the talent of the servants that he had in his past life. However, this wasn¡¯t a problem to him since he had a way to nurture them into top alchemists, but since they were already old, the best that they could reach would be at the level of an Origin Alchemy God.


    ¡¯Sigh. I have no choice. There are just a few talented individuals in the art of alchemy, so I¡¯ll just train these two and let them handle the concoction of my future sect. It would be better if they agree to incorporate the Alchemy Hall into my sect.¡¯ Jiu Shen said in his heart.


    "Don¡¯t get happy too soon. Come find me in my store after the martial artspetition is over. This isn¡¯t a good ce to pay respects to me." Jiu Shen said.


    The two old men nced at each other before they turned to nce at the crowd who were looking at them curiously. They didn¡¯t mind kneeling before Jiu Shen as his disciples, but it appears that their master didn¡¯t want to embarrass them so much. This made them feel grateful in their hearts.


    "Master, we will do as youmand." Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian said respectfully.


    He didn¡¯t mind calling Jiu Shen as his master despite how young thetter looked. Alchemy proficiency wasn¡¯t based on someone¡¯s age or strength, it was based on someone¡¯s ability to refine a pill or dan! Besides, Jiu Shen wasn¡¯t just an Alchemy Saint!


    The two could still remember the day when they saw how the one-armed barbarian Hu Xiandao managed to regrow his severed limb after he consumed Jiu Shen¡¯s Body Reforging Heavens Pill. They knew that the minimum requirement to concoct that pill was to be at least a Nascent Alchemy God! In the minds of the two old men, Jiu Shen was already an immortal who had transcended the realms of mortals, so how could they not respect such a man?


    Jiu Shen nodded his head at them. He had the thought of taking the Alchemy Hall under him, but he still had to convince Qi Hongtian and Master Fengzi. Jiu Shen was confident that he could convince them, so he didn¡¯t take this matter too seriously.


    "You both may leave. Juste to my store after this contest is over. I have matters to discuss with you two." Jiu Shen said.


    Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian and Master Fengzi bowed their heads and cupped their fists as they said.


    "Yes, master."


    "Yes, master."


    Lu Sn was happy for the two of them, and she could already imagine them calling her ¡¯senior sister¡¯ in the future. Just the thought of it made her feel slightly embarrassed since the both of them were much older than her.


    ...


    (Please Read Author¡¯s Note for more info)

 Chapter 195 - Shocked Emperor Elyk

    <h4>Chapter 195 - Shocked Emperor Elyk </h4>


    Jiu Shen stashed the Demon Crystal and the Blue Fire Lotus. The first item was prepared for Hu Xiandao, while thetter was prepared for his wine recipe.


    "Master, how are you going to repair this damaged sword." Lu Sn asked while looking at the sword box in her hands. Lying inside of this sword box was the damaged sword that Lu Sn won in the auction.


    Jiu Shen nced at her calmly and exined. "It¡¯s not that difficult to repair this sword. Just that, we need a few materials before I can repair this. The sword¡¯s body isn¡¯t broken, but the sharpness and flexibility of this sword were severely affected after being left to rust for thousands of years. We need some rare metals and other resources to sharpen this sword. As for its flexibility, I can refine it again using an array formation. I will give you a list of itemster, and you have to gather them first before I can start repairing this sword."


    Although the sword was indeed a true Origin God Weapon, it was greatly damaged and it would be difficult for an ordinary weapon maker to repair it, but to Jiu Shen, this wasn¡¯t a problem at all! He also studied the art of weapon making in his past life and his attainment in it was even more remarkablepared to his alchemy proficiency.


    "I understand, master."


    Lu Sn felt slightly disappointed when she heard that. However she knew that weapon making wasn¡¯t as easy as what her master said. In the whole Profound Dragon Continent, there were only a few high-level weapon makers and all of them were respected individuals with profound levels of cultivation. It wasn¡¯t easy to contact them, and one needs a lot of resources to pay in order to get them to make a weapon.


    Lu Sn was also shocked because one needs to be a weapon maker so that they can repair a damaged weapon, and the weapon in her hands wasn¡¯t just an ordinary weapon, so the fact that her master could repair it was slightly surprising to her.


    ¡¯So aside from master¡¯s high cultivation level, and high mastery in alchemy, he is also a peak-level weapon maker? He even mentioned about array formation. Is he also an Array Formation Maker?¡¯ Lu Sn felt herself going dizzy with just the thought of it.


    "Don¡¯t think too much about this. You can begin searching for the materials after the martial artspetition is over. For now, you should focus your attention on this contest. You can see the progress of your disciples through their battles. This is a valuable opportunity for them, so you must not take this lightly." Jiu Shen said as he patted the shoulders of Lu Sn.


    "Yes, master."


    Lu Sn nodded her head in obeisance.


    "Wine Master Jiu! Sect Mistress Lu! How¡¯s the auction? Were you surprised about the auctioned items? Hahaha!" The familiar voice of Emperor Elyk resounded beside their ears.


    The emperor had a wide smile on his face as he walked towards Jiu Shen¡¯s group. Following behind him were three of his sons and his only daughter. The second prince wasn¡¯t present since he excused himself before the auction ended.


    Lu Sn cupper her fists at the emperor as she greeted. "Your Majesty."


    "No need for formalities, Sect Mistress Lu. By the way, where are you guys nning to rest for tonight?" Emperor Elyk asked with a smile.


    Jiu Shen remained silent, so Lu Sn answered for him. "Your Majesty, we will look for an inn and have our rest there."


    "No way! That won¡¯t do! How about this. Your group wille with us to the imperial pce and I¡¯ll have my people arrange amodations for you. What do you think?" Emperor Elyk said.


    The crown prince and the third prince frowned when they heard that, but they didn¡¯t voice out their thoughts. They had seen how their father reacted when the second prince opposed Jiu Shen, so they just remained silent and hid their disagreement inside their hearts.


    Lu Sn thought that it was a good idea because they could save a lot of time if they coulde with the emperor inside the imperial pce, but she still turned to look at Jiu Shen to seek for his opinion. "Master, what do you think about this?"


    Jiu Shen was silent for a moment before he eventually nodded his head. "Alright. We can go with you, Elyk, but I don¡¯t want people disturbing our rest after we arrive in the imperial pce." He said indifferently. These words made the crown prince curse silently in his heart. He was already nning to make things difficult for Jiu Shen¡¯s group once they were already inside the imperial pce, but it seemed like it wasn¡¯t possible to do it now.


    Emperor Elyk slightly furrowed his eyebrows. He could sense that Jiu Shen was intentionally saying those words, but he still nodded his head with a smile. "Don¡¯t worry, Wine Master Jiu. I¡¯ll have my imperial guards protect your rooms, so you don¡¯t have to worry about this."


    "In that case, I ept your offer." Jiu Shen said.


    Emperor Elykughed heartily as he led everyone to the imperial pce. He felt ttered to have Jiu Shen in his home.


    "Wine Master Jiu, these kids look familiar. Are they..." Emperor Elyk¡¯s voice trailed off as he stared at the youths behind Jiu Shen. He wasn¡¯t able to take a closer look at them when he went inside the fourth VIP room in the auction house since he was focused on his conversation with Jiu Shen. However, he could now see that the young men behind Jiu Shen were definitely part of the one hundred ves that he gave to Jiu Shen!


    "No need to guess. They are indeed among the batch of ves that you brought to me." Jiu Shen replied calmly, but he felt a bit proud in his heart since he was the one who nurtured them from the very start.


    Emperor Elyk was stunned and he could not help but take a clearer look at the youths. His eyes widened and he felt that it was incredulous. ¡¯What the hell?! If I remember correctly, the kids I brought that day were yet to start cultivating. Howe these kids are already this strong?! The strongest among their group is even at the early stage of the 4th-rank Knight Crusader realm! Just how did Wine Master Jiu train them...¡¯


    "This... After just a little more than a month, you were able to train these kids into elites of the younger generation. In the whole continent, I think only you are capable of achieving this, Wine Master Jiu." Emperor Elyk didn¡¯t skimp on the ttery since he was too astonished about the growth of the youths.


    The crown prince, the third prince, the fourth prince, and the fifth princess were dumbfounded after hearing the emperor¡¯s words. These young men only took a little more than a month to reach their current level of cultivation? Even the fifth princess and the fourth prince who were recognized as the most talented youths in the younger generation of the Silver Wing Empire needed several years to reach their present level of cultivation, so how could this not shock them?


    Jiu Shen remained silent after hearing the emperor¡¯s praise, but an imperceptible smile shed on his lips for a second.

 Chapter 196 - Day Of The Martial Arts Contest

    <h4>Chapter 196 - Day Of The Martial Arts Contest </h4>


    The day of the martial arts contest finally arrived and the one hundred battle tforms were already surrounded by countless onlookers. It was crowded with people, but no one was dissatisfied about this because this was the same venue and atmosphere since the founding of the Silver Wing Empire.


    "I heard that the arrogant young patriarch of the Liu Family will join in this contest. I don¡¯t know what kind of wine he drank in Wine Master Jiu¡¯s store that it actually made him join this annual martial artspetition. He must have gone crazy or maybe he was forced by the patriarch himself."


    "Are you talking about Liu Mengdi? He¡¯s such a joke! I heard that he¡¯s still an early stage 3rd-rank Crusader realm at the age of twenty-one. It might be highpared to other youths, but for someone heavily nurtured by the Liu Family, his talent seems fairly ordinary. How did he have the guts to join thepetition this year?"


    Liu Mengdi sat together with his father and some of his subordinates. The Liu Family also sent a few of their young elites to participate in the contest, but they didn¡¯t sit together with their young patriarch.


    Seeing the behavior of his so-called family members, Liu Mengdi snorted in his heart. ¡¯Just watch closely. I will show everyone that I am the only one deserving to be the patriarch of the Liu Family!¡¯


    Liu Mengdi was one of Jiu Shen¡¯s first customers and he was even forced by thetter to buy his wine during their first encounter. However, he was now one of Jiu Shen¡¯s most loyal customers and he was also a frequent visitor of his store.


    This guy had been putting up an arrogant facade in front of everyone to make them feel that he was a silkpants young master. However, no one knew that this was actually just an act that he had been putting up since he was young. Liu Mengdi knew that his uncles were vying for the position of his father, and they would do anything to get it, so he devised a n together with his father to fool the rest of the world. And now, he was nning to let everyone know who the true Liu Mengdi was!


    In a different spot, the patriarch of the Beiming Family, Beiming Liqiang, led his young elites to their seats. The faces of the youths behind him were rigid. It was as if they were soldiers who were about to join a war.


    More notable sects and noble families arrived with their young disciples and young elites, but the most noticeable were still the disciples of the three great noble families and the elites brought by the imperial family.


    "Look! It¡¯s Wine Master Jiu¡¯s group! They are on top of flying swords again!"


    Following that shout, everyone raised their heads to look at the sky. They saw more than twenty flying swords descending to the ground. Even though they already saw this during the registration, the crowd still felt surprised at this. No one was able to achieve this kind of precise control in true essence, so this sword technique made everyone admire Jiu Shen.


    "That prettydy... She¡¯s the prettiest woman I¡¯ve seen in my life. I would be willing to die if I could make her mine."


    "Are you tired of living?! Can¡¯t you see that she has a close rtionship with Wine Master Jiu? I wouldn¡¯t even be surprised if I found out that she is his wife..."


    Everyone¡¯s gazes weren¡¯t focused on the youths behind Jiu Shen. They were looking at the new member of his group. She was a tall youngdy with long purple hair. She was wearing a long white dress that stuck closely to her body, exposing her curvy figure and bountiful assets. The men could not help but fantasize when they saw this woman. Who is she? What is her rtionship with Jiu Shen? No one knows.


    "Is that Wine Master Jiu¡¯s daughter? She looks cute. Like father like daughter. The heavens is truly unfair! Sigh."


    Jiu Shen walked calmly despite the crowd¡¯s piercing gaze. Everyone could see that he was carrying a young girl with short white hair in his embrace. They could not help but specte in their hearts when they saw this little girl. Is this little lolita Wine Master Jiu¡¯s daughter? If that¡¯s the case, then the woman beside him should be his wife...


    Jiu Shen continued walking wordlessly. He didn¡¯t know what the crowd was thinking, but even he learned about it, he would still not give an exnation and just remain silent. Who gives a damn about them?


    Emperor Elyk went forward and greeted Jiu Shen with a smile. He also took a brief look at the purple-haired youngdy beside him and the little girl in his embrace. Could they really be a family? Emperor Elyk was curious, but he didn¡¯t speak about it.


    "Wine Master Jiu,e with me. I¡¯ve already prepared the seats for your group." Emperor Elyk said.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head at the emperor to express his thanks.


    Emperor Elyk grinned when he saw that. He then led Jiu Shen¡¯s group to the area just right beside where the Silveria Imperial Family were seated.


    The crowd frowned when they saw how courteous the emperor was to Jiu Shen, but no one said a word. They were afraid of the emperor¡¯s might and they didn¡¯t want to offend him just because of a sitting arrangement.


    Elder Kuan of the Xue Family snorted in his heart when he saw this. ¡¯Enjoy your high and mighty positions now since it won¡¯t be long before my Xue Family will trample you all!¡¯


    "Xue Tong, are you confident that you can beat the fourth prince? He should be the strongestpetitor in this martial arts contest." Elder Kuan nced at the young man beside him. This was Xue Tong, the son of Supreme Elder Xue Yangkun!


    Xue Tong¡¯s bearing took a drastic change after his sudden growth in strength. He wasn¡¯t the same blindly arrogant young master anymore. His cold pair of eyes turned warmer as he looked at Elder Kuan.


    "Strongest? Elder Kuan, I must admit that the fourth prince is indeed strong, but if we had the same level of cultivation, I could defeat him in less than ten moves!" Xue Tong said with confidence. If it was before, he wouldn¡¯t even dare utter such bold words, but after the special training he had undergone in the Undying Corpse Sect, his confidence was sky-high!


    Elder Kuan smirked when he heard his reply. He had seen the astonishing growth of Xue Tong, and he was also confident about his strength.


    ¡¯Even with Xue Tong¡¯s growth, it might still be hard for him to defeat the fourth prince at this moment, but this is not a problem. It wouldn¡¯t take long for him to surpass the fourth prince¡¯s level after a few more months of training. I¡¯m just worried that the Silveria Imperial Family would no longer be there to see the growth of our Xue Family! Hahahha!¡¯ Elder Kuan guffawed in his heart and he could not conceal the cold smile on his face as he looked at where the emperor was seated.

 Chapter 197 - Competition Begins!

    <h4>Chapter 197 - Competition Begins! </h4>


    "Wine Master Jiu, I prepared this area for your group. What do you think about this spot?" Emperor Elyk smiled as nced at Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen stared calmly at the emperor and replied. "Thanks."


    Emperor Elyk felt slightly ufortable by his casual reply, but he did not take this to heart. He merely smiled wryly at Jiu Shen as he said. "You¡¯re wee, Wine Master Jiu. Anyway, I shall not stay here any longer since thepetition is about to start. Good luck to your disciples!"


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly at the emperor. Emperor Elyk took his silence as a signal for him to leave.


    The emperor was not offended by Jiu Shen¡¯s attitude. He knew that the man was just like that and he could not me him for this. He also wanted to ask Jiu Shen about the identity of Long Meili, but it seemed like Jiu Shen did not want to speak about it, so he tactfully chose to stay silent as he walked away with his group. However, the emperor was still curious about this as he thought to himself. ¡¯I wonder who that youngdy is... Also, that little girl in his arms... Could it be that they are truly Wine Master Jiu¡¯s wife and daughter? But... I do not think he is the sort of person who would have a family of his own. In that case, just who are they to him?¡¯


    Long Meili sat beside Jiu Shen unceremoniously, while Lu Sn sat on his other side.


    Lu Sn stared at the purple-haired beauty who was sitting beside her master. This was not the first time she had seen this youngdy, but she was still clueless about her identity. Her master did not tell them anything about her and he merely said that she was her subordinate.


    Lu Sn was knowledgeable about the top experts of the Profound Dragon Continent, but she could not recall anyone that looked like Long Meili.


    Long Meili could sense the gaze that was directed at her, but she chose to ignore it. She was disinclined to care about anyone else¡¯s thoughts. All she cared about was Jiu Shen and nothing else mattered to her.


    Jiu Shen was unaware of what everyone was thinking since his attention was focused on the young disciples participating in today¡¯spetition. He was confident about Yang Zenke and the others, but he was curious to know if there would be anyone that could give them a hard fight.


    In his opinion, the only ones that could make Yang Zenke and the others use all of their skills are the disciples of the three great noble families, but upon closer inspection, he was able to discover a few talented youths that weren¡¯t part of the three great noble families. Some of them were evenmoners. This discovery made him slightly interested in the battlester.


    ¡¯Looks like Yang Zenke would have a hard time getting the first ce, but all ten of them should have no problem in getting into the top fifty. Yang Zenke and Han Sen should be able to get into the top ten if there are no mishaps.¡¯ Jiu Shen thought to himself.


    The pairing for the fights was chosen randomly by the organizers and no one objected to this arrangement since this was how the annualpetitions were done back then. Of course, the organizers were part of the Silveria Imperial Family, and no one dared to question their impartialness.


    While the organizers were pairing the participants, an elder from the Silveria Imperial Family hovered in the air using a flying carpet. It was a flying treasure, but its quality wasn¡¯t that highpared to Liuli¡¯s flying boat.


    "Everyone! Wee to the Annual Martial Arts Contest of our Silver Wing Empire¡¯s young elites! Today, the best of our empire¡¯s younger generation would battle it out to find out who among them are the best of the best! The..." The elder continued his speech with an excited tone that managed to garner everyone¡¯s attention. The crowd was infected by the elder¡¯s excitement and they all cheered in unison, making the entire venue erupt into sonorous and joyous exmations.


    Not longter, the more than tens of thousands of the participants were separated into one hundred groups since there were one hundred battle tforms prepared for this event.


    The elder standing on top of the flying carpet announced in a loud voice. "Alright! There are exactly one hundred battle tforms and each of which has at least two hundred participants. Now, I would like all the participants to go to their respective battle tforms to prepare for the first part of thepetition!"


    Everyone held their breaths. They knew what would happen in the first part of this contest.


    The participants that were grouped in the same battle tforms would fight a battle royale until only 128 people are left standing. The remaining ones will then proceed to the next part of the next contest.


    Yang Zenke and the others stood up and bowed at Jiu Shen before they went towards their assigned battle tforms. They were excited and nervous about this since this was the first martial artspetition that they had participated in. However, they silently told themselves to not disappoint Jiu Shen.


    Luckily, all ten of them were separated into different groups, so there would be no way that they would fight in the first round.


    It took more than twenty minutes before the participants were able to go to their respective battle tforms, but everyone waited patiently.


    The elder on top of the flying carpet cleared his throat and said. "I assume all the participants already know about the first part of thepetition, but for the sake of those who don¡¯t know, I will exin it again. Look at the people around you, all of them are your opponents. All of you will fight a battle royale and only thest 128 participants standing would be able to proceed to the next round. Let me remind you guys. No one is allowed to kill! No one is allowed to cripple anyone¡¯s cultivation! And no one is allowed to use poisons and berserk pills!"


    The elder paused for a moment before he continued.


    "There are elite imperial guards spectating each battle tform, and whoever is seen breaking the rules, they would immediately be disqualified and they will also be punished ordingly, so I hope that no one would be stupid enough to break the rules. I will give every one of you ten minutes to prepare. After the ten minutes is up, the battle royale would begin!"


    The elder pressed something in his sleeves and a pale blue light shed through the skies, letting everyone see a gigantic timer.


    The crowd spectating the event erupted into loud cheering after the elder¡¯s announcement. They were also looking at the participants with excited expressions.


    "Do you think that Liu Mengdi would survive this battle royale? I mean, he¡¯s only an early stage 3rd-rank Crusader. In his battle tform, he would be fighting against an early stage 4th-rank Knight Crusader from the Xue Family. I don¡¯t think Liu Mengdi could evenst one strike from that guy."


    "Who knows? Maybe a miracle would happen and he woulde out as the winner. Hahaha!"

 Chapter 198 - A Fathers Resolution

    <h4>Chapter 198 - A Father''s Resolution </h4>


    Jiu Shen took a nce at the battle tforms of Yang Zenke¡¯s group. He used his spiritual perception discreetly to check the cultivation levels of their opponents.


    In just a few seconds, Jiu Shen was already able to picture out everything about their opponents. Including their cultivation level, weapons of expertise, etc. And from what Jiu Shen saw, he was confident that Yang Zenke and the others would emerge as the winners of their respective battle tforms.


    ¡¯Yang Zenke, Han Sen, and the others shouldn¡¯t have a problem winning in the first round. As for Sn¡¯s disciples, although their cultivation level is almost simr to Yang Zenke¡¯s group, their battle experience is practically non-existent, so some of them might have a hard time getting past the first round...¡¯ Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes continuously scanned the young disciples on the battle tforms and he already had his guesses on who among them would be the final 128. However, this was merely his assumption based on what he had seen from his spiritual perception.


    Many things could happen in a fight. Not to mention a battle royale such as this which involves the best of Silver Wing Empire¡¯s younger generation. Jiu Shen may be able to deduce the power of the youths, but he could not guess the final oue of the first round. After all, he wasn¡¯t a seer or a prophet.


    Jiu Shen then nced at Liu Mengdi who was silent throughout the entire time.


    Right from the beginning, he knew that the young man was concealing his strength. Everyone could sense that Liu Mengdi only had an early stage 3rd-rank Crusader realm cultivation level, but Jiu Shen knew that this guy was actually an early stage 5th-rank Spirit realm! His strength was on par with the fourth prince, so their talents should be almost on the same level!


    ¡¯The kid truly knows how to hide. He even deceived the entire Silver Wing Empire into believing that he is just a silkpants young master of a noble family. He must have his reasons as to why he is doing this.¡¯ Jiu Shen muttered in his heart as he observed Liu Mengdi who was surrounded by multiple youths who were eyeing him with malicious intentions. From the looks of their eyes, they wanted to kick Liu Mengdi out of the tform and make him as their stepping stone.


    From Jiu Shen¡¯s experience, he could somehow guess Liu Mengdi¡¯s reasoning on why he was keeping up a facade all this time. ¡¯ording to the intel that Ren Shuang gathered, the Liu Family¡¯s internal affair is unstable. Liu Mengdi¡¯s uncles are vying for the patriarch position, and they are merely waiting for the death of their supreme elder before they would snatch it with force. Their supreme elder is already in his twilight years and it is only a matter of time before he leaves this world... To think that a kid as young as him actually managed to fool everyone... Such a talent! A pity that he does not have a supreme physique. However, it isn¡¯t a problem to let him join my sect...¡¯


    On Liu Mengdi¡¯s battle tform, he was in the encirclement of more than a dozen youths. Each of them carrying different weapons, and their eyes revealed their contempt.


    Liu Mengdi smirked coldly in his heart, but he put on a calm expression on his face throughout this ordeal.


    The youths that surrounded him were merely 3rd-rank Crusaders, and there were even some at the 2nd-rank Elite Warrior. It was trulyughable for them to believe that he was just a soft cotton that they could casually knead.


    ¡¯I¡¯ve been waiting for this day toe! I¡¯ve had enough of everyone¡¯s contemptuous stares! This is the day that I, Liu Mengdi would be known by the whole Silver Wing Empire as a young elite!¡¯ Liu Mengdi screamed inside his head. His heart was beating wildly in excitement as he nced at the group of youths around him.


    "Young Master Liu, we apologize in advance for our offense. If you don¡¯t want to get hurt, you can jump out of the battle tform."


    "That¡¯s right! We don¡¯t want to offend you Young Master Liu. You¡¯re an elite of the Liu Family, so it shouldn¡¯t be a problem if we join hands to take you out." A voice filled with sarcasm echoed about.


    Liu Mengdi frowned and stared at the young man who had just spoken.


    He had a short ck hair and he was wearing a battle suit that fitted nicely to his bulky frame. The young man was two meters tall and he was holding a giant axe with both his hands. This guy was the strongest among the group of youths that surrounded him, and he was already at the peak stage of the 3rd-rank Crusader realm.


    "Hahaha! Hahaha!" Liu Mengdi covered his face with his left palm as he guffawed exaggeratedly.


    Everyone was stunned at his sudden peals ofughter, but they promptly shook their heads with different kinds of expressions. Some of them felt pity, regret, disdain, and even happiness.


    "Looks like Liu Mengdi had gone crazy after being cornered like this. Sigh!"


    "If I had his resources, I would have already been a 4th-rank Knight Crusader! Everything that was given to him was practically wasted! Beat him up!"


    "Beat him up! He is just shaming the Liu Family¡¯s prestige!"


    A few people from the crowd voiced out their scornful remarks. They weren¡¯t afraid of the Liu Family because they were also from noble families. The Liu Family might be one of the three great noble families, but it did not have the power to oppose multiple noble families simultaneously.


    The Liu Family¡¯s patriarch had a dark look when he heard the insulting remarks aimed at his son. He knew that his son was merely hiding strength. In fact, he was the one who told Liu Mengdi to hide his cultivation level. The situation of their Liu Family wasn¡¯t good, and his brothers¡¯ fox tails were already showing. In a few months, they might try to assassinate him to get the patriarch position. Thinking about it made his heart filled with sadness.


    He then recalled the things he talked about with Liu Mengdi the night before the martial arts contest.


    "Son, show the world your real strength! And you don¡¯t have to worry about the retaliation from your uncles. Your father will handle them for you."


    "But father! If I show everyone my true power, those bastards would surely feel threatened and they might ignore the supreme elder and kill you! Our ns would fall apart if we do this!"


    "Son, I¡¯ve already made up my mind. I have nned about this a few months ago, and I am confident that I could kill those bastards! Remember, the position as next patriarch of the Liu Family is only yours..."


    The patriarch of the Liu Family clenched his fists tightly as he watched his son on his battle tform. He had a proud smile on his face as he looked at Liu Mengdi.


    "My son, Liu Mengdi, show them who you truly are... Don¡¯t worry, I will handle everything in the Liu Family. Even if I die, the position of the next patriarch can only be taken by you..."

 Chapter 199 - Liu Mengdis Speed

    <h4>Chapter 199 - Liu Mengdi''s Speed </h4>


    Liu Mengdi ceased hisughter. He then took a nce at the cyan ne on his wrist. It was an item that helped him hide his true strength from everyone. If he was wearing it, other people could only see him as a 3rd-rank Crusader. However, this item was only effective to cultivators who are below the 9th-rank Saint realm. A 9th-rank Saint could easily see through his true power even he had this bracelet on himself.


    This item was called the Essence Sealing Bracelet. It was an item capable of sealing someone¡¯s strength two levels lower, so if a 5th-rank Spirit realm cultivator is wearing it, their strength would regress to that of a 3rd-rank Crusader.


    Liu Mengdi nced at the youths around him and smirked coldly in his heart. ¡¯I don¡¯t even need to unequip this Essence Sealing Bracelet to defeat these bugs.¡¯


    "Hey! What are you looking at?! Do you think I¡¯m afraid of you?!"


    Liu Mengdi ignored the guy and shifted his gaze to the huge timer in the skies.


    03:02


    03:01


    03:00


    Only three minutes was left before the start of the battle royale and he was already itching to show his real strength to the world. He wanted to shock them with his feats!


    Liu Mengdi slowly took out his sword as he calmed his turbulent feelings. He was too excited that he couldn¡¯t stop the shivering of his arms. However, this was taken differently by the crowd.


    "Look! Liu Mengdi is shaking in fear! Hahaha! What a coward! He¡¯s finally showing his true face!"


    "What a pity! It looks like the Liu Family¡¯s young patriarch isn¡¯t worthy of his position."


    The tall and bulky youth who was holding a huge axe stared at Liu Mengdi with unconcealed disdain as he said in a voiceced with mockery. "Young Master Liu, don¡¯t worry. I will be very gentle with you. How about you give up now? You won¡¯t be injured that way. Hahaha!"


    The rest of the youthsughed in response to that. Their gazes towards Liu Mengdi was filled with derision and contempt.


    Liu Mengdi¡¯s breathing was already calm, but his shivering arms was still evident. He then looked at the timer above.


    00:10


    00:09


    00:08


    ...


    00:02


    00:01


    00:00


    Bang!


    A loud bang was issued to signal the start of the battle royale.


    Liu Mengdi suddenly let out a smile as his silhouette disappeared from where he previously stood.


    Whoosh!


    Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack!


    A series of smacking sounds echoed as Liu Mengdi smashed his sword that was still on its scabbard onto the heads of the youths who were around him. They weren¡¯t even able to see his movements and they could feel a stinging sensation at the back of their heads as they slowly plopped to the ground while grimacing in pain.


    Liu Mengdi¡¯s swift movements created a light gust of wind and he looked like an agile savage beast that speedily attacked its prey!


    Liu Mengdi nced at the tall youth and smashed his sheathed sword towards thetter.


    Hm?!


    The tall youth was also unable to see the movements of Liu Mengdi, but this time, he could feel that the attack was aimed at him. He took a step backward as he raised his gigantic axe with both his hands. He was confident that he could block Liu Mengdi¡¯s swift attacks with his gigantic axe. He was honestly surprised with the speed that Liu Mengdi showed and his contempt was long gone. It was reced by a serious and grim expression.


    Bang!


    Liu Mengdi¡¯s sheathed sword smashed on the youth¡¯s giant axe, making the both of them stagger and take several steps backward.


    The crowd was stunned at what they saw and their mouths unconsciously opened to form an ¡¯O¡¯ shape.


    Was this still the mboyant Young Master Liu who always used the name of his Liu Family to scare everyone? Was this still the Young Master Liu that everyone never took seriously?


    They couldn¡¯t contain their shocks at all and the crowd was rendered speechless by the sudden turn of events.


    Among the group that surrounded Liu Mengdi earlier, more than ten youths were now lying on the battle tform while grimacing in pain. They were not yet unconscious, and they were still within the battle tform, so they were still eligible to join the battle royale, but with their current status, it was obvious that they could no longer fight.


    It was truly amusing to think that they were stillughing contemptuously at Liu Mengdi just a minute ago, but now, they couldn¡¯t even muster the strength to stand on their feet!


    Liu Mengdi¡¯s smack might have looked weak, but he had skillfully hit everyone¡¯s weak points. He was already merciful enough to not im their lives. Not to mention that he was yet to unsheathed his sword!


    The tall youth stared nervously at Liu Mengdi and he reflexively tightened the grip on his weapon.


    Liu Mengdi smiled warmly at the youth, but his next actions made thetter gulp anxiously.


    Liu Mengdi was slowly unsheathing his sword!


    Shing!


    His sword didn¡¯t look too precious and it was fairly ordinary in appearance, but those with keen eyes knew that this sword was actually an Earth Weapon!


    "Friend, how about you jump out of this battle tform? That way you won¡¯t be hurt." Liu Mengdi said with a smile, but his voice was filled with sarcasm. He was just throwing back the same words that were spoken by the youth!


    Since you insulted me, then don¡¯t me me for insulting you!


    The tall youth gritted his teeth as he red at Liu Mengdi.


    "Liu Mengdi, you might have taken them by surprise, but you won¡¯t be able to do the same to me! I am a peak stage 3rd-rank Crusader while you are only an early stage 3rd-rank Crusader! What right do you have to act arrogant in front of me?!" The youth shouted through gritted teeth.


    Liu Mengdi suddenly smiled when he heard his words. He cupped his left hand into his ears and said while looking at the youth in a taunting manner. "Can you repeat that, please? I wasn¡¯t able to understand it because I don¡¯t know thenguage of dogs."


    His words and expression made the tall youth incensed. Thetter then raised his giant axe while sprinting towards Liu Mengdi with a dark look. "Damn you, Liu Mengdi! I¡¯ll beat you up!"


    Liu Mengdi remainedposed as the youth dashed towards him. The smile on his lips was still hanging on his face. When the tall youth was just ten meters away from him, Liu Mengdi suddenly shed his sword multiple times, leaving behind a series of white lights in the air.


    Jiu Shen who was looking at their battle from his seat silently praised Liu Mengdi in his heart. From what he saw, Liu Mengdi already reached the first level of Sword Comprehension, Sword Intent Manifestation!


    Sword Comprehension is a sword cultivator¡¯s understanding of the sword dao and it has five levels:


    Sword Intent Manifestation


    Sword Ray Maniption


    Heart of Sword


    Birth of Sword Soul


    Extreme Sword Dao


    The deeper someone¡¯s Sword Comprehension, the stronger their sword attacks would be.


    In the Primordial God Realm, there were only a handful of people that managed to reached the final level of Sword Comprehension, and all of them were considered as the strongest sword cultivators! Of course, Jiu Shen was included on the list of those that reached that level. One of the three Celestial Emperors was also included on the list, Sword God Jian Wang!


    It must be noted that Sword Comprehension could only be achieved after countless battles of life and death, so the experience that Liu Mengdi had wasn¡¯t small.


    "This kid has potential." Jiu Shen muttered quietly.

 Chapter 200 - Yang Zenkes Power

    <h4>Chapter 200 - Yang Zenke''s Power </h4>


    Following Liu Mengdi¡¯s fast sword shes, the tall youth who was madly charging at him received more than a dozen cuts and wounds. He almost lost his grip on his axe and he could barely hold it with his wounded arms.


    Arghh!


    ¡¯Since when did Liu Mengdi be this strong?! Was he hiding his strength all this time?!¡¯ The youth muttered in his heart as he looked at Liu Mengdi. A hint of respect could be seen at the corner of his eyes.


    "Woah! Young Master Liu is actually hiding his strength! Although he is only a 3rd-rank Crusader, his sword techniques and fast movement speed is more than enough to fight toe to toe with someone at the 4th-rank Knight Crusader realm, so this tall guy here would not be able to defeat him!"


    "I never thought that the arrogant Young Master Liu was actually this awesome! So his arrogance isn¡¯t unfounded!"


    "Young Master Liu should beughing right now after smacking those youths. They mocked him earlier, but now, they are grimacing beneath his feet!"


    The patriarch of the Liu Family smiled proudly as he looked at the confident figure of his son. What kind of father would not be happy after hearing praises for his son?


    ¡¯This isn¡¯t the end. Liu Mengdi has not yet shown his true power!¡¯ He muttered in his heart as he looked at his son with excitement.


    Those who mocked Liu Mengdi earlier felt as if they had swallowed a fly after seeing this scene. They regretted having said those words. Now, they had to be careful about Liu Mengdi¡¯s retaliation!


    The tall youth nced at Liu Mengdi with newfound respect, but he wasn¡¯t willing to back down.


    "Young Master Liu, I must admit that your strength has surprised me, but if you think that this would stop me from going all out, then you are terribly wrong! I have waited for this martial arts contest and I don¡¯t want my path to end in the first round of thepetition!" The youth shouted as he abruptly raised his giant axe, ignoring the fresh wounds on his arms. Blood gushed out profusely from the cuts on his arms, but the tall youth ignored the pain as he aimed his strike towards Liu Mengdi.


    Liu Mengdi admired the man¡¯s tenacity. Not anyone could have this kind of spirit, and he admired this kind of people the most. Although the young man had mocked him earlier, he didn¡¯t take it seriously.


    With a wave of his sword, Liu Mengdi muttered softly. "Brilliant Sword Ray."


    Baang!


    A blinding sword light streaked towards the tall youth and it resoundingly smashed his axe. This attack threw him out of the battle tform and his bulky body helplessly tumbled on the ground a few times before someone from the organizers managed to catch him.


    The person who caught the youth checked his condition and heaved a sigh of relief after seeing that the young man was alright.


    Liu Mengdi nced at the young man and said. "I admire your courage and spirit. Can you please tell me your name?"


    The tall youth stood up with difficulty with the help of the person who had caught him earlier. He then nced at Liu Mengdi and answered. "Kal Bo!"


    Liu Mengdi smiled at him and raised his right thumb upwards.


    * * *


    On a different battle tform, Yang Zenke was effortlessly knocking out his opponents and he didn¡¯t even need to take out his sword to defeat them. He was merely using his fists and kicks to subdue his opponents! They weren¡¯t even able tost a few rounds against him before they found themselves lying outside of the battle tform with pained looks.


    "That guy is one of those young men that followed behind Wine Master Jiu! So strong! No one was even able tost five strikes from him!"


    "His strength is at the early stage of the 4th-rank Knight Crusader realm and he could be considered as one of the strongest among the younger generation! Look! All the youths who came with Wine Master Jiu had a blood-red sword on them, but these guy has not even used it yet! How strong could he be if unsheathes his sword?!"


    The crowd shifted their gazes on Yang Zenke¡¯s battle tform. His fights were fairly one-sided and no one among his opponents was even able to give him a good fight. His performance was even more fascinatingpared to what Liu Mengdi had shown, so the crowd¡¯s surprise wasn¡¯t unfounded.


    Yang Zenke nced at the people around him and frowned. Most of the participants who were on the same battle tform as him were only 3rd-rank Crusaders, and they weren¡¯t even able to give him a satisfying battle.


    "Why are they so weak? They aren¡¯t even as strong as the savage beasts that we fought in the forest." He muttered silently in dissatisfaction.


    The savage beasts that Yang Zenke¡¯s group fought in the Spirit World were all wild creatures and they fought with those kinds of enemies without rest for more than a week! They had learned a lot from that training and their battle experience was already equivalent to that of an experienced soldier. Coupled with the high-level techniques that they learned from Jiu Shen, they were practically invincible among those with the same level of cultivation as them!


    Yang Zenke¡¯s eyes then hovered on a young man who had a simr level of cultivation. This young man was wearing the robes of the Beiming Family.


    "A disciple of the Beiming Family? Hm, this is a bit interesting!" Yang Zenke¡¯s cold eyes revealed a trace of excitement as he swiftly dashed towards the youth.


    He could feel that this young man from the Beiming Family was different to the ones that he had defeated earlier. ¡¯From what I know, the Beiming Family is a military family loyal to the Silveria Imperial Family. All their descendants are strictly trained to learn the art of war, and even the women in their family are also strong. I hope this guy could get me to unsheathed my sword!¡¯


    Hm?


    The young disciple of the Beiming Family sensed a strong presence locking on him, so he immediately shifted his gaze to Yang Zenke who was just twenty meters away from him.


    "Who is this guy?" He muttered in shock.


    Yang Zenke halted his steps when he was only five meters away from the youth. He then said in a calm voice. "Take out your weapon and let me see the strength of a disciple from the renowned Beiming Family."


    Yang Zenke¡¯s words sounded arrogant to the eyes of others since this was equivalent to challenging the Beiming Family, but he didn¡¯t care about what the others thought of him. His goal in thispetition was to get the first ce and fight with the strongest young elites of the Silver Wing Empire!


    The disciple from the Beiming Family frowned at Yang Zenke¡¯s words. He saw that Yang Zenke didn¡¯t even take out his sword, and this made him a bit angry. "The swords of the Beiming Family¡¯s disciples aren¡¯t taken out lightly. Only opponents deserving of it could see its shadow!" He said while holding his anger.


    Yang Zenke smiled at his words.


    "If that¡¯s the case, then I won¡¯t hold back my fists!"

 Chapter 201 - Crazy Yang Zenke

    <h4>Chapter 201 - Crazy Yang Zenke </h4>


    Yang Zenke and the disciple of the Beiming Family stared at each other with cold gazes. The battle stances of the two young men were different, and to the eyes of an ordinary person, the both of them looked as if they were not willing to fight. However, only the experts knew that the fight between both these exceptional young men had already begun!


    They were looking for their counterpart¡¯s weaknesses during this staring contest, but none of them were willing to attack first.


    This was a battle of wits and will, and the first one who losesposure and patience would be the one who would be defeated.


    Yang Zenke¡¯s eyes remained calm and cold as he red at the youth in front of him. He had his fair share of fights against sneaky savage beasts, and he had learned to be patient after their grueling training. Among the group that Jiu Shen trained, he did more than the others were tasked to do, and he was even the most hardworking in their group. Because of that, his cultivation growth was the fastest! However, the most valuable thing that they learned from Jiu Shen¡¯s crazy training was their enhanced willpower and ability to withstand pain!


    The disciple from the Beiming Family was beginning to be impatient and he was already itching to give Yang Zenke a beating. However, his instincts were telling him to not make any rash moves.


    Within their battle tform, there were also a few youths who were eyeing the both of them with unkind gazes. They knew that these two young men were the strongest in their battle tform and they were eager to see them tear each other apart, but the scene in front of their eyes was not to their liking. They could only see Yang Zenke and the disciple of the Beiming Family staring at each other in their battle stances. There was no hint of movement from the both of them and this made the young participants within their battle tform grow impatient.


    "Fuck this! Attack them first! Without the two of them, we would have the chance to win in the first round! Go!"


    "Attack them! Beat them up!"


    More than two dozen youths raised their weapons as they madly charged towards Yang Zenke and the Beiming Family disciple. None of these youths was weak and every one of them was at least a 3rd-rank Crusader, so the power that more than two dozen crazed youths held was more than enough to decimate any other 4th-rank Knight Crusader!


    "They are using their advantage in numbers to kick those two out! Cunning bastards!"


    "This kind of thing is normal in a battle royale. It might not look fair, but this was an unfair contest to begin with. This battle royale is meant for those weaker participants. They are destined to be kicked out of the contest, unless if they decide to team up to defeat the stronger contenders."


    The crowd was dissatisfied with what was happening on Yang Zenke¡¯s battle tform, but they could do nothing about it since there was no rule that stated that this was not allowed.


    Yang Zenke and his opponent nced at the group of youths who were charging towards them. Both young men remained calm while facing this scene.


    "I¡¯ll get back to you in a moment." The Beiming Family disciple muttered coldly as he stared at Yang Zenke. He then pounced towards the youths that surrounded them.


    Yang Zenke smirked when he heard his words.


    "I will knock you out of this stage!" A voice filled with malice drifted behind Yang Zenke and he immediately crouched to evade a violent punch aimed at his head.


    Swoosh.


    Yang Zenke clenched his fist and delivered an uppercut that hit the attacker squarely on his defenseless jaw.


    Bang!


    The man lost consciousness as he plopped on the ground.


    Thud.


    Yang Zenke didn¡¯t remain idle, he punched and kicked the youths who were attacking him, and no one among them was even able tost a single moment after taking his attacks!


    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Everything happened in just a few breaths and there were already two dozen youths lying unconsciously on the ground. Some of them were still conscious, but none of them dared to move after being stared by Yang Zenke¡¯s icy-cold gaze.


    After seeing the total decimation of the attackers, those that harbored simr intentions chose to give up from the contest. They were not willing to be beaten up for a non-guaranteed victory. Besides, it was not shameful to concede against these kinds of opponents.


    Other than Yang Zenke and the Beiming Family disciple, there were only less than twenty participants left in their battle tform.


    "Let¡¯s resume our battle!" The disciple of the Beiming Family said as he looked at Yang Zenke. He had seen how Yang Zenke defeated his opponents, and it would be a lie if he said that he wasn¡¯t impressed.


    Yang Zenke smiled and motioned for his opponent toe at him. He was tantly taunting his opponent and this made thetter angry.


    The young disciple of the Beiming Family dashed towards Yang Zenke and took an abrupt leap after he was only a few meters away from him. He then released a turning back kick at Yang Zenke while he was midair. His attack was swift enough and it was timed well. Anyone else would have been hit by it, but Yang Zenke was already prepared for this kind of attack!


    Yang Zenke raised his arms to block the strong kick.


    Bang!


    Yang Zenke took a step back and he looked at his arms which now had an obvious red imprint. The kick was indeed strong, and anyone else would have been severely injured by it, but this kind of damage was nothing to Yang Zenke who had undergone all kinds of Jiu Shen¡¯s torturous training!


    "Not bad." Yang Zenke muttered as he motioned for the youth to attack him again. There was a carefree smile hanging on his lips.


    The Beiming Family¡¯s disciple rained punches and kicks that ripped through the air. Each of his attacks could break bones and muscles, but Yang Zenke didn¡¯t even frown even after receiving all of his attacks. The look on his face was simr to that of someone who was out on a holiday, a broad grin could be seen on his face.


    Bang!


    Yang Zenke took several steps backward after taking a punch from the youth. He then shook his arms which now had multiple red imprints as he stared at the youth. "Now it is my turn." He said.


    The youth¡¯s eyes narrowed when he heard that. He was now deeply afraid of this crazy young man who had just casually received all of his attacks. However, he didn¡¯t want to show his fear, so he put on a cold look. "Bring it on!" He replied.


    Yang Zenke swiftly pounced towards the youth while releasing punches that produced small gusts of wind. The air trembled as he unleashed those dreadful punches.


    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!


    ¡¯Fucking shit! This guy is crazy strong!¡¯ The youth could no longer take Yang Zenke¡¯s punches, so he immediately unsheathed his sword.


    Looking at this, Yang Zenke¡¯s eyes remained calm.

 Chapter 202 - Remaining 128

    <h4>Chapter 202 - Remaining 128 </h4>


    The Beiming Family disciple¡¯s name is Beiming Lin. He was the top three strongest among the younger generation disciples of the Beiming Family.


    ¡¯Howe this bastard¡¯s attacks are getting fiercer?! Shit!¡¯ Beiming Lin cursed in his heart as he used his sword to block Yang Zenke¡¯s punch.


    Bang!


    The swift punch shed with the sword, but the one who was at a disadvantage was Beiming Lin! The guy took several steps backward before he managed to stabilize himself. He then nced at Yang Zenke with slight fear.


    "You are a body enhancer and a cultivator?!" Beiming Lin eximed as he stared at Yang Zenke¡¯s fist. His fist shed with Beiming Lin¡¯s sword and any normal cultivator would have been injured after that, but Yang Zenke¡¯s fist appeared to be uninjured!


    Yang Zenke merely smiled in response to this.


    "What?! A cultivator and a body enhancer?! And at such a young age?!"


    "How in the..."


    The crowd erupted into surprised exmations and heated discussions after hearing Beiming Lin¡¯s words.


    Body Enhancers focus on strengthening their physical bodies, while cultivators cultivate their true essence. The two had vastly different ways of enhancing their strength and it wasn¡¯t even easy to increase one¡¯s cultivation and physical strength. So the fact that Yang Zenke was both a body enhancer and a cultivator came as a surprise to everyone.


    In fact, it wasn¡¯t just Yang Zenke, all the other youths trained by Jiu Shen were also body enhancers. Their torturous training did not just improve their willpower and pain tolerance, it also strengthened their physical body!


    Just as Yang Zenke was about to attack, an abrupt shout made him stop in his tracks.


    "Stop!"


    All the remaining participants nced at the elder who was standing on top of a flying carpet. He was the one who had shouted earlier.


    The elder nced at the remaining youths and said in a loud voice. "The first round of thepetition is over! At this moment, there are only 128 left standing and all of you will proceed to the next round of the contest! All of you will be given an hour to rest, while the organizers will pair you all for your next fights!"


    The crowd erupted into cheers when they heard the announcement of the elder. The 128 remaining participants also heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing that.


    Yang Zenke nced at Beiming Lin and smiled lightly at him before he turned to leave the battle tform.


    "Wait!" Beiming Lin shouted.


    Yang Zenke stopped walking and stared at him in confusion.


    "State your name." Beiming Lin said in amanding manner.


    Yang Zenke sneered when he heard themanding tone of Beiming Lin. The guy wasn¡¯t even able to make him unsheathe his sword. In his opinion, Han Sen and the other eight who were with him could easily defeat this guy.


    "I only say my name to those who make me unsheathe my sword." Yang Zenke said coldly before leaping out of the battle tform.


    Yang Zenke¡¯s words sounded arrogant, but none from the crowd said anything. The guy had already shown his strength and the fact that he was also a body enhancer shocked them senseless. A guy like Yang Zenke was destined to be a great character in the future and they didn¡¯t want to offend him. Not to mention that he was under the protection of the unfathomable Wine Master Jiu!


    Beiming Lin felt angry and embarrassed, but he could not do anything about it. Yang Zenke was many times stronger than him and he was even forced to take out his sword even though Yang Zenke was merely using his fists and kicks.


    ¡¯Arrogant bastard! Did you really think that you are the strongest?! Even in our Beiming Family, I am only considered the third strongest. There are still two people stronger than me. Aside from that, there are still a few others who are much stronger than me.¡¯ Beiming Lin clenched his fists tightly as he red at the figure of Yang Zenke.


    The first part of thepetition was over and only 128 participants remained from the several thousand that joined. Among the 128 remaining participants, most of them are 4th-rank Knight Crusaders. More than twenty of them were 3rd-rank Crusaders and there were also a few at the 5th-rank Spirit realm.


    Among the 5th-rank Spirit realm participants was the fourth prince Dante Silveria, the strongest disciple of the Beiming Family Beiming Chu, and a disciple from a declining noble family Zhu Ren. These three young men had the highest cultivation level among the participants and they were also the most likely to get the first ce. However, there were also several individuals with great power whose cultivation levels were only at the 4th-rank Knight Crusader, so it was still unknown who woulde out as the final winner.


    All the youths that Jiu Shen brought with him passed the first round. Although the cultivation level of Han Sen and the others were not as high as Yang Zenke¡¯s, their overall strength was significantly stronger than those disciples who were grown inside the safe environment of their ns and sects.


    As for Lu Sn¡¯s disciples, all ten of them simrly passed the first round, but they had injuries all over their bodies which was a stark contrast to Yang Zenke¡¯s group who appeared to be unharmed.


    "Master, are all of them body enhancers?" Lu Sn asked as she looked at the youths behind Jiu Shen. She was also surprised when she learned that Yang Zenke was a body enhancer.


    Standing behind Lu Sn, her disciples were simrly curious to know this. They didn¡¯t think that these cold-looking youths were also body enhancers aside from being cultivators.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly in reply. "Indeed. It is not just them, the remaining ones who didn¡¯t join thepetition are also body enhancers."


    His words shocked Lu Sn and her disciples.


    It must be noted that training one¡¯s physical body was very difficult without the help of an expert. Pills and resources might be able to increase the growth of a body enhancer, but without the help of an expert on body enhancement, one¡¯s growth would be very slow and painful.


    "This... Master, can you-"


    "No!" Jiu Shen cut her off without letting her finish her words. He knew what she was about to say.


    "I haven¡¯t even said anything yet." Lu Sn pouted as she looked at Jiu Shen.


    "Sn, I know what you¡¯re thinking, but it isn¡¯t as easy as you think. I will be honest with you, among Yang Zenke¡¯s group, some of them almost died after undergoing my intense training. You have seen for yourself how I trained them. Do you think that your disciples can withstand that kind of torturous training?" Jiu Shen asked calmly.


    Lu Sn remained silent after hearing that. She wanted to offer a rebuttal, but she could not find any words to say. In the end, she could only shake her in regret.


    She had seen how intense the training of Yang Zenke¡¯s group was, and she was certain that her disciples would notst a day with that kind of training.


    "Go! Tend to their wounds. There is only one hour to prepare for the next part of thepetition." Jiu Shen patted her shoulder gently as he handed Lu Sn ten healing pills.

 Chapter 203 - Liu Mengdi Reveals His Power

    <h4>Chapter 203 - Liu Mengdi Reveals His Power </h4>


    There were one hundred battle tforms in the venue earlier, but now, 92 were taken out by the organizers, so there were only eight battle tforms left.


    30:00


    29:59


    Thirty minutes left before the next part of thepetition. All the remaining participants were preparing themselves with utmost seriousness. The 128 participants who passed the first round were all strong individuals and none of them were soft potatoes, so everyone did not dare waste their time.


    Suddenly, the elder who was standing on top of the flying carpet announced loudly. "Participants! Prepare for the drawing of lots! The next round is a one on one battle between the remaining contestants. The pairing will go like this: 1 vs 128, 2 vs 127, 3 vs 126, and so on! Now go!"


    Everyone¡¯s ears perked up upon hearing his words.


    The next part of thepetition was a one versus one battle, and the pairing was chosen by drawing lots. It was down to their luck on whoever they were paired with. Some of them were already praying to not be paired with the three participants who were at the 5th-rank Spirit realm.


    After the elder¡¯s announcement, all the participants immediately went to draw lots. Some were nervous, while the others looked confident.


    "Brother Yang, what number did you get?" Han Sen asked while peeking at the piece of paper that was in Yang Zenke¡¯s hands.


    Yang Zenke ignored him as he took a look at the number that he had picked:


    7


    "7? That means my opponent is 122. Who could it be?" Yang Zenke muttered as he handed the piece of paper to Han Sen.


    Han Sen and the others heaved a sigh of relief after knowing that they weren¡¯t paired with him.


    "Number 7? Good thing no one is paired among us brothers. I got number 13, I wonder who my opponent will be..." Han Sen said.


    Yang Zenke nced at the three strongest contestants. He wanted to see who among them was the strongest. As for the others, he didn¡¯t ce them in his eyes at all. It wasn¡¯t blind confidence, but he really had the strength to defeat those at the same level of cultivation as him.


    Thirty minutester.


    "Participant number 1 and participant number 128, proceed to the first battle tform. Participant number 2 and participant number 127, proceed to the second battle tform..."


    "Participant number 7 and participant number 122, proceed to the seventh battle tform."


    "Good luck, Brother Yang!"


    "Good luck, Brother Yang!"


    Han Sen and the others said as they looked at Yang Zenke¡¯s figure. They also wanted to see who his opponent was.


    Yang Zenke stood on the seventh battle tform and eyed his opponent with a calm look. His opponent wasn¡¯t someone famous, but he was still an early stage 4th-rank Knight Crusader. Although he could already be considered as one of the best in the younger generation, he was still nothing in front of Yang Zenke.


    Yang Zenke didn¡¯t even need to draw out his sword to defeat the guy, and he ended the fight in just a few moves. It wasn¡¯t even suspenseful.


    Yang Zenke didn¡¯t show any overwhelming power, but his win was very straightforward, so it still garnered a bit of attention from the crowd.


    After his victory, Yang Zenke leaped off the stage with a calm look. He was already expecting the congrattions of his friends, but he suddenly discovered that their attention was not on him. Instead, he saw them looking at the eighth battle tform with shocked gazes.


    Yang Zenke was curious when he saw this, so he also shifted his gaze on the eighth battle tform. There he saw a familiar figure. "Isn¡¯t this Young Master Liu Mengdi? Wait... His cultivation level! 5th-rank Spirit realm?!"


    It was not just Yang Zenke, everyone from the crowd was simrly surprised when they sensed the level of cultivation that Liu Mengdi revealed. Who would have thought that this guy was actually a 5th-rank Spirit realm? The person that they treated as an arrogant silkpants was actually a top expert of the younger generation!


    On top of the eighth battle tform, the expression of Liu Mengdi¡¯s opponent did not look good. Just a few moments ago, he was still d and excited that he was paired with the renowned trash young master of the Liu Family. Looking at it now, he could only sigh as he stared at Liu Mengdi who was now wearing a light smile.


    "Young Master Liu, you hid yourself well. To think that you are actually a 5th-rank Spirit realm cultivator. I still find it hard to believe, but the proof is already in front of my eyes... I admit defeat." Liu Mengdi¡¯s opponent shook his head regretfully as he looked at Liu Mengdi. He was only an early stage 4th-rank Knight Crusader and he was not confident enough that he could defeat someone who was one realm higher than him.


    Liu Mengdi remained silent and he just smiled brilliantly at the crowd as he looked at everyone¡¯s faces. His gaze lingered longer on the Liu Family¡¯s people and those that met his gaze felt scared. They could feel the strong murderous intention behind Liu Mengdi¡¯s warm expression.


    "Woah! I never knew that Young Master Liu is actually hiding his true strength! He is even on the same level as the fourth prince and the other two who are at the 5th-rank Spirit realm! I wonder why he is hiding his strength all this time..."


    "Bro, do you not know about the current circumstances of the Liu Family? Listen closely, Young Master Liu¡¯s uncles are nning to take the patriarch position forcibly. Most of the noble families already know this, but I¡¯m still perplexed as to why Young Master Liu revealed his strength. I mean, he could have remained hidden until he has the strength to defeat his uncles. That way, he would be able to grow without getting detected."


    "Something must have happened in the Liu Family the made Young Master Liu reveal his strength."


    The crowd discussed animatedly after they learned about the true strength of Liu Mengdi. The internal conflict of the Liu Family was also discussed by them after this surprising revtion.


    The uncles of Liu Mengdi who were watching thispetition frowned.


    "This brat is actually a 5th-rank Knight Crusader?! This won¡¯t do! We have to eliminate him while he¡¯s still young. We¡¯ve already provoked this father and son pair and we face Liu Mengdi¡¯s retaliation if we don¡¯t kill him now."


    "It¡¯s not a good idea to kill him now. Let¡¯s wait until thepetition is over before we make our moves. This ce is protected by the Silveria Imperial Family and it is unwise to offend them."


    "You¡¯re right. We must make sure that this brat would not see the sun after thispetition is over. He is still so young, but his cultivation is already in the 5th-rank Spirit realm. Such a talent would be a very dangerous threat to us if we leave him be."


    Liu Mengdi¡¯s uncles discussed among themselves. They were itching to kill Liu Mengdi after they saw his true strength. Who would not fear such a talent? They didn¡¯t want their ns to be spoiled by his sudden show of strength. They knew that they would not end well if Liu Mengdi was left alive!

 Chapter 204 - Emperors Protection

    <h4>Chapter 204 - Emperor''s Protection </h4>


    The second part of thepetition continued for more than five hours, but this amount of time was nothing to cultivators. In fact, the crowd was still in a state of excitement after watching the battle between the best of Silver Wing Empire¡¯s younger generation. However, the part which everyone was more excited about was the revtion of Liu Mengdi¡¯s cultivation level.


    Liu Mengdi had also be one of those considered as the most likely to win in thispetition. He was evenpared to the three participants who had the same level of cultivation as him.


    Liu Mengdi who was the man of the day was nowhere to be seen after all the battles were finished. It was as if he had suddenly disappeared.


    Many were curious about his sudden disappearance, and everyone had various spections about why he was gone. Some said that he was hiding, while others said that he was secretly killed. However, no one knows that had truly happened except for one person who was watching Liu Mengdi¡¯s every action through his spiritual perception. This person was none other than Jiu Shen.


    He had been monitoring Liu Mengdi from the start and he knew where thetter had gone to.


    "Everyone! The one versus one battle will be continued tomorrow morning! To the remaining participants, make sure that you won¡¯t bete or you will be disqualified immediately!" The elder on top of the flying carpet said in a loud booming voice.


    Just as the crowd had started to disperse, Emperor Elyk suddenly stood up from his seat and said with a dignified tone. "Before everyone leaves, I would like to say a few words." He paused as he surveyed the crowd.


    The emperor then continued after seeing that everyone was looking at him. "All the remaining participants will be protected by the Silveria Imperial Family. If I ever find out that they are harmed by anyone, I would not sit idly by."


    The emperor¡¯s voice was calm and cold, and everyone could sense the seriousness in his tone. This was a warning! A warning specifically aimed at the uncles of Liu Mengdi!


    The emperor was a wise person and he didn¡¯t want the young elites of his Silver Wing Empire to perish before they could even grow. He wanted to protect them since they would be a valuable asset to the empire when their strengths reach a certain point.


    The faces of Liu Mengdi¡¯s uncles turned gloomy upon hearing that. Although the emperor didn¡¯t implicitly speak about anyone, they knew that these words were meant for them. They were angry, but they didn¡¯t dare talk back to the emperor.


    The emperor¡¯s gaze lingered on them for a brief moment and this made Liu Mengdi¡¯s three uncles freeze on the spot. That gaze was an obvious warning!


    Some people from the crowd sneered at the three of them, while others wore mocking smiles on their faces. Everyone didn¡¯t like these three. They just did not show it since they were deeply afraid of the three¡¯s revenge.


    "Let¡¯s go!" The three uncles of Liu Mengdi left the venue. They had already embarrassed themselves enough and they no longer wanted to continue spectating the event. Besides, the emperor had already stated his warning. It would be foolish to kill Liu Mengdi in front of arge crowd, so they could only choose to wait until the martial artspetition was over.


    The crowd finally dispersed after that short interlude.


    "Brother Yang, how many among you guys won in the one versus one battle?" Xiao Hua initiated a conversation between her and Yang Zenke. This of course made their friends whistle and smile knowingly.


    Yang Zenke spaced out when he saw the beautiful Xiao Hua who was standing in front of him. Just a few months ago, he could not even dream toe in contact with the noble youngdies of the empire, but now, he was already considered as one of the best in the younger generation, and he had already earned the admiration of countless young maidens.


    Yang Zenke calmed himself secretly and answered in a slightly milder tone. "Among the ten of us, two are eliminated. One of them was paired with the fourth prince, and the other one was defeated by the Xue Family¡¯s Xue Tong."


    Yang Zenke was not foolish enough to believe that he had captured the heart of Xiao Hua after revealing his strength. The girl was at the peak stage of the 4th-rank Knight Crusader and he was only at the early stage of the 4th-rank Knight Crusader. He believed that Xiao Hua was merely curious about the results of their group¡¯s battles.


    Xiao Hua eximed when she heard bis reply. "Woah! Someone from you guys was actually paired with the fourth prince? How unlucky! That Xue Tong guy is also strong, so the defeat of your brother is not shameful. As for my sisters, only five of us managed to win our battles. Sigh."


    Xiao Hua and her junior sisters might have a high level of cultivation, but their battle experience was almost non-existent, so their results were not that greatpared to Yang Zenke¡¯s group.


    "They still have the chance to join the next martial artspetition, so losing is not a problem. They could use their defeats as a motivation to cultivate even harder." Yang Zenke¡¯s voice was still slightly cold, but Xiao Hua did not mind this. She thought that they might have been infected by Jiu Shen¡¯s cold personality after being trained by him for more than a month.


    "Thank you for your words, Brother Yang. Excuse me. I¡¯ll go back to my sisters." Xiao Hua smiled at Yang Zenke before she left.


    Yang Zenke watched her retreating figure with unblinking eyes. His thoughts were indiscernible.


    Smack.


    Han Sen smacked Yang Zenke¡¯s back and looked at him with a light smile.


    Looking at his friend¡¯s smile, Yang Zenke had the urge to punch his face, but he could not bear to do it as it might make the others create unnecessary assumptions.


    "Brother Yang, you like her, don¡¯t you? Hahaha! Come on! I know that look in your eyes. Hahaha!" Han Senughed exaggeratedly as he patted Yang Zenke¡¯s back.


    Yang Zenke aimed a punch at Han Sen¡¯s face, but it was easily avoided by thetter.


    "Stop spouting nonsense or I¡¯ll beat you up really good." Yang Zenke red at his friend.


    Han Sen put on a fake look of fear, but a light smirk can be seen on his lips. "Alright! Alright! Let¡¯s not talk about that. Let¡¯s talk about serious matters. Are you confident in getting into the top three?"


    If this question was heard by anyone else, they would surely be surprised. Their cultivation levels were on the lower end of the spectrum among the remaining participants, but they were actually talking about getting into the top three as if it was just an easy matter to aplish...


    Yang Zenke was silent for a moment before he eventually nodded his head. "I should be able to rank in the top 3, but it¡¯s not my goal. I want to get the first ce."


    Han Sen was surprised, but he suddenly smiled. "Hahaha! That¡¯s right! With the teachings of master, it would not be a problem for you to rank in the top 3. As for getting first ce... It¡¯s hard to say, but I¡¯m rooting for you, Brother Yang! Hahaha!"

 Chapter 205 - Would I Help Them?

    <h4>Chapter 205 - Would I Help Them? </h4>


    With the emperor¡¯s protection, all the participants who had somehow provoke a lot of enemies felt relieved in their hearts. They also felt grateful to the emperor who had graced them with his protection. It might have been just a few words from Emperor Elyk, but it was equivalent to giving them ayer of defense which was already a significant help to these budding talents.


    It was already night time and Jiu Shen was sitting on a chair on top of the roof of their lodging house. He was gazing at the moon with an unreadable expression on his face. He was also carrying a small girl in his arms who had a hair full of short white hair.


    Standing behind Jiu Shen was a woman with long purple hair. She was looking at the man with respect and admiration.


    "That was truly a good move from Elyk. He earned the gratitude of all the young elites by merely saying a few words and he didn¡¯t even have anything to worry about the Liu Family since their strength is divided right now. This move of him also increased his prestige and authority. Now, everyone should be praising him for being such a good emperor." Jiu Shen suddenly said. His voice was calm and indifferent, but there was a tinge of emotion in his tone. It was unknown if it was admiration or something else.


    "That human is not bad, but he is growing old. And from what I¡¯ve seen, all his three eldest sons are just a bunch of good for nothing people! The crown prince is a lecherous bastard, the second prince might be dead and a demon is using his identity to infiltrate the Profound Dragon Continent. As for the third prince, although he is talented in the art of war, he is a very arrogant and conceited person. All three of them are not fit to carry his mantle and the Silver Wing Empire would never have a good day if one of them manage to sit in on the throne. I don¡¯t know what that Elyk human is trying to do that he actually allowed those three idiots to fight for the position. Meow." Ice sneered in contempt as she mentioned the three eldest princes. She then puffed her cheeks after she talked. It was obvious that she didn¡¯t like the three of them.


    Long Meili remained silent and she just smiled after hearing the words of the little girl.


    Jiu Shen rubbed the girl¡¯s head gently and remained silent for a moment before he said calmly. "Elyk did it intentionally. He allowed those three to fight for the throne, but none of them would be his final sessor."


    Ice was confused and she blinked her adorably big eyes as she stared at Jiu Shen¡¯s face. "Stinky human, what do you mean? Meow." She asked curiously.


    Long Meili was not as curious as her, but she still took a step forward to take a clearer look at Jiu Shen¡¯s face. She wanted to hear his answer.


    Jiu Shen pinched Ice¡¯s cheeks which made thetter pout in dissatisfaction, but a wave of warmth enveloped her heart. It was not a romantic kind of feeling, but something simr to that of familial warmth. It has been long since she hadst felt this, so it made her a bit teary-eyed. Ice hurriedly looked down to avoid the gazes of Jiu Shen and Long Meili. She did not want anyone to see her cry.


    "Elyk merely allowed those three to fight among themselves in order to give time for his sessor to grow. As for who his sessor is, it is between the fourth prince and the fifth princess. Among his five children, only the two of them have the right temperament to be the next emperor." Jiu Shen said as he stroked Ice¡¯s short white hair.


    The two girls pondered upon hearing his words.


    "So that¡¯s how it is! I didn¡¯t think that an old man like him is actually half as smart as me! Meow!" Ice¡¯s tone sounded smug, but Jiu Shen and Long Meili merely smiled when they heard that.


    The three became silent after that short interaction.


    Jiu Shen continued to gaze at the moon as he reminisced about his experiences in his past life.


    As Jiu Shen was recalling his distant memories, he saw a small group of youths walking outside of their lodging house. Each of the youths had great temperaments, and they were strong for their age.


    Jiu Shen knew who these guys were. These young elites were among those who had won in the one versus one battle.


    "His Majesty is truly magnanimous and kind. It is our Silver Wing Empire¡¯s luck to have such a capable and just leader."


    "I¡¯m just a bit worried. Although His Majesty is a strong expert, our Silver Wing Empire has quite a number of enemies from all sides. I even heard from some passing merchants that the Blue Fang Empire is already nning to attack our empire."


    "Blue Fang Empire? Although they are not weak, our Silver Wing Empire is many times stronger than them, so you don¡¯t have to worry about their attack. Besides, can they even fight against our empire¡¯s Silver Wing Army?"


    "Hahaha! You are right! Our Silver Wing Army only epts 3rd-Crusaders, and there are about ten thousand of them on standby. Any normal army would be ripped to shreds by their fierce attack."


    Jiu Shen chuckled in his heart when he heard their conversation.


    "Silver Wing Army? Could the empire¡¯s Silver Wing Army handle the Undying Corpse Sect¡¯s undead army? And they even have those elite corpse puppet in their arsenal..." Jiu Shen muttered under his breath.


    ording to the intel that Ren Shuang gathered. He discovered that the Undying Corpse Sect was secretly nurturing thousands of undead in their hideout. These undeads were not just random undeads either. Each of them was the corpses of deceased experts, so their strength was not weak at all!


    From what Ren Shuang had discovered thus far, the overall strength that the Undying Corpse Sect and Xue Family possess is enough to trample the Silver Wing Empire! The Silveria Imperial Family would not be able to fight them equally unless if they get the support of the Liu Family, Beiming Family, and the other noble families. And even if they did offer their assistance, they would still be at a disadvantage.


    ¡¯If that timees, would I help them?¡¯ Jiu Shen closed his eyes as he pondered deeply in his heart.

 Chapter 206 - Contest Resumes

    <h4>Chapter 206 - Contest Resumes </h4>


    The next day, everyone went towards the venue of the martial artspetition. The atmosphere was filled with excitement and anticipation as the crowd waited for the contest to begin.


    Suddenly, the overseer of thepetition came flying through the air in his flying carpet. He surveyed everyone as he loudly announced. "Good morning, everyone! Today, we will continue the one versus one battle for the remaining 64 participants. I request all the participants to prepare for the next drawing of lots!"


    One by one, the contestants came forward. Some of them had uneasy looks, while others had confident expressions.


    "Look! Young Master Liu is here!"


    "So Young Master Liu only avoided arge crowd to hide. I can¡¯t me him though. His uncles must be nning to assassinate him!"


    "They do, but they would never dare do that while contest is still ongoing. His Majesty has already issued his warning and they would be seeking death if they harm Young Master Liu here."


    Most of the crowd shifted their gazes to Liu Mengdi. Everyone could see the same carefree smile hanging on his face. It was as if no one was after his life.


    Liu Mengdi nced at the participants. Each of them was strong in their own right and none of there were easy to deal with. However, he was surprised that there were actually a few 3rd-rank Crusaders who had survived until this round. And the most shocking thing was that they were wearing the same set of clothes. That means, all those 3rd-rank Crusaders came from the same sect!


    "I think they are the youths who came with Wine Master Jiu. Are they Wine Master Jiu¡¯s disciples?" Liu Mengdi suddenly became curious about them.


    It must be noted that almost all that remained were 4th-rank Knight Crusaders, so it was truly surprising how some 3rd-rank Crusaders were able to survive until now.


    "Their strength should not be ordinary. I think they are even stronger than most of the 4th-rank Knight Crusaders here. Wine Master Jiu, I admire you even more now..." Liu Mengdi then eyed the other contestants and his gaze was glued to the three members of his Liu Family.


    He knew who they were. They were the sons of his three uncles!


    Looking at them, the eyes of Liu Mengdi became icy-cold and he did not even bother to conceal his killing intent.


    The three youths sensed his piercing gaze and they immediately nced in his direction. When they discovered that it was Liu Mengdi, their eyes shed with a hint of horror. They had always bullied Liu Mengdi since they were young, but looking at it now, they did not even dare to look straight in his eyes!


    After a few more minutes, the drawing of lots was concluded and the first 8 pairs were called toe up on their battle tforms.


    Xiao Hua versus Beiming Lin


    Han Sen versus Mu Ta


    Dante Silveria versus Xue Eng


    ...


    Xiao Hua¡¯s opponent was the same guy that fought with Yang Zenke in the battle royale yesterday. She did not have a good impression of this young man because of his conceited attitude.


    "Young Miss, please be lenient with me." Beiming Lin smiled in a gentlemanly manner. He was enchanted by Xiao Hua¡¯s beautiful face. He likes her icy temperament and cool bearing.


    Hmph!


    Xiao Hua did not reply and she merely snorted at him. She was already at the peak stage of the 4th-rank Knight Crusader and her opponent was only at the early stage of the 4th-rank Knight Crusader. She was confident that she could beat him in less than five moves.


    Beiming Lin could sense Xiao Hua¡¯s contempt and this made him feel slightly embarrassed. Since when was he treated like this by a woman?


    Shing!


    Xiao Hua unsheathed her sword and she did not even give Beiming Lin the time to gather hisposure as she shed out her sword, producing countless kes of ice around their battle tform.


    Beiming Lin felt freezingly cold and his movements seemed to have be slower. This made him feel deeply afraid. He hastily lifted his sword to block Xiao Hua¡¯s strike, but it was easily swatted away by her.


    ng. ng. ng.


    Beiming Lin¡¯s weapon tumbled a few times before it rested twenty meters away from him.


    Xiao Hua did not allow her opponent to move and she immediately raised her sword¡¯s de to his neck.


    Beiming Lin immediately ceased movements when he sensed the coldness on his neck. He then nced at the sword that was only a few centimeters away from his skin. The sight of it made him feel dread, so he promptly said.


    "I admit defeat!"


    Xiao Hua red at him before she sheathed her sword back to its scabbard.


    "You are not even worth mentioningpared to Brother Yang." She said before she leaped out of her battle tform.


    Beiming Lin was rooted on his spot when he heard that, but he could only sigh in his heart. He was indeed not confident about beating Yang Zenke and he even feared thetter¡¯s crazy fighting style.


    "I may not be able to defeat him, but my cousin Beiming Chu can definitely trample him! Hmph!" Beiming Lin said as he resentfully stepped down the battle tform. He was defeated and he was not even able tost for more than three moves.


    On another battle tform, the fourth prince Dante Silveria was also able to defeat his opponent in just one move. No one was surprised about this oue and they merely cheered loudly.


    "Look at that guy! He¡¯s only a peak stage 3rd-rank Crusader, but he is fighting toe to toe with mid stage 4th-rank Knight Crusader! What a tough person!"


    "What¡¯s his name again? Is it Han Sen or something? He fights like a wild beast! He does not even care about getting injured! This guy is a madman!"


    Yang Zenke smirked as he listened to the crowd¡¯s discussion. They were talking about his good friend Han Sen and this made him feel proud.


    "Brother Han could have easily defeated this guy, but he is using their battle to stimte his breakthrough to the next realm. Hehe." Yang Zenke muttered silently, but Xiao Hua who was now right beside him was able to hear his words.


    "Brother Yang, you mean Brother Han is trying to break through to the 4th-rank Knight Crusader?!" Xiao Hua eximed in shock. She could not help but admire the young man who was fighting without caring for his injuries. Who would want to achieve a breakthrough in that manner? Perhaps only a madman like him would do it...


    Yang Zenke merely smiled at her. His eyes were glued on the figure of his friend and the light in his pupils shed with excitement.


    On top of the battle tform, Han Sen was already riddled with cuts and bruises. From the eyes of others, he was bound to be defeated. However, a few top-ranked experts from the crowd suddenly sensed a shocking revtion.


    Han Sen was torturing himself to achieve a breakthrough!


    Upon discovering this, they silently praised his determination. Not everyone was willing to harm themselves like that for a breakthrough...

 Chapter 207 - Han Sens Crazy Breakthrough

    <h4>Chapter 207 - Han Sen''s Crazy Breakthrough </h4>


    Han Sen wore a fierce look as he eyed his opponent. The attacks were already hurting him, but he has yet to achieve his breakthrough.


    ¡¯This won¡¯t do! I have to gamble this!¡¯ Han Sen said in his heart as he lowered his defensive stance. He decided to go on full offensive while letting go of his defense. It was a very stupid thing to do especially in a fight that involves the use of weapons.


    "What the hell is that guy doing?! Had he gone crazy?! It¡¯s not just him. All the other guys who came with Wine Master Jiu are a bunch of crazy lunatics. They fight like madmen and they would not even care if they get severely injured."


    "Their cultivation level is lower than their counterpart, so they have to do this in order to somehow bridge the gap. I admit that I admire these kids¡¯ resilience."


    Han Sen waved his sword like a deranged person and the look in his eyes contained a tinge of excitement. Han Sen¡¯s crazed expression made his opponent feel a sense of fear despite the fact that he was on the winning end.


    ng! ng! ng!


    Their swords shed multiple times, and during the first exchange, Han Sen was always at a disadvantage, but as time goes on, Mu Ta¡¯s movements were slowing down as fatigue slowly enveloped his entire being.


    ¡¯This fucking madman! Is he out of his mind?! He is not even blocking my strikes! And despite his severe injuries, his movements seemed to have be faster instead of slowing down! Impossible!¡¯ Mu Ta cursed in his heart as he looked at Han Sen¡¯s bloodied figure. He looked like a devil who had walked out of a mountain of corpses! Coupled with his deranged smile and aggressive attacks, he was almost no different than a devil!


    "More! More!" Han Sen sprinted towards Mu Ta as he raised his sword. He was full of openings and weak spots, but Mu Ta did not dare attack him. If he would, Mu Ta would also receive a substantial amount of damage!


    ng! ng!


    Bang!


    Han Sen was thrown to the ground by a fierce sword attack, but he immediately rose to his feet!


    Blood dripped from to the ground beneath him, forming a small puddle of crimson-red liquid.


    Han Sen¡¯s dantian was already filled with true essence and only one final push was left before he could breakthrough.


    By this point, even his opponent had already sensed what he was up to, and this made Mu Ta silently admire Han Sen¡¯s tenacity and persistence.


    Mu Ta suddenly stopped in his tracks. His sword danced in the air as he waved it around him in slow motion. "Taichi Sword Dance. de of the Paragon!" He shouted as his slow sword movements suddenly became ten times faster.


    Dozens of fierce sword lights streaked towards Han Sen.


    Han Sen¡¯s eyes dted, but he hurriedly struck his sword on the ground while both his hands rested on its hilt. He wanted to face this sword technique head on!


    At this moment, even the normally taciturn Yang Zenke was feeling nervous. This was a dangerous moment and Han Sen might receive a fatal damage even if he breaks through. He could not help but take a look at Jiu Shen who was also watching this fight. However, Jiu Shen¡¯s expression remained eternally calm as we stared at this scene.


    Pu! Pu! Pu! Pu!


    Han Sen¡¯s body received more than a dozen cuts, but he remained standing on his feet as he fiercely gripped the hilt of his sword.


    Ahhh!


    Han Sen shouted like a beast and as if resonating with him, the final barrier in his dantian was finally broken! He had achieved a breakthrough and he was now an early stage 4th-rank Knight Crusader!


    Han Sen spat a mouthful of blood. His injuries were not light and anyone else would have already copsed up until this point, but he was still standing erect like a spear!


    At this moment, only Han Sen¡¯s eyes were spotlessly clean, while the rest of his body was already covered by his blood!


    After Han Sen achieved his breakthrough, he suddenly pounced towards the tired Mu Ta. Han Sen spun in midair with his sword, looking like a sharp spinner as he came closer to Mu Ta.


    aang!!


    A fierce nging sound resounded as the swords of the two young men met. And to everyone¡¯s surprise, Mu Ta was thrown away like a ragdoll!


    Bang!


    The man was instantly put to sleep as hended outside of the battle tform face-first!


    "Han Sen wins!" The overseer announced with a slight surprise in his tone. It was the most epiceback throughout the whole event!


    "What ad! He actually managed to win at the final sh!"


    "He achieved a breakthrough during theirst exchange! How resilient his spirit is!"


    "Could he still fight his next battle in that state?"


    "Of course! Wine Master Jiu is an Alchemy Saint and he could just casually cough up a miraculous healing pill that could help this guy recover from his injuries."


    The crowd was definitely stunned by Han Sen¡¯s crazy disy of tenacity. Everyone was already expecting him to be defeated, but they were proven wrong after he suddenly broke through to the early stage of the 4th-rank Knight Crusader. His opponent was not even able tost a single blow from him after his breakthrough. It was a very shocking fight!


    "Give this to him." Jiu Shen suddenly said as he reached out his right hand to Yang Zenke. A small bright-red pill can be seen on his palms.


    Yang Zenke nodded his head at him as he picked up the pill. He was very familiar with this pill since Jiu Shen always gave this to them after their daily torturous training. It was a very effective pill in healing injuries and invigorating their blood. After ingesting it many times, he had also learned of the pill¡¯s name from Jiu Shen himself. It was a 9th-rank pill called the Blood Restoring Dan.


    Although it was a precious 9th-rank pill, Jiu Shen did not feel a pinch for giving it away like that. He could casually refine dozens of such pill in less than an hour if he had the necessary ingredients, so it was not worth mentioning to him.


    Yang Zenke leaped on top of Han Sen¡¯s battle tform and handed him the pill.


    "Buddy, everyone thought that you have gone crazy. Only our brothers knew that the fighting style you showed was something that we had learned in that world filled with savage beasts. Congrattions on your breakthrough and also for winning the fight!" Yang Zenke patted Han Sen¡¯s shoulder as he said that and thetter immediately groaned in a fake manner.


    Ow!


    Yang Zenke immediately smacked the back of Han Sen¡¯s head using his palms. "Quit faking it. Let¡¯s go back to master. Your injuries are quite heavy this time."


    Han Sen smiled wryly as he replied. "Okay, Brother Yang. You nag more than master."


    Yang Zenke raised his right hand, but Han Sen instantly sprinted before the former could even hit him.

 Chapter 208 - Xue Tongs Madness

    <h4>Chapter 208 - Xue Tong''s Madness </h4>


    It was the third day of the martial arts contest and the remaining contestants are only 16 individuals. Without suspense, the four 5th-rank Spirit realm participants were among the remaining ones.


    Yang Zenke, Xiao Hua, and Han Sen were also among the remaining participants, while the rest of their team had failed to reach the top 16.


    The most surprising thing of all, the fifth princess was also among the top 16 and her cultivation level had unimaginably reached the peak-stage of the 4th-rank Knight Crusader! Although it was not muchpared to the other remaining participants, her sword techniques and skill were higher than most of them.


    The emperor also exined in a jovial tone the reason why Princess Sylvia managed to increase her cultivation level with such an absurd speed. She had actually consumed a 9th-rank spiritual fruit which immediately created a chance for her breakthrough.


    Everyone eximed at the princess¡¯ luck to have actually eaten such a precious spiritual fruit and even some of the patriarchs sighed in jealousy. They could not be med though. After all, it was a 9th-rank spiritual fruit. Something at that level was extremely hard to find and could not even be bought using True Crystals.


    There was only one battle tform left in the venue and the crowd became noticeablyrger than two days ago. Many guests from outside of Beltran City came to spectate the event and they also wanted to see the best fighters of their Silver Wing Empire¡¯s younger generation.


    Jiu Shen was seated on the same spot together with his people. On his sides were Long Meili and his senior disciple Lu Sn. Sitting on hisp was the adorable little girl, Ice. The little girl was sucking on a bottle that was filled with milk. Her expression was that of delight as she closed her eyes while enjoying her bottle of milk.


    Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.


    Ah~


    Ice licked her lips after letting out a satisfied sound.


    "Stinky human, I like this one. Can I have three of this everyday? Meow." Ice said as she looked at the bottle of milk in her hand with her big round eyes.


    Jiu Shen rubbed her head gently and nodded his head at her. "Mn." He replied softly.


    Ice giggled happily after getting his approval.


    "Everyone! It is the third day of the martial arts contest and all of us will see the top 16 youths of our Silver Wing Empire battle among themselves to prove who among them is worthy to be crowned as the top youth of the generation! The top 8 contestants will also receive a reward depending on their ranks and as to what kind of rewards it will be, I cannot divulge it now. Without further ado, I will now call the first contestants toe up on stage! Princess Sylvia and Young Master Xue Tong, please go to the battle tform!" The overseer announced in a loud voice. His words immediately stirred the excitement of the crowd and when he called the first contestants, everyone pped their hands exaggeratedly.


    Xue Tong was the son of the Xue Family¡¯s supreme elder, Xue Yangkun. He was a waste and a bully just a few months ago, but he suddenly became one of the youths of the Silver Wing Empire. As for how he had increased his strength in such a short amount of time, no one had any idea aside from Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen knew that Xue Tong¡¯s strength had increased tremendously after he managed to cultivate the Undying Corpse Sect¡¯s Nightmare Corpse Mantra. It was an evil technique that needs more than a hundred human sacrifices in order to achieve a breakthrough and it was this very technique that helped Xue Tong increase his cultivation level in such a short amount of time.


    It was unknown how many lives were lost just to make the once trash Xue Tong into what he is right now.


    Xue Tong was wearing a set of purple and ck robes with the insignia of their Xue Family on his back. A grim-looking sickle can be seen strapped behind his back. It was scary to look at and some women from the crowd even flinched at the sight of it.


    "What kind of weapon is that? It looks too unsightly and insidious! Will he use that to fight with Her Highness?"


    "We don¡¯t have to worry about that. Her Highness is already at the peak-stage of the 4th-rank Knight Crusader and her strength is on par with Young Master Xue Tong¡¯s level. Besides, there are a few imperial guards below the battle tform who would immediately rescue anyone from impending doom."


    "You might be right, but this kind of weapon is too much to be used in a contest like this. I wonder if His Majesty would allow Xue Tong to fight Her Highness using it."


    Princess Sylvia wore a nervous look when she saw the malicious-looking weapon behind Xue Tong. She might have increased her cultivation level by a lot, but her battle experience was nothing muchpared to the other participants, so she was anxious to see such a scary weapon. She could not help but nce at the emperor, but she only received his fierce re.


    "There is no rule that restricted anyone in using any kind of weapon, so this is not against the rules. Proceed with the battle." Emperor Elyk said in a dignified tone.


    Xue Tong secretly heaved a sigh of relief upon getting the emperor¡¯s approval. He then bowed at Princess Sylvia with a smile on his face. "Your Highness, you don¡¯t have to worry about this weapon. It only looks scary, but it¡¯s just simr to any ordinary sickle." He chuckled, but his voice sounded eerily calm which made Princess Sylvia feel that something was wrong. However, she could not pinpoint where her nervousness came from.


    "Xue Tong, you don¡¯t need to speak so much nonsense. Take out that ugly weapon and fight with me!" Princess Sylvia uttered as she put on a brave front. She did not want the others to see her anxiousness, so she could only fake a calm look.


    Xue Tong was raging inside his heart. He liked this little demoness since they were young and he had also courted her many times. However, Sylvia was a violent woman and she always beat him up with the help of others. He resented her for rejecting him, but he could not do anything about it back then because there was the behemoth Silveria Imperial Family protecting her.


    But things are different now... He had the backing of the Undying Corpse Sect and the much stronger Xue Family! And the thing that excited him the most was the news of Elder Ming¡¯s sessful breakthrough! He was now an individual that surpassed the realms of mortals! And the time when their Xue Family takes over the throne was drawing closer. In fact, they would immediately act after the martial arts contest!


    It was the best opportunity to destroy the Silveria Imperial Family and their loyal subordinates in one go!


    ¡¯Little bitch, let¡¯s see how long you can keep up that arrogant look on your face! I will fuck you in front of your father and brothers, then I will kill them after fucking you!¡¯ Xue Tongughed manically in his heart. His pair of onyx eyes radiated with a vicious glow.

 Chapter 209 - Angry Emperor Elyk

    <h4>Chapter 209 - Angry Emperor Elyk </h4>


    The fifth princess wore a solemn look as she slowly pulled out her sword. It was not an ordinary weapon. It was an Earth Weapon and something that was almost on the level of Saint Weapons! From this, it could be seen how much the emperor doted on this daughter of his.


    Xue Tong¡¯s eyes remained frighteningly cold and he did not even bat an eye despite seeing the high-level sword of Princess Sylvia. Her weapon might be a tad stronger than his sickle, but because of the princess¡¯ck of fighting experience, he could still overpower her. Not to mention that he still had a few things up his sleeves!


    The crowd held their breaths as they watched the face-off between these two young elites. Even the emperor who looked calm outwardly was already panicking in his heart. He was worried about his daughter¡¯s safety especially because she was facing someone with more experience than her. The emperor could also sense a sinister auraing from Xue Tong and this made him fall into deep contemtion. ¡¯This kind of sensation is simr to the unique aura of the Undying Corpse Sect... Could it be that... the Xue Family is really rted to the Undying Corpse Sect? That means those things discovered by my people were all true...¡¯


    When the emperor¡¯s train of thoughts reached that point, his eyes suddenly turned cold. He rapidly scanned the area where the Xue Family¡¯s people were seated. He saw Elder Kuan, two more elders, and a few disciples in that section. All of them were covered by the same sinister aura that Xue Tong had and this discovery strengthened Emperor Elyk¡¯s belief that the Xue Family was indeed colluding with the Undying Corpse Sect.


    Emperor Elyk hid the killing intent in his heart, but he still whispered a few things to Defender Duanmu who was just right beside him. "Duanmu, prepare the Embroidered Dragon Guards. Don¡¯t let other people discover your movements. I want the Embroidered Dragon Guards prepared before this contest ends."


    Defender Duanmu could feel the coldness in the emperor¡¯s voice and he was also surprised by hismand.


    The Embroidered Dragon Guards was a secret elite force that Emperor Elyk had nurtured secretly on his own. They were chosen from the best imperial guards of the Silver Wing Empire and all of them were at least at the 5th-rank Spirit realm! Their captain was also someone with great strength and he is at least as strong as Defender Duanmu! That means this mysterious captain of the Embroidered Dragon Guards is also an 8th-rank Divine realm expert!


    Defender Duanmu didn¡¯t an idea as to why the emperor had suddenly summoned his secret force at a time like this, but he still nodded his head solemnly to acknowledge themand. He then secretly left the ce when everyone was not looking at them.


    After Defender Duanmu left the scene, Emperor Elyk shifted his gaze to the fifth princess and Xue Tong. He was prepared to rescue his daughter if he discovers something unusual.


    ¡¯Xue Family! Your wings have hardened after gaining the support of the Undying Corpse Sect! Did you really think that our Silveria Imperial Family is an easy opponent?! I have already awakened my father who had sealed himself for more than a hundred years! Since you want to y with us, then don¡¯t me me for being ruthless!¡¯ Emperor Elyk clenched his fists tightly as watched the battle between Xue Tong and his daughter.


    Jiu Shen nced at the emperor¡¯s location when he sensed that thetter¡¯s emotions were in disarray. He could feel that the emperor was suppressing his killing intent. ¡¯Did you finally discover that the Xue Family and the Undying Corpse Sect are rted? Elyk, allow me to see your next course of action.¡¯ He muttered in his heart.


    Jiu Shen then took back his gaze and closed his eyes for a moment as he thought. ¡¯Is it about to start? How many lives will be lost this time? Should I intervene? How troublesome.¡¯


    When Jiu Shen opened his eyes, he nced at Long Meili and whispered coldly. "After this contest, take the kids back with you to the store and protect everyone. Kill whoever decides to harm our people..."


    Long Meili¡¯s eyes narrowed into slits upon hearing hismand. She then nodded her head lightly as she said. "Yes, master."


    Jiu Shen then focused his gaze on the battle tform. His attention was on Xue Tong.


    Within the battle tform, Xue Tong and the fifth princess had already exchanged more than dozen moves and neither of them seemed to have received any substantial injuries.


    Xue Tong avoided the fifth princess¡¯ sword sh with a casual sidestep. He then waved his sickle to Sylvia¡¯s neck, but he suddenly shifted his attack after careful consideration.


    sh.


    The sickle created a deep wound on the princess¡¯ shoulder and this made her groan in pain.


    Xue Tong abruptly raised his sickle in a bid to make another attack, but he suddenly sensed an unconcealed killing intent locked on him. He furrowed his eyebrows as he took several steps backward. He then lifted his head and looked in the direction of the emperor.


    The killing intent that he sensed earlier came from the emperor! This made Xue Tong slightly fearful, but he hurriedly calmed his heart. He smiled at the emperor and shrugged his shoulders.


    "Sylvia, admit defeat." Emperor Elyk suddenly said.


    Princess Sylvia stood up while clutching her injured shoulder. She red at Xue Tong indignantly, but she did not dare oppose her father. She could sense her father¡¯s fury, so she immediately said in a sour tone. "I admit defeat."


    Xue Tong smiled innocently at her and bowed politely as he said. "Thank you for making me win, Your Highness."


    Hmph!


    Princess Sylvia snorted at him before she leaped out of the battle tform.


    The third prince, the crown prince, and the fourth prince who were all watching this fight red at Xue Tong angrily. They doted on this little sister so much, and someone actually dared to injure her like that?


    "That goddamn bastard! I will peel off his skin!" The third prince, Prince Erevard said with rage.


    The crown prince remained silent, but the look in his eyes was as if he was about to spurt fire.


    Bang!


    The fourth prince who was among the remaining 16 contestants mmed his hand on the armrest of his chair, reducing it into a pile of broken wood fragments. "That bastard Xue Tong!"


    Xue Tong could sense the raging looks aimed at him, but he merely walked towards the area of the Xue Family in a rxed manner. There wasn¡¯t even an ounce of fear in his expression. ¡¯Hahaha! This is just the start fools!¡¯


    "Good job, Young Master!" Elder Kuanughed loudly as he patted Xue Tong¡¯s shoulder.

 Chapter 210 - Zhu Rens Spearmanship

    <h4>Chapter 210 - Zhu Ren''s Spearmanship </h4>


    Seven more battles followed after the fight between the fifth princess and Xue Tong. The crowd watched the battles without blinking their eyes, afraid that they would miss anything.


    After a few hours, the fights concluded.


    The final eight participants were Prince Dante, Liu Mengdi, Beiming Chu, Zhu Ren, Xue Tong, Yang Zenke, Han Sen, and Xiao Hua.


    Everyone looked at these eight contestants with great anticipation and they were surprised to see two early stage 4th-rank Knight Crusaders among the final eight and both of them even came from the same group!


    The eight participants were given an hour to prepare themselves while the 9th ce and 10th ce were being fought over by the other eight who had lost earlier.


    The 9th ce was taken by the fifth princess without difficulty, while the tenth ce was taken by another disciple of the Beiming Family.


    After an hour, the overseer announced in a loud voice. "I will now announce the match-ups for the next round of thepetition: Yang Zenke versus Han Sen, Dante Silveria versus Zhu Ren, Xue Tong versus Xiao Hua, and Beiming Chu versus Liu Mengdi."


    Yang Zenke and Han Sen nced at each other when they heard the announcement and both young men wore expressions of surprise.


    Han Sen in particr looked as if he had stepped on cow poop. He smiled wryly at Yang Zenke as he shook his head. "Brother Yang, although our cultivation level is the same, I know that I would never be your opponent."


    Yang Zenke wanted to say something, but in the end, he could only close his mouth. He felt slightly regretful that he had to fight with his friend in this round. Both of them had a high chance of getting into the top 4, but it was impossible now that they were paired.


    "Yang Zenke and Han Sen, pleasee up on stage for the first battle." The overseer called both young fighters to proceed to the battle arena.


    "What a pity! The both of them are great young fighters and they might have been able to get into the final four despite their weaker cultivation. Sigh."


    "That Xue Tong also got lucky that he is not paired with any of the 5th-rank Spirit realm fighters. Too bad."


    "The fight between the fourth prince and Zhu Ren should be very good. I¡¯m excited to see who between them would emerge as the winner."


    "Don¡¯t forget about Beiming Chu and Liu Mengdi¡¯s fight. I wonder who among the two of them woulde out as the winner..."


    Some people from the crowd shook their heads in pity upon hearing that Yang Zenke and Han Sen were paired. They knew that the two young men came from the same group, and it was truly regretful to have them fight.


    "There is no need to fight. I admit defeat." Han Sen said while shaking his head at the overseer.


    The overseer was not shocked by his words and he seemed to have expected it.


    "For the first match-up, Yang Zenke wins!" The overseer announced.


    The crowd sighed at this announcement, but they could do nothing about it if both fighters did not want to fight each other.


    "Prince Dante and Zhu Ren, please proceed to the battle tform."


    Zhu Ren was a young man who looked like a schr. He seemed weak at first nce and he did not have the aura of a fighter. However, the fourth prince did not dare take his opponent lightly.


    This Zhu Ren might look like a gentle youth, but once he takes out his spear, his aura would drastically change!


    The two young men nced at each other.


    Zhu Ren bowed his head politely at the fourth prince as he greeted. "Greetings, Your Highness."


    Prince Dante smiled at him as he took out his sword.


    "Fight!"


    Prince Dante swiftly dashed towards his opponent. His movements were quick and nimble and he was even faster than the average 5th-rank Spirit realm expert!


    Seeing this, Zhu Ren was not flustered. He pulled his spear and waved it around him with a calm look. His gentle aura slowly turned dreadful as the spinning of his spear became faster.


    ng!


    ng!


    ng!


    Sword and spear shed dozens of times, producing loud nging sounds every time the two weapons collided.


    The fourth prince was much faster than Zhu Ren, but thetter¡¯s skill in wielding his spear was nothing to scoff about. Zhu Ren might be a little slower than the fourth prince, but his skillful disy of spearmanship made up for his slower speed.


    ng! ng! ng!


    Everyone held their breaths as they watched the fight between these two young experts.


    The spearmanship of Zhu Ren looked elegant and he seemed to be dancing on the battle tform with his fancy spins and spear thrust. On the other hand, the fourth prince disyed a series of swift sword strokes and shes that produced threatening sword winds that ripped through the air. Anyone who would be hit by these sword winds would surely be heavily injured, but Zhu Ren managed to evade and block them with a bit of effort.


    The fourth prince could not help but nce at his opponent with surprise. He had to admit that even he was mesmerized by the spearmanship that Zhu Ren disyed. It was so beautiful that it looked as if he was performing a spear dance.


    ¡¯It looks like I have to use the sword technique that Wine Master Jiu had taught us back then, but that sword technique takes too much of my true essence, so if I fail to hit him, I might be in a very tough spot.¡¯ Prince Dante hesitated for a brief moment, but he decided to gamble everything on that sword technique.


    The fourth prince suddenly leaped in the air and he looked like a soaring eagle with his arms spread wide.


    After reaching a height of fifteen meters above ground, the fourth prince held the hilt of his sword with both hands as he lifted it. "Eagle¡¯s Descent, Overturning Sword sh!"


    A sword wind that was about five meters long streaked towards Zhu Ren fiercely.


    Zhu Ren¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of this and his calm eyes disyed a hint of fear. He had no choice but to use his strongest move to block this attack.


    He rapidly spun as he aimed his spear on the iing sword wind. He then released his spear and it shot through the air like a bolt of lightning!


    Bang!


    A violent explosion rang out after the two attacks collided and a shadow was thrown out of the battle tform.


    Zhu Ren somersaulted in midair in order tond gracefully on the ground. He was already outside of the battle tform, so he was already defeated.


    Zhu Ren stared at the fourth prince and bowed at him politely. Thetter smiled at Zhu Ren and said. "Your the best spearman I¡¯ve fought in the younger generation. It was a good battle, Brother Zhu."


    "Prince Dante wins!" The overseer announced.


    The battle between the two of themsted for a couple of minutes and it was by far the most spectacr fight in thispetition.


    "What a great battle! To think that there is actually a youth as strong as Zhu Ren in our Silver Wing Empire! What ad!"


    "That guy¡¯s spearmanship is insanely good! Just who is the master of this young man?"

 Chapter 211 - Distressed Liu Mengdi

    <h4>Chapter 211 - Distressed Liu Mengdi </h4>


    Xue Tong and Xiao Hua¡¯s fight was also intense, but it was not as great as the fight between Prince Dante and Zhu Ren.


    Xue Tong¡¯s attacks were sly and insidious and each of his strikes could seriously injure Xiao Hua if she were to be hit. However, Xiao Hua was not an easy opponent, she was able to skillfully block and evade Xue Tong¡¯s malevolent sickle strikes.


    In the end, Xue Tong managed to get the win after catching Xiao Hua unprepared. She was also seriously injured, but it was not life-threatening. Her bloodied figure made the hearts of the young men from the crowd feel pain and heartache. They also did not forget to curse Xue Tong for being so ruthless.


    "That bastard! How dare he injure Sister Xiao Hua like this?!"


    "I want to beat him up!"


    Xiao Hua¡¯s junior disciples expressed their fury and all of them stared at Xue Tong¡¯s figure with hateful nces. If looks could kill, they could have killed him thousands of times over.


    Even Yang Zenke felt angry when he saw the pitiful look of Xiao Hua. He felt as if his heart was tugged for no reason after seeing her bedraggled state.


    Jiu Shen handed a pill to her a healing pill which immediately cured her injuries. This was the Blood Restoring Dan, and it was a healing pill with unimaginable effects!


    Xiao Hua¡¯s injuries healed at a discernible speed and her wounds slowly mended. Everyone heaved a sigh of relief after seeing this.


    "Are you okay?" A rare trace of concern can be seen in Yang Zenke¡¯s eyes.


    Xiao Hua smiled weakly at him as she nodded her head. "Mn."


    She felt slightly nervous and shy at the sight of Yang Zenke¡¯s concerned expression.


    Yang Zenke suddenly grasped her shoulder as he checked the wounds on her body. This sudden contact from Yang Zenke made Xiao Hua slightly flustered, but she was not repulsed by his touch. Instead, she felt a sense of warmth pervading her heart when she saw the gentle look in the man¡¯s eyes.


    "Don¡¯t worry. If I meet him on the stage, I will beat him up for you." Yang Zenke said with a cold look.


    Xiao Hua remained silent when she nced at his iparably cold eyes. She did not feel afraid when she saw it since she knew that he was angry for her sake.


    Ehem! Cough! Cough!


    Yang Zenke who was still grasping Xiao Hua¡¯s shoulder suddenly felt annoyed when he heard the fake coughing from behind him. He knew that it was definitely his good friend Han Sen.


    He released Xiao Hua¡¯s shoulder and red at Han Sen as if he wanted to eat him alive.


    "Brother Yang, I know that you still want to hold Sister Xiao, but you have to remember that she is still injured." Han Sen scratched the back of his head as he faced Yang Zenke¡¯s dark expression.


    Yang Zenke¡¯s gaze softened after hearing Han Sen¡¯s words and he immediately apologized to Xiao Hua for suddenly holding her.


    "No, it¡¯s fine, Brother Yang. Grandmaster¡¯s pill is so effective that I no longer feel much pain. My injuries are also healing at a very fast rate. I should be fine after another hour of rest." Xiao Hua smiled tenderly.


    Just as the two of them were about to continue their conversation, the overseer suddenly called Liu Mengdi and Beiming Chu to proceed to the fighting arena.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes were glued on the two young fighters.


    Both these guys were also at the 5th-rank Spirit realm. Beiming Chu was the strongest young disciple of the Beiming Family and he was also the son of the Beiming Family¡¯s patriarch. His position as the next patriarch of their family was already cemented since he was the most gifted and talented youth among their younger generation.


    As for Liu Mengdi, hisplexion was not as good as the other day. He seemed to be troubled by a certain matter and he appeared to be out of focus. He only sobered up when he heard the overseer announce the start of the fight.


    Liu Mengdi took a nce at Beiming Chu. His opponent was a muscr man with short ck hair. He did not look like someone from the younger generation, but he seemed to be a soldier who had experienced a number of bloody wars.


    Beiming Chu was much slower than Liu Mengdi, but his striking power and strength were obviously many times greater than thetter and this could be seen from the devastating attacks that he released.


    Each time Beiming Chu releases a punch, a violent gust of wind would follow. His kicks also carried a tremendous amount of power that could immediately trample anyone on the same level as him!


    This was the power of Beiming Chu, the top expert of the Beiming Family!


    Liu Mengdi carefully evaded Beiming Chu¡¯s attacks and he did not even dare to block them using his body. It was foolish to do that and it could only injure him seriously.


    With a tight grasp of his sword, Liu Mengdi decided to use his advantage in speed to defeat Beiming Chu.


    Beiming Chu¡¯s weapon was a pair of battle gauntlets that looked like an arm of a draconic savage beast. His legs down to his toes were also fully covered by his dragon-like armor.


    Beiming Chu looked like an imposing war general in that armor!


    Jiu Shen frowned when he saw how Liu Mengdi fought. He could sense that the young man was not in his best state of mind before the battle even begun. He quickly scanned the crowd, but he failed to see Liu Mengdi¡¯s father. He made a few guesses in his mind, but he was not entirely sure of what had happened.


    ¡¯Too bad. The kid is going to be defeated if this continues. That Beiming Chu is not an ordinary fighter and his physical strength is even greaterpared to the fourth prince. The body strengthening technique of the Beiming Family seems to be simr to that of Hu Xiandao¡¯s. Is the Beiming Family rted to the Mythos Wilnds?¡¯ Jiu Shen silently spected in his heart.

 Chapter 212 - Liu Mengdis Defeat

    <h4>Chapter 212 - Liu Mengdi''s Defeat </h4>


    Beiming Chu¡¯s fist collided with Liu Mengdi¡¯s sword and thetter was thrown five meters away because of the impact from their sh, while Beiming Chu stood rooted on his spot.


    The difference in their power was clear to see and if this continues, Liu Mengdi was bound to lose the fight.


    "Where is father? Why did he suddenly disappear this morning? Had he gone back to the Liu Family¡¯s headquarters? But he should have at least told me before he left..." Liu Mengdi¡¯s mind was too preupied at the moment to offer a fierce battle against Beiming Chu.


    And in no less than a few moves, Beiming Chu was finally able to hit his chest with a nasty jab.


    Bang!


    Liu Mengdi groaned as he clutched his chest and he spat several mouthfuls of blood. He could hardly breathe from the strong impact brought by Beiming Chu¡¯s punch. It was too powerful that it rocked his internal organs into disarray and if Beiming Chu had not been lenient, he would have been severely injured. ¡¯Goddammit! This guy is too strong!¡¯


    "Brother Liu, you are not in your best condition to fight with me. I hope that we can fight again when you are already in your peak condition." Beiming Chu muttered as he stared at the man who was violently coughing his guts out.


    Cough! Cough! Cough!


    Liu Mengdi grasped his chest as he breathed with great difficulty. He could not even offer a reply to Beiming Chu¡¯s words, so he could only stare at him wordlessly.


    After seeing that Liu Mengdi could no longer fight, the overseer announced Beiming Chu¡¯s victory.


    "Woahh! Good job, Young Master!"


    "That¡¯s our young master!"


    The Beiming Family¡¯s people immediately cheered in unison after their young master won the fight.


    At this moment, only four fighters were left from the initial thousands. They are Prince Dante Silveria, Yang Zenke, Xue Tong, and Beiming Chu.


    "Alright, the next round will be held tomorrow morning! For the four participants, make sure that none of you arete!" The overseer announced.


    It was almost night time once again and everyone discussed the battles this morning. It was very lively and the crowd was very excited about the next round of thepetition.


    "Who do you think would rank as first in thispetition?"


    "Who else? Of course, it¡¯s His Highness, Dante Silveria! He is the strongest young disciple of our Silver Wing Empire!"


    Long Meili went near to Jiu Shen and whispered to his ears. "Master, do you still want me to return with the kids back to the store?"


    Jiu Shen took a quick nce at her and shook his head. "No, but I want you to do something tonight."


    Long Meili furrowed her eyebrows as she asked. "What is it, master?"


    Jiu Shen stared at the distant figure of Liu Mengdi who looked rather deste at the moment. "I want you to protect that kid secretly. Make sure that nothing bad happens to him and bring him back to me if he is going to be attacked tonight."


    Long Meili followed her master¡¯s line of sight and she saw the lonesome silhouette of Liu Mengdi who was walking away with heavy steps.


    "I understand." She replied.


    "Good. Tell Lu Sn to protect our disciples tonight." Jiu Shen added.


    Long Meili nodded her head to express her aacknowledgment She then walked towards Lu Sn.


    Jiu Shen walked with his people back to their lodgings, but he suddenly discovered the emperor and his entourage. He could sense the urgency behind the emperor¡¯s stiff smile.


    "Wine Master Jiu, I¡¯d like to discuss something important with you. Do you have time?" Emperor Elyk said as he smiled at Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen was silent for a moment. He already knew what the emperor wanted to discuss with him and he initially wanted to stay out of it, but after seeing Liu Mengdi¡¯s performance, he changed his mind.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly at the emperor as he said. "Sure. Follow me to my room. Let¡¯s talk there."


    ***


    Inside Jiu Shen¡¯s room.


    The emperor and Jiu Shen were seated opposite each other. Both men were deep in their thoughts.


    "Wine Master Jiu, I can sense that Xue Family is about to strike our Silveria Imperial Family. I think they will attack us after thepetition. I would not care about them, but the iing fight against them is bound to cause too much bloodshed. Many of my Silver Wing Empire¡¯s citizens would certainly perish. I hope that you could bring away Dante and Sylvia with you." Emperor Elyk said as he looked at Jiu Shen with a hint of pleading.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly at his words. "Sure, but can your Silveria Imperial Family handle both the Undying Corpse Sect and the Xue Family alone?" He asked.


    Emperor Elyk¡¯s expression hardened as he pondered deeply, but he still nodded his head with certainty. "I won¡¯t hide it from you, Wine Master Jiu. I have awakened my father who had sealed himself in a crystal coffin for almost a hundred years. His strength is at the very peak of the 9th-rank Saint and he is already standing at the precipice of immortality. With the help of my father, we should be able to destroy their rebel army."


    Jiu Shen felt slightly surprised upon hearing this. The Silveria Imperial Family actually had a treasure like the crystal coffin?


    This crystal coffin was a treasure that could seal someone¡¯s life energy, slowing down the aging process of whoever isid inside the coffin. Depending on the quality of the crystal coffin, it could seal someone for thousands of years, but his body would only age by a few years. This was mostly used by dying experts who still had some lingering attachment to the world they were living in.


    "Elyk, your father might be strong, but is he strong enough to fight against someone at the Nascent God Realm?" Jiu Shen asked.


    "Nascent God Realm?" Emperor Elyk furrowed his eyebrows at this alien word.


    "Listen closely, Elyk. I don¡¯t want to make this long. After a 9th-rank Saint expert survives their tribtion lightning, they would break through to the Nascent God Realm."

 Chapter 213 - Jiu Shens Promise

    <h4>Chapter 213 - Jiu Shen''s Promise </h4>


    The emperor found himself speechless and curious at Jiu Shen¡¯s words. He was a bit surprised by Jiu Shen¡¯s knowledge about this matter that it seemed like it was just normal for him. ¡¯Howe Wine Master Jiu knows so much about this?¡¯


    "Wine Master Jiu, you mean there is someone from the Xue Family and Undying Corpse Sect with that kind of power?" Emperor Elyk easily deduced after he heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head and replied. "Indeed. Do you know Elder Ming?"


    Emperor Elyk searched through his memories and recalled a kind-looking middle-aged man. He then nodded his head. "Yes, I know him. He should be an elder in the Xue Family. Wait... You mean to say... he is a Nascent God Realm expert?!" The emperor eximed in surprise.


    Jiu Shen remained silent, but the emperor understood it immediately. His confidence suddenly dwindled upon hearing all this and he became worried about theing fight against their forces.


    The emperor¡¯s confidence came from his father who was a peak stage 9th-rank Saint. He thought that with the strength of his father, he would be able to destroy the Xue Family and the Undying Corpse Sect, but who knew that he had actually underestimated them severely...


    Jiu Shen wordlessly watched the emperor¡¯s ever-changing expression and he waited for thetter to gather himself together.


    Emperor Elyk sorted out his thoughts as he slowly calmed himself down. He had to remainposed in this kind of situation and his anxiety would never help him ovee this.


    "The Xue Family diverted our attention to the fake news that they circted saying that the Beiming Family has dealings with the Blue Fang Empire. They were intentionally doing it so that our focus would be on the Blue Fang Empire and the Beiming Family¡¯s movements, but the Xue Family were actually colluding with the Undying Corpse Sect in secret as the forces of my Silveria Imperial Family was busy observing a different matter. So this was their n from the very beginning. That bastard Elder Ming is very cunning indeed! And how did he increase his strength by that much in such a short amount of time?!" Emperor Elyk blurted out with a serious expression. This matter was making him feel an invisible mountain pressing down on him.


    "Elyk, let¡¯s cut the chase. What are your ns?" Jiu Shen suddenly interjected.


    The emperor regained his bearing after hearing Jiu Shen¡¯s words. He silently pondered and his eyes slowly turned cold as he replied in a depreciating tone. "It seems like I¡¯ve been too overconfident that I failed to see thising. Wine Master Jiu, please protect Sylvia and Dante."


    The emperor abruptly stood up from his seat and bowed deeply at Jiu Shen. "Wine Master Jiu, please help us!"


    Jiu Shen was slightly taken aback, but his expression remained calm and indifferent.


    "Wine Master Jiu, I know that I won¡¯t be able to give you something that you desire, but I still hope that you could offer your assistance to us. I won¡¯t promise you any rewards, but I will give you anything that I could offer." Emperor Elyk said sincerely.


    What emperor¡¯s pride? What bullshit is that? Could that save his Silveria Imperial Family from utter destruction?


    Emperor Elyk was willing to let go of his remaining pride just to get the assistance of Jiu Shen. He knew that this man was the only person that could help him win this war. He could not forget that day when the man stopped a raging dragon with just one hand. That scene was deeply etched in his mind and it still made him palpitate in awe whenever he recalls it.


    Jiu Shen nced at the emperor who was still maintaining his deep bow. He could not help but admire this man. Not all emperors are willing to let go of their pride like this. They had been too used to being looked highly upon by everyone that they always believed that it was beneath them to bow at someone to get their help. In fact, it did not even cross their minds to seek someone¡¯s help in that way.


    Jiu Shen suddenlyughed lightly which caused the emperor to be caught off guard. He could not help but lift his head to look at Jiu Shen. He saw the man¡¯s slightly perceptible smile. It was the first time he had heard Jiu Shenugh and it stunned him.


    ¡¯So even someone like Wine Master Jiu knows how tough just like that?¡¯ He thought.


    "Elyk, I must say that your character has impressed me. Alright, I promise that your Silveria Imperial Family will never be toppled for the next millennia toe." Jiu Shen said as he eyed the stupefied emperor with a calm look. He stated those words as if he was merely stating something of insignificant value.


    Emperor Elyk suddenly felt the heavy burden he was feeling for a couple of days disappear. He gazed at Jiu Shen with gratitude and he could even say anything because of the overwhelming emotions he felt. He knew how heavy Jiu Shen¡¯s promise was and he also knew that Jiu Shen was really capable of doing what he had promised.


    "I just hope that there everes a time when I leave this world, your Silveria Imperial Family would protect my store." Jiu Shen said with a distant look.


    Emperor Elyk failed to understand his words, but he still nodded his head solemnly. "Wine Master Jiu, I, Elyk Silveria III, promise you that I would never allow anyone to touch your store if ever that dayes."


    The corner of Jiu Shen¡¯s lips slightly lifted. He then waved his right hand and said. "Alright. Leave."


    The emperor wanted to say something, but in the end, he could only bow at Jiu Shen.


    Just as he was about to leave Jiu Shen¡¯s room, he suddenly heard the man say.


    "You don¡¯t have to be worried. I wille at the right time."


    Those words made the emperor smile. He then left Jiu Shen¡¯s room without any burdens in his heart.

 Chapter 214 - Yang Zenke Draws His Sword

    <h4>Chapter 214 - Yang Zenke Draws His Sword </h4>


    The next day, it was the final day of the annual martial artspetition. The final winner would also be decided on this day. Who among the remaining four contestants would emerge as the champion?


    The venue was fully packed with people and some even had to stand up because of theck of chairs, but this did not stop everyone¡¯s enthusiasm to watch the final round of thispetition.


    The four contestants were asked to draw their lots and these are the results:


    Yang Zenke versus Beiming Chu


    Prince Dante versus Xue Tong


    Yang Zenke cursed in his heart after he heard the match-ups. He wanted to crush Xue Tong personally, but it seems like someone else will do the deed for him. It was a bit hard for him to swallow the results of the draw by lots especially after he had promised Xiao Hua that he would destroy Xue Tong.


    He nced at Xiao Hua apologetically and he heard her say as she smiled. "Brother Yang, you don¡¯t have to worry about me. It doesn¡¯t matter who beats that bastard. Just focus yourself on bing the champion."


    Yang Zenke nodded his head and his expression turned serious at those words. "That¡¯s my goal from the very start..." He uttered.


    Xiao Hua gave him a thumbs up as she smiled encouragingly.


    "Yang Zenke and Beiming Chu, pleasee to the battle tform."


    Yang Zenke nced at Xiao Hua for thest time before he jumped straight to the battle tform.


    In front of him was Beiming Chu who had defeated Liu Mengdi in a straightforward manner. Although part of Liu Mengdi¡¯s defeat was because of his unbnced state of mind, Beiming Chu¡¯s strength also yed a great role in his defeat.


    The guy was a body strengthening expert who has a violent form of martial arts. His rich battle experience and explosive strength were more than enough to crush someone in the same generation. However, Yang Zenke remained unperturbed as he faced this guy. He was also a body strengthening expert and his growth was something that any other person would find it hard to believe.


    He survived more than a month of torturous training. Anyone else would have already sumbed after experiencing that kind of pain.


    Yang Zenke¡¯s confidence did not juste from that. In all his battles, he was yet to showcase the sword techniques that he had learned from his master! Heck! No one was even able to make him take out his sword!


    The battle between the two youths begun!


    Beiming Chu nced at his opponent with a serious look. He had seen Yang Zenke¡¯s fights and the guy defeated all of his opponents without even using his sword. He was like a crazy savage beast on the battle tform, and even Beiming Chu felt slightly nervous as he faced this man.


    ¡¯He¡¯s only an early stage 4th-rank Knight Crusader, but he managed to defeat his opponents without even using his weapon. This guy... I can¡¯t calcte his power...¡¯ He thought.


    To everyone¡¯s surprise, they saw Yang Zenke putting up a defensive boxing stance.


    He wanted to fight Beiming Chu in an unarmed battle!


    Beiming Chu was stunned at this and a small smile formed on his lips a moment after that. "Since you are that confident, then let me see how you will fight me in hand to handbat without even a gauntlet!"


    Beiming Chu charged like an enraged bull as he lifted his right fist. He channeled his anma and gathered it in his fist.


    Yang Zenke simrly circted the anma in his body and covered all of his weak spots with it. ¡¯This guy¡¯s anma cirction speed is way too slow. His body strengthening technique must be many times weaker than what master had taught us.¡¯ He thought.


    If anyone else could hear his thoughts, they would surely bash his head on a wall. Since when did the Beiming Family¡¯s body strengthening technique be weak?


    However, Yang Zenke¡¯s thoughts weren¡¯t wrong. The body strengthening technique that Jiu Shen taught them was something that was more than a hundred times stronger than the Beiming Family¡¯s technique!


    Booom!


    Beiming Chu¡¯s gauntlet and Yang Zenke¡¯s bare fist collided with a loud booming sound. Even the battle tform beneath them caved in under the impact of their fierce collision!


    Everyone from the audience gaped in shock at this stunning scene.


    "What the hell?! He is actually able to fight Young Master Beiming Chu with his bare hands?!"


    "Oh my god! Are his arms made of profound steel?! This guy¡¯s body is insanely tenacious!"


    Han Sen and his buddies smiled proudly after hearing the crowd¡¯s exmations. In terms of physical strength and raw power, Yang Zenke was the absolute strongest among them. The only thing that Han Sen could boast in front of Yang Zenke was his intellect and wisdom. Other than that, Yang Zenke exceeded him in other areas.


    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Fists and kicks tore through the air, creating violent ripples that produced thunderous sounds.


    Everyone could see that Yang Zenke¡¯s fists were already bleeding, but the guy did not even stop. It was as if he had turned into a malevolent savage beast as he continued his fierce onught despite the fact that he was at a disadvantage.


    Beiming Chu was still calm at the first few minutes of their fight, but after a few more minutes, he suddenly grew nervous because the power behind Yang Zenke¡¯s attacks did not diminish. In fact, his attacks seemed to have slowly be stronger as their fight continued!


    ¡¯What the fuck?! Is this guy using me as a whetstone?!¡¯ The more he thought about it, the angrier he got.


    "You want to use me to sharpen your skills?! Then receive this strike of mine!" Beiming Chu leaped through the air as he channeled his anma to the maximum. He gathered his anma swiftly in his arms as he held his hands tightly to form a hammer fist.


    "Hammer of Punishment. Sundering Evil Sky Hammer!" Beiming Chu¡¯s forehead creased as he released his ultimate skill towards Yang Zenke. He could still not use the full power of this technique, but he was confident that this was enough to defeat Yang Zenke.


    Facing this attack, Yang Zenke who had a crazed expression earlier suddenly calmed himself. He smiled and said in an excited tone. "Finally! Someone worthy enough for me to draw my sword!"


    Shing!

 Chapter 215 - Fourth Prince Versus Xue Tong

    <h4>Chapter 215 - Fourth Prince Versus Xue Tong </h4>


    Yang Zenke¡¯s sword drew a blood-red arc in midair as he waved it. "Earth Devouring Sword Stroke." He calmly uttered.


    The red arc suddenly expanded and formed a huge crescent-shaped de light that tore through the skies!


    The air trembled as this blood-red light streaked towards Beiming Chu who had just cast his ultimate technique.


    Beiming Chu felt a sense of dread upon witnessing this attack, but he could no longer evade it since he had already released his ultimate technique. Forcefully stopping his attack would only damage him, and he did not want it to happen, so without any options left, Beiming Chu decided to go all out!


    All of his anma was now gathered on his fist and his arms had noticeably erged.


    Booooooommm!!


    A violent and thunderous explosion rang out, creating massive ripples in the air. Everyone¡¯s hair and clothes danced as the fierce gusts of wind hit them.


    "What the hell?! Are they really from the younger generation?! Such strong attacks!"


    "Holy shit! Could an early stage 4th-rank Knight Crusader really survive that kind of devastating blow?"


    "The technique that Beiming Chu used earlier was the strongest body strengthening skill of the Beiming Family, the Hammer of Punishment: Sundering Evil Sky Hammer! Even a 5th-rank Spirit realm expert would die after receiving the full brunt of such skill!"


    The crowd exchanged their viewpoints upon witnessing the battle, but most of them favored Beiming Chu in that collision.


    The thick cloud of smoke slowly subsided and everyone could see a silhouette standing erect like a divine spear!


    Jiu Shen activated his spiritual perception and his lips lifted slightly after seeing the man standing on the battle tform.


    Other than him, the others were worried about Yang Zenke. After all, he was facing the strongest young expert of the Beiming Family who had defeated Liu Mengdi with his brute force.


    Even Xiao Hua who was confident about Yang Zenke felt slightly nervous as she stared unblinkingly at the silhouette behind the thick smoke.


    Everyone then saw the face of a smiling young man. His sword was already sheathed back to its scabbard. They then heard him say. "You are the first person who made me draw my sword."


    His voice sounded calm, but everyone could sense the praise and sincerity in his tone.


    Yang Zenke took onest look at the unconscious man on the battle tform before he jumped off the stage.


    p! p! p!


    "He could actually defeat someone who is a realm higher than him! What a scary talent!"


    "Such a strong young man! How did Wine Master Jiu train this kid?!"


    The emperor was also astounded by Yang Zenke¡¯s performance. ¡¯Wine Master Jiu¡¯s sect is about to be established. I must make sure that Sylvia and Dante would be able to join his sect!¡¯ He said in his heart.


    "Yang Zenke wins!" The overseer announced.


    Yang Zenke went back to his group with a smile. He could sense everyone¡¯s respect and admiration. He had never thought that this day woulde. He was just a servant destined to be an imperial guard, but everything changed after that man came into their life. He could still remember his words during their first day of training.


    "All of you are just a bunch of weaklings with nothing noteworthy to be proud of! Even if you are forced to do things, what can you do with your puny strength?! Do you want to remain as trashes all your life?!"


    "I will train you to be warriors!"


    Yang Zenke nced at Jiu Shen and his eyes imperceptibly softened. Everything was because of this man¡¯s grace. He changed his fate, and even the fates of Han Sen and all of his friends drastically changed because of Jiu Shen. His training might have been cruel and dangerous, but it was all worth it!


    "Good job, Brother Yang!" Han Sen pped his back with a wide smile.


    Xiao Hua and the others also congratted him for his victory.


    Yang Zenke smiled back in response to their words.


    "Prince Dante Silveria and Xue Tong, pleasee up on the stage!"


    Prince Dante who had been silent the entire time stood up with a fierce look. His eyes burned intensely as if he was about to spurt fire. He could finally fight the guy who had severely injured his beloved sister! ¡¯Xue Tong! I will destroy you today!¡¯


    "Dante, kill that guy." A cold whisper suddenly echoed silently beside his ears.


    Prince Dante¡¯s eyes widened upon hearing his father¡¯s words. Kill Xue Tong? He was surprised by his father¡¯s cruelmand and he could sense that everything was not as simple as avenging his sister¡¯s matter.


    The fourth prince nced at the emperor with a questioning look, but all he could see was his father¡¯s calm and dignified expression.


    ¡¯Father wants me to kill Xue Tong? But for what? Did the Xue Family do something intolerable?¡¯ The fourth prince became curious, but he knew that it wasn¡¯t the time to ask for such questions.


    In the end, he nodded his head solemnly before jumping to the battle tform.


    On the other hand, Xue Tong calmly walked to the battle tform. He strode nonchntly and he even waved at the crowd with a broad grin on his face.


    "That fucking bastard! Beat that retard to death!"


    "Beat him up!"


    "Let him eat shit!"


    Xue Tong merely smiled condescendingly after hearing the crowd¡¯s words. ¡¯Watch how I beat this idiot of a prince! Let¡¯s see if every one of you could stillugh by then. Hahaha!¡¯ Xue Tongughed in his heart.


    Fourth Prince? The greatest genius of the Silver Wing Empire?


    Xue Tong scoffed at this. Everything is different now. He might not be able to defeat the fourth prince with his own strength, but if he uses his trump card, he was confident that he could destroy the fourth prince!


    Thinking about that, the corners of Xue Tong¡¯s lips curled upwards. This day had finallye! He thought that he would still have to wait for a long time before this could happen, but the n changed after Elder Ming¡¯s lucky encounter!


    Elder Ming was supposed to break through to the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint, but something unexpected happened during his breakthrough! He decided to merge with his corpse puppet and force a breakthrough to be a full-fledge immortal!


    Elder Ming¡¯s n was difficult and something unforeseen might happen, but he persisted in his endeavor and after a few months, he was finally able to merge with bis corpse puppet! However, his breakthrough did note without a price. Their Xue Family had to sacrifice thousands of ves and disciples just for him to sessfully ascend to immortality!


    ¡¯Dante, I will let you experience the horror of fighting a corpse puppet!¡¯ Xue Tong thought maliciously as he smiled at the fourth prince who was now ring at him with rage.


    "Begin!"


    Right after the overseer announced the start of their battle, the fourth prince immediately sprinted towards Xue Tong with his sword in hand. His eyes shed with thick killing intent!


    Xue Tong was surprised when he sensed this, but he was not flustered. He immediately took out his sickle and brandished it wildly. His movements looked random, but all of his strikes were aimed at the fourth prince¡¯s weak points!


    ng! ng! ng!


    The fourth prince blocked his attacks with his sword and he abruptly crouched to evade another one. He could sense the coldness of Xue Tong¡¯s sickle as it brushed past the top of his head. A few strands of his hair were cut apart and it looked as if the fourth prince had luckily evaded at the right time!


    Xue Tong suddenly felt a sense of foreboding, so he immediately leaped away.


    Swoosh!


    The fourth prince shed the spot where Xue Tong was standing just a few seconds ago.


    ¡¯Fuck! Is this bastard trying to kill me?! In that case, I won¡¯t hold back anymore! You want to y with me, huh?! Then let me y with you!¡¯ Xue Tong cursed in his heart.


    The fourth prince clicked his tongue after his attack was evaded. ¡¯This Xue Tong is like a slippery cockroach, but if this is all he got, then he could only await his death!¡¯


    "Dante Silveria, it seems like you want to kill me, but did you really think that it is that easy to kill me? Hahaha!" Xue Tongughed derisively as he stared at the fourth prince. He even directly called the fourth prince¡¯s name without hesitation! Such disrespect and provocation! Even the crowd was speechless at this and they thought that Xue Tong had gone crazy.


    "What the hell?! Did I hear it wrongly?!"


    "He actually called the fourth prince¡¯s name directly?! What a brave idiot!"


    Prince Dante frowned upon hearing Xue Tong¡¯s words. He looked at the crazed expression on Xue Tong¡¯s face and he could not help but agree with the crowd.


    "Watch closely, Dante Silveria! I will trample you in front of everyone!" Xue Tongughed like a madman as he suddenly took out a coffin from his space ring.

 Chapter 216 - Xue Tongs Corpse Puppet?

    <h4>Chapter 216 - Xue Tong''s Corpse Puppet? </h4>


    Xue Tong took out a two-meter tall stone coffin and its surface had deep marks that looked to be left behind by a sharp w.


    Seeing this stone coffin, the younger generation looked evidently bewildered and confused, while those who are pretty knowledgeable frowned. This kind of stone coffin was familiar to them, but they could not believe that it was actually taken out by Xue Tong!


    "That stone coffin... Undying Corpse Sect?! Xue Tong is part of the Undying Corpse Sect?!" An aged voice shouted with a stunned look.


    When the crowd heard the words ¡¯Undying Corpse Sect¡¯, their eyes suddenly revealed a trace of horror and fear. All of them knew what that sect represented.


    "What?! That bastard is actually someone from that sect?! Kill him! He might do something to the fourth prince!"


    "Kill that bastard! Someone, please stop this fight! We have to kill that retard before he could do anything dangerous to the fourth prince!"


    The crowd shouted furiously as they stared at Xue Tong who was now wearing an insidious expression as he held the stone coffin with both hands.


    Xue Tongughed disdainfully at the crowd before he shifted his gaze to the stunned fourth prince. "Are you surprised, Your Highness?" His voice sounded sarcastic and cold.


    The fourth prince took a defensive stance as he stared solemnly at the stone coffin that Xue Tong held. He knew what kind of existence the Undying Corpse Sect was and he also knew that they are a group of deplorable bastards hated by everyone in the Profound Dragon Continent!


    "So that¡¯s why you are confident in fighting against me. You have a corpse puppet and you are nning to use it to defeat me." Prince Dante uttered in a mocking tone.


    Xue Tong merelyughed at this and he slowly opened the cover of his stone coffin. "Say what you want, Dante, but I will have your head today!"


    The stone coffin abruptly opened, revealing an unsightly-looking monstrosity that looked neither human nor savage beast. The Demon Race might look better inparison to the thing thaty inside Xue Tong¡¯s coffin.


    It was a humanoid beast that had four bulky arms. Its head looked simr to that of a lion with a grim-looking horn on top of its forehead. This beast¡¯s ws were like bays that looked very threatening and sharp! A long whip-like tail could also be seen hanging behind it.


    After this monstrosity emerged from the stone coffin, a nauseating smell assaulted everyone¡¯s nose. It was simr to the smell of atrine pit that had rotting dead bodies in it.


    "What a disgusting creature! Xue Tong is indeed a disciple of the Undying Corpse Sect! Only someone from that ce would have a puppet as repulsive as this!"


    "This person has guts! He actually dares to show-off his corpse puppet in front of His Majesty!"


    Lu Sn who was seated beside Jiu Shen was surprised when she saw this corpse puppet. It was simr to those corpse puppet that the elders from the Undying Corpse Sect brought thest time they tried to take her master¡¯s Earth Origin Dragon Tree. Although she had already discussed with Jiu Shen about the Xue Family¡¯s involvement with the Undying Corpse Sect, she was still surprised to see it in person.


    The emperor stood up from his seat and issued amand in a cold tone. "Kill him!"


    After he said those words, a few shadows suddenly emerged and swiftly jumped to the battle tform. All of them were wearing a set of embroidered ck and silver robes with the insignia of the Silveria Imperial Family. These individuals were part of the emperor¡¯s secret force, the Embroidered Dragon Guards!


    There were more than ten of them that surrounded Xue Tong and his corpse puppet. Each of them holding was holding a short sword that gleamed with a brilliant glow. Those short swords were Earth Weapons!


    "Oh my god! Since when did Earth Weapons be amon thing?!"


    "Who are they?!"


    Everyone was surprised and confused at the sudden appearance of the Embroidered Dragon Guards, but they merely watched the scene with interest. They were waiting to see how Xue Tong would react to this group of experts.


    Xue Tong nced at the Embroidered Dragon Guards before he raised his head to look at the emperor with a defiant gaze. "Your Majesty, I have to thank you for giving food to my puppet. Kekeke." He chuckled eerily.


    The emperor frowned at his words and he took one more look at the corpse puppet beside Xue Tong. He could not sense an ounce of true essence from this corpse puppet, but his gaze suddenly froze when he discovered its power.


    "Shit! That¡¯s not his corpse puppet! Retreat!" The emperor shouted as he swiftly dashed towards the battle tform.


    "It¡¯s toote! Kekeke!" A burst of coldughter rang out just as the emperor was about to step towards the battle tform.


    In front of him was the patriarch of the Xue Family, Xue Yangkai!


    Xue Yangkai blocked the emperor¡¯s path as he eyed thetter coldly. "I¡¯ve been holding back during the past few months! Now, I could finally avenge my son¡¯s death! I will start by killing you, Elyk! Die!"


    Xue Yangkai leaped towards the emperor and aimed a fist right straight to his face!


    Swoosh!


    The air trembled as this 9th-rank Saint released a devastating punch!


    The emperor was slightly taken by surprise at the sudden arrival of this person, but he immediately took out his Silver Wing Sword to block Xue Yangkai¡¯s punch.


    The corner of Xue Yangkai¡¯s lips lifted to form a cruel smile.


    He suddenly shifted his punch as his figure twisted in midair like a slithering serpent!


    Hm?!


    The emperor btedly realized this surprising move and it was already toote for him to evade it.


    Bang!


    The emperor was thrown back more than twenty meters away after receiving a fierce blow to his stomach area!


    "Shit! Help His Majesty! Kill that bastard!"


    "Kill!"


    Everyone from the crowd immediately stood up from their seats as they sprinted towards the emperor, but before they could even reach closer to him, they discovered that a group of ck-robed individuals was blocking their paths!


    "More people from the Undying Corpse Sect?!"


    "Are they trying to usurp the throne?!"


    Looking at this scene, Jiu Shen nced at Long Meili who was beside him, and said in a calm tone. "Bring the kids back with you to the store. Make sure that all of them would be able to return safe snd unharmed."


    Long Meili nodded her head solemnly at her master¡¯s orders. She then shifted her gaze to the stunned youths and beckoned them to follow her. "You heard the master. Follow me back to the store. You being here would only be a hindrance to master." She said coldly.


    Yang Zenke and the others clenched their fists tightly upon hearing this, but they could not offer a rebuttal. Even Emperor Elyk who was recognized as a top expert of the Profound Dragon Continent was thrown away after receiving a punch, so what help could they offer when the enemies were so strong?


    In the end, they could only nod their heads as they followed Long Meili out of the venue.


    "Sn, go with them. Reinforce the store and the beast fighting arena¡¯s defense." Jiu Shen said as he stared at Lu Sn.


    "Yes, Master." Lu Sn bowed before she dragged her disciples away from the ce.


    The only ones left behind were Jiu Shen and the little girl in his arms. She was still sucking on that small bottle of milk as she watched the fighting on the battle tform. "Meow! Those people look funny. I want to bite them, but they smell even worse than horse shit..." She uttered in a disinterested tone.


    On the battle tform, the corpse puppet that was unmoving just a few seconds ago was now destroying the Embroidered Dragon Guards like a wild beast. It tore their bodies apart, crushed their bones, and fiercely bit them with its sharp saw-like teeth!


    "Your Highness, retreat to a safe ce! We will cover your escape! Go!" An Embroidered Dragon Guard said the fourth prince.


    Prince Dante wanted to shake his head, but when he saw that all the Embroidered Dragon Guards were already covering his escape route, he knew that he had to leave this ce immediately. It was foolish enough to stay here and waste their efforts, so after a moment of hesitation, the fourth prince sprinted out of the battle tform.


    Xue Tong¡¯s lips twitched when he saw the fourth prince running away, but he could not follow the fourth prince since he was still surrounded by another group of Embroidered Dragon Guards.


    "Fuck that bastard! He slipped away! Dammit!" He cursed spitefully.


    Jiu Shen stared at the corpse puppet with a calm look. "A body enhancer corpse puppet that is at the peak stage 9th-rank Saint..." He muttered softly.

 Chapter 217 - Sky Rendering Sword Phantom

    <h4>Chapter 217 - Sky Rendering Sword Phantom </h4>


    Jiu Shen knew that there was still another corpse puppet as strong as this one, so he looked around to search for it. His gaze then lingered in a certain spot a few hundreds of meters away. There, he saw an old man who had an excited and nervous expression on his face.


    Xue Yangkun.


    It was the supreme elder of the Xue Family and the father of Xue Tong!


    The old man¡¯s strength was on par with Xue Yangkai and even their corpse puppet almost had simr levels of strength. Their n this time was to lure the hidden expert of the Silveria Imperial Family by letting Xue Yangkai fight with the emperor, and when the hidden expert shows himself, Xue Yangkun will immediatelye out to attack the expert in surprise. It was a very obvious n, but they did not care about it. They knew that the hidden expert would certainlye out to save the emperor, so they were not worried about it in the slightest.


    Elder Ming had already discovered the presence of a strong hidden expert in the imperial pce and this was also why they were cautious during the past few months. However, with the unexpected breakthrough of Elder Ming, there was no longer any need to be cautious about that hidden expert!


    Emperor Elyk slowly stood up. He could not believe that Xue Yangkai actually had this kind of power. He finally realized that everything must have been the Xue Family¡¯s n all along!


    The emperor then saw the fourth prince escaping out of the battle tform under thebined efforts of more than twenty Embroidered Dragon Guards who were being decimated by the four-armed corpse puppet.


    The Embroidered Dragon Guards might be elite soldiers with great cultivation level, but facing this peak stage 9th-rank corpse puppet, they could only scream pitifully as their bodies are were ripped into shreds!


    It was a cruel sight and the emperor felt pained to lose his people, but he knew that this was the only way so that his son would be saved. He could only promise to take care of the families of those who had died...


    Emperor red at Xue Yangkai with extreme rage that his eyes almost turned red in the process. "That¡¯s not Xue Tong¡¯s corpse puppet, but yours, right? You want to kill Dante in front of me?" The emperor uttered through gritted teeth. His suppressed voice sounded frighteningly cold and everyone could sense the emperor¡¯s fury in his tone.


    Xue Yangkai smirked derisively when he heard this and replied in a mocking voice. "So? What are you gonna do about it? Kill me? Do you even have the ability to do that? Hahaha!"


    His disdainfulughter echoed throughout the whole venue and the crowd could only stare at him angrily. They had seen how Xue Yangkai had easily thrown back the emperor with a single punch, so they were wary of his power.


    Xue Yangkai and Xue Yangkun were both at the 9th-rank Saint and any one of them could easily defeat the emperor who was only a peak stage 8th-rank Divine realm expert.


    Emperor Elyk ignored his taunting words. He was not worried about dying here. His father was just hiding in the shadows, waiting for the right opportunity to strike! Not to mention that he also had Jiu Shen who was watching the scene calmly.


    Emperor Elyk stared at Xue Yangkai beforemanding the remaining Embroidered Dragon Guards to retreat. "Retreat from the battle tform! That corpse puppet is not something that you can defeat!"


    The Embroidered Dragon Guards immediately retreated upon hearing the emperor¡¯smand, but from the initial two dozen Embroidered Dragon Guards, only a little more than ten of them were left.


    Xue Yangkai beckoned at the corpse puppet and it immediately sprinted towards him. This terrifying creature looked evidently subdued in front of Xue Yangkai.


    The man patted the creature¡¯s back as he said. "Your Majesty, you see this big guy? He was created by stitching five strong creatures together. Awesome, right?"


    Looking at Xue Yangkai¡¯s grinning face, Emperor Elyk wished that he could spit on his face.


    "Xue Yangkai! What does your Xue Family want?!" The emperor spat coldly.


    "Is it not obvious? We. Want. This. ce." Xue Yangkai replied with a broad grin on his face.


    The crowd was immediately angered by his words.


    "You bunch of crazy bastards! You are actually rebelling at a time like this?!"


    "Who would want to recognize your Xue Family as the ruler of our empire?! Only retards would do that!"


    "Kill those sons of bitches! Kill!"


    That voice came from the patriarch of the Beiming Family, Beiming Liqiang.


    Their Beiming Family had always been loyal to the Silveria Imperial Family and even when facing the much stronger Xue Family and Undying Corpse Sect, their loyalty never wavered! Even when they were doubted by everyone in the Silver Wing Empire, they still stood behind the Silveria Imperial Family!


    Jiu Shen who was watching at the sidelines could not help but admire the Beiming Family¡¯s unwavering loyalty. The Silveria Imperial was truly lucky to have them as their subordinate...


    Emperor Elyk tightly held his Silver Wing Sword as he pointed its tip to Xue Yangkai. "You want to im the throne to yourselves? Over my dead body!" He shouted as he flew through the skies.


    "Sky Diamond Protective Halo. Materialize." The emperor uttered as he drew a diamond pattern in midair.


    The diamond pattern solidified, giving it an imprable look, but the emperor knew that it was not enough to block the attack of the peak stage 9th-rank Saint corpse puppet!


    Seeing this, Xue Yangkaiughed coldly. "Elyk, you are a stubborn man, but your efforts are useless in front of true strength!" He then ordered his corpse puppet.


    "Kill him!"


    The evil-looking creature immediately crouched down as if it was gathering the strength from its legs.


    The ground beneath the beast sank under the intense pressure it exuded. It then jumped straight towards the emperor like an arrow as it aimed its sharp horn at him.


    It then released an ear-piercing roar that resembled that of a primordial beast.


    Roaaarrr!!


    Emperor Elyk felt nervous, but he swiftly drew a sword pattern in midair as he muttered. "Sky Rendering Sword Phantom. Materialize."


    An incorporeal white sword slowly materialized in midair following the emperor¡¯s incantations. He then pointed a finger at the corpse puppet as he shouted. "Release!"


    Swoosh!


    The ghost-like sword traveled like a beautiful mirage as it streaked towards the ascending corpse puppet.


    Everyone held their breaths as they stared at this scene with stunned gazes.


    Baaanngg!


    The corpse puppet was thrown back to the ground by the emperor¡¯s attack!


    Xue Yangkai frowned upon seeing this. His corpse puppet was not good at aerialbat since it was a body enhancer. It might not have received any serious injuries from that attack, but killing Emperor Elyk would be difficult if he was up in the skies.


    "It seems like I have to kill you with my own hands." Xue Yangkai said as he slowly flew above.


    Emperor Elyk stared at Xue Yangkai as thetter slowly ascended. "It looks like your corpse puppet ispletely useless up here." The emperor said.


    Xue Yangkai¡¯s lips twitched at his words, but he did not say anything in response. He just nced coldly at the emperor while chanting secretly. "Rage of the Storms. Fierce Wind Territory." He whispered.


    The air around the two suddenly turned chaotic as fierce gusts of wind brushed past their figures. Invisible wind des rotated around them in a random manner.


    Xue Yangkai appeared to be unharmed as he coldly stared at the emperor.


    Emperor Elyk knew that this must be a skill that Xue Yangkai had cast. He could sense the sharpness of the fierce wind around him. One wrong move and he might be cut into pieces!


    "Solidify!" Emperor Elyk pressed his hands on his Sky Diamond Protective Halo to strengthen it. He was confident that it could block Xue Yangkai¡¯s attack.


    He might not be able to defeat someone at the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint, but he was certain that he could fight toe to toe with Xue Yangkai despite the difference in their cultivation level.


    * * *


    Inside the Xue Family estate, an amiable-looking middle-aged man can be seen strolling calmly. He suddenly raised his head when he felt a strong gust of wind above the skies. "Are they finally starting?" He said in a gentle tone.


    If one would look closely, they would find him almost simr to Elder Ming, but this person looked much younger inparison. However, an invisible air of death and darkness covered his entire being!


    "I have waited many years for this day and it has finallye. Maybe I should take a look and see how those two kill Elyk and that mysterious expert." He muttered as he walked with steps that carried a trace of profundity.


    This man was none other than Elder Ming! The sect master of the Undying Corpse Sect! A being who had just transcended and be a Nascent God Realm expert!

 Chapter 218 - The Emperors Father

    <h4>Chapter 218 - The Emperor''s Father </h4>


    Xue Yangkai ordered his corpse puppet to destroy the emperor¡¯s subordinates through their spiritual link.


    After getting hismand, the corpse puppet immediately sprang into action and it started to attack the imperial guards and subordinates of the emperor. It was like a savage wolf thrown into a grasnd filled with a flock of sheep. Even the strongest subordinates of the emperor could hardly defend its fierce assault. It won¡¯t take much time before their side would be destroyed by this monstrous being!


    Emperor Elyk boiled with rage upon seeing the nasty deaths of his people, but then, he saw a man holding a young girl slowly walk towards the corpse puppet¡¯s direction. And just as the emperor was about to heave a sigh of relief, he suddenly discovered that Jiu Shen stopped in his tracks.


    Emperor Elyk was bewildered by his actions. ¡¯Why did Wine Master Jiu stop? If this goes on...¡¯


    Bangg!!


    An old man suddenly emerged in front of the corpse puppet. The old man¡¯s eyes shone with sagacious light as if he was a well-learned individual. His graying beard and sparse white hair were so long that it almost reached his waist.


    The old man looked incredibly feeble with his thin frame and sunken cheeks, but his expression was calm as he stared at the evil monstrosity in front of him. There was neither a look of fear nor horror in his eyes!


    Seeing this man, Emperor Elyk smiled in relief as he muttered softly. "Father."


    Xue Yangkai had also discovered the sudden appearance of the man and he was shocked at his speed. He was not even able to sense his arrival and if not for the sudden stopping of his corpse puppet, he would not have realized the old man¡¯s presence. ¡¯Is he the hidden expert that Elder Ming was wary of? He looks weak, but for him to remain calm in the face of my corpse puppet, he should be stronger than me by a bit. Who is this old man?¡¯ He muttered in his heart as he looked at the frail-looking old man below.


    Jiu Shen calmly stared at the old man as he studied him in great detail with his spiritual perception. "He failed his tribtion lightning which left a serious injury in his physical body, but he somehow managed to heal himself. However, it will be difficult to break through to the Nascent God Realm in his current state. His dantian might explode if he forcefully attempts a breakthrough and this will turn him into a normal person with no cultivation. So that¡¯s why he sealed himself inside a crystal coffin..." Jiu Shen said silently.


    "Meow! That old man might be able to defeat that ugly thing if he goes all out. The only problem is that there is still one more corpse puppet as strong as that. Stinky human, do you want me to help them?" Ice said as she put down the bottle of milk in her hands. She then stared at Jiu Shen¡¯s face with her adorably huge pair of eyes.


    Jiu Shen rubbed her head gently and replied calmly. "Not at this moment. I can feel a much stronger presence slowly walking in this direction. If I¡¯m not wrong, that person should be Elder Ming."


    Ice went ¡¯oh¡¯ upon hearing his words and she looked to her left and right in an attempt to sense the strong presence that Jiu Shen was talking about, but after looking a few times, she could still not sense the presence of Elder Ming, so she shifted her gaze back to Jiu Shen and pouted. "Stinky human, howe I could not feel the presence that you speak about? Are you perhaps lying to me? Meow!"


    Jiu Shen knocked her head lightly, making her go ¡¯ow¡¯ a few times.


    "That¡¯s because you don¡¯t know how to use your spiritual sense. You have strong spiritual power, but you don¡¯t even know to properly utilize it. If you remain obedient, I¡¯ll teach you a thing or two about it." Jiu Shen said while pinching her puffed cheeks.


    Hmph!


    Ice snorted and crossed her arms, but she stayed silent after that. She wanted to learn how to utilize her spiritual power properly, so she could only hold back her desire to scratch Jiu Shen¡¯s face.


    Facing off against the corpse puppet, Elyk Silveria II suddenly stomped his foot on the ground, creating a deep pit in the process.


    [The father of Emperor Elyk Silveria III = Elyk Silveria II]


    This sudden action from the old man made the corpse puppet lose its bnce, making it almost tumble on the ground.


    Seeing this rare opportunity, the old man¡¯s sagacious eyes shed with intense coldness as he released a palm strike aimed at the corpse puppet¡¯s head, but before he could hit the corpse puppet¡¯s head, he suddenly felt a cold sensation behind him, so he swiftly retreated without hesitation.


    Bang!


    A deep crater was formed in the spot where he had just stood and the ground also turned ck as it slowly corroded.


    ¡¯Poison? No, it¡¯s a corrosive substance.¡¯ The old man muttered in his heart as he nced at the neer.


    It was another corpse puppet with long and thin twisted arms that looked incredibly grotesque. Visible ck pus can be seen on this corpse puppet¡¯s arms. The creature was just half the size of the Xue Yangkai¡¯s corpse puppet, but this thing looked deadlier with its corrosive ck pus.


    p! p! p!


    "To think that the former emperor of the Silver Wing Empire is still alive. What a surprising matter! Others might not be able to recognize you, but how could I, your good friend Xue Yangkun fail to recognize you? Hahaha!" A burst of light-heartedughter echoed throughout the ce.


    Everyone nced at the side and saw an old man holding a cane. He looked even older than the old man, but his murky eyes contained a strong sense of oppression that made everyone at the scene feel fear in their hearts.


    "That old man... He¡¯s the supreme elder of the Xue Family!"


    "Xue Yangkun!"


    "What did he say?! This old man is the former emperor... That means he is..."


    Everyone slowly shifted their gazes to the old man wearing in white robes. His clear and sagacious eyes scanned the crowd. The old man¡¯s gaze lingered a bit longer on Jiu Shen before he tore his gaze away from him. He then nced at the grinning Xue Yangkun with a calm look.


    "I never would have thought that someone from my generation would still be alive to this day. How have you been, Xue Yangkun?" The old man asked in a gentle tone. It was as if the two were best buddies, but everyone could sense the strange atmosphere as the two old men conversed.


    "Hahaha! I feel great! I thought you would die under my corpse puppet¡¯s surprise attack, but who knew that your strength did not even diminish after all these years?" Xue Yangkun sounded a bit jealous when he said that.


    The old man remained silent after hearing his words.


    Xue Yangkun¡¯s eyes twitched at the old man¡¯s silence. He then red at Xue Yangkai who was hovering in the skies and shouted at him. "You useless fool! Get down here! You could not even kill a puny 8th-rank Divine realm dog!"


    Xue Yangkai felt rage and humiliated upon hearing that, but he still went down with a dark expression. "I¡¯ve already created an opportunity for you, but you were not even able to kill that old man!" He shouted back in response.


    Hearing this, Xue Yangkun swallowed the curses he was about to release. He red at Xue Yangkai and snorted. "Hmph! Let¡¯s get this thing done! Elder Ming ordered us to kill the emperor and this old man, so we have to do it."


    At the mention of that, Xue Yangkai held back his anger. He knew that failing to do this mission meant a terrible punishment for them, so he could only work together with Xue Yangkun to kill the emperor and the old man.


    After reaching a tacit agreement, the two immediately called their corpse puppets.


    While they were discussing, Emperor Elyk came down and greeted his father. "Greetings, father."


    The old man nodded his head calmly. "You¡¯ve done well in holding out against Xue Yangkai even with the difference between your cultivation levels. Let¡¯s save the chitchatter. We still have to kill those evil creatures." He said as he pointed at the two corpse puppets.


    "Kill them!" Xue Yangkun and Xue Yangkai shouted as they pointed at the emperor and the old man.


    The two corpse puppet swiftly darted out after receiving their master¡¯smands.


    Xue Yangkai¡¯s corpse puppet raised its four buff arms in preparation for a violent punch, while Xue Yangkun¡¯s puppet swung its long pair of thin arms as it released corrosive ck pus.


    Facing the attack of these two strong corpse puppets, Emperor Elyk and his father did not dare take them head-on.

 Chapter 219 - Elder Ming Arrives

    <h4>Chapter 219 - Elder Ming Arrives </h4>


    Jiu Shen calmly watched the two opposing sides as they shed with fierce momentum. Although the Undying Corpse Sect and the Xue Family were outnumbered, they had their corpse puppets which greatly reduced the difference in numbers. Besides, the corpse puppet didn¡¯t fear getting injured or killed, making them a very fearsome opponent on the battlefield. Even the Embroidered Dragon Guards did not dare fight these corpse puppets carelessly.


    On the other hand, Emperor Elyk and his father were facing Xue Yangkai, Xue Yangkun, and also both men¡¯s corpse puppets. The father and son pair was able to hold on despite the numerical disadvantage they were facing. Not to mention that their enemies were all at the 9th-rank Saint!


    It was already a very surprising matter for the father and son duo to survive up until now.


    Looking at this, Jiu Shen sighed regretfully. He initially nned to let his subordinates fight with the Undying Corpse Sect and the Xue Family for them to gain battle experience and also increase their Sword Comprehension. However, it seemed like this n was now foiled.


    The Xue Family¡¯s strength was too much for them to handle and perhaps, only Long Meili and Ice would be able to defeat them. It was because of the presence of the newly ascended Elder Ming who was now at the Nascent God Realm.


    He might have used external help to achieve his breakthrough, but he was still a bonafide Nascent God Realm expert and someone with that kind of power could fight hundreds of 9th-rank Saint alone!


    "Little Tiger, you might have to fightter on." Jiu Shen muttered to the bored little girl.


    Ice nced at him with shining eyes and she clenched her chubby fists while putting on a fierce look. "I want to fight! I want to fight! Meow!" She said excitedly.


    She was confident about her strength and even if she fought with a Nascent God Realm expert, she was certain that she would be able to defeat them if she uses her true body. It must be noted that this little girl was merely disguised as a fat white cat. She is a true god beast progeny, a cial Sovereign Tiger! One of the most feared existences in the Primordial God Realm!


    Loud battle cries rang out as the two sides battled violently. The sounds of multiple weapons colliding echoed throughout the entirety of the venue. Many soldiers from both sides had already fallen, but they continued their fight.


    It was a cruel sight, but this was the fate of any soldier. They fight for their people and their country even if it means death.


    Jiu Shen could only sigh at the sight of this, but this was part of their fate.


    Another hour passed by and more people from both sides died from battle. The ground was already painted red as blood flowed unceasingly.


    Suddenly, Ice who was still shaking from excitement nced in a certain direction with narrowed eyes. "Stinky human, is that the person that you were talking about earlier?" She asked.


    Jiu Shen did not even need to use his spiritual perception to know who she was talking about. He nodded his head at her and replied. "Mn. That man should be Elder Ming."


    Ice stood up on Jiu Shen¡¯sp and stared carefully at the iing figure with her enhanced vision. She was a god beast progeny, so her vision was far better than anyone in the same realm. Elder Ming was not even able to sense that he was already being monitored by a little girl.


    "That man¡¯s aura looks evil and vile. I wonder how many lives he had taken just to achieve his breakthrough?" Ice muttered solemnly as she stared at Elder Ming. Her usually childish demeanor was now reced by a stern and grim atmosphere.


    Hm?


    Elder Ming who was nonchntly walking towards their direction suddenly felt that he was being spied. He frowned and stared in the direction where he sensed the gaze.


    He narrowed his eyes when he saw the familiar figure of a man with long silver hair. He saw him carrying a small little girl with a head full of short white hair. Strangely enough, the sensation that he felt earlier actually came from the little girl in Jiu Shen¡¯s hands! Elder Ming could even see the girl smiling at him with a taunting look.


    "Huh? I must be hallucinating. How could a little girl make me feel danger? It must be that Jiu Shen! Hmph!" Elder Ming snorted. He then tapped his feet on the ground as he flew through the skies at breakneck speed.


    "He¡¯sing closer! Stinky human, release me! I want to bite that old man to death! He actually snorted at me! Meow!" Ice said angrily as she tried to escape from Jiu Shen¡¯s grip, but she could not even move an inch no matter how she tried.


    "Be patient." He muttered.


    Not longter, everyone on the battlefield suddenly sensed a suffocating aura that almost made them prostrate in fear. They gaze at the skies and saw the figure of a middle-aged man who looked rather ordinary, but they could somehow feel a trace of profundity in his eyes.


    The fierce fight between the two sides abruptly stopped upon his arrival.


    "Who is that guy? Is he also someone from the Undying Corpse Sect?"


    "If he¡¯s capable of flight, then he should be someone who is at least at the 8th-rank Divine realm! We¡¯re finished!"


    "It looks like we¡¯re going to die this time..."


    Elder Ming put on an amiable expression as he surveyed the entire battlefield. He then frowned when he saw that both the emperor and his father were still alive and kicking!


    Seeing his darkening expression, Xue Yangkai and Xue Yangkun cursed in their hearts: Oh shit!


    Elder Ming slowly descended from the skies and ignored everyone else. His gaze was glued on the figure of a man carrying a little girl in his embrace. He then started talking with a smile. "This gentleman must Wine Master Jiu. It is a pleasure to meet you."


    Jiu Shen did not even bother to reply and he merely nced at him with a calm look.


    Elder Ming¡¯s smile froze after being disregarded in front of arge crowd. He thought that no one would ever dare disrespect him after bing a Nascent God Realm expert, but who knew that someone with the guts of steel actually exists in the Silver Wing Empire.


    "It looks like Wine Master Jiu does not want to be friends with me. Too bad. In that case, you¡¯ll have to die today!" Elder Ming said and his gentle eyes slowly distorted and turned incredibly hideous. His aura also turned malefic and insidious!


    This sudden change scared some of the people on the battlefield. Only Jiu Shen and Ice remained unperturbed upon seeing this.


    "Haha! Look, that old man is funny. He looks like the clown that visited your store some time ago. Pfft!" Ice giggled as she pointed her chubby finger at Elder Ming. A mischievous smile was stered on her lips.


    Everyone sweated for the little girl. She actually dared to insult someone who was emitting such a dangerous aura!


    "Oh my god! Sigh. What a pitiful child! Even if Wine Master Jiu is on her side, she would still not be safe. From how that guy looks, he seems to have a personal vendetta with Wine Master Jiu. She¡¯s finished..."


    The emperor¡¯s subordinates muttered regretfully. They wanted to offer their help, but they could not even move under the intense pressure of Elder Ming¡¯s aura, so they could only stare at the scene helplessly.


    Elder Ming cackled with a malicious expression. It was as if he could not wait to devour Jiu Shen and the little girl in his arms.


    "Jiu Shen. Jiu Shen. Jiu Shen. You almost spoiled my ns with your sudden arrival in the Silver Wing Empire. You even killed a descendant of my Xue Family. Do you think we don¡¯t know about it? I would only be relieved if I see your corpse today. No, I will refine your corpse into my new corpse puppet! As for you little girl... I will eat your flesh... Kekeke!" Elder Ming¡¯s voice sounded almost beast-like and his eyes revealed a tinge of crazed madness.


    Jiu Shen ignored him and poked the back of Ice¡¯s head as he said. "Little Tiger, it¡¯s time for you to make a move. If you kill him, I¡¯ll give you an additional bottle of milk tonight. What do you think?"


    Ice¡¯s expression brightened and she eagerly nodded her head. "Don¡¯t take back your words or I¡¯ll scratch your face." She said while looking at Jiu Shen.


    Although the voices of the two were not that loud, everyone present on the battlefield were elite individuals, so they were able to hear their conversation loud and clear.


    Elder Ming¡¯s dark expression became even more unsightly when he heard them.


    Roaaarrr!


    "Go fucking die!" He shouted like a deranged beast.

 Chapter 220 - Glacial Sovereign Tiger

    <h4>Chapter 220 - cial Sovereign Tiger </h4>


    Elder Ming lost his reasoning as he pounced towards the direction of Jiu Shen and Ice. He raised his fist that carried pulsating dark energy, causing a violent fluctuation around his figure.


    Everything happened in an instant, and everyone on the battlefield was not even able to see how Elder Ming moved. In their eyes, it looked as if he had suddenly turned into a blur or a shadow that traveled like a phantom!


    Suddenly, the air turned still as if time seemed to have slowed down. Even Elder Ming who was the embodiment of speed appeared to be in slow-motion. The leaves that were brought upon by the fierce wind can be seen moving ever so slowly.


    At this sudden change in the speed of time, the only ones who remained unaffected are Jiu Shen and the little girl in his arms.


    "Go on. Make that you will destroy his Immortal Soul." Jiu Shen patted the little girl¡¯s head with a warm gaze.


    Once an expert survives their tribtion lightning, they would then gain an Immortal Soul. With this Immortal Soul, even if their physical bodies were destroyed, they could still manage to live, but they have to find a suitable physical body within ten years or their Immortal Soul would slowly dissipate.


    Ice closed her eyes as she enjoyed Jiu Shen¡¯s gentle touch. She then replied in a small voice. "Mn."


    After hearing her reply, Jiu Shen released the little girl from his embrace. Thetter swiftly jumped and hovered through the skies like a small fairy.


    "Stinky human, retract your power. I want to defeat this old man with my own skill. Meow!" Ice said as she stared fixedly at Elder Ming. Thetter¡¯s expression was still warped with madness and he seemed to be oblivious that he was already affected by Jiu Shen¡¯s power.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s lips curved slightly upon hearing the little girl¡¯s words. He then snapped his fingers nonchntly.


    Snap.


    The speed of time went back to normal.


    Roaarr!!!


    Elder Ming¡¯s enraged roar reverberated like the crackling of thunder and the pulsating dark energy in his fist inted as emitted a dangerous sensation.


    Huh?


    She¡¯s flying?


    Elder Ming was surprised at the sudden turn of events.


    Just a few milliseconds ago, he was certain that this little girl was still in Jiu Shen¡¯s embrace, so how did she suddenly appear in front of him?


    Elder Ming felt that something was wrong with this little girl, but it was already toote for him to realize that. He released the dark energy in his fist towards the hovering little girl.


    Facing this attack, Ice abruptly morphed and turned into a huge creature that emitted unprecedented coldness and power.


    Long and silky white fur, a pair of angelic wings, and two icy blue eyes...


    She turned into a white tiger with long snow-white fur!


    The deep and immeasurable aura of a god beast progeny unconsciously gushed out of her body, sending chills to the onlooking crowd. Even Elder Ming who was about to attack her almost paused in midair when he saw her sudden transformation.


    Hmph!


    Ice snorted and raised herrge ws to block Elder Ming¡¯s outstretched arms.


    Baaaanggg!


    Dark element and ice element shed, creating an explosion of two different shades that painted the sky with ck and crystal-blue color.


    A few experts who were near the epicenter of the sh were thrown far away due to the violent gusts of wind that followed.


    Screams of terror and fear echoed about as everyone witnessed this absurd scene.


    How could a fight between two individuals create such an effect? It was too unbelievable and everyone thought that they were dreaming.


    In fact, if not for Jiu Shen secretly putting up a barrier within the battlefield, a quarter of Beltran City would have been toppled down during that exchange!


    It must be noted that this was merely a single exchange between two experts at the Nascent God Realm and both individuals did not even use their strongest skills! So what would happen to Beltran City if they used all of their power?


    That was how strong experts at the Nascent God Realm were!


    Jiu Shen cast a protective barrier on the emperor¡¯s people to prevent them from dying needlessly. Even a 9th-rank Saint would be slightly injured when facing the after-effects of a Nascent God Realm expert¡¯s power.


    Emperor Elyk and his father stared at the scene above the sky with utter stupefaction. They couldn¡¯t describe with words what they were feeling at this moment.


    "Is this the power of someone at the Nascent God Realm?" Emperor Elyk asked with a nk look. Although he had already seen the power of Jiu Shen, it was not as eye-catching as the scene in front of him. He could feel his wildly beating heart had almost jumped out of his chest.


    Standing beside him, his father shook his head lightly. "Can¡¯t you sense something within our bodies?"


    Emperor Elyk furrowed his eyebrows and confusedly checked his body.


    Hm? This energy...


    He btedly discovered that a warm energy was covering his whole body like a protective chasm. "This... This is..."


    "Someone protected us from getting injured." The old man said as he nced at the man who was still seated calmly in a chair. He didn¡¯t know why, but he was certain that this had something to do with this man...


    "Then that means..." Emperor Elyk was still shocked by this.


    "Look at them." The old man pointed at Xue Yangkai and the others from the Xue Family and the Undying Corpse Sect. Their current state was terrible, and they looked like they had experienced a great storm.


    Xue Yangkai and Xue Yangkun were protected by their corpse puppets, so they looked much better than the rest of their group.


    Emperor Elyk was stunned and he could not help but gasp in surprise. "This is the effect of the sh between two experts at the Nascent God Realm? Terrifying!" He uttered.


    Up above the skies, Elder Ming retracted his aching fist. He could see a hint of redness in his knuckles.


    "A savage beast that had transcended mortality!? Are you someone from the Divine Beast Continent!?" Elder Ming red at the huge flying tiger in front of him.


    The aura emitted by this winged white tiger was so immense that he felt as if he was slightly subdued. This made Elder Ming frown as wariness crept in his heart.

 Chapter 221 - Elder Ming Retreats

    <h4>Chapter 221 - Elder Ming Retreats </h4>


    Hmph!


    Ice merely snorted in response to his words. Her huge pair of wings continuously pped, producing snowkes because of her inherent coldness.


    "That... How did such a creature suddenly appear?!"


    "You moron! That¡¯s the little girl in Wine Master Jiu¡¯s embrace earlier! She transformed into a beautiful white tiger in just a blink of an eye! Who would have thought that she was actually a savage beast with great power..."


    Elder Ming carefully stared at Ice as he silently gauged her power. In his mind, he was evaluating Ice¡¯s cultivation level and he alsopared it to his own. He was confident that their raw power was almost on par, but he was feeling slightly perturb because there was still a certain someone who has yet to show his power.


    ¡¯Fuck! This little girl is actually a Nascent God Realm savage beast! Do I have to postpone my attack on the Silver Wing Empire?! No way! But that brat Jiu Shen has yet to attack... What if he is also a Nascent God Realm expert?¡¯ He cursed in his heart. He was hesitating at this moment, and this was definitely not a good sign.


    He has waited many years for this day. He nned for this scheme for so long, and just as he thought that he had already taken a grasp of everything, he suddenly discovered this duo trying to mess everything that he had painstakingly nned.


    Ice opened her mouth, creating tens of ice arrows that shot towards Elder Ming instantaneously.


    Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Elder Ming snarled and long sharp ws suddenly extended from his knuckles. Those ws looked deadly and incredibly sharp. Anyone would be turned to shreds if they were hit by these ws.


    Elder Ming shed the ice arrows with his ws. He seemed to have done it casually, but he knew that every time he had hit those ice arrows, chilling coldness seeped through his arms! The extreme coldness he was feeling made his movements slow down as time goes by, but he refused to back down at this instant! He did not want all of his efforts to go down the drainage!


    A few ice arrows managed to impale Elder Ming, causing him to groan.


    "Fuck!" He cursed as he pulled out the ice arrows from his body. He then red coldly at the massive cial Sovereign Tiger in front of him.


    Elder Ming knew that he was now at a disadvantage, but he felt slightly reluctant to retreat. After all, he had spent many gears to formte everything, so how could he easily give up on it?!


    "God fucking dammit!" Elder Ming shouted angrily. His figure disappeared from his spot and reappeared behind Ice all of a sudden. He was so fast that everyone down below was yet to discover where he was. Only Jiu Shen was able to clearly see his movements.


    Ice snorted once again. She fiercely pped her wings, creating freezing gales that swept towards Elder Ming¡¯s figure.


    Countless ice shards and snowkes dotted the skies as Ice turned to cast another attack by a mere wave of her ws.


    Elder Ming¡¯s eyes turned red upon facing this scene. He gritted his teeth as he poured out his true essence! He might die if he was careless, so he might as well bring out everything he had!


    "DIE!!!!!" He shouted maliciously as he brandished his ws at Ice¡¯s figure.


    Ten streaks of dark w lights tore through the skies, shooting swiftly towards Ice. The sky turned dark after this attack, and everyone on the battlefield held their breaths at this fearsome sight!


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Multiple ice shards shattered upon direct contact with the ten streaks of dark w lights.


    Ice opened her mouth and spat a huge ice spear. It looked slightly incorporeal, but it almost looked life-like with its transparent white color as if it was carved out of a cier.


    Swoosh!


    The ice spear collided with the ten w lights!


    Booooommmmm!!!


    Everyone held unto something to prevent themselves from being thrown away, but even with their efforts, some of them were still flung away by the strong winds!


    Elder Ming¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot after seeing his strongest attack dissipating after shing with that gigantic ice spear and it only managed to reduce half the size of the spear and it continued to travel towards him like a sh of lightning!


    Pu!


    His shoulder was urately hit by the spear, skewering him in the process!


    Aaarrghhh!!!


    Elder Ming used his true essence to melt the ice spear impaled on his shoulder. He emitted a pained scream as he clutched the bloody fist-size hole that unceasingly spurted blood.


    I have to retreat! Shit!


    Elder Ming thought as he fearfully nced at the cial Sovereign Tiger. He gritted his teeth while holding back the pain in his shoulder. He could already feel it going numbed and he could hardly move his right arm. Every time he tried to move his right arm, a crippling pain would follow. It was so excruciating that he almost passed out!


    Elder Ming hurriedly turned around and fled from the scene. He did not even nce at hisrades who were looking at his fleeing silhouette with wide eyes. They were dumbfounded to see this happen.


    Elder Ming, who they thought was an undefeatable being turned tail and fled? How was that possible?!


    "You want to escape?! Foolish old man!" Ice¡¯s beastly voice echoed chillingly. She pounced at the retreating Elder Ming with a wide-open mouth that sported two sets of sharp serrated teeth.


    Ah!


    Elder Ming cried out in fear when he sensed that he was being chased.


    "Is this real? I think I¡¯m dreaming..." Xue Yangkun muttered with a dazed look. His pair of murky eyes resembled that of a dead fish¡¯s soulless eyes.


    Xue Yangkai remained silent, but the confidence that he had earlier can no longer be seen.


    Both men did not feel safe despite having two corpse puppets at the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint. If someone like Elder Ming was beaten like an idiot, then how would they end up with their meager cultivation level?


    At that moment, they suddenly felt their hearts sinking into oblivion.

 Chapter 222 - Capturing Elder Ming

    <h4>Chapter 222 - Capturing Elder Ming </h4>


    After seeing Elder Ming escaping with his life, everyone from the Xue Family and the Undying Corpse Sect lost their will to fight. They immediately scrambled out of the scene, running swiftly as if they could not wait to leave this hellhole.


    Only a retard would remain there after seeing the battle between Elder Ming and the cial Sovereign Tiger...


    "Run!!!"


    "Flee!!!"


    Emperor Elyk instantly ordered his men to kill the escaping enemies, his eyes burning with grim light. He knew that Wine Master Jiu would not fail him, but he did not think that he would help them this way. He did not even have to fight himself and Wine Master Jiu justmanded a little girl who was actually a Nascent God Realm savage beast to fight.


    "Kill them! Don¡¯t let them escape!" Emperor Elyk shouted as he raised his Silver Wing Sword. He then sprinted towards the retreating enemies like an enraged lion, shing the enemies¡¯ bodies viciously.


    Ahhh!!


    Urghhh!


    Bloodcurdling screams rang out as the raging subordinates of the emperor pounced on their enemies with sky-high fighting morale. They knew that they have the advantage, so they did not want to waste this precious opportunity to kill more of their enemies.


    Up above the skies, Elder Ming¡¯s body was already dyed red with his own blood. His face was pale and his eyes were bloodshot. He could hardly maintain hovering in the air because of his severe injuries.


    While clutching the gaping hole on his shoulder, Elder Ming stared at the huge white tiger that was growling at him with hungry eyes. He knew this kind of look since this was how he stared at the people that he turned into corpse puppets.


    Thinking about this, Elder Ming shuddered and his legs were visibly trembling. Who would have thought that there was actually a terrifying being serving Jiu Shen? What made him even more confused was how did Jiu Shen managed to make this Nascent God Realm savage beast serve him willingly?


    Well, if he knew that Jiu Shen was merely giving milk to this Nascent God Realm savage beast, Elder Ming might die in exasperation...


    Left with no choice, Elder Ming gritted his teeth and took out an item from his spacial ring. It was a jade slip that emitted thick amounts of space energy.


    "Fuck you! I wille back and kill all of you to avenge my fallenrades! JIU SHEN!!!" Elder Ming shouted like a cornered beast as he activated the jade slip in his hands.


    Ice swiftly pounced at him, but it was already toote.


    Elder Ming¡¯s figure vanished from his spot.


    Ice roared at the skies when she witnessed this. Her opponent had actually escaped right in front of her eyes?


    In her anger, Ice conjured hundreds of ice arrows and shot the remaining members of the Xue Family and the Undying Corpse Sect.


    Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Pu! Pu! Pu! Pu! Pu!


    The emperor¡¯s subordinates could only stare at their enemies with horror in their eyes. The bunch of them looked as if they had turned into porcupines with all those ice arrows impaling them.


    "Is it done?" Someone asked with a nk look.


    Hundreds of peak experts died just like that? They were not even able to put on a fight as they died in a blink of an eye...


    "Nascent God Realm... So that¡¯s why they are referred to as ¡¯Immortals¡¯ fifty thousand years ago. Theirbat strength is way beyond that of a 9th-rank Saint. Even someone like me who is already at the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint will still die with one blow from that kind of attack... Terrifying indeed..." The emperor¡¯s father muttered with awe and worship. He had tried to break through to the Nascent God Realm, but he failed to ovee his tribtion lightning. He had even almost lost his life at that time.


    Emperor Elyk merely nodded his head with aplicated look when he stared at the battlefield. It could not even be called a fight. All their enemies died in a matter of seconds without even a chance of resisting.


    Emperor Elyk nced at the huge white tiger in the skies. He could see that it was still fuming because of Elder Ming¡¯s sudden escape.


    "So that little girl was actually such a strong being... I wonder how Wine Master Jiu got her..." Emperor Elyk muttered absentmindedly.


    Jiu Shen who was seated on his chair slowly rose to his feet, his silver eyes slowly turned gold.


    "No one can escape from my grasp..." He uttered calmly as he grabbed the empty air.


    Om!


    A portal emerged in front of him and he stretched his right arm towards the portal. Dozens of rusted chains suddenly shot towards the portal, producing nking sounds.


    The chains then trembled as if they had captured something.


    Looking at this, everyone stared at Jiu Shen with bewildered looks. Even Ice was looking at him with a confused expression.


    Jiu Shen beckoned with his fingers and the chains slowly tightened.


    From the looks of it, the chains seemed to be pulling something out from the portal.


    "Could it be..." Emperor Elyk muttered in shock as he guessed in his heart.


    Everyone stared at this scene with unblinking eyes. Everyone no longer believed that Jiu Shen was merely an Alchemy Saint or a normal expert. How could he have taken a Nascent God Realm savage beast if he was merely that?


    Suddenly, everyone could hear a loud scream filled with extreme trepidation.


    Ahhhh!!


    Ahhhh!!!


    Don¡¯t kill me!!!


    Coming out of the portal was a bloodied figure of a man wrapped tightly with dozens of rusted chains. The rust from the chains aggravated his injuries, making him scream like a pig in a ughterhouse.


    The portal slowly vanished and everyone could finally identify the captured man and they could not help but quiver in fear when they realized that it was actually Elder Ming.


    How did Jiu Shen manage to capture him? From what they have seen, Elder Ming seemed to have activated a teleportation jade slip which could transport him thousands of miles away from his initial location, so howe Jiu Shen was still able to get him?


    In the end, everyone could only stare fearfully at the man with long silver hair. His expression was calm and sedated as if he had done something inconsequential.

 Chapter 223 - Sealing Elder Mings Immortal Soul

    <h4>Chapter 223 - Sealing Elder Ming''s Immortal Soul </h4>


    Ice changed back into her human form and swiftly darted in front of the tightly wrapped Elder Ming. She ced her hands on her hips as she smiled mockingly at Elder Ming.


    "Old man, I initially wanted to devour you, but looking at your ugly face, I suddenly lost appetite. I might have a stomachache if I eat you. Meow!" Ice said.


    Elder Ming trembled when he heard her words, but he could not do anything since he no longer had any strength left from his body. He could only stare at this little devil with a terrified look. Why wouldn¡¯t he be scared when the other party mentioned about wanting to devour him?


    With his current state, Elder Ming could only await his death. ¡¯How the hell did Jiu Shen capture me when I¡¯m already thousands of miles away from this ce? Even if he is a Nascent God Realm expert, he should not be this strong, right?¡¯ He thought as he nced at Jiu Shen¡¯s expressionless face.


    "Wine... Wine Master Jiu... Cough! Cough!" Elder Ming called out, but he suddenly coughed blood.


    "I honestly don¡¯t want to involve myself in the internal affairs of the Silver Wing Empire, but your rebellion is something that might damage my business..." Jiu Shen said calmly.


    "No! I wouldn¡¯t dare to! Please, don¡¯t kill me!" Elder Ming cried out with snot and tears.


    Jiu Shen shook his head lightly. "I need your Immortal Soul to cleanse my disciple¡¯s weapon. That way, that damage sword would recover a bit of its power." He said without even batting an eye.


    Elder Ming flinched when he saw the frightening calmness in his gaze. It was as if he was just a tiny creature looking at a greater being.


    Jiu Shen snapped his fingers and the rusted chains that wrapped Elder Ming suddenly tightened.


    Ahhhh!!!


    Ahhhh!!!


    Elder Ming¡¯s eyes widened as if it was on the verge of exploding. His skin slowly turned purple and blood continuously leaked out of his mouth as he screamed.


    Ahhhhhh!!


    Pu!


    Elder Ming¡¯s body suddenly exploded into thousand pieces! It was a brutal sight and even the toughest subordinates of Emperor Elyk flinched at the sight of it.


    A white shadow darted out, but before it could even escape, the unmoving rusted chains wrapped around it, preventing this white shadow from escaping.


    Upon closer look, this white shadow looked transparent and it looked simr to that of Elder Ming. It was because this was Elder Ming¡¯s Immortal Soul!


    Emperor Elyk and his subordinates stared confusedly at the scene. They could not see anything, but there seemed to be something wrapped around the rusted chains. Just that, they could not see it nor sense.


    An Immortal Soul could not be seen by a mortal¡¯s eyes. Only those at the Nascent God Realm would be able to see it.


    Jiu Shen then took out a bottle from his space earring before pointing a finger at Elder Ming¡¯s Immortal Soul. "Soul Seal." He muttered calmly.


    An invisible ray of light struck Elder Ming¡¯s Immortal Soul and when it hit him, he suddenly stopped moving as if he had been electrocuted.


    After that, Jiu Shen opened the bottle and ced Elder Ming¡¯s Immortal Soul inside. He then put the bottle back inside his space earring.


    "Hey, stinky human, don¡¯t forget about my milk. Meow." Ice crossed her arms as she haughtily spoke those words.


    Jiu Shen shrugged his shoulders before pinching her chubby cheeks.


    They then descended to the ground under the worshipping gazes of everyone.


    "Wine Master Jiu, thank you for your assistance. Everyone would have died if not for you. Also, thank you for your help, Young Lady. I would dly offer you the best kinds of milk we could offer. I heard from Sylvia that you like to drink milk. I wonder if this is enough for you. Hehe." Emperor Elyk bowed lightly at Jiu Shen and Ice as he said. His subordinates followed suit as they also bowed at the pair in gratitude.


    Emperor Elyk¡¯s father also bowed at them, his clear eyes revealed a trace of admiration and awe. ¡¯This man looks young. He should have reached the Nascent God Realm before the age of 100. I wonder how old is he right now...¡¯


    Jiu Shen merely nodded his head at the emperor, while Ice smugly raised her head as she nodded with a satisfied look.


    "Old man, you¡¯re quite smart. If the milk that you offer is ptable, then I don¡¯t mind epting it. Meow." She said proudly.


    Emperor Elykughed confidently as he said. "Young Lady, you don¡¯t have to worry about that. Hahaha!"


    He could still not believe that this adorable young girl was actually a Nascent God Realm savage beast. And from the suffocating aura that she exuded earlier, she did not look like an ordinary savage beast either. If his guess was not wrong, then this little girl might be a descendant of a god beast!


    "Oh, by the way, Wine Master Jiu, this is my father. Father, this man is the Wine Master that I mentioned to you. His name is Jiu Shen." Emperor Elyk introduced them with a smile.


    Emperor Elyk¡¯s father smiled humbly as he looked at Jiu Shen. Although Jiu Shen looked much younger than him, he did not put on airs. After all, this guy was a Nascent God Realm expert.


    "It¡¯s my honor to meet you, Wine Master Jiu. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you from my good for nothing son." The old man smiled warmly as he extended both his arms.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head at him and stretch his right arm.


    After reluctantly shaking the old man¡¯s hands, Jiu Shen swiftly retracted his arms.


    "Wine Master Jiu, I also want to apologize for this. I know you must have wanted that little guy Yang Zenke to end up as the champion in the martial artspetition, but it looks like it¡¯s no longer possible with the current state of things." Emperor Elyk smiled wryly as he shook his head.


    Jiu Shen shook his head and replied calmly. "It doesn¡¯t matter. I only want them to experience fighting a real battle against those on the same generation as them."


    "In that case, I have nothing to worry about. I¡¯ll take my leave first since I still have tomand my men to clean up this ce." Emperor Elyk smiled.

 Chapter 224 - The Emperors Name List

    <h4>Chapter 224 - The Emperor''s Name List </h4>


    A dayter, news about the Xue Family¡¯s downfall instantly circted around the whole of the Silver Wing Empire. Everyone was surprised when they heard about it. After all, the Xue Family was one of the three great noble families with power and authority that was only second to the Silveria Imperial Family.


    Stories about the Xue Family¡¯s illegal dealings with the Blue Fang Empire and the Undying Corpse Sect also sparked the hatred of the citizens. They could not believe that the Xue Family had actually nned to start a rebellion.


    "Man, I heard that the Xue Family colluded with those crazy people from the Undying Corpse Sect to rebel against the throne! And they even attacked during the annual martial artspetition. It happened at the final part of thepetition. Too bad, the martial artspetition this year got suspended because of the Xue Family¡¯s sudden attack."


    "Well, I heard from my friend who is an imperial guard that the emperor managed to defeat the Xue Family¡¯s experts with the help of an unexpected person! You guys will be very surprised if you hear this. It is the emperor¡¯s father, the former emperor of our Silver Wing Empire!"


    "Woah! The former emperor is still alive? Man, ording to my great grandfather, the former emperor was unstoppable all those years ago! If he¡¯s still alive until now, I bet his strength should be at the very peak of the whole Profound Dragon Continent!"


    These kinds of conversations were the main topic of everyone, but the most discussed topic was still about the Xue Family¡¯s sudden rebellion. Some of the citizens even joked about them for having been destroyed on the very first day of their rebellion...


    Of course, everything about Jiu Shen¡¯s involvement was omitted on purpose. He was the one who told the emperor to do it. Aside from making the citizens feel secured, all outside forces would think twice about invading the Silver Wing Empire if they heard it.


    Inside the imperial pce¡¯s throne room.


    "Defender Duanmu, lead the Embroidered Dragon Guards to destroy the remaining members of the Xue Family! Kill everyone! We must not leave any roots behind or it mighte back to haunt us in the future! Leave!" Emperor Elyk ordered coldly, his tone was filled with rage and fury.


    Defender Duanmu saluted and replied. "I¡¯ll get it done as youmand, Your Majesty!"


    He then left the throne room with heavy strides.


    Looking at his retreating figure, Emperor Elyk nodded in appreciation. He then stared at the old man who was standing beside the throne.


    This was his father, Elyk Silveria II.


    "Father, are you sure that you¡¯ll be able to handle the Undying Corpse Sect on your own? Even if their sect master is already dead, they still have a few top experts in their midst. I don¡¯t want anything bad to happen to you, father." Emperor Elyk said worriedly.


    The old man chuckled warmly when he heard that, but he then shook his head a moment after that. "You don¡¯t need to worry about me, Elyk. Your old man is still a peak stage 9th-rank Saint realm expert. Who among their remaining members could possibly hurt me? Just focus on exterminating the Xue Family. I¡¯ll handle things on my end, so just rest assured."


    Emperor Elyk sighed and rubbed his temples. He knew how stubborn his father is, so he no longer said another word.


    "Just bring the three guardians with you." He said with a defeated look.


    "Those three idiots? What help could they even give me? Just let them remain here to protect Sylvia and Dante. I¡¯ll handle the Undying Corpse Sect alone." The old man said confidently.


    "You... Sigh! Nevermind." Emperor Elyk shook his head after releasing a heavy sigh.


    "By the way, that man Jiu Shen... I want to meet him. We should visit him after weplete things." The old man said with his hands behind his back.


    Emperor Elyk was not surprised by this. He knew what his father¡¯s goal was in this meeting with Jiu Shen, so he nodded his head in agreement. "Of course! We still have to give the reward to that Young Lady for helping us yesterday." He chuckled when he recalled the little girl that liked to put on airs. He did not mind her attitude though since her ability was already apparent. In fact, he was quite fond of that little girl¡¯s temperament which was almost simr to Sylvia¡¯s.


    Upon hearing his words, the old man also thought about that huge and beautiful tiger with thick and silky white fur. ¡¯That Wine Master Jiu has the support of a Nascent God Realm savage beast. I wonder what is so special about him... I¡¯ll soon find out after I meet him...¡¯


    "I have to go now, son. The Undying Corpse Sect might escape if I continue to remain idle here." The old man said and swiftly left the throne room as if he was in a hurry. He wanted to end things faster so that he could meet Jiu Shen at an earlier date.


    Looking at his father¡¯s scurrying figure, Emperor Elyk chuckled. He then looked at the empty throne room with aplicated look. "Why does everyone want to im this ce so badly? Bing an emperor is such a pain in the ass. Sigh..." He muttered as he dragged his exhausted body back to his room.


    Inside his room, the emperor sat on a chair and took out something inside a drawer under his table.


    It was a piece of paper with words written on it:


    Xue Family


    Undying Corpse Sect


    Blue Fang Empire


    Clear Water Empire


    Scorching Sun Sect


    Emperor Elyk took out a quill pen and a small inkwell filled with dark ink. He then crossed the words ¡¯Undying Corpse Sect¡¯ and ¡¯Xue Family¡¯.


    "After my investigations, I came up with the names of those who want to destroy or invade my Silver Wing Empire. Two of them are now destroyed, but there are still a few left... Not to mention the thing that Wine Master Jiu told me during the auction..." The emperor muttered with a cold look. He hesitated for a moment before writing another name on the piece of paper:


    Arn Silveria

 Chapter 225 - Giving The Demon Crystal To Hu Xiandao

    <h4>Chapter 225 - Giving The Demon Crystal To Hu Xiandao </h4>


    Inside Jiu Shen¡¯s wine store, it was business as usual.


    Tens of customers came inside the wine store with meek looks. No one dared to cause amotion and everyone found themselves a seat in a practiced manner. Who would have believed that even the most callous mercenaries would actually disy such carefulness?


    Well, everything is not ordinary inside ¡¯The Immortal¡¯s Wine¡¯ especially with a pair of terrifying blonde eyes looking at everyone coldly.


    "Young Miss Theia, is the master here?" An aged voice suddenly interrupted Theia who was observing everyone inside the store. She stared at the two neers and nodded her head at them.


    "Master already told me that the both of you wille today. He said that you should meet him on the second floor." Theia answered in a mild tone.


    Hearing her respectful manner of speaking, the two older men felt a bit surprised, but when they thought that they could already be considered as Jiu Shen¡¯s disciples, they felt that her sudden change in attitude was understandable.


    "Thank you so much, Young Miss Theia. We will go upstairs then." Master Fengzi said with a smile. He then dragged Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian to the second floor with an excited look on his aged face.


    Upon reaching the second floor, they discovered the expressionless Ren Shuang standing outside of the second floor¡¯s entrance. They greeted him respectfully before they entered.


    The two old men saw their master discussing something with a barbarian.


    "Hu Xiandao, I have something here for you." Jiu Shen said as he looked at the bewildered barbarian with a calm look.


    Hu Xiandao tactfully remained silent and waited. He was curious about the thing that Jiu Shen had for him. ¡¯I wonder what Lord Jiu Shen has for me this time...¡¯


    Master Fengzi and Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian stood behind Jiu Shen. They did not dare interrupt the discussion between Jiu Shen and Hu Xiandao. They knew that this must be important...


    Jiu Shen took out the Demon Crystal that he had gotten from the Silver Dragon Auction House. It was a piece of mineral that looked like the most beautiful piece of ga.


    Hu Xiandao stared at it with a captivated look. He could sense a huge amount of energy from this piece of crystal and he could feel that this was a very valuable treasure that could help him increase his strength.


    From the energy that it exuded, he felt that he might be able to reach the 9th-rank Saint if he could consume all the energy it contained!


    "Lord Jiu Shen... That crystal..." He gulped inaudibly as he stared at the red crystal.


    "That is..." Master Fengzi and Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian immediately identified the red crystal after seeing it. They knew that it was a Demon Crystal that Jiu Shen got from the Silver Dragon Auction House. It was a precious item for body enhancers!


    "This is a Demon Crystal from a 9th-rank Saint demon. If you manage to refine even seventy percent of the energy it contains, you will be able to break through to the 9th-rank Saint. The process of extracting the energy inside this Demon Crystal might be painful, but I am confident that you can handle it. Take it." Jiu Shen calmly tossed the Demon Crystal as if it was just an ordinary stone.


    The eyes of the three men instantly widened upon seeing this. Hu Xiandao was flustered and he barely caught the Demon Crystal with both his hands. He sighed in relief and held it carefully in his hands.


    "Lord Jiu Shen, this thing is too precious. Although I need it very much, I can¡¯t ept it." Hu Xiandao shook his head and smiled wryly. He then extended his right hand towards Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen did not even nce at his extended hand. He just calmly stared at the barbarian¡¯s face. "Listen, I am not giving that to you for free." He uttered.


    "Hm? What do you want me to do, Lord Jiu Shen? I will do anything for you even without this..." Hu Xiandao said honestly. Jiu Shen had already given him a huge favor by healing his severed arm, so he could not really make himself ept another precious gift from him.


    Master Fengzi and Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian admired the barbarian¡¯s integrity. It was a very rare trait in the cruel world that they live in.


    Jiu Shen pressed his back on his chair with azy look and replied. "I want you to help me train a few kids for me. Of course, you are not alone in this endeavor. My second disciple, Can Ye, will help you train those kids. Can Ye already has the training schedule and everything else is also prepared. You just have to help him monitor the kids¡¯ progress."


    Hu Xiandao was already prepared to receive a difficult mission, but when he heard that it was only to teach a bunch of kids, he was dumbfounded. "Huh? I mean, that¡¯s it?" He asked while looking at Jiu Shen.


    The job was too easy in exchange for a Demon Crystal, so he was still a bit reluctant to ept it.


    Jiu Shen shrugged and uttered a sound of agreement. "Mn."


    Hu Xiandao nced speechlessly at him and he was at loss for words. Should he ept it or not?


    "Brother Hu, just ept it. Master wants to give it to you, and Brother Hu just has to work hard in training those kids." Master Fengzi said.


    "Fengzi is right, Brother Hu. Just ept master¡¯s grace." Qi Hongtian added.


    Hu Xiandao wavered when he heard the two old men. In the end, he sighed and retracted his extended arm. He then stood up and bowed at Jiu Shen respectfully. "Lord Jiu Shen, I can¡¯t express my gratitude with words from your grace, but I can promise that I will train those kids and meet your expectations for them."


    The corner of Jiu Shen¡¯s lips slightly rose for a brief moment.


    "Good! In that case, scram..." Jiu Shen shooed him away as if he was shooing a stray dog, but Hu Xiandao merelyughed as he left the second floor. His smile was so wide that his lips were almost torn...

 Chapter 226 - Xue Familys End

    <h4>Chapter 226 - Xue Family''s End </h4>


    Master Fengzi and Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian starer at the barbarian¡¯s departing figure. They felt slightly jealous of the Demon Crystal that he got from Jiu Shen. Although they were not body enhancers, they could still use the Demon Crystal as an ingredient for refining pills. It was a very rare ingredient and it was capable of enhancing a refined pill¡¯s efficacy with its abundant energy.


    ¡¯What a lucky guy!¡¯ They muttered in their hearts.


    Without turning his head back, Jiu Shen gestured for the two olf men to sit down as he said. "Sit."


    Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian and Master Fengzi nced at each other before they bowed at Jiu Shen while respectfully greeting. "Greetings, master."


    The two old men then sat down across Jiu Shen with expectant looks.


    Jiu Shen nced at them with a calm look and said. "You both might be curious as to why I changed my mind and epted you as my disciples."


    Master Fengzi remained silent, while Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian nodded his head lightly. They were indeed curious as to why Jiu Shen suddenly epted them when he had rejected them countless times. They thought that he was moved by their resolve, but that did not seem to be the case when they saw his indifferent eyes scanning them.


    "In fact, I have already stated that your talents are nothing worthy in my eyes. In the ce where Ie from, even an outer disciple of a low-rank sect has much better talent than you guys added together. Do you know what that means? That means the both of you are not even qualified to enter a low-rank sect in that ce." Jiu Shen¡¯s tone was calm and unhurried, but his words were like multiple bombs exploding beside the old men¡¯s ears.


    Just what kind of ce did Jiu Shene from?!


    They gulped audibly as surprise covered their aged faces.


    "Master... Where..." Master Fengzi suddenly closed his mouth when he saw Jiu Shen gesturing him to remain silent.


    "In the ce where I came from, Alchemy Saints are abundant. It is also the lowest requirement needed before one could join the Divine Alchemy Pavilion, the holynd for alchemists." Jiu Shen paused and looked straight into their eyes. He could see the dumbfounded looks of the two which made them look a bit silly.


    "Alchemy Saints are abundant and it is just the lowest requirement? This..." Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian muttered with a shocked expression.


    Master Fengzi was speechless and he could not even utter a single word after hearing what Jiu Shen said.


    "I¡¯m not exaggerating at all. That ce is called the Primordial God Realm. It is a world ruled by Immortals and Goddesses. With your current skills and cultivation levels, the both of you could only be ves or servants of the wealthy nobles." Jiu Shen added with a stern look.


    Upon hearing that, the faces of the two old men turned grim. If anyone else said this, they would have surelyughed it off, but the man in front of them was Jiu Shen and he was not someone who casually jokes around.


    ¡¯Is there really such a world?¡¯ They thought.


    "Master, if that world is so great, then why are you here?" Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian asked curiously. If his master came from such a ce, howe he left from there?


    Master Fengzi was simrly curious, so he waited for Jiu Shen to speak.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s expression remained tranquil when he heard that. His indifferent eyes were glued into Qi Hongtian¡¯s face, making thetter flinch. The old man felt a chill ran down his spine upon seeing that pair of golden eyes. The depths of Jiu Shen¡¯s gaze was like a bottomless void, frightening and cold.


    "You don¡¯t want to know. Trust me." Jiu Shen uttered coldly.


    Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian immediately shut his mouth when he heard Jiu Shen¡¯s icy voice.


    "I said all these things not to mock you, but to tell you that there is always a taller mountain out there. With my teachings, although you won¡¯t be peak-rank alchemists, you should still be able to reach the heights that are unattainable for others in Nuar. However, because of your meager talents, you have to work much harder than everyone. Are you prepared to exhaust yourself into bitterly refining pills to reach such heights?" Jiu Shen asked as he eyed the two with a solemn gaze.


    The two old men turned serious upon seeing Jiu Shen¡¯s look. They felt that something was amiss from his words, but the thought of breaking away from their shackles was just too tempting for them to pass on. In the end, the both of them nodded their heads as they answered in unison.


    "Yes, master! We are willing!"


    Jiu Shen smirked in his heart. Now, he did not have to worry about refining low-level pills...


    * * *


    A dayter.


    The soldiers led by Defender Duanmu killed the remaining members of the Xue Family. The son of their supreme elder, Xue Tong was also captured and would be beheaded in public to serve as a warning for others.


    The news sent everyone into a frenzy. A huge noble family like the Xue Family was obliterated just like that. Not even a cat or dog survived the rage of the Silver Wing Empire¡¯s soldiers!


    "When will that traitor, Xue Tong, be beheaded? I want to see the look on his face in his moment of death! Hmph!"


    "Too bad I could not kill him personally! His Xue Family actually colluded with those crazy bastards from the Undying Corpse Sect! So hateful!"


    "I heard that the Silveria Imperial Family is doing this on purpose."


    "What do you mean? Come on! Don¡¯t keep us in suspense! Goddammit!"


    "I heard from a wandering bard that the Blue Fang Empire and Clear Water Empire are nning to be allies! This is not a good sign since those two are enemies of our Silver Wing Empire! Not to mention that those two are not any weakerpared to our Silver Wing Empire! It would be terrible if they suddenly invade us with theirbined power!"

 Chapter 227 - Shocked Old Man

    <h4>Chapter 227 - Shocked Old Man </h4>


    Five days after the rebellion of the Xue Family and the Undying Corpse Sect, ¡¯The Immortal¡¯s Wine¡¯ greeted an unexpected guest.


    It was an amiable-looking old man with long white hair that reached his waist. He looked like a refined individual with his graceful bearing and sagacious charisma. This old man was none other than Emperor Elyk¡¯s father.


    Behind the old man was Emperor Elyk who wore a broad grin on his face as they entered the wine store.


    "What the?!" The old man revealed a look of surprise as he surveyed the store. The exterior design was already great enough to shock him, but to think that even the interior design surpassed his expectations!


    From the ceiling down to the floor, everything inside the wine store could only be described as luxurious and exquisite! Heck! Even the tables and chairs looked impressive!


    "Oh my! Oh my! Our imperial pce looks like a shabby cottage inparison to this ce! Truly beautiful!" The old man eximed with a shining gaze.


    Emperor Elyk could only chuckle dryly when he heard that. He felt the same as his father when he first saw the change in the wine store.


    "Wait! Wait! Wait! Are my eyes deceiving me!? Those spiritual nts... Aren¡¯t they... Earth Origin Dragon Trees?! And those right there! Aren¡¯t they... the already extinct True Heart Icy Sword Tree?!" The old man who was still calm just a few moments ago was now panting heavily as he stared at the 9th-rank spiritual nts disyed like some sort of bonsai.


    Even their Silveria Imperial Family only had one 9th-rank spiritual nt, and it was even ced in a very secure location that was tightly guarded by their most elite soldiers! So how could he not be surprised to see such high-level spiritual nts disyed so openly in public? One of which was even an extinct type. And to the old man¡¯s surprise, not even one customer bothered to nce at these precious spiritual nts!


    Looking at the customers¡¯ faces, the old man was bewildered. He discovered a few mercenaries among them and most of these mercenaries were known for their greedy nature, so howe not even one dared to look at those spiritual nts? However, when the old man recalled Jiu Shen¡¯s strength, he felt that it was slightly understandable, but even so, it would not hurt to look at it for a moment, right?


    Behind him, Emperor Elyk snickered secretly when he saw the look on his father¡¯s face. The emperor¡¯s lips trembled as he suppressed hisughter.


    The old man failed to notice the silly expression of his son since his focus was only on the sights before his eyes. He inched closer to the spiritual nts, but before he could take another step forward, the old man suddenly felt a pair of cold eyes staring at his back piercingly. He furrowed his eyebrows and turned his head.


    He saw a valiant youngdy with golden hair. She was dressed like a knight and a sword was strapped behind her back.


    When the old man sensed her strength, he drew a gasp of surprise. ¡¯Late stage 9th-rank Saint! And from the youthful aura she exudes, she should be no older than thirty! What the hell!¡¯


    "If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t take another step forward." Theia said with a cold expression.


    The old man felt a slight sense of oppression from Theia¡¯s icy gaze. ¡¯She is one minor realm weaker than me, so howe I have a strange feeling that she could easily defeat me?¡¯ He muttered in his heart.


    Even so, the old man did not flinch outwardly. He stared back at Theia like an unbending pine tree. "Young Lady, I mean no harm. I only want to take a closer look at them." He said while feigning calmness.


    Theia furrowed her eyebrows. The old man¡¯s gaze was clear and did not contain any hint of malice, but she still stubbornly stared at him, refusing to back down.


    Emperor Elyk felt a sense of deja vu as watched this scene. He did not make a move since he knew that nothing bad would happen. He just wanted to see the defeated look of his old man. Thinking about it, Emperor Elyk chuckled in his heart.


    "What¡¯s going on here, Theia?" A tantalizing voice of a seductress suddenly drifted, making Theia, Emperor Elyk, and the old man stare at the neer.


    She was a tall youngdy with long purple hair. She wore a short crystal white dress that entuated her curvy figure.


    "Meili." Theia greeted warmly. At first, Theia did not like this dragondy, but after more than a month of seeing each other, they became as close as sisters.


    Long Meili smiled at her. She then shifted his gaze to the emperor¡¯s father and asked in a polite tone. "Is there anything wrong with our service, sir?"


    The old man remained silent. It was as if he did not hear her question. He just nced at Long Meili with a stupefied look on his aged face. ¡¯This aura! I¡¯ll never be wrong about this! Another Nascent God Realm expert! What kind of ce is this?! Is this really just a wine store?! Not to mention that none the staffs look weak...¡¯


    "Sir? Long Meili waved her right hand in front of the old man which made thetter break away from his dazed state.


    "Ah, this... I only want to take a closer look at the Earth Origin Dragon Tree and the True Heart Icy Sword Tree. I mean no harm, Young Lady." He said, looking ratherposed, but he was inwardly screaming in his heart.


    "Oh, in that case, just allow this gentleman to take a closer look, Theia. It doesn¡¯t matter as long as he doesn¡¯t touch them." Long Meili said to Theia with a smile.


    Theia reluctantly nodded her head.


    "Okay, but you must not touch them." She said while ring at the old man.


    "I promise." The old man said seriously.


    After this short exchange, Long Meili left the scene after saying a few words to Theia. Thetter also went back to her spot to continue observing the other customers.


    The old man heaved a sigh of relief when the two women left. "So that¡¯s why everyone is so well-behaved here, huh." He muttered.

 Chapter 228 - The Old Man Visits The Second Floor

    <h4>Chapter 228 - The Old Man Visits The Second Floor </h4>


    Suddenly, the old man heard a suppressedughter behind him. He turned around and saw Emperor Elyk looking away without an innocent expression. "You brat! So that¡¯s why you did not say anything about this wine store¡¯s secret! You badly want to see your old man make a fool of himself, huh?! See how I teach you a lesson after we got back to the imperial pce!" The old man¡¯s amiable face warped as he raised his right hand as if he wanted to spank this son of his.


    Emperor Elyk¡¯s expression turned stiff and he immediately pacified the old man as he said. "Oh,e on, father! How could I do that? I was just too busy these past few days. How about we go to the second floor? Let me show you something incredible." The emperor¡¯s eyes shed with imperceptible cunningness after saying those words. He could not wait to see his father¡¯s reaction after seeing what the second floor has for him.


    The old man felt that something was amiss, but he was also curious about what the second floor of the store would look like. If the first floor was already so great, then the second floor should be even more exaggerated, right?


    Hmph!


    "Watch how I beat you upter." The old man muttered.


    Emperor Elyk chuckled at his words. He then led his father upstairs, his eyes shining with eagerness.


    The old man scanned everything around them as he walked up the stairs.


    The wine store has a warm and tranquil atmosphere that made him feel incredibly great. It was as if he had regained his youthfulness.


    ¡¯That chandelier looks very extravagant and I don¡¯t even know what kind of crystals or precious gems it is made from. Crazy! Everything inside this wine store is a treasure!¡¯ He eximed in his heart.


    As the old man was observing the surroundings, he suddenly heard Emperor Elyk greeting someone with respect, so he focused his attention on the man in front of them.


    "Greetings, Lord Ren Shuang." Emperor Elyk said with a smile.


    Ren Shuang remained silent and his eyes were still closed as if he had heard no one. The emperor was not offended at this since he was already used to Ren Shuang¡¯s coldness andck of expression. He then dragged his stunned father inside the second floor.


    ¡¯What the heck?! That man... I can sense that he is on the verge of breaking through to the Nascent God Realm! His true essence is so vigorous and stable and he should have no problem if he wants to break through to the next realm, so why is he intentionally suppressing his breakthrough?¡¯ He muttered as he allowed Emperor Elyk to drag him.


    As the old man was deep in his thoughts, he suddenly felt that his slumbering true essence was slowly awakening.


    Hm?


    The old man closed his eyes and checked his dantian.


    ¡¯How? I thought I would no longer be able to stimte my true essence after that injury! This...¡¯ He was so shocked that he failed to notice that everyone on the second floor was already looking at him.


    Emperor Elyk poked his father¡¯s shoulder lightly, making the old man abruptly open his eyes. His gaze was still unfocused since his attention was on the surroundings. "This! The true essence here is so thick!" He unconsciously said what was on his mind because of his shock.


    Ehem! Ehem!


    Emperor Elyk faked a cough to get his father¡¯s attention.


    "Elyk, you brat! Why did you not say that such a ce exists in our Silver Wing Empire?! You goddamn bastard! I¡¯ll beat you up really good!" The old man was prepared to beat up his son, but he suddenly discovered a sizable amount of crowd looking at them while suppressing theirughter.


    The old man slowly retracted his fists. He then smiled at everyone as if nothing happened, but he was inwardly surprised. ¡¯What the hell?! Everyone here is at least a 7th-rank Emperor realm expert! And the most surprising thing is that there are at least thirty of them here! Crazy!¡¯


    He scanned everyone inside the second floor and saw the familiar silhouette of a man with long silver hair. A little girl with short white hair can be seen sitting on hisp while sucking a bottle of milk.


    Looking at this pair that looked like a typical father and daughter pair, the old man could still not believe that these two were already Nascent God Realm experts...


    "Greetings, Wine Master Jiu. I brought my old man here since he wishes to see you. I hope you don¡¯t mind." Emperor Elyk said as he cupped his fists at the sitting Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly and stared at the old man behind Emperor Elyk. "Old brat, you might want to take a look at those paintings. One of them might help you." He said mysteriously.


    ¡¯Old brat? He talks as if he¡¯s so much older than me. I bet he is just a hundred years older than me.¡¯ The old man chuckled in his heart when he heard Jiu Shen¡¯s form of address.


    "Wine Master Jiu, what do you mean these paintings on the wall could help me?" He asked in bewilderment.


    Everyone inside the second floor was also bewildered, so they curiously waited for Jiu Shen¡¯s response.


    "You¡¯ll know it if one of these paintings was meant for you..." Jiu Shen replied vaguely.


    The old man was confused at his reply, but he still turned his gaze on the paintings pasted on the wall. Each painting looked in and ordinary, but he felt that they contain something iprehensible within.


    The old man furrowed his eyebrows as he went closer to one of the paintings. It was a depiction of a towering mountain with tall trees and strong-looking savage beasts living on it.


    The old man looked deeply at the painting as if he was fascinated by it. Among all the paintings on the second floor, this was the only one that made him feel a sense of connection.


    "What¡¯s wrong with him? He¡¯s been standing in front of that painting for more than ten minutes already."


    "Quiet. He is in the state of enlightenment." Jiu Shen muttered as he looked at the old man. His pair of golden eyes shed with a hint of expectation.

 Chapter 229 - He Will Come Out Alive. Maybe...

    <h4>Chapter 229 - He Will Come Out Alive. Maybe... </h4>


    The old man appeared to be oblivious of his surroundings and he seemed to have gone inside the world of the painting.


    "This is... Where am I?" The old man muttered in his heart as he found himself suspended in midair. He tried to move, but he found himself unable to even lift a finger nor close his eyes. All he could do was stare at the towering mountain in front of him.


    "This mountain looks familiar... Wait! Isn¡¯t this the mountain in the painting?" He muttered inside his head.


    He couldn¡¯t even see the peak of the mountain since it had already pierced the heavens with its limitless heights. This tall mountain was covered by tall trees and healthy shrubberies. He could also see thousands of savage beasts walking freely on the mountain.


    Suddenly, everything in front of him changed.


    Baaaangg!!


    Baaaaangg!!


    The towering mountain was struck by a fearsome wave of lightning. His tribtion lightning looked nothing inparison to what he was seeing right now.


    The mountain remained standing tall and erect, but its vast greeneries was left with nothing but charred remains. Even the savage beasts living within the mountain was not spared and had be ashes, scattering along with the wind.


    The old man remained silent as he stared at the damage done on the mountain. And just as he was about to feel pity for it, he suddenly discovered that the sky had turned dark.


    He could see from his peripheral vision that thousands ofrge meteors were descending from the skies. The old man also felt the extreme heat that these meteors brought along with them.


    Rumble! Rumble!


    More than several thousand meteors struck the lofty mountain, producing multiple earth-shaking sounds.


    A long whileter, the cloud of dust subsided and he saw the broken state of the mountain. It lost its former loftiness and had now crumbled into severalrge pieces.


    He empathized with the mountain since he had experienced something simr. He was already at the peak of his life and he stood at the very top of the Profound Dragon Continent as one of the strongest experts, but his dream of achieving Immortality was destroyed after he failed to ovee his tribtion lightning.


    "No matter how lofty you be in your life, there wille a time that your growth would stop or it is even possible that you¡¯ll lose everything..." The old man muttered in his heart as a wave of mncholy struck him.


    Hm?


    The old man focused his attention back on the broken mountain. It was still a mess, but he could see that life was slowly sprouting back to it as years passed by.


    Green grass, tall trees, and even living creatures slowly emerged once again.


    The lifeless mountain had sprung back to life after a thousand years!


    The old man suddenlyughed in his heart.


    "So that¡¯s it! So that¡¯s what is missing! Now, I know!" If anyone could hear his thoughts, they might believe that this old man had be a madman.


    On the second floor of Jiu Shen¡¯s store, an old man staring at a painting suddenly staggered and spat a mouthful of ck blood.


    "Father!" Emperor Elyk called out in surprise when he saw his father coughing a mouthful of dark blood.


    Everyone was also surprised by this, and just as they were about to offer help to the old man, a calm voice drifted to their ears.


    "Don¡¯t move. He might suffer a bacsh if he is disturbed in his current state. This is an opportunity for him to break through from his shackles and be a full-fledge Immortal."


    Everyone was shocked when they heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words.


    Emperor Elyk was also stunned at his words. He knew the condition of his father and he was aware that the old man could no longer stimte his true essence and was thus stuck at the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint.


    ¡¯So this is what Wine Master Jiu was talking about when he said that one of the paintings might be of help to him... Amazing! A painting that could help someone break through to the Nascent God Realm? Woah!¡¯ Emperor Elyk eximed as he stared at his father with excitement.


    The old man had already sat cross-legged and he seemed to be meditating.


    Everyone could sense that a vast and profound aura was slowly enveloping the old man.


    Crackle! Crackle!


    The crackling sound of thunder reverberated above the skies.


    Jiu Shen frowned as he looked at the sky with his spiritual perception. "Tribtion lightning..." He muttered.


    - Ding!


    - The system has detected an individual going through his tribtion inside the store. Host, please bring this guest to the rooftop. If we forcefully protect him from his tribtion lightning, the Heavenly Law will produce a more terrifying form of tribtion lightning and it may be harmful to the store. Requesting host to immediately bring this guest to the rooftop.


    Jiu Shen abruptly rose to his feet after hearing the system¡¯s mechanical voice. He did a motion with his hands and a small portal suddenly appeared in front of the old man.


    After teleporting the old man to the rooftop, Jiu Shen went back to his seat and calmly said. "Hestia, don¡¯t allow anyone toe out of the store. Tell them that they will die if theye out at this moment."


    Everyone was horrified when they heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words and their faces were enveloped by a sense of panic.


    Hestia who was standing behind Jiu Shen bowed at her master and replied. "As you say, master."


    She then went to the ground floor to announce to everyone what Jiu Shen had said.


    "Wine Master Jiu, what¡¯s happening? Where is my father? And what do you mean that people will die if theye out of the store?" Emperor Elyk asked worriedly.


    Jiu Shen nced at him and replied indifferently. "Your father was able to stimte his true essence to a certain degree after looking at the painting and this event summoned his tribtion lightning. I brought him outside so that he won¡¯t destroy my store, but you don¡¯t have to worry. He wille out alive. Maybe..."


    Emperor Elyk felt a wave of cold air striking his face when he heard those words.

 Chapter 230 - The Old Mans Tribulation Lightning

    <h4>Chapter 230 - The Old Man''s Tribtion Lightning </h4>


    Crackle! Crackle!


    Everyone inside the wine store was shaken when they heard the loud crackling of thunder.


    "Eh? Is there a storm or something? No way! When I walked here, I am certain that the sun was shining so bright, so howe there are these sudden crackling sounds of thunder?"


    "Man, I guess we¡¯ll have to stay inside the store until the rain is over. I hope Young Miss Theia would not punish us for this..."


    "This thunder doesn¡¯t sound normal. It seemed much louder and strongerpared to normal ones. What the hell is going on?!"


    The customers discussed among themselves when they heard the roaring thunder outside.


    "Dear guests, may I have your attention for a moment, please?" A beautiful voice suddenly echoed amidst the chaotic chattering of the crowd.


    Everyone nced at Hestia who had spoken and waited for her to speak.


    "My master, Jiu Shen, said that everyone should not step out of the store because it is still very dangerous to go outside with this sudden change in the weather. We don¡¯t want our valued guests to be injured because of this, so I hope that everyone will stay here." Hestia said politely as she stared at the crowd.


    "Young Miss Hestia, don¡¯t worry! We will stay here. Hehe."


    "Right! Don¡¯t worry about us going out, Young Miss Hestia. We will certainly stay here!"


    Hestia smiled charmingly when she heard everyone¡¯s words.


    "In that case, I hope everyone will enjoy their stay here." Hestia curtsied with a smile.


    Theia who was standing at the entrance of the store took a peek at the shes of lightning above the skies through the gap in the windows. She raised her eyebrows as she muttered silently. "Someone is undergoing their tribtion lightning. Was it that old man?"


    * * *


    On the rooftop of Jiu Shen¡¯s store, an old man with a pale face can be seen seated cross-legged. He appeared to be in deep thought and he seemed to be unaware of his current predicament.


    Crackle! Crackle!


    The sky lit up as violent streaks of lightning shed about. The most surprising thing was that there were no dark clouds in the sky, so it means that there wasn¡¯t a storm.


    "So that¡¯s it! Hahaha! So it¡¯s not yet the end, huh? I sure got lucky to stumble upon this ce! Now, I don¡¯t know if I should still beat up that good for nothing son of mine or thank him for bringing me here." The old man said as slowly stood up with a wry smile.


    "Wait, where am I? Is this the roof of the wine store? Strange." The old man muttered in surprise after discovering that he was no longer inside the second floor. He then stared at the streaks of lightning above the skies and a hint of understanding dawned upon him.


    "Hm, I see. Wine Master Jiu must have brought me outside after knowing that I have summoned my tribtion lightning. However, am I already prepared for this? Even with the help of that painting, I¡¯m still not that confident about achieving a breakthrough..." He muttered worriedly while looking above.


    The terrifying experience he had during hisst tribtion lightning was deeply rooted in his head. He knew for sure that the tribtion lightning this time would be as destructive as the one he had before.


    Jiu Shen who was inside the second floor frowned when he saw the current state of the old man through his spiritual perception. From the looks of it, he was certain that the old man was feeling anxious to face his tribtion lightning.


    ¡¯Sigh. I think I¡¯ve be soft after experiencing life in this peaceful world. Nevermind, I¡¯ll help this old brat this time.¡¯ Jiu Shen muttered in his head. He then teleported to the rooftop with a thought.


    Hm?


    The old man was gobsmacked at the sudden arrival of Jiu Shen in front of him.


    "Wine Master Jiu, what are you doing here? It¡¯s too dangerous outside." He said as he pointed at the skies.


    Jiu Shen remained silent for a moment a he deeply looked at the old man with a calm gaze. After a brief moment of silence, he then asked with an indifferent tone. "Old brat, are you really chickening out after receiving that much of a reward from the painting? Or do you want to fail once again? Don¡¯t waste this opportunity since this might be yourst chance to be a Nascent God Realm expert!"


    The old man felt ashamed upon hearing his words. He had indeed taken so much from that painting, so it would truly be a pity if he could not survive from his tribtion lightning after getting all of it.


    The old man took a deep breath and stared back at Jiu Shen. The uncertainty in his eyes was now gone and had be clear and bright once again. He looked at Jiu Shen with gratitude andughed all of a sudden. "Kid, you underestimate this old man too much. This tribtion lightning is nothing to me. Hahaha! Just go back inside the store and wait for my good news!"


    His confidence skyrocketed that he even called Jiu Shen ¡¯kid¡¯, but thetter looked as if he did not care about this slip of the tongue.


    ¡¯Ho. This snot-nosed old brat actually called me a kid?¡¯ Jiu Shen chuckled in his heart.


    "Well, good luck, old brat. I hope you would not be burnt to death on my rooftop." Jiu Shen said as he shrugged his shoulders. He then teleported back inside the second floor.


    "That kid... Did he really have to jinx me?" The old man muttered as he stared at the empty spot where Jiu Shen was standing just a few seconds ago. He chuckled dryly before he shifted his gaze to the darkening sky.


    "This tribtion lightning seems to be much stronger thanst time. I¡¯ve read from an old book that the stronger one¡¯s tribtion lightning is, the greater their strength would be after oveing it. I hope that is true..." The old man said as he slowly circted his true essence to protect his body. He put more true essence to his most vulnerable spots like his eyes, heart, dantian, etc.


    After that hasty preparation, the old man waited for the first wave of tribtion lightning. His eyes shed with a hint of nervousness, but it was instantly reced by a glint of determination.


    Crackle!


    Zappp!!


    The darkened sky lit up as a streak of lightning swiftly struck the figure of the old man.


    The old man gathered his fist and released a punch to meet the lightning.


    Bang!


    He felt a wave of numbness from his fist and it instantly circted around his body, but the old man merely grunted lightly when he felt that.


    "That¡¯s more than fifty percent stronger thanst time¡¯s tribtion lightning..." He said weakly as he gritted his teeth.


    Zappp!!


    Zappp!!


    This time, two streaks of lightning descended from the sky to smite the old man.


    The old man took out a cyan sword from his space ring. It was a Saint Weapon, but its quality seemed a bit lower than the emperor¡¯s Silver Wing Sword. However, it was still a genuine Saint Weapon, so its power was not weak.


    The old man brandished his sword with all his might! His sh created a brilliant sword light that struck the two iing lightning bolts.


    Baanngg! Baanngg!


    Two deafening explosions rang out as the two lightning bolts exploded in midair. This sudden explosion created violent ripples in the air!


    "Eh? Was I always this strong?" The old man muttered in surprise as he stared at his sword with aical look.


    "It looks like the painting gave me more benefits than what I have thought. I should properly express my gratitude to Wine Master Jiu after this." He said with a smile.


    Zapp!! Zapp!! Zapp!! Zapp!! Zapp!!


    Multiple bolts of lightning followed after he had just spoken those words, but the old man was already prepared for this.


    He drew a diamond diagram with his sword and uttered. "Sky Diamond Protective Halo. Materialize."


    This was one of the strongest techniques of their Silveria Imperial Family and he was also the one who taught Emperor Elyk about this defensive technique, so his familiarity and expertise with it were a notch greaterpared to the emperor.


    A huge diamond-shaped shield appeared in front of the old man.


    Bannngg!! Baaanngg!! Baanngg!!


    Several explosions reverberated loudly as the bolts of lightning hit the incorporeal shield that the old man created.


    Crack. Crack. Crack.


    Spiderweb-like cracks surfaced within the shield, but it still managed to fully block the streaks of lightning. This ted the old man, but before he could even smile, he saw more than a dozen lightning bolts descending from the sky.


    "Strengthen! Sky Rendering Sword Phantom! Release!" The old man shouted as he strengthened the broken incorporeal shield with his true essence. He then released a sword skill which almost sucked all of his remaining true essence.

 Chapter 231 - Successful Breakthrough

    <h4>Chapter 231 - Sessful Breakthrough </h4>


    The broken diamond shield slowly mended together after the old man poured his true essence on it. The shield looked even sturdier, but he was still not reassured.


    "Sky Rendering Sword Phantom! Release!"


    A gigantic sword phantom soared through the skies, leaving behind a trail of brilliant light in its path.


    Boooooommmm!!!


    The old man¡¯s attack managed to block five lightning bolts and the remaining ones streaked towards him while producing zapping sounds in the air.


    Baaannggg!


    The Sky Diamond Protective Halo only managed to block three bolts of lightning, so the old man was struck by the remaining bolts.


    His face contorted in pain and his body spasmed after having been exposed to high voltage of electricity. Several burn marks appeared on his body and small parts of his flesh were also torn off.


    The most surprising thing of all was that the roof he was standing on seemed to be undamaged even after it was struck by the streaks of lightning! However, the old man was too preupied with the pain he was feeling that he failed to notice anything about this.


    "Argh! That fucking hurts! Goddammit!" The old man who was always civilized and always acted like a refined sage cursed out before hissing in pain.


    "I almost thought I would die right there. Luckily, the painting on the store¡¯s second floor somehow managed to enhance my power. If I¡¯m not wrong those paintings should be drawn by an Immortal Painter. Truly incredible! I wonder if those are made by Wine Master Jiu..." The old man muttered as he slowly sat cross-legged. He then stared at the sky that was slowly turning bright.


    The shes of lightning were already gone since he had sessfully broken through the Nascent God Realm.


    "I can¡¯t believe I managed to break through to the Nascent God Realm even after failing once. I have to admit that Wine Master Jiu did me a huge favor this time and also that stupid brat Elyk." He said with a smile before he closed his eyes to meditate. He still has to consolidate his strength after that breakthrough. Although he was already a Nascent God Realm expert, he still has to stabilize his realm to prevent future problems from urring.


    After the old man¡¯s breakthrough, his control of spiritual power increased by a huge margin. He could now freely control his spiritual perception, but of course, his skill in using spiritual perception was not even half to that of Jiu Shen¡¯s. Even so, it was still a huge improvement for him in terms ofbat prowess and spiritual power.


    The old man looked at his dantian through his spiritual perception and gasped in surprise. ¡¯So this is how a Nascent God Realm¡¯s dantian looks like. Not to mention the enhancement of my internal organs, blood vessels, bones, and even my skin. I¡¯m finally a Nascent God Realm expert! With my power, our Silver Wing Empire will now have a voice in the Alliance!¡¯


    After a little more than thirty minutes, the old man stood up and stretched his limbs and neck.


    "Oh shoot! I forgot about the store! I wonder how it is after being struck by my tribtion lightning!? I hope nothing is... Hm?!" He eximed when he saw the pristine condition of the roof. It remained spotlessly clean without even a hint of a blemish in all corners.


    "What the hell?! Even the imperial pce would be in ruins if it was struck by a bolt of tribtion lightning! Howe the store is still... Sigh! Why am I even surprised? The owner of this store is someone who is already at the Nascent God Realm, so it should not be impossible for him to have made his store like an imprable fortress..." The old man chuckled with a wry smile.


    "I should go back inside and thank Wine Master Jiu for this huge opportunity. How can I even repay this kind of debt? Sigh." He sighed while shaking his head.


    Inside the store, all the customers looked very calm despite the loud explosions that they have heard more than thirty minutes ago.


    "Looks like those damned lightning strikes are now gone. Wait. Let me go and check it out." A customer stood up and peeked through the windows. He then turned to face everyone with an ecstatic look on his face.


    "Everyone, the sky is now clear!"


    Everyone broke into cheers after hearing his words. A few smart customers left the store since they were afraid that Theia might kick them out for overstaying. Some others also left after realizing that, while several people remained to order more wines.


    Inside the second floor, Jiu Shen leaned on his chair while hugging a sleeping little girl in his arms. He wore a calm look as he gently caressed the little girl¡¯s chubby face with the back of his hand. ¡¯This little girl is actually able to sleep even with that tribtion lightning outside...¡¯ He thought as he looked at the little girl¡¯s face with a hint of warmth.


    Jiu Shen did a motion with his fingers and teleported the girl to their room.


    Everyone saw this, but they remained silent. Who among them did not know that Jiu Shen was a Nascent God Realm expert?


    They were not surprised when they saw that he was able to control the element of space with such expertise since only those at his level could manipte the element of space with such ease. However, they were still overawed by how casual he made it look.


    "Wine Master Jiu, how is my father? Is he alright?" The emperor asked with a worried look. It was already more than thirty minutes after the sky returned to normal, but there were still no signs from the old man, so he felt a bit anxious about his father¡¯s state.


    Jiu Shen stared at him and replied calmly. "Don¡¯t worry, Elyk. Your father was able to break through to the Nascent God Realm and he is just stabilizing his realm. He should be here any time by now."


    Everyone inside the second floor revealed a look of shock when they heard that. After all, the Nascent God Realm was something that was so far from their reach...

 Chapter 232 - Emperor Elyk Hides His VIP Card

    <h4>Chapter 232 - Emperor Elyk Hides His VIP Card </h4>


    Not longter, an old man arrived on the second floor. Everyone stared at this old man with scrutinizing gazes. He looked exhausted and disheveled, but the air of profundity around him was thick and this made everyone certain that the old man was already a Nascent God Realm expert!


    "Father! It looks like bringing you here was indeed a great idea. Congrattions on your breakthrough!" Emperor Elyk smiled as he patted the old man¡¯s back. He was happy to see his father back and ording to Jiu Shen, he was already a Nascent God Realm expert! This was a piece of good news for the Silver Wing Empire and the Silveria Imperial Family. With the old man¡¯s cultivation level, everyone would surely hesitate if they wanted to attack their borders. Aside from that, their current standing in the Alliance would surely take a drastic turn.


    ¡¯Now, I want to visit the Alliance¡¯s headquarters and look at those old fogies¡¯ reactions after they see my old man¡¯s level of power.¡¯ Emperor Elyk chuckled evilly in his heart. He had his fair share of embarrassment in the Alliance after all these years, but he could not do anything about it since he was still too weak at that time. However, things are different now. He could even feel that his breakthrough was alsoing near and when that timees, he would surely visit the Alliance.


    Jiu Shen nced at the old man with an indifferent look. ¡¯Only an idiot would not be able to breakthrough after getting that much benefits from the painting. At least this old brat has a bit of talent. Though, he would only be qualified to be a toilet cleaner in the Primordial God Realm. Still, it is not that bad whenpared to others who are not evenparable to bugs or ants...¡¯ He thought to himself in amusement.


    The old man merely took a brief look at his son before he turned his gaze to Jiu Shen who was sitting calmly at a corner. He tried to use his spiritual perception on Jiu Shen to check thetter¡¯s level of cultivation, but when his spiritual power touched Jiu Shen, the old man felt as if he was looking at a vast ocean with limitless depth. ¡¯Huh?! This!¡¯


    He furrowed his eyebrows and shifted his gaze to Jiu Shen¡¯s face. A calm and cold look stared back at him, making the old man flinched unconsciously. ¡¯This guy¡¯s spiritual power is so much greaterpared to mine! Just what kind of person are you Jiu Shen?¡¯ The old man eximed. He was dumbfounded at the vast difference in their spiritual power. It was even to the point that he could not even bepared to Jiu Shen¡¯s toes!


    Jiu Shen smirked in his heart when he saw the old man raise his graying eyebrows. ¡¯You are still too green to do that, brat.¡¯


    "Wine Master Jiu, I offer my sincerest gratitude for this great opportunity. I don¡¯t even know how I could ever repay this debt. If you have anything you want, this old man is willing to get it for you." The old man bowed at Jiu Shen, his face was no longer as wrinkled as before. After achieving his breakthrough, the old man¡¯s physical body experienced a qualitative change. At this moment, he only looked like an old man in his fifties with graying hair and beard.


    Everyone inside the room was not surprised by the old man¡¯s attitude. His breakthrough was only made possible because of the paintings on the second floor. If not for it, he would have been stuck at the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint and die of old age after a few more years.


    Thinking about this, this crowd of top experts immediately scrambled to check the paintings on the wall. When they first came here, they only treated these paintings as some random ornaments, but after the events earlier, only a fool would believe that they¡¯re ordinary.


    Jiu Shen shrugged his shoulderszily and replied halfheartedly. "You don¡¯t have to thank me. I merely said a few words to you and those paintings are free for my customers to see. Your breakthrough was merely the work of fate and luck."


    The old man shook his head and looked at Jiu Shen with a deep gaze. This man who looked no older than twenty was veiled by a thick air of mystery. He could not even begin to fathom the depths of his power and it would be a lie if he said that he was not tempted to take this ¡¯young man¡¯ as his master especially after seeing the tip of spiritual power.


    "Wine Master Jiu, I would say the same thing even if you don¡¯t ept my gratitude. If there is anything that I can help you with, then don¡¯t hesitate to tell this old man. I will do anything just to pay back this debt." The old man said with a stubborn look.


    "In that case, I don¡¯t want to be involved in any of your Silver Wing Empire¡¯s wars. I just want my store to be protected when I am not around. What do you think? I¡¯ve already discussed this with Elyk, but I also want to get your promise." Jiu Shen said after a moment of thinking. He was already nning to visit the Divine Beast Continent to honor the promise he made to Ice. He did not want to see that sad look on the little girl¡¯s face again...


    The old man was a bit surprised when he heard that, but he did not reveal his expression. He nodded his head at Jiu Shen and said without hesitation. "I promise that as long as this old man is alive, no one would be able to harm your store and your people."


    Jiu Shen nodded his head. He was satisfied with the old man¡¯sck of hesitation. He now understood why Elyk was such a brilliant emperor despite hiscking strength.


    "Look, I don¡¯t want to dampen everyone¡¯s enthusiasm here, but all of you have overstayed on the second floor for more than several minutes already. Now, I want all of you to scram out of my sight." Jiu Shen said while gesturing for them to leave.


    Emperor Elyk opened his mouth and took out his VIP card, but when he saw his father looking at his card in confusion, he immediately kept it to himself with an innocent look. ¡¯I better hide this first. If my old man will learn the benefits of this VIP card, he will surely take it for himself. I have to speak with Duanmu, Dante, and Sylviater especially that little brat Sylvia. I just hope that little demoness will remain silent about this...¡¯

 Chapter 233 - This Is Just The Beginning

    <h4>Chapter 233 - This Is Just The Beginning </h4>


    "Wine Master Jiu, before we leave. I would like to invite you to spectate the execution of Xue Tong three days from now in front of the imperial pce." Emperor Elyk said as he looked at Jiu Shen.


    "Not interested." Jiu Shen rejected it indifferently.


    Emperor Elyk was speechless at his t rejection, but he already prepared his heart for this, so he just smiled awkwardly at Jiu Shen.


    "Then, we will take our leave, Wine Master Jiu." Emperor Elyk said while cupping his fists respectfully. His father followed suit and cupped his fists together. Although he was already a Nascent God Realm expert, the old man had a strange feeling that he would not evenst a single blow if he fights with the man in front of him. Just thinking about it made his old pair of legs shiver in fear.


    "I will tell my disciple Can Ye to spectate this event on my behalf. Now, scram out of my sight." Jiu Shen said before he closed his eyes.


    Emperor Elyk grabbed his old man out of the second floor after bowing lightly at Jiu Shen. It was not a good idea to linger inside after they were told to leave especially with Theia and Ren Shuang observing the whole store.


    The old man nced at Ren Shuang who had his eyes shut tight. He could now sense how strong this guy was and it made his eyes shake in surprise. ¡¯What a thick killing aura! How many lives had he taken to reach this point?! I could even feel a hint of fear despite the fact that I¡¯m one huge realm stronger than him! Terrifying!¡¯


    At this moment, the old man no longer dared to take this silent man lightly. From what he had felt about Ren Shuang¡¯s aura, thetter was enveloped by a dense air of invisible bloody atmosphere. It was so dense that he could even smell death while he was in front of Ren Shuang!


    After the father and son duo left the second floor, Ren Shuang slowly opened his eyes and nced in the direction that they have gone to. "A Nascent God Realm expert? Too bad he is too old..." He muttered in a deep voice.


    Jiu Shen stood up after a moment of silence. He then walked towards the Refining Hall to check on his two alchemy disciples.


    Two old men sat cross-legged in front of their own alchemy furnace. They wore serious looks as they refined the dans inside the furnace using the techniques that Jiu Shen taught them recently.


    They did not even realize that there was someone who had summoned his tribtion lightning just several minutes ago. It was because the Refining Hall blocked all outside distractions, including the loud rumbling of thunder and shaking of the earth. There was also the Heart Calming Bead that made these two old men more focused on their refining process.


    Jiu Shen watched the two old men with an unblinking gaze. He then shook his head lightly before leaving the Refining Hall. ¡¯The both of them are hardworking people, but theirck of talent is preventing them from making an improvement. From the way they refined their dans, it can be seen that their years of experience in handling ingredients were not entirely wasted, but this could be improved after they learn more of my alchemy techniques. Even so, it would take them a lot of time before they achieve a breakthrough in alchemy, but with my teachings, I should be able to somehow shorten this process...¡¯


    Jiu Shen was deep in his thoughts and he realized that he was already standing in front of his room. He slowly opened the door and saw a little girl sleeping on his bed with a big snot bubble. He chuckled when he saw this. He then sat on the bed and caressed the little girl¡¯s cheeks with a hint of warmth on his expressionless face. ¡¯Just give me a little more time, Little Tiger. After my sect¡¯s opening ceremony, I will immediately bring you to the Divine Beast Continent to look for your parents. I just hope that nothing troublesomees up before that timees...¡¯


    The sleeping lolita snuggled closer to Jiu Shen¡¯s hand after feeling his warmth. She then mumbled a series of iprehensible words before biting Jiu Shen¡¯s finger.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s lips rose upwards when he saw this. He then gently retracted his hands, but the little girl refused to release her hold on him.


    Jiu Shen stared speechlessly at the little girl before taking out a bottle of milk from his space earring. He then ced the tip of the bottle near the little girl¡¯s nose which made her little nose twitch continuously. And as if on stimnts, she snatched the bottle of milk from Jiu Shen¡¯s hand before sucking on its contents with her eyes still closed.


    Jiu Shen patted her small head before leaving his room.


    "I should check the construction of the sect building. From what Ren Shuang told me, the sect building should bepleted in a few days. It was indeed a good idea to leave this job to Liuli and Xia Xinyue." He muttered as he teleported out of his store.


    The unfinished sect building was just a few hundred meters away from his wine store and he could already see it from above. This was designed by him, but he could not help but feel a sense of happiness after seeing it right in front of his eyes.


    "This is just the beginning. It¡¯s still too far away to go back to the Primordial God Realm. I should not be hasty on this. Anyway, that old fart Lao Gou is unaware that I¡¯m still alive. For now, I must build my own force that would fight against that old fart¡¯s Celestial Paragon Tower... Besides, I have grown to like this kind of idle lifestyle. " Jiu Shen muttered, his gaze was now directed to the distant sky.

 Chapter 234 - I Miss Him So Much

    <h4>Chapter 234 - I Miss Him So MuChapter </h4>


    Jiu Shen slowly got down from the skies. His sudden descent brought a series of surprised exmations from the hired servants who were busy constructing his sect building.


    At first, they were afraid of his abrupt visit since they were unaware of who he was, but the fact that he came down from the sky was a testament that he was at least someone in the 8th-rank Divine realm because only experts at that level could fly.


    "Who is this exalted figure?"


    "I have no idea..."


    "Wait, he looks a bit familiar... Lord Jiu Shen?!"


    Right after those words were spoken, the crowd¡¯s eyes immediately brightened. Jiu Shen had already be a famous figure in the whole of Silver Wing Empire. His identity as an ¡¯Alchemy Saint¡¯ was already known by everyone and he was also named as one of the top experts of the empire. Aside from that, he had also be famous because of his store which only sells expensive wines.


    "Greetings, Lord Jiu Shen!" The servants greeted him respectfully. They did not dare call him ¡¯Wine Master Jiu¡¯ since it was only used by his customers, and they were too poor to even buy his cheapest wine.


    Jiu Shen remained unperturbed, but he still nodded his head at them.


    "Where are Liuli and Xia Xinyue?" He asked one of the servants.


    "Young Miss Liuli and Young Miss Xia are currently on a meeting with the engineers and architects. They should be discussing the final touches of this building." The servant replied respectfully.


    ¡¯Looks like I¡¯ve visited at the wrong time. I should leave for now and check on those little brats in the fighting arena. I wonder how they are doing after Hu Xiandao took over their training...¡¯ Jiu Shen thought to himself.


    "Lord Sect Master!"


    "Lord Jiu Shen!"


    Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly heard two sweet voicesing from behind. He turned his head back and saw two lithe figures sprinting towards him. Their slim and curvy bodies swayed seductively as they bolted towards Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen stopped in his tracks and stared at these two beautifuldies with his signature expressionless look.


    The twodies came to an abrupt halt when they were already an arm¡¯s length away from Jiu Shen. They then held their chests as they huffed and puffed after that short sprint.


    "Lord Sect Master, you should have notified us of your visit, so that we could wee you personally." Xia Xinyue said as she looked at Jiu Shen while pouting her small lips.


    Liuli nodded her head in agreement and said. "Lord Jiu Shen, what brings you here? Do you want the two of us to tour you around the sect building? Although it is still unfinished, I¡¯m confident that you will be satisfied with how it looks."


    "I just decided to take a look at the progress of the construction. There is no need to wee me personally and someone also informed me that the both of you are still discussing some things with the engineers and architects. As for touring the ce, that can wait. I will visit again after the construction ispleted. Just instruct someone to inform me if it is already nearpletion." Jiu Shen replied calmly while looking at the twodies.


    "Will you stay here for a while, Lord Jiu Shen?" Liuli asked with a flirtatious smile.


    ¡¯This vixen!¡¯ Xia Xinyue cursed in her heart as she red at Liuli¡¯s side profile.


    "No. I still have to check on a few things. The both of you should go back to continue your discussion with the engineers and architects." Jiu Shen replied with a poker face. He was already immune to Liuli¡¯s seduction, so it did not affect him.


    Liuli put on a sad look when she heard his reply, but she then smiled and said. "In that case, I will personally visit you once the construction of the sect building is nearpletion."


    "No! I- I mean I will go with you!" Xia Xinyue butted in. She was afraid that Liuli would get ahead of her in getting Jiu Shen¡¯s attention.


    Liuli raised an eyebrow when she heard that, but she could not do anything to stop this woman. The both of them were like fire and water all this time, and it was already a surprise that they were able to do their job well without any trouble. She pursed her lips while taking a sidelong nce at Xia Xinyue.


    "Ladies, I have to go now. Make sure that this won¡¯t be dyed. I still have many things to do after this construction ispleted, so I hope that you won¡¯t make a mess in this job." Jiu Shen said.


    Liuli and Xia Xinyue bowed respectfully when they heard his words. They then replied in unison. "Yes, Lord Sect Master (Yes Lord Jiu Shen).


    "Jiu Shen took onest look at the unfinished sect building before he soared through the skies like a majestic eagle. The twodies stared at the small dot in the sky with all sorts of emotions. They only recovered after no longer seeing his figure.


    "Sigh. I miss him so much. We shouldplete this construction as soon as possible so that we can see him again." Xia Xinyue blurted out without thinking.


    Strangely, Liuli did not oppose her idea this time. She merely nodded her head to show her agreement.


    ***


    Inside the beast fighting arena. Loud grunting sounds can be heard as one hundred individuals can be seen practicing with their swords in hand. All of them looked young, but their explosive muscles and tanned skins made them look much older.


    In front of these young men were two figures who wore strict and rigid expressions. One of them was a tall man with a robust physique and long wavy red hair. He had his arms crossed as he stared at the youths in front of him. This man is Hu Xiandao, the new main instructor of these young men.


    Standing beside him was a man who looked to be in his early thirties. He seemed smaller inparison to the giant guy Hu Xiandao, but his piercing gaze and peerless aura made him just lose a bit when ites to overall temperament. This man was Jiu Shen¡¯s second disciple, Can Ye.


    Can Ye¡¯splexion and appearance changed after he broke through to the 7th-rank Emperor realm. He no longer looked like a bedraggled mercenary...Jiu Shen nced at everyone through his spiritual perception.


    "Letting Hu Xiandao take over as their instructor was a good move. At least the Demon Crystal will not be wasted in his hands..." He muttered. He was satisfied with how things looked for the young kids.

 Chapter 235 - One Month In The Endless Forest?

    <h4>Chapter 235 - One Month In The Endless Forest? </h4>


    Jiu Shen strode forward with a calm expression. He was checking the progress of all the youths through his spiritual perception. With his improved mental ability, he was able to clearly see the improvements of everyone after merely taking a single nce at them.


    ¡¯Yang Zenke is still leading all of them in terms of strength increase. Even Han Sen did not improve as much as he did. Although I have to acknowledge that none of them cked during their training. Can Ye and Hu Xiandao must have been strict on them, but that is not a problem.¡¯ Jiu Shen thought to himself.


    Hm?


    Hu Xiandao was the first one who noticed the arrival of Jiu Shen. He stared at Jiu Shen with a look of surprise.


    "Lord Jiu Shen! What brings you here?" He asked as he walked towards Jiu Shen with a smile.


    Looking at his frightening smile, Jiu Shen remained calm.


    "Don¡¯t mind me. Just continue with that you are doing." He replied indifferently.


    "Master!" Can Ye called out excitedly.


    Jiu Shen ignored him and stared at the youths with a prating gaze. "Not bad, but you can do more than just this. The Body Transforming Dan that I gave you changed your body constitution and also improved your talents. With its great efficacy, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the lot of you possess the most fearsome talent in all of the Profound Dragon Continent. Today, I will ask Hu Xiandao to bring all of you to the Endless Forest! All of you will stay there for a month in pairs! No food, no resources, nothing! You can only bring your weapons with you and as for your food and other resources, you must get them inside the Endless Forest!" Jiu Shen uttered coldly.


    Hu Xiandao and Can Ye who were listening to the sidelines gape in shock when they heard his words. They were familiar with the Endless Forest. It was the home of countless terrifying savage beasts who prey on anything weaker than them. It was also and of death that was rarely explored by even the most experienced mercenaries and hunters, so the both of them were beyond surprised at Jiu Shen¡¯s words.


    "Lord Jiu Shen..." Hu Xiandao called out, but when he saw the icy expression on Jiu Shen¡¯s face, he immediately swallowed the words he was about to say.


    "Hu Xiandao, I did not teach them my sword techniques just to be young elites. Everything was for them to be my swords and I don¡¯t want to use a dull de, so I have to make sure that they are always at their sharpest..." Jiu Shen said, his golden eyes shone with a cold flicker.


    Hu Xiandao who was at the receiving end of this cold gaze felt his spine tingle in dread, but he was also confused as to why Jiu Shen wanted to train so many experts. He was the strongest person that he met and he should have no equal in the whole of Nuar, so why was Jiu Shen so adamant in training them? He did not even skimp on those precious resources just to make everyone¡¯s progress a lot faster.


    Hu Xiandao had many questions lingering in his mind, but he did not dare ask Jiu Shen especially after seeing that cold pair of golden eyes.


    "I understand, Lord Jiu Shen. I will bring them to the Endless Forest as youmand." He replied with his head down.


    Can Ye did not dare meet his master¡¯s gaze, so he just silently stared at the empty air while pondering in his heart. ¡¯As far as I can remember, master said that he came from a ce called as ¡¯Primordial God Realm¡¯. ording to him, talented individuals and strong experts are numerous in that ce. From master¡¯s tone, he seemed to be preparing for something. Does he have an enemy from that ce?¡¯ He thought.


    "Good. Xiandao, go back to the store and tell Lu Sn to have a few elders of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect go with you in monitoring the safety of these kids. You can also ask her if she wants to bring some of her disciples to train inside the Endless Forest. Just make sure that none of these youths die within that ce." Jiu Shenmanded while looking at the tall barbarian.


    "Yes, Lord Jiu Shen. I¡¯ll go and inform them immediately." Hu Xiandao bowed his head as he replied.


    Jiu Shen waved his right hand and gestured for him to leave. He then stared at his disciple who was still looking at the empty air like an idiot.


    "Can Ye." Jiu Shen called him which instantly made Can Ye recover from his deep thinking.


    He stared at his master and waited for him to speak.


    "Within 3 days, you will go to the imperial pce to spectate the execution of Xue Tong on my behalf. Also, I have to remind you that you must not involve yourself with the noble families. I don¡¯t want my people to be part of their political struggles." Jiu Shen said.


    Can Ye nodded his head at his master. "Yes, master. I will never involve myself with those shitty nobles. I have hated them since I started to be a mercenary. Although not all of them have illegal activities, most of them do, so I won¡¯t risk myself with them, but a little bit of socializing is not bad, right?" He asked.


    Jiu Shen ignored him and shifted his gaze to the resting youths.


    Seeing his master¡¯sck of response, Can Ye shrugged his shoulders. "I just want to discuss life with those fair-skinned noblewomen. Too bad..." He mumbled softly.


    Jiu Shen heard him, but he chose to disregard his disciple¡¯s bullshit.


    "After a month in the Endless Forest, all of you muste back alive, so you must protect your partners at all costs. Remember, you are my swords and this won¡¯t be the hardest training that you will experience since this is just a preparation for something bigger." Jiu Shen said in a mysterious tone.

 Chapter 236 - Alliance Head Situ

    <h4>Chapter 236 - Alliance Head Situ </h4>


    That day, the youths traveled to the Endless Forest together with some of Lu Sn¡¯s disciples. Leading them were Hu Xiandao and a few elders from the Ice Cloud Sword Sect.


    The Endless Forest was a dangerous ce infested by countless savage beasts, but Jiu Shen was confident that Hu Xiandao and the others would be able to protect the young kids.


    It was a journey that would change these young elites and turn them into fearsome warriors!


    Although it would have been a good idea to send them inside the Spirit World, Jiu Shen did not want to babysit them too much. He had also discussed with Hu Xiandao and the others that they would only aid the youths when they are already on the brink of death.


    Inside the store.


    "Master, are they really going to be alright? I mean, the Endless Forest is not just some random yground. Brother Hu and the other elders might be there, but they might still encounter something unexpected in that ce." Can Ye said while looking at his master. He had grown fond of those youths after teaching them for some time, so he was quite worried about their well-being.


    Jiu Shen leaned on his chair and took a sip from his wine bottle. He remained expressionless and seemed as if he had not heard Can Ye¡¯s words.


    Gulp. Gulp.


    After gulping down a bit of wine, Jiu Shen ced his wine bottle back on the table. He then stared at his disciple with a nonchnt look. "If you are that worried about them, then just go there after the execution of Xue Tong." He said calmly.


    Can Ye¡¯s eyes brightened upon hearing that, but after recalling what kind of ce the Endless Forest was, his expression dimmed down a bit. "I guess I have no choice, but don¡¯t you have anything that you want me to do, master?" He asked.


    Jiu Shen shook his head lightly and took another sip of wine from his wine bottle.


    Suddenly.


    Hm?


    ¡¯This aura... It¡¯s not the old man¡¯s aura, then who is this person?¡¯ Jiu Shen stared confusedly at the distance with his spiritual perception. He could sense an aura that was as strong as the emperor¡¯s father, but he could not recognize the owner of this aura. From what he could perceive through his spiritual perception, the neer seemed to be a bit stronger than the emperor¡¯s old man!


    "Ho. Things might get livelyter on. If I¡¯m not wrong, this guy should be Liuli¡¯s father. He even brought some strong helpers with him. Not bad. Not bad." Jiu Shen uttered calmly, but his words sent shivers down the spine of Can Ye.


    He was familiar with Liuli and he had even interacted with her quite a few times already. From their conversations, he could already tell that Liuli was not just a simple manager that his master had randomly hired. Not to mention the fact that he could not even sense that girl¡¯s cultivation level, so when he heard from Jiu Shen that Liuli¡¯s father was about toe, he could not help but feel slightly fearful.


    "Master, do you want me to call Lord Ren and Young Miss Theia?" He asked, feeling a bit anxious.


    Jiu Shen ignored him since he was focused on observing the neers through his spiritual perception. He saw more than ten individuals dressed in luxurious garments. Leading them was a middle-aged man who looked to be in his mid-forties. This man had short brown hair and thick sword-like eyebrows. He looked rather attractive for someone in his age.


    "Mid stage Nascent God Realm... His talent is not that bad as well. However, why do they look as if they are about to break someone¡¯s bones?" Jiu Shen mumbled silently.


    At the entrance of the store, eleven individuals stood unmoving. They nced at the store with a hint of interest, but all of them waited for the brown-haired middle-aged man¡¯smand before taking another step forward. From a certain perspective, they seemed to be deeply afraid of this man...


    "This store looks fancy outside and it also radiates a mysterious aura that even I could notprehend. Just what kind of man did that little girl of mine involved herself with? Even his store is already giving me a dangerous vibe..." Muttered the middle-aged man while staring at the store.


    "Alliance Head Situ, do you want me to go inside and search for the Young Miss?" One of the people behind him stepped forward and asked.


    The middle-aged man shook his head and replied. "No need. All of us will go there to search for that girl. Let¡¯s go."


    He then strode forward with a confident expression on his face. His subordinates immediately trailed behind him after seeing him walk inside the wine store.


    "Ha?!" The middle-aged man stopped in his tracks just right after stepping inside the store. He stared speechlessly at the spiritual nts ced neatly in different corners of the store.


    The middle-aged man¡¯s subordinates were bewildered by his actions, but when they followed his gaze, they also gaped in shock and surprise.


    "That... That... True Heart Icy Sword Tree!? Howe an extinct spiritual nt exists here?! And that one, isn¡¯t that an Earth Origin Dragon Tree?!" One of the middle-aged man¡¯s subordinates eximed with a dumbfounded look.


    Ehem!


    The middle-aged man cleared his throat and red at his subordinates. "Don¡¯t make me lose face! Remember our goal ining here. We only came to look for that stupid little girl! Go search for her inside this goddamn store!" He muttered coldly.


    "Yes, Alliance Head Situ!"


    "Yes, Alliance Head Situ!"


    His subordinates instantly sprung into action and searched every corner of the first floor. Some of them even went to the second floor to look for Liuli, and they were lucky enough that all of them had cultivation levels that exceeded the 7th-rank Emperor Realm or they would have been kicked out by Ren Shuang.


    Unbeknownst to them, there was a pair of beautiful blue eyes looking at them with a cold gaze. A chilly glint flickered in those ocean-like orbs.

 Chapter 237 - Even Young Miss Theia Is Powerless?

    <h4>Chapter 237 - Even Young Miss Theia Is Powerless? </h4>


    "This... Another 9th-rank spiritual nt?! One with draconic attribute at that..." Alliance Head Situ muttered in shock as he stared at the spiritual nts coiled like small dragons.


    Hm?


    Alliance Head Situ felt a piercing gaze swept through his back. He turned around and saw a youngdy with a head full of blonde hair. She had a pair of ocean-blue eyes that radiated with coldness. He was slightly taken aback to see such a youngdy with a cultivation level that was even greater than his own daughter. He knew that his daughter was the most talented young elite in the Alliance, so he was amazed.


    ¡¯There¡¯s actually such a talented youngdy here? And from the looks of it, she seems to be even younger than Liuli. Interesting...¡¯ He muttered in his heart, feeling a bit surprised.


    "You entered my master¡¯s store with hostile looks. What is your purpose ining here?" Theia asked in a chilly tone as she red fixedly at Alliance Head Situ. She could sense that this middle-aged man was already at the Nascent God Realm, but she was not afraid of him.


    "Your master? You mean, you are a disciple of this store¡¯s owner? What a shame!" Alliance Head Situ shook his head with a look of regret. He initially wanted to take Theia with him to the Alliance, but it looks like it wasn¡¯t possible anymore.


    Theia frowned when she heard the middle-aged man¡¯s tone. "What do you mean? I am not master¡¯s disciple. I am his loyal servant and sword! If you are not here to order anything, then leave immediately." She said with a fiery gaze that seemed as if she was about to shoot fire through her eyes.


    Alliance Head Situ¡¯s eyes widened when he heard how Theia talked to him. It has been a while since someone had spoken to him in such a manner.


    "Hahaha! You¡¯re quite something girl. For you to be this confident, I bet your master is also someone at the Nascent God Realm, no? Then, allow me to meet this master of yours. I want to see for myself the person who made you this confident to speak to me like that." Alliance Head Situ chuckled coldly.


    A wave of frightening aura enveloped the whole store as the middle-aged released his true power.


    Everyone felt suffocated when this overbearing aura was released.


    "What the! Who is that person?! He actually dared to act rampantly in front of Young Miss Theia. He¡¯s got the guts of steel..."


    "Didn¡¯t you hear his subordinates earlier? They called him Alliance Head Situ. Do you know what that means? That person is most likely one of the Alliance Heads of the Alliance!"


    The customers gasped in surprise when someone said that. They were aware of what that name implied. It was the behemoth that ruled over the entire Profound Dragon Continent, and for one of the Alliance Heads to be present inside the store was already shocking!


    "Hold it!" A sweet voice echoed inside the store which instantly removed the suffocating atmosphere. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as they stared at the owner of the voice.


    She was a tall youngdy with long purple hair. Her pair of beautiful eyes were staring daggers at the middle-aged man. This woman is Long Meili.


    Alliance Head Situ was surprised that his aura was actually swiftly taken down by someone. He nced at the woman responsible for it and furrowed his eyebrows. "Your aura contains a strong amount of draconic energy. You are not a human... What is an immortal dragon like you doing in this ce? Could it be that you are the owner?" He asked, feeling a bit confused. He was also surprised to see such a high-level savage beast living inside an empire.


    He did not know how many times he had been surprised today and it seemed like he had underestimated the power that this store held...


    Long Meili shook her head with a dark look. "I¡¯m not the owner of this store. I am but my master¡¯s servant and steed." She replied coldly. She did not even look embarrassed when she said those words.


    "Servant? Steed? Huh?" Alliance Head Situ became even more confused. A steed at the Nascent God Realm and someone from the noble Dragon Race at that?


    "A noble dragon like yourself actually submitted to a human? Now, I¡¯m bing even more curious at this master of yours..." Alliance Head Situ muttered while looking at Long Meili with a hint of mockery. He had once tried to tame a young dragon during his younger years, but the dragon refused to submit to him, so he could only choose to kill it.


    Just as Long Meili was about to erupt into a frenzy, she suddenly paused and her expression seemed to have cooled down.


    "Human, if not for my master, I would have already smacked you to death. Hmph!" She coldly harrumphed before she left with heavy strides.


    Alliance Head Situ nced at her departing figure with a look of interest. He then shifted his gaze to Theia who was still ring at him as if he owed her arge sum of money.


    "Where is your master? Is he too scared to meet me?" He said while chuckling in disdain.


    Theia clenched her fists tightly and gritted her teeth. An unconcealed look of rage can be seen on her face. She did not want to hear anyone badmouthing Jiu Shen, so she was already incredibly angry this time.


    "You will regret this..." Theia muttered through gritted teeth. She then left the scene after that.


    "Woah! Even Young Miss Theia is powerless against that man. It looks like he is really an Alliance Head of the Alliance!"


    "I think something interesting is about to happen this time..."


    The customers discussed in hushed voices as they watched the entire scene being yed out. They were also feeling a bit excited and expectant on what was about to happen.

 Chapter 238 - Angry Little Girl

    <h4>Chapter 238 - Angry Little Girl </h4>


    "Whoever the owner of this store is,e out this instant and greet Alliance Head Situ!" One of the middle-aged man¡¯s subordinates shouted in an arrogant tone. He even haughtily stared at the customers inside the store which made them want to smack his face to the ground. If not for their group¡¯s strength, they would have already pummeled that guy to death, but they did not dare do anything since even the renowned ass-kicker Young Miss Theia was powerless to stop their group.


    "That fucking shithead makes me want to beat him up! Grab my wine! I¡¯ll teach him a lesson!" A drunk customer rolled his sleeves and stood up as if he wanted to tear someone into pieces, but his friends held him down before he could even take another step forward.


    "Are you goddamn insane?! That is Alliance Head Situ¡¯s subordinate! Don¡¯t you know who Alliance Head Situ is?! He might look like a middle-aged man, but he is already more than a thousand years old! He is a direct descendant of a founder of the Alliance! We must not make enemies with them!"


    The drunk customer sobered up when he heard his friend¡¯s words. A look of fear slowly covered his face as he realized that he almost jumped into a lion¡¯s den.


    "Just wait and see how Wine Master Jiu takes care of this. I don¡¯t think he will remain passive when his name is already being tarnished in front of his customers. We might even see a good show this time."


    At the far corner, a man with long silver hair was seated nonchntly as he took a light sip from his wine bottle. His attention was focused on the wine bottle in his hands and he did not even take a nce at Alliance Head Situ¡¯s group.


    "I¡¯m growing tired of drinking this Deep Sea Spring Dew. I should find the core ingredient for my current mission. Hmmm, maybe I could find one in the Divine Beast Continent..." He muttered with azy look. He then took a quick nce at Alliance Head Situ¡¯s group and chuckled inwardly.


    ¡¯I don¡¯t know why that Little Lizard became so meek , but that Little Tiger is not the same as her. You guys even have the gall to shout so loud when she is sleeping upstairs.¡¯ He thought in amusement.


    "Man, is the owner such a pussy? He does not even dare meet this grandpa." The man said in a mocking manner.


    Theia who was still watching the scene clenched her fists so tightly as she red at the man. She could not wait to chop the guy into pieces, but she did not move since Jiu Shen told her to stand back. She had no idea as to why her master ordered her to do that, so she could only held back her anger.


    "WHO THE FUCK IS SO NOISY DOWN THERE?! THIS CUTE CAT IS TAKING A NAP HERE, YOU DAMN BASTARD! MEOW!" A sharp and irritated voice of a young girl echoed like a thunder inside the store. Everyone who heard the voice did not know if they shouldugh or not after hearing this cute but angry little girl.


    Swoosh!


    A small girl with short white hair walked down the stairs with a look of irritation. Her chubby cheeks were puffed and her adorablyrge eyes were shooting daggers as she red at everyone on the first floor. She held her waist like an adult and shouted. "Speak! Who is that noisy idiot?!"


    Everyone stared at her while holding back theirughter. They knew that she was the little girl that Jiu Shen always held in his embrace, so they just look at her with a smile. They were not present when she fought with Elder Ming or they would never dare act like this in front of her...


    Ice became even more incensed when she saw everyone¡¯s reaction, but she suddenly saw Theia pointing at someone discreetly. She followed the direction that she pointed at and saw an arrogant-looking man wearing a smug expression on his face. This man was not weak at all and he has the cultivation level at the early stage of the 8th-rank Divine realm.


    "Just a little 8th-rank Divine realm bug and you dare to behave wantonly inside my territory?! Do you want me to smack you to death?! Meow!" Ice said as she slowly walked towards the man. Her steps were so tiny that she took quite a while before she was only a meter away from the man.


    Hm?


    Alliance Head Situ was initially not interested, but when he heard how the little girl was able to sense his subordinate¡¯s cultivation level, he immediately shifted his gaze to the little girl and his eyes widened in shock and disbelief. ¡¯Huh?! Another Nascent God Realm savage beast?! But her true essence seems so much strongerpared to that dragondy...¡¯


    The middle-aged man¡¯s subordinate who was unaware of the little girl¡¯s power made a funny face at her as he said. "Whose child is this lost snotty girl? Come and take this kid with you before I spank her little ass silly!"


    Alliance Head Situ wanted to warn his subordinate, but he decided to wait and see. He was confident that he could block the little girl¡¯s attack if she decides to strike his subordinate.


    ¡¯She is just an early stage Nascent God Realm savage beast. What could she do when I¡¯m here?¡¯ Alliance Head Situ muttered in his heart.


    Ice¡¯s little nose red up when she heard how the man talked to her as if she was some hapless little chicken.


    "I love pummeling bold humans like you... Meow." She muttered coldly as her small silhouette vanished from her spot.


    Her movement was so fast that even Alliance Head Situ who was at the mid stage of the Nascent God Realm failed to track her movements. ¡¯What!?¡¯


    SMACK!


    He only heard a loud smacking sound befor he realized what had happened.


    He stared at the spot where his subordinate had once been and gasped in shock.

 Chapter 239 - Ice’s Evil Smile

    <h4>Chapter 239 - Ice¡¯s Evil Smile </h4>


    Alliance Head Situ searched for the little girl¡¯s figure and saw her standing on top of an unconscious person. This person is his subordinate who now sported a huge panda-eye. There was even a big bump on his forehead...


    Ice continuously kicked the unconscious man¡¯s body with her tiny legs, producing light smacking sounds that did not seem severe, but upon closer inspection, Alliance Head Situ discovered that his subordinate¡¯s bones and internal organs were almost broken into pieces!


    If not for the guy being an 8th-rank Divine realm expert, he might have already died from internal bleeding...


    "Stop right there! That¡¯s enough!" Alliance Head Situ said in a cold tone as he stared at Ice¡¯s small figure.


    As for the customers, they could only stare in utter disbelief as Ice continued to kick the living daylights out of the man. Some of them even gulp in fear as they watched how the little girl beat up the man with her small pair of legs.


    "Crazy! How could I forget that everyone inside this store are monsters? Even the nice and gentle Young Miss Hestia is said to be a strong expert as well..."


    "Good thing I did notugh earlier or I might be beaten up together with that guy. Look! I think he¡¯s already on hisst breaths. What a terrifying little girl..."


    "You actually called me a snotty little girl? You idiot! Stupid idiot human! Meow!" Ice did not listen to Alliance Head Situ¡¯s words and continued to kick the man¡¯s stomach.


    Smack! Smack! Smack!


    All the customers flinched every time her little feet hit the man¡¯s body. Their expression was as filled with pity and a hint of fear.


    "You! I said stop!" Alliance Head Situ blocked Ice¡¯s kick with his own foot, making the little girl look at him with rage.


    "Hey! Stand back down or I¡¯ll bite you to death! Meow!" Ice threatened with eyebrows knitted into a frown.


    "Jiu Shen is this how you train your subordinates?! Get the fuck out and meet this grandpa!" Alliance Head Situ lost his cool. Never in his life had he experienced something so terrible especially after he became one of the Alliance¡¯s Alliance Heads.


    Alliance Head Situ ignored the growling little girl in front of him and scanned the crowd inside the first floor.


    Everyone did not dare meet his gaze and they immediately lowered their heads when they saw the middle-aged man nce their way.


    Hmph!


    Alliance Head Situ snorted in contempt when he sensed everyone¡¯s fear, but then, he frowned when he saw a man with long silver hair still sitting calmly on his chair. This man looked uncaring and nonchnt as he drank from his wine bottle.


    Looking at this man, Alliance Head Situ frowned. He could not sense the other party¡¯s power no matter how he tried, but he could feel a strong sense of danger as he looked at him.


    - Ding!


    - Abrupt Mission: As the future Wine God, your reputation should not be sullied by any random beings. Protect your reputation and make everyone know that a Wine God can never be bullied! A reward will be given afterpleting the mission.


    "Ho..." Jiu Shen muttered softly when he saw the shes of texts in front of his eyes. It was not the first time that he received a mission like this, but he was still surprised when he saw it.


    He would have wanted to remain as a spectator, but it looks like the system did not want him to remain idle this time.


    Alliance Head Situ was still staring at Jiu Shen while trying to gauge his strength, but to his dismay, he failed to even sense an ounce of true essence from the man. It was as if he was looking at a mortal.


    ¡¯Is he the owner of this store?¡¯ He thought.


    Suddenly, he saw Jiu Shen stood up from his seat. The guy was still wearing a calm expression as he ced his bottle of wine back to his table.


    "You¡¯re looking for me?" Jiu Shen said in an indifferent tone as he stared at Alliance Head Situ.


    Alliance Head Situ snapped back to reality when he heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words. He then replied in a cold tone. "I heard that you forced my daughter to work for you. Give her back to me this instant!"


    Jiu Shen remained expressionless when he heard his cold voice. He then said. "You mean Liuli? I never forced Liuli to work for me. In fact, she looks happy to work under me."


    "Happy? Who are you trying to fool?! I know my daughter like the back of my hand, and she would never be willing to work for someone especially under a man!" Alliance Head Situ said with a slight raise in his volume.


    Can Ye who was sitting behind Jiu Shen discreetly walked out of the store.


    ¡¯I have to bring Young Miss Liuli here before anything would happen. I haven¡¯t seen master bing angry, but I knew that it would definitely be terrible if that happens. I should move with haste!¡¯ Can Ye muttered in his heart as he scurried out of the store like a scared rabbit.


    Jiu Shen shrugged his shoulderszily. "What should I do with you? It might not be a good idea if I kill you since you are still Liuli¡¯s father. How about I beat you ck and blue?" He said as if it was only a simple matter.


    "What did you say?! Say that again if you dare!" Alliance Head Situ pointed a finger at Jiu Shen with a face full of wrath. His earlier wariness about Jiu Shen vanished after his rage took over him.


    Ice¡¯s expression brightened when he saw this scene. She covered her mouth to suppress her urge tough. In all her life, Jiu Shen was the only one that she could not gauge, but she was certain that even she would be powerless against him.


    "Come on, stinky human! Beat this old man up until he could no longer find his broken pieces of teeth! Meow!" Ice said with an evil smile stered on her small face.

 Chapter 240 - Not Enough

    <h4>Chapter 240 - Not Enough </h4>


    Ice punched the empty air with her little fists while giggling. A yful expression covered her face as she stared at Alliance Head Situ. "Go! Beat him up until that Liuli girl could no longer tell that he is her father! Heheh! Meow!" She uttered whileughing happily.


    The customers covered their mouths to suppress theirughter, making their faces turn red like a ripe tomato. Who would dare tough at someone like Alliance Head Situ? Perhaps only this little girl has the guts tough in his presence...


    The subordinates of Alliance Head Situ could only re at the little girl because they knew that they would only be courting death if they try to oppose her. If even an 8th-rank Divine realm expert was like a powerless little mouse in front of her, then what could the lot of them do? They might as well just watch and spectate the scene to avoid embarrassing themselves.


    Alliance Head Situ¡¯s eyes shed with fury and the overwhelming aura of a mid stage Nascent God Realm gushed out of his body, suffocating almost everyone inside the store. If not for the special properties of the store, this aura alone might have made some of them unconscious.


    Alliance Head Situ controlled his aura and directed the bulk of it to Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s long silver hair danced wildly as if he was facing a huge tornado, but his eyes remained perpetually calm and indifferent. He nced at the middle-aged man in front of him and uttered in a cold voice. "A tiny little mid stage Nascent God Realm ant is trying to show off his power in front of me? Are you trying to be funny, little brat?"


    ¡¯Huh?! My aura did not even affect him?! Impossible!¡¯ Alliance Head Situ eximed in his heart. Even in the Alliance, he was among the strongest experts, so he was shocked to discover that his most boasted aura was powerless in front of someone!


    "First, you stole my daughter. Then you said you¡¯ll beat me up, and now you call me a little brat?! I¡¯ll destroy your goddamn store!!" Alliance Head Situ shouted with rage, causing the veins on his neck to protrude.


    Zapp!


    Zapp!


    Alliance Head Situ¡¯s invisible aura slowly materialized in the form of thunder element. Small arcs of lightning covered his whole body, making him look like a god of thunder.


    The customers immediately retreated when they saw this. None of them wanted to be electrocuted by an enraged Nascent God Realm expert...


    "You asked for this, boy!" Alliance Head Situ said as he slowly walked towards Jiu Shen.


    Every time he took a step, a light zapping sound would drift as arcs of lightning revolved around him like little serpents.


    Jiu Shen eyed the middle-aged man calmly without a hint of change in his emotions. "A thunder-attributed Nascent God Realm? Hmm, not bad, but if you want to show off this kind of lousy power, then you are in the wrong ce, little brat." He said.


    Pfftt.


    "Hahaha! You¡¯re right! I told you earlier that this human is an idiot! I did, right? Meow!" Ice erupted into a burst ofughter while holding her little belly.


    Roaarr!!


    Alliance Head Situ snarled as he pounced towards Jiu Shen. He disappeared like a bolt of lightning and reappeared behind Jiu Shen. He struck his fist, producing a violent zapping sound to erupt inside the store.


    ZAPP! ZAPP!


    This punch looked so devastatingly strong that anyone that would be hit by it would surely be a meat paste!


    Everyone held their breaths when they saw this attack. There was only one person or to be exact a little person who wore a different look than everyone. She had an excited smile stered all over her chubby face which caused her eyes to almost be invisible.


    SMACK!


    A loud smacking sound was heard before everyone saw a figure being hurled out of the store.


    Thud! Thud!


    The figure rolled several times on the cold ground outside before he managed to stand back on his feet. There was a look of disbelief on his face as he stared at the man inside the store who still wore a poker face.


    "You!" He said while pointing at Jiu Shen.


    ¡¯How did he...¡¯ Alliance Head Situ touched his cheeks and he felt a hot sensation on that bulging part. He was pped! And he was not even able to dodge it! But what made him even more bewildered was how the hell did Jiu Shen do it? He was mystified by what had happened that he failed to notice that his robes was slowly being burned by a dark fire!


    He only realized that something was wrong when he felt a cold breeze caressing his naked body. He nced down and saw himself standing naked outside of the store under the peculiar gazes of arge crowd. He immediately covered his private parts as he took out an extra set of robes from his space ring.


    He looked like a flustered little virgin boy as he hastily covered himself with his extra set of robes. After that, he heard a little girlughing like there¡¯s no tomorrow.


    "Hahaha! I saw something! It looks like a peanut and a pair of dark grapes! Hahaha!" Ice rolled on the ground as sheughed.


    Alliance Head Situ felt embarrassed, but he no longer dared to go inside the store.


    ¡¯This Jiu Shen guy, how strong is he? If he could throw a mid stage Nascent God Realm like me with a single p, then he should be at least at that realm, but did he really reach that level? Even that old man in the Alliance was still not at that level...¡¯ Alliance Head Situ thought as he stared at Jiu Shen¡¯s expressionless face.


    Jiu Shen slowly walked out of the store, making Alliance Head Situ unconsciously take a step back. He told himself that he was not afraid of Jiu Shen, but his body was being honest...


    "Little brat, you think pping you was enough? I still have not heard that ¡¯Ding¡¯ sound for my mission, so I think I still have to beat you up real quick..." Jiu Shen said with a slightly annoyed tone. He thought that pping Alliance Head Situ was enough toplete the mission, but it looks like he needed to do more than just that...

 Chapter 241 - Can You Just Scram Out Of My Sight?

    <h4>Chapter 241 - Can You Just Scram Out Of My Sight? </h4>


    Alliance Head Situ felt cold in his heart when he heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words.


    If it was earlier, he would have justughed it off if someone would speak those words, but the man in front of him was different to the ones he had interacted with in his life.


    He speaks as if he was an old man despite his young look and youthful air. Jiu Shen could also remain calm in the face of his overwhelming aura. Aside from that, he might also be the strongest person in the whole Profound Dragon Continent!


    ¡¯My lovely daughter, just what kind of person did you involve yourself with?¡¯ He muttered in his heart as he stared at Jiu Shen with a fake calmness. He was already shaken that he almost failed to cover his shivering limbs.


    "Come here. I will make things less painful if you remain obedient." Jiu Shen said as he beckoned Alliance Head Situ to go near him.


    Ice strutted out of the store with a wide smile. She then sat cross-legged on the ground and cupped her chin with both her hands as she stared at the scene with great interest.


    Some customers also came out of the store to spectate this. It was rare to see an Alliance Head inside their Silver Wing Empire, so they were quite excited to see him fight against Jiu Shen who was known to be a mysterious expert.


    "Man, to think that Wine Master Jiu easily pped him out of the store in a single strike! From what I have heard, all the Alliance Heads has a cultivation level that exceeds a 9th-rank Saint, but I¡¯m not sure what that realm is called..."


    "Isn¡¯t it the 10th-rank God realm?"


    "Idiot! That term is only circted by those foolish historians who knew nothing about the truth! All I know is that the realm after the 9th-rank Saint is where one could break away from their mortal chains and be an Immortal!"


    "Cool!"


    ...


    Ice snorted when he heard their discussion and said in an arrogant tone. "Stupid humans, the realm after the 9th-rank Saint is called the Nascent God Realm. Only those with superior talents could reach that level and this idiotic Alliance Head is someone at the mid stage of the Nascent God Realm. He could not even dodge Jiu Shen¡¯s attack, so what made him act all pompous in my territory? Hmph!"


    Everyone became speechless when they heard her words, but they also learned something important from that. They never thought that this middle-aged Alliance Head who was easily pped away by Jiu Shen was actually such a terrifying individual! Then what about Jiu Shen? How strong was he?!


    Ice ignored their ignorant looks and shifted her attention back to Jiu Shen and Alliance Head Situ.


    "Wait! Friend, let me apologize for barging inside your store with that kind of nasty attitude. I was just worried about my daughter, so I was carried away by my emotions." Alliance Head Situ said as he forced out a smile, but because of his bulging left cheek, his smile looked incredibly ugly to behold.


    Jiu Shen remained silent as he thought about what he should do to this man. ¡¯I have to be lenient with my attacks or I might identally kill this brat.¡¯ He said in his heart.


    Alliance Head Situ took his silence as a good sign. He did not want to waste this rare opportunity, so he added. "I willpensate you for damages we made in your store and also for the losses you incurred after our..."


    SMACK!


    Bang!


    Alliance Head Situ could not even finish his words when his figure was once again flung away like a broken doll. He even failed to discover how Jiu Shen had struck him.


    Jiu Shen did not stop right there. He continued to hurl ps that looked slow and light-handed, but every time Alliance Head Situ was hit, a new bulge woulde out of his face...


    Smack! Bang!


    Smack! Bang!


    Smack! Smack! Smack!


    Ding!


    Mission Completed: A Wine God can never be bullied!


    Loading Rewards!


    Received x 2 Fruit of Cultivation


    Received x 1 Lunar Star Rock


    Jiu Shen retracted his raised palm when he saw the shes of texts in front of him. He was not surprised when he saw the two Fruits of Cultivation, but when he saw the Lunar Star Rock, he was slightly taken aback.


    The Lunar Star Rock was a superior kind of metal that could only be found in a dying star. It was a type of metal that ismonly used as an ingredient to forging weapons and armors.


    ¡¯I can use this to upgrade Sn¡¯s broken sword. With that Nascent God Soul and this Lunar Star Rock, it might reach the level of a Supreme Weapon. Not bad...¡¯ Jiu Shen muttered when he saw the rewards of the mission.


    The Fruit of Cultivation was important to him since it could easily increase his cultivation level, but he was not in a hurry to rank up.


    After checking the rewards, Jiu Shen fixed his gaze to the unconscious figure of Alliance Head Situ. The man was now sprawled on the ground like a dead dog. His face was badly bruised with multiple bulges here and there. He looked as if he was stung by ten thousand bees with his current appearance...


    "Oh, I think I overdid it... but I did not even use ten percent of my strength... How can this guy be so weak?" Jiu Shen scratched his chin with a thoughtful look. He then used his spiritual perception to check the man¡¯s internal organs.


    "Regr breathing, no severe internal damage, a few fractured bones, and a deformed face... Boy, I know you¡¯re awake. Stop acting dead or I¡¯ll break a few more of those feeble bones." Jiu Shen said in a calm tone, but his words immediately made the ¡¯unconscious¡¯ Alliance Head Situ rise on his feet.


    "Arm Shorty, I...I..." Alliance Head Situ tried to speak, but he failed to utter a proper word because of his broken teeth and badly damaged mouth.


    Jiu Shen raised his hand to signal him to shut up.


    "Can you just scram out of my sight?" Jiu Shen said while shooing him away.

 Chapter 242 - Familial Love

    <h4>Chapter 242 - Familial Love </h4>


    The crowd was stunned silly when they saw the terrible state of Alliance Head Situ. The man no longer had his previous confidence and all that was left was his broken face filled with regret and fear.


    Everyone felt that everything was surreal. A peak expert at that level was actually beaten up in such an embarrassing manner? He was not even able to fight back and the guy could only take the beating like a human punching bag...


    Alliance Head Situ¡¯s subordinates who knew the power of their boss looked utterly dumbfounded when they saw his sorry look. They could not help but take a nce at Jiu Shen who just casually pounded their terrifying boss.


    "Brother, I think I had too much to drinkst night that I¡¯m now seeing things wrong. That¡¯s not our boss, right?"


    p!


    "Ouch! Why did you p my face?"


    "Fool! You are not dreaming and that man just destroyed our boss with a few ps. I could not even begin to imagine what could have happened if he did not hold back his strength..."


    Alliance Head Situ¡¯s subordinates stared at Jiu Shen with trepidation and awe as they discussed among themselves.


    "Father!"


    A sharp cry suddenly rang out, making everyone turn their gazes to the neer. She was a seductive youngdy dressed in a revealing manner. She was wearing a tight short dress that stuck closely to her body, making everyone see her shapely hourss figure. This was Liuli, the daughter of Alliance Head Situ and the proprietress of Green Wood Pavilion.


    Liuli was shocked when she saw her father¡¯s badly bruised face. She had never seen her father in such a state ever since she was born, so she was a bit surprised by what she saw. After all, her father was among the strongest experts in the entirety of the Profound Dragon Continent. However, she already kinda expected this thing to happen especially when she heard what Can Ye had told her.


    ¡¯Of all the people that you could have provoked, why did it have to be him? Even that ¡¯old man¡¯ in the Alliance might not be his match...¡¯ Liuli muttered in her heart. She was feeling mixed emotions when looking at her father¡¯s state, but she was also to be med since she did not warn him about Jiu Shen¡¯s mystery power.


    Following behind Liuli was the sweaty-faced Can Ye. He wore an exhausted look as he panted for breath.


    He had sprinted all the way to where Liuli had been and told her about what had transpired inside the store. He did not even have the chance to catch his breath when Liuli pulled him back to the store, so he was now beyond tired and weary.


    ¡¯Oh crap! It looks like we¡¯re already toote. Man, is that Alliance Head Situ? He looked as if he was bitten by a whole nest of ants... Master is so scary! Even a mid stage Nascent God Realm was reduced into such a beggar-like appearance.¡¯ Can Ye uttered in his heart while looking at Alliance Head Situ with a hint of pity.


    "Rurii!" Alliance Head Situ called out, causing his mouth to bleed. He felt a stinging sensation on his face, but he still forced out a hideous-looking smile when he saw his daughter.


    Liuli did not know whether tough or to cry when she saw how her father looked at that moment. She also felt guilty when she saw the deep love and affection in his gaze.


    She had been away for too long and the two of them were separated for several years. It was because she wanted to prove to her father that she did not need his help to be someone capable.


    She could never believe that they would be reunited in such a way, but she also felt thankful for this opportunity.


    "Father." She said in a quivering voice as she looked at her father.


    "Ruri." Alliance Head Situ forced out a smile that looked incredibly ugly. He then walked towards his daughter and gently patted the back of her head. He had a lot of words to say, but he just remained silent since he might not be able to handle the pain if he speaks.


    "Oh,e on! That¡¯s it? Meow!" Ice pouted with puffed cheeks as she stared at Liuli with annoyance. She still wanted to see Alliance Head Situ being beaten up, but that was no longer possible with Liuli here, so she just snorted angrily before she walked back inside the store with arrogant steps.


    Everyone immediately cleared a path for this little devil. Only an idiot would provoke her after they saw how easily she had beaten up an expert at the 8th-rank Divine realm...


    Jiu Shen stared at the father and daughter duo for a few seconds before he walked back inside the store in a calm manner. He also fished out a bottle of wine from his space earring and took a light sip from it.


    "Familial love? How nostalgic..." Jiu Shen uttered softly as a trace of mncholy shed in his eyes, but it immediately returned to normal.


    Liuli nced at Jiu Shen¡¯s departing figure.


    She wanted to call him, but she still has to help her father dress his wounds. Jiu Shen might have been light-handed with his attacks, but her father was still injured especially his face.


    "Father, I have a lot to tell you. Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you somewhere so that we can treat your wounds." Liuli said with a sweet smile on her face.


    Alliance Head Situ nodded his head weakly when he heard her words.


    Liuli grabbed her father¡¯s arm and pulled him away from the scene with a happy smile. She did not even bother to nce at Can Ye who was about to say something to her, and so, thetter could only choose to close his mouth while looking at her walk away with Alliance Head Situ.


    "I did not even get a ¡¯thank you¡¯. Ays, nevermind." Can Ye heaved out a sigh before going inside the store with a sour look.

 Chapter 243 - Soul Sacrifice! Summon Undead King!

    <h4>Chapter 243 - Soul Sacrifice! Summon Undead King! </h4>


    It was the day of Xue Tong¡¯s execution and the front yard of the imperial pce was crowded with people. All of the spectators were staring at the youth who was tied up with thick metal chains. His face was badly bruised and he did not look to be in good shape with his incredibly pale face and bedraggled appearance.


    Standing behind Xue Tong was Emperor Elyk and an old man with a sage-like appearance. They were looking at everyone below the tform with dignified expressions.


    "Standing before you is the young master of a rebel n, Xue Tong of the Xue Family! The Xue Family sought the help of an insidiously evil sect just to im the throne for themselves, but we were lucky that we received help at the time of their rebellion! Some of you might know who I am referring to, but we won¡¯t be talking about them!" Emperor Elyk shouted with a cold look as he scanned the crowd with a prating gaze.


    "Today, everyone will see the execution of this rebel! And his death will serve as a warning to all our enemies that our Silver Wing Empire is not to be provoked!" Emperor Elyk paused and took out his Silver Wing Sword before he walked in front of Xue Tong.


    "I, Elyk Silveria III, emperor of the Silver Wing Empire, sentence you to death for rebelling against the authority of the Silveria Imperial Family!" Emperor Elyk announced with an icy tone as he stared at Xue Tong who was tightly bound in chains.


    Xue Tong slowly raised his head and stared back at the emperor without a hint of fear in his eyes.


    "Hahaha! Old Fart Elyk, go ahead and fucking kill me already! I will wait for you in hell m!" Xue Tongughed in a crazed manner as he tried to break away from his chains.


    Despite knowing his imminent execution, Xue Tong still has his unruly and unbendable personality. He might havee from a rebel family, but he never caved in from all the tortures done to him.


    "Anyst words, Rebel Xue Tong?" Emperor Elyk asked as he adjusted his posture.


    Xue Tong suddenly erupted into peals of creepyughter. After hisughter died down, he shouted in a loud and evil voice.


    "Soul Sacrifice! Summon Undead King!"


    A ck gate coffin suddenly emerged in front of Xue Tong and sucked his soul out of his physical body. After this process, his physical body slowly dried up like a decayed corpse before it turned into dust.


    Everything happened in an instant that Emperor Elyk and his father failed to realize this final moment of insanity from a dying devil! He actually sacrificed his soul to summon an undead king! This was an evil technique and even among those who cultivate corpse qi, this was still considered as a forbidden technique! This technique summons an undead king in exchange for one¡¯s soul, and the sacrificed soul would never be able to reincarnate again.


    A dark and menacing aura enveloped the entirety of the imperial pce, but everyone could even move their bodies because of the terrifying might and suppression brought by this evil aura!


    "What the hell is that thing!?" Someone eximed in terror as he pointed at the ck coffin suspended in midair.


    The ck coffin¡¯s lid was half opened and a thin and decayed arm can be seen extending out from the coffin.


    "A soul filled with malice and hate! Delicious! Kekeke!" A chilling voice drifted out from the coffin, making everyone feel extremely terrified.


    Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!


    The ck coffin¡¯s lid slowly opened.


    A decayed corpse wearing loose ck robes. Its eye sockets were empty, but two dark embers shed within them. This decayed corpse was two meters tall and it was holding a rusted scythe in its hands. The rusted scythe that it held looked incredibly menacing and insidious with its crescent-shaped de and sharp edges.


    "Elyk, protect the citizens! I¡¯ll hold back this guy!" The emperor¡¯s father shouted in amanding tone as he hovered in front of the ck coffin. The old man stared at the creature inside the coffin with a wary expression.


    Emperor Elyk nodded his head solemnly before he went to help everyone escape from the scene. They would only be a liability if they continue to remain in this ce.


    The old man could sense a dreadful power being emitted by this decayed corpse, but it was not to the extent that he felt powerless in front of it.


    "I never thought that the brat from the Xue Family actually knows this kind of evil technique. He even sacrificed his chance to reincarnate just to summon this evil thing." The old man muttered in a cold tone.


    "Kekeke! How many years has it been? I have finally awakened from my deep slumber! Kekeke!" The creature inside the coffin jumped out and cackled in a malicious manner. Its voice sounded terrifyingly creepy and high-pitched.


    It then stared at the old man in front of it and spoke in a slightly surprised tone. "To think that this world actually gave birth to a Nascent God Realm expert after that war. Kekeke! Not bad! Not bad at all! Kekeke!"


    The old man frowned when he heard its words. This creature seemed knowledgeable and based on its words, it must havee from the time of war fifty thousand years ago.


    "You do have a bit of knowledge for a dead person. Oh wait, are you even human? Hahaha!" The old manughed in contempt as he pointed at the decayed corpse.


    "Kekeke! What a funny old man you are! I¡¯m not someone from an inferior race like you! I am an undead king!" The creatureughed in a high-pitch voice that could make anyone feel a stinging sensation in their ears.


    "Enough nonsense! Take my sword!" The old man said as he pulled out a sword from his space ring.


    "I like your attitude, old man! I will make you my servant after I kill you! Kekeke!" The creature said as it raised its rusted scythe.

 Chapter 244 - Laid-back Jiu Shen

    <h4>Chapter 244 - Laid-back Jiu Shen </h4>


    The old man brandished his sword and shouted in a solemn voice. "Sky Rendering Sword Phantom! Materialize!"


    Swoosh!


    The evil-looking decayed corpse lifted its rusted scythe to block the iing attack.


    Bang!


    The evil creature was flung away, but it managed to stabilize itself after tumbling in midair. However, it no longer had its previous confidence after it received the old man¡¯s attack.


    "A puny early stage Nascent God Realm actually managed to throw me away?! It looks I have lost more than half of my power after slumbering for thousands of years! Dammit!" It cursed while staring at the old man with hate.


    The old man felt a bit more confident after that one exchange. ¡¯This guy does not look that strong, but I still have to be careful. An expert at that era should have a few more things up their sleeves.¡¯ He muttered in his heart as he conjured another spell.


    "Sky Diamond Protective Halo! Materialize!"


    "Hmph!" The evil creature snorted as it pounced towards the old man while lowering its rusted scythe in a different angle, hoping to catch the old man by surprise.


    Bang!


    Crack!


    Hm?!


    The evil creature was a bit shocked when it discovered that its attack was not even able to destroy the old man¡¯s shield. The two dark embers in its eye sockets then shed with a chilly air as it heavily pounded the cracked shield of the old man.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Crack!


    BANG!


    The old man¡¯s Sky Diamond Protective Halo disintegrated, but it still managed to withstand a few strikes, giving the old man an opportunity to conserve his true essence. He then moved towards the evil creature like a slithering snake as he pointed his sword forward.


    ng!


    Sword and scythe met in midair, causing sparks to fly in every direction.


    The fighting between the two continued for more than an hour, causing great destruction everywhere around them.


    The might two Nascent God Realms in battle must not be taken lightly. They could decimate an entire mountain just with their fists alone!


    Half of the imperial pce was destroyed and its 9th-rank protective array was not even able to block the power of the two!


    Bang!


    ng!


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    ng! ng! ng!


    ***


    Just right outside the entrance of ¡¯The Immortal¡¯s Wine¡¯, a man with long silver hair can be seen seated calmly on his chair. He was holding a small little girl in his left arm and a bottle of wine in his right.


    Standing behind him was a tall youngdy with purple hair. She had a dainty figure and seductive body that could make any man look at her with hungry gazes. She was looking at the man with admiration while deep in her thoughts.


    Jiu Shen took a light sip of wine from his wine bottle and nced in a certain direction. "Things are getting quite lively for Can Ye in the imperial pce. Meili, tell Hestia to prepare a few medicines. That brat Can Ye mighte back with a few injuries." He muttered in amusement.


    "Yes, master." Long Meili bowed her head respectfully before she went inside the store in a graceful manner.


    "Stinky human, where are my promised bottles of milk? Do you think I¡¯ve forgotten about it? Meow! Give it to me!" Ice iled in Jiu Shen¡¯s embrace like a child throwing a tantrum.


    Jiu Shen smacked the back of her head, but he still took out a huge bottle of milk from his space earring. "This bottle is equivalent to ten normal bottles of milk. This is already more than what I promised you." He said as he handed the big bottle of milk to the pouting little girl.


    "Hmph! At least you are sensible. Meow." Ice snatched the big bottle from Jiu Shen¡¯s hands and sucked the opening like a starved camel.


    "Ah~ This one is delicious! Did you add something different here? Meow." Ice asked with a shining gaze as she stared at the bottle of milk in her hands.


    "Dunno." Jiu Shen repliedzily.


    Gulp. Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.


    Gulping sounds echoed about as the little girl continued to drink her milk. She had her eyes shut tight as she savored the taste of the milk.


    On the other hand, Jiu Shen¡¯s attention was fixated on the battle happening in the imperial pce.


    "An undead at the Nascent God Realm, but its power seemed to be weakened... That old brat should be able to defeat it..." He muttered.


    Everyone could hear the loud booming soundsing from the imperial pce, but no one dared to go there when they sensed the evil energy from that direction. Even from a distance, they knew that a great battle was happening in the imperial pce. As to who is fighting, they were curious, but none of them were brave enough to go and spectate the fight.


    "Today is the execution of Xue Tong, right? Does it have something to do with all themotion?"


    "I think two Nascent God Realm experts are fighting in the imperial pce at this moment. One of them must be the former emperor. As for his opponent, I have no idea..."


    "How about we check it out? Let¡¯s just stay from a safe distance. Nothing should happen to us if we are careful enough."


    "Are you nuts?! Go ahead and go there, but no one among us will being with you! Idiot!"


    Jiu Shen leisurely sipped his wine, looking rxed and carefree. He looked like someone who was out on the beach to enjoy the sea breeze.


    He gently caressed the head of the little girl as he watched the battle in the imperial pce through his spiritual perception.


    "That old brat¡¯s sword techniques look lousy and terrible. He could not even bring out his full potential. What a waste of Sword of Comprehension..." Jiu Shen muttered in a soft voice filled with disdain.


    "Stinky human, can I have more of this? Please! Meow." Ice¡¯s chubby face suddenly came into his view, blocking him from watching the fight.


    Jiu Shen squeezed her cheeks and said. "No."

 Chapter 245 - The Bedraggled Can Ye

    <h4>Chapter 245 - The Bedraggled Can Ye </h4>


    Near the imperial pce.


    Baangg!!


    A figure was thrown away like a kite with broken strings. He was an old man with a sage-like appearance and long white hair.


    A small line of blood trickled down the old man¡¯s lips after that exchange. He stared at the evil creature hovering not far away from his direction. The evil being was holding a rusted scythe as he stared back at the old man with a mocking look on his decayed face.


    "You are quite strong for a newly ascended Nascent God Realm expert, but you could still not defeat me even in my weakened state. If only I had all my powers, then you won¡¯t be standing in front of me anymore. Kekeke!" The evil creatureughed in a creepy manner as a cluster of dark and menacing aura enveloped its figure, making it look even more terrifying.


    The old emperor merely smiled at this provocation. In fact, the attack earlier did not leave much damage to him. He was just testing the limits of the creature¡¯s power and it seemed like he had underestimated its might.


    "Enough nonsense you undying piece of trash! Receive the full power of my strike! Sky Rendering Sword Phantom! Exterminate!" Following the old man¡¯s voice, a gigantic sword phantom materialized in midair.


    This sword phantom looked holy and tangible, giving off vast amounts of righteous power that made the evil creature flinch. It then shot towards the evil creature like a mirage, leaving behind a trail of sword light in its wake.


    The two dark embers inside the evil creature¡¯s eye sockets flickered with fear when it saw the devastating sword attack shooting in his direction.


    "Why can¡¯t I control my corpse qi?! His true essence is holding me back from gaining control of my corpse qi?! Impossible!" The evil being shouted in a manic and high-pitch tone before it was cut in half by that huge sword phantom!


    Baanngg!!


    A deep sword wound that spanned hundreds of meters was left behind along the streets of Beltran City because of that attack!


    As for the undead king, the two halves of its body can be seen slowly melting into a puddle of ck liquid that slowly seeped through the ground. The ck coffin that was hovering in midair also vanished after the death of the undead king.


    "Sigh. So this is what it feels like to fight a Nascent God Realm being... That thing was even in its weakened state, but I could only barely defeat it..." The old man shook his head in self-reproach. He then slowly descended to the ground as he looked at the terrible mess they created during that battle.


    Half of the imperial pce was destroyed and almost all of the establishments near the imperial pce were reduced into a pile of rubble broken remains. The destruction brought by their battle was already that much despite the number of 9th-rank protective arrays ced all over Beltran City. The old man could even begin to imagine what could have happened if there were no protective arrays ced in Beltran City.


    "I should check on Elyk if he¡¯s fine. Also, I have to help him increase his strength to the 9th-rank Saint before we depart to the Alliance. I have a few things to discuss with the bigwigs in the Alliance..." The old man muttered before he flew away from the scene.


    ***


    Outside the entrance of ¡¯The Immortal¡¯s Wine¡¯, Jiu Shen was still seated on his chair with an indifferent look on his face.


    "That idiot could have ended the fight sooner if he practiced more on sword techniques. His basic foundation is too shallow and even his sword movements and techniques are full of ws." Jiu Shen said in disdain before picking up his bottle of wine. He drank its contents down to thest drop and shook his head, looking rather dissatisfied with the taste of the wine.


    "Even this Deep Sea Spring Dew could no longer satisfy my wine craving. After my sect¡¯s opening ceremony, I should immediately go to the Divine Beast Continent to search for Little Tiger¡¯s parents. From the map provided by the system, I can see a lot of high-level spiritual nts in there that I could use as ingredients for my wines." He said as he burned the empty bottle of wine with a small flicker of dark me.


    Not even a single speck of ash remained after he burned the bottle of wine...


    Suddenly, a figure that looked rather disheveled came into his view. This was his second disciple, Can Ye, who just came to witness the execution of Xue Tong in front of the imperial pce.


    Can Ye¡¯s hair was unkempt and messy, even a part of his clothes was torn away. He wore a tired expression as he dragged his slightly injured body to the store.


    "Why am I so unlucky especially these past few days? Goddammit!" He cursed under his breath.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s lips curved upwards when he saw his disciple¡¯s current appearance. He had already expected this to happen when he saw the battle between the undead king and the former emperor through his spiritual perception.


    "Little Tiger, go inside and call Hestia. Tell her to give the medicines to Can Ye." Jiu Shen said to the little girl in his arms.


    Surprisingly, thezy little girl actually nodded her head and replied in an obedient manner. "Okay. Meow."


    She then jumped out of Jiu Shen¡¯s embrace and strutted inside the store while holding a huge bottle filled with milk.


    "Master." Can Ye greeted his master after arriving in front of him. He sounded weary and weak, but he still bowed at Jiu Shen with respect.


    "I assume something great must have happened in the imperial pce for you to look like this." Jiu Shen said calmly.


    Can Ye did not know if Jiu Shen was joking or speaking his own thoughts, so he could only smile wryly after hearing that.


    "It is as you said, master. Something great indeed happened earlier, but I hope that it won¡¯t ever happen again..." Can Ye said with a crooked smile.

 Chapter 246 - Green Flames?

    <h4>Chapter 246 - Green mes? </h4>


    A day after the death of the undead king, the imperial pce was slowly being reconstructed. The Silveria Imperial Family also funded the reconstruction of all the establishments destroyed yesterday, making everyone cheer for their generosity.


    The bustling life of everyone inside Beltran City continued as usual, but some of the residents still felt fearful after the event that happened yesterday. After all, even the imperial pce was not spared during that grand battle between two top experts.


    Inside the Refining Hall of Jiu Shen¡¯s wine store, several figures can be seen spectating a man as he was refining a broken sword. He looked calm as he pounded the broken sword with a forging hammer.


    ng! ng! ng!


    nging sounds echoed inside the hall as the hammering continued.


    "To think that master is also a Weapon Refiner... Don¡¯t tell me he is also an Array Formation Maker?" Master Fengzi said with a look of admiration and awe. His decision to be Jiu Shen¡¯s alchemy disciple was mostly under the influence of Supreme Elder Qi Hongtian, but he never regretted bing Jiu Shen¡¯s alchemy disciple. He learned a lot of things from him and he could even feel that he was almost at the level of an Alchemy Saint after training with his master for less than a month!


    Qi Hongtian who was standing beside him nodded his head with a nk look. ¡¯Master¡¯s attainments in alchemy is already beyond myprehension and even his attainments in the art of weapon-making doesn¡¯t seem shallow. In fact, his sophistry and way of forging are many times betterpared to those renowned Weapon Refiners I¡¯ve seen...¡¯ He muttered in his heart as he watched Jiu Shen repair the broken sword with magic-like movements.


    The forging hammer that Jiu Shen was holding danced under his miraculous hands. He added all the ingredients he had collected to repair and upgrade this broken sword.


    First, he added a few misceneous ingredients to improve the sword¡¯s appearance. He casually threw the ingredients to therge anvil and melted the ingredients with a wisp of dark me. The melted ingredients were then cooled down and pounded with the forging hammer. After that, Jiu Shen took out the bottle where he had put the soul of Elder Ming. A small mass of a white figure can be seen sealed inside the bottle. This was Elder Ming¡¯s Immortal Soul.


    Jiu Shen opened the bottle and muttered in an indifferent tone. "Reform."


    Jiu Shen ced the Immortal Soul of Elder Ming within the sword and reformed it. He also erased all of Elder Ming¡¯s memories and branded it with his own spiritual power. After doing this, Jiu Shen refined the sword using his true essence, making it even morepatible with the remnant soul of a Nascent God Realm expert.


    ¡¯With the Lunar Star Rock, this sword would have an even greater potential since it would gain the ability to grow along with its owner.¡¯ Jiu Shen thought to himself as he took out an ordinary-looking rock with rough edges.


    He produced a wisp of ck me at the tip of his finger and flicked it towards this piece of ordinary-looking rock.


    ¡¯Not enough. As expected of a Lunar Star Rock, even a wisp of my Abyssal mes is not enough to melt it. Two more should do it.¡¯ He thought as he produced more wisps of dark me.


    At this moment, the small piece of rock melted under the intense heat of Jiu Shen¡¯s Abyssal mes.


    ng! ng! ng!


    Lu Sn watched the entire refining process with both excitement and veneration. She could already imagine the might of the sword that Jiu Shen would be able to reforge. With the refining skills that he disyed, she was confident that the sword that her master would forge would be something beyond her expectations.


    "ording to master, this broken sword was an Origin Weapon in its peak. This kind of weapon is something that even a Nascent God Realm expert could only hope to possess. And with all the ingredients that master added to the reforging process, just what kind of sword could he make?" Lu Sn softly muttered, but her words still entered the ears of everyone inside the Refining Hall.


    "Origin Weapon? What¡¯s that?" Can Ye muttered in a bewildered tone as he looked at his senior.


    Lu Sn shrugged and replied. "I don¡¯t know what level that is, but from master¡¯s tone, it should be something that exceeds the level of a Nascent Weapon."


    "This weapon refining looks fun. I should ask master if he is willing to teach me the art of weapon making." Can Ye said with a shining gaze. He was already imagining himself forging a powerful saber in his own.


    Lu Sn chuckled when she saw the expression of her junior. She then shifted her attention back to Jiu Shen and eximed in awe when she saw the partiallypleted sword on top of therge anvil.


    The sword¡¯s de had jade and ocean-like color that blended in perfect harmony. The sword¡¯s handle had a dark jade-green color, giving off a refreshing feel to the sword.


    "What a beautiful sword! I can¡¯t bring myself to use such a beautiful sword to kill someone..." She uttered absentmindedly.


    Can Ye nodded his head in agreement, and even the two old alchemists agreed to her words.


    The sword that Jiu Shen was holding looked like an ornamental sword that should be disyed to bring splendor to one¡¯s household, but since he was forging it as a weapon, its might should not be underestimated.


    Jiu Shen cooled down the sword, causing a cluster of gray smoke to emerge.


    After the smoke receded, Lu Sn and the others inside Refining Hall gasped in shock after seeing thepleted sword in Jiu Shen¡¯s hands.


    An intricately crafted sword with a beautiful jade and ocean-like pattern on its de, but they suddenly felt that something was not so simple about this sword.


    "Green mes?!" Lu Sn eximed in shock when she saw the incorporeal mes gushing out from the sword.

 Chapter 247 - Dual-Attributed Sword

    <h4>Chapter 247 - Dual-Attributed Sword </h4>


    "Dual-attributed weapon?!" Qi Hongtian who was the most experienced among the onlookers eximed in utter astonishment when he saw the green mes emitted by the sword.


    At first, they thought that the sword would be ice-attributed because of its ocean-like color and jade patterns, but they never would have thought that thepleted sword actually contained a strong me-attribute that did not look ordinary.


    The green mes gushing out of the sword was not the kind of me that radiates an overwhelming amount of heat. In fact, no one inside the Refining Hall could feel an increase in the temperature. This made them stare confusedly at Jiu Shen who was holding the sword with a calm look.


    "Master, this me. What is this?" Lu Sn asked curiously as she stared at the sword in her master¡¯s hands with a shining gaze.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s gaze was still fixated on the sword he forged as he replied. "When a weapon is forged from a Lunar Star Rock, it would have the ability to emit this kind of me. This green me is called the ¡¯Lunar Star mes¡¯ and I know that you guys are bewildered as to why it is not producing any heat, so let me show you something."


    Jiu Shen¡¯s tone was mysterious when he spoke those words. He then took out a Saint Weapon from his space earring and showed it to everyone.


    "This Shield is a Saint Weapon and it is one of the hardest shields to break because of its sturdiness and theplex forging method used to enhance its defensive ability. Sn, try cutting this shield with your Saint Weapon." Jiu Shen said as he tossed the shield to Lu Sn.


    Lu Sn was confused but she still caught the shield with her hands. When she held the shield, she could already feel its toughness and heavy weight. She then took out her sword from space ring which was also a Saint Weapon and did as she was told.


    ng!


    A loud nging sound echoed inside the Refining Hall after Lu Sn shed the shield with her Saint Weapon.


    Everyone stared at the shield and saw that there was only a long white mark where Lu Sn had shed it.


    "Master, this shield is indeed quite sturdy. I could not break it without using any of my sword techniques, but what do you want to show us by making me do this?" Lu Sn asked as she retrieved her sword.


    Qi Hongtian and the others also stared at their master, waiting for his answer.


    Jiu Shen nced at them and shook his head. "A sword cultivator must learn to be patient. Now, use this sword to cut the shield, but don¡¯t use any true essence with your attack." He said while handing the newly-forged sword to Lu Sn.


    Lu Sn carefully held the exquisite-looking sword that gleamed like a beautiful piece of art. She stared at it in awe and excitement as she thought. ¡¯Is this really my sword?! It¡¯s so beautiful!¡¯


    "Senior Sister, don¡¯t keep us in suspense." Can Ye said while scratching the back of his head.


    Lu Sn rolled her eyes at Can Ye before raising the newly-forged sword above her head. She then shed down the sword, producing a beautiful green arc in the air as she swung it down.


    Pu!


    Everyone did not hear the ¡¯nging sound¡¯ that they were expecting, instead, they heard the sound of something being shed in half by the sword.


    To everyone¡¯s surprise, the shield which was a Saint Weapon was now cut into two halves. The most surprising thing was that the shield was melting on the part which the sword had cut into!


    "This!" Lu Sn and the others gasped with dumbfounded expressions when they saw it.


    Lu Sn did not use any sword techniques and she just casually shed down the sword with her raw strength, but it still cut a Saint Weapon in half as if it was slicing a piece of paper!


    "The Lunar Star me never produces heat, but when ites into contact with another object, it could melt it without a problem. This kind of ability is very useful during battles since your opponents would be unaware of its ability to melt things. Aside from the Lunar Star me, I also added an Array Formation in that sword, giving it an ice-attribute. You can activate its icy nature by using your true essence. Try it." Jiu Shen said in a calm tone as if cing an Array Formation on a weapon was something so easy to aplish.


    "Master, you mean, you are also an Array Formation Maker?!" Fengzi uttered with a slightly raised volume due to his shock.


    Jiu Shen shrugged as he replied. "What about it?"


    Fengzi opened his mouth, but no words came out, so he could only stare at his master with a wry smile.


    Lu Sn immediately used her true essence to activate the Array Formation engraved on her sword. After doing that, the sword¡¯s ocean-like color became more prominent and the sword also started to emit cold and chilly air.


    "Amazing! So the ice-attribute that we felt earlier was not the sword¡¯s natural attribute but an Array Formation that master engraved on it. I could not believe that Array Formation Making and Weapon Refining could actually be done like this! Truly incredible!" Her voice was full of worship when she uttered those words.


    Qi Hongtian and the others nodded their heads in agreement. They were also shocked by this revtion.


    ¡¯These bumpkins... What if they learned that Alchemy, Weapon Refining, and Array Formation Making can be incorporated into Wine Making? Their reactions might be interesting to see if they happen to see how I do that.¡¯ Jiu Shen thought in amusement.


    "Master, what level of weapon is this? I could not tell just by looking at it." Lu Sn asked while gently caressing the de of the sword.


    Jiu Shen was silent for a moment before he replied in an indifferent tone. "Because of the Lunar Star Rock added as the main reforging ingredient and the advanced Array Formation that I engraved on this sword, this sword should be a True God Weapon."


    "True God Weapon?" Lu Sn and the others muttered with confusion. They had never heard of that term, so they just stared at Jiu Shen with nk looks.

 Chapter 248 - I Mind, So Don’t Ask

    <h4>Chapter 248 - I Mind, So Don¡¯t Ask </h4>


    "Here in Nuar, the weapons are divided into three levels; Earth Weapon, Divine Weapon, and Saint Weapon, but after that, there are still a few more levels of weapons depending on their power. Before I tell you guys about the division of weapon levels, let me tell you about the cultivation levels after the 9th-rank Saint." Jiu Shen said as he leanedfortably on a chair. He then took out a bottle of wine as he looked at everyone inside the Refining Hall.


    Lu Sn and the others immediately became excited when they heard their master¡¯s words. They perked up their ears and watched him eagerly as they waited for him to speak.


    Jiu Shen pulled out the cork from his wine bottle and inhaled its familiar aroma. Although this wine could no longer satisfy him, it was still better than nothing.


    "When 9th-rank Saints survive their tribtion lightning, they would ascend to the Nascent God Realm and create their own Immortal Soul. With an Immortal Soul, even if one¡¯s physical body dies, one would still have the chance to recover if they found a suitable body for themselves." Jiu Shen paused for a brief moment before he continued.


    "After surviving another tribtion lightning at the peak stage of the Nascent God Realm, one would then be an Origin God Realm... Before one could break through another major realm, they would still have to survive their tribtion lightning and their tribtion lightning would only continue to be stronger as they ascend to higher cultivation levels..."


    "After the Origin God Realm is the True God Realm. Next would be the Supreme God Realm, Heavenly God Realm, and..." Jiu Shen¡¯s voice died down at that moment and he seemed to be lost in his thoughts.


    Lu Sn and the others were surprised when they saw this rare expression of longing on their master¡¯s face.


    "Master, is there is a cultivation level after that?" Can Ye asked excitedly.


    Jiu Shen was silent, but he shook his head with a slightly lost look. "That realm... Only three people managed to reach it...and even I failed in my attempts..." His voice was small and distant as he spoke those words. He then drank a mouthful of wine after he said that.


    Lu Sn and the others nced at each other when they saw the look on their master¡¯s face. Jiu Shen¡¯s expression could actually change by this much?


    Can Ye wanted to ask something, but he was suddenly elbowed by his senior sister, so he immediately shut his mouth tight.


    ¡¯I wonder what kind of past master had in that ce? From his words, there should be a cultivation level after the Heavenly God Realm, but only three people managed to reach that level. Master also mentioned that he failed in reaching that realm, so does that mean he is someone at the Heavenly God Realm? If he is that strong, then what is he doing in our world? Could he be hiding from one of those three people who reached that level? Sigh. I don¡¯t know.¡¯ Can Ye thought while scratching his chin with his thumb.


    "Okay, that¡¯s all for cultivation levels. Now, let us discuss the weapon levels after the Saint Weapon; Nascent Weapon, Origin Weapon, True God Weapon, Supreme God Weapon, and the Heavenly God Weapon. That sword should be a True God Weapon and it is not just an ordinary True God Weapon since it has the ability to grow along with its owner." Jiu Shen said in a calm tone while lightly shaking his bottle of wine.


    Lu Sn and the others were stunned when they heard that. A weapon that could grow along with its owner?! There was actually such a kick-ass weapon?! They thought.


    Lu Sn held her sword gently while looking at it with a sparkling gaze. Her lips curved upwards from the sheer joy of finally owning such a powerful weapon. She then stared at her master and bowed respectfully as she said. "Master, I can¡¯t thank you enough for forging such a beautiful sword for me. I promise that I¡¯ll do anything that you ask me!"


    Jiu Shen nced at her calmly and said. "Remember, that sword is not an ordinary weapon, so you should train harder to give the sword the opportunity to face against the top experts of the Primordial God Realm, but there¡¯s no hurry. We still have an ample amount of time before we go to that ce. Also, I have to go somewhere after the sect¡¯s opening ceremony, so I will leave the safety of the store to you guys."


    "Yes, master!" Lu Sn replied with confidence.


    "Master, where are you going? Can we go there with you?" Can Ye asked.


    Qi Hongtian and Fengzi listened closely while looking at their master.


    Jiu Shen stared at Can Ye and replied in an indifferent tone. "I will visit the Divine Beast Continent. Are you sure that you want to go with me?"


    Can Ye gulped when he heard that and he immediately shook his head as he said. "Master, that ce, uh... You know..."


    Lu Sn chuckled when she saw the panicked expression of her junior brother, but she was also quite shocked when she learned that Jiu Shen was nning to go to the Divine Beast Continent.


    It was the only ce that even the strongest experts of the Alliance refused to go. Even the demons of the Crimson Fiend Continent would never dare to casually visit that ce...


    The Divine Beast Continent is a ce infested with countless savage beasts. Nascent God Realm savage beasts could easily be found there and even something stronger than that also existed in that ce!


    "Master, if you don¡¯t mind me asking, what are you nning to do in the Divine Beast Continent?" Qi Hongtian asked curiously. Just what could his master be nning to do in that ce? After all, Jiu Shen was not someone who does things without reason, but what is his purpose in going there?


    "I mind, so don¡¯t ask." Jiu Shen replied and everyone inside the Refining Hall could only smile wryly after hearing his words.

 Chapter 249 - Prince Arslan

    <h4>Chapter 249 - Prince Arn </h4>


    In the central parts of Beltran City, a humongous tower stood erect like a pir. It was around six hundred meters tall and was shaped like a slithering snake hissing at the skies. This towering skyscraper was gifted by the emperor to his second son for his great achievements in cultivation and also in war.


    Inside the topmost room of the tower, a man can be seen standing as he gazed through the window. He was looking at the bustling life of Beltran City from above, his eyes shed with coldness.


    "I¡¯ve been here for a few years and many of my subordinates had already fallen within this human soil, but what did I get in return?! Nothing!" The man had long ck hair and a refined-looking faded beard that made him look manlier and handsome. His ck pupils now radiated with a tinge of reddish hue as the light of coldness in his eyes intensified.


    This man is none other than the second prince of the Silver Wing Empire, Prince Arn.


    Suddenly, a man wearing tight ck clothes emerged and kneeled in front of the second prince as he said.


    "Your Highness, we have an urgent message from our people who are observing the Alliance."


    Prince Arn held back his anger and turned to nce at his subordinate. He then uttered in a cold tone. "A message? A few months ago, I asked for reinforcements from them, but we still haven¡¯t gotten even a single soldier! Read the contents of the letter they sent!"


    The man in ck robes shivered when he sensed the rage in his tone, but he still did as he was told and opened the letter given to him:


    "Your Highness, I know that you need more manpower right now, but this is not possible at the moment. One of our hideouts was discovered by the Alliance, making us lose thousands of our men. As much as I would like to help you, your subordinate is also powerless to do this. Currently, we are regrouping our remaining people and we will also hold a meeting to change our ns. I hope that you can grace us with your brilliant mind in thising meeting since we would really need a great plot to achieve our ns. This subordinate awaits your presence, Your Highness."


    The second prince¡¯s anger subsided when he heard the contents of the letter.


    "So more of our brothers had also fallen... Dammit! Investigate the authenticity of this letter and if this is indeed true, then I have to prepare to meet everyone else..." Prince Arn ordered coldly before he shifted his gaze back to the bustling scenery down below.


    "I obey!" The man in ck robes said before he vanished from the room.


    "Silver Wing Empire... This ce will be mine one day..." Prince Arn muttered in an eerily calm voice.


    ***


    Inside the second floor of Jiu Shen¡¯s wine store.


    "Wine Master Jiu, I heard from your disciple that you will be going to the Divine Beast Continent after your sect¡¯s opening ceremony. That ce is the territory of billions of savage beasts and even my father would never dare to go there. Just what are you nning to do in that ce, Wine Master Jiu?" Emperor Elyk asked as he looked at Jiu Shen with a curious look. He could hardly believe that there was actually someone who wants to visit that ce...


    Jiu Shen nced at Can Ye when he heard that and thetter immediately evaded his gaze while whistling innocently.


    ¡¯Your Majesty, do you really have to tell my master that I told you about it?¡¯ Can Ye thought to himself, feeling rather fearful at what kind of punishment mighte his wayter.


    "My ns does not concern you, Elyk, so there is no need for you to know about anything I do." Jiu Shen replied with a poker face.


    Emperor Elyk shrugged and changed the topic. "I had my men visit the construction ce of your sect building and they told me that it is nearingpletion. From what they told me, it should be done in a day or two. Wine Master Jiu, do you need my help for theing opening ceremony of your sect?" The emperor asked with a smile.


    "Help? Hmm, maybe you could really help me." Jiu Shen said.


    Emperor Elyk¡¯s eyes shone when he heard his words and he immediately said. "Just tell what I can do to help you, Wine Master Jiu. I¡¯ll make sure that it will be done right away."


    Jiu Shen¡¯s expression did not change as he replied in calm manner. "Just help me invite the most distinguished individuals in the Profound Dragon Continent."


    Emperor Elyk was not surprised to hear that, but he could now sense the ambition of Jiu Shen and this made him a bit excited at the thought of it. ¡¯Is he nning to conquer the whole continent? Or is it the whole of Nuar?¡¯


    "Hahaha! Don¡¯t worry, Wine Master Jiu! With my father¡¯s ascension to the Nascent God Realm, I should be able to use his power to invite a fraction of the Alliance¡¯s greatest experts!" Emperor Elyk said in a confident tone.


    "Good." Jiu Shen said inly.


    Emperor Elyk was all smiles as he excitedly stood up from his seat. "Wine Master Jiu, since this involves a lot of things, I have to leave immediately and begin my preparations. Just expect the presence of a lot of experts in your sect¡¯s opening ceremony. Hahaha!"


    The corners of Jiu Shen¡¯s lips imperceptibly rose upon hearing the emperor¡¯s confident words. He then waved his hands, signaling the emperor to leave.


    Emperor Elyk obediently left the second floor when he saw this signal.


    Behind Jiu Shen, Can Ye could only shake his head with a stiff smile after seeing the retreating figure of the emperor. ¡¯Perhaps only my master couldmand the emperor this way. Even Alliance Head Situ was beaten ck and blue by him...¡¯ He thought.


    "Can Ye, I think we need to discuss a few things."


    Can Ye¡¯s knees buckled when he heard those cold words, but he gained courage and immediately sprinted out of the second floor like a frightened bunny.


    Jiu Shen chuckled and shook his head. "That kid..."

 Chapter 250 - Liu Mengdi Is Alive?!

    <h4>Chapter 250 - Liu Mengdi Is Alive?! </h4>


    "It¡¯s finally done!" Liuli said in an excited tone as she watched thepleted behemoth of a tower that stood more than a thousand meters in height! It was shaped like a sword and was painted with ck and silver, making it look rather mysterious.


    Standing beside Liuli, Xia Xinyue smiled happily when she heard the former¡¯s words. She also felt a sense of achievement afterpleting the mission given to them by Jiu Shen.


    The two beautiful women stared at the towering building that was pointing at the skies like an arrogant sword. They could already feel Jiu Shen¡¯s contempt towards the heavens with his sect building¡¯s design and this made them smile even more radiantly.


    Xia Xinyue and Liuli unconsciously hugged each other because of the intense emotions they were feeling and it seemed as if they had already forgotten their misgivings towards each other after thepletion of the sect building.


    "Let¡¯s go tell him about this. He would be happy to see his own sect building." Xia Xinyue said with an infatuated smile as she thought about how Jiu Shen would react to this.


    Liuli chuckled when she saw the look on her face, but she still nodded her head in response. "Alright, but I¡¯ll go see my father first. I¡¯ll bring him to the store so that he can formally apologize to Lord Jiu Shen." She said.


    Xia Xinyue nodded her head absentmindedly. She was still immersed in her own thoughts that she did not even hear that Liuli wasughing sweetly as she walked away from the scene.


    ***


    Inside Jiu Shen¡¯s wine store. The fifth princess and the fourth prince were already back at work and they were now serving the customers like how a waiter and a waitress should. The customers that they were serving were so overwhelmed by the professionalism of the two young individuals. They did not have the arrogance of a noble or the haughty attitudes of their big brothers, so everyone was happy to get the help of the two siblings.


    "Your Highness, we meet again."


    A calm voice drifted beside Dante¡¯s ears, making him unconsciously stare at the speaker. When he saw the owner of the voice, he was stunned and he even forgot how to speak.


    "Isn¡¯t that Young Master Liu?! So he is still alive? I thought he was captured by his uncles."


    "To think that I would actually see Young Master Liu again in this store. I never thought that I would see him again after the intense internal conflict of the Liu Family."


    The customers were surprised to see Liu Mengdi inside the store after going missing for many days. The Liu Family experienced a terrible internal conflict that divided them into two factions. One faction supported Liu Mengdi¡¯s uncles and the other faction supported him and his father. However, Liu Mengdi¡¯s father met a pitiful end and was killed in action. Because of this, the faction that supported Liu Mengdi was weakened so they chose to hide temporarily to avoid the vicious plots of Liu Mengdi¡¯s uncles.


    "Young Master Liu..." Prince Dante speechlessly stared at the refined-looking young man who wore a light smile on his face.


    Princess Sylvia was also surprised to see Liu Mengdi standing in front of her without a missing limb. "Are you crazy?! Why did youe here? Your uncles would immediately know that you are here!"


    Liu Mengdi chuckled when he saw the expressions on their faces. "That¡¯s why I¡¯m here. They were able to track my movements so I had no choice but to go here and seek refuge. I hope you don¡¯t mind my intrusion." He said shamelessly.


    "You..." The fourth prince uttered, but he then shook his head with a stiff smile on his face. He understood the miserable plight of this young man, so he could really bring himself to scold him.


    "We don¡¯t mind, but do you think, Young Miss Theia feels the same? Just go and buy wine before she kicks you out of the store. Anyway, your uncles would never dare to act inside the store with her observing everything." Princess Sylvia whispered cheekily to Liu Mengdi.


    The fourth prince was just a meter away from them, so he could still hear her words. He could only shake his head with a wry smile when he heard the suggestion of her sister. ¡¯This girl hasn¡¯t changed at all.¡¯


    Liu Mengdiughed after heading her words, but he still nodded his head at the fifth princess and said. "Your Highness is truly smart and brilliant. In that case, I would like to order two Ables nc."


    Princess Sylvia smiled from ear to ear when she heard hispliments. "Alright. Just find a table for yourself or you can also sit beside that group right there." She said as she pointed at a random group of customers.


    "Sure." Liu Mengdi smiled at her.


    "I¡¯ll go get your order. Don¡¯t forget to pay or you¡¯ll be punished by Young Miss Theia!" Princess Sylvia warned with an exaggerated look before she went to get his order.


    "Young Master Liu, I¡¯ll get back to work now. Just find me if you need my help." Prince Dante said before walking away.


    Liu Mengdi watched the two siblings with a smile as he uttered softly. "So I still have friends, huh?" He then shook his head as he walked towards where Princess Sylvia had pointed earlier.


    In a different corner of the store, Jiu Shen took a sidelong nce at Liu Mengdi¡¯s figure and whispered to himself. "He actually broke through again... It appears that somethingpelled him to breakthrough. Well, I don¡¯t care how did it, but I am beginning to like this kid even more. Maybe I should invite him to my sect¡¯s opening ceremony..."


    The small girl in his embrace wriggled as she opened her sleepy eyes. She then stretched her limbs and took a nce at her empty milk bottle. She pouted and poked Jiu Shen as she said.


    "Stinky human, why is this empty? I remember that this was still full an hour ago. Meow!"


    Jiu Shen knocked the back of her head and said. "You greedy Little Tiger. You were drinking it when you were asleep."


    "Lies! Meow! Lies!" Ice made a ferocious face at Jiu Shen, but thetter merely stared at her with a calm look.

 Chapter 251 - Incinerate (1)

    <h4>Chapter 251 - Incinerate (1) </h4>


    Liu Mengdi nced at the cup of wine in his hands and saw a vague reflection of himself on the liquid that gleamed with a golden color. His eyebrows were closely knitted together, showing his problematic expression.


    "How can I still be so handsome even in my current state?" He tried to ease himself up byplimenting his own image, but the anxiety and sadness in his heart did not diminish. He then recalled his father who had died for his sake and a wave of extreme loneliness struck his soul, making his lips quiver with a multitude of emotions.


    ¡¯Father! I will avenge your death! Those goddamn bastards! I will erase their existence from this!¡¯ Liu Mengdi shouted in his heart as he unconsciously tightened his grip on the cup of wine in his hands. If it was just an ordinary cup, it would have already been broken into pieces from the strength of his grip, but all the things inside Jiu Shen¡¯s store are not ordinary items, including the cup that Liu Mengdi was holding.


    Jiu Shen could sense the rage in Liu Mengdi¡¯s heart when he looked at the young man. He had lived for too long that he could already decipher what was on anyone¡¯s mind after taking one look at their faces. It was a skill that he learned after living for an unknown number of years...


    "ording to Ren Shuang, Liu Mengdi¡¯s father died under the hands of the young man¡¯s uncles. I could understand his rage since this situation is not all too unfamiliar to me. In fact, I even caused quite a scene back then..." Jiu Shen muttered silently with a nk look.


    Sleeping soundly in his embrace was a tiny little girl sucking a bottle of milk. Jiu Shen caressed her short white hair gently as he continued to look at Liu Mengdi.


    Suddenly, Jiu Shen narrowed his eyes a little bit while looking outside his store through his spiritual perception.


    Outside, he saw more than a dozen individuals wearing the robes of the Liu Family. Their faces were filled with fear as they looked at the store in front of them.


    "Patriarch, someone told us that Young Ma- that bastard Liu Mengdi is inside the store, but do we really have to go inside the store to capture him?" One of the individuals spoke to the man leading them. This ¡¯patriarch¡¯ was one of Liu Mengdi¡¯s uncles and he forcefully took the patriarch position after killing Liu Mengdi¡¯s father.


    "Patriarch, I think it would be better if we wait outside. Nothing good will happen if we provoke that woman." Someone said with a look of fear in his eyes.


    Everyone immediately went silent when they heard his words and even the ¡¯patriarch¡¯ remained silent. They knew who was the woman that he was referring to and it was because they know her too much that they did not dare go inside the store recklessly. However, the ¡¯patriarch¡¯ hardened his expression as he said in a cold tone.


    "I am aware of that woman¡¯s power, but we have already wasted too much of our time and manpower just to search for that little bastard! This is our only chance to capture him and we might not have this kind of opportunity again if we let him escape today!"


    After saying those words, the ¡¯patriarch¡¯ walked towards the entrance of the store under his subordinates¡¯ stunned gazes. A few seconds after that, they followed him inside the store with nervous looks.


    Jiu Shen merely took a brief nce at them before losing interest. He closed his eyes and muttered to himself. "These guys picked the wrong time to make trouble. Theia has been in a very bad mood after not being able to do anything to Liuli¡¯s father. I just hope that she would not make a bloody mess inside my store..."


    All the customers on the first floor nced at the neers with a look of surprise. They were familiar with the insignia on their robes, so they could already identify the neers.


    "Oh my! I think they are here for Young Master Liu! "


    "Yeah. Those three guys at the front are Young Master Liu¡¯s uncles. They should be here to capture him, but would they really capture him here?"


    Liu Mengdi stared at the individuals who had just came inside the store and the light in his eyes flickered maliciously when he saw their faces. He took a deep breath and calmly ced down his cup of wine to the table in front of him. He then put on a smile as he looked at the group and said.


    "Uncles, to think that I would meet you guys here. Come, wine is on me."


    The ¡¯patriarch¡¯ and his subordinates watched Liu Mengdi withplicated emotions, but none of them showed a hint of pity.


    "Little bastard, did you really think that we would never dare to capture you inside this store?! Because of you, I lost more than several dozens of my men! You must be killed in order to bring my Liu Family to greater heights! Your father was a foolish man and he wasn¡¯t fit to be a leader! The both of you are just the same!" The patriarch said with anger.


    Everyone watched the scene unfold with interest. None of them were worried since they knew that there was an existence overlooking the whole store with her sharp gaze.


    Liu Mengdi¡¯s eyes narrowed when he heard those words. He clenched his fists so tightly that veins protruded on his arms. Everyone inside the store could see Liu Mengdi¡¯s figure shivering lightly as he looked at the group. They had no idea if it was due to fear or resentment, but even with his eyes closed, Jiu Shen knew what Liu Mengdi was feeling right now.


    Rage.


    Liu Mengdi suddenlyughed, making everyone confused.


    "Hahaha! A fool will always be a fool! I overestimated you too much, but now, I have nothing to worry about. I don¡¯t even need to use my own hands to destroy you all..." Liu Mengdi said with an amused look.


    The patriarch and his subordinates frowned when they heard that and they felt a sense of unease gripping their hearts tightly.


    "If you are just here to cause trouble, then you better scram out of this ce before I lose control of my hands." A calm voice drifted inside the store, sending chills to everyone inside.

 Chapter 252 - Incinerate (2)

    <h4>Chapter 252 - Incinerate (2) </h4>


    Everyone stared at Theia with their shaking eyes. She was wearing a cold expression as she eyed Liu Mengdi¡¯s uncles and their group. She has not done anything, but everyone felt uneasy when they saw the look in her eyes.


    Liu Mengdi smiled as he gazed at Theia¡¯s beautiful face. He knew that he was safe inside the store because of this woman¡¯s presence. Not even the emperor would dare behave wantonly with Theia observing the whole store...


    The patriarch stared at Theia with a feigned calmness. He hid the fear in his heart as he clenched his shivering fists tightly and uttered in a cold voice.


    "Young Miss Theia, we don¡¯t mean to cause trouble here. I would just like to capture this bastard to appease the souls of my fallen subordinates. I hope that you won¡¯t involve yourself in this."


    Theia remained silent and walked calmly towards the patriarch and his group. Each step she took made everyone¡¯s hearts pound.


    The patriarch unconsciously took a step back, but he immediately scolded himself inwardly for feeling scared. He forced himself to look calm as Theia was approaching them, but he could barely hide his shaking legs from everyone¡¯s field of vision.


    Theia stopped in front of the patriarch and looked deeply into his eyes. She was a head shorter than him, but the patriarch felt that he was extremely small in her presence. What kind of feeling was this? He was confused.


    "I said that no one is allowed to cause trouble here. Now, if you are not here to buy wine, leave before my hand reaches my sword." Theia said, her face was expressionless.


    The patriarch gulped down nervously and forced out an ugly smile. He was now feeling troubled about what to with the current circumstances. It would be a lie if he said that he wasn¡¯t scared, but he truly wanted to capture Liu Mengdi. With him alive and living, the patriarch would never feel at ease.


    The patriarch stared at Liu Mengdi who was sitting on his chair. Thetter was wearing a brilliant smile on his face and he even raised his cup of wine when their eyes met.


    The patriarch gritted his teeth and calmed his nervousness. He then said.


    "Young Miss Theia, I would like to order something."


    Theia stared at him for a moment before she turned around without looking back. Only her beautiful voice was left behind. "Sylvia, take their orders."


    "Yes, Young Miss Theia." A cheerful voice immediately answered her.


    The patriarch and his group heaved a sigh of relief as they watched Theia walked away. They had never felt so scared in their lives...


    The patriarch led his subordinates to where Liu Mengdi was seated. He eyed the customers who were sitting beside Liu Mengdi and said with a smile.


    "Brothers, could you do me a favor? I want to speak with this person, so I hope that you can give us this table."


    The customers sitting beside Liu Mengdi felt ufortable, but they could only choose to leave. If they stubbornly refuse the man, they would surely be hunted by the Liu Family if they leave the store, so they could only smile bitterly as they stood up from their seats.


    Liu Mengdi watched the scene with an unchanging smile. He was confident that nothing would happen to him as long as he was inside the store.


    "Guests, what would you like to order?" Princess Sylvia said while looking at the patriarch. She did not like this person, but she still gave him a smile as countless evil thoughts filled her head.


    The patriarch smiled back at the princess. Truthfully, he felt wonderful having the emperor¡¯s daughter serving him wine, but he did not show it to his face.


    "Your Highness, give us twelve bottles of Ables nc, please." He said.


    Princess Sylvia nodded her head lightly and replied in a warm tone. "Sure. Just give me a minute to get your wines."


    The patriarch nodded his head smilingly.


    Princess Sylvia then went to the wine storage to get their wines. She was already devising a mischievous n as she walked away with a crafty smile.


    Her brother, Prince Dante who was watching his sister felt a sense of unease when he saw the naughty smile hanging on his sister¡¯s face. He knew that his sister was up to something no good, so he immediately followed her inside the wine storage.


    "Hey, what are you nning to do right now?" Prince Dante asked in a worried tone as he held his sister¡¯s arm.


    Princess Sylvia feigned ignorance as she put on a surprised look. "Brother, what are you saying?


    Prince Dante red at her and said fiercely.


    "Sister, I know that you want to help Young Master Liu, but remember what kind of punishment you¡¯ll have to bear once Young Miss Theia finds out about your n."


    Princess Sylvia felt slightly scared at the mention of her name, but she was determined to help Liu Mengdi. She pulled her arm from her brother¡¯s grasp and said.


    "Brother, don¡¯t you want to help him? He is our friend and even if I am punished, I would do anything to help him out!"


    Prince Dante sighed when he heard that.


    "Okay, what¡¯s your n?" He asked with a defeated look.


    Princess Sylvia smiled from ear to ear and whispered something to her brother.


    ***


    "Liu Mengdi, you have no one to rely on at this moment. Just give up your struggle ande with us. I promise that we won¡¯t kill you, but we have to imprison you for your deeds." The patriarch said while looking at Liu Mengdi.


    Liu Mengdi ignored him and simply drank his wine, but the rage in his heart was boiling furiously as time passed by. He could not wait to kill the people in front of him, but he knew that he was still too weak to fight against them. Not to mention what would happen if he caused trouble inside the store.


    The patriarch hid his anger and continued.


    "Liu Mengdi, since this is what you want, then don¡¯t me uster."


    Liu Mengdi merely chuckled when he heard his words. His taunting look almost made the patriarch erupt into a fury, but he did not dare do anything, so he could only re at Liu Mengdi coldly.

 Chapter 253 - Incinerate (3)

    <h4>Chapter 253 - Incinerate (3) </h4>


    Princess Sylvia came out of the wine storage with a beautiful smile on her face. Following behind her was the fourth prince who looked a bit nervous.


    ¡¯I just hope that we won¡¯t be punished too severely because of this. I wonder what will happen to them if they drink these wines?¡¯ The fourth prince thought to himself as he nced at the wines that they were carrying.


    The patriarch and his group ordered twelve Ables nc, but his sister purposely brought twelve Deep Sea Spring Dew instead. He was not sure what would happen to them if they consume everything...


    ¡¯I remember Wine Master Jiu saying that one would go ¡¯kaboom¡¯ if their strength is not enough to handle the wine¡¯s energy.¡¯ The fourth prince shivered at the thought of it, but he still decided to go along with his sister¡¯s n. This was the least thing he could do for Liu Mengdi as his friend.


    "Guests, here¡¯s your order." Princess Sylvia smiled warmly as she ced the bottles of Deep Sea Spring Dew on the patriarch¡¯s table. The corners of her mouth were tilted so highly that her smile almost looked very suspicious, but the patriarch did not think too much about it since his focus was entirely on Liu Mengdi.


    "Thanks, Your Highness." The patriarch smiled at Princess Sylvia.


    "No problem. Just call me if you need anything else." Princess Sylvia said.


    The patriarch was slightly overwhelmed by her smile and attitude that he failed to see the unnatural look on the fourth prince¡¯s face.


    Princess Sylvia and the fourth prince nced at Liu Mengdi who was seated with the patriarch¡¯s group. Their gazes were full of hidden meaning, but Liu Mengdi was uncertain about what they had in their minds.


    The pair of siblings then walked away with different expressions on their faces. One wore a crafty smile, while the other looked slightly worried.


    Looking at their departing figures, the patriarch was all smiles. He then stared at Liu Mengdi while taking one bottle of wine to himself.


    "Liu Mengdi, you can¡¯t stay here forever. The store will close before nightfall and it is when your little life will be in our hands." The patriarch chuckled with a cruel look on his face. His subordinates also gazed at Liu Mengdi with unmasked ferocity.


    Looking at their expressions, Liu Mengdi merely smiled nonchntly as he shrugged his shoulders. "I think I can remember you saying the same words a few days ago, but what happened? I was still able to escape unharmed and I was even able to kill a few worthless trashes along the way." He chuckled mockingly while staring at the patriarch.


    Liu Mengdi¡¯s words made the patriarch boil with rage. His veins protruded and he could not wait to strangle Liu Mengdi. However, he held himself back and closed his to calm his raging nerves.


    After calming himself down, the patriarch gazed solemnly at Liu Mengdi and coldly said. "If I ever manage to capture you tonight, I hope that you would be able to maintain that smile on your face!"


    Liu Mengdi put on a scared look as he said with a sarcastic tone. "So scary! Haha!"


    The patriarch¡¯s face twitched, but he still managed to force out a cruel smile. He then pulled out the cork on his wine bottle.


    ¡¯Hm? This... Isn¡¯t this... Did the princess take the wrong wines for us?¡¯ The patriarch stared at the bottle of wine in his hands with a bewildered expression. He knew that the wine bottle in his hands did not contain Ables nc, instead, inside was the most expensive wine in the store, the Deep Sea Spring Dew.


    He checked the rest of the wine bottles and he found out that everything was all the same.


    ¡¯Is the princess still unable to recognize the difference between the two wines after working here for more than a month or did she just make a mistake?¡¯ The patriarch felt slightly suspicious about this, but he put the matter at the back of his head and just filled his cup with the Deep Sea Spring Dew.


    He was already a 7th-rank Emperor realm expert, so there is no problem about consuming an entire bottle of Deep Sea Spring Dew. His subordinates weren¡¯t weak either and they should be able to handle the wine¡¯s energy, so he was not worried about it.


    The patriarch smiled lightly as he stared at the golden liquid in his cup. The smell was beyond fragrant and he could even sense his true essence palpitating wildly after that one sniff.


    "What a treasure indeed!" He eximed silently before he held the cup towards his lips.


    Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.


    After seeing their boss drinking his share of wine, the others immediately followed suit. They filled their cups with the shimmering golden liquid while staring at it with fascinated eyes.


    Liu Mengdi frowned when he saw the golden liquid inside their cups. He knew that there was only one wine with that kind of color in the store, the Deep Sea Spring Dew...


    ¡¯Didn¡¯t they order twelve Ables nc? Howe... I see... Princess Sylvia, that cunning girl...¡¯ Liu Mengdi¡¯s eyes narrowed as he held himself fromughing. He was certain that Princess Sylvia was nning something mischievous. Thetter was known as a naughty little kid since she was young and even Liu Mengdi himself was among those who fell from her plots.


    Thinking about this, Liu Mengdi stared at Princess Sylvia with the corner of his eyes and he instantly discovered the cunning smile stered on her beautiful face.


    The patriarch closed his eyes in delight as he savored the wine in his cup. Even though he had already tasted it, he could still not help but feel refreshed at how it felt inside his mouth.


    Ah~


    He moaned in pleasure with his eyes shut tight.


    It wasn¡¯t just him. His subordinates also had simr faces as they drank their wine.


    Liu Mengdi¡¯s smile broadened as he stared at them. The slight worry in his heart was now gone and it was reced with excitement.


    ¡¯These fools!¡¯ He snickered in his heart.

 Chapter 254 - Incinerate (4)

    <h4>Chapter 254 - Incinerate (4) </h4>


    The patriarch¡¯s subordinates were at least at the 5th-rank Spirit realm so he was not the least bit worried about his subordinates drinking a whole bottle of Deep Sea Spring Dew. However, he did not know that there was a terrifying consequence if someone would not be able to handle the wine¡¯s energy...


    Princess Sylvia stared at them with interest and the smile on her face was very evident.


    Prince Dante watched the patriarch and his subordinates drink their wine with a bit of worry in his heart. ¡¯Something might happen to them. I must at least inform Wine Master Jiu about this since it would certainly involve the store¡¯s reputation.¡¯


    After a moment of hesitation, he walked towards where Jiu Shen was seated.


    "Wine Master Jiu, I-I..." Prince Dante was quite nervous so he wasn¡¯t able to properly say anything.


    "I know. Just watch."


    Jiu Shen¡¯s calm voice drifted beside his ears and Prince Dante¡¯s eyes immediately widened in shock. He hasn¡¯t even told Jiu Shen anything yet and the man seemed to be already aware of what was happening.


    After recovering from his surprise, Prince Dante slightly lowered his head with an embarrassed smile. In the end, they were still seen through by Jiu Shen. It looks like nothing could really escape his sights...


    Jiu Shen nced calmly at Liu Mengdi before shifting his gaze to the patriarch and his subordinates.


    "Two of them will..." His lips slightly arched upwards, but it soon vanished.


    ¡¯I¡¯ll just let the little girl have a bit of fun...¡¯ Jiu Shen thought to himself.


    The patriarch had already consumed all of his wine and he had a satisfied smile on his face. He took a nce at his subordinates and saw that all of them have yet to finish their wines, so he turned his gaze to Liu Mengdi and said with a mocking look.


    "Little bastard, your time is almost up! I¡¯ll give you onest chance toe out with us and I promise to leave you an intact corpse!"


    Liu Mengdi sensed the dense killing intent behind the patriarch¡¯s gaze, but he remained seated on his chair with a wide smile.


    "My dear uncle, I don¡¯t think that it would be my time today, but I am certain that you won¡¯t be able to leave this store alive." Liu Mengdi casuallyughed after saying those words.


    The patriarch¡¯s gaze froze and everyone around him could sense that he was building up his true essence. "Liu Mengdi, you piece of trash! I¡¯ll tear that stupid mouth of yours after we go out of this store!" The patriarch uttered as veins protruded on his face.


    Liu Mengdi merely smiled at his words.


    The patriarch was beyond furious this time, but he still did not dare make a move against Liu Mengdi. He could sense a sharp gaze looking in his direction and he knew from whom it was, so he could only hold back his wrath for the time being.


    "Lord Patriarch, I think there¡¯s something wrong with me today. I suddenly feel nauseous. Hic!" One of the patriarch¡¯s subordinates said as he rubbed his stomach. The man had a look of ecstasy, but the others could already sense that something about him wasn¡¯t right.


    "Hey, why is your stomach bulging so much?" Someone asked while pointing at the man¡¯s round stomach.


    "Huh-" Before the man could even reply, his stomach continued to erge to a terrifying degree in a matter of seconds and...


    Kabooom!


    A violent explosion rang out inside the store, making all the customers gape in shock. Someone actually dared to cause a ruckus in the store? They thought to themselves as they stared at the epicenter of the explosion only to discover something that made them stand up in shock.


    "What?!"


    The table where Liu Mengdi and the others were located was now dyed red with blood and body parts. They even saw a bit of mangled intestine hanging on the patriarch¡¯s neck.


    "What the hell happened?!"


    And before everyone could utter another word, another explosion rang out in the same spot.


    Kabooom!


    This time, everyone saw what happened.


    The body of one of the patriarch¡¯s subordinates exploded like a watermelon being smashed by a metal bat.


    Blood, broken bones and mangled human flesh flew, but luckily, an invisible barrier trapped everything in ce before it could even hit the customers. However, some of the customers still felt disgusted at the gruesome sight.


    Princess Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened in shock, but there wasn¡¯t any fear in her eyes. In fact, she had a look of excitement after witnessing this scene.


    Prince Dante was simrly surprised and the worry in his eyes became even more evident.


    Liu Mengdi, despite being covered with blood and a few body parts, had a huge smile on his face. He even muttered silently. "Ah~ what a beautiful scene."


    The patriarch immediately stood up from his seat while flinging away the intestine hanging on his neck. He then yelled at his subordinates. "Stop drinking the wine! Stop!"


    After hearing hismand, his subordinates instantly ced their wine bottles on the table with absentminded looks. How did this happen? They thought.


    "Your Highness! What¡¯s the meaning of this?!" The patriarch nced at Sylvia with a dark look. Only a fool would believe that this wasn¡¯t intentional. The patriarch was now certain that Princess Sylvia did this intentionally.


    Thinking about this, the rage in the patriarch¡¯s heart gushed out like a torrent.


    "Oh! This! I think I got the wrong set of wines for you guys." Princess Sylvia put on a pitiful look as she looked at the patriarch.


    Liu Mengdi discreetly gave her a thumbs up when he saw her world-ss acting skills. Her reputation as the Silver Wing Empire¡¯s little demoness was certainly not unfounded...


    "Your Highness is this how you treat your empire¡¯s loyal citizens?!" The patriarch yelled with a righteous tone.


    "Loyal citizens? Someone who could kill his own brother for the sake of taking the Liu Family¡¯s patriarch position actually dares to speak about loyalty with me? You¡¯re quite funny." Princess Sylvia said mockingly.


    The patriarch exhaled a breath of warm air as he stared at Sylvia¡¯s taunting gaze. He held the hilt of his sword, but one of his subordinates instantly held his shoulders before he could even make another move.


    Looking at this scene, Princess Sylvia revealed a disdainful smile.

 Chapter 255 - Incinerate (5)

    <h4>Chapter 255 - Incinerate (5) </h4>


    The patriarch pped his subordinate¡¯s hand away and red fiercely at Princess Sylvia. The mes of rage in his heart burned intensely that it consumed his sense of reasoning. He hade here with a high and mighty attitude to show everyone that he is the rightful patriarch of the Liu Family, but aftering inside the store, he wasn¡¯t treated the way he expected to be.


    The patriarch slowly pulled out his sword, his eyes red with fury.


    Seeing their boss like this, his remaining subordinates immediately held the handle of their weapons while looking warily at their surroundings. They did not want this to happen, but they no longer have a choice. They chose to serve this man, so they could only follow his lead...


    Princess Sylvia put on a scared look as she sprinted behind the fourth prince. She then popped her head out and tucked her tongue out at the patriarch as she disyed a yful expression.


    "You asked for this!" The patriarch yelled as he dashed towards Princess Sylvia with his sword in his hand. Dark blue light shed as his true essence surged out crazily.


    Prince Dante¡¯s worried gaze turned serious as he prepared to take out his own weapon. The opponent was two huge realms stronger than him and no matter how monstrous his talent was, he could still not defeat the guy.


    Everyone held their breaths as they watched the patriarch sh down his sword towards Prince Dante and Princess Sylvia.


    Baang!


    However, before he could even hit the duo, the patriarch was suddenly flung out of the store by a strong invisible force. His body rolled on the ground for more than a dozen times before stopping.


    Standing where the patriarch previously stood was a beautifuldy with golden hair.


    "Harming the people of my master in front me? You deserve death!" Her cold words made everyone in the store snap out of their daze. They could not help but stare fearfully at Theia¡¯s beautiful face.


    Theia shifted her gaze slowly at the patriarch¡¯s shivering subordinates and threw them out of the store one by one. None of them were even able to fight back and they could only scream with dread as Theia unceremoniously threw them outside.


    Liu Mengdi rubbed his chin with his thumb, his smile bing wide as he watched the event unfold.


    "I should have done this sooner..." He muttered.


    "Young Miss Theia is so fierce!" Princess Sylvia said in admiration. The fourth prince nodded his head in agreement when he heard his sister¡¯s words.


    Theia slowly stepped out of the store while maintaining her cold gaze.


    The patriarch and his subordinates could not even move because of the intense fear that they were feeling. They finally realized how strong this woman was! Before, they just heard rumors of how crazily strong she was and it seemed that those rumors were just an understatement of her true power!


    The patriarch nced fearfully at Theia and tried to speak, but her sharp and icy gaze prevented him from saying a word.


    Those deep ocean blue eyes felt like two sharp swords piercing through his soul! His body shivered uncontrobly, making him looked like a pitiful person.


    "You ignored my warnings, so there is only one oue for you and your people... Death..." Theia uttered in an icy-cold voice.


    The patriarch and his subordinates almost peed on their pants when they heard those words. If not for her beautiful face, they would surely believe that this woman was the embodiment of Asmodeus, the King of Hell...


    Theia slowly lifted her fingers and did a snapping motion as she said.


    "Incinerate!"


    Shua! Shua! Shua!


    Scorching mes enveloped the patriarch and his subordinates, making them scream at the top of their lungs, but no matter what they did, they weren¡¯t able to extinguish the raging mes!


    Ahhhhhh!!!!


    Ahhhhhhh!!!!


    Ahhhh!!!!


    They iled madly on the ground as the golden-red mes burned their bodies.


    Theia watched the scene without any hints of change in her expression. It was as if she was looking at something unworthy of her attention.


    Liu Mengdi who was still inside the store chuckled when he heard their ear-piercing screams. He held the bloodied cup in his hand and poured wine into it.


    "Father, your son is weak and he could only use a borrowed knife to seek revenge for you... but don¡¯t worry, I will bring glory to your name..." Liu Mengdi muttered silently as two lines of tears streamed down his cheeks. He then drank his wine without even regarding the bloody mess around him.


    Ahhhh!!!


    Ahhhhh!!!


    Ahhh!!!


    The screams eventually died down after a little more than twenty seconds. Because of their high cultivation level, they were able to survive for long before they turned into ashes...


    After seeing that nothing was left of them, Theia went back inside the store with a calm look. All the customers immediately retreated as she neared them.


    Prince Dante gulped nervously while staring at her peerlessly beautiful face. He could hardly believe that such a delicate face could actually kill without even batting an eyelid.


    The fourth prince then heard his sister¡¯sughter as she skipped towards Theia. The little demoness had an expression full of admiration as she held Theia¡¯s hands.


    "Young Miss Theia, that was so cool! Can you teach me how to do that?" Princess Sylvia said excitedly.


    Theia was still expressionless, but her gaze noticeably turned warmer when she looked at Sylvia.


    "No." Theia replied calmly.


    "Eh? I promise that I will be a good girl!" Princess Sylvia pouted innocently.


    Everyone could only smile wryly when they heard her words. If she could indeed be a good girl, then their Silver Wing Empire would be a tad more peaceful, but that was definitely impossible especially with her mischievous personality...


    "So it¡¯s finally over..." Liu Mengdi muttered as he looked at the bloody cup in his hand.


    Step. Step. Step.


    Liu Mengdi lifted his weary eyes and stared at the familiar man in front of him with a confused look.


    "Wine Master Jiu?"

 Chapter 256 - First Internal Disciple?!

    <h4>Chapter 256 - First Internal Disciple?! </h4>


    Liu Mengdi stared at Jiu Shen¡¯s expressionless face with a bewildered look.


    ¡¯Wine Master Jiu won¡¯t punish me for this, right?¡¯ Liu Mengdi muttered in his heart.


    Jiu Shen did a motion with his right hand as he produced a few wisps of ck mes. These small mes then enveloped the mangled remains on the floor and burned everything into nothingness, not even an ash remained... The most surprising thing was that the floor, chair, and even the table still appeared to be in pristine condition seemingly unaffected by Jiu Shen¡¯s ck mes.


    Liu Mengdi was in awe as he witnessed the scene.


    ¡¯Wine Master Jiu did it even more wlessly than Young Miss Theia! His strength is indeed unfathomably deep! Awesome!¡¯ Liu Mengdi eximed in admiration.


    Jiu Shen grabbed a chair for himself and took a seat with a calm look. He then stared at Liu Mengdi and said. "Those guys haven¡¯t paid for their wines yet, so you¡¯ll have to pay for them since they are part of your Liu Family."


    Liu Mengdi was speechless when he heard his words and he became even more stunned when he saw the serious look of Jiu Shen. "But Wine Master Jiu..."


    Jiu Shen raised his right hand and prevented him from speaking. "If you don¡¯t pay, I can¡¯t promise that Theia won¡¯t grill you as well." He said in a cold tone which immediately sent chills down Liu Mengdi¡¯s spine.


    Liu Mengdi chuckled dryly as he fiercely nodded his head. "Of course! Of course! Who said that I wouldn¡¯t pay for it? It¡¯s just a few True Crystals anyway. Hahaha!"


    Liu Mengdi¡¯s heart almost bled as he spoke those words.


    ¡¯I can¡¯t pay this amount right now, but the Liu Family should be able to pay it for me. Now that those uncles of mine are dead, their faction would surely lose support and I will be able to gain control of the entire Liu Family!¡¯ Liu Mengdi said to himself.


    Jiu Shen stretched his right hand with an open palm as he looked at Liu Mengdi. "Pay up." He said.


    Liu Mengdi¡¯s face instantly froze.


    "This... I-"


    "You don¡¯t have enough True Crystals?" Jiu Shen asked in a calm tone, but Liu Mengdi could sense that the temperature around them had suddenly dropped.


    "No! I mean ah... I have, but my True Crystals are still in the Liu Family. I can pay everything, but I have to go back to the Liu Family first to get them." Liu Mengdi said with a wry smile.


    "So you want me to wait for you? Or are you nning to run away without paying? Hm?" Jiu Shen¡¯s eerily calm voice made Liu Mengdi swallow back the words he was about to say.


    ¡¯Oh shit! I¡¯m finished!¡¯ Hemented in his heart.


    "Since you can¡¯t pay, then you might as well work here in my store to pay up for everything. Not just for the wines, but for this whole event. You know what I mean, right?" Jiu Shen said as he patted Liu Mengdi¡¯s shoulder.


    Liu Mengdi¡¯s shoulder almost caved in from this ¡¯casual¡¯ pat, making him internally cry in pain. ¡¯Ouch! He definitely did that on purpose! Ow! That hurt!¡¯


    With a tear-stained face, Liu Mengdi immediately nodded his head. "I will! I will! Wine Master Jiu, could you get your hands from my shoulder now?" He said with a forced smile.


    "Oh, my bad..." Jiu Shen said carelessly as he pulled his hand back.


    Liu Mengdi sighed in relief, but he was still crying inwardly because of the intense pain he was feeling after that ¡¯casual¡¯ shoulder pat...


    "Make sure that you can also attend the opening of my sect. I will make an exception and ept you as the first internal disciple of my sect." Jiu Shen said before he walked away, leaving behind the stunned Liu Mengdi with mouth agape.


    "Did he just... Did Wine Master Jiu just say that he wants me to join his sect?" Liu Mengdi muttered silently with a nk look, but his expression turned into excitement after a few seconds.


    "Hahaha! I ept your offer, Wine Master Jiu! I will be part of your sect and be the first internal disciple! Hahaha!" Liu Mengdi said as he stood up from his seat. Heughed like a madman, making the customers nce his way, but when they heard his words, they immediately became surprised.


    Wine Master Jiu actually invited Young Master Liu Mengdi personally? What a great honor it was!


    "Woah! Way to go, Young Master Liu! Don¡¯t forget us when that timees!"


    "The opening of Wine Master Jiu¡¯s sect is one of the most awaited events in the whole Profound Dragon Continent. Some young elites from the Alliance might even apply during the opening ceremony! What a great opportunity it is for Young Master Liu to be the first internal disciple! Amazing!"


    Everybody cheered for Liu Mengdi, making thetter overwhelmed with intense emotions. He clenched his fists tightly and said in his heart. ¡¯This is just the start of my journey! Wine Master Jiu, I won¡¯t forget this great opportunity! I will forever remember this!¡¯


    Jiu Shen went back to his seat grabbed the sleeping little girl on top of the table. He thenid her gently on hisp and rubbed her hair affectionately. ¡¯Just wait a bit more, Little Tiger...¡¯


    With her eyes still shut tight, the corner of Ice¡¯s lips curved upwards, forming a happy smile that could melt anyone¡¯s hearts. She seemed to be immersed in a beautiful dream...


    Jiu Shen smiled gently as he stroked her short snowy-white hair, but his smile instantly froze when he felt a warm liquid on hisp.


    A line of drool can be seen at the corner of the little girl¡¯s lips...


    "Stinking human... Gib meow milk... I want the big one... Gib meow..." She muttered with her eyes closed.


    Jiu Shen chuckled lightly when he heard her words.


    "This little glutton..."

 Chapter 257 - Vitality Extending Dan

    <h4>Chapter 257 - Vitality Extending Dan </h4>


    A huge and imposing sword with the tip of its de almost piercing through the skies stood tall and unwavering in front of a huge crowd of people. Everyone gazed at this towering sword-shaped building in awe and amazement.


    "This sword tower... I still can¡¯t believe that Wine Master Jiu would create his sect building like this..." Emperor Elyk who was riding a savage beast mount smiled wryly as he looked at the tower in front of him.


    Behind him were his father and the four guardians of the Silver Wing Empire. They were also looking at the sword tower with astonished gazes.


    "Elyk, I¡¯ve invited some distinguished individuals from the Alliance to show up in the sect opening ceremony. Some of them even showed signs that they wanted to enlist their descendants into Wine Master Jiu¡¯s sect. I¡¯m not surprised about this since Wine Master Jiu¡¯s strength is already known by almost everyone on the Profound Dragon Continent especially after how he easily defeated Alliance Head Situ. I also heard that Alliance Head Situ still hasn¡¯t recovered to his peak state and is only putting up a front in front of his subordinates." The emperor¡¯s father chuckled as he spoke.


    Emperor Elykughed lightly upon hearing his father¡¯s words.


    Suddenly, theirughter halted as two figures appeared in front of their group like a gust of wind.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Emperor Elyk frowned and he immediately held the hilt of his sword, but when he saw the faces of the two neers, his face rxed into a brilliant smile.


    "Young Miss Xia? Young Miss Liuli? Are you guys here to escort us?" Emperor Elyk asked with a smile.


    Xia Xinyue remained silent and she merely nced at the emperor¡¯s group with a calm expression.


    Seeing the nonchnt look of the woman beside her, Liuli smiled apologetically at the emperor and his group. "Your Majesty, I have indeede with Miss Xia to escort you to the sword tower under Sect Master Jiu¡¯s orders. It would be better if you leave your mounts here. Don¡¯t worry about them, someone will bring them safely to a stable nearby."


    Emperor Elyk immediately leaped off of his mount upon hearing Liuli¡¯s words. He then strode towards the twodies and said smilingly. "It has been a while since Ist saw you both. How have you been?"


    Xia Xinyue thought for a moment and answered in a calm tone. "Everything is great, Your Majesty."


    "I¡¯m more than happy now that I¡¯ve finally reunited with my father after being away with him for so long. I¡¯m also excited about the opening ceremony of Sect Master Jiu¡¯s sect." Liuli replied courteously.


    Emperor Elyk smiled at Liuli before shifting his gaze to Xia Xinyue. ¡¯Thedies of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect are still the same as always. Sn... She¡¯s also like this...¡¯ The emperor thought to himself.


    "Let¡¯s not stay here for long. Sect Master Jiu is already waiting for you guys at the sword tower. We should get going." Liuli said in a polite manner. She then pulled Xia Xinyue as they led the emperor¡¯s group.


    Emperor Elyk nodded his head and followed the twodies.


    ***


    "Master, everything is already in ce. Do you want me to double-check everything before we start the ceremony?" Can Ye asked his master with a hint of excitement in his tone.


    He was looking forward to this event and he could barely contain his excitement.


    The once lone mercenary who looked like a middle-aged man was now gone. His rough facial features had now turned much fairer and smooth, making him look like a dashing nobleman in his early twenties.


    Lu Sn chuckled lightly when she saw the look on her junior apprentice brother¡¯s face.


    Jiu Shen nced at him and replied in a calm tone. "No need for that. You¡¯ve already checked everything yesterday for more than ten times, so I don¡¯t think that there would be any problem at all."


    Can Ye scratched the back of his head at his master words while smiling in embarrassment. ¡¯Master was actually observing me at that time...¡¯


    "Master, the emperor has arrived." Long Meili whispered to Jiu Shen.


    "Alright. Let¡¯s go and meet the guests. Sn, tell everyone to prepare." Jiu Shen stood up from his seat as he uttered those words.


    "Yes, Master!"


    "Yes, Master!"


    Everyone replied in unison.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s group went downstairs to greet the guests at the entrance of the sword tower. Their arrival instantly made the crowd¡¯s eyes shine like jewels.


    Jiu Shen stepped forward and nced at the crowd with his usual indifferent expression as he said. "Everyone, I thank all of you foring here. Some of you have waited for very long, so I have a little gift to everyone who is here."


    "A gift? Anything from Wine Master Jiu shouldn¡¯t be too shabby. I wonder what it is..."


    "I¡¯m d I came here! Now, I can get something from Wine Master Jiu for free! Hahaha!"


    Everyone was excited about Jiu Shen¡¯s gift, but they were also wondering what could this gift be.


    Looking at the crowd¡¯s excited faces, Jiu Shen chuckled in his heart. He then waved his right hand and hundreds of small bottles hovered above his head.


    Everyone stared at the hundreds of small bottles dancing above Jiu Shen, wondering what was inside these bottles.


    "Wine Master Jiu, what is inside those bottles?" Someone could not hold back his curiosity anymore and asked.


    Jiu Shen ced his hands behind his back and nced at the small bottles above him as he replied indifferently.


    "These are Immortal Pills I made during my free time. They are called Vitality Extending Dan... A pill that could extend one¡¯s lifespan by five years. Mortals could also use them without any side effects."


    Inside the small bottles are indeed the Vitality Extending Dan. Although this pill could only extend one¡¯s lifespan by five years, this effect should not be underestimated.


    A cultivator might have a longer lifespan than normal humans, but even they could not escape the passing of time. And as their cultivation improves, their fear of death intensifies as their doom grew nearer. And so a pill that could extend one¡¯s life was very rare that even the peak alchemists of the Profound Dragon Continent would find it hard to concoct them.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes widened when they heard Jiu Shen¡¯s nonchnt words. Even the emperor¡¯s father who was just there to spectate things could not help but rub his ears after hearing what was inside those bottles.

 Chapter 258 - Recruitment

    <h4>Chapter 258 - Recruitment </h4>


    Jiu Shen smirked as he looked at the bright faces of everyone around him. He had already expected this kind of reaction from everyone. After all, a pill that could extend one¡¯s lifespan was also rare even in the Primordial God Realm.


    Jiu Shen gently waved his hand, distributing the pills to everyone.


    Can Ye stared at his master with twinkling eyes as he whispered. "Master, how about us? Hehe."


    He did not expect this gift-giving scene, and he was even more surprised about the fact that his master casually giving away more than several hundreds of such precious pills!


    Jiu Shen ignored Can Ye and focused his attention on the guests around him.


    Everyone had excited smiles on their faces as they gripped the small pill bottle in their hands as if it was a sacred object. Their reverence towards Jiu Shen also increased exponentially after receiving his gift. Perhaps only Jiu Shen could give them something so precious without even batting an eyelid...


    "Everyone, you don¡¯t have to hold back in front of me. You can consume the pill now and you don¡¯t have to worry about your safety as well. I guarantee that no one will harm you here in my territory." Jiu Shen spoke thest sentence calmly, but all the people felt the threat hidden within those words.


    "Hahaha! Thank you for your generous gift, Sect Master Jiu Shen." Emperor Elyk nodded his head at Jiu Shen with a smile before he opened the bottle in his hands. Without hesitation, he popped the pill in his mouth and closed his eyes as he savored the changes happening inside his body.


    Nobody could see what was happening inside the emperor¡¯s body, but they could sense that his aura was bing even sturdier.


    After seeing the pill¡¯s effects, no one hesitated anymore. They hastily gulped down the pill in their hands, afraid that someone would snatch it away from them.


    There were also a few people who secretly hid their pills. These people looked so young and it was obvious that they wanted to give their share to the older generation in their families.


    The emperor opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of happiness. He then nced at his old man and saw the surprised look on thetter¡¯s face. He chuckled and said. "Old man, stop looking silly."


    The old man red at the emperor and smacked the back of his son¡¯s head.


    Jiu Shen moved his gaze around and when he saw that everyone¡¯s attention was on him, he smiled and slowly said. "Everyone here with me will be witnesses of the opening of the Heavenly Sword Tower..."


    Heavenly Sword Tower...


    Everyone muttered the name in their hearts. They knew that this sect would be known by everyone in the Profound Dragon Continent and maybe even the demons in the Crimson Fiend Continent would someday fear it...


    Everybody pped their hands and cheered after Jiu Shen¡¯s announcement. It wasn¡¯t a long drawn-out speech, but just a simple announcement of the opening of his sect. However, everybody present at the scene felt the confidence in Jiu Shen¡¯s voice. It was as if he was telling them that no one could stop him and his sect...


    "My Heavenly Sword Tower will also hold its first entrance examination tomorrow. Everyone is free to apply regardless of their status. Whether you are a noble or a ve, as long as you have the talent to be a sword cultivator, you are free toe here." Jiu Shen said while ncing at the young cultivators present.


    "Tomorrow? In that case, I will sleep here so that I will be the first one to apply! Hahaha!"


    "Good idea! I will join you, brother!"


    All the young cultivators excitedly discussed among themselves after hearing that Jiu Shen¡¯s sect will have its first recruitment tomorrow. Everyone was aware that following Jiu Shen was a guaranteed sess in life, so they were eager to try it out.


    Emperor Elyk thought about the fourth prince and the fifth princess upon hearing about the recruitment. At first, he was confident that his two children would be able to pass any kind of tests, but considering Jiu Shen¡¯s unpredictable personality, his confidence about tomorrow¡¯s recruitment was slowly crumbling.


    ¡¯I just hope those two will pass...¡¯ Emperor Elyk prayed in his heart.


    Defender Duanmu saw the look of worry on the emperor¡¯s face and although it was almost unnoticeable, he was able to immediately detect it. He had been friends with the emperor for many years and he could already read his expression with just a simple look.


    "Your Majesty, I heard that Sect Master Jiu gave Young Master Liu Mengdi of the Liu Family a special opportunity to be the first disciple of his Heavenly Sword Tower." Defender Duanmu whispered to the emperor.


    The emperor¡¯s eyes lit up. He understood what the old guardian was trying to tell him. "Sylvia and Dante¡¯s talent is on par or even greater than Liu Mengdi¡¯s, so it should not be a problem for them to get epted. Just that, how did that kid Liu Mengdi manage to get Sect Master Jiu¡¯s attention?"


    Emperor Elyk was a bit curious about what Jiu Shen saw on Liu Mengdi. If it was just about talent, then he was confident that Sylvia and Dante had better talent than Liu Mengdi.


    "Just what could it be..." He muttered silently while looking at Jiu Shen with a trace of wonder.


    "I think Sect Master Jiu favored Liu Mengdi because of his character, experience, and maybe his talent is also much better than Sylvia and Dante without us knowing it. Son, that guy can see better than us. He should have his reasons when he did that." Emperor Elyk unconsciously nodded his head in agreement when he heard his father¡¯s words.


    "You might be right, old man. Sect Master Jiu, just what kind of person are you..." Emperor Elyk sighed softly in his heart. He was always confident about his ability to read people, but up until now, he could still not fathom the man he was looking at...

 Chapter 259 - Spiked Giant Worm

    <h4>Chapter 259 - Spiked Giant Worm </h4>


    A day ago.


    Within the periphery of the Endless Forest, Yang Zenke led his group of five with a vignt expression on his face. He wiped off the sweat trickling down his cheeks using his dirt-covered hands.


    "Brother Yang, that Spiked Giant Worm might be following us. I think it would be better for us if we fight it out. Our food and water won¡¯tst us for long, and by then, we won¡¯t have enough energy to confront it." One of Yang Zenke¡¯s teammates suggested with a grim face.


    Yang Zenke nced at his team and saw their worn-out appearance. They have been sent here by Jiu Shen to train their fighting abilities against the savage beasts of the Endless Forest. Today was thest day of their training, but it seemed like they could not regroup with the other teams. The reason for this was because their group was being tailed by an early stage 7th-rank Emperor realm Spiked Giant Worm!


    It was a huge worm that stretched around fifty meters in length and with a body as huge as a barrel. Together with the sharp spikes around it, this Spiked Giant Worm would prove to be troublesome even for experienced 7th-rank Emperor realm cultivators.


    Yang Zenke¡¯s ears suddenly twitched and he immediately crouched and touched the ground with the palm of his hands.


    His teammates were surprised by his actions, but they suddenly felt a sense of crisis when they saw the change in Yang Zenke¡¯s expression.


    "It¡¯s here. Everyone prepare for battle!" Yang Zenke shouted when he felt the ground trembling.


    He took out his blood-red sword and red at the distance. From there, he could see a huge cloud of dust and smoke as a huge behemoth slithered towards his group with its huge mouth opened wide.


    Everyone immediately pulled out their swords when they felt the trembling of the ground. They knew that the creature that was following them for days had finally caught up with them.


    Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!


    The trembling of the ground intensified as the huge beast came nearer.


    Yang Zenke narrowed his eyes as he looked at the Spiked Giant Worm ahead of them. He was quite nervous about the thought of fighting against this savage beast since it was many times stronger than them. However, there was no fear in his eyes!


    This savage beast had no eyes, but its sense of smell was leagues above other savage beasts. Its sharp rows of teeth were covered in blood, a testament that it had eaten a bunch of creatures along the way.


    "Don¡¯t be afraid! With the master¡¯s sword, we can cut anything!" Yang Zenke¡¯s words increased everyone¡¯s morale and the light in their eyes shed with madness as they eyed the Spiked Giant Worm.


    It was unthinkable to see a bunch of youths facing a wild 7th-rank Emperor realm savage beast. Not even the young elites of the Alliance would dare to this insane thing!


    ***


    A thousand meters away from the scene was a man with long wavy red hair. He stood atop a tall tree as he gazed at the confrontation between Yang Zenke¡¯s group and the Spiked Giant Worm. This man was Hu Xiandao. He was the man sent by Jiu Shen to secretly protect the youths during their training.


    Behind Hu Xiandao was a cold-lookingdy in her early thirties. She had a hair full of ck hair that reached her waist. Thisdy is one of the elders of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect.


    "Lord Hu, are you sure that you don¡¯t want to interfere? Sect Master Jiu¡¯s task is to protect the kids from danger. It would be bad if those kids get heavily injured because of this." The cold-lookingdy said as she looked at Hu Xiandao.


    Hu Xiandao turned his head towards her and replied in a confident tone. "Indeed, but Sect Master Jiu¡¯s n was to train these kids and to let them experience life and death battles. This is a great opportunity for them and it would be a pity if I interfere. Don¡¯t worry. If those kids will be in danger, I will immediately go and save them."


    The cold-lookingdy nodded her head reluctantly upon heading his words. There were three youngdies among Yang Zenke¡¯s group and this three were disciples of their Ice Cloud Sword Sect. She wasn¡¯t worried about Yang Zenke and the others since they already have much experience in fighting against the savage beast, but those three young girls were still inexperienced.


    "I hope those girls will be alright." She muttered silently, but Hu Xiandao was able to hear her words clearly.


    "Don¡¯t worry about them. Yang Zenke is the leader of this group and he should be able to prevent that beast from seriously injuring his teammates. Besides, we are still here to protect them. Let¡¯s go closer." Hu Xiandao said before leaping from one tree to another.


    The cold-lookingdy followed after him.


    ***


    "Stay close to each other and don¡¯t let it hit you!" Yang Zenke shouted as he dashed towards the Spike Giant Worm. He was actually nning to attack it head-on!


    "Brother Yang! Be careful!"


    The Spiked Giant Worm could sense a small human running towards it, so it immediately aimed its sharpened fangs towards this crazy human.


    Yang Zenke abruptly jumped into the air when he saw that the beast¡¯s movement. He then brandished the sword in his hands as he shouted.


    "Earth Slicing Sword Spectrum!"


    An arc of bloody light shot out of his sword and streaked towards the Spiked Giant Worm.


    The savage beast felt threatened when it sensed Yang Zenke¡¯s attack. It hastily pulled itself backward, but it was still hit by Yang Zenke¡¯s sh.


    Puchi!


    Roaaarrr!!!


    The Spiked Giant Worm emitted a pained cry after it was hit. However, Yang Zenke and the others saw its open wounds speedily closing up.


    "It¡¯s recovering! This savage beast actually has a high regenerative ability!" One of them cried out after witnessing the scene.


    Yang Zenke red at the Spiked Giant Worm and muttered to himself. "Tch! This will be difficult..."

 Chapter 260 - Journey Back Home

    <h4>Chapter 260 - Journey Back Home </h4>


    The Spiked Giant Worm pounced towards Yang Zenke with great momentum. Its abrupt movement caused the surrounding air to fluctuate wildly. Apart from Yang Zenke, the rest of the group appeared to be shaken by the beast¡¯s terrible power.


    Yang Zenke felt an extreme sense of danger, but he remained calm as he watched the iing beast. He steadied his sword and shouted at the top of his lungs.


    "All of you, snap out of it and focus your attacks when it opens its mouth!"


    Everyone regained their senses when they heard Yang Zenke¡¯s wake-up call. After regaining rity, all of them immediately prepared to strike as they waited for the Spiked Giant Worm to open its mouth.


    ¡¯It might be able to instantly regenerate its external wounds, but I don¡¯t believe that it would be able to heal its internal injuries that fast. This is our only chance tond a fatal blow!¡¯ This was Yang Zenke¡¯s thoughts as he stared intently at the huge worm in front of him.


    The Spiked Giant Worm suddenly opened its huge mouth, intending to take a bite on a few of the foolish humans that dared to walk in its territory.


    Yang Zenke and the others could already smell the nauseating scenting from its mouth, but they stood their ground and waited for Yang Zenke¡¯s signal.


    "Now! Use everything you¡¯ve got!" Yang Zenke shouted.


    Everyone nodded their heads and immediately casted their strongest skills towards the wide-open mouth of the Spiked Giant Worm.


    shes of sword lights tore through the air as Yang Zenke and his group released their attacks!


    Baangg!!


    The savage beast worm did not even realize their intention and was directly hit by theirbined assault, sting a huge portion of its mouth!


    Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!


    The huge worm writhed in agony as buckets of blood flowed down like a fountain from its huge open wound.


    Yang Zenke narrowed his eyes and warned his group in a grim tone. "Step back! It might use its remaining power to attack us!"


    Everyone immediately followed hismand when they heard his words.


    The huge Spiked Giant Worm continued to il madly on the ground, but its movement was slowly weakening as it lost more of its blood.


    After more than a few minutes, the Spiked Giant Worm¡¯s body finally ceased moving.


    Yang Zenke and the others heaved a sigh of relief after seeing it.


    "Wait here. I¡¯ll check if it is still alive." Yang Zenke said before he cautiously walked towards the Spiked Giant Worm¡¯s corpse. He then poked its head using his sword, but he sensed no signs of life from the beast.


    "It¡¯s dead." He dered to his group with a relieved smile.


    "Great! We took down a 7th-rank Emperor realm savage beast!"


    "Excellent! I wonder if the master would praise us if he learned about this..."


    "Good job, everyone! Now, let¡¯s regroup with the other teams so that we can go back home." Yang Zenke said as he sheathed his sword.


    "Yes!"


    ***


    "See. I told you that they would be alright, but that kid Yang Zenke is truly a talent! He actually managed to expertlymand his teammates to defeat that kind of wild savage beast! I don¡¯t know how Sect Master Jiu Shen managed to nurture that kid." Hu Xiandao said to the woman beside him.


    "I admit that even I was surprised by hismanding ability. We might be seeing the growth of a rising star." The cold-looking woman disyed a rare trace of interest on her stone-cold face.


    "Hahaha! You might be right. I¡¯m looking forward to what these young kids will achieve under Sect Master Jiu Shen¡¯s guidance." Hu Xiandao said with a wide smile.


    The cold-looking woman beside him also smiled for a brief moment, but Hu Xiandao was too unlucky to see that beautiful scene...


    ***


    Yang Zenke led his group towards the exit of the Endless Forest. They have already been here numerous times and they had even drawn out a map of the Endless Forest. Although it was still iplete, they still managed to map out the outer ring of the Endless Forest after numerous explorations.


    The group stumbled upon a few other teams along the way and they walked out of the Endless Forest together. They also talked about their experiences during the training and everyone was awed when they heard that Yang Zenke¡¯s team managed to kill a 7th-rank Emperor realm savage beast.


    "Woah! That¡¯s my buddy! To think that your team was actually able to kill such a beast! And here I thought we were already great enough to kill a peak stage 6th-rank savage beast." Han Sen raised his thumbs while looking at Yang Zenke.


    Yang Zenke nced at Han Sen and scratched his head with a smile.


    "What a pity though. We could not even bring its corpse back with us. If only we had a spatial ring with us, then we might have been able to bring it and sell its corpse to the market." Yang Zenke shook his head in regret.


    Han Sen also sighed after hearing his friend¡¯s words, but his eyes suddenly shone with excitement as he said.


    "I wonder what the master will reward us when wee back... Hehehe." Han Sen chuckled merrily.


    Everyone was simrly excited at the thought of his words. Every time they came back from training, Jiu Shen would always give them some sort of reward, so they were eager to go back home.


    They waited for the other teams outside the Endless Forest and when everyone was back, they immediately darted towards the direction of the Silver Wing Empire.


    Behind these young elites were Hu Xiandao and the elders of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect. All of them were looking at these kids with eyes filled with warmth.


    "Let¡¯s go. Sect Master Jiu Shen is still waiting for us. He might even be surprised if he discovers the growth of those little brats. Hahaha!" Hu Xiandao guffawed as he walked forward.


    The elders of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect followed behind him with unchanging expressions on their faces.

 Chapter 261 - Day Of The Recruitment

    <h4>Chapter 261 - Day Of The Recruitment </h4>


    It was the first recruitment day of Jiu Shen¡¯s Heavenly Sword Tower.


    The announcement of this recruitment was so abrupt, but the area around the tower was already packed with a huge number of young elites from all over the Profound Dragon Continent.


    The Silver Wing Empire became the focus of the whole continent because of this event and those that initially wanted to attack it immediately ceased their movements. Who would dare to attack the empire that was under the protection of Jiu Shen?


    The Blue Fang Empire who was about to show its ws also recalled its troops after hearing about Jiu Shen¡¯s prowess.


    "To think that I would actually meet an acquaintance here. It is good to see you here, Brother Zhu!" Liu Mengdi greeted when he saw a familiar face among the crowd.


    Zhu Ren turned his head around and was pleasantly surprised to see Liu Mengdi. He then smiled back in response and said. "Oh, so it is Young Master Liu!"


    This Zhu Ren was one of the final eight participants of the Annual Martial Arts Contest. His name became even more popr after his great disy of skill in the art of spearmanship during the contest.


    "How have you been, Brother Zhu? I heard that a lot of sects invited you to join their ranks, but you refused all of them." Liu Mengdi said, feeling a bit intrigued.


    Zhu Ren shook his head and replied. "None of those sects caught my eyes, and I just can¡¯t picture out myself following those so-called top sects. I want to practice my spearmanship to its peak and my instincts are telling me that this is the ce where I should be."


    Liu Mengdi was a bit surprised by Zhu Ren¡¯s dream. Everyone knew how hard it was to train the spear, but this young man in front of him does not even look bothered about it. A feeling of admiration suddenly rose from his heart as he looked at Zhu Ren.


    "Hahah! With your skills and talent, I am certain that you will gain the approval of the Heavenly Sword Tower! Come on! Let¡¯s go and find the others before the recruitment starts!" Liu Mengdiughed as he walked forward.


    Zhu Ren did not even have the time to decline his offer so he had no choice but to follow Liu Mengdi. However, he also wanted to see the other participants in the martial arts contest.


    "Brother Zhu, I heard that Young Master Beiming Chu will also apply here... I thought that guy would only stay in the Beiming Family¡¯s manor and serve as a soldier of the empire, but it seems like he also has the same goal as you." Liu Mengdi whispered to Zhu Ren.


    Zhu Ren¡¯s ears perked up when he heard him mention that name.


    Beiming Chu was also one of the final eight participants of that contest and everyone witnessed his wild way of fighting. He also managed to make ¡¯that guy¡¯ pull out his sword.


    "Beiming Chu, a man who made Yang Zenke pull out his sword..." Zhu Ren muttered under his breath.


    Liu Mengdi nodded his head and thought about that crazily strong youth. "Yang Zenke... He is training under Sect Master Jiu Shen. He should be here, right?"


    "Ho! Isn¡¯t this Young Master Liu Mengdi and Young Master Zhu?!" A cheeky voice suddenly drifted behind them, making both men unconsciously turn their heads around.


    When they saw who the speaker was, their mouths suddenly twitched.


    "Gre-Greetings, Your Highness, Princess Sylvia!" They both greeted stiffly.


    Sylvia pouted and pointed at the two men as she grumbled. "You both don¡¯t have to be formal with me! Especially you, Liu Mengdi! Don¡¯t forget that you still owe me when I helped you that time at the store! Hmph!"


    Liu Mengdi was tongue-tied when he heard her words. Zhu Ren was simrly speechless, but none of them dared to talk back to this little demoness.


    Standing behind Princess Sylvia was Prince Dante. He stepped forward and tried to ease up the atmosphere. "It¡¯s great to see you both here. Do you mind if wee with you?"


    Zhu Ren opened his mouth and wanted to decline his offer, but he closed it back up when he saw Sylvia ring at him.


    Liu Mengdi secretly sighed and nodded his head with a bit of reluctance in his heart. He was worried that this little girl might again do something that would endanger them.


    Thinking about it, Liu Mengdi prayed to the gods that nothing bad would happen.


    "Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let this little girl wander around without permission." Prince Dante assured them when he saw the look on their faces.


    Princess Sylvia stuck her tongue out and harrumphed.


    "Let¡¯s go near the entrance of the tower. I saw the young elites of the Alliance going that way." Prince Dante¡¯s words immediately made them interested.


    They have heard a lot of the Alliance and it was said to be the foundation of the Profound Dragon Continent.


    Many top cultivators and experts are among their ranks. The younger generation in the Alliance is also trained with a generous amount of resources and time, making them a step ahead of their peers.


    Under the lead of Prince Dante, their small group went towards the entrance of the Heavenly Sword Tower.


    Along the way, they met some of their friends and acquaintances, making their small group much bigger. They also met Beiming Chu and the others from the Beiming Family.


    ***


    "We are finally here after that tiring training..." Han Sen said as he looked at the imposing sword tower ahead of them.


    "ording to Lord Hu, today is the recruitment day of master¡¯s Heavenly Sword Tower. Some of the guys we met at that contest might be here." Yang Zenke said with glistening eyes.


    Han Sen and the others nodded their heads at his words.


    "Come here, you brats! Don¡¯t let Sect Master Jiu Shen wait too long for you!" Hu Xiandao shouted at them.


    "Yes, Lord Hu!" Yang Zenke and the rest immediately ran towards Hu Xiandao. They were excited to see Jiu Shen once again...

 Chapter 262 - First Test

    <h4>Chapter 262 - First Test </h4>


    "Greetings, master!" Yang Zenke and the others youths greeted respectfully. Xiao Hua and the young girls of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect also greeted Jiu Shen with reverence.


    Jiu Shen satzily on his chair while stroking a sleeping chubby white cat in his arms.


    This group of young elites stared at the pair with great respect and worship. Some of them were able to witness the prowess shown by Jiu Shen and Ice when the Xue Family rebelled. They no longer dared to look down on the fat snow-white cat lying peacefully in Jiu Shen¡¯s arms.


    Jiu Shen remained seated as he turned his gaze to the young cultivators in front of him. "You¡¯ve done a great job on surviving inside the Endless Forest. I¡¯ve even heard that some groups managed to defeat strong savage beasts during your training inside the forest. As a reward, I am willing to ept all of you as disciples of my Heavenly Sword Tower. Of course, you are free to decline this offer."


    Jiu Shen¡¯s words made Yang Zenke and the others excited and they hurriedly kneeled and prostrated as they said in unison. "We are willing to be disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower!"


    Their heartfelt voices echoed inside the room like a p of thunder, but Jiu Shen wasn¡¯t bothered by this. He gently lifted the chubby white cat in his arms and rose to his feet.


    "I still have one reward for each of you other than bing disciples of my Heavenly Sword Tower..." Jiu Shen¡¯s words instantly made their eyes twinkle with excitement.


    Jiu Shen did not waste any more time and waved his right hand.


    Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh.


    Yang Zenke and the others suddenly felt a small object on the palm of their hands, and they were startled when they discovered what the object was.


    "A spatial ring! And the space inside should be at least nine cubic meters!" One of them eagerly shouted after checking the spatial ring in his hands.


    "Wait. There are a few things inside." Han Sen said and took out a small book that was inside his space ring.


    [Heaven Smiting Sword Technique]


    Han Sen¡¯s eyes almost popped out after reading the book¡¯s imposing name.


    "This..."


    Yang Zenke and the others immediately took out the items inside their space rings after seeing the dumbfounded look of Han Sen.


    The corner of Jiu Shen¡¯s lips curved upwards upon seeing this scene.


    "Inside your space rings are the items given to all Inner Disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower. You should all wear your new robes after leaving this room." Jiu Shen said calmly.


    "Yes, master!"


    "Since my Heavenly Sword Tower is now officially established, all of you must call me Sect Master in the future." Jiu Shen added sternly.


    "Yes, Sect Master!" Everyone nodded their heads in understanding.


    "Good! All of you can leave. Yang Zenke, you stay. I still have a few things for you to do." Jiu Shen said to Yang Zenke.


    Han Sen and the other disciples immediately left the room with excited faces. Even the girls who were usually reserved had simr expressions on their faces.


    "Sect Master, what do you want me to do?" Yang Zenke asked with his head down.


    Jiu Shen walked towards the nearby window and gazed at the people crowding at the entrance of the sword tower as he said. "Bring Liu Mengdi inside the tower and give this to him."


    Swoosh.


    Yang Zenke caught the space ring with one hand.


    "I will get it done, Sect Master." He said in a respectful tone.


    "Leave."


    Yang Zenke bowed his head before he left the room.


    "Liu Mengdi... Wasn¡¯t he the guy who fought toe to toe with Beiming Chu? If not for his carelessness, the oue of that fight might have been different..." Yang Zenke muttered to himself.


    ***


    "Brother, they are starting the recruitment. Look!" Princess Sylvia said as she pointed at a cold-looking woman standing at the entrance of the sword tower.


    Prince Dante and the rest of their group stared at the woman and walked towards her eagerly.


    "Greetings. Allow me to introduce myself first before I begin the first round of the test. My name is Xia Xinyue, an elder of the Heavenly Sword Tower." Xia Xinyue introduced herself in a cold and calm tone.


    She immediately attracted everyone¡¯s attention after that short introduction.


    Xia Xinyue was pleased when she saw that everyone was now looking at her.


    "Our Heavenly Sword Tower will only ept the best young elites among the younger generation. We care not about your background and we will ept everyone even if they aremoners or servants. However, in order to gain the chance to be disciples of our sect, all of you must pass three tests. And I will be the overseer for the first test." Xia Xinyue said while scanning the crowd with her icy gaze.


    The eyes of Prince Dante and others instantly glistened with anticipation.


    ¡¯It¡¯s finally starting...¡¯ They muttered in their hearts.


    "The first test is the easiest and you won¡¯t have to do anything other than cing your right hand on this crystal ball." Xia Xinyue slowly said while showing them a crystal ball that was 12 inches in diameter. The crystal ball was glowing with a dim brilliance, but everyone knew that it was no ordinary item.


    "This crystal ball is called the Brilliant Star. It can detect anyone¡¯s age and talent as long as they ce their right hand on top of it. Just so you know, our sect is only epting those with ages twenty-five years old and below. And you must be able to light up at least five stars inside the crystal. Now, I want all of you to line up..." Xia Xinyue spared the bullshit and immediately asked everyone to line up.


    After Xia Xinyue announced themencement of the first test, a few other cold-looking women stepped forward while holding a piece of crystal ball in their hands.


    Prince Dante and the others eagerly lined up with the other young elites, and a few of them even cut in line just to get ahead of everyone else.


    "No cutting in line! Disobedience means instant disqualification!" Xia Xinyue shouted coldly as she red at the crowd.


    After that, no one dared to disrupt the queue anymore.

 Chapter 263 - End Of The First Test

    <h4>Chapter 263 - End Of The First Test </h4>


    "This crystal ball looks the same as the one used to check our cultivation when we registered for the annual martial arts contest. The only difference is that this one can measure our talent, but is that really possible?" Zhu Ren whispered softly.


    "Come on, Brother Zhu! Sect Master Jiu Shen is even capable of defeating Alliance Head Situ. It should not be a surprise if he has these kinds of items." Liu Mengdi patted Zhu Ren¡¯s back forcefully as he uttered those words.


    Princess Sylvia nodded her head in agreement and she even wore a proud look as if she was the one who was beingplimented.


    "We will know soon if this item is really capable of doing such a thing... It¡¯s now my turn. You guys can wait for me here." Beiming Chu said before walked towards Xia Xinyue.


    Prince Dante and the others nced at him closely. They were eager to know if the Brilliant Star was truly capable of measuring one¡¯s talent. After all, they haven¡¯t heard of anything capable of doing that...


    Beiming Chu paused in front of Xia Xinyue and stared at the crystal ball she was holding.


    "ce your right hand on top of it." Xia Xinyue said in a calm tone.


    Beiming Chu no longer hesitated. He slowly ced his hand on the crystal ball and when his skin touched the surface of the crystal, he felt a warm sensation spreading through his palm.


    The dim Brilliant Star emitted a faint white light that glowed briefly.


    "Beiming Chu. Twenty years old. Seven stars. You passed the first test." Xia Xinyue announced with an unchanging expression.


    Beiming Chu was absentminded and he only recovered himself when he heard Xia Xinyue¡¯s words.


    He was d that he passed the first test, but he was bewildered about the meaning of his seven-star talent.


    He walked back towards Prince Dante and the others with a calm look, but the curiosity in his heart intensified the more he thought about the result.


    "Just what does it mean..." He muttered under his breath.


    "Congrattions, Brother Beiming! So far, you have the highest talent among all those that had themselves tested!" Prince Dante said with a warm smile. He was genuinely happy that his friend passed the first test without any problem.


    "Alright! Now, it¡¯s my turn! I¡¯ll be back right away! Hehe!" Princess Sylvia grinned as she walked away.


    After less than a few minutes, she came back with a stiff smile.


    "Why do you look unhappy when you passed the test?" Liu Mengdi asked, feeling quite confused at her expression.


    Princess Sylvia pouted as she replied. "I thought I had a higher talent, but it seems like I¡¯m just a seven-star talent like Brother Beiming."


    Prince Dante chuckled and the others chuckled secretly when they saw her distressed look, but they were also surprised when they heard that she was only a seven-star talent.


    Cough! Cough!


    "Ehem!" A faked cough suddenly interrupted their train of thoughts and they immediately turned their heads to nce at the neer.


    "You... You... You... Yang Zenke?!" Liu Mengdi pointed at Yang Zenke with a look of shock.


    "So it¡¯s Brother Yang! What brings you here?" Prince Dante pulled the shocked Liu Mengdi and stared at Yang Zenke with interest. He was truly curious about this young man who managed to awe everyone with his savage way of fighting.


    Yang Zenke nodded his head at Prince Dante and replied in an indifferent tone. "I¡¯m here under the orders of Sect Master Jiu Shen. I have something to give to Liu Mengdi."


    He sounded rude and arrogant, but none dared to voice out their displeasure. Not even the little demoness dared to show a hint of hostility on her face.


    "To me?" Liu Mengdi pointed at himself with a perplexed look.


    Yang Zenke nodded and said. "Take this space ring. Sect Master Jiu mentioned that you are now a disciple of the Heavenly Sword Tower. You don¡¯t have to join the assessment anymore and you can go inside the tower with me."


    Liu Mengdi¡¯s eyes widened.


    "Hahaha! To think that Sect Master Jiu was not joking with me at that time! How foolish of me to doubt him! Hahaha! Let¡¯s go!" Liu Mengdi burst into peals ofughter as he thought about it.


    Yang Zenke then nced at Prince Dante and the rest and said. "I know all of you will be epted as disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower, so I won¡¯t offer you guys any words of encouragement. You can go look for me after the assessment is over."


    After saying those words, he did not even wait for any reply before walking inside the sword tower.


    "Good luck, all of you! I¡¯ll wait for you guys inside!" Liu Mengdi chuckled before following Yang Zenke.


    Beiming Chu and the others stared at their figures speechlessly.


    "That Yang Zenke guy still looks unapproachable as always." Prince Dante muttered.


    Everyone else nodded their heads at his words.


    "His confidence in us is pressuring me. I just hope that all of us can truly pass all three tests." Zhu Ren added with a somber tone.


    "I don¡¯t like that guy! Hmph! I¡¯ll smack his face after I get inside the sword tower!" Princess Sylvia harrumphed.


    Beiming Chu and the others merely smiled at her words. They knew that she was just spouting nonsense, but none of them said anything about it lest they incur this little demoness¡¯ rage...


    The first assessment continued for a few more hours.


    There were thousands of applicants, but only several hundred remained after everyone was tested.


    Xia Xinyue surveyed the crowd with her cold eyes and announced. "All of you passed the first round of the assessment and I congratte you for that. Now, please go inside the sword tower and take a rest. We have already prepared your amodations, so you have nothing to worry about. As for the second test, it will be held tomorrow morning, andters are immediately disqualified!"


    The words ¡¯immediately disqualified¡¯ resounded inside everyone¡¯s head like an eruption of a volcano. They silently told themselves to never bete for the second test tomorrow...

 Chapter 264 - Truth About The Brilliant Star

    <h4>Chapter 264 - Truth About The Brilliant Star </h4>


    Inside the only room on the topmost floor of the sword tower, Jiu Shen sat on his chair with a calm look on his face. Lying peacefully on his embrace was a little girl with short white hair. She had a wide smile on her face, a clear evidence that she was having a good dream.


    Behind the two of them was a tall youngdy with long purple hair. She was looking at the man in front of her with respect and admiration.


    "I¡¯m again one step closer to my goal..." Jiu Shen muttered under his breath. His indifferent eyes shed intensely for a moment.


    This wasn¡¯t the first time that Long Meili heard her master speak about this goal of his, but she always tactfully chose to remain silent during these moments. She knew that Jiu Shen had his reasons for suddenly establishing a sect after living an idle life inside his store. As Jiu Shen¡¯s subordinate, she would always remain at his side, ready to do his bidding...


    "Knock. Knock. Knock."


    "Come inside." Jiu Shen said when he heard the knocking on the door.


    Creak.


    Jiu Shen stared calmly at Xia Xinyue who had just stepped inside the room. The coldness that she showed to the young applicants earlier was gone and was now reced with a warm and docile look.


    "Sect Master, the first assessment is now over. From the initial 13,689 applications, 758 of them passed. With all due respect, I think the standard is just too high for the applicants, and there might only be a little more than a hundred after the final assessment. Do you still wish to continue with the same arrangement?" Xia Xinyue asked with concern.


    She was the one who tested the applicants¡¯ talents and she saw a lot that she deemed worthy of nurturing. However, most of them failed to reach the standards set by Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s expression remained the same after hearing her words. It was as if he had already expected to hear those words.


    While gently rubbing the hair of the little girl in his arms, Jiu Shen replied with an indifferent tone.


    "Xinyue, only those that are epted by the Brilliant Star possesses the fate and talent to surpass the 9th-rank Saint. However, how many of these talented young elites could attain such a level of cultivation in their lifetime? I can indeed help those with lesser talents to ovee that realm, but it would take many years and a lot of valuable resources to do this. I did not establish this sect just to create a massive army..."


    Jiu Shen did not want to linger for too long in Nuar. That¡¯s why he only chose to ept the best young elites of the Profound Dragon Continent. Besides, he did not mention one thing to Xia Xinyue regarding how the Brilliant Star works.


    It is not just capable of measuring one¡¯s talent. It is also capable of measuring a person¡¯s fate, luck, and willpower! That means those that passed the first assessment were not all talented individuals. Some of them might just have a sufficient amount of luck and fate or high willpower.


    Jiu Shen sacrificed a bit of his soul power to create a few of those crystal balls, but he knew that it was worth it. After all, the heaven-defying ability that it has is just too important to achieve his goal.


    Xia Xinyue no longer pressed the matter when she saw Jiu Shen¡¯s unchanging look.


    "Sect Master, is there anything else you want me to do?" She asked with her head down.


    Jiu Shen was about to say no, but he suddenly felt the little girl in his embrace sucking his thumb like a vampire.


    "Have the kitchen staff prepare five bottles of milk for me and bring it here immediately." He said while looking at Ice with a gentle expression.


    Xia Xinyue knew that the milk was meant for Ice, but she still nodded her head as she responded. "Yes, Sect Master."


    The roompsed into silence after that and Xia Xinyue took this as a sign to leave the room.


    Creak.


    "Master, do you want me to massage your shoulders?" Long Meili asked as she held Jiu Shen¡¯s stiff shoulders.


    Jiu Shen was silent for a moment, but he still nodded his head to ept her offer. His neck and shoulder felt a bit stiff after holding Ice in his embrace for too long. A good massage might help him...


    ***


    "So this is the Heavenly Sword Tower. I can¡¯t believe that it is even more gorgeous inside! It looks even more imposing than the headquarters of the Alliance!" Prince Dante said with a look of shock.


    "Your Highness, you¡¯ve been to the Alliance¡¯s headquarters before?" Zhu Ren asked curiously.


    Prince Dante nodded his head and replied. "Yes, I¡¯ve been there twice when my father, His Majesty, had something to report to the Alliance. That ce has thousands of supreme individuals, but I doubt if one of them could even beat Sect Master Jiu."


    Zhu Ren and the others nodded their heads in agreement.


    Their group was currently seated cross-legged inside one of the sword tower¡¯s training rooms. It had such a vast space inside that it caused this group of youths to remain standing dumbfounded for more than ten seconds when they came inside this training room.


    "Among our group, Brother Zhu has the highest measured talent. He is actually an eight-star talent!" Prince Dante said in admiration.


    Zhu Ren felt a bit overwhelmed when he sensed the gazes of his friends.


    "Yeah. I never thought that this spear maniac is actually hiding such monstrous talent..." Beiming Chu shook his head with a wry smile.


    Zhu Ren felt a bit embarrassed, but he was a bit curious about how the Brilliant Star measured their talents. In his opinion, his talent was definitely not the best in their group, but the results showed by the Brilliant Star proved otherwise. Was it broken? Or was there something else about it?


    "Just that, from the name of this sect, its focus should be on swordsmanship. Would you really be able to improve your spearmanship here?" Prince Dante nced at Zhu Ren with a solemn look.

 Chapter 265 - The Emaciated Girl

    <h4>Chapter 265 - The Emaciated Girl </h4>


    Prince Dante and the others talked for a few hours before they went to the rooms prepared for them.


    Creak. Click.


    Zhu Ren gently closed the door of his room and surveyed it with awe. He could not believe that he was inside such a luxurious room. Never in his life did he wish for such extravagance.


    In front of him was a huge bed with a soft mattress made from the fur of a Furret Fox, a savage beast known for its fluffy and smooth fur.


    He nced around the room and saw a table and a chair, both items did not look ordinary at all. They were also made from precious trees and other items.


    "And this is just the sect¡¯s guest room. I wonder what the living quarters of the disciples would look like..." Zhu Ren muttered to himself as he sat on the bed.


    He recalled the results showed by the Brilliant Star and pondered deeply with his eyes closed.


    "Do I really possess such terrifying talent? Certainly not... During my childhood, I was even ostracized and bullied because of my slow cultivation speed. I worked hard and practiced more than my peers. When they were asleep, I was thrusting my spear without rest... Just how did I manage to get that kind of result from the Brilliant Star?" Zhu Ren rubbed his temples.


    At this moment, he knew that there must be something else about the Brilliant Star, but he chose to not disclose it to his friends. He was afraid that the elders of the Heavenly Sword Tower might disqualify him if he spread what he learned.


    "For now, I should forget about it. I will use the remaining time to consolidate my cultivation..." Zhu Ren said as he sat cross-legged.


    ***


    "Sect Master, it is time to start the second assessment. Do you want to watch how it goes?" Xia Xinyue asked as she looked at Jiu Shen with an affectionate gaze.


    Jiu Shen thought for a moment before shaking his head. "I don¡¯t need to see it. Besides, I already have an idea on how many of them would pass."


    Xia Xinyue raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Sect Master, can you tell me more about your guess?" She asked.


    The corner of Jiu Shen¡¯s lips rose upwards as he replied. "You¡¯ll know about it soon. I know that you want to see how those applicants will do on this assessment."


    Xia Xinyue sighed in regret with she heard his reply. He was still the same man who wants everything to remain a mystery... She thought to herself.


    "By the way, who is the overseer for this assessment?" Jiu Shen asked curiously.


    Xia Xinyue stared at him and replied with a smile. "It¡¯s Sister Lu Sn."


    Jiu Shen nodded his head when heard the name. "I see. You can leave now. Just tell me the results after the assessment is over."


    Xia Xinyue bowed her head respectfully and said. "Yes, Sect Master."


    After Xia Xinyue left the scene, Jiu Shen walked towards his room and gently opened the door.


    Lying on top of his bed was the sleeping Ice. She was sucking on a bottle of milk with her eyes shut tight. Long Meili was also on his bed. She was closely observing Ice with a warm smile on her face.


    When Long Meili sensed the arrival of Jiu Shen, she stared at the entrance of the room and saw his handsome figure smiling at her. She wanted to greet him, but she saw his signal to remain seated.


    Jiu Shen sat beside Long Meili and stared carefully at the sleeping little girl. He gently caressed her cheeks and arranged her hair. He then shifted his gaze to Long Meili and asked silently. "The second assessment is about to start, don¡¯t you want to see it?"


    Long Meili shook her head and responded in a small voice. "Master, I don¡¯t have any interest in those young humans. I only want to remain by your side..."


    Jiu Shen smiled at her reply, but his eyes suddenly revealed a profound glow as he said. "Really? However, what if I say that one of them has a dragon bloodline? It¡¯s rather diluted, but that girl certainly possesses the blood of a dragon in her veins. She must have discovered the remains of a dragon and refined it to increase her cultivation. It is also possible that the dragon gave its blood essence to the girl before it died..."


    When Long Meili heard those words, she immediately became agitated. She abruptly stood up and bowed at Jiu Shen as she said solemnly. "Master, thank you for informing me. I want to see if that girl is really worthy of that power."


    Jiu Shen chuckled in his heart, but he put on an unperturbed look as he said to her. "Don¡¯t hurt her. She might not know that she received that kind of power, and if ever she passes all three assessments, you will be responsible for her training."


    Long Meili was surprised, but she nodded her head gently. "Yes, master."


    She then left the room with haste after bowing to Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen closed his eyes and used his spiritual power to stare at the area where the second assessment was being held.


    At the center of that ce, he could see a tall tree that was about a thousand meters in height. Its huge branches coiled like serpents and its leaves were lush and full of vitality.


    This tree is called the Tree of Illusion and it will serve a great purpose in the second assessment.


    Jiu Shen then searched for a certain individual and stop his spiritual gaze on a girl with an emaciated appearance.


    This girl looked rather pitiful and the clothes she wore was made from the cheap skin of a savage beast. From her appearance alone, anyone could tell that she came from a humble background. The only good thing about her was her pair of emerald-green eyes that shone with a brilliant light.


    "From the constitution of her body, it looks like the dragon willingly gave her its blood essence. Without it, this girl would have already died from hunger andck of nutrition. What a poor soul..." Jiu Shen muttered softly.

 Chapter 266 - The Second Assessment Begins

    <h4>Chapter 266 - The Second Assessment Begins </h4>


    Prince Dante and his friends stared at the tall tree ahead of them. It was so huge that they had to look up even when they were still quite a distance away from it.


    "How did Sect Master Jiu Shen put this giant tree inside this ce?! Before we entered the room, I thought it was just another training area, but to think it would be this vast..." Prince Dante said without hiding his astonishment.


    "Brother, Sect Master Jiu should have used a higher level of space maniption to create this ce. I mean, this vast expanse ofnd is many timesrger than his store¡¯s interior, so this ce might have consumed a few of his resources. Even so, Sect Master Jiu¡¯s power is still as inestimable as always..." Princess Sylvia smiled proudly as she said those words.


    Prince Dante and the others nodded their heads at her words. None of them could remain calm at the sight of this shocking scene.


    "I wonder what the second assessment will be like?" Beiming Chu muttered curiously.


    "No one knows, but it is definitely not so simple." Zhu Ren said in a serious tone.


    The group stopped beneath the huge tree where all the other applicants waited. Every one of them was looking curiously at the tree that was evenrger than many giant savage beasts. They were wondering as to what kind of tree it was that it even made the renowned Sect Master Jiu Shen ced it inside his sword tower.


    "This tree..."


    p! p! p!


    A series of pping sounds caught everyone¡¯s attention.


    They stared at the woman who came down from one of the huge tree¡¯s branches and observed her. From the clothes she was wearing, they were certain that she was an elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect, so their gazes instantly turned into respect after realizing this. None of them even dared to ogle at her great figure in fear of incurring her rage.


    "Good day, everyone. I am Lu Sn, the overseer of the second assessment. All of you are the ones with the most supreme talents in the whole Profound Dragon Continent. However, not all of you will be disciples of our sect." Lu Sn observed the crowd with a neutral expression.


    "Lu Sn? Isn¡¯t she the sect mistress of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect? How did she suddenly be an elder of the Heavenly Sword Tower?"


    "Brother, you are not from the Silver Wing Empire, so you must be unaware of the rtionship between Elder Lu Sn and Sect Master Jiu Shen. Thetter took the former as his disciple after acknowledging her talent in swordsmanship. This news was told to me by my family¡¯s patriarch, so it should be reliable."


    "Silence!" Lu Sn did not shout and merely uttered those words with a calm expression, but all the applicants felt their bodies going cold when they heard her voice.


    After making everyone shut their mouths, Lu Sn continued. "In front of you is a mysterious tree that Sect Master Jiu Shen managed to uncover from a distant ce. He called it the Tree of Illusion because of the ability it possesses. At the moment, you are still unaffected by its strange power because of my interference, but after I take out the object protecting all of you from the tree¡¯s power, you¡¯ll understand my words."


    Everyone became slightly perturbed when they heard the origin of the tree, but no one made a fuss when they saw Lu Sn¡¯s serious expression.


    "The second assessment will determine your battle abilities. In this test, you will awaken in a ce where lesser demons are everywhere. Your goal is to collect the tokens that will be dropped after killing the lesser demons. Only those with at least ten tokens will pass this assessment. Are there any questions before we start the test?" Lu Sn nced at the crowd with an indifferent look.


    Someone from the applicants raised his hand and asked. "Elder Lu Sn, can we work in groups during this assessment?"


    After hearing this question, Prince Dante nced at his friends and nodded his head at them. "We don¡¯t know what might happen in that ce, so we should stick together as a group."


    Lu Sn¡¯s expressionless face suddenly changed. She was now wearing a mysterious smile on her face as she replied in a cold tone. "There is no rule on how you will get the tokens. Whether you stay in groups or stay alone is all at your discretion. Every one of you is free to do anything in that ce as long as you don¡¯t kill the other applicants. Remember, everything that happens in that ce will be seen by me and even Sect Master Jiu Shen might be observing what will take ce, so give it everything you¡¯ve got."


    Another person raised his hands but his words immediately made the other applicants rmed.


    "Can we rob the other participants of their tokens?"


    Lu Sn was quite surprised when she saw who asked the question. It was actually a girl wearing shabby clothes. The most surprising thing about her was the apathetic gazeing from her emerald-green eyes that shone with a bright luster.


    Lu Sn smiled at her and did not offer any answer. She merely waved her right hand and said. "Good luck, everyone. I will wait for your return..."


    The bodies of all the applicants became sluggish as Lu Sn said those words. They could see that the scenery in front of them was slowly warping, making them feel dizzy and nauseous.


    Lu Sn summoned a gentle wind and made everyone lie in afortable position.


    Swoosh!


    A tall youngdy with long purple hair suddenly emerged in front of her, shocking Lu Sn.


    "Young Miss Meili, what brings you here?" Lu Sn asked as she looked at this beautiful woman.


    Long Meili nced at the copsed applicants on the ground before turning her gaze to Lu Sn. "I want to see what is happening inside the World of Illusions."


    Lu Sn smiled as she took out an object from her space ring. It was a small metallic ball made from an unknown material. She then poured her true essence to activate it.


    A huge screen was then shown to both women. On this huge screen, they saw what all the applicants were doing.


    Long Meili removed her gaze from the screen and scanned the applicants lying on the ground using her spiritual vision. Her gaze then stopped on a pitiful-looking young girl. "There you are..."


    After that, she moved her gaze back on the screen.

 Chapter 267 - Sylphie Northcut

    <h4>Chapter 267 - Sylphie Northcut </h4>


    Inside a lush forest full of overgrown trees and dense shrubbery, an emaciated young girl slowly walked forward while holding an old worn-out sword in her hands. Her long brown hair was messy and dry, but the young girl did not even bother to smoothen it.


    "I have to pass the exam no matter what I have to do!" She muttered fiercely to herself. Her emerald-green eyes flickered intensely as she spoke those words.


    This young girl¡¯s name is Sylphie Northcut, a daughter of a wealthy noble family in a faraway kingdom.


    The girl was living the dream life of many other kids. She had all the luxuries she could ask for and her parents had always given her the best food. However, everything came to an end when their kingdom was attacked by three neighboring kingdoms. Her family joined the war, but their kingdom was easily defeated by thebined might of their three opponents. The girl¡¯s parents died in battle and she was taken away to be sold as a ve. Everything became hell for her for over five years, but she refused to give up and she finally managed to escape from the Crimson Sun Sect who had bought her. She then coincidentally passed through the assessment being held in the Heavenly Sword Tower and joined the crowd of applicants to escape the pursuit of the Crimson Sun Sect and here she was in the middle of a forest, participating in the second assessment.


    "I heard a lot about Sect Master Jiu Shen from the disciples of the Crimson Sun Sect. Even the sect master is afraid of Sect Master Jiu Shen. I just hope that I can pass all three assessments and be a disciple of the Heavenly Sword Tower, but would they really ept me if they learned about my identity?" Sylphie muttered worriedly.


    "They will! The elder yesterday said that they would ept anyone regardless of their status as long as they could pass all three assessments! I still have a chance!" The young girl gripped her sword tightly before hastening forward with glistening eyes.


    ***


    Zhu Ren stared at his surroundings with a calm look and checked his body to see if he was injured. He then heaved a sigh of relief when he felt that nothing was wrong with his body.


    "So we are separated inside this forest... I assume the other applicants are already starting to hunt those lesser demons. I should begin hunting as well and I might even find the others along the way." Zhu Ren said as he pulled the spear behind his back.


    This spear was a gift from his deceased grandfather and this had been with him since he started learning about spearmanship.


    Zhu Ren dashed through the forest in a practiced manner. It was as if he had suddenly be a veteran hunter.


    The truth was that Zhu Ren¡¯s talent was not exactly great, but he hadpensated for hisck of talent through sheer effort and willpower. He practiced his spear techniques with little rest and even trained himself in the outer parts of the Endless Forest. That was why he was able to run inside this forest with such familiarity.


    Hm?


    Zhu Ren stopped in his tracks and jumped on top of a huge tree¡¯s branch. He then stared at two strange creatures walking alertly down below.


    Those creatures had a humanoid figure except for their grotesque appearance. Their skin was dark purple and their muscles screaming with power.


    "Are these the lesser demons? To think that I¡¯m so lucky to stumble upon two of them after arriving here..." Zhu Ren muttered to himself excitedly.


    He stealthily pounced towards the defenseless backs of the creatures and aimed his spear towards their vital spots.


    Zhu Ren was now an early stage 5th-rank Spirit realm cultivator and he even had the power to confront those at the mid stage 5th-rank Spirit realm!


    Puchi! Puchi!


    The two creatures were not even able to emit a shriek before they died under Zhu Ren¡¯s surprise attack.


    Their bodies exploded into motes of white light and dropped two tokens on the ground.


    Clink. Clink.


    Zhu Ren grabbed the two tokens with a smile and said. "Those guys are indeed lesser demons. I never thought that they would be so weak for a 5th-rank Spirit realm creature. Brother Beiming and the others should be able to easily get these tokens with their strength. In that case, I have nothing to worry about."


    He then moved ahead with confidence.


    ***


    "Master, I have learned the identity of the young girl." Ren Shuang said as he bowed at Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen stared at him and nodded his head calmly. "You did great in finding it after only a day."


    Ren Shuang did not raise his head and replied immediately. "Master, that girl came from a small kingdom and it was rather easy for me to uncover her identity."


    "I see. Then tell me who this girl is." Jiu Shen said.


    "This girl is called Sylphie Northcut, the daughter of Franklin Northcut, a count of the Iron Sand Kingdom. However, after the fall of the Iron Sand Kingdom, she was taken as a ve by the Crimson Sun Sect. She lived inside that sect for over five years." Ren Shuang said in a calm voice.


    "Hmm... Did you find anything suspicious about her parents?" Jiu Shen asked curiously. From what he saw about Sylphie¡¯s constitution, he learned that a dragon had given her its blood essence willingly. However, this blood essence was weak and faint, and it was only enough to enhance her physicality to a certain degree. Even so, this small enhancement was also the reason why she was able to live until today even with theck of nutrition.


    "Her mother is a viscount¡¯s daughter and there is nothing noteworthy about her identity aside from being one of Iron Sand Kingdom¡¯s most beautiful women. As for Sylphie¡¯s father, he, how should I say this... It¡¯s like he suddenly appeared in the Iron Sand Kingdom and helped its king fight a war. After that war, he was made a count by that king. Also, I managed to uncover the remains of Franklin Northcut from the battleground near the former Iron Sand Kingdom¡¯s territory." Ren Shuang replied.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes flicked in surprise.


    "Really? Show it to me." He said.

 Chapter 268 - Sylphie In Trouble

    <h4>Chapter 268 - Sylphie In Trouble </h4>


    Ren Shuang tapped his space ring and took out the corpse of a person. The corpse had multiple sword wounds and bruises, but his expression remained calm even in his death. However, the most surprising thing about this person was that his corpse was still intact even after five years of being dead!


    Jiu Shen stood up from his seat and walked towards the corpse presented to him. He then crouched and inspected the corpse using his spiritual vision.


    From Jiu Shen¡¯s perspective, he could see that this dead person¡¯s true essence was actually that of a savage beast! And from the thickness of this true essence, it can be easily determined that this guy was a descendant of a savage beast with a noble bloodline.


    "Indeed, this guy has a dragon bloodline in his veins. In fact, this guy¡¯s dragon bloodline is thicker than that of Long Meili¡¯s before I met her. However, this man still failed his tribtion lightning and he even regressed by two major realms and he only managed to stabilize his cultivation at the peak stage of the 7th-rank Emperor realm. He must have settled down in thete Iron Sand Kingdom after failing his tribtion lightning, but in the end, death still came his way... At least he was able to give his blood essence to his daughter Sylphie before he died..." Jiu Shen said after scanning the corpse with his spiritual vision.


    If someone else could have heard his words, they would certainly be bbergasted. He was actually able to tell what had happened to the man after a few casual inspections through his spiritual vision!


    "Master, what do you want me to do with this corpse?" Ren Shuang asked after Jiu Shen concluded his inspection.


    Jiu Shen nced at Ren Shuang and recalled the look of the pitiful girl before he turned his gaze to the corpse beneath his feet.


    "I¡¯ll keep it myself. You may go back to your post." Jiu Shen said as he put the man¡¯s corpse inside his space ring.


    Ren Shuang bowed his head before he left.


    Jiu Shen went back to his seat and muttered calmly to himself. "That girl must have experienced a terrible life at the hands of the Crimson Sun Sect. If she manages to pass all three assessments, I will help her achieve her revenge..."


    Jiu Shen did not even bat an eye at the mention of the Crimson Sun Sect. It was as if this sect was nothing worthy of his attention.


    ***


    Inside the World of Illusions.


    Sylphie red at the three youths in front of her. She was holding her worn-out sword tightly while sharply observing the actions of the three men.


    "Little sister, just give us the tokens you have and we won¡¯t hurt you." One of the three men who looked to be the leader of the three smiled at her reassuringly, but the two guys behind him failed to mask the mocking smiles on their faces.


    Sylphie was very familiar with that kind of look. She had faced that kind of face for over five years inside the Crimson Sun Sect, so she did not let her guard down.


    "Come on, brother! Let¡¯s just cut down this stupid girl and be done with it. Inside this forest, we have no way of knowing how much time we have, so we must hurry in getting the tokens we need." A thin man behind the leader said with impatience. This guy was a peak 4th-rank Knight Crusader realm cultivator. Their leader was a 5th-rank Spirit realm expert and the remaining guy was also a peak 4th-rank Knight Crusader.


    If a battle broke out, Sylphie who was only a mid-stage 4th-rank Knight Crusader would face great trouble.


    She had no idea that all of them were inside a World of Illusion, so she was very worried about getting seriously injured.


    Sylphie thought hard, but she could not find any solutions that could help her defeat these three men. The only option left for her was to escape from them, but could she really escape the pursuit of three cultivators who were stronger than her? In her current state, it was definitely not possible.


    The leader red at his buddy and nced at Sylphie with a dark smile. "I apologize, little sister, but you forced us to do this. Get her!"


    The two men behind the leader smiled evilly and immediately sprinted towards Sylphie with their weapons in their hands.


    "Is it over for me? No! I have alreadye this far! I must not give up! This is nothingpared to what I experienced in the Crimson Sun Sect!" Sylphie shouted in her heart as she darted towards the two men who were moving speedily in her direction.


    She did not want toe back to that sect! They did many terrible things to her and she could not imagine what would happen to her if they manage to capture her.


    Although she was a ve of the Crimson Sun Sect, Sylphie still had a bit of free time. She used all of her free time to practice the sword techniques that her father had taught her during her childhood. She also cultivated secretly at that time and that was why she was able to reach her current realm despite theck of resources.


    Facing these two men, Sylphie calmly parried their attacks using her superior sword techniques.


    Despite the difference in number and cultivation, she was able to fight the two men without being defeated. From this, it could be seen how much effort she had expended to practice her swordsmanship, but her talent also spoke volumes about her growth.


    ng! ng! ng!


    Sylphie could not receive the attacks of the two men head-on, so she could only expertly parry their attacks, but if this continues, she would have to consume more stamina.


    ¡¯I can¡¯t let this drag on! Not to mention that their leader is still here! Is it really over for me here?¡¯ She cried out in her heart.

 Chapter 269 - Unexpected Turn Of Events

    <h4>Chapter 269 - Unexpected Turn Of Events </h4>


    Sylphie already has various wounds all over her body, but the fighting intent in her eyes did not vanish. Instead, those emerald-green eyes flickered with an even more intense glow as the battle continued.


    "This little girl is insane! Just give up the damned tokens so we can leave you alone!" Shouted the thin man to Sylphie. He was growing irritated at her tenacious willpower. If not for Lu Sn¡¯s warning about killing other applicants, he would have already used his killing techniques against this damnable woman!


    The leader watched the battle between his two buddies and Sylphie with surprise. He found it hard to believe that a little girl was actually able to hold her ground against his friends. Although those guys looked deplorable and dishonest, they still came from renowned families outside the Silver Wing Empire and they had ess to valuable resources.


    The leader¡¯s name is Jon. His eyes shed as he recalled his tough childhood. Jon could see himself in Sylphie and this made him smile.


    "Troy, Hans! Let¡¯s go! Just leave her be. We don¡¯t have much time to dawdle around here." Jon shouted towards his friends as he walked towards Sylphie.


    "Boss,e on! She¡¯s already spent! Just give us more time!" Hans, the thin man pleaded to Jon, but he only received thetter¡¯s cold gaze.


    Sylphie could hardly stand to her feet, but she refused to copse even in that state. This made Jon admire her even more.


    Sylphie was quite surprised that the two crooks actually stopped fighting her when she was already on the verge of being defeated. She stared at the leader who was walking towards her with a wary gaze. This guy was able tomand her opponents to stop fighting her with just a few words. She wondered what this guy was up to.


    Jon put his right hand inside his pocket and took something out before he stretched his arm to Sylphie.


    The girl quickly lifted her sword when she saw Jon¡¯s strange actions, but this only made the man erupt into peals ofughter. "Girl, I apologize for hurting you so much. We had no choice since this is part of the assessment. I admire your determination, so I will withdraw here with my buddies."


    Sylphie could not believe what she had heard and she was at loss for words. These dirty-looking men were actually quite honorable...


    "Here. Take this as ourpensation." Jon grabbed Sylphie¡¯s shaking hand and ced something on her palm. He then smiled kindly at her before he walked away.


    "Girl, if you manage to pass all three assessments, just look for me when you need something." Jon waved his hand without looking back.


    Sylphie stared at their departing figures withplicated emotions. She then stared at her hand and was dumbfounded at what she saw. It was a token! There was also a piece of healing pill and it did not look cheap either!


    She almost cried at this unexpected generosity, but she was too tired for that.


    Without hesitation, Sylphie consumed the healing pill and kept the token to herself. She now has three tokens and this made her feel happy.


    "I won¡¯t forget this kindness..." She muttered while looking in the direction where she hadst seen Jon¡¯s group.


    Unbeknownst to her, there was a silhouette of a woman standing atop a tree just a hundred meters away from her. "Hmph! At least those guys are notpletely disgraceful! Since there¡¯s nothing more to see here, I should go find my brother and the others."


    Swoosh!


    Her shadow vanished in a sh...


    ***


    "Sect Master, the emperor requests an audience with you." Xia Xinyue¡¯s voice can be heard outside his room.


    Jiu Shen calmly sat on his chair when he heard Xia Xinyue¡¯s words and said. "Bring him in."


    Creak.


    Xia Xinyue went inside the room with the emperor following behind her.


    Emperor Elyk stared at the man who was still calmly sitting on a chair even in his presence. If it was anyone else, he would have already felt offended, but the man in front of him was different.


    "Sect Master Jiu Shen, congrattions on your sect¡¯s sessful establishment and also for the sessful recruitment!" Emperor Elyk smiled as he looked at Jiu Shen¡¯s expressionless face.


    "Elyk, I know you¡¯re not here just to say these words. Just tell me what made youe here." Jiu Shen uttered indifferently.


    Emperor Elyk chuckled at his words and replied. "Sect Master Jiu, the Alliance sent four of their Alliance Heads toe here including Alliance Head Situ. They were present during the opening ceremony of your sect and they badly wanted to see you, but we could not find you after that. I hope you cane with me to the castle and grace us with your presence."


    "I¡¯m not interested in meeting any of those kids." Jiu Shen refused in a calm tone.


    The word ¡¯kids¡¯ rang inside the emperor¡¯s head like the chiming of bells. Only Jiu Shen was able to speak like this to such individuals. Thinking about it, the emperor could only smile wryly.


    Emperor Elyk had already expected Jiu Shen¡¯s refusal especially because his Heavenly Sword Tower was still in the middle of recruitment.


    "In that case, I shall take my leave. I¡¯m sorry for disturbing you, Sect Master Jiu." Emperor Elyk said in a slightly downcast tone.


    "Wait. Before you leave, take this with you and give it to those young ones. I can sense that the demons are nning something and when that timees, this mighte in handy." Jiu Shen said as he flicked a cube-like item to the emperor.


    Emperor Elyk caught the item with a look of surprise. He stared at it and sensed a strong power hidden inside when he injected his true essence into the item.


    "Sect Master Jiu, this is..." The emperor had no idea what this strange thing was, so he could only nce at Jiu Shen with curiosity, but the man merely stared at him with an indifferent look.


    "When the timees that you need to use its power, just crush that cube. Now leave." Jiu Shen waved his hand and shooed the emperor away as if he was an annoying fly.


    Emperor Elyk gratefully bowed his head before he left the room.


    Even when he was already outside the sword tower, he still kept on looking at the cube-like item that Jiu Shen handed to him.


    "Just what could this be? Maybe I should ask my old man and the Alliance Heads. They might know what this item is..." He muttered before keeping the cube inside his space ring.

 Chapter 270 - The Demon Soldier

    <h4>Chapter 270 - The Demon Soldier </h4>


    It was already day two inside the World of Illusions. Some applicants had almostpleted the assigned task for them, and the remaining others already had a few tokens in their possession.


    Looking at this, more than eighty percent of the applicants would certainly pass this assessment.


    Lu Sn and Long Meili were still watching the applicants with attentive gazes. Thetter in particr was looking at Sylphie¡¯s screen with great interest. She found the girl¡¯s personality was up to her liking and she did not mind if she bes her trainer.


    "If this continues, most of them will pass the assessment." Lu Sn broke the silence.


    Long Meili continued staring at Sylphie¡¯s screen, but she still replied in a calm tone. "It does not matter. The master knows that not many would fail this assessment. However, he said that more than half of them will fail the final assessment."


    Lu Sn raised her eyebrows in surprise. "But isn¡¯t it the easiest assessment? Why would half of them fail?" She asked while feeling a bit perplexed.


    Long Meili nced at her and said in a cold voice. "The master doesn¡¯t want rats inside his territory."


    Lu Sn¡¯s eyes shed with understanding upon hearing those words. She then turned her gaze back on the screen in front of them.


    ***


    Sylphie kept the token that she had just gotten from the lesser demon that she had killed earlier. Her face was covered in grime and dirt, but there was a bright smile hanging on her face as she eximed. "I only need three more toplete the assessment! But before that, I should clean myself first. This smell is killing me..."


    Sylphie returned to the pond that she found early this morning and washed clean. When she saw her bedraggled appearance reflected on the pond, a burst ofplicated emotions welled up inside her heart.


    "Just a little bit more. Once I be a disciple of the Heavenly Sword Tower, I will train hard until I be strong enough to avenge my family and the Iron Sand Kingdom! Of course, the first on my list is still the Crimson Sun Sect!" Sylphie clenched her fists as she muttered to herself. The fury in her eyes zed like a raging volcano.


    After scrubbing her body clean, she then washed her clothes and let them dry on the bonfire she made. She then carefully wrapped herself with the fur of a savage beast wolf that she hunted yesterday.


    Crackle. Crackle.


    The me from the bonfire created a crackling sound that somehow alleviated Sylphie¡¯s emotional state. She could still remember how her father taught her to create her fire using the materials they found in the forest. It was a happy memory that would always remain in her heart.


    Suddenly, Sylphie¡¯s ears twitched. She could hear the sound of fighting from a distance away. From the movement of the ground, she calcted that it was approximately a thousand meters away from her.


    "This is strange. The lesser demons are not that strong to create this kind ofmotion. Are some groups fighting among themselves?" She muttered as she hastily put on her clothes. It was still a bit wet, but it did not hinder her movement, so she did not mind it.


    Sylphie dashed towards the direction of themotion speedily. She was quite curious about what caused the sounds that she heard. Aside from that, she was also worried that Jon¡¯s group might be there.


    Although Sylphie was not attracted to Jon, she was still grateful for his help and it would leave a bad taste in her mouth if she just left them there, so she had to check the ce and see if Jon and the others are there.


    ***


    "Shit! Why is there such a creature here? Is this also part of the assessment?!" Hans cursed as he stared at the demonic figure wreaking havoc ahead of them.


    Jon and Troy were simrly stunned as they watched the demon.


    This creature had dark purple skin with numerous veins protruding all over its body. The demonic creature was also covered with in metal armor and even its head was protected by a spiked helmet.


    Even from a distance, this evil creature was giving off a strong aura that made the surrounding applicants feel dread.


    Roaarr!!


    It opened its mouth and emitted a shrill cry that echoed inside the forest.


    Prince Dante had also managed to find the rest of his group, and all of them were now staring at the demon with a serious look.


    "Brother Beiming, can you block its attack?" Prince Dante suddenly asked as he gazed at Beiming Chu.


    Thetter was a bit surprised upon hearing the question, but he still answered with knitted eyebrows. "I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t estimate this guy¡¯s power, but it should be a peak stage 7th-rank Emperor realm creature. If my guess is correct, then I should be able to block two strikes from it."


    Prince Dante nodded his head. "That¡¯s more than enough, but we need to gather the other applicants. We can¡¯t defeat that thing by ourselves. Brother Zhu, Brother Beiming, go and tell the others toe in this direction. I¡¯ll buy some time for you guys, but you must hurry. Sister, you should go with them."


    Beiming Chu and Zhu Ren nodded their heads when they heard his words, but Princess Sylvia was a bit worried about her brother. She could not allow him to fight that monster alone.


    "Brother! But that thi-"


    Prince Dante covered her lips with his hand and smiled at her. "Trust me. That guy is not enough to kill me. Besides, I still have the protective item given to me by grandfather."


    Princess Sylvia was still worried, but when she saw the confident look of her brother, she could only nod her head unwillingly. "You have to be careful. I¡¯ll beat you up if you get hurt!" She threatened.


    Prince Dante chuckled at her words. He then nced at Zhu Ren and Beiming Chu. "I¡¯ll leave my sister to both of you. Please protect her."


    The two men nodded their heads solemnly as they promised. "You have my word. We won¡¯t let anyone touch her."


    Prince Dante felt reassured at their words. He then shouted. "Go!"

 Chapter 271 - Beiming Chu Playing Tank

    <h4>Chapter 271 - Beiming Chu ying Tank </h4>


    Prince Dante stared at the demonic figure with a calm look, but he wasn¡¯t truly confident about facing this creature. However, he knew that he had to do something about this guy.


    Swoosh!


    Prince Dante took out his sword and initiated an attack on the raging demon. The guy was still upied with the other applicants, so he wanted to trynding a surprise attack on it.


    However...


    To his dismay, the demonic soldier immediately sensed the danger and turned to look in his direction with its blood-red eyes that glowed with intense malice. There was also mocking a smile hanging on its terrifying face.


    ¡¯Shit!¡¯ Prince Dante cursed in his heart when he saw the expression on the demon¡¯s face. He had underestimated this guy...


    The demon adjusted its muscr body and struck a quick blow towards the pouncing Dante. Its movements were fast for its huge figure that it surprised the prince.


    Prince Dante raised his sword upwards to block the iing strike and...


    Bang!


    He was flung more than a hundred meters away with just one blow!


    Cough! Cough!


    Prince Dante coughed up several mouthfuls of blood as he stood up with great difficulty. He then stared at his sword that now had multiple cracks on it. It was an Earth Weapon, but it actually almost got destroyed after taking a single quick punch from that thing!


    He then stared at the beast and saw the toying smile on its face. This sight angered him, but he could not do anything about it since it was outrageously stronger than him.


    "This... This monster... Is it really part of the assessment?" He muttered while rubbing his aching shoulder.


    Roaarrr!!


    "Humans, you actually dared to venture inside my territory! And now you n on leaving this ce alive?! Preposterous!" The demonic soldier. said in a deep baritone voice. Just the sound of its voice made everyone feel a chill running down their spine.


    Prince Dante was also a bit tensed when he heard it speak, but he knew that this was also an opportunity.


    "Esteemed demon, we are unaware that this is your dwelling ce and I apologize on behalf of everyone. I hope that you would be kind enough to allow us to leave." Prince Dante said as he looked at the demon soldier. Since this guy could talk, he must use this opportunity to buy as much time as possible until Zhu Ren and the others manage to gather all the applicants present to fight this thing! That¡¯s the only way he could think of in this situation.


    "Hahaha! You, a pesky little worm want to negotiate with me? Laughable! Extremelyughable! Hahaha!" The demonic soldier cackled. Its annoyingly high-pitchedughter gave off a malicious aura that stunned everyone in ce.


    Zhu Ren and the others were riling up the other applicants to join them, but not everyone was willing to fight with them.


    "Brother Zhu, we managed to call a few dozen people, but are they enough to fight against that thing?" Beiming Chu asked.


    Zhu Ren nced at him with a serious look and replied. "I have no idea, but His Highness is still there buying us time to get these people. We must trust him."


    Beiming Chu nodded his head solemnly and stared at the applicants who were willing to fight against the demonic soldier.


    "Brothers and sisters! Follow me! Killing that guy might be a shortcut to bing a disciple of the Heavenly Sword Tower! Let¡¯s go!" Beiming Chu stoked everyone¡¯s fighting intent with a few words. Even Princess Sylvia was quite surprised when she realized that this guy was actually not all muscles...


    Roar!


    The applicants let out a battle cry as they followed Beiming Chu¡¯s lead. All of them wanted to be a disciple of the Heavenly Sword Tower and a chance was given in front of them. Although the possibility of it being true was low, they were still willing to try it out.


    Hm?!


    The demon soldier who was still mocking Prince Dante heard the ruckus and turned its gaze to Beiming Chu and the other applicants. It was a strong being, but it was not that confident about fighting arge group of young elites.


    The demon soldier¡¯s ghastly eyes flickered with animosity when it realized that it felt fear when it saw the iing group of humans.


    "How dare you lowly creatures fight against me?! Die!!" The demon soldier shouted as it pounded the ground with its huge fists.


    Rumble! Rumble!


    The ground shook as if a huge earthquake was urring! The mob behind Beiming Chu was in a mess, but a little more than half of them were still able to follow behind Beiming Chu.


    "Ridiculous!" The demon soldier angrily said as it lifted its fists in the air.


    "I think I can only block it once, so use that opportunity to release your most powerful attacks on that shit¡¯s head!" Beiming Chu shouted as he took out a pair of arms shields that looked incredibly durable and hooked it on his arms. He then sprinted ahead of everyone and raised his arms to block the demon soldier¡¯s attack.


    Hm?!


    The demon soldier did not expect that there was actually an idiot who was willing to take his attack head-on. Is this human crazy or is he just a clown? The demon soldier thought at that moment...


    The injured Prince Dante stared at this scene with a hint of worry, but he did not stay idle. He took out another sword and prepared to use his most powerful attack.


    "Foolish!" The demon soldierughed as it increased the strength behind its punch.


    Baaangg!!


    Beiming Chu roared and received the punch with his arms! His arm shields broke apart and the ground beneath him crumbled apart, but he stood to his feet!


    "This is fucking nothing!" Beiming Chu ignored his bloodied arms and shouted at the top of his lungs. A line of blood trickled down his lips and he could already feel his shoulders going numb. However, he ignored the pain and mustered all of his strength to resist the remaining power behind the demon soldier¡¯s punch!


    Beiming Chu¡¯s knees finally gave in and he kneeled on the ground with one knee, but there was a faint smile on his face.


    He was actually able to block an attack from a being that was more than two realms stronger than him! Unbelievable!

 Chapter 272 - The Proud Demon Soldier

    <h4>Chapter 272 - The Proud Demon Soldier </h4>


    The demon soldier¡¯s blood-red eyes flickered with surprise when he witnessed the absurd scene in front of him.


    The human that it had underestimated was actually able to sessfully block its powerful blow despite the great difference in their cultivation levels!


    ¡¯Shit!¡¯ The demon soldier cursed as it used its other hand to hastily cover a part of its head. However, a portion of his upper body became wide open as a result!


    Prince Dante and the applicants used this opportunity to hit the exposed parts vital parts of the demon soldier.


    The air rippled as dozens of attacks hurtled towards the demon soldier! mes spells, ice spears, and other strong spells were speeding through the evil creature, making its heart pound heavily in trepidation!


    "Damn humans!!" It let out a final shout before the dozens of attacks hit the creature without mercy!


    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Everyone distanced themselves from the position of the demon soldier and they all stared at the huge cloud of dust ahead of them with serious gazes. Everyone felt nervous as they prepared tounch another wave of attacks.


    "Is it dead?" Someone whispered in a slightly shaking tone, but no one replied. All of them stared intently at where the demon soldier once stood.


    Zhu Ren held the severely injured Beiming Chu while Princess Sylvia hugged her brother tightly in her embrace. They were also looking in the direction of the demon soldier, hoping to see its body on the ground.


    Suddenly...


    Everyone inhaled a mouthful of cold air when they saw that the demon soldier was still standing!


    Its right shoulder waspletely broken and a huge part of its torso was badly injured, exposing its flesh and muscles. A part of the demon¡¯s head was also bloody and ruined, but it was actually able to remain standing despite its grave injuries!


    Cough! Cough! Cough!


    The demon soldier spat several mouthfuls of blood. It then covered the exposed internal organs hanging on its mangled upper body. The demon soldier¡¯s body swayed a few times as it forced itself to remain standing.


    ¡¯I have to escape here!¡¯ The demon soldier thought at that moment. When that idea came to its mind, it immediately used the remainder of its power to turn around and flee.


    "Don¡¯t let it get away! Pursue it!" Prince Dante shouted as he gently pushed Princess Sylvia. He then pursued the demon soldier together with the other applicants. The little girl instantly followed her brother when she saw him rushing forward.


    Zhu Ren wanted to help them, but he did not want to leave Beiming Chu alone. The guy was too injured to protect himself and there might be other applicants waiting for him to leave his injured friend. To prevent this from happening, Zhu Ren chose to remain and tend to his friend¡¯s injuries.


    "Brother Beiming, I know that your Beiming Family¡¯s body strengthening technique is indeed powerful, but you must not do this again..." Zhu Ren said worriedly as he smeared a healing powder on Beiming Chu¡¯s arms.


    Beiming Chu tried to speak, but he almost choked on his blood, so he could only sh a weak smile.


    Looking at this, Zhu Ren could only shake his head. This friend of his was truly courageous and bold to dare take that demon¡¯s punch. Even he dared not think of doing it...


    "Eat this and rest. Leave the rest to them. It should not be a problem for them to defeat an injured demon." Zhu Ren muttered as he nced towards the distance.


    Beiming Chu popped the pill given to him and nodded his head in agreement.


    ***


    "Silver Sword Phantom!" Prince Dante shouted as he released his quickest attack.


    A dazzling silver radiance sped towards the escaping demon soldier. The grievously injured demon soldier had lost more than half of its speed and it could no longer evade this sort of attack.


    It tried to twist its body to evade a fatal blow, but the prince¡¯s attack still managed to make the demon fall to the ground.


    Crash!


    Prince Dante blocked the demon soldier¡¯s path of retreat and stared at the creature with calm eyes. He was also waiting for the other applicants to help him finish off this demon. Thatst attack had almost consumed his remaining true essence and he might not be able to kill it on his own, so he could only block the demon soldier from escaping.


    The evil creature red malevolently at the human in front of it. Its blood-red eyes emitted a gleam full of malice.


    "Hu-Humans, yo- you cowardly trashes! You might have won against me, but there is a lot of my kind waiting to ughter each and every one of you! When that timees, I hope that I will meet you in hell! Hahaha!" The demon soldier stood up with difficulty. It did not even bother to hold its innards anymore and just cackled with a proud and unyielding expression.


    Prince Dante narrowed his eyes as he looked at the arrogant demon. He could see its unyielding character beneath its malevolent appearance. The prince was feeling a bit nervous when he saw that the demon was still able to stand up even in its current state.


    ¡¯This goddamn demon is resilient!¡¯ He shouted in his heart.


    "Hahaha! I like that look on your face, but I hate myself for being defeated by weaklings like you bunch! I won¡¯t allow you trashes to kill me! Hahaha!" The demon soldierughed in a crazed manner as it lifted its remaining arm. It then punched its own body and pulled its heart out before crushing it in front of Prince Dante!


    Thud!


    The demon soldier finally copsed on the ground...


    However, thatst scene was deeply imprinted in Prince Dante¡¯s mind. The proud demon refused to get killed by its enemy, so it decided to end its own life...


    Prince Dante was no coward, but he could not imagine himself pulling his own heart out. Not to mention crushing it without hesitation...

 Chapter 273 - Ren Shuang’s Cultivation

    <h4>Chapter 273 - Ren Shuang¡¯s Cultivation </h4>


    Prince Dante stared intently at the demon soldier¡¯s corpse. He carefully inspected the demon¡¯s body with his true essence to checked if it has still a remaining breath. He only sighed in relief when he sensed that it was no longer breathing.


    The prince recalled thest words of the demon soldier and he could not help but feel a bit of admiration towards its unyielding character and bravery.


    "Are all the demons like that? If that is the case, then we¡¯re going to be fucked up really bad..." Prince Dante muttered to himself.


    Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh.


    A few applicants arrived at the scene and witnessed the copsed body of the demon. They then gazed at the lone Prince Dante with a surprised look.


    Although the demon was already severely injured, it would be troublesome to defeat it. However, this man right here had actually beaten it alone!


    "Friend, did you defeat this demon alone?!" Someone asked with a shocked tone.


    The other applicants stared at the prince with admiration.


    Prince Dante recovered from his stupor and nced at the other applicants with a calm smile.


    "Thanks to everyone¡¯s effort in weakening this demon, I finally managed to y it." He uttered, but his words made them inhale a breath of cold air. None of them were capable of defeating such a creature even in its most sorry state!


    "Don¡¯t be humble, friend! That thing is at least a peak 7th-rank Emperor realm being. Killing it is a very tough task, but you¡¯ve done it on your own!" Jon, who was among the applicants said as he shed a thumbs up to the prince.


    Prince Dante smiled at his words.


    "I will remember everyone who took part in this battle. When wee out of this ce, I will invite you to my ce for a drink!" He said.


    Jon and the other applicants felt relieved for some reason. Even if killing this demon might not give them points, they were still happy to befriend this man in front of them. Some of them were able to recognize the prince¡¯s clothing and they were happy to have befriended a prince of the Silver Wing Empire.


    "Hahah! Good! I won¡¯t decline this invitation!" Jon smiled at the prince, while the other applicants also showed simr reactions.


    Among the crowd, a poorly-dressed little girl stared at Jon with a relieved look. This girl is Sylphie and she had just arrived at the scene. She was worried about Jon and his friends, so she immediately rushed towards this ce when she sensed the disturbance.


    "This guy is so strong! He actually defeated this demon alone? Who is he?" Sylphie muttered silently as she stared at Prince Dante. She could see that his clothes were of great quality, so she was certain that he was of noble birth.


    "Since they are safe, I should leave here and search for more tokens." She said after making sure that Jon and his two friends were not injured.


    ***


    Lu Sn was slightly surprised when she saw how the applicants managed to defeat the demon soldier. She was the one who suggested cing a demon soldier in the World of Illusion to test the applicant¡¯s heart and teamwork.


    When she first suggested it to Jiu Shen, she did not think that the applicants would be able to defeat it. However, the scene in front of her proved her wrong. She had underestimated Prince Dante¡¯s group.


    Although the demon took its own life at the very end, she still remembered all the faces of the applicants who joined the battle. She was nning to give them a bonus for their performance.


    "Master intentionally told the Tree of Illusion to make the demon¡¯s character to be like this when he heard your suggestion. He wanted the applicants to know that the demons must not be underestimated." Long Meili said while looking at the screen.


    "Master¡¯s wisdom is boundless. He gave this kind of hint to remind everyone that there is still a violent species of beast lurking at the sidelines. I suggested this idea, but I did not think ahead as the master did." Lu Sn said in admiration.


    She then stared at Long Meili and asked. "Sister Meili, do you think the master would help them if the demons will attack the Profound Dragon Continent?"


    Long Meili wanted to say yes when she heard the question, but the word was stuck on her throat she recalled Jiu Shen¡¯s unpredictable personality. In the end, she could only shake her head.


    "I don¡¯t know. Even after having close contact with the master, I still have no idea what¡¯s going on inside his mind. He¡¯s like the ocean, deep and unreadable..."


    Lu Sn¡¯s lips arched upwards when she heard the answer. She totally agreed to Long Meili¡¯s words, but she hoped that Jiu Shen won¡¯t sit idly when that time everes.


    "However, if his wine business will bepromised, I¡¯m certain that he won¡¯t remain at the sidelines." Long Meili added with certainty in her voice.


    Lu Sn was a bit surprised to heard and she chuckled at the thought of it. She was right! ¡¯Master would never allow others to ruin his wine business!¡¯


    ***


    Jiu Shen gently caressed the face of Ice who was deeply asleep. He then stared ahead and called out. "Ren Shuang."


    Swoosh!


    A silhouette stood before him in an instant!


    "Master." The man bowed his head respectfully.


    "How¡¯s your progress in breaking through to the Nascent God Realm?" Jiu Shen asked as he looked at Ren Shuang.


    Ren Shuang felt slightly nervous at the question, but he still replied calmly. "Master, give me a week. I will reach the Nascent God Realm by then."


    Jiu Shen nodded his head at his words. He had taken a look at Ren Shuang¡¯s dantian through his spiritual vision and he saw that the man was justcking a little bit more to break through his current realm.


    "System, open the Spirit World for me." Jiu Shen said in his mind.


    A wooden door suddenly appeared in front of Ren Shuang, making him unconsciously take a step back.


    "Get inside the Spirit World. The true essence inside is more abundant and the environment right there will aid your breakthrough." Jiu Shen said.


    Ren Shuang nodded his head and bowed towards Jiu Shen. "Yes, master."


    He then pushed the door open without hesitation.


    When Ren Shuang was already inside the Spirit World, the wooden door vanished. Jiu Shen was again left alone in his room.


    "With Ren Shuang taking charge here, I will be more at ease when I go to the Divine Beast Continent..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself.

 Chapter 274 - Second Assessment Complete!

    <h4>Chapter 274 - Second Assessment Complete! </h4>


    After the death of the demon soldier, there were no longer any major events inside the World of Illusion. The applicants continue to hunt for lesser demons, but some still chose to rob the other applicants using their superior strengths. However, the vast majority chose to stay in groups to maximize their hunting efficiency and also to prevent themselves from being robbed by others.


    Beiming Chu who was severely injured was helped by his friends to collect his own share of tokens. To this gesture, he was grateful that they did not leave him behind. He was happy that his little bit of sacrifice was worth it.


    ***


    On the other hand, Sylphie remained hunting alone, so she took quite a bit more time to collect her remaining tokens.


    "It¡¯s finally over." Lu Sn muttered as she checked the time. She then took out something and pressed it hard.


    The power of the Tree of Illusion was removed and the applicants slowly woke up one by one from that dream world.


    Everyone was still very confused as they propped themselves up. What had happened? They were perplexed about how they were taken out from the World of Illusion. Some of the smarter applicants connected the dots and they were able to guess what might have happened to them during thest few days.


    After everyone woke up, Lu Sn pped her hands to get their attention.


    p!


    The applicants turned their gazes towards her and waited for her to exin what happened.


    Lu Sn¡¯s expression remained calm when she saw everyone¡¯s bewildered faces. She then started talking. "I know every one of you is curious about what had happed, so let me exin this to everyone. All of you were taken to the World of Illusion with the help of this Tree of Illusion. In that world, you were tasked to look for tokens that can only be taken after killing a lesser demon. And to my surprise, more than 90% of you managed to pass this test. I will show the names of those who passed this assessment. As for those whose names aren¡¯t shown on the screen, you may leave this ce."


    Lu Sn waved her hand and a huge screen appeared in front of everyone. There were three rows on the screen, the first one wasbeled as names, the next was the number of tokens that the applicants have, and thestbel was their final remark (Pass, Fail).


    Everyone stared intently at the screen and began searching for their names. The applicants who passed the assessment were jubnt, while the few who failed shook their heads in regret.


    "I was so close to getting all the tokens. Too bad..." One of them said with a sad expression.


    "Wait, howe I passed the assessment? I¡¯m one token short of the required amount, so why did I get a passing remark?" One of the applicants asked in surprise when he saw his results.


    "Yeah, me too! I¡¯m three tokens short, but I also passed! Is this true?!" Another applicant voiced out his words with an excited tone.


    The other applicants were confused about the whole matter. Howe those guys passed the assessment when they failed to get the required amount of tokens?


    "I don¡¯t ept this! Why did they get a passing remark?!" A bulky young man said with displeasure written all over his face.


    Facing all their words, Lu Sn remained indifferent. She scanned her icy gaze through the crowd, making all those who were moring to shut their mouths.


    "There is a bonus reward inside the World of Illusion, and it is given to those killed the only demon soldier inside. Those who passed this assessment despitecking in tokens participated in killing that demon soldier. Any more words?" Lu Sn said in a cold tone.


    So that was it? Everyone was finally enlightened after Lu Sn exined the whole matter. As for those who voiced out their displeasure, they hid among the crowd in embarrassment.


    "Hahaha! This father was right to join His Highness in killing that demon soldier! Great!"


    "Goddammit! I should have joined those guys to kill that stupid demon!"


    Prince Dante and his friends looked at each other with smiles on their faces.


    "Brother Beiming, it is a good thing that we were transported into that World of Illusion. If not, it might take you more than a month to recover from that injury." Zhu Ren said in relief.


    Beiming Chu¡¯s shoulders turned cold when he heard his words. He was right! His injuries at that time were too severe that he even had a hard time walking.


    "Don¡¯t do that kind of thing again, Brother Beiming. Your Beiming Family¡¯s body strengthening technique might be powerful, but who knows what might happen in the future. You have to be extra careful." Prince Dante patted his friend¡¯s shoulder as he said those words.


    Princess Sylvia nodded her head in agreement, but she still red at her brother. "You¡¯re one to talk! You foolishly charged towards that demon soldier alone! I never thought you were that crazy! Hmph!"


    Prince Dante scratched the back of his head in embarrassment as he appeased the raging little demoness.


    Looking at this, Zhu Ren and Beiming Chu chuckled heartily.


    "Silence!" Lu Sn said in a cold tone.


    All the applicants immediately shifted their gazes to this beautiful elder, but they did not dare have any lecherous thoughts about her. Who would dare do that when the woman in front of them was the disciple of the renowned Sect Master Jiu Shen?! Only a retard would provoke her...


    "The third assessment will be held tomorrow morning. Make sure that none of you will bete. All of you may now go back to your rooms." Lu Sn said before leaving the scene.


    The assessment passers excitedly talked with their new friends as they went back to their rooms.


    Long Meili who was standing on top of the Tree of Illusion¡¯s branch stared at Sylphie¡¯s lone back with many thoughts in her head.

 Chapter 275 - Mirror Of Truth And Deceit

    <h4>Chapter 275 - Mirror Of Truth And Deceit </h4>


    The next morning, everyone was excited about the third assessment. If they managed to pass this final test, they would be disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower!


    "What do you guys think would be tested in the final assessment?" Beiming Chu asked. He was truly curious about the final exam especially after Lu Sn spoke about it. Although she said that it was the easiest exam, Beiming Chu was a bit skeptical about that. Who knows maybe Lu Sn might have said those words to fool them...


    Zhu Ren shook his head after a moment of contemtion. He also had no idea as to what would happen during the next assessment. However, he told himself to never fail it.


    "No matter what will be tested, I¡¯m certain that all of us will pass." Princess Sylvia muttered with certainty in her tone.


    Prince Dante smiled at her words, but he internally agreed with what his sister said. It wasn¡¯t because he was arrogant, but it was his trust towards everyone¡¯s talents.


    The venue for the final assessment was another huge room. However, there was nothing noteworthy about this room except for the door-like object at the center.


    This object emitted a deep aura, but the thing that made everyone wary was the feeling of being seen through every time they nce at this door.


    Prince Dante went closer towards it, his gaze carrying great curiosity. His sister and the other two followed behind him when they saw him walking towards this ¡¯door¡¯.


    Uponing at a close proximity to this ¡¯door¡¯, Prince Dante eximed when he realized that he could actually see his reflection on it.


    "Is this a mirror or a portal?" He muttered in a daze.


    "It looks like a portal, but it also looks like a mirror. What could this thing be?" Beiming Chu said as he nced towards this ¡¯door¡¯.


    It wasn¡¯t just them, all the remaining applicants came closer to this ¡¯door¡¯ and inspected it carefully. They wanted to find out what kind of object it was since it might be rted to the next assessment.


    However, none of them were able to tell what it was even after looking at it for more than thirty minutes. They could shake their heads regretfully after failing to guess what it was.


    "Where¡¯s the overseer? It¡¯s almost the start of the final assessment but I can¡¯t see any elders of the Heavenly Sword Tower inside this room-" Just as that applicant uttered those words, he suddenly felt a cold gaze piercing through his back. He slowly turned around and saw the familiar face of a woman.


    "Young Miss Theia! I mean Elder Theia! This..." He felt horrified at the sight of this beautiful grim reaper.


    ¡¯Is she the overseer for thest assessment? I thought that this would be the easiest one... Was Elder Lu Sn messing with us yesterday?¡¯ The applicant wanted to cry, but no tears came out...


    Those who knew who this woman was immediately stood like statues when they spotted her. As for those who came from outside of the Silver Wing Empire, they gazed at her deeply.


    Theia was after all a stunning beauty with a great figure. If not for her notoriety, she would have dozens of suitors lining up her door.


    "Woah! Who is this beautiful elder? She looks very pretty!" An applicant eximed in admiration as he looked at Theia¡¯s devastatingly beautiful face.


    Smack!


    Suddenly, someone smacked the back of his head and this made him furious.


    "Hey! What the hell is that for?!"


    "Brother, you are not a resident of our Silver Wing Empire, so you might have not heard of that woman. Listen closely or you might regret itter. Her name is Theia and she is a waitress in Sect Master Jiu¡¯s Immortal Wine Store. Don¡¯t provoke her if you don¡¯t want to die without a proper burial."


    Those that heard those words immediately retracted their filthy gazes off of Theia, but there were still a few who failed to contain their lustful gazes.


    "Insolent fools!" A cold voice echoed inside the room as a wave of powerful true essence swept through everyone like a gust of wind!


    Swoosh!


    The dozen applicants who were ogling at Theia fell to their knees in just a blink of an eye!


    Thud! Thud! Thud!


    The remaining applicants who managed to hold their lust were looking at the scene with horrified expressions. They praised themselves for listening to the other¡¯s advice.


    "If this happened outside of our Heavenly Sword Tower, I would have already killed you all. Thank you lucky stars that you are currently applicants who might be disciples of our sect." Theia uttered in an icy tone, making everyone gulp nervously.


    At the far corner, Prince Dante and co. smiled at the scene with a hint of schadenfreude.


    "They actually dared to look at her with such obscene gazes. Truly tired of living. Hmph!" Princess Sylvia said in a mocking voice.


    Prince Dante and the other two chuckled at her words.


    Theia scanned the crowd with an indifferent and cold look. She could see a few familiar faces, but she did not even bother to greet them.


    After a moment of silence, Theia¡¯s cold and emotionless voice echoed inside the room.


    "You guys have already seen the Mirror of Truth and Deceit. It is the portal-like door that you see in front of you. This thing will y a significant role in this assessment, but you guys have nothing to worry about it. The only thing you needed to do to pass this assessment is that you must be able to pass through the Mirror of Truth and Deceit. As for those who would fail in doing it, you can scram out of this building!"


    Mirror of Truth and Deceit? Just what was this thing able to do?


    Everyone was curious, but nobody dared to raise their hands to ask about this.


    "Elder Theia, I have a question." Princess Sylvia raised her hand as she asked fearlessly.


    Theia nced in her direction and said. "Speak."


    "What is this Mirror of Truth and Deceit and how could we pass through it?" Princess Sylvia asked.


    Everyone turned their gazes towards Theia and waited for her to answer.


    Theia¡¯s eyes remained calm as she answered in a dull tone. "This thing is capable of seeing through your hearts and as for how you can pass through the Mirror of Truth and Deceit, you will know soon..."

 Chapter 276 - The Ability Of The Mirror?

    <h4>Chapter 276 - The Ability Of The Mirror? </h4>


    "Is there anyone else who has questions?" Theia moved her gaze through the crowd and she smirked coldly in her heart when she saw that no one dared to ask anymore.


    A few applicants wanted to raise their hands, but when that pair of cold gaze swept through them, their bodies instantly went cold, making them halt their movements. This woman is so scary! Everyone thought in their hearts.


    "Since you don¡¯t have any questions, all of you can line up ording to the sequence that I¡¯m going to show you." Theia said as she waved her hand.


    Arge screen emerged in front of the crowd and they saw a list of their names from the top scorer of the second assessment down to thest person. From the looks of it, the sequence was ording to everyone¡¯s final results in the second assessment.


    Everyone followed Theia¡¯s instructions without making a fuss. They lined themselves in front of the Mirror of Truth and Deceit. The applicants were curious as to what this thing was capable of doing.


    "Dante Silveria, you may step inside the Mirror of Truth and Deceit." Theia said expressionlessly.


    Since the prince was the one who got the top score during the second assessment, he was also the first one to step inside the Mirror of Truth and Deceit.


    Prince Dante nodded his head at Theia when he heard his name being called.


    Under the curious gazes of everyone, the prince walked towards the door-like object while hiding the rising tension in his heart.


    As the prince went closer to the Mirror of Truth and Deceit, he saw that the space within this thing was rippling like water.


    ¡¯This thing won¡¯t kill me, right?¡¯ He nervously muttered in his heart.


    At this moment, the prince was only a few steps away from the Mirror of Truth and Deceit. The nervousness he was feeling was bing heavier and he could already hear the violent beating of his heart.


    "What do you guys think would happen to him once he steps inside that thing?" Somebody silently raised a question.


    The crowd pondered, but they had no idea what the answer was, so they just remained silent as they watched the prince as he slowly walked.


    Prince Dante inhaled and exhaled deeply before he took thest step towards the ¡¯door¡¯. And to everyone¡¯s surprise, nothing noteworthy happened to him. He just passed through the Mirror of Truth and Deceit as if he was just walking towards a normal door.


    The only thing that everyone saw was the rippling of space within the door when the prince stepped inside. Other than that, there was truly nothing else to see.


    "What? What happened?" Someone asked in shock.


    "Look! Look at his face!" Somebody pointed out.


    Everyone immediately turned their gazes back to the prince and they saw that he was now sweating heavily.


    Just what had he experienced that even as the top scorer, he actually revealed that kind of reaction? Thinking about this, the remaining applicants became even more nervous.


    "Brother, just what did you see behind that door?" Someone asked the prince.


    Prince Dante nced at the guy with a nk look and replied in a slightly shaky voice. "I cannot speak about it."


    He then turned around and left after saying those words.


    The crowd was silent at his reply.


    "Next person. Go inside." Theia¡¯s cold voice awakened them.


    The remaining applicants stepped inside the Mirror of Truth and Deceit. Everyone who had gone through that door would always have the same weird and fearful look.


    Suddenly.


    "I can¡¯t get inside?! What¡¯s happening?!" An applicant eximed nervously. He tried stepping inside the Mirror of Truth and Deceit, but he could not even take another step forward. It was as if an invisible wall was blocking his path.


    Hearing this, Theia nced at the applicant with a cold look.


    Everyone could sense the killing intent emitted from that gaze. However, they were all astonished about this. Why would she reveal that kind of killing intent towards an applicant when he merely failed to pass through the Mirror of Truth and Deceit?


    "You, stand behind me." Theia pointed at the guy.


    The man nervously nodded his head before he walked behind Theia.


    What was happening? Did the man pass the assessment while the rest of them failed? No one was certain...


    The assessment continued and a few other applicants failed to pass through the door. There were fourteen of them in total. It was just a small amount from the hundreds who passed the second assessment.


    "Those who managed to pass through the Mirror of Truth and Deceit, you may stay here and wait for further instructions. As for the people behind me, follow me to meet my master!" Theia said in a neutral tone.


    "What?! How lucky! Did they pass the third assessment?"


    "They actually have the chance to meet the legendary Sect Master Jiu..."


    "I envy them..."


    The fourteen people behind Theia were initially feeling nervous, but when they heard that they could meet with the renowned Sect Master Jiu Shen. All their worries vanished and their faces lit up in excitement.


    Theia snorted in her heart when she saw everyone¡¯s reaction. She then brought the fourteen people to Jiu Shen¡¯s room.


    Prince Dante knitted his eyebrows as he looked at those people. He knew nothing about them, and he was curious as to what was waiting for them.


    "Brother, did we fail the exam? Why did Elder Theia bring those guys away?" Princess Sylvia asked worriedly.


    Prince Dante smiled at his sister and patted her head. "Don¡¯t worry. I think we are the ones who passed this assessment."


    Princess Sylvia¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard his words. "Really?"


    "Of course!" The prince nodded his head with great certainty.


    "You sensed the killing intent earlier, right? I think there is something wrong with those people and that was why they were rejected by the Mirror of Truth and Deceit. Furthermore, I already have a few guesses about what this thing is capable of doing." Prince Dante added in a calm tone.

 Chapter 277 - Exhilaration

    <h4>Chapter 277 - Exhration </h4>


    Jiu Shen who was standing by his window suddenly moved his gaze to the door. With just his keen senses, he could already tell that a few people were walking towards this ce. He then used his spiritual sight to check who these people were. When he saw that it was just Theia and a bunch of young cultivators, he removed his gaze from them and continued staring at the beautiful scenery outside of the window.


    Knock! Knock! Knock!


    "Come in." Jiu Shen calmly said.


    Creak...


    Theia opened the door after getting her master¡¯s approval. She then went in front of him and bowed in subservience. "Master, I¡¯ve brought them." Her tone was a tad warmerpared to how she had sounded earlier during the assessment.


    The fourteen young cultivators nced at this man with curiosity. They wanted to see what was special about him that even the whole of the Profound Dragon Continent trembles at the mere mention of his name. However, aside from his devilishly handsome face, they did not even sense an ounce of strengthing from him.


    If not for the rumors and pieces of evidence about his strength, they would have believed that he was just an ordinary handsome wine seller.


    "Greetings, Sect Master Jiu Shen!" They bowed respectfully as they greeted him.


    Jiu Shen did not even nce at them and just silently watched the outside scenery, but upon seeing this, no one dared to make a fuss.


    "Theia, you may leave. You know what to do with the other applicants." Jiu Shen¡¯s calm voice drifted inside the room.


    "Yes, master. I shall take my leave now." Theia bowed her head and left. As she went out of the room, she did not even bother to look at the fourteen young cultivators. In her eyes, they were already dead people...


    After Theia left the room, an awkward silence soon followed. Just as the young cultivators were about to go crazy, Jiu Shen suddenly asked a question.


    "Do you know why I called you guys here?"


    The fourteen cultivators were silent for a moment. Just then, one of them answered with uncertainty. "We failed to enter the Mirror of Truth and Deceit. The people who weren¡¯t called all managed to pass through that door. As for those of us here, we failed to do so."


    Jiu Shen turned around and nced at the young cultivators with an indifferent expression. He then walked towards his chair and sat calmly.


    "You¡¯re smart, but I don¡¯t need rats in my sect." Jiu Shen uttered in a calm tone, but his words made these young cultivators sweat heavily.


    All of them came from different sects and families. Their goal was to be disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower and bring back the valuable sword techniques and cultivation techniques owned by the sword tower to their respective families and sects. In short, they were spies!


    "Se-Sect Master Jiu, wh-what do you mean?" Someone feigned innocence, but his shaking voice confirmed Jiu Shen¡¯s words.


    The other young cultivators also became nervous. They involuntarily took a step back while preparing to flee at any moment.


    Since their identity was already exposed, they could no longer remain here. However, they could no longer move when Jiu Shen¡¯s expressionless gaze shifted towards them!


    "That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t establish a sect before. It is too troublesome." Jiu Shen shook his head as he muttered to himself.


    "Sect Master Jiu! Don¡¯t kill me! I¡¯m innocent!" One of the cultivators shouted with a pitiful look.


    "Too noisy." Jiu Shen said as he did a snapping motion with his finger.


    Snap!


    Right after that moment, the bodies of the fourteen individuals inside Jiu Shen¡¯s room suddenly exploded.


    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Blood, bones, and pieces of meat sshed, but they seemed to have been suspended in midair without even touching anything inside the room.


    Jiu Shen flicked his finger and produced a small wisp of ck mes before sending it towards the broken pieces of human remains.


    Crackle! Crackle!


    Crackling sounds echoed inside the room as the mangled human carcasses were burned in mere seconds.


    After less than ten seconds, the cracklings sounds vanished. The room went back to its previously tranquil state.


    Jiu Shen scanned the spotlessly clean room with a poker face as he muttered. "Now, my sect has a few hundred disciples to train. It¡¯s almost time to visit the Divine Beast Continent... I can finallyplete that mission. It has been a while since the system has given it..."


    The roompsed into silence after that. No one else would have known that fourteen talented young cultivators died inside this room in just a snap of a finger...


    ***


    Theia headed back to where she left the other applicants.


    Upon arriving in that room, her presence immediately attracted everyone¡¯s attention.


    "From now on, all of you here will be disciples of our Heavenly Sword Tower." Theia announced. Her words instantly made the crowd erupt into joyous cheers.


    "YESS!!"


    "Awesome!!!"


    Waaahhhh!!


    "Silence!" Theia shouted, immediately silencing everyone, but their eyes were still filled with excitement.


    "After you leave this room, someone will give you guys your uniform and a few other things for your cultivation. You can also choose to go back to your respective families today, but you have to be here tomorrow. Remember, you are now disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower. However, you will have to follow the rules of the sect or you will immediately be expelled!" Theia said.


    Everyone nodded their heads seriously. No one even bothered to ask what had happened to the fourteen individuals earlier. All of them were smart enough to not ask that question.


    "Dismissed!"


    Theia left the room after that announcement.


    Waaahhhh!!


    "I can¡¯t believe it! I¡¯ve actually be a disciple of the Heavenly Sword Tower!? Hahahah!


    Everyone was filled with glee and excitement as they cheered.


    Standing at the furthermost corner was the lone Sylphie. She also disyed an exhrated look.


    "With the Heavenly Sword Tower¡¯s backing, I can finally avenge my family and my kingdom! Crimson Sun Sect, just you wait!" Sylphie¡¯s eyes shed with murderous intent as she muttered coldly in her heart.

 Chapter 278 - Yang Zenke’s Shocking Reveal Of Power

    <h4>Chapter 278 - Yang Zenke¡¯s Shocking Reveal Of Power </h4>


    Yang Zenke was responsible for the distribution of the new disciples¡¯ robes and cultivation resources. It was hard to do it alone, so he called a few other disciples to help him.


    "Brother Yang, we are the first batch of disciples, so the new ones should call us ¡¯senior brother¡¯. I like the sound of that. Hahaha!" Han Sen smiled from ear to ear. He was excited to see the new members of their sect.


    Yang Zenke ignored the shameless fellow and continued to distribute a few boxes to his friends. Inside of these boxes were the robes and cultivation resources of the new disciples.


    "Brother Han, are you sure about that? Some of the new disciples are quite strong and they might not be willing to call you their senior." Xiao Hua chuckled softly.


    Han Sen nced at Xiao Hua, but he merely smiled at her words. He was confident that he had already surpassed all the other young experts in the Silver Wing Empire. With the exception of Yang Zenke, he was confident that no one else could defeat him.


    Looking at the smug look of his friend, Yang Zenke was at a loss. This brat was bing more shameless and confident, but too much of it was not a good thing. Thinking about this, Yang Zenke smacked the back of Han Sen¡¯s head and fiercely said. "Fool! Don¡¯t forget what the master had told us before. We must not be arrogant with the little achievements that we have and everyone must always strive hard to be even stronger. We might be considered as strong in the eyes of the other young experts, but in master¡¯s eyes, we are nothing!"


    Initially, Han Sen wanted to fight back, but when he heard his friend¡¯s words, his back was suddenly covered in a cold sweat. ¡¯That¡¯s right! Since when did I be this arrogant? I have been blinded by my rising cultivation level that I¡¯ve forgotten where I came from!¡¯


    With a grateful look, Han Sen solemnly said. "Many thanks for opening my eyes, Brother Yang."


    Yang Zenke nodded his head at Han Sen as he patted the guy¡¯s back with a bit of force.


    "Take this ande with me to meet our juniors." Yang Zenke said as he handed a box to Han Sen.


    ***


    Prince Dante and the other new disciples waited inside the huge training hall on the lowest floor of the sword tower. They have been here for more than an hour, but everyone waited calmly for their rewards.


    "Even until now, I still can¡¯t believe that I actually passed all three assessments..."


    "I knew some of those who failed the assessments. They aren¡¯t weak at all. All the people who signed up for the recruitment are the best of the Profound Dragon Continent, but only a few of us remained. I wonder what our future would be like after bing disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower..."


    The new disciples eagerly chatted with their new friends. Everyone was still jubnt after they passed all three assessments.


    Just then... Everyone suddenly sensed the arrival of a few people. They stopped talking and turned their gazes to the neers.


    Upon seeing the embroidered ck robes of the neers, they became certain that these people were among the first batch of disciples that the Heavenly Sword Tower had epted.


    At first, everyone was still calm, but when they noticed the aura of the man leading this group, the new disciples immediately stood to their feet.


    "This guy... How the hell did he break through by this much?!" Beiming Chu eximed when he sensed the aura of this familiar young man.


    Beside him, Prince Dante and the others were also stunned.


    Yang Zenke smiled inwardly when he saw the dumbstruck gazes of the new disciples. He purposely released his aura to warn the new disciples that he as the senior must be respected.


    After their long training inside the Endless Forest, his cultivation level leapfrogged into the initial stage of the 6th-rank King realm! How could this group of new disciples not be shocked to see such a young and talented individual?


    "Greetings, my junior brothers and junior sisters. Congrattions on passing the three assessments and finally bing disciples of our Heavenly Sword Tower! I won¡¯t say too much bullshit. Our task is to deliver these items to you guys, so please line up and receive your rewards." Yang Zenke said as he scanned the crowd. He was no longer the weak servant boy that he once was. He had be someone with great status and it would be a lie if he said that he wasn¡¯t proud of himself. However, he will never let this proudness get the better of him.


    "Brother Yang, you could have introduced us as well..." Han Sen whispered sorrowfully as he poked Yang Zenke¡¯s back with his finger.


    ck lines could be seen on Yang Zenke¡¯s forehead when he heard Han Sen¡¯s words.


    Xiao Hua giggled when she heard Han Sen. This guy was still the same...


    "I will give you face and not smack you in front of the new disciples. Just start distributing the boxes to our juniors." Yang Zenke said in a serious tone.


    Han Sen chuckled dryly when he saw the look on Yang Zenke¡¯s face. He then put on a bright smile as he distributed the robes and cultivation resources of the new disciples.


    Looking at this, Yang Zenke could only sigh as he shook his head.


    "Brother Yang, you¡¯ve be even stronger after merely leaving for more than a month. I don¡¯t know if I could still take one of your blows." Yang Zenke shifted his gaze to Prince Dante who had just arrived in front of him.


    Yang Zenke remained calm at his words. "You tter me. I¡¯ve merely done my best to cultivate. All the rest is thanks to the mas- teachings of Sect Master Jiu Shen." He wanted to say master, but he changed his words after thinking carefully. It would be more proper to call Jiu Shen as Sect Master while they were in the presence of others.


    They weren¡¯t Jiu Shen¡¯s personal disciples since they were only disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower. It would be more urate to call them Jiu Shen¡¯s sword servants, but thetter treated them as if they were his personal disciples. Even so, they were already satisfied with the status quo.

 Chapter 279 - Invitation

    <h4>Chapter 279 - Invitation </h4>


    "Don¡¯t be too humble, Brother Yang. Your talent deserves to be praised!" Beiming Chu suddenly said.


    Yang Zenke¡¯s indifferent face warmed up a little bit when he saw their friendly attitude. He wasn¡¯t close to this bunch, but they seemed to be treating him as a friend.


    "I won¡¯t stay here for long since I still have to report back to Sect Master Jiu Shen." Yang Zenke said.


    Prince Dante nodded his head when he heard Yang Zenke¡¯s words, but he suddenly recalled something.


    "Wait. Before you go, I would like to invite you toe with us to the imperial pceter. We will be holding a banquet to celebrate our sess and I do hope that you will be there, Brother Yang." The prince smiled as he invited Yang Zenke.


    Yang Zenke wanted to decline, but Han Sen abruptly stepped forward and said with a broad grin. "Alright. We ept your invitation. You don¡¯t mind a few of using with Brother Yang, right?"


    Prince Dante turned his gaze to the smiling Han Sen. He could still remember this fierce fellow who tried to break through during his fight in thest annual martial arts contest. The prince could never forget such a barbaric fighter who fought like a madman. This guy was even crazier than Yang Zenke!


    "Brother Han, it¡¯s been a while! It looks like your- huh?! Your cultivation..." Prince Dante was speechless when he sensed the aura of Han Sen.


    Peak stage of the 5th-rank Spirit realm!


    Zhu Ren and the others finally discovered this as well when they saw the prince¡¯s unusual reaction. All of them could only stare at Han Sen and Yang Zenke with utter astonishment. Just how did these two freaks manage to cultivate themselves this fast!?


    Looking at their dumbfounded gazes, Han Senughed in his heart. Of course, he still put on a smiling expression outwardly.


    "Hahaha! Yo! I knew that you guys would pass the assessments! Congrattions!" A voice suddenly interrupted everyone¡¯s train of thoughts.


    They nced at the source of the voice and saw the dashing Liu Mengdi who was wearing his sect robes. A blood-red sword can be seen behind his back.


    "Brother Liu!" Prince Dante and the others greeted.


    Liu Mengdi smiled at them as he asked. "You guys wouldn¡¯t mind if I join this banquet, right?"


    "Of course not! It would be more fun with Brother Liu around. I will also invite a few disciples of our sect to join the banquet." Prince Dante said. He will honor his promise to those who have helped them in fighting the demon soldier inside the World of Illusion.


    "Great! In that case, I won¡¯t hold myself back! Hahaha!" Liu Mengdiughed heartily.


    "Brother Liu, how is your Liu Family faring? If you need help, our Beiming Family will dly support you." Beiming Chu patted his chest as he said those words.


    Liu Mengdi¡¯s eyes shed for a moment, but it soon reverted to normal. "Everything is good. If I ever need help from the Beiming Family, I hope that Brother Beiming won¡¯t forget his words." He forced out a smile.


    At the mention of his Liu Family, Liu Mengdi recalled his father. It was so painful, but he maintained his smiling facade.


    Cough!


    Prince Dante faked a cough to gather everyone¡¯s attention.


    "Alright, everyone! Let¡¯s go back to our new rooms and put on our sect robes. After that, we will go to the imperial pce and start the banquet." The prince changed the topic to avoid soiling the warm atmosphere.


    "Right! Let¡¯s go! I want to see how I look in this sect robes!" Princess Sylvia dragged her brother without even bothering the others.


    "Hey, wait!"


    Prince Dante could only helplessly nce at the others as he was dragged by his younger sister.


    Looking at this scene, everyoneughed.


    "Brother Yang, Brother Han, make sure that you both will be there. You too, Brother Liu." Zhu Ren said before he followed the brother and sister pair. Behind him was Beiming Chu who was following him like a shadow.


    Han Sen turned his gaze to Yang Zenke and said. "Brother Yang, this is such a rare asion. It does not happen often. I know that you don¡¯t want to waste your precious cultivation time, but cultivation will tire you out if you don¡¯t take a break."


    Yang Zenke red at him fiercely, making thetter shrink.


    "You¡¯ve already epted his invitation. What else can I do?" Yang Zenke sighed as he shook his head.


    "Good! Hahaha! Let¡¯s bring Sister Xiao and her friends with us. The banquet would look nd without them." Han Sen said as he nced towards Xiao Hua.


    Smack!


    "You! You just want to show off!" Yang Zenke smacked Han Sen¡¯s head without hesitation. Luckily, the new disciples were busy seeing that embarrassing scene.


    "It¡¯s fine, Brother Yang. I also wanted to see what an imperial banquet would look like. I¡¯ll also bring some of my friends with me." Xiao Hua said with a sweet smile.


    Hearing Xiao Hua¡¯s confirmation, Yang Zenke could only agree.


    Standing at the side, Liu Mengdi secretlyughed when he saw this.


    ***


    "Master, they have already distributed the new disciples¡¯ robes and cultivation resources. Do you have any more instructions for me?" Long Meili asked with her head down.


    Jiu Shen leaned on his chair and replied in a calm tone. "Observe that little girl Sylphie and when the time is right, ept her as your disciple. With your guidance, this rough pearl would one day shine as bright like a diamond."


    Long Meili nodded her head and epted the order. She was also captivated by the little girl¡¯s tenacious spirit and willpower. Even without Jiu Shen¡¯s words, she would still ept Sylphie as her student.


    "I obey, master." She said.


    "Oh right. Before you go, tell the kitchen staff to make more bottles of milk and ask them to bring it here." Jiu Shen added.


    ¡¯Master is pampering that little tiger too much...¡¯ She muttered in her heart, but she still nodded her head at her master¡¯s words.


    "I¡¯ll inform them immediately."

 Chapter 280 - Ren Shuang’s Breakthrough

    <h4>Chapter 280 - Ren Shuang¡¯s Breakthrough </h4>


    "Master, Yang Zenke, and a few disciples went out of the sword tower together with a group of new disciples. The direction that they are headed to seems to be the imperial pce. Do you want me to send an elder to protect them in secret?" Lu Sn said as she bowed respectfully at Jiu Shen. She looked around Jiu Shen¡¯s entire room, but she failed to see the silhouette of Long Meili. This made Lu Sn quite confused since Long Meili was always present no matter where Jiu Shen was.


    "Yang Zenke is already strong enough to protect himself, but he might not be able to save the others if something unexpected happens. Ask Hu Xiandao to tail them in secret, but tell him that he must only act when the disciples are in a dire situation." Jiu Shen said after a moment of thought. He must not allow anything to happen to those kids.


    Lu Sn acknowledged the order with a nod of her head. "I¡¯ll inform him immediately... Uhm, master, where is Sister Meili?" She could not help but ask.


    Jiu Shen stared at his disciple who had a face full of question marks. "She is still inside the sword tower. I just sent her to do something." He replied.


    Hearing his answer, Lu Sn knew that there was something more about it, but she chose not to ask more questions. "I¡¯ll take my leave now, master."


    Jiu Shen nodded his head at her and waved his hand impatiently.


    Lu Sn¡¯s mouth twitched when she saw that, but she knew that her master was always like this, so she could only leave the room with a slightly downcast look.


    Jiu Shen closed his eyes and focused his attention on the events happening inside the Spirit World. He sent Ren Shuang inside the Spirit World to maximize his chances of stepping into the Nascent God Realm. He wanted to see what the guy¡¯s progress was.


    The moment he adjusted his spiritual sight, he noticed the turbulent weather inside the Spirit World. Looking at this scene, Jiu Shen knew that Ren Shuang was currently facing his tribtion lightning. If he managed to survive this, he would be a Nascent God Realm expert!


    "With Ren Shuang¡¯s talent and foundation, he should have no problems in achieving this breakthrough. I should not show myself for the time being or he might be flustered if he sees me." Jiu Shen removed his gaze from the Spirit World and calmly waited on his seat. It shouldn¡¯t take much time for Ren Shuang to breakthrough.


    "After Ren Shuang finishes his cultivation breakthrough, I will immediately prepare before I visit the Divine Beast Continent." Jiu Shen muttered to himself as he stood up from his seat. He then walked towards his bed and gently sat beside Ice who was sleeping peacefully like an angel. He gently stroked the girl¡¯s head and let out a warm smile.


    With her eyes shut tight, Ice extended both of her arms and tightly held Jiu Shen¡¯s hand. She then snuggled her face to the palm of his hand, her face filled with a bright smile.


    "Just a bit more..." Jiu Shen whispered softly.


    ***


    Inside the Spirit World.


    shes of purple lightning webbed through the skies, illuminating the world with a bright glow. The savage beast living inside the Spirit World was horrified at the sight of this.


    Sitting atop a tall mountain was a man with long wavy hair. His eyes were closed but he seemed to be gazing at the lightning that covered the skies.


    "This should be thest wave of tribtion lightning. I never knew that it would be this horrible. If not for my strong foundation and the abundant amount of true essence in this world, I might have failed to achieve a breakthrough. Since I have all these, I will never fail master¡¯s expectations!" The normally silent Ren Shuang muttered with confidence as he opened his eyes and red in the direction of the lightning.


    Crackle! Crackle!


    The ear-splitting crackles of lightning covered the firmament, but Ren Shuang remained stoic, looking rather heroic with his fearless and almighty figure.


    ZAP! Rumble!


    A few streaks of lightning sped towards Ren Shuang¡¯s lone figure, looking like dragons made of pure lightning!


    Facing the iing threat, Ren Shuang erupted with power! He channeled his true essence out of his body and covered himself with it. He then stretched both his arms, intending to punch the iing bolts of lightning! If anyone would have seen this, they might think that this guy was a madman. However, Ren Shuang¡¯s gaze was filled with inhuman calmness as if this was nothing in his eyes!


    BANG!


    The moment his fists came in contact with the bolts of lightning, a violent sound echoed about, and the entire mountain where he stood slowly cracked. The ground beneath his feet abruptly caved in, producing a huge crater that spanned more than a hundred meters!


    Rumble!


    The surrounding savage beast near the vicinity of the mountain turned tail and fled, afraid that they would be implicated by these violent lightning strikes.


    After that final strike of tribtion lightning, the Spirit World recovered its previous tranquility.


    The tall mountain which received most of the strikes was now gone. Only a huge pile of boulders and stones can be seen...


    Within the crater, a figure suddenly emerged, his eyes shone like the stars as he swept his gaze in his surroundings. He slowly floated in midair and checked the condition of his body.


    "The Nascent God Realm is indeed many times strongerpared to the 9th-rank Saint." He muttered when he sensed the massive leap in his power.


    "Since I have already reached the Nascent God Realm, I should report back to the master. However, how do I return to Nuar?" Ren Shuang might have reached the Nascent God Realm, but he was still unaware of the secrets behind the Spirit World. He didn¡¯t know how his master managed to send him here nor he was aware of how his master was able tomand such power...


    Just then, a wooden door suddenly emerged in front of him.


    Ren Shuang knew what to do when he saw this door. Without hesitation, he pushed the door open.

 Chapter 281 - Is It Finally Time?

    <h4>Chapter 281 - Is It Finally Time? </h4>


    When Ren Shuang stepped inside the door, his vision darkened for a moment before he saw the familiar figure of his master.


    Jiu Shen stood in front of him with an indifferent expression on his face. "Congrattions on your breakthrough." He said in a calm tone.


    Ren Shuang bowed his head and said with respect. "It is all thanks to the master¡¯s arrangements. The true essence inside that world is many times thicker than here in Nuar. Failing to breakthrough under that condition would be humiliating."


    "Since you have already stepped into the Nascent God Realm, I can be at ease to leave this ce in your care. I will take Ice with me to the Divine Beast Continent and we might be gone for a while. Your task is to protect this ce and our people while I am away. As for people requesting the aid of our Heavenly Sword Tower, I will leave that for you to decide." Jiu Shen had long since nned on visiting the Divine Beast Continent. With Ren Shuang guarding the ce during his absence, he can finally leave without worry.


    "I will protect them with my life." Ren Shuang promised with a solemn expression.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head when he heard Ren Shuang¡¯s words. He then took out amunication crystal and handed it to Ren Shuang as he said. "Use this crystal when there is a crisis that even you can¡¯t handle, but I don¡¯t think that there is still someone in this continent that could give you that much trouble. However, if that time everes, don¡¯t hesitate to contact me through thismunication crystal."


    Ren Shuang nced at the small crystal in his hand and carefully kept it inside his space ring. He then stared at Jiu Shen with a serious gaze as he said. "Master, I will not allow anyone to bring harm to our people and the sword tower!"


    "Good. I will be leaving tomorrow. And remember, the safest ce in this world is the wine store." Jiu Shen went towards his bed after saying those words.


    Seeing this, Ren Shuang knew that it was time for him to leave the room.


    Before he left, Ren Shuang bowed in the direction of Jiu Shen. His mind was upied with Jiu Shen¡¯sst words.


    "The safest ce in this world is inside the wine store..." Ren Shuang muttered as he walked away.


    Jiu Shen patted the face of the little girl who was still sleeping soundly on the bed. This small act of him woke up the little girl.


    "St-Stinky human! Why did you wake up this Lord Tiger?!" Ice raised her hands like a w as she resentfully red at Jiu Shen. She was dreaming about walking on top of a huge mountain of ice cream, but it was suddenly interrupted by Jiu Shen, so how could she not be angry?


    Jiu Shen calmly evaded her w strikes as he replied in a soft voice. "You wille with me to the Divine Beast Continent. We will be leaving tomorrow morning."


    Ice retracted her hands and stared at Jiu Shen with surprise. "Is it finally time?" She asked with mixed emotions.


    She had escaped from the Divine Beast Continent with the help of her parents. She had no idea if they were still alive. Although the possibility was abysmally low, she wanted to verify it herself.


    She could still remember how her n members were brutally killed during that day and how powerless she was to stop the massacre.


    WhenJiu Shen saw her changing expressions, he immediately carried the little girl and hugged her tightly in his embrace.


    Ice tried to suppress her tears from falling out, causing her small body to shiver uncontrobly.


    Jiu Shen gently rubbed her back as he said. "Yes, it is time for us to go there. No matter what you see in that ce, my door is always open for you."


    Ice remained silent when she heard his words. She snuggled into his chest and bit her lips to prevent herself from crying.


    "You can no longer drink your milk when we go there, so you have to enjoy it while you are still here." Jiu Shen suddenly said.


    His words startled the little girl and she immediately went "ah" as she looked at Jiu Shen with a pitiful gaze.


    "Can you not ask those humans to make more than a hundred bottles in advance? No- I mean more than ten thousand bottles. Yeah, ten thousand!" Ice held Jiu Shen¡¯s hand while looking at him with big adorable eyes.


    "Nope." Jiu Shen replied without a change in his emotions.


    Ice pouted and raised her ws, her teeth looking ready to bite Jiu Shen at any moment.


    "You will!" She said threateningly.


    "Nope."


    Ice pounced towards Jiu Shen and opened her mouth wide, but before she could even bite his arms, Jiu Shen stopped her advance with a casual tap of his finger directly on her forehead.


    Seeing that she could not bite him, Ice sat destely on the bed with her arms crossed.


    "So stingy... It is just ten thousand bottles. Is that really too much..." She grumbled while refusing to look at Jiu Shen.


    "We don¡¯t have time to wait for the kitchen staff to make ten thousand bottles of milk, but I can bring the necessary ingredients and make the milk myself on our journey." Jiu Shen said as he patted the girl¡¯s little head.


    Upon hearing that, the little girl turned towards Jiu Shen with twinkling eyes as she asked expectantly. "Really? Meow."


    Jiu Shen nodded his head at her, instantly making the little girl dive into his embrace. "Hehehe! I know that you would say that. Meow."


    Jiu Shen smiled at her and fondly rubbed her head, making her hair messy.


    To his actions, the little girl merely closed her eyes and enjoyed this moment.


    Without his knowledge, Jiu Shen¡¯s stone-cold heart was slowly melting as he interacted more with this little girl...

 Chapter 282 - Fundamentals Of Alchemy

    <h4>Chapter 282 - Fundamentals Of Alchemy </h4>


    Jiu Shen called his two personal disciples and also his two alchemy disciples. Since he was nning to leave the Profound Dragon Continent by tomorrow, Jiu Shen thought that he had to at least inform his students so that they would not be too shocked about his absence.


    "Master, why did you suddenly call all of us here?" Can Ye asked Jiu Shen with a perplexed look. His master rarely convenes his disciples, so Can Ye was a bit surprised this time. He was wondering why Jiu Shen had suddenly called them.


    Lu Sn, Jiu Shen¡¯s eldest disciple, nced calmly at her master. She believed that Jiu Shen had something important to tell them, so she waited for him to speak.


    The two older men, Fengzi and Li Hongtian stared at Jiu Shen with reverence. They never regretted choosing to be his disciples. Although Jiu Shen rarely taught them Alchemy, every time he does, the both of them would gain great benefits. They had nothing but admiration for their master.


    "I will be leaving tomorrow." Jiu Shen replied in a calm manner, but his words made his disciples feel surprised.


    Their Heavenly Sword Tower had just gotten their first batch of disciples and their master was already leaving? Where was he nning to go?


    "Master, what about the cultivation of the new disciples? Teaching them would be easier with you around." Can Ye said as he looked at his master.


    "Master, Junior Brother Can Ye is right. It would not be good if you suddenly leave right after our sect epted its first batch of disciples." Lu Sn said with worry.


    The two old men merely nced at Jiu Shen. They weren¡¯t as shocked as Lu Sn and Can Ye when they heard that Jiu Shen was nning to leave. Their master was a peerless cultivator and alchemist. Such an individual was bound to travel into different ces to pursue the peak of cultivation. Even with his absence, they could still practice with the notes left behind by Jiu Shen. In fact, it might take them more than ten years toprehend all the notes that he left to them.


    "My absence will not bring a big impact to the growth of our Heavenly Sword Tower. Just take this as a test to see what you guys can do without me around. If you are worried about the safety of the sect, then you don¡¯t have to be. Ren Shuang will protect this ce while I¡¯m gone. And it¡¯s not just him. Long Meili will also be here to help you guys." Jiu Shen said expressionlessly. He did not want his people to grow dependent on him. Perhaps this was a good opportunity for them to learn how to be self-reliant.


    "But..." Can Ye wanted to say a few more words, but he saw the calm eyes of Jiu Shen bing colder, so he immediately shut his mouth.


    "I¡¯m not here to ask for your permission. I am here to inform you that I will leave. When I go back from that ce, I will check the progress of each and every one of you, so make sure that no one will bezy." Jiu Shen said as he gazed at his disciples.


    Hearing this, they could only forcefully nod their heads. They also told themselves to never ck off during their master¡¯s absence. They were afraid that Jiu Shen might punish them if he sees no improvements in their cultivation.


    "Master, I will be honest here. It might take me more than ten years before I manage to be a Nascent Alchemy God. With the help of your notes, I might be able to shorten it to three to five years, but I definitely can¡¯t do it in several months." Li Hongtian said with embarrassment. He was already an old man and with his potential beingpletely exhausted, it was even almost impossible for him to achieve a breakthrough.


    Beside him was Fengzi, and this guy was still an Alchemy Sovereign. Although he was much younger than Li Hongtian, he was still an old man in the eyes of others. With his potential, he can be an Alchemy Saint and as for bing a Nascent Alchemy God, he wasn¡¯t so certain.


    Jiu Shen stared at the two old men and took out something from his space earring. It was a small book called ¡¯Fundamentals of Alchemy¡¯.


    Seeing this book, the eyes of the two old men shone like stars.


    "Written in this book is the very basic of alchemy. I personally wrote this to help you both in your path towards the peak of alchemy. I also added my personal experience inside to make it even simpler for you guys. If you still can¡¯t reach a breakthrough with this book in your possession, don¡¯te back to me." Jiu Shen said as he tossed the book to the two old men.


    The eyes of these two old fossils instantly went wide with worry when they saw the book falling straight on the ground. They hurriedly caught it with their shaking hands and they only sighed in relief when they saw that it was safe.


    "Master, I promise that we can improve significantly with the help of this book." Li Hongtian said excitedly.


    "Good. Don¡¯t forget to make pills for the disciples of our sect." Jiu Shen said.


    "Yes, master." The two old men replied in unison.


    "As for the both of you. You will be responsible for observing the growth of the disciples. You have to make sure that none of them will waste our resources." Jiu Shen said as he nced towards Lu Sn and Can Ye.


    "Yes, master!" They both nodded their heads respectively.


    "Leave." Jiu Shen said as he sat down in his seat.


    His four disciples bowed their heads before they left the room.


    "Ren Shuang."


    Swoosh.


    "Master." Ren Shuang emerged like a shadow in front of Jiu Shen.


    "Bring Theia here." Jiu Shen ordered.


    Ren Shuang nodded his head before he vanished like smoke.


    "I should bring Theia with me to the Divine Beast Continent. I might not be able to babysit that little tiger alone..."

 Chapter 283 - Day Of Departure

    <h4>Chapter 283 - Day Of Departure </h4>


    "Greetings, master." Theia bowed her head at Jiu Shen. She was suddenly taken by surprise when she heard that Jiu Shen had summoned her since she was supposed to protect the store. Although she was also part of the Heavenly Sword Tower, Jiu Shen had specifically told her that she would remain as a waitress in his wine store, so she was a bit surprised when Jiu Shen made hime to the sword tower.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head at her. To this beautiful blonde woman, Jiu Shen did not know, but he always has this feeling of familiarity every time he looks at her. ¡¯I don¡¯t recall meeting someone with this appearance during my past life. Perhaps the system gave her apletely different look, just like me...¡¯ He thought to himself.


    Theia was slightly confused when she felt Jiu Shen¡¯s lingering gaze, but she did not feel any difort when she saw those clear golden pupils free of any emotions.


    "Theia, I won¡¯t beat around the bush. I n to bring you with me to the Divine Beast Continent. We will be there for maybe a long time, so prepare yourself before we depart tomorrow." Jiu Shen said as he looked at her face.


    Hearing this, Theia nodded her head without hesitation. "As youmand, master."


    At this moment, she looked like a peerless and valiant warrior in her knight armor. Her golden hair rippled following her movements.


    "That is all I have to say. You may leave the room now." Jiu Shen said in a calm tone.


    Theia bowed her head before she excused herself. As she went out, she tried topare Jiu Shen to the man that she always sees in her dreams. From time to time, she would have these life-like shbacks. Although it was fragmented, Theia guessed that it might be rted to her past life because of how real the scenes looked. However, no matter how Theia did aparison, there was nothing simr about them aside from their eternally calm gaze.


    ***


    The next day arrived in a sh, but only a few people were aware that Jiu Shen would be leaving today.


    Jiu Shen came to visit his wine store together with Theia and the little girl Ice. All the customers immediately greeted them respectfully when they saw their figures.


    "Sect Master Jiu Shen, congrattions to the Heavenly Sword Tower for sessfully recruiting its first batch of disciples!"


    "Congrattions, Sect Master Jiu Shen!"


    Hearing the customers¡¯ heartfelt words, Jiu Shen merely nodded at them, his expression remained steady.


    Hestia immediately came down from the second to greet Jiu Shen when she heard that he had arrived. She smiled sweetly at the sight of him. "Greetings, master."


    "I only came here to take a quick look at things and we will be leaving in a moment. Hestia, we might be gone for a while, so I will leave the wine store in your care." Jiu Shen said as he nced at Hestia.


    Hestia was slightly surprised at his words, but she nodded her head firmly as she promised. "Don¡¯t worry master, no one will be able to cause trouble here."


    Jiu Shen nodded his head. He then lightly inhaled the store¡¯s heart-calming air before he turned around and left. Following behind him were Ice and Theia.


    Three streaks of lights flew towards the skies under the admiring gazes of the customers.


    "Theia, you have readily epted when I told you toe with me to the Divine Beast Continent. Are you not curious why we are going there?" Jiu Shen suddenly asked.


    Theia was silent for a moment, but she soon replied. "Master even if it¡¯s somewhere perilous, I would stille with you." The moment those words left her mouth, she felt slightly embarrassed inwardly, but it was what her heart desired. The moment she had awoken in this world, she had this weird feeling that Jiu Shen was the only one in this world worthy of her.


    "Hmph! I can¡¯t believe that the most feared woman in the Silver Wing Empire could actually utter such words. Meow." Ice muttered to herself, but Theia was able to hear it because of her keen senses.


    "Alright. Don¡¯t be rude to her. I brought Theia with us because she will be responsible for taking care of you and this includes making your favorite milk." Jiu Shen whispered to Ice.


    Hearing this, Ice immediately shed a ttering smile at Theia as she said. "My beautiful Big Sister Theia, I will be in your care. Hehehe."


    Looking at her adorably cute face and those pair of twinkling eyes, Theia¡¯s gaze softened.


    "This journey might not be too boring..." Jiu Shen muttered in his heart.


    ***


    Inside the imperial pce, a banquet was hosted by the fourth prince as he had promised. He also brought the people who had helped his group in fighting the demon soldier in the World of Illusion.


    The atmosphere was joyous in this banquet and everyone had smiles on their faces as they talked among themselves.


    "Why am I even here?" Sylphie muttered to herself as she looked at the smiling faces of everyone inside this hall. She didn¡¯t know most of these people, and she could only remember a select few who had done remarkable during the three assessments.


    "I didn¡¯t think that you are actually in this banquet. It must have meant that you have joined the battle against that demon soldier." The voice of a teenaged youngdy surprised Sylphie. She turned her head and saw a girl her age. She tried to recall where she had seen this girl, but Sylphie could not remember.


    "You are?" Sylphie asked in an unfriendly manner.


    Looking at that face that was full of distrust and unfriendliness, Sylvia chuckled as she answered. "Sylvia Silveria, the fifth daughter of the current emperor of the Silver Wing Empire. It is a pleasure to meet you."


    Sylphie¡¯s eyes went wide when she heard her introduction and she slightly regretted acting rude in front of her.


    "So it is Her Highness the princess. I apologize for my rude behavior. Please excuse me." Sylphie bowed her head before she swiftly left. It was as if she did not want to interact with the princess of the Silver Wing Empire.


    "Interesting..." Sylvia muttered with a smile as she stared at Sylphie¡¯s back.

 Chapter 284 - Divine Beast Continent

    <h4>Chapter 284 - Divine Beast Continent </h4>


    The Divine Beast Continent was more than thousands of miles away from the Profound Dragon Continent and even with their flight speed, it would still take them a few days to arrive. However, this was not a problem for Jiu Shen since he had already mastered the arcane power of manipting space!


    With a mere twist of his fingers, Jiu Shen opened a small rift in space that was as tall as a regr door. "Follow me." He said as he gestured for the twodies to follow him.


    Without hesitation, Jiu Shen and the other two stepped inside the small rift in space.


    The moment they came out, they arrived in apletely different ce. The true essence in the surroundings was way thickerpared to what it was in the Profound Dragon Continent.


    Seeing how they were able to easily reach the Divine Beast Continent, Ice was dumbfounded. It took thebined efforts of her parents to make her escape to the Profound Dragon Continent, but it only took Jiu Shen a mere fraction of a second to create an opening in space towards the edge of the Divine Beast Continent.


    "I am familiar with this atmosphere. This is indeed the edge of the Divine Beast Continent. The more we go deeper into this continent, the stronger the savage beasts would be. The true essence would also be thicker as we move towards the center." Ice said as she deeply inhaled the fresh air in their surroundings. It waspletely different from the slightly foul air in the Profound Dragon Continent.


    Jiu Shen looked around and stopped his gaze somewhere. His eyes narrowed as he muttered. "We are still at the outer parts of the continent, but I can already sense a few savage beasts at the Nascent God Realm. This ce indeed has a much more abundant true essence and spiritual nt, making it a good ce for cultivation."


    Theia remained silent and she just quietly followed behind Jiu Shen like a loyal maid.


    "Stinky human, my Tiger n is located at the central area of the Divine Beast Continent. If you have a map, I can point it out for you." Ice said as he pulled Jiu Shen¡¯s arm.


    Upon hearing her words, he immediately took out a map that he had drawn beforehand. He was able to draw this map with the help of the system that had given him the map of the whole Nuar. Every nook and cranny of Nuar was already saved in his memory...


    Ice grabbed the map in his hand and took a closer look at it. This map was even better than the one that her n had before it was destroyed by the Lion n.


    The little girl spread the map on the ground and pointed at a location at the furthest corner of the continent as she said. "From the topography of thisnd, I can tell that we are in this location. My Tiger n is located here. Normally, it would take us at least three days to go there from here, but with your space maniption, we don¡¯t have to worry about that. However, I¡¯m just afraid that the Origin God Realm elder of the Lion n might be there, so it would be quite risky to teleport directly in that ce. I suggest we travel here first so that we can avoid the highest possible danger."


    "Origin God Realm? If it is as you say, then we might as well just teleport directly to your n." Jiu Shen said in a calm tone as if the mere mention of an Origin God Realm expert was nothing to worry about.


    The little girl¡¯s eyes went wide upon hearing that. She stared at Jiu Shen as if she was looking at a retard and said. "Are you crazy?! I know that you are strong and you might even be the strongest expert in the Profound Dragon Continent, but the savage beasts here are different. They are more violent and are much strongerpared to their human counterparts. I¡¯m afraid that even you won¡¯t be able to defeat that Lion n elder."


    Hearing those words, Jiu Shen nced at Ice indifferently and replied. "I have said this before, and I will say it again. No one in this world is capable of defeating me! Not the humans of the Profound Dragon Continent, nor the savage beasts of the Divine Beast Continent, and even not the demons of the Crimson Fiend Continent!"


    "Crazy! You are crazy! Meow!" Ice pointed at Jiu Shen with exasperation, but all she saw was Jiu Shen¡¯s unchanging expression.


    Jiu Shen ignored her and moved his gaze at the distance. ¡¯Since I came to this world, I still haven¡¯t had a real battle. Even this so-called expert at the Origin God Realm might not be able to entertain me...¡¯ Jiu Shen said in his heart.


    In actual reality, Jiu Shen was bing bored in this world. He even had the thought of just directly moving to the Primordial God Realm. However, he knew that haste would only ruin his only chance at revenge.


    Under the dumbstruck gaze of Ice, Jiu Shen casually waved his hand, and the moment he did that, the space ripped open, creating a small passage towards a ce that looked like a deserted vige.


    When Ice saw this deserted vige, her eyes turned moist and she immediately bit her lower lip as she tried to prevent herself from crying.


    "Mother, Father..." She muttered emotionally.


    Just then, she suddenly felt a gentle hand rubbing the back of her head. She nced upwards and saw Jiu Shen¡¯s expressionless face.


    "Let¡¯s go." Jiu Shen said to the little girl as he held her small hand.


    Ice nodded her head at him and did not pull her hand away from Jiu Shen¡¯s grip.


    The three then stepped inside the small passage.


    Om!


    The rift in space slowly closed after the three of them vanished.


    Only the gentle blowing of wind can be heard in the ce where they previously stood.

 Chapter 285 - Lion Clan

    <h4>Chapter 285 - Lion n </h4>


    To their surprise, the old headquarters of the Tiger n appeared to be deserted. There was not even a single member of the Lion n present to guard the area. It was as if they did not care about this ce at all.


    Looking at the ruins in front of them, Ice clenched her fists tightly as memories from her past flooded her head. Those were happy times before the tragedy happened.


    Jiu Shen scanned the ce with his spiritual vision and spotted no one near the vicinity.


    Dpidated buildings and broken stones were scattered on the ground. From the looks of it, everyone from the Tiger n had perished and not even a single bone remained of them.


    A war between two ns ismon here in the Divine Beast Continent. The stronger ones will prosper while the weaker ones are devoured. It was the nature of savage beasts to kill and consume their prey!


    "Mother, father... Are you guys still alive?" Ice¡¯s tears finally slid down to her cheeks. She was worried that her parents were already dead. Although the possibility of them being alive was close to zero, she wants to believe that they were still alive. However, the scene in front of her made her hopes almost shatter.


    Looking at the sobbing little girl, the neutral expression of Theia changed. She walked closer to her and hugged her tightly from behind. She offered no words of consolement, but the warmness of her body made Ice feel much better.


    Jiu Shen stared at the twodies and remained silent. Even he wasn¡¯t certain whether Ice¡¯s parents were still alive. After all, it has been long since the Tiger n was attacked and from the state of their headquarters, it looked as if no one was able to survive...


    Ding!


    "The primordial blood of a Savage Thunder Lion is detected by the system. This drop of primordial blood is currently located in the headquarters of the Lion n. It is suggested that the host must get this item as an ingredient for his wine recipe. The Savage Thunder Lion is a primordial god beast of the ancient era and its blood contains the secrets about manipting lightning. Host, you must collect this drop of blood!" The mechanical voice of the system suddenly echoed inside Jiu Shen¡¯s head.


    "Savage Thunder Lion? To think that the Divine Beast Continent actually has such a treasure..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself. Surprising as it was, his eyes remained calm without a hint of ripple.


    Jiu Shen turned his gaze towards the sobbing Ice and said in a calm manner. "You guys wait for me here. I will visit the headquarters of the Lion n. Your parents might be locked somewhere in that ce. If they are still alive, I will bring them back here, but if they are not, then I will decimate the entire Lion n to appease the dead souls of your n members!"


    His tone was indifferent, but his words made the hearts of the twodies almost leap out of their chests. Does he want to go to the headquarters of the Lion n alone?! It must be noted that a super powerful expert at the Origin God Realm was protecting the Lion n. For Jiu Shen to say such words, it might sound ridiculously crazy to others, but the two women subconsciously believed that he was capable of doing this...


    Ice tried to speak, but her words were stuck in her throat, so she could only cry even more loudly. However, those hopeful eyes were enough for Jiu Shen to know what she wanted to say.


    "Theia, I will leave Ice in your hands. Avoiding in contact with savage beasts while I¡¯m away. As for you, don¡¯t worry. I wille back." Jiu Shen said as he patted the heads of the two women.


    After saying those words, he waved his hand and ripped the space open.


    Om!


    His figure vanished and only the small crack in space was left behind.


    Looking at this, Ice and Theia prayed for the sess of Jiu Shen.


    ***


    The headquarters of the Lion n is located on top of a huge mountain. There were numerous caves dug in the mountain and each cave houses multiple members of the Lion n.


    Today was just another peaceful day for these lions. The weather was great and their food was abundant. With the strength of their n, no one dared to wage war against them, so the Lion n was able to prosper without a problem.


    However, something unexpected happened today. A rift in space suddenly emerged right in the middle of their camp, making these proud lions feel quite surprised.


    After that, a tiny human came out from it, making these savage beasts feel even more dumbfounded. What was happening? Did this stupid human identally teleported to their headquarters using a teleportation array formation? If it was so, then it was a great problem for them. Who knows if this human would suddenly bring millions of his kind in their headquarters. Their Lion n might be strong, but many of them would certainly perish if that happens.


    They had to kill this human!


    Because of their confusion and shock, this group of lions failed to notice that they still haven¡¯t checked the cultivation level of this human. However, why would they care about the power of such a weak and tiny creature?


    "So this is the Lion n. This supply of meat is enough for my Heavenly Sword Tower for at least three years. Not bad." Jiu Shen muttered as he scanned the huge beasts moving in his direction.


    In his eyes, all he could see were giant pieces of meat.


    Some of the lions were already at the 9th-rank Saint realm and they were already able to speak, but they could not figure out what Jiu Shen meant about those words.


    "Human! How did youe to this ce?! Did you not know that this is the territory of our Lion n?!" A bigger and intimidating lion stepped forward and asked Jiu Shen in a beastly voice. Its loud voice echoed in all directions.


    This lion was actually a savage beast at the peak stage of the Nascent God Realm!


    Jiu Shen remained peacefully calm even though he was under the scrutinizing gazes of more than several hundred lions. Anyone else would have already peed their pants in terror if they were in his ce.


    "Another piece of fat and juicy meat. I¡¯m liking this ce even more." Jiu Shen muttered.

 Chapter 286 - The Old Lion

    <h4>Chapter 286 - The Old Lion </h4>


    The veins of the peak stage Nascent God Realm lion protruded when he heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words. He was more intelligent than the other lions, so he was able to understand what Jiu Shen meant.


    "You insolent human! You dare barge into our home and even mock my proud Lion n?! Roaarr!!" The huge lion emitted a roar in the face of Jiu Shen as if he wanted to see him piss his pants in terror, but to the lion¡¯s dismay, Jiu Shen did not even take a step back nor did he flinch at this intimidation. The lion even failed to notice that his spittle had evaporated before it even touched Jiu Shen¡¯s face.


    With a calm and indifferent expression, Jiu Shen ignored the loud lion and walked straight towards the heart of the Lion n¡¯s base. He went directly into the cave of their strongest n member under the dumbfounded gazes of these savage beasts.


    "You fucking piece of shit! Where do you think you are going?!" The huge lion morphed into a tall and hulking human and he angrily pointed at Jiu Shen with his slightly shaking arms.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s calm eyes emitted a cold glow and an ordinary-looking sword suddenly became visible in his hands.


    Shing!


    No one saw his movements, and the savage beasts only heard the sound of his sword being put back to its scabbard.


    Thud!


    To the lions¡¯ horror, the peak stage Nascent God Realm lion who had transformed into a human had its head severed. The angry expression on his face was still present when his decapitated head fell towards the ground.


    Blood spurted out from the neck of the headless lion before his body finally copsed on the ground dead.


    Everything happened in just a blink of an eye and not even a single lion present was able to witness how Jiu Shen had managed to kill this strong savage beast in just one stroke!


    Jiu Shen did not even stop walking when he killed that lion. It was as if killing this savage beast was no significant feat...


    All the lions trembled in fear as they watched this human as he slowly walked towards the cave of their strongest elder. None of them were foolish enough to provoke such a terrifying human who was capable of killing a peak stage Nascent God Realm in less than a second...


    Jiu Shen suddenly stopped in front of arge cave. He stared straight towards it as if he could see through the interior of this dark cave.


    "I know that you have witnessed how I killed that little lion. Do you want toe out on your own or perhaps you want me to help you out?" Jiu Shen¡¯s cold voice echoed like a death song in the ears of the lions.


    These savage beasts silently recalled when they had provoked such a maleficent character...


    "Honored friend, I don¡¯t remember our Lion n provoking an esteemed person like yourself. Can you please enlighten this old man?" An aged voice drifted from inside the cave as the silhouette of a person came out of it. This person was actually an old man, but the most intriguing thing about him was his muscr figure despite his old age.


    "A little brat who is merely more than a thousand years old dares to call himself an old man in front of me?" Jiu Shen said as he nced at the muscr old man.


    The murky eyes of the old man flickered with anger. He tried to hide the killing intent behind that gaze, but how could Jiu Shen fail to notice that with his unparalleled spiritual power?


    The old man scanned Jiu Shen¡¯s figure, but he could not even sense this human¡¯s power no matter how he looked at him. This finally made him feel a sense of threat since it was the first time that he failed to distinguish his opponent¡¯s cultivation level.


    As an expert at the Origin God Realm, he could see through anyone¡¯s strength with just a simple nce, but this human, he could not even sense his power... If he did not see how Jiu Shen had easily dispatched that peak stage Nascent God Realm lion, he would believe that Jiu Shen was just a fool. Now, he finally realized that this guy wasn¡¯t as simple as he seemed to be.


    "Honored friend, if our Lion n has wronged you before, I will apologize on behalf of my n. I would also offer an additionalpensation as a token of my sincere apology." The old man forced out a smile as he uttered those words. After living for more than a thousand years, he knew when to attack and when to retreat. At this moment, all his instincts were telling him to stay the fuck away from this human.


    Jiu Shen revealed an interested look when he heard the old man¡¯s words. "Oh? Little brat, what can your n offer to me?" He asked in a calm tone as he used his spiritual sight to search for Ice¡¯s parents. And after merely two seconds, he discovered a small group of savage beasts tide up in the deepest part of the old man¡¯s cave.


    The old man almost snapped when Jiu Shen called him a little brat, but he held it in when he recalled this human¡¯s inestimable power. With a face full of smiles, the old man replied. "Our n has discovered an Origin-Rank spiritual nt a few months back then. Although we still have not discovered its properties yet, we know that its worth is definitely astronomical. What do you think?"


    As he said those words, the heart of the old man bled, but he had to do it to make this human go away from their Lion n.


    After he sensed that some Tiger n people were still alive, Jiu Shen retracted his spiritual sight and turned his gaze towards this old man.


    "Origin-Rank spiritual nt... Not bad. I¡¯m short on ingredients for my wine recipe. Little brat, go ahead and take it out for me." Jiu Shen said without batting an eye. He was slightly interested in this Origin-Rank spiritual nt as it might be a good ingredient for his wine.


    The old man¡¯s body shook, but he controlled his anger from exploding. With a stiff smile, he replied. "Please wait for me here, honored friend."

 Chapter 287 - The Chained Tigers

    <h4>Chapter 287 - The Chained Tigers </h4>


    ¡¯That fucking bastard! Calm down. I have to calm down! That human¡¯s power... I can¡¯t see through him. I can only give him that spiritual nt to make him go away. Since my n failed to learn about its usage and properties, I might as well give it to that guy to y with. If I manage to make those fucking tigers speak about the whereabouts of that cial Sovereign Tiger, I might be able to awaken my Savage Thunder Lion bloodline! By then, I will search for this guy and pay back this humiliation tenfold!¡¯ The old man shouted in his heart as he went inside his cave of dwelling.


    The narrow space became wider and the lighting from the torches illuminated the dark cave. In the furthest corner of the cave was a group of tigers tied up in metallic chains. Their figures bedraggled and pitiful, but their flickering pairs of eyes glowed with extreme animosity when they sensed the arrival of the old man.


    The old man chuckled mockingly when he saw their expressions. He then ignored them and went straight towards a different corner. In that section of the cave were dozens of high-level spiritual nts!


    The old man stopped and crouched in front of a small spiritual nt with purple leaves. It emitted a gloomy aura when the old man touched it.


    "This nt is still so stubborn. Even after I had wiped out its sentient soul, it is still able to recognize me..." The old man muttered as he swiped his hands. The gloomy aura from the spiritual nt vanished after that swift motion of his hand.


    He then carefully dug the nt from the soil and ced it inside a small flower pot made from mud. If Jiu Shen was here, he would have pped the old man to death for handling the spiritual nt in such a rough manner.


    After cing the nt in the flower pot, the old man took onest nce at the group of chained tigers before he left the cave.


    ***


    Outside the cave, Jiu Shen followed the old man with his spiritual sight and he also discovered his small collection of spiritual nts. When he saw the spiritual nt with purple leaves, he was slightly taken aback.


    "Grim Hallucination Flower..." He muttered the spiritual nt¡¯s name when he saw it. This nt was indeed an Origin-Rank spiritual nt and it grows in ces filled with corpses of strong creatures. This Grim Hallucination Flower sucks the yin energy from the corpses to promote its growth, making it develop a strange power of hallucination. It was also because of this that it had gained such a name.


    Jiu Shen continued to observe the Grim Hallucination Flower and he found out that it was slowly dying. This did not surprise him since this kind of spiritual nt isn¡¯t supposed to be nted in a cave.


    "This stupid little lion. He actually nted such delicate flower inside his smelly cave..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself.


    Just then, he saw the old man casually digging out the nt and renting it in a pot made of mud. Jiu Shen¡¯s calm eyes grew cold and he slowly stepped inside the cave.


    The old man was shocked when he saw Jiu Shening inside his cave. He blocked his field of vision and pointed at the spiritual nt he was holding as he casually bullshitted. "Honored friend, this is the spiritual nt that I¡¯m talking about. It has been with me for a few months now and I¡¯ve been taking good care of it. Look. Its purple leaves are so abundant and healthy. From the looks of it, this thing might even produce a fruit that might be of help in our cultivation progress, but since I¡¯m not fated with it, I will give this to you."


    Jiu Shen ignored his made-up story and snatched the nt from the hands of the old man. He then ced it inside his space earring. The Grim Hallucination Flower was on the verge of dying, and this little brat actually dared to tell him that its leaves are healthy and abundant? Is this brat a retard?


    The old man was horrified when he discovered that the spiritual nt in his hands had actually vanished. He didn¡¯t even see how Jiu Shen had snatched it from him, and by this time, he was finally able to realize the massive difference in their power.


    ¡¯Is he also an Origin God Realm expert or could it be that he is a...¡¯ The old man became even more horrified as he thought of a possibility. The eyes he used to look at Jiu Shen also changed into that of respect and fear.


    "Honored friend, I have honored my promise. Could you now please leave our Lion n? I would be extremely grateful to you and I promise that our Lion n would be your eternal friend." The old man hastily said when he saw Jiu Shen¡¯s unchanging expression.


    "Brat, you seem to be hiding a few little kids in here." Jiu Shen said as he pushed the old man away with one hand. He then walked inside the cave under the rmed gaze of the old man.


    ¡¯He actually managed to push me away with just one hand... Who the fuck is this guy?! I don¡¯t recall provoking such an impressive individual...¡¯ He muttered in his heart as he watched Jiu Shen walked inside the deepest parts of his cave. He could not even do anything to stop this crazy human from entering his territory...


    The group of chained tigers heard a series of footsteps. They immediately red hatefully at the darkness, but when they spotted the unfamiliar face walking towards them, they became confused. That old lion was very unfriendly and it never allowed anyone else to go inside his cave of dwelling, so who was this human?


    The severely injured tigers stared at Jiu Shen warily. They could not sense any hostility from this man, but they did not remove their gazes from him.


    "It¡¯s good that some of you are still alive. I havee here under the guidance of a cial Sovereign Tiger, so don¡¯t be tensed. I will help you escape from this ce." The human¡¯s calm words made the chained tigers dumbstruck.


    At this moment, Jiu Shen saw the emotional gazes of two tigers among this group when he mentioned about a cial Sovereign Tiger. Seeing this, he heaved a sigh of relief...

 Chapter 288 - Jiu Shen’s Unparalleled Might

    <h4>Chapter 288 - Jiu Shen¡¯s Unparalleled Might </h4>


    The old lion overheard Jiu Shen¡¯s words and at this moment, he realized that this guy must havee to this ce to save these tigers.


    The old man revealed a look of anger. He summoned his remaining courage as he channeled his true essence. Since it hase to this, is there still anything to worry about? He still needed those tigers to find the whereabouts of that cial Sovereign Tiger.


    "You damnable human! You dare go back on your words! I¡¯ll fucking kill you!" The old man shouted hoarsely as he stared at Jiu Shen with an enraged look. He then morphed into a huge golden lion with numerous sparks of lightning flowing around it!


    Rooaarrr!


    This mighty lion¡¯s ear-splitting roar fell into deaf ears in front of Jiu Shen. He did not even seem to care about it as he casually destroyed the chains that locked the poor tigers in ce.


    "Filthy human! You have greatly angered me! So what if you are strong?! I am an Origin God Realm savage beast with the noble Savage Thunder Lion bloodline! Roaarrr!" The enraged lion red at Jiu Shen with menacing eyes. He then lunged towards him, intending to strike its sharp ws at Jiu Shen¡¯s defenseless back!


    An ordinary-looking ck sword suddenly appeared in Jiu Shen¡¯s hands. The in-looking sword emitted a dazzling radiance as it slowly revealed its true appearance. Archaic patterns and the intertwining dragons can now be seen on this sword.


    This is Jiu Shen¡¯s Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword. A super-powerful weapon that he got from the system after scamming it...


    Jiu Shen swiftly turned around and lifted his sword to block the w of the lion.


    ang!!


    Sparks flew in midair as the lion¡¯s w and Jiu Shen¡¯s sword shed. The ground beneath their feet caved in after that one exchange!


    The old lion took a step back as it continued to stare warily at Jiu Shen. He could sense a strong draconic powering from the sword in that human¡¯s hands. If not for his Savage Thunder Lion bloodline, he would have already sumbed to its terrifying aura!


    The injured tigers could not believe that this human who had suddenly saved them was actually such a strong expert!


    "Savage Thunder Lion bloodline? I get it now. So that drop of blood that the system was talking about was within you all along... In that case, there is no use in letting you live anymore..." Jiu Shen muttered nonchntly as he nced at the lion.


    The old lion growled threateningly at Jiu Shen upon hearing his words. He then summoned his lightning powers and aimed them towards Jiu Shen.


    Several dozen streaks of lightning hurtled like golden serpents towards Jiu Shen.


    The injured tigers who saw this scene felt their bodies going numb. This was the power that subdued all of them. They did not even have the power to resist and could only wait as the lion tied them in chains.


    Zap! Zap!


    Facing this, Jiu Shen casually brandished his sword as if a child swinging his toy. The serpent-like streaks of lightning vanished aftering into contact with Jiu Shen¡¯s sword. In just an instant, he destroyed all the lightning bolts aimed in his direction!


    The old lion revealed a shocked look on its beastly face when he saw how Jiu Shen had easily destroyed his attack. With just one sword strike, all of it was gone...


    Jiu Shen did not remain idle after that. He lifted his sword and shed it down in a quick manner! This sword attack produced a keening sound as an invisible wave of violent air tore through space and lunged towards the dumbstruck old lion!


    Rumble! Rumble!


    The mountain where the headquarters of the Lion n was located experienced a frightening earthquake after Jiu Shen released his strike! All the Lion n members were startled and they could not help but stare at the base of the old lion. The old lion¡¯s cave of dwelling was now a total mess! The mouth of the cave was covered with huge boulders and rubbles, a telltale that it had experienced the most amount of damage.


    When the cloud of dust settled, all the lions finally saw the figure of Jiu Shen who was holding a ck heavy sword in his hands. Behind him was a group of injured tigers looking at his back with respect and admiration.


    "This... What happened?" A lion asked in panic after witnessing this scene. However, no one was in the mood to answer his question.


    Jiu Shen unsummoned his sword and walked towards a pile of rubble not far away from him. He gave it a kick, causing this small pile of rubble to turn into dust...


    After that, a severely injured lion finally came into everyone¡¯s view. Its huge head was covered in blood and there were multiplecerations on its body.


    The bloodied old lion revealed a look of horror when he saw Jiu Shen looking at him with a calm expression. This was the first time he had revealed a look of despair after being unrivaled for more than a thousand years.


    "Hu-Human, I admit that your strength is greater than mine and I don¡¯t regret dying in your hands, but please allow me to have one final request before you kill me." The old lion spoke in a calm tone as it stared at Jiu Shen.


    "Oh?" Jiu Shen¡¯s expression remained unchanged, but he allowed the old lion to continue speaking.


    "You came here to save the remaining members of the Tiger n, so you must have already nned to kill everyone in my Lion n. The massacre of the Tiger n has nothing to do with them and it is because of my greed that I ordered them to attack the Tiger n. They are innocent, so please don¡¯t kill them." The old lion pleaded in a calm voice.


    The expressions of the tigers behind Jiu Shen changed, but they offered no words or suggestions. They remained silent as they waited for Jiu Shen to answer the old lion¡¯s final wish.

 Chapter 289 - The Old Lion’s Regret

    <h4>Chapter 289 - The Old Lion¡¯s Regret </h4>


    Jiu Shen nced at the old lion with an indifferent expression as he replied in an eerily calm voice.


    "When you nned to destroy the Tiger n, you should have prepared yourself for the possible destruction of your Lion n. Little brat, greed begets death."


    Jiu Shen snapped his fingers and pointed at the sky as he channeled his true essence. Countless wisps of ck mes covered the sky, making it looked like a huge dark cloud.


    The old lion¡¯s expression changed into that of regret and sorrow. He could still not believe that his proud Lion n would one day face such a terrible enemy. Perhaps it was retribution for his greed...


    "My proud Lion n! This useless one apologizes for implicating you all in this mess!" The old lion shouted as he nced at the lions with regret. His huge body shook as blood continuously leaked out from his deep wounds.


    ¡¯Oh wait. If I use this power, there would be nothing left of them. How could I get the Savage Thunder Lion¡¯s blood this way?¡¯ Jiu Shen recalled the ck mes and coughed dryly.


    Seeing this, the old lion thought that Jiu Shen felt its heartfelt words, so he immediately said. "Thank you honored friend for being lenient."


    Upon hearing that, Jiu Shen stared at the old lion as he was looking at an idiot. "What are you saying? I just remembered that if I use my mes on you little brats, not even an ash would remain, so how could I eat your tasty lion meat that way?"


    Huh?


    The old lion opened his mouth but before he could even speak, he suddenly felt his consciousness slowly fading. Only Jiu Shen¡¯s expressionless face and his words lingered inside the old lion¡¯s head before he died in a blink of an eye.


    No one saw how Jiu Shen killed the old lion, but if an expert who trained his spiritual soul was here, he would have noticed the strong fluctuations of spiritual power in the body of Jiu Shen.


    At this moment, Jiu Shen turned his calm gaze to the remaining Lion n members. He then attacked them using his spiritual power.


    Thousands of invisible bullets shot towards the lions within the mountain. They could not even utter a howl of despair before their bodies copsed on the ground dead with no signs of life...


    The eyes of the tigers behind Jiu Shen shed with fear when they saw how those strong enemies died in just a second. This mysterious human merely nced at them and they all died just like that... Just who was this human?


    "Wait here for a moment. I¡¯ll just retrieve a few things here." Jiu Shen said to the tigers as he walked towards the corpse of the old lion.


    He ced his hand on the old lion¡¯s head and injected his true essence inside the body of the lion. The beast¡¯s body slowly became dry as Jiu Shen sucked the remaining blood on its body.


    After doing that, he then refined its blood to get the pure Savage Thunder Lion bloodline...


    Looking at this seemingly demonic sorcery, the tigers had the urge to run, but they forced themselves to remain at their spot. They knew that this human was their savior, but he was just too scary that they did not even dare to let out a fart.


    In just less than a minute, what remained in front of Jiu Shen were three drops of purple-gold blood. These drops of blood were the pure Savage Thunder Lion¡¯s blood!


    "To think that it only has this pitiful amount of god blood." Jiu Shen shook his head.


    He then ced the three drops of blood inside a small tube before he put it inside his space earring.


    Just then, Jiu Shen suddenly remembered the old lion¡¯s collection of spiritual nts inside his cave of dwelling. He then turned his head at the huge boulders covering the entrance of the cave and moved closer to it. He gave it a light tap of his finger which instantly turned the huge boulders into dust!


    The eyes of the tigers almost popped out of their sockets when they saw this. Even with their significantly stronger bodies, they could not do that with such ease...


    Jiu Shen plucked the spiritual nts from the ground and ced everything inside his space earring. He was nning to rent these spiritual nts inside the Spirit World. They would grow fast in that world with its abundant amount of true essence. The only thing he was worried about was the Grim Hallucination Flower.


    "Hm..." An idea suddenly came into his mind.


    "If I put some of these lion corpses in one ce and nt the Grim Hallucination Flower there. Hmmm... Not bad..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself as he stepped out of the cave. If only the lions could have heard that Jiu Shen was actually nning to use their corpses as fertilizer for a spiritual nt, it would have been fun to see their reactions...


    When the tigers saw Jiu Shen emerged from the cave, they immediately walked towards him and bowed their huge tiger heads with respect as they said. "Many thanks to the esteemed senior for saving us. We will never forget this."


    Jiu Shen scanned the tigers and discovered that all of them were actually at the Nascent God Realm. It would be a good idea to bring them to his Heavenly Sword Tower.


    When that thought came into his mind, he immediately devised a n on how he could convince this group of tigers toe with him.


    "We already resigned ourselves to death, but senior has given us a new lease in life and because of this, we decided toe with senior and serve you for the rest of our lives..." A tiger stepped forward and said.


    Hearing this, Jiu Shen who was still nning his next course of action was pleasantly surprised. It looks like he no longer needed to convince them...


    "We can talk about this after you guys meet that little girl." Jiu Shen said in a calm tone.


    Two of the tigers revealed a look of excitement when they heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words.


    Jiu Shen did not wait for their reply as he waved his hand and opened a rift in space.


    Om!

 Chapter 290 - Reunion

    <h4>Chapter 290 - Reunion </h4>


    "Big Sister Theia, do you think that stinky human would be able to defeat that Origin God Realm lion? I¡¯ve seen that old man¡¯s power with my own eyes and no one in our Tiger n was even able to put up a fight against him. That stinky human even dared to go alone in their headquarters! Truly tired of living." Ice asked the woman beside her. Although Jiu Shen was very strong and was someone with great ability, she was still worried about Jiu Shen this time. After all, she had witnessed what had happened to her Tiger n in the hands of the Lion n.


    Theia stared at the little girl with her calm eyes and replied in a firm tone. "There is no one in this world who can defeat my master!"


    Ice was speechless at her reply but the absolute confidence that Theia disyed when she uttered those words was genuine.


    After not less than two hours, a rift in space suddenly emerged in front of the two women. Their eyes lit up when they saw it and the both of them calmly waited for Jiu Shen to step out of the rift.


    Jiu Shen saw Ice and Theia scanning him from head to foot. They both sighed in relief when they saw no obvious injuries on his body, but before they could even speak, eight people suddenly came out of the rift.


    These eight people were emitting a dense beastly aura and it was obvious that they were savage beasts in the Nascent God Realm since only the savage beasts at that level could transform into humans.


    Theia calmly stared at this small group of people. She already expected that it was no difficult feat for Jiu Shen to defeat the Lion n, but she still felt slightly surprised at the fact that it merely took him less than two hours to rescue these people...


    Ice stared at the eight individuals who were standing behind Jiu Shen with respect. She spotted two familiar figures among them and she immediately ran straight towards the two as warm tears slid down her cheeks.


    "Mother! Father!" She cried out as she hugged the two people tightly.


    "You have grown up by a lot my precious daughter. Look at your cheeks, they are so full now and chubby now. Hahah." Ice¡¯s father said as he gently caressed his daughter¡¯s face. The smile on his face was wide as he looked at his daughter.


    "My little girl, it¡¯s good that you are fine." Her mother said with a gentle smile.


    The family of three chatted after their reunion. Jiu Shen also signaled for the rest to give space for Ice and her parents.


    "Esteemed senior, we can¡¯t thank you enough for saving us. We no longer have our possessions with us to repay this lifesaving grace, so we can only offer the remainder of our lives to serve you." The six tigers bowed solemnly at Jiu Shen. They were proud creatures and they would never submit easily to someone. Even the old lion of the Lion n failed to make them submit to him, but these tigers knew that Jiu Shen was different. They were also convinced about his power and it was definitely a good idea for them to serve him, not just to repay his grace, but also because of the chance they saw within Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen took out a chair from his space earring and unceremoniously sat on it. He then leaned on the chair before he turned his gaze to the six tigers in front of him. With the six of them including Ice¡¯s parents, his Heavenly Sword Tower will have eight guardian beasts at the Nascent God Realm! Not even the Alliance has that much number of experts at that level!


    "Since you have already decided that, I have nothing else to say. Don¡¯t worry. You won¡¯t be miserable under mymand." Jiu Shen said in a calm voice.


    The six tigers were not surprised about Jiu Shen¡¯s confirmation, but they still felt a bit excited at the thought of following this strong senior.


    "Esteemed senior, thank you so much for epting us!" The tigers emotionally said as they bowed at Jiu Shen.


    "There is no need to thank me. And just call me Sect Master when we go back to the Profound Dragon Continent." Jiu Shen said indifferently.


    The tigers nodded their heads in acknowledgment.


    "My precious daughter, how did you meet that esteemed senior? From his aura, I am certain that he is a human, but are the humans of the Profound Dragon Continent really that strong?" Ice¡¯s father Baili Feng asked as he stared curiously at his daughter. He had been to the Profound Dragon Continent a few times in his life, but during his visits, he was certain that there were no humans who were as strong as Jiu Shen.


    Ice¡¯s mother Baili Fei was simrly curious. They had seen how strong Jiu Shen was and she was also interested in knowing how her daughter met this mysterious human.


    Ice put on a smug look as she told them about her story. "Jiu Shen, that stinky human is one of the strongest experts of the Profound Dragon Continent. When I first met him, I thought that he was just an ordinary wine seller, but he was actually able to see through my identity with one nce. By then, I knew that he was not just a wine seller. He also healed my wounds and allowed me to stay inside his store to recuperate my wounds. During my stay in his store, I discovered that the wines he was selling were not as simple as they seemed to be. They were actually capable of enhancing one¡¯s true essence!"


    "What?! You mean he could make a wine with simr effects to spiritual fruits?" Baili Feng eximed in surprise. Baili Fei was also shocked to hear that and she could not help but gasp in surprise.


    Ice nodded her head. "Indeed. However, the most mind-blowing thing of all is not the wines he sells, but his store. It is..."


    The family of three chatted for a long time that they failed to notice that a few hours had passed by. However, no one bothered them since it has been a long time that they were separated.


    Theia walked behind Jiu Shen and put her hands on his shoulder as she said. "Master, let me massage your shoulders."


    Jiu Shen did not decline the offer and allowed Theia to do as she pleased. He also closed his eyes as he sorted his mind.


    ¡¯I already have the Fragrant Luminous n and the Blue Fire Lotus. With the addition of the Grim Hallucination Flower, I only need a few more ingredients for my wine recipe. I should stay in the Divine Beast Continent for a little bit more time and collect more ingredients here.¡¯ Jiu Shen thought to himself. He was already close to getting the appropriate amount of ingredients for his wine recipe. By then, he couldplete the mission given by the system.


    ***


    In the Profound Dragon Continent, inside the Heavenly Sword Tower.


    Long Meili was secretly observing Sylphie from afar.


    The banquet hosted by the fourth prince was still not over. More and more guests arrived at the imperial pce and a few people from the older generation even went to congratte the new disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower.


    "Why did that girl evene to this sort of gathering when she is not even nning to interact with people?" Long Meili muttered to herself when she saw Sylphie standing on the terrace alone.


    Sylphie nced at the joyous atmosphere inside the banquet hall and shook her head. "I have been to this kind of gathering when I was still young, but I don¡¯t enjoy it anymore. It only makes me remember about my family..."


    "Maybe I should go back to the Heavenly Sword Tower." She muttered to herself as she went inside the banquet hall. She did not want to leave without informing the host. It would be disrespectful to do that, so she searched for the fourth prince.


    Sylphie spotted the fourth prince talking with a few older individuals who seemed to be great figures from their gestures and mannerisms.


    "Your Highness, congrattions for bing a disciple of the Heavenly Sword Tower!"


    "Your Highness, my son has also passed the three assessments. I hope that you could take care of him."


    Facing this group of elders, Prince Dante smiled as he chatted with them. He did not look awkward at all when he conversed with these important people. As a prince of the Silver Wing Empire, he had interacted with a lot of bigshots.


    Just then, he suddenly saw Sylphie walking in his direction. From how she was looking at him, he guessed that she had something to tell him, so he excused himself from the elders and walked towards Sylphie.


    "Hello, fellow disciple! How may I help you?" Prince Dante asked in a friendly manner. This girl left a big impression on him because of her pitiful appearance during the assessment. He did not look down on her because of that, instead, it made the fourth prince admire her for sessfully passing the three assessments despite her circumstances.


    Sylphie was slightly embarrassed to tell the fourth prince that she wanted to leave the banquet when it had just started not long ago.


    "I suddenly feel unwell, and I hope that you would not mind if I go back to the Heavenly Sword Tower to rest." She said as she looked at him.


    The fourth prince was slightly surprised to hear that, but he still nodded his head at her. "Oh, no problem at all! Be careful on your way back to the sword tower."


    Sylphie nodded in understanding. "Thanks. I will leave now."


    After that, she turned around without looking back. The fourth prince stared at her figure and he suddenly felt a foreboding sensation when Sylphie has walked out of the banquet hall. "I think something bad will happen to her. I must now allow anything to happen to my fellow disciples!" He muttered fiercely as he called a few people toe with him.

 Chapter 291 - The Vile Jimen Kang

    <h4>Chapter 291 - The Vile Jimen Kang </h4>


    The fourth prince managed to bring some of the new disciples with him to tail Sylphie. The feeling of nervousness did not vanish as he watched Sylphie walked out of the imperial pce. He rarely felt this kind of thing and it only happens when a very bad situation was about to happen, so he did not dare take this premonition lightly.


    ¡¯I just hope that I¡¯m just overthinking things.¡¯ The fourth prince prayed in his heart.


    "Brother, why did you want us to follow that girl here? Is something wrong?" Princess Sylvia looked at her brother as she asked that question. Her brother was normally a calm person and he would never let her do anything without a reason, so why did he bring them here?


    Prince Dante nced deeply at his sister and replied in a serious voice. "I don¡¯t know, but I feel that something bad will happen to her. I know this sounds weird and I don¡¯t know how I can exin this to you guys, but just trust me on this. If I¡¯m wrong, then that would be for the best..."


    Princess Sylvia and the others no longer pursued the matter when they saw the somber expression of the fourth prince. They knew that he would not lie about matters like this. And with that in mind, they solemnly followed Sylphie while they checked the surroundings.


    Sylphie who was still unaware that she was being tailed by her fellow sect disciples continued on her way. As someone who had experienced many things in life, she was the careful type of person. She was looking warily at her surroundings as she went back to the Heavenly Sword Tower. However, at this moment, she had many things in her mind and it made her less vignt. She did not even sense Prince Dante and the others following her from a distance.


    Hm?


    Finally, she sensed a thick killing intent which immediately made her jump out in shock.


    ¡¯Shit! I was careless!¡¯ She cursed in her heart as she took out the new sword that she got from the sect. It was blood-red in color and it drew a crimson arc in the air as she brandished it. This was not an ordinary weapon and from the looks of it, this sword should be an Earth Weapon!


    Sylphie narrowed her eyes as she stared in a certain direction. That was the ce where she had felt that icy killing intent.


    "Show yourself! You think I would not notice you?!" Sylphie red in front of her as she tightly held her sword. She already had an idea of who this person might be. There was only one group of people that came into her mind, the Crimson Sun Sect!


    Prince Dante and the others thought that they were discovered when they heard Sylphie¡¯s words, but they did not immediately reveal themselves.


    "Wait. She seems to be looking in a different direction and it doesn¡¯t look like she had found us. It looks like my guess was indeed right. Everyone, prepare for battle! Wait for my signal." Prince Dantemanded as he took out his sword. Princess Sylvia and the others nodded their heads and they also took out their swords when they sensed the abnormality of the situation.


    p. p. p.


    "To think that the ve I bought has actually be a disciple of the Heavenly Sword Tower. This is definitely a joyous matter, but I still feel hurt because of your sudden disappearance." A voice echoed in the darkness amidst the pping sounds. Not longter, a man wearing bright red and gold robes emerged in front of Sylphie. He had a smiling expression as he stared at Sylphie¡¯s young figure.


    "It¡¯s you! You fucking bastard! Jimen Kang!" Sylphie pointed at the man with a shaking arm. She was very familiar with this man since this was the guy who had bought her after she had lost everything in her childhood.


    This man was Jimen Kang, the young master of the Crimson Sun Sect. He already wields great power and authority at a young age since his father was the current sect master of the sect. He had nock of cultivation resources and his father had also helped him cultivate to the peak of the 6th-rank King realm! He was only 26 this year and with such a high level of cultivation, his talent was evident.


    "Jimen Kang! Do you really want the Crimson Sun Sect to be enemies with the Heavenly Sword Tower?! Since you know that I have recently be their disciple, then you should know that there would be a terrible consequence if you dare to harm me!" Sylphie was deeply afraid of this man, so she used the name of her sect to make him hesitant. She knew that he was here for her and she did not want to go back to that damned ce!


    Jimen Kang¡¯s face changed when Sylphie mentioned the Heavenly Sword Tower. His father had specifically told him to never mess with this sect, but he could not just easily give up on this woman. She had served him as a loyal dog all those years ago and he had already thought of her as his possession, so how could he easily give up on her?


    "You¡¯re right. The Heavenly Sword Tower is indeed a terrifying behemoth, but if I capture you right now. Do you think they would seek for a new disciple who had suddenly disappeared? Hahaha!" Jimen Kangughed evilly as he stared at Sylphie¡¯s beautiful figure. She had cleaned up herself now and she looked even more beautiful when she wore her new sect robes. This sight made Jimen Kang even more resolute in capturing Sylphie tonight. As for the Heavenly Sword Tower¡¯s retaliation, he did not think that they would search for a newly admitted disciple who had suddenly gone missing. After all, even his Crimson Sun Sect would not care if such a thing happened to them.


    Sylphie became ufortable when she noticed the lustful gaze of Jimen Kang. Her heartbeat became unstable as she firmly held her sword. From the looks of it, her only option left was to fight.


    "You damned bastard! If I manage to escape here, let¡¯s see if your Crimson Sun Sect would still protect you!" Sylphie shouted in a shaking voice as she pointed the tip of her sword to Jimen Kang.


    A sh of killing intent flickered in Jimen Kang¡¯s eyes when he heard her words, but he merely chuckled at her. "Did you really think that you can escape from me? You fucking slut! You are just my ything and you don¡¯t have the goddamn rights to escape from me, Jimen Kang!"


    Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh.


    Following his words, more than twenty silhouettes emerged and surrounded Sylphie like ghosts. They were all wearing the same set of red and gold robes as Jimen Kang.


    "Hahaha! Do you see this? Let me see how you escape from this encirclement." Jimen Kang chuckled mockingly as he looked at Sylphie¡¯s pale face.


    These people were disciples of the Crimson Sun Sect and they were direct subordinates of Jimen Kang. All of them were elite disciples nurtured by their sect, so he was confident about their power. How could a lone girl escape from them? Thinking about this, Jimen Kang fantasized about Sylphie¡¯s young and curvy body. He wasn¡¯t unfamiliar with it since he had already forced her to do filthy things before. The more he thought about it, the more insane his expression had be.


    Looking at the situation from afar, Princess Sylvia gnashed her teeth in anger and she almost dashed out, but her brother prevented her from making any move.


    "Sister, just wait a little bit more." Princess Sylvia wanted to pull her hand away from his grip, but when she saw the expression of her brother, she calmed herself.


    Prince Dante had an enraged expression as he stared at the scene ahead of them. They have heard everything that Jimen Kang has spoken.


    At this moment, the silent Yang Zenke suddenly opened his mouth. "That guy Jimen Kang is a peak stage 6th-rank King realm cultivator. As for the rest of them, they are at least 5th-rank Spirit realm cultivators, but what I¡¯m worried about are those two people hiding in the shadows."


    The expression of Prince Dante and the others became somber when they heard his words.


    "Brother Yang, how strong do you think those two people are?" Prince Dante asked solemnly.


    Yang Zenke shook his head as he replied. "I¡¯m not yet certain. I don¡¯t want to observe them too much since they might discover our presence. However, from the small clues I¡¯ve noticed, they should be at least experts at the 7th-rank Emperor realm... It could also be possible that they are 8th-rank Divine realm experts..."


    Hearing that, everyone¡¯s expression drastically changed. They finally realized that tonight might be dangerous for them as well. Thinking about that, they could not help but hold onto their swords with more force, their eyes flickering with strong battle intent.

 Chapter 292 - Yang Zenke Confronts Jimen Kang

    <h4>Chapter 292 - Yang Zenke Confronts Jimen Kang </h4>


    Sylphie red ferociously at Jimen Kang and his subordinates. She felt slightly nervous in her heart when she faced this group of experts. No matter how skillful she was, her chance of escaping from their encirclement was zero.


    Jimen Kang sneered when he saw the stubborn expression of Sylphie. "Little bitch, I will be lenient of you surrender now, but if you try to fight back, then I can¡¯t promise you the same thing."


    Although Sylphie was just a mere ve in his eyes, he did not want to damage her body too excessively. Who would want to y with a damaged body?


    "Jimen Kang, if you think that you can make me submit because of this, then I have to disappoint you!" Sylphie answered fearlessly. She no longer wants to go back to her pitiful life in the Crimson Sun Sect. She had finally managed to be a disciple of the Heavenly Sword Tower after a series of coincidences, so how could she throw away this kind of opportunity?


    Jimen Kang revealed a dark expression when he heard her words. He nced at Sylphie with a cold look and ordered his men. "Capture her! Make sure that she has no injuries!"


    "Yes, Young Master!" His subordinates replied before they darted towards Sylphie like a pack of angry wolves.


    These individuals were elite disciples of the Crimson Sun Sect and their fighting abilities were top-notch even in the Profound Dragon Continent¡¯s standard. The might that they exuded as they pounced towards Sylphie was monstrous that it made her shake in anxiousness.


    Just as the experts of the Crimson Sun Sect were about to capture Sylphie, they suddenly heard a series of angry roars in multiple directions.


    "Go! Protect her!"


    "You fucking bastards! You will pay a heavy amount for daring to attack our fellow disciple! Kill them!"


    "Kill!"


    Prince Dante and the others came out of the bushes andunched a surprise attack on the experts who were madly rushing towards Sylphie.


    Seeing this, Jimen Kang was stunned and he could not help but feel slightly nervous. ¡¯Shit! I was too careless! I can only kill them to prevent this news from leaking out!¡¯ He shouted furiously in his heart when he saw the abrupt arrival of Prince Dante¡¯s group.


    Just then, Jimen Kang suddenly felt a strong aura locking in on him. He immediately took out his weapon and red in front of him. Upon getting a closer look at his enemy, he was shocked to discover that it was actually a young man who seemed to be no older than 18. And from the intense aura that he exudes, this young man should be a 6th-rank King realm!


    He found it hard to believe that there was actually such a young prodigy in the Heavenly Sword Tower. However, he did not cower after the arrival of this young man, instead, he shed a beaming smile full of disdain.


    Jimen Kang was already a peak stage 6th-rank King realm, while his opponent was merely at the early stage of the 6th-rank King realm. Jimen Kang was confident that he could defeat this young man with his superior cultivation level and experience.


    The young in front of Jimen Kang was none other than Yang Zenke. He was wearing a calm expression devoid of any ripple. He was not even the least bit worried when facing a stronger enemy like Jimen Kang.


    "A vile dog like you deserves death! No one is allowed to bully our Heavenly Sword Tower¡¯s disciples! As for the sect behind you, just prepare to face the wrath of our sect!" Yang Zenke has been holding back his anger since a while ago. The moment he heard the words that this Jimen Kang has spoken to Sylphie, Yang Zenke already told himself to never let this guy off.


    Killing intent radiated from the cold eyes of Yang Zenke and even the confident Jimen Kang felt slightly threatened upon seeing his icy-cold gaze. However, he did not want to reveal this to his opponent, so he forced out a mocking smile as he said. "A mere early stage 6th-rank King realm dares to utter such big words in front of me? You must be tired of living! Die!"


    Jimen Kang took the initiative to attack Yang Zenke. Although he was stronger than his opponent by more than three minor realms, he did not dare take him lightly. For him to reach that kind of cultivation at such a young age, his talent must be unimaginable. So when facing this kind of enemy, Jimen Kang exercised the highest amount of caution.


    Jimen Kang¡¯s weapon was a short spear and he wielded it with great precision and uracy. Although his spearmanship was not as fancy as Zhu Ren¡¯s, the power behind each of his attacks was definitely stronger by a wide margin.


    The air punctured as Jimen Kang thrusted his spear like an enraged thunder. Because of his speed, he left behind afterimages in his wake. Even Prince Dante and the others felt slightly rmed when they saw his speed.


    Facing this attack, Yang Zenke¡¯s expression remained calm. He indifferently lifted his sword and brandished it in a swift motion that produced a sharp sword keening sound.


    The air around him fluctuated violently as he released this seemingly ordinary sword chop.


    ng!


    Two weapons collided in midair, causing sparks to fly around.


    Jimen Kang and Yang Zenke red at each other. The both of them felt astonished when their weapons shed.


    ¡¯This guy might be evil, but his strength is not weak. His power should be equivalent to an early stage 7th-rank Emperor realm expert...¡¯ Yang Zenke evaluated his enemy after their weapons collided.


    Jimen Kang was irritated to see the nonchnt look on Yang Zenke. He pushed his spear forward with more strength, forcing Yang Zenke to take several steps backward.


    After making him retreat, Jimen Kang did not give him a room to breathe. He immediately lifted his short spear and swiped it with tremendous force!


    Yang Zenke hurriedly blocked the attack with his sword, but because of the sharp wind that this spear attack brought, he still sustained a few cuts in both his arms.


    "Brother Yang!"

 Chapter 293 - Confrontation

    <h4>Chapter 293 - Confrontation </h4>


    Yang Zenke was still calm even after sustaining injuries. The cuts on his arms weren¡¯t deep, so it did not affect his battle ability. However, he could not help but admit that this Jimen Kang was indeed strong.


    Jimen Kang smirked coldly as he stared at Yang Zenke. He then lunged towards thetter like a quick predator pouncing on its prey. His movement was fast, but Yang Zenke was already prepared for this. He jumped backward and narrowly evaded the sharp de of Jimen Kang¡¯s spear.


    The two continued their sh, causing violent fluctuations in the air every time their weapons collided.


    ng! ng! ng!


    The two have already exchanged for more than a dozen times, but neither showed any signs of retreating.


    ¡¯This fucking bastard! Howe he is still able to fight equally against me?! That injury should have at least slowed down his speed, but howe his speed did not even decrease by a tiny bit? Don¡¯t tell me that he can endure the pain of that injury. Shit!¡¯ Jimen Kang cursed in his heart when he saw that his opponent was still able to fight him on equal footing.


    Yang Zenke¡¯s pain tolerance was notparable to a normal cultivator. He had experienced countless amount of hardships in the Endless Forest and he was even able to endure the hellish and torturous training of Hu Xiandao, so how could this amount of pain hinder him?


    "If you think that this little bit of injury can weaken me, then you are terribly wrong. In fact, the more injuries I sustain, the stronger my fighting intent bes. If you don¡¯t believe me, then go ahead and try!" Yang Zenke said in an arrogant tone. He wanted to provoke his opponent into fighting aggressively with him. If that happens, he would be more certain of achieving victory. After all, he was famous for his crazy way of battling. The crazier the fight was, the stronger his attacks would be!


    Jimen Kang frowned upon hearing that, but those words still managed to anger him. He nced at Yang Zenke furiously and release a series of quick spear attacks. "Since you want a frontal battle against me, then I will happily oblige! Die!"


    The corner of Yang Zenke¡¯s lips curved upwards when he saw Jimen Kang¡¯s enraged expression. To think that this idiot fell to a little bit of goading...


    ***


    After seeing that Yang Zenke was fine, Prince Dante and the others sighed in relief. They then surrounded Sylphie and circled her protectively.


    "Don¡¯t worry about Brother Yang. He can handle that guy, so we just have to worry about these people." Prince Dante muttered as he red at two dozen enemies around them.


    Sylphie stared at Prince Dante and the others with gratitude. If not for them, Jimen Kang and his subordinates might have already taken her back to the Crimson Sun Sect. She shuddered at the thought of it.


    Princess Sylvia nced at the shaking Sylphie and smiled at her reassuringly. "Don¡¯t worry. These people are nothing. After Brother Yang takes down that Jimen Kang, we could easily dispatch his subordinates."


    The confidence in her tone made Sylphie less anxious.


    "Thank you." Sylphie wanted to say more, but she was too embarrassed to add more words when she saw the smile of Princess Sylvia. She had been cold to her when the princess had tried to speak with her during the banquet. Thinking about that, she could not help but regret her actions. She also promised herself to befriend this group of people. Princess Sylvia and the others helped her in her moment of crisis, so she could no longer remain indifferent towards them.


    Princess Sylvia nodded her head at Sylphie when she heard her words. She also felt pity for this girl who must have experienced a terrible childhood in the hands of the Crimson Sun Sect.


    "There is no need to be formal with us. We are fellow disciples, so we must protect each other." Princess Sylvia smiled at Sylphie.


    "Everyone, just hold on for a few minutes, I have already sent someone to notify the experts of the imperial pce toe to this location." Prince Dante whispered to his group.


    The others nodded their heads in understanding. They were outnumbered by their enemies, and there were still two experts hiding in the shadows. Defeating their enemies was difficult, but if they could hold back their enemies for a while, then they might be able to counterattack if the experts of the imperial pce will arrive in this ce.


    Prince Dante silently prayed in his heart that the two experts hiding in the shadows won¡¯t attack them before their reinforcements arrive.


    "What are you standing there for?! Kill them before someonees here!" Jimen Kang shouted at his subordinates.


    After hearing themand of their young master, they immediately gripped their weapons tightly as they charged towards Prince Dante¡¯s group.


    Facing this group of elites charging at them, Prince Dante and the others felt slightly nervous, but they still brandished their weapons without the intention to escape. As the experts of the younger generation, they were confident in their abilities.


    "Brother Beiming!"


    "Leave it to me!" Beiming Chu donned a pair of arms shields and abruptly pounced towards the iing enemies at the front.


    "I will leave the enemies from behind to you guys!" He shouted as he fearlessly blocked the powerful attacks of more than seven enemies.


    When Zhu Ren saw the valiant Beiming Chu, he did not want to be outdone. He calmly brandished his spear like a fleeting wind, creating small gales of wind around him!


    The others also disyed strong attacks as they collided with their enemies...


    Standing atop a branch of a tree not far from them, Long Meili watched the battle with a calm gaze. She had no intentions of interfering in this confrontation. She wanted to see how these new disciples would fare against a group of elites from a renowned sect...


    "Yang Zenke and Han Sen are still a cut above the rest. The others need more training to maximize the efficiency of their power..." Long Meili muttered to herself.

 Chapter 294 - Kill

    <h4>Chapter 294 - Kill </h4>


    Yang Zenke shed his sword which was promptly evaded by Jimen Kang in a fluid manner. It must be noted that each of Yang Zenke¡¯s attacks was not weak. Moreover, the speed of his sword was even faster than someone of his level of cultivation. Just that, Jimen Kang was not an average peak stage 6th-rank King realm expert. He was nurtured by the Crimson Sun Sect with great care and he was even tutored by the experts of his sect. If not for Yang Zenke¡¯s superior sword techniques and intense willpower, he would have already fallen under his enemy¡¯s short spear.


    "I must admit that you are quite strong for someone at the early stage of the 6th-rank King realm. However, if this is already your best, then that would be truly disappointing." Jimen Kang said as he looked at Yang Zenke. Although he was revealing a mocking smile, he was slowly losing patience.


    This battle was supposed to end quickly, but this guy in front of him was too freaky that even someone like him who had enjoyed the full support of the sect was still finding it hard to defeat Yang Zenke.


    Meanwhile, Prince Dante and the others were embroiled in a fierce battle against Jimen Kang¡¯s subordinates. Although they were outnumbered, they still managed to kill a few of their enemies, reducing their numbers down to a little more than a dozen.


    Prince Dante¡¯s group was already starting to show fatigue, but they did not stop swinging their swords despite the growing numbness of their arms.


    "From the looks of things, they won¡¯t have any problems defeating their opponents. The only problem is the two individuals hiding in the shadows. I must get rid of them before they couldunch a sneak attack." Long Meili muttered to herself as she disappeared from her spot. Like a ghost, she silently reappeared behind the two elders of the Crimson Sun Sect. The two did not even sense her arrival and so without hesitation, Long Meili slowly slit the throat of the one who was further behind.


    Her actions were done in a practiced manner, but the remaining elder still sensed the abnormality behind him so he abruptly turned around to check the situation. To his horror, he found hispanion holding his bloodied neck as he gasped for air. Standing beside his strugglingpanion was the silhouette of a woman who wore a calm and indifferent expression. He could sense the difference in their power so he immediately tried to escape, but before he could even take another step forward, his head tilted sideways before it dropped to the ground, leaving behind a headless corpse that slowly copsed on the ground.


    Long Meili caught the headless corpse and prevented it from making any noise. This way, Jimen Kang and his subordinates would not be alerted about their death.


    All this happened in less than five seconds, but the two elders of the Crimson Sun Sect who were at least at the 8th-rank Emperor realm could not even utter a cry before they died.


    Long Meili nced at the corpses before she shifted her gaze to the ongoing battle ahead of her. "The rest is up to you guys." She muttered calmly as her figure vanished. Only the two corpses on the ground were left behind...


    Yang Zenke nced in a certain direction and frowned. He can no longer sense the aura of the two experts hiding in the shadows. ¡¯They suddenly disappeared. Where are they?¡¯ He was confused by this that he almost failed to dodge Jimen Kang¡¯s attack.


    Swoosh.


    The de of Jimen Kang¡¯s short spear barely scraped the air just a few inches away from Yang Zenke, making the matter break out in a cold sweat.


    ¡¯That was close! I should end this quickly so that I can help the others!¡¯ Yang Zenke shouted in his heart as he prepared to use his most powerful sword techniques.


    Initially, he did not want to use these sword techniques since they consume a lot of his true essence, but in order to finish the fight, he had no options left.


    Yang Zenke changed his stance and drew a yin-yang diagram in midair with his sword as he shouted. "Yin-Yang Sword Extinction!"


    A ck and white serpent phantom came out of the diagram and darted towards Jimen Kang. They both opened their mouths as if intending to consume Jimen Kang!


    Looking at this, Jimen Kang hurriedly used his life-saving skills, but he was still a step toote. The white and ck serpents crashed into his body, flinging him away like a broken kite!


    Bang!


    Jimen Kang was thrown into a nearby mountain, creating a small crater. He spat a mouthful of blood from the strong impact and he could feel his internal organs bursting with pain.


    Argh!


    Jimen Kang propped his body up, but he fell down immediately. His legs no longer listened to hismands and when he checked the condition of his body, he was horrified.


    A huge gaping wound can be seen on his chest and he could even see his ribcage and his pulsating heart. His heart beat furiously at the sight of his injuries.


    He was defeated? He Jimen Kang was actually defeated by someone who was three minor realms weaker than him? Thinking about it, Jimen Kang slowly lifted his head and stared at Yang Zenke¡¯s peerless figure. The guy looked indifferently at him as if his defeat was already set in stone before the fight even began.


    When Jimen Kang nced at Yang Zenke¡¯s cold and icy gaze, he could not help but feel a chill in his heart! He finally realized that this guy had not used all his power at the initial part of their battle. After this realization, Jimen Kang revealed a bitter smile.


    "Young Master!"


    "Young Master Jimen!"


    "Brat, stay your hand!"


    Jimen Kang¡¯s suddenly subordinate cried out when they saw the pitiful state of their young lord. They could not believe that their young master was actually defeated by an early stage 6th-rank King realm. It was truly beyond their scope of understanding!


    After that, they abandoned Prince Dante¡¯s group and swiftly dashed towards their young master. They red at Yang Zenke with hatred as they held Jimen Kang.


    Upon seeing the gaping wound on his chest, their eyes widened in dismay. They knew that Jimen Kang would no longer survive even if he was carried back to their sect.


    "Elders, hurry up! Bring the young master back to the sect!" They shouted, but no one answered their call.


    This... At this moment, they knew that they were done for. Even if they managed toe back to the Crimson Sun Sect alive, they would still be severely punished by their sect master. Thinking about it, despair clouded their faces.


    "Don¡¯t let them get away! Spare one of them, as for the rest, kill!" Yang Zenke ordered to the stunned Dante and the others before he darted towards the Jimen Kang¡¯s subordinates.


    "Let¡¯s go!" Prince Dante led the others as they lifted their swords with ferocious glints in their eyes.


    After a little more than five minutes, only the dying Jimen Kang and one of his severely wounded subordinates were left alive.


    Seeing Jimen Kang¡¯s state, Sylphie¡¯s eyes burned with hatred. Memories of her terrible childhood surfaced in her mind as she stared at his face. She had experienced maltreatment under the hands of Jimen Kang and she had always dreamed of killing this vile beast! Now, she could not wait to kill him with her sword!


    "Brother Yang, please allow me to end that dog¡¯s life!" Sylphie muttered in a calm tone, but everyone present could feel the intense hatred in her voice.


    Yang Zenke stared at her shaking figure and slowly nodded his head. "Just don¡¯t kill the other person. We still have to bring him back to the Heavenly Sword Tower and report this to the elders of the sect."


    Sylphie nodded her head at him. She then walked towards Jimen Kang who was struggling to crawl on the ground. She could see the horror and fear in his eyes and this made her utterly disgusted! "To think that an animal like yourself could actually reveal such an expression. Jimen Kang, this is the heaven¡¯s punishment for all the evil that you have done! Die!"


    "No!!" Jimen Kang shouted desperately, but Sylphie mercilessly shed him with her sword. A blood-red arc was drawn in the air as the screams of Jimen Kang finally died down.


    Looking at this, Prince Dante and the others released a heavy sigh. They had no idea what Sylphie had gone through in her past for such a young girl to emit that kind of killing intent. However, they felt no sympathy for scum like Jimen Kang. Even if Sylphie would spare him, they would still kill him without hesitation. Only death awaits people like him!


    Sylphie lifted her head and stared at the night sky with a calm look as she muttered to herself. "Crimson Sun Sect, you¡¯re next!"

 Chapter 295 - Possibility Of War

    <h4>Chapter 295 - Possibility Of War </h4>


    After witnessing the victory of Yang Zenke¡¯s group, Long Meili smiled contentedly. Although Sylphie¡¯s performance wascklusterpared to the rest of the group, she was certain that she could train Sylphie into bing a much stronger cultivator. The moment Sylphiees back to the Heavenly Sword Tower, Long Meili would immediately take her as a disciple.


    At first, Long Meili did not take her seriously, but upon observing her for a few days, Long Meili was satisfied with the girl¡¯s character. With the dragon¡¯s bloodline flowing through Sylphie¡¯s veins, Long Meili was certain that the girl will experience massive growth once she begins training under Long Meili.


    "Brother Han, take him with us. Make sure that he won¡¯t die along the way. Since these people are daring enough to capture one of our disciples, they should be prepared to face the wrath of the Heavenly Sword Tower!" Yang Zenke said in a cold tone which caused the others to feel a chill in their hearts. To think that the normally calm Yang Zenke would actually reveal such an overbearing aura. Although his current appearance was scary, this also made the group feel warm in their hearts. It was hard to find a fellow sect disciple that was caring enough to their own.


    Han Sen nodded his head gravely at Yang Zenke. He then took out a pill from his space ring and forced the surviving subordinate of Jimen Kang to consume it. The guy tried to spit it out, but Han Sen shoved the pill directly to his throat.


    Cough! Cough! Cough!


    The man coughed heavily, but hisplexion became much better after he consumed the pill. He nced at Han Sen with fear. ¡¯Young master, why did you have to provoke these people?¡¯


    "Brother Liu, Brother Zhu, please call the other disciples of our sect and tell them toe back to the Heavenly Sword Tower. It would be dangerous for them if they go back by themselves. There might be experts from the Crimson Sun Sect who wille here to investigate what had happened." Yang Zenke said in a grave tone.


    Liu Mengdi and Zhu Ren nodded their heads in acknowledgment. They then swiftly went to the imperial pce without hesitation. The Crimson Sun Sect might be significantly weakerpared to the Heavenly Sword Tower, but the sect still had numerous experts.


    "Let¡¯s go back to the tower. We must inform the elders about this immediately. War is bound to happen between our two sects!" Yang Zenke said as he led the group back to the Heavenly Sword Tower. All of them had solemn expressions as they walked away.


    ***


    "Master, are we going back to the Profound Dragon Continent?" Theia asked Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen who was sittingzily on a chair nced at Theia with a calm look as he replied. "Not yet. The Divine Beast Continent is not just known for the savage beasts living in it, but also because of the valuable spiritual nts that can be found here. How can we waste this kind of opportunity?"


    Theia found his words reasonable. However, she also found it quite funny that her master had actually spoken such words when he was stillzily sitting on his chair.


    The tigers heard their conversation and they could not help but nce at each other. Suddenly one of them went in front of Jiu Shen and bowed.


    "Sect Master Jiu Shen, we have overheard your conversation about the spiritual nts. Although the Divine Beast Continent indeed has a lot of it, I must warn you about the danger thates with it. There might be Origin God Realm savage beasts protecting these spiritual nts, so if you¡¯re nning to gather spiritual nts, please exercise caution." The tiger said solemnly.


    Earlier, Jiu Shen had already discussed with the tigers that he was nning to bring them into the Heavenly Sword Tower and he also told them that they would be the sword tower¡¯s guardians. To this arrangement, the tigers agreed without hesitation. In fact, they were very happy to serve as guardians for Jiu Shen¡¯s sect.


    Upon hearing the tiger¡¯s words, Jiu Shen merely nodded his head. He did not take his words seriously. He has the map of the entire Nuar inside his head and he was more familiar with the Divine Beast Continent than these tigers, but he was toozy to exin all of this.


    Jiu Shen stared at Ice who was still chatting happily with her parents. From the looks of their faces, it might take long before they grow tired of chatting.


    Jiu Shen abruptly stood up from his seat and said. "I will leave for a moment. As for you guys... Just stay here and wait for my return. I might be gone for a day or so, but you don¡¯t need to worry. I will just pluck a few spiritual nts to increase my collection."


    Theia and the tigers were speechless at his words. Perhaps only Jiu Shen would treat high-level spiritual nts as collection materials... Of course, he might be joking as well, but from his indifferent expression, it looks like there is some truth to his words...


    "Master, do you want me to apany you?" Theia asked as she looked at Jiu Shen.


    The man shook his head lightly and replied in a calm voice.


    "There is no need for that. Just wait here for me with the tigers. Also, take this with you. You¡¯ll know what the contents of this ring if you check itter." Jiu Shen said as he handed a space ring to Theia.


    She epted the space ring and absentmindedly nodded her head at her master. Although she was quite reluctant to be away from him, she could not bring herself to force her master. She might only be a burden to him if she follows him to search for spiritual nts. After all, the Divine Beast Continent houses billions of strong savage beasts.


    After Theia took the space ring, Jiu Shen ripped the space open and leaped inside the rift.

 Chapter 296 - Scarlet Thunder Boa

    <h4>Chapter 296 - Scarlet Thunder Boa </h4>


    Jiu Shen arrived in a ce full of overgrown trees that stood more than thousands of meters in height. Jiu Shen looked like an ant beneath these huge trees.


    The asional cries of savage beasts and the singing of wild birds echoed throughout this lush forest. Jiu Shen looked around him with a calm expression as if he had already expected to see this.


    Truth is, he was not surprised to see this forest at all. He had seen a muchrger forest in his past life and even the trees in that forest had pierced the clouds with their humongous length. The ones in front of him at this moment paled significantly inparison...


    "It should be here." Jiu Shen muttered to himself as he checked the map inside his head. From what he saw, the Merciless Lightning Dao Fruit was located inside this forest. This was an Origin-rank spiritual fruit with an element of lightning. It was capable of enhancing one¡¯s physical body and it can also allow a cultivator to be enlightened with the element of lightning.


    Jiu Shen walked calmly within the forest as if it was his own backyard. He did not even bother to conceal himself despite being in a dangerous ce.


    Countless pairs of red eyes suddenly emerged. However, Jiu Shen merely disregarded them and continued walking on a straight path.


    Awooo!


    The savage beasts were enraged at Jiu Shen¡¯sck of reaction. They then slowly revealed themselves while ring at Jiu Shen with malicious gazes. This human actually dared to ignore them? Truly tired of living!


    Dozens of dark-colored wolves growled threateningly at Jiu Shen. These wolves were five timesrger than normal wolves and they also had one sharp horn on top of their head. They emitted a thick aura of death just from standing there. From this alone, anyone can already tell that they are dangerous. However, Jiu Shen merely walked past them and treated them as if they were dogs.


    Awoo!


    "Noisy." Jiu Shen shot a nce at the leading wolf and flicked his fingers. A small pebble hurtled towards this wolf and it directly prated the wolf¡¯s skull which immediately killed it. Seeing the sudden death of their leader, the wolves became horrified. They silently retreated with their tails tucked between their legs. Such a scary human! They don¡¯t want to face him anymore!


    After the wolves left, Jiu Shen kept the corpse of the dead wolf leader and continued on his journey. The Merciless Lightning Dao Fruit was just close.


    Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks. He could sense the presence of two powerful savage beasts near the Merciless Lightning Dao Tree. From the intensity of their aura, they were at least Origin God Realm savage beasts!


    Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes flickered with anticipation after this discovery. He silently hoped that these savage beasts were edible. That way, he could get a fresh ingredient for a delicious meal...


    After walking for another two hundred meters, he could finally see the silhouette of a tree with purple leaves. It was about twenty meters tall and it asionally produced sparks of lightning around its trunk.


    Jiu Shen raised his head and saw five mature Merciless Lightning Dao Fruits. Seeing this, Jiu Shen swiftly dashed towards the tree and plucked the mature fruits without hesitation.


    However.


    Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!


    The earth suddenly trembled just right after he ced the five Merciless Lightning Dao Fruits inside his space earring. He knew that the two savage beasts were finally here.


    Hiss!!


    Hiss!!


    Two loud hissing sounds echoed inside the forest. At this moment, Jiu Shen saw two gigantic snakes looking at him with fury. Their huge pairs of eyes spurted mes as they stared at Jiu Shen.


    "Scarlet Thunder Boa... And there are two of them. Just right on time." Jiu Shen muttered calmly to himself, but a light of excitement can be seen in his eyes.


    The two gigantic snakes were hundreds of meters long and they were fully covered with their armor-like scarlet scales. Anyone else would have wet their pants upon seeing these behemoths, but Jiu Shen merely nced at them with interest.


    These huge creatures might look ugly, but their meat was a delicacy. Their thick scarlet scales can also be made into armors or weapons. In short, the two huge boas in front of Jiu Shen were extremely valuable!


    "Human! It is a surprise that an ant-like species like yourself has managed to reach this ce, but you will still die for daring to steal our fruit! Return the spiritual fruits and we will swallow you immediately! If not, then we will slowly kill you before eating your mangled corpse!" One of the Scarlet Thunder Boa said in a mocking tone.


    Jiu Shen ignored the huge snake. He then gathered his true essence and casually created a huge cage in front of the two gigantic creatures. This scene stunned the two savage beasts, making them speechless for a few seconds.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s intricate control of his true essence surprised the two snakes. They could not even achieve that level of control, so how could they not be surprised upon seeing it?


    "This..."


    The two boas were perplexed to see this. How could a bug have such fine control of true essence? This was inconceivable! They even forgot what they hade here for and they just silently watch as Jiu Shen created a huge cage made of an unknown metal.


    After a little more than five minutes, Jiu Shen nodded his head in satisfaction. He then nced at the two confused boas and said in a calm voice. "Hey, little snakes. Do you see this? This will be your new home."


    At this moment, the two huge creatures snapped out of their daze. They finally realized what Jiu Shen was up to, but it only made them even more surprised. Is this human an idiot or something? Does he actually want to capture them? Is he treating them like normal household pets? Thinking about this, the eyes of the two snakes darkened.

 Chapter 297 - Pitiful Scarlet Thunder Boa

    <h4>Chapter 297 - Pitiful Scarlet Thunder Boa </h4>


    "Human, are you toying with us? Hiss!" One of the Scarlet Thunder Boa stared at Jiu Shen with a chilling gaze that could make anyone else tremble in fear. A heavy pressure descended onto Jiu Shen, making the ground beneath him crumble into pieces!


    Facing this colossal pressure, Jiu Shen remained unperturbed. He even nced at the two giant boas and motioned them to get inside the cage. It was as if he was conning a kid toe to him with a piece of candy...


    "Insolent human! Die!" The other Scarlet Thunder Boa failed to hold back its anger and it abruptly opened its gaping mouth and strike at Jiu Shen with lightning speed!


    "What a pity. Initially, I wanted to capture the both of you alive, but it seems like you prefer going inside this cage as a corpse..." Jiu Shen muttered in regret. He then extended his hand and stopped the charging giant snake from moving any closer.


    "What?!" The two savage beasts were stunned in disbelief after seeing this. This human had actually managed to stop an Origin God Realm Scarlet Thunder Boa¡¯s fierce charge with just a single hand?!


    Jiu Shen increased the strength of his grip which immediately ripped out the snout of the attacking snake!


    Hiss!!


    The gigantic boa writhed in pain after having its snout ripped out of its face. Blood spurted out of its wound, painting the ground red.


    Rumble! Rumble!


    Following the snake¡¯s violent writhing, it dismantled the trees and earth around it, causing a small earthquake within the area.


    "Are you trying to destroy the Merciless Lightning Dao Fruit? Sigh..." Jiu Shen was slightly worried about the spiritual nt and it would be a pity if it is destroyed by this snake.


    Jiu Shen tossed the snake¡¯s snout to the ground and pounced towards the squirming creature. He then raised his hand in midair and mmed it hard into the snake¡¯s head.


    Bang!


    The Scarlet Thunder Boa whose brain was protected by its thick metal-like skull immediately lost consciousness after Jiu Shen knocked it down with a p.


    Its huge body crashed on the ground, leaving the remaining Scarlet Thunder Boa dumbfounded at the absurd scene.


    The two of them had been overlords of this entire region and they even control the life and death of the millions of savage beasts, but itspanion was actually swiftly taken out by a human who had suddenly arrived in their territory? Just who was this guy?


    Jiu Shen took the unconscious boa and ced it inside the cage he made earlier. He didn¡¯t kill it since doing so would only make the meat of the giant snake lose its perfect texture for cooking. He had to prepare a few ingredients first before he would ughter these snakes.


    After he had taken the giant boa inside the cage, Jiu Shen shifted his gaze to the remaining Scarlet Thunder Boa. His unchanging expression made the savage beast¡¯s heart skip a beat. It did not even dare to escape after seeing Jiu Shen¡¯s terrifyingly calm eyes.


    ¡¯I¡¯m doomed! To think that someone like me would end up dying in the hands of a human. What a twist of fate...¡¯ The giant snake chose to submit after witnessing Jiu Shen¡¯s tyrannical power. Even itspanion was easily subdued by the human, so how could it fare any better? So instead of suffering, it might as well give up.


    "Human, I submit. I will go inside the cage." The huge snake said in a deste tone.


    Jiu Shen who was prepared for a fierce battle was slightly taken aback, but he still nodded his head and opened the cage as he beckoned for the snake toe inside.


    Seeing his gestures, the giant snake slowly went inside the cage with its head down. Two ancient savage beasts who had been overlords of the Divine Beast Continent were captured by a single human without even putting up an effort. If this news got out, all savage beasts in the Divine Beast Continent would surely be shocked. After all, these two colossal beasts were genuine Origin God Realm beings and they had been undefeated for hundreds of years.


    "At least you are a bit smarter than this little snake right here." Jiu Shen said to the obedient creature.


    Hearing this, the snake cursed Jiu Shen in its mind, but it did not dare voice out anything.


    Jiu Shen then kept the cage and ced it inside his space earring. His space earring was a bit special and it could house a living creature inside. Of course, this was only possible because it was made by the system using its mighty power.


    After storing the cage inside his space earring, Jiu Shen walked towards the Merciless Lightning Dao Tree and stared at it with a calm look.


    Zap. Zap.


    Numerous strands of lightning touched Jiu Shen¡¯s body, but he remained unaffected by it. He then uprooted the entire tree in a casual manner. He did not even use a tool meant for plucking spiritual nts... If a high-level alchemist would have seen Jiu Shen¡¯s unconcerned way of plucking spiritual nts, they would have spurted blood from the sight before fainting.


    "System, open the Spirit World for me." Jiu Shenmanded.


    A door emerged in front of Jiu Shen and he immediately stepped inside without hesitation. He then searched for a suitable ce for the Merciless Lightning Dao Tree and temporarily nted it right there.


    ¡¯Maybe I should draw an array formation to protect this thing." Jiu Shen said after he had rented the spiritual nt in a new location. And so, Jiu Shen used more than thirty minutes to draw a strong protection array formation to prevent the native savage beasts of the Spirit World from destroying the spiritual nt.


    Jiu Shen nced at his work in satisfaction and after seeing that there is nothing wrong with it, he stepped out of the Spirit World.


    "Time to gather a few more ingredients. I won¡¯t waste this opportunity right here since it might be long before I cane back to this ce." Jiu Shen muttered to himself before vanishing from his spot.


    Jiu Shen spent more than a week gathering ingredients all over the Divine Beast Continent. With a detailed map inside his head, Jiu Shen was able to get the highest-quality spiritual nts. He even managed to capture a few more savage beasts! With this, he has finally achieved his goal here.


    After that, Jiu Shen teleported in front of Theia and the tigers, making them a little bit surprised. He had been gone for only a week. They had even thought that Jiu Shen would need more than several months to gather spiritual nts, but who knew that it only took him less than several days to do this...


    "Master, wee back." Theia bowed at Jiu Shen in respect.


    "Wee back, sect master!" The tigers greeted reverently.


    "It is time to go back to the Profound Dragon Continent." Jiu Shen muttered in a calm voice. It was finally time for them to go back home.


    ***


    A week ago, Yang Zenke and the others reported Crimson Sun Sect¡¯s actions to their sect elders who immediately went mad upon hearing their words. However, the elders of the Heavenly Sword Tower did not immediatelyunch their counterattack to the Crimson Sun Sect.


    "Lord Ren, allow me to lead the experts of our sect to punish the Crimson Sun Sect for their actions! No one is allowed to bully members of our sword tower! If news of this goes out, everyone might take us lightly." Hu Xiandao said angrily after hearing the report of Yang Zenke and the others.


    A few elders also voiced out their agreement and support.


    "Alright. Lord Hu Xiandao, I will give you the power tomand some elders and disciples to punish the Crimson Sun Sect. Make sure to kill the sect master of that sect!" Ren Shuang ordered in a chilling tone. He was also angry at the Crimson Sun Sect for their deed. He had promised his master that he would protect everyone from harm and that he would never let anybody hurt them, but this sect actually tried to capture one of their disciples!? Unforgivable!


    Hu Xiandao and the other elders of the Heavenly Sword Tower could sense the anger in his voice, so they hurriedly nodded their heads after hearing hismand.


    "We will bring their sect master¡¯s head with us!" Hu Xiandao patted his chest in a confident manner. He was not blindly arrogant, he was just confident that no one was strong enough to stand in his way. After all, he had grown stronger these past few days."


    "I will ask Elder Hestia to follow you. With her presence, I am assured that nothing would go wrong." Ren Shuang said as he calmed himself down. From what he could remember, the Crimson Sun Sect was not ordinary. It was under the leadership of a mysterious sect master whose strength was currently unknown by everyone other than him and Jiu Shen... That was also why he would ask Hestia to join Hu Xiandao¡¯s party.

 Chapter 298 - Hestia

    <h4>Chapter 298 - Hestia </h4>


    Hu Xiandao went to the Immortal¡¯s Wine Store together with five elders of the Heavenly Sword Tower. Behind them were dozens of elite disciples who radiated an intense aura that covered the streets of Beltran City. Even the passersby were stunned when they saw this intimidating entourage.


    At this moment, the Heavenly Sword Tower¡¯s fame had already spread far and wide, so when the crowd discovered the ck robes that these people wore as well as the emblem on their chests, all of them immediately made way for thisrge group.


    "That¡¯s the emblem of the Heavenly Sword Tower! I saw it during the official establishment of the sect!"


    "They must be the disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower, but where are they nning to go? From their solemn faces, I think they are nning to attack someone."


    "Look! The man leading them is Hu Xiandao. He was just a crippled barbarian a few months ago, but he had received the aid of Sect Master Jiu and was given the chance to regrow his arm after he consumed Sect Master Jiu¡¯s miraculous pill! Now, Hu Xiandao is an elder of the Heavenly Sword Tower. His strength has also increased by leaps and bounds under the guidance of Sect Master Jiu."


    The crowd discussed enviously as they stared at the Heavenly Sword Tower¡¯s entourage. It hasn¡¯t been long since the establishment of the sect, but it was already crowned as the strongest sect in the whole Profound Dragon Continent. Of course, the reason for that was because of the existence of its incredibly mysterious and strong sect master.


    With their heightened senses, Hu Xiandao and the elders heard their words. They also felt a bit proud and lucky after hearing the crowd¡¯s discussion.


    Meanwhile, the new disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower could barely cover the smiles on their faces. Before they became disciples of the sect, they were not even that famous, but after bing disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower, they received the envy and admiration of the whole Profound Dragon Continent. After all, the sect had a strict requirement, and only a few hundred managed to be disciples.


    "I can¡¯t believe that our sect is actually this famous." Liu Mengdi muttered in surprise after witnessing the crowd¡¯s respectful expressions.


    "Hmph! Of course, our sect is famous! Who do you think is leading our Heavenly Sword Tower!" Princess Sylvia said with a smug look.


    "Is it really alright for you guys toe with me to the Crimson Sun Sect? The sect even mobilized the elders to help me in my revenge." Sylphie was feeling mixed emotions about what was happening. She was happy that she had finally found her new home, but she also felt ashamed that she had implicated the sect with her personal vendetta.


    Jon who was walking beside her smiled and chuckled. "Junior Sister Sylphie, you don¡¯t have to be worried. We came here of our own volition because we want to help you. As for the sect, it has just been established for less than a month and the people are still unaware of the sect¡¯s bottom line. For instance, the Crimson Sun Sect thought that our Heavenly Sword Tower would remain indifferent about your story, but looking at this, they certainly made the worst decision."


    Prince Dante and the others nodded at his words. At first, they also thought that the sect would not directly aid Sylphie in her matters, but the reaction of the elders surprised them. The higher-ups were even willing to bring Hestia into this endeavor.


    All of them were aware of who Hestia was, but they did not know about her true power. However, for the sect to have such a high amount of faith in her power, she should be strong enough to contend against the Crimson Sun Sect¡¯s upper echelons. Just the mere thought of meeting her excited the new disciples. The only exceptions were the regr customers of the Immortal¡¯s Wine Store who had already met her many times.


    "Brother Zhu, can you tell me more about Elder Hestia? You guys are citizens of the Silver Wing Empire, so you should know more about her. Can you tell me what is special about this elder that even Elder Hu Xiandao has to be this excited in meeting her?" Jon turned his head and asked Zhu Ren.


    The group had already be friends after bing disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower. The events earlier had also solidified their friendship.


    Zhu Ren was silent for a moment before he replied. "I don¡¯t really know much about Elder Hestia, but I do know that she is one of Sect Master Jiu¡¯s personal assistants. When Sect Master Jiu only had the Immortal¡¯s Wine Store in his name, he only had two people with him. One of them is Elder Hestia."


    After hearing his answer, realization dawned on Jon. "I see. Since she is one of Sect Master Jiu¡¯s first subordinates, her cultivation level must be profound. Wait. You mentioned that Sect Master Jiu has two subordinates during that time, then who is the other one?" He asked as he looked at Zhu Ren.


    However, Jon only saw Zhu Ren¡¯s face twitching when he asked that question. It was only a few secondster did thetter reply with a strange tone. "You have already seen her. It is Elder Theia."


    Hearing this, Jon was dumbstruck. "That woman?!" He eximed.


    Seeing his reaction, Princess Sylvia snickered.


    Just then, the group suddenly halted. When they looked in front of them, they saw a majestic building with intricate design. There are dragons and phoenixes drawn on the building¡¯s wall. It looked lifelike and imposing, making the new disciples feel breathless. After seeing this building, they felt that the headquarters of the other families and ns looked like trash inparison.


    "Everyone, we have arrived. In front of you is the Immortal¡¯s Wine Store that was personally established by our Sect Master Jiu Shen. Sold inside this wine store are blessed wines that can promote fast growth in cultivation, but we are not here to drink wine, so hold yourselves back at this monent." Hu Xiandao said to the disciples.


    "Wait for me as I discuss with Elder Hestia inside." He added before he went inside the wine store.


    The disciples were in awe of the wine store and they became even more fascinated with it after hearing about the wines sold inside. After all, a wine that could help a cultivator enhance their cultivation is rare and valuable.


    "So the rumors about the wines sold in this store is actually true?! Incredible!"


    "If we¡¯re not here for official matters, I would have already gone inside the store and ordered ten bottles of wine."


    "What do you know? The wines inside this store are not just some random cabbage sold in the streets. There is a limit given to the customers ording to their strengths. As for you, you might only be able to drink the store¡¯s Mystic Jade and Ables nc."


    The disciples discussed excitedly. All of them were eager to try the effects of the said wines, but they did not dare go inside the store. Everyone knew that Elder Hu Xiandao was discussing something with Elder Hestia and it would be a bad idea if they angered the two of them. Anyway, they could juste back to the store some other day.


    ***


    Inside the store, on the second floor.


    "Elder Hu, it has been a while. It seems like you have already adjusted with your new arm." Hestia said with a warm smile.


    Hu Xiandao smiled at the woman in front of him and was shock to discover her sudden increase in strength. It has only been a few months since they hadst met, but she had already be stronger by leaps and bounds.


    From the aura that she possesses, she must be nearing the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint realm! She was almost as strong as Theia now!


    Hu Xiandao could not hide his surprise. "Elder Hestia, it has only been several months since west met, but you are already much stronger than me." He said in admiration.


    Hestia smiled upon hearing his praise. She then changed the topic. "Elder Hu, you havee here with a few elders and disciples of our sect. From the looks of it, you are about to go on a mission to attack someone."


    "Indeed. It is as you say, Elder Hestia. I have received the order to eradicate the Crimson Sun Sect!" Hu Xiandao said fiercely.


    Hestia¡¯s eyes shed for a moment when she heard that. She was already trying to guess what the Crimson Sun Sect had done that it actually made the Heavenly Sword Tower mobilize some of its elders and disciples to attack it, but whatever it was, she would definitely side with Jiu Shen.


    "I see. You must be here to seek my help, right?" Hestia asked with a smile. When Hu Xiandao saw her stunning smile, he suddenly felt a chill running down his spine.


    "What a strong killing intent!"

 Chapter 299 - Jimen Kanding’s Fury

    <h4>Chapter 299 - Jimen Kanding¡¯s Fury </h4>


    Hu Xiandao found it hard to believe that Hestia who was known for her gentle bearing and graceful aura was actually able to emit such overbearing killing intent! He thought that only Theia was fearsome between the two, but it seems like he was wrong.


    "Elder Hestia, I¡¯ve brought our people here and everyone is just waiting for you to takemand. The young disciples in particr are already itching for battle. What are your orders, Elder Hestia?" Hu Xiandao asked the woman in front of him. Initially, he nned tomand the whole group, but after sensing a part of Hestia¡¯s strength, he changed his ns.


    ¡¯It won¡¯t be too bad if Elder Hestia will takemand. With her strength, our chances of eradicating the Crimson Sun Sect will increase.¡¯ Hu Xiandao thought to himself.


    The reason for Hestia¡¯s killing intent was not just because of Sylphie¡¯s past but also because the Crimson Sun Sect was one of the powers that wanted to steal her master¡¯s spiritual nts when he was still an unknown person. She remembered everyone present at that time and she was certain that the Crimson Sun Sect was one of them.


    ¡¯Crimson Sun Sect, to think that you guys woulde and knock our doors again. Since you want to y with fire, then don¡¯t me me for burning you all!¡¯ Hestia was still smiling, but deep inside her heart, she was bursting with rage.


    "Elder Hu, tell everyone that I wille shortly. I will just prepare everything before we set off." Hestia said with a warm smile.


    Hu Xiandao¡¯s back was already covered in sweat. He heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing Hestia¡¯s words. He no longer wants to remain alone with this woman. She is just as dangerous as Elder Theia!


    "I¡¯ll inform them immediately, Elder Hestia." Hu Xiandao said before he left.


    Hestia nced at him for a moment before she stood up from her seat. She then went to the kitchen and delegated tasks to the kitchen staff and waitresses. She only left the wine store after making sure that nothing would go wrong in her absence.


    The moment she stepped out of the store, the disciples nced at her with curiosity. Some of them were also awestruck by the woman¡¯s beauty and charm.


    "Everyone, this is Elder Hestia. She will be takingmand in this operation, so make sure that you will treat her with respect." Hu Xiandao the woman to the new disciples.


    "So she is Elder Hestia? She¡¯s so beautiful!"


    "I wonder what rtionship she has with the sect master."


    "If Elder Hestia could only nce this way, thening here is already worth it!"


    The hot-blooded young men among the new disciples expressed their admiration towards Hestia, but she merely smiled when she saw this. She was already used to men¡¯s admiration that she was no longer surprised about it.


    "Everyone, some of you might not know of this since not everyone here is a native of the Silver Wing Empire. A few months ago, when Sect Master Jiu Shen has yet to set up the Heavenly Sword Tower, several sects banded together to try to steal the spiritual nts inside his wine store. Luckily, he was strong enough to prevent them from achieving their goal. As for the Crimson Sun Sect, they are one of those sects. Now, they even came to capture one of our new disciples." Hestia¡¯s voice was calm and unhurried, but disciples could not help but feel a chill gripping their hearts. They didn¡¯t know why they suddenly have this sort of feeling, so they were slightly confused. However, a few of the stronger disciples discovered that this sense of threat actually came from this seemingly harmless Elder Hestia!


    "Everyone set off!" Hestia ordered with a calm face.


    "Elder Hestia, this is the location of the Crimson Sun Sect. Do you want us to go there discreetly or..." Hu Xiandao handed a small parchment to Hestia and pointed at a circled location.


    "We don¡¯t have to be discreet. From what I can remember, their sect master is only a mid stage 9th-rank Saint. Even if he suddenly had a breakthrough during the past few months, he still could not do anything to us, but just to make sure that nothing goes wrong, ask one elder to scout the Crimson Sun Sect¡¯s sect grounds. We must not let anything happen to these new disciples." Hestia chuckled after sensing Hu Xiandao¡¯s worry.


    The barbarian nodded his head and answered. "I¡¯ll get it done right away."


    Hestia then shifted her gaze to the disciples who were chatting excitedly. With one nce, only a few of them had caught her eyes.


    "It looks like some of these disciples are still green. Now, I understand why they sent these disciples in this task. So you want me to show them the brutality of the cultivation world, huh?" She muttered silently to herself.


    After realizing that she was bringing a bunch of newbies, Hestia lost interest in them. Perhaps the only one with experience among this group of new disciples was Prince Dante¡¯s group.


    "Look! Elder Hestia is looking at me! Her smile is so beautiful!"


    "Fool! Elder Hestia is definitely looking at me!"


    The other disciples nced at the two in disdain, while some of them merelyughed.


    ***


    "Sect Master, the young master¡¯s life jade was destroyed!"


    "What!? Go bring me to the Jade Hall! Quick!" This man was Jimen Kanding, the sect master of the Crimson Sun Sect and the father of Jimen Kang.


    Sect Master Jimen hastily went to the Jade Hall together with a few elders. They were sweating buckets upon hearing the report and they silently hoped that their subordinate had just made a mistake. However, when they saw the shattered life jade of Jimen Kang, all of them revealed an expression of despair.


    "How could this be?! How could this be?! Who killed my son?! Arghhhh!!" Jimen Kanding emitted a deste cry that shook the sect grounds of the Crimson Sun Sect. Now, everyone was wondering what had happened that warranted such intense reaction from their sect master.

 Chapter 300 - Ambush Plan

    <h4>Chapter 300 - Ambush n </h4>


    Jimen Kanding¡¯s eyes flickered with madness, but he soon calmed himself down. However, boundless wrath still enveloped his heart after discovering his son¡¯s death.


    He had doted on Jimen Kang since he was his only child and he was also bound to be the next sect master of the Crimson Sun Sect, but all his ns for Jimen Kang can no longer be fulfilled...


    After sorting his messy thoughts, Jimen Kanding nced at his subordinates with a furious expression.


    "Investigate this matter quickly! Whoever killed my son will have their families or sects eradicated!" As he said those words, the killing intent in his gaze intensified, making the elders of the Crimson Sun Sect unconsciously retreat in fear.


    "We will investigate this matter right away, Sect Master!" The elders hurriedly excused themselves after hismand. They frantically recalled their disciples to help them get to the bottom of their young master¡¯s death.


    After the elders left the Jade Hall, Jimen Kanding notified his own force to gather in the Crimson Sun Sect¡¯s main hall.


    Dozens of experts who were at least at the 7th-rank of the Emperor realm lined up in the main hall after hearing their sect master¡¯s order. Their sect¡¯s ten guardians were also present at the scene which made everyone quite confused as to why Jimen Kanding had suddenly mobilized all of their strongest experts.


    Jimen Kanding ignored the crowd¡¯s confusion.


    "Silence!" He shouted.


    "I know all of you are confused as to why I have suddenly called you here. Jimen Kang has been killed and this has been proven since his life jade has already shattered. Now, I want every one of you to search for the culprit behind his death! I want this matter investigated in detail and nothing must be left uncovered! Dismissed!" Jimen Kanding dismissed the crowd after giving them hismand.


    "What!? The young master was killed?!"


    "Someone actually dared to kill the young master! I will kill them!"


    The group of experts expressed their rage when they heard the news of Jimen Kang¡¯s death. Although Jimen Kang¡¯s character was wed, he was loyal to the Crimson Sun Sect and his talent was even at the very top in the whole sect. Once news of his death reached everyone¡¯s ears, the Crimson Sun Sect would surely be aughingstock in the Profound Dragon Continent.


    The Crimson Sun Sect tried its best to hide this matter, but the disciples still learned about what happened. It was only a matter of time before this would reach the ears of the neighboring sects and empires.


    ***


    "Elder Hestia, that is the sect grounds of the Crimson Sun Sect. From the way it looks, they should have already discovered the death of Jimen Kang. They even mobilized their elders and disciples to investigate the matter." Hu Xiandao whispered to Hestia.


    Hearing his words, Hestia¡¯s lips curled up in disdain. She did not ce the Crimson Sun Sect in her eyes at all. If the new disciples were not here with them, she would have already led the elders to attack their sect grounds...


    Currently, they were located a few kilometers away from the Crimson Sun Sect and all of them were now wearing dark cloaks that prevented anyone from identifying them.


    Even from a distance, they could already see the Crimson Sun Sect imposing sect building, but if it waspared to the Heavenly Sword Tower¡¯s sword tower, it would only be considered as a beggar¡¯s home. However, it was still decentpared to the sect grounds of the other sects in the Profound Dragon Continent. After all, the Crimson Sun Sect already had hundreds of years of history.


    "So that¡¯s the Crimson Sun Sect. Their sect building looks mediocrepared to our sword tower."


    "Look! I can see more than a dozen of their experts standing guard in the entrance. It looks like they are already aware of what had happened."


    Suddenly, another group of experts from the Crimson Sun Sect came out of their sect grounds. This group was also significantly stronger than the other groups who had set off earlier.


    "They had finally summoned their elders. Elder Hu, tell everyone to prepare an ambush. We will be waiting for them in this spot, but we will give this opportunity to the young disciples." Hestia said as she pointed somewhere on the map in her hands.


    Hu Xiandao nced at the location and nodded his head in agreement. That ce was indeed ideal for an ambush and assassination, but he was also bewildered by Hestia¡¯s order. She actually wanted to give this rare chance to the disciples! Although he wanted to voice out his thoughts, he decided to stay silent. Since Hestia was confident, she must have her ns.


    "Alright. I¡¯ll inform the disciples of your n, Elder Hestia." Hu Xiandao said as he received the map from Hestia. He then went towards the disciples and gathered all of them.


    "Everyone, I have a task for all of you." Hu Xiandao said as he showed the map to everyone. Although the map was notrge, with everyone¡¯s heightened vision, it was not a problem for them to see it.


    Hu Xiandao pointed to a ce on the map and said. "We will wait here for a chance to assassinate the elders and disciples of the Crimson Sun Sect, but I have to warn you that there are more than ten experts in their ranks and it would be dangerous if you failed to assassinate your targets. And if ever you failed, don¡¯t hesitate to flee. Understood?"


    The disciples nodded their heads solemnly. For some of them, it was the first time they are going to assassinate someone, and their targets were even disciples of a major sect. Thinking about it, they could not help but feel a bit worried.


    "Rx. Us elders are there to help you guys. I will also ask the elders to reward you based on your performance, so don¡¯t disappoint me." Hu Xiandao smiled when he saw the anxious expression of some disciples.

 Chapter 301 - Regret

    <h4>Chapter 301 - Regret </h4>


    Under the lead of Hu Xiandao, the disciples grimly waited for the Crimson Sun Sect¡¯s group to arrive. Although they were feeling nervous, they held their swords tightly as they tried to calm themselves.


    "Elder Hestia, it looks like the kids won¡¯t be able to kill anyone..." Hu Xiandao muttered quietly when he saw everyone¡¯s reaction. He was opposed to this idea since he was a bit worried about the oue, but since they had alreadye to this point, there is no turning back anymore.


    Hestia smiled sweetly when she heard his words. "Elder Hu, you underestimate them too much. They might be feeling anxious right now, but with their cultivation level, it won¡¯t be a problem to assassinate a few weaker elders and disciples of the Crimson Sun Sect."


    She might be slightly disappointed with their new batch of disciples, but she still believed that they could aplish this task. As to where her confidence came from, it was because of the presence of the stronger disciples they brought.


    Hearing that, Hu Xiandao could only sigh in his heart. He silently prayed that nothing would go wrong. He then notified the elders to prepare for the worst.


    ***


    "Elder Shao, who do you think might have killed the young master? From what I could remember, he was secretly protected by two strong elders, so his death doesn¡¯t seem to be simple. None of the people who came with him even came back. That means all of them were also killed together with the young master." A middle-aged man with short hair asked. His name was Di Xuan, an elder of the Crimson Sun Sect with cultivation level at the peak stage of the 8th-rank Divine realm. He was one of the strongest elders in the Crimson Sun Sect!


    The old man named Elder Shao frowned as he answered. "The young master was searching for that escaped servant and it was also reported by our scouts that he wasst seen in the Silver Wing Empire. ording to the scout, the young master saw that servant girl in the Heavenly Sword Tower. Our investigations will also begin there."


    Upon hearing the name of the sect, the middle-aged Di Xuan was slightly surprised. "The Heavenly Sword Tower? The sect that was established by that guy named Jiu Shen? Then, if they are rted to the young master¡¯s death, this matter might be troublesome."


    Elder Shao nodded his head in agreement. He was also cursing Jimen Kang in his heart for his foolishness. He had actually killed himself for the sake of a servant girl, he was truly an idiot! If not for Jimen Kang¡¯s identity as the Crimson Sun Sect¡¯s young master, Elder Shao would have remained inside their sect to cultivate...


    ¡¯Even my son Shao Fenhua died under the hands of Jiu Shen¡¯s people. If that idiot Jimen Kang has provoked the Heavenly Sword Tower, then the Crimson Sun Sect...¡¯ Suddenly, Elder Shao felt a chill in his heart. He then stared at Di Xuan and whispered to him.


    "Elder Di, I have a bad premonition about this task. You should leave the sect with me. That idiot Jimen Kang might have provoked the Heavenly Sword Tower. We would only be killed if we remain in the sect. You know the temper of that bastard Jimen Kanding. He would surelymand the whole sect to take revenge for his son. We still have a chance to live if we escape now."


    Di Xuan¡¯s eyes widened when he heard his words. Elder Shao was actually thinking about escaping the sect? However, the moment Elder Shao mentioned that, he also could not help but feel nervous. After all, Jimen Kang¡¯s death might be rted to the Heavenly Sword Tower. Although he had not yet seen Jiu Shen, he had heard countless tales about him. Those rumors even made him admire the man. No one wants to have an enemy like Jiu Shen...


    When Elder Shao saw the hesitation in the eyes of Di Xuan, he said in a grave tone. "Elder Di, have you forgotten how that bastard Jimen Kanding had unfairly distributed some of our precious resources to that idiot Jimen Kanding? Those cultivation resources were supposed to be used for your breakthrough to the 9th-rank Saint realm! Do you really want to help that kind of fool? If you still have a bit of brain left, thene with me. We must go back to the sect and get those talented disciples who have been dissatisfied with Jimen Kanding."


    Di Xuan gritted his teeth and nodded his head solemnly. ¡¯Elder Shao is right! I have enough of Jimen Kanding¡¯s way of handling the sect!¡¯


    "Alright, I will follow you, Elder Shao, but where are we going?" He asked in a grave tone.


    Elder Shao knitted his eyebrows as he pondered deeply. He then answered after a few seconds. His voice filled with remorse. "We will remain hidden for a few years to prevent the Heavenly Sword Tower from discovering us."


    "You mean... Okay. Sigh." Di Xuan¡¯s eyes widened, but he soon nodded his head with a heavy expression. He did not want to betray the sect where he had grown up, but he was also tired of Jimen Kanding¡¯s tyranny.


    After getting Di Xuan¡¯s answer, Elder Shao nced at the Elder who was leading the investigation group and walked towards him.


    "Grand Elder Jimen, this matter might be rted to the Heavenly Sword Tower, so I hope that you can allow me to go back to the sect to gather more of our elders." Elder Shao said to the hunched old man.


    This Grand Elder Jimen was the Grand Elder of the Crimson Sun Sect and he was also the father of the current Sect Master Jimen Kanding and the grandfather of the deceased Jimen Kang. His name was Jimen Kai, an old man with unfathomable strength.


    Grand Elder Jimen did not turn his head as he replied in a sorrowful voice. "Shao Fenji, is this your final decision? Do you really want to leave the sect?"


    Elder Shao¡¯s heart almost leaped out of his chest upon hearing the grand elder¡¯s words. He had actually heard his secret conversation with Di Xuan! He was certain that he had masked their conversation with his true essence, but Grand Elder Jimen still overheard them!


    "This..."


    Grand Elder Jimen shook his head with a weak smile as he said. "You don¡¯t need to exin yourself. I know what my son has done to you for many years, but I chose to turn a blind eye to it. I even failed to educate my grandson... Bring this with you on your journey."


    Elder Shao absentmindedly took the book handed to him. When he recovered from his shock, he was again stunned when heid eyes on the book in his hands. "This is the core cultivation technique of the Crimson Sun Sect! Grand Elder Jimen..."


    The hunched old man raised his thin arm and shook his head. "Just leave before it¡¯s toote." He had already sensed a group of enemies hidden a few hundred meters away from their location. If his guess was right, those people might be there for them.


    Elder Shao took a deep breath before he nodded his head. "Grand Elder Jimen, thank you for your understanding. If we escape alive, I will establish a new sect together with Di Xuan. Farewell."


    He walked away without turning back after bidding his farewell. He knew that this would be hisst meeting with the grand elder and although he felt his heart aching, nothing else could be done. They had already made enemies with the Heavenly Sword Tower and he knew that the grand elder would never escape from the sect.


    With a heavy heart, Elder Shao nodded at Elder Di. "Let¡¯s go! The grand elder has already permitted us to go back!"


    Seeing his darkeningplexion, Di Xuan immediately nodded his head. He did not know how Elder Shao had convinced the grand elder. ¡¯I¡¯ll ask himter...¡¯


    After that, the two of them left with some disciples.


    Grand Elder Jimen nced at their departing figure with a look of regret. "To think that such talented individuals are forced to leave the sect because of my son¡¯s foolish actions. No. It is partly my fault for not disciplining him well. Sigh."


    The grand elder seemed to have aged by several years at that moment. He regretted spoiling his son all those years ago...


    "Sigh. This old man is already too old. I can only do this much to repent for what I have done. Shao Fenji, I leave everything in your hands..." The grand elder muttered to himself as he led the remaining elders and disciples of the Crimson Sun Sect.


    ***


    "Elder Hestia, some of them left. Do you want me to chase after them?" Hu Xiandao asked Hestia.


    "There is no need for that." Hestia shook her head in reply.

 Chapter 302 - Grand Elder Jimen

    <h4>Chapter 302 - Grand Elder Jimen </h4>


    It wasn¡¯t that Hestia did not care about Elder Shao and the others who had escaped. Just that, the hunched old man leading the Crimson Sun Sect was giving her intense pressure.


    "That old man is not simple! Elder Hu, abandon the n! The disciples are in danger!" Hestia abruptly rose to her feet and she disappeared in a blink of an eye. Hu Xiandao was not even able to give her a reply before she vanished.


    "Huh? Wait! She said that the disciples are in danger! I have to inform them!" Hu Xiandao hurriedly dashed towards the disciples who were still oblivious of what was going on.


    Bang!


    Hm?


    Grand Elder Jimen sized up the beautiful woman in front of him. From her appearance, she looked to be in her early twenties, but her cultivation level was already on par with the elders of the Crimson Sun Sect. He then noticed the insignia of the Heavenly Sword Tower on Hestia¡¯s dress and his eyes shed with understanding. ¡¯Such a youngdy! And she seems to have a high status in the Heavenly Sword Tower!¡¯ He eximed in his heart.


    The elders and disciples of the Crimson Sun Sect were also dumbfounded at Hestia¡¯s sudden appearance, but they soon noticed the emblem on her clothes.


    "She is from the Heavenly Sword Tower! So they are really the ones who killed the young master!"


    "Hey beauty, how about youe with us. We promise that we won¡¯t hurt you." The elders of the Crimson Sun Sect had cold smiles on their faces as they stared at Hestia¡¯s lithe figure. Some of the hot-blooded young men even nced at her with unscrupulous gazes.


    Looking at the scene not far away, the new disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower were surprised when they saw Hestia blocking the path of the Crimson Sun Sect. Weren¡¯t they supposed to ambush their group? Then what was Elder Hestia doing? Those were their thoughts when they saw this scene.


    "Isn¡¯t that Elder Hestia? Why is she there? What about our n?" The disciples were confused at the sudden development and even the elders were also surprised.


    "All of you, gather to me this instant! Elder Hestiamands everyone to abandon the assassination n! Quick!" Hu Xiandao¡¯s voice suddenly drifted to their ears.


    "Eh? Why are we abandoning the n? The Crimson Sun Sect¡¯s group has not even noticed our presence. We could have executed the n effortlessly."


    "Right. What is Elder Hestia thinking?"


    Some disciples expressed their disappointment at Hu Xiandao¡¯smand, but they could not do anything about it, so they could only gather in his location with regretful expressions.


    Hu Xiandao bitterlyughed when he saw the downcast expressions of the disciples. Even he was surprised at Hestia¡¯s sudden order, but she was the leader of the group and it won¡¯t be good to defy her orders.


    Meanwhile, Hestia was now looking at the hunched old man with a solemn look. She even took out her sword and prepared for an attack.


    She could sense boundless mighting from the old man, and this became even more apparent after she came closer to him. With her cultivation at thete stage of the 9th-rank Saint, she had no problems with defeating even those experts at the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint. However, the old man in front of her was giving her a dangerous vibe which means that his strength surpassed those of 9th-rank Saints!


    "To think that the Crimson Sun Sect has an old ancestor like yourself. I¡¯m truly surprised with this revtion." Hestia said in a calm voice, but she was inwardly rmed at her discovery. It was a good thing that she had sensed the danger earlier or the new disciples might have been in danger if she did not tell them to retreat!


    The hunched Grand Elder Jimen coughed and steadied himself with his walking stick. His appearance turned pale for a moment, but he soon recovered.


    "Grand Elder! Are you alright?"


    "Grand Elder, what happened?" The elders and disciples of the Crimson Sun Sect nced at the hunched old man with worry. They knew that their grand elder was gued with an illness and his health was on a decline since then. His almighty figure had been reduced to its current state after suffering from the effects of that illness. The Crimson Sun Sect used many of their high-level spiritual nts to help him recover his peak state, but aside from alleviating a bit of his pain, the spiritual ns failed to heal him. Since then, he rarely came out of the sect and isted himself to prevent his health from declining further. He only came out recently after hearing the death of his grandson...


    Grand Elder Jimen shook his head slowly. "I¡¯m alright." The old man said. He then stared at Hestia with a calm look and casually said. "You¡¯re so young, but you¡¯ve already reached thete stage of the 9th-rank Saint. It seems like the Heavenly Sword Tower is really a haven for peak martial arts experts."


    "What?! She¡¯s ate stage 9th-rank Saint?! How could it be possible?!"


    "No way! She looks no older than twenty..."


    Everyone wanted to refute the old man¡¯s words, but they knew that the grand elder was not someone who utter lies. In that case, the woman in front of them was indeed ate stage 9th-rank Saint!


    Hestia became even more certain of her conjectures upon hearing the old man¡¯s words. She held her sword tightly as she stared at the old man, afraid that he would suddenlyunch an attack. "Don¡¯t tell me you are a... Nascent God Realm expert?" She was slightly surprised as she asked the old man.


    Grand Elder Jimen¡¯s murky eyes shed briefly and he chuckled. "Hahah! Are you trying to buy time for those young ones? You don¡¯t have to worry about that, little girl. I¡¯m not here to kill the younger generation. I only want to know why my grandson was killed. Although his character is terrible, Jimen Kang is still my grandson. The Heavenly Sword Tower must offer a sufficient reason for killing him." Although the old man¡¯s voice was calm, Hestia felt a sudden wave of pressureing from him. If not for her cultivation, she would have already fallen to her knees.

 Chapter 303 - Battle

    <h4>Chapter 303 - Battle </h4>


    At this moment, the distant Hu Xiandao finally noticed the old man¡¯s strength. His pupils constricted when he sensed the overwhelming auraing from his hunched figure. He found it hard to believe that such a fragile old man could actually emit a palpitating pressure that made him feel dread.


    "Elders, protect the disciples from any danger. Lead them to retreat from this ce!" Hu Xiandao shouted grimly, stunning the disciples in ce. From the expression of Elder Hu, they knew that the old man leading the Crimson Sun Sect¡¯s group was not ordinary and even Elder Hestia seemed to be wary of him. Thinking about that, the disciples felt a bit worried.


    "Elder Hu, leave the disciples¡¯ safety to us. Don¡¯t push yourself too hard and make sure youe back alive to the sect!" The elders said to Hu Xiandao.


    Hu Xiandao nodded his head solemnly at them before he sprinted towards Hestia.


    "Let¡¯s go! Elder Hu has already spoken! We must retreat immediately!" The elders pushed the dumbfounded disciples.


    Meanwhile, Hestia heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that the disciples were retreating with the elders. She then moved her gaze back to the hunched old man in front of her. The auraing from him was bing stronger and his aged face is slowly regaining its youthful look.


    "Those people are trying to escape! Go after them!" An elder of the Crimson Sun Sect ordered when he saw the retreating disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Dozens of elite cultivators run past Hestia, but she ignored them. Initially, she wanted to stop them, but the old man seemed to have noticed her actions, so he increased the pressure he was emitting.


    "Old man, stop!" Hu Xiandao shouted when he sensed the rising aura of the old man. He felt his heartbeat quickening when the old man gazed at him. Although his eyes were murky, they contained boundless strength and confidence.


    Grand Elder Jimen was slightly surprised when he saw the barbarian. From his aura, he should be a 9th-rank Saint. ¡¯9th-rank Saints seems like cabbages in the Heavenly Sword Tower.¡¯ He muttered to himself.


    "What do you want to say?" Grand Elder Jimen asked in a cold tone as he nced at Hu Xiandao¡¯s stalwart figure.


    "Your grandson, he wanted to forcibly capture one of our disciples. Luckily, her fellow disciples arrived to save her from her predicament. Unfortunately, your grandson seemed to be adamant in capturing her and he did not even back down when our disciple mentioned that the girl he is trying to capture is a disciple of the Heavenly Sword Tower!" Hu Xiandao voice sounded calm, but he was already sweating buckets.


    "You bastards from the Heavenly Sword Tower! Do you really have to kill our young master for a mere disciple? You even killed a few of our disciples and two elders!"


    "You should pay for your crime!"


    The remaining elders and disciples of the Crimson Sun Sect expressed their anger when they heard Hu Xiandao¡¯s words. They believed that he was merely spouting nonsense.


    Grand Elder Jimen sighed in his heart at Hu Xiandao¡¯s words. He knew that the barbarian was most likely telling the truth. After all, his grandson was a womanizer and he would do anything to get his hands on any woman he likes regardless of their status.


    ¡¯Jimen Kang, you¡¯ve really brought a disaster to the Crimson Sun Sect this time. If you were still alive, I would have personally killed you...¡¯ Grand Elder Jimen was seriously pissed at his own grandson at this moment. This event could have been avoided if Jimen Kang did not force the matter.


    Sigh!


    Grand Elder Jimen sighed helplessly as he shook his head. He took onest nce at Hestia and Hu Xiandao before he turned around and left. He walked so slowly with his walking stick but no one dared to stop him despite their confusion. The old man¡¯s figure seemed to have be even thinner at that moment.


    Looking at the old man¡¯s deste back, Hu Xiandao felt a wave of sympathy towards him. From the old man¡¯s reaction and expression, Hu Xiandao believed that he wasn¡¯t as bad as his grandson. With his high cultivation, he could have also killed him and Hestia, but it looks like he had no ns of doing that.


    "He left." Hu Xiandao murmured.


    The elders and disciples of the Crimson Sun Sect recovered from their stupor. They then red at Hestia and Hu Xiandao with hatred.


    "Although the grand elder has spared you, don¡¯t think that we would do the same! Everyone, kill the barbarian! As for the woman, capture her! Let¡¯s bring him to the sect master to appease his anger!"


    "Kill!"


    They shouted as they pounced towards Hestia and Hu Xiandao with crazed looks. For a moment, spells and skills rained down from the sky, causing violent explosions to erupt.


    Bang! Bang!


    Facing thebined assault of more than several dozen experts, Hu Xiandao and Hestia remained calm. Only the old man was strong in their group. As for these experts, they were nothing in the eyes of the two.


    Hestia waved her sword forward, producing sharp gales of wind around her. She then sent it towards the approaching enemies!


    Hu Xiandao took out a massive two-handed greatsword from his space ring. It was evenrger than his body, but he wielded it as if it was as light as a piece of paper!


    "Be careful! They are strong!" An elder of the Crimson Sun Sect shouted.


    "Since you are tired of living, let me send you guys in hell!" Hu Xiandao roared like an angry beast as he brandished his gigantic greatsword. He swiped it sideways, making the space around him tremble. The ground beneath his feet crumbled under his strong burst of power, producing spiderweb-like cracks to the surface!


    On the other hand, Hestia¡¯s swordy lookedckluster inparison, but there was a strange power emanating from her every action. Fierce gales covered her figure, making her looked like the Queen of Storms!


    Multiple figures were sent flying in the air after they shed with these two. They could not even touch the shadow of Hestia and Hu Xiandao!

 Chapter 304 - Fierce

    <h4>Chapter 304 - Fierce </h4>


    The elders and disciples of the Crimson Sun Sect were rmed after they witnessed the overwhelming disparity between them and the two. Looking at their calm expressions, Hestia and Hu Xiandao did not even seem to have expended a lot of true essence!


    "They are strong! It would be difficult if we continue to fight like this!"


    "Elders, form a battle formation! Disciples, stand behind us and provide long range support!" A guardian of the Crimson Sun Sect stepped forward andmanded his group. This guy was an old man in his sixties, and his cultivation level had already reached the early stage of the 9th-rank Saint!


    "Yes, Lord Guardian!" Everyone answered when they heard hismand. This guardian seemed to be someone respectable in the Crimson Sun Sect based on how the others reacted to his call.


    The elders of the Crimson Sun Sect gathered around each other and formed a battle formation facing Hu Xiandao and Hestia. After they banded together, their aura climbed higher, making theirbined might even stronger than before! The disciples also stood behind their elders with solemn faces as they slowly channeled their true essence.


    Hu Xiandao and Hestia felt a strong amount of pressureing from them after they assembled their battle formation. Although it was only rough and was hastily executed, it was still enough to put pressure on the two.


    "Elder Hestia, be careful. They might be weak individually, but the power of their battle formation must not be underestimated." Hu Xiandao said warily as he observed the formation of their enemy. He was trying to search for a hole in their defense.


    Hestia nodded her head calmly. "Elder Hu, I have already found the weakness of their formation. The moment I attack, just hit the spot that I will strike." She said as she slowly lifted her sword. A trace of disdain shed in her gaze for a moment.


    The Crimson Sun Sect¡¯s group became alert when they saw Hestia¡¯s actions. The guardian and the elders also prepared their weapons as they watched Hestia with serious gazes.


    If anyone else would see the confrontation between these two groups, they would certainly be surprised. After all, the Crimson Sun Sect had dozens of experts while they were merely facing two individuals! However, they could not be med either. The strength of Hestia and Hu Xiandao has exceeded their expectations!


    "Go!" Hestia suddenly dashed towards the leading guardian, catching everyone unprepared. Even Hu Xiandao was shocked at her swift movements, but he was still able to follow behind her.


    The leading guardian of the Crimson Sun Sect sneered upon seeing Hestia¡¯s attack. Although she was fast, he was still able to track her movements. After all, the difference in their cultivation was small. Even so, he did not dare take her lightly.


    "Activate your defensive skills! Disciples, aim your skills forward! Make sure you avoid hitting us!" The guardian issued a series ofmands.


    Hestia¡¯s mouth curled into a cunning smile when she saw their actions. She then changed the trajectory of her path and targeted the disciples who were still preparing to attack!


    Hu Xiandao almost failed to follow her. ¡¯You could have at least told me that you are targeting them.¡¯ He smiled wryly in his heart.


    "Shit! Their real target are the disciples behind us! Don¡¯t let them seed!" The guardian shouted angrily when he saw everything.


    "Toote!" Hestia said as she swiped her sword towards the stunned disciples. The poor disciples could only helplessly watch Hestia as she struck them.


    Hu Xiandao did not forget Hestia¡¯s words. He lifted his gigantic sword and smacked it down towards the ce where most of the disciples were gathered.


    Bang!


    The unlucky disciples who were hit by his massive sword were ttened into meat paste! As for those who luckily came out alive, some parts of their body were already missing...


    "Stop right there!" The guardian waved his war axe towards Hu Xiandao¡¯s defenseless back. His axe carried a scorching me that made the surroundings turn hotter.


    "Die!"


    The elders of the Crimson Sun Sect also attacked Hestia¡¯s fatal spots, not wishing to give her a chance to escape!


    Hu Xiandao¡¯s eyes erupted with fury and he abruptly turned around and parried the guardian¡¯s war axe with his giant sword. The violent shing of their weapons produced a loud nging sound.


    ng!


    The ground beneath them crumbled as they used all their strength to push their weapons!


    Meanwhile, Hestia stared at the iing enemies with a calm look. In her eyes, all their movements suddenly turned slow. This was her skill. It could enhance her reaction speed and increase her mental strength, making her thought process faster than normal!


    Hestia brandished her sword elegantly. It was as if she was painting a beautiful artwork with every strike of her sword! And when she sheathed her sword, the airborne enemies suddenly exploded into a fountain of blood!


    "Too weak!" She shook her head in disappointment. She then stared at the guardian who was only barely blocking Hu Xiandao¡¯s fierce sword strikes.


    "Elder Hu, do you need my help?" She asked with a smile.


    "Hahaha! I¡¯m just warming up, Elder Hestia. I will finish this soon!" The barbarian chuckled upon hearing Hestia¡¯s words. He was also feeling shocked at how fast Hestia had eliminated her enemies. After all, there were almost ten elders that pounced at her.


    "You dare treat me lightly?! Die!" The guardian felt rage boiling in his heart when he heard the conversation between the two. They were actually taking him lightly?


    "You might be stronger than me, but I can still drag you to hell with me! Die!" The guardian used his remaining strength to swing his war axe with full force!


    Facing this, Hu Xiandao revealed a mocking smile as he shed his sword.


    Bang!


    The guardian¡¯s war axe was destroyed and he was also thrown away by the resulting force of the attack!


    Hu Xiandao stared at the guardian and saw that the guy was still alive. Although the guardian¡¯s body was already beyond injured, he still managed to stare at Hu Xiandao with extreme hatred.


    "Th-The gra-grand elder will avenge us!" His eyes lost their glow after saying those words.


    "Grand elder? Is he talking about that old man earlier?" Hu Xiandao muttered to himself as he recalled the hunched old man. Although their meeting was only brief, he was still able to sense the old man¡¯s formidable strength. If he did not leave, the oue of the battle might have been different.


    Hestia walked behind Hu Xiandao. She also heard thest words of the guardian. "Elder Hu, let¡¯s go and check the others. Many of the Crimson Sun Sect¡¯s people followed after them. The new disciples might be in danger." She said to Hu Xiandao.


    The barbarian nodded his head and said. "Lead the way, Elder Hestia."


    ***


    On a different battlefield, Prince Dante and the others were fiercely fighting against the disciples of the Crimson Sun Sect. Although their individual strengths were stronger than their counterparts, the enemies had outnumbered them and it won¡¯t be long before they will run out of stamina and true essence.


    "Everyone, just hold on!" Prince Dante shouted, but his words did not manage to ignite everyone¡¯s fighting intent. If not for the elders protecting them, some of them would have already died.


    Seeing that his allies were struggling, Prince Dante frowned. If this continued, some of them might die. "I need to think of a way that could let everyone have a breather."


    "Disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower, stand behind me! As the strongest experts of the younger generation, how could these weaklings defeat us! In every enemy you kill, I will offer a corresponding amount of True Crystals! I will personally ask the sect for the rewards! Don¡¯t hold back!" A loud shout suddenly caught everyone¡¯s attention. The eyes of Prince Dante and the others twinkled. They knew that it was Yang Zenke.


    "Brother Yang is right! How could these bunch of nobodies threaten us?! I, Han Sen, will y whoever crosses swords with me!"


    "Kill!!"


    The tide of the battle abruptly changed after that shout from Yang Zenke. Despite the weariness of the Heavenly Sword Tower¡¯s disciples, they still brandished their swords like crazed fanatics. They did not even flinch after getting a few wounds!


    The eyes of their enemies revealed a trace of fear upon witnessing the fierce struggle of their opponents.


    "These fucking bastards are crazy! They are a bunch of crazy lunatics! To think that the Heavenly Sword Tower is actually epting these kinds of disciples!"


    "I don¡¯t want to fight anymore!"


    "Flee! These bastards are crazy!"


    Some of the Crimson Sun Sect¡¯s disciples turned tail and ran, making those that remained to feel a huge amount of pressure.


    Prince Dante heaved a sigh of relief at this development. "Good thing Brother Yang is here to encourage everyone. I wonder how Elder Hu and Elder Hestia are faring. They are facing more than several dozens of enemies there, so we must hurry!"

 Chapter 305 - Stunned Jimen Kanding

    <h4>Chapter 305 - Stunned Jimen Kanding </h4>


    Looking at the fleeing enemies, Prince Dante and the others heaved a sigh of relief. The others from the Crimson Sun Sect also retreated when they discovered that most of their allies had already fled. Even their elders followed them, afraid that they would be ughtered by the crazed experts of the Heavenly Sword Tower.


    "Brother Yang, you¡¯re too awesome! You managed to ignite everyone¡¯s spirit with a few words! I¡¯ll follow you from now on!" Han Sen chuckled as he stared at their escaping enemies.


    Yang Zenke nced at Han Sen in disdain. This guy had really be good at kissing someone¡¯s ass. He wondered where this guy learned this from.


    "It is nothing special. Everyone wants cultivation resources, so I merely used that to our advantage." Yang Zenke said in a calm voice.


    Prince Dante, Beiming Chu, and the others gathered towards Yang Zenke. All of them had various wounds all over their bodies, but every one of them had excited expressions. After all, they had just won a fight which was not in their favor, so everyone¡¯s exhration was understandable.


    "Brother Yang, we managed to make them retreat, but we still need to go back and help Elder Hestia and Elder Hu Xiandao." Prince Dante said.


    Just as Yang Zenke was about to call everyone, he suddenly sensed two strong aurasing towards them. He frowned and shifted his gaze to the left. Prince Dante also noticed his reaction and so he followed Yang Zenke¡¯s line of sight. To their surprise, they discovered that it was actually Hestia and Hu Xiandao.


    "Greetings Elder Hestia, Elder Hu!" They greeted respectfully.


    Hestia and Hu Xiandao scanned everyone and they both heaved a sigh of relief after seeing that all of them were safe.


    "Elders, tend to the wounded disciples. We will rest here for a few minutes before we go back to the sword tower." Hu Xiandaomanded in a stern voice. He was now a 9th-rank Saint and he had a higher status in the Heavenly Sword Tower than these elders, so they immediately nodded their heads upon hearing hismand.


    "Elder Hu, are you sure that we will rest here?" Prince Dante asked speechlessly. The Crimson Sun Sect knew this ce and it would be bad if they call for reinforcements. Some elders were injured and a few disciples even had grave wounds. It would not be ideal if they fight under this circumstance.


    Hu Xiandao nced at the prince andughed in an unrestrained manner as he shook his head. "You don¡¯t have to worry about that. Elder Hestia and I dealt a huge blow to their force and they would certainly hesitate to sh with us at this moment. Just focus on recuperating and go help those that need immediate attention." The barbarian said as he patted Prince Dante¡¯s shoulder.


    Prince Dante wanted to say a few more words, but Hu Xiandao already turned away, so he could only smile wryly. However, he was also surprised at the man¡¯s words.


    From what he could remember, the two were fighting dozens of elders and disciples from the Crimson Sun Sect, but from Hu Xiandao¡¯s tone, it looks like they won even when they were at a disadvantage numerically. He wondered how the two had managed to win in that situation.


    ¡¯It looks like Elder Hestia¡¯s strength is not ordinary.¡¯ He muttered in his heart as he looked deeply at the gentle-looking woman standing not far away from him. She still had that kind smile she usually has in the wine store.


    ***


    In the Crimson Sun Sect¡¯s main hall, Jimen Kanding was seated on the head seat. His face was solemn and cold as he watched the group of elders and disciples kneeling before him.


    "Speak. What happened right there? Why are you all in such a state?" Jimen Kanding asked in a calm tone. Although he sounded calm, everyone knew that he was angry.


    "Se-Sect ma-master, we are about to set out to the ce where the young master wasst seen, but before we could even go there, we were actually ambushed by the experts of the Heavenly Sword Tower." A disciple said in a stuttering voice. His face was full of fear as he stared at Jimen Kanding.


    "Experts from the Heavenly Sword Tower? Are you certain about that?" Jimen Kanding suppressed his fury and asked.


    "This... Everyone that joined in the expedition are witnesses. Their robes had the insignia of the Heavenly Sword Tower. I¡¯m sure about this since I was present during the opening ceremony of the Heavenly Sword Tower." The disciple answered immediately.


    Jimen Kanding frowned upon hearing that. Now, he was a hundred percent sure that the Heavenly Sword Tower was the one that killed his son. Thinking about it, his eyes shed coldly.


    "Heavenly Sword Tower!" He muttered the name one word at a time, showing everyone how furious he was!


    "Give up. Those people are not simple. Even the elders they sent are not normal experts." An aged voice suddenly echoed inside the main hall.


    Everyone nced at the source of the voice and saw a hunched old man slowly walking with his walking stick.


    Jimen Kanding¡¯s expression softened when he saw this old man. This was his father and the current grand elder of their sect. He was also the strongest expert of their Crimson Sun Sect!


    Grand Elder Jimen asionally coughed as he moved slowly. Everyone¡¯s heart ached when they saw the state of the old man. They knew that his health was already declining, but they could not do anything about it since no one was able to cure him.


    "Father, what do you mean?" Jimen Kanding asked softly.


    Grand Elder Jimen stop in his tracks and sighed. This son of his had really disappointed him. He did not even ask about his well-being and was instead asking about something else.


    "One of the experts they sent is someone at thete stage of the 9th-rank Saint. Her strength alone isparable to those at the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint. Aside from that, there was also a barbarian at the early stage of the 9th-rank Saint who came with her. Although he is weaker than the woman, this barbarian¡¯s strength is at least on the same level as you." Grand Elder Jimen slowly said. The old man¡¯s words stunned Jimen Kanding.

 Chapter 306 - Return

    <h4>Chapter 306 - Return </h4>


    Jimen Kanding furrowed his eyebrows. His father¡¯s words were just too difficult for him to believe. An early stage 9th-rank Saint had the same level of strength as him? It was inconceivable! After all, he was already ate stage 9th-rank Saint and he was only a breath away from the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint.


    "Father, I understand that barbarians are physically stronger than others, but is that guy really as strong as me?" Jimen Kanding asked doubtfully. He was confident in his own strength, so how could he ept the fact that someone who was two minor realms lower than him in cultivation has the same strength as him?


    Grand Elder Jimen recalled the figure of that red-haired barbarian. He could still remember the explosiveness of that man¡¯s physique. From that alone, he could already tell that the barbarian was a body strengthening expert.


    It must be noted that body strengthening is much more difficult to train than regr true essence cultivation. After all, thetter was merely dependent on one¡¯s talent, while the former was dependent on one¡¯s willpower. Not everyone has the sufficient amount of willpower to withstand the torturous way of enhancing the physical body. Only a few individuals could reach a high realm in terms of body strengthening.


    "If you don¡¯t believe me, then you can go ahead and confront that person. Their group should still be resting not far away from here." The old man said before leaving the main hall. Not one person dared to stop him.


    Jimen Kanding nced at his father¡¯s figure withplex emotions. The mighty father that he once admired had now be a decrepit old man who was one step closer to death¡¯s door.


    ¡¯The old man can only fight someone at the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint and with his now fragile body, he might even find it hard topete with someone at that level. That must be why he retreated. Why does it have to be the Heavenly Sword Tower?! This is getting troublesome!¡¯ Jimen Kanding remained silent as he sat on the seat. No one dared to fart when they saw the solemn expression of their sect master.


    "Where is Guardian Feng?" Jimen Kanding asked in a serious tone. Of the experts that went out this time, only less than half were able toe back to the sect. One of the eight guardians also seemed to be missing. This made Jimen Kanding slightly perturbed.


    "Sect Master, the group who were together with Guardian Feng were all wiped out. As for Guardian Feng, he also died in battle." An elder said in a grieving tone. It was the first time their Crimson Sun Sect has suffered such disastrous losses. If their enemies would learn about this, they might have a hard time.


    "Lord Sect Master, I also want to report something." Another elder suddenly raised his hand and spoke.


    Jimen Kanding nced at him and nodded his head. "Speak."


    "Before we encountered the experts from the Heavenly Sword Tower, Elder Shao brought a few people with him to go back to the sect to get reinforcements. However, I saw no traces of them here. They might have..." The elder did not continue speaking, but everyone could understand the words that he wanted to convey.


    "What?!" Jimen Kanding¡¯s gaze turned cold.


    "Did you search the corpses of the fallen? Are they not among those who died in battle?" He asked while suppressing his wrath.


    The elder was scared when he saw the expression of the sect master, so he immediately answered him. "Yes, sect master. This subordinate already inspected the battlefield where Guardian Feng has fallen, but I see no traces of Elder Shao and the others there."


    Jimen Kanding could no longer hold back his fury. He smashed the armrest of his seat, breaking it into pieces! Everyone inside the main hall went silent. No one wants to be the outlet of their sect master¡¯s anger.


    "That bastard Shao! He dares to fucking betray me! I¡¯ll fucking kill him! All of you, search for them! Report to me if you see any traces of them!" Jimen Kanding howled.


    Everyone inside the main hall immediately sprang into action, afraid that Jimen Kanding would kill them if they remain inside the main hall.


    Not longter, only the furious Jimen Kanding was left inside the main hall. He was panting heavily as he clenched his fists in rage. "Fucking bastard!"


    At a distance, a hunched old man suddenly sighed. This was Grand Elder Jimen. He used his spiritual sense to observe the main hall, but what he saw only made him even more lonely.


    "My Crimson Sun Sect is doomed this time. To think that it would be destroyed during my time. It looks like I will be condemned by the ancestors in the afterlife." He muttered.


    Cough! Cough! Cough!


    "My time is running out. I just hope that the brat Shao can survive this disaster. If he manages to live, at least my Crimson Sun Sect still has a hope to rise up."


    ***


    Present time, in front of the Heavenly Sword Tower¡¯s massive gate, a huge rift in space suddenly emerged, stunning the patrolling guards.


    "We¡¯re finally back! I can now drink an unlimited amount of milk! Meow!" A burst of sinisterughter echoed from within the rift in space.


    The patrolling guards stared solemnly, but when they saw the appearance of the small little girl, they heaved a sigh of relief.


    Jiu Shen flicked her forehead and stared at the sword tower with a calm look. He then nced at the eight tigers who had now transformed into their human forms.


    "This is my Heavenly Sword Tower. From now on, your task is to protect this ce." Jiu Shen said expressionlessly.


    The eight tigers stared at the towering sword tower that almost pierced the skies with a look of awe and amazement. They could already sense the high-level protective array formation around the sword tower. Even with their Nascent God Realm cultivation, they might not be able to destroy its defenses. This alone made them utterly dumbfounded.


    Ice smirked in disdain when she saw the reaction of her parents and n elders. "Hey! Don¡¯t make me lose face in front of this stinky human! Meow!"

 Chapter 307 - Divisions

    <h4>Chapter 307 - Divisions </h4>


    "The sect master is back!" An elder shouted in an excited tone when he saw the figure of Jiu Shen outside the sword tower.


    After hearing the elder¡¯s shout, everyone inside the sword tower immediately discarded what they were doing and went towards the entrance with eager faces. All of them wanted to see Jiu Shen. It was especially true for the new disciples. They wanted to see the rumored ¡¯strongest expert¡¯ of the Profound Dragon Continent!


    "Look! It¡¯s indeed the sect master!"


    "Do you guys see the little girl beside the sect master? ording to the elders of our n, she is Nascent God Realm savage beast! She should be one of the peak experts of the sword tower! To think that such a strong savage beast actually has such a cute human form..."


    "Who are those people behind them? They don¡¯t look familiar."


    "Brother Dante, do you know who the people behind Sect Master Jiu are?" Liu Mengdi who was among the crowd asked the young man beside him.


    Prince Dante was pleased with how Liu Mengdi had called him. He pestered everyone to simply call him by his name since they were already sect brothers and sisters. At first, most of them felt awkward about it, but they all gradually became used to it.


    Prince Dante shook his head and answered. "This is the first time I have seen them. However, I can¡¯t sense their cultivation level at all no matter how many times I checked. They are not simple individuals."


    With the prince¡¯s strength, he was capable of sensing the cultivation levels of those who were even two major realms higher than him, but this time, he failed to discern the strength of the people behind Jiu Shen.


    Liu Mengdi was shocked when he heard his reply. "With the sect master¡¯s arrival, the fate of the Crimson Sun Sect might already be set in stone. If he ns to send the peak experts of the sword tower to eliminate them, then their only choice to survive is to leave the continent."


    Prince Dante nodded his head upon hearing those words, but he soon shook his head. "I¡¯m not certain about that. The sect master has always been unpredictable. He might not even ce the Crimson Sun Sect in his eyes and disregard thempletely." He smiled wryly.


    Hearing that, Liu Mengdi was at loss for words. That might really happen.


    "Greetings, Sect Master Jiu!"


    "Greetings, Elder Theia!"


    Everyone greeted Jiu Shen and Theia the moment their group came inside the sword tower. As for Ice who was ignored, she pouted in dissatisfaction while ring at everyone.


    Looking at her expression, Jiu Shen patted her small head. He then stared at the elders and disciples of his sect with a calm look as he said. "During my absence here, I visited the Divine Beast Continent to do something. I also got to know the people behind me from that ce. All of them are savage beasts at the Nascent God Realm and from now on, they will be the eight guardians of our Heavenly Sword Tower."


    Everyone was shocked when they heard Jiu Shen¡¯s announcement. Those people behind him were actually Nascent God Realm savage beasts! And there were eight of them at that! Just how did the sect master manage to get them?


    "Woah! Now our sect has eight new experts at the Nascent God Realm! We are invincible!"


    "Great! Those people from the Crimson Sun Sect would definitely wet their pants if they hear about this! Hahaha!"


    The elders and disciples were happy about this. Who doesn¡¯t want their sect to be the strongest? From the looks of it, their Heavenly Sword Tower was bound to be the strongest holynd of cultivation in the whole Profound Dragon Continent for the next millennia toe.


    Jiu Shen nodded in satisfaction when he saw the reactions of everyone. He already expected this to happen so he was not the least bit surprised.


    Jiu Shen gazed at everyone and slowly said. "I will make a few announcements regarding the internal structure of our sect. The Heavenly Sword Tower has just begun its development and it is still in its infancy. The sect does not even have its own divisions yet, so I might as well promote a few people here to lead these departments."


    He had already nned this beforehand, but because of the recent issues, he could only apply it now.


    The eyes of the elders brightened when they heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words. All of them wanted to be promoted since that would mean a more stable supply of cultivation resources for them. Although they already had a lot as elders of the sword tower, getting a few more would make their progress increase a lot.


    Looking at their expressions full of anticipation, Jiu Shen continued in a calm voice. "The first person that I¡¯m going to announce is Ren Shuang. He will be the head of the Punishment Division. The role of this depart is to enforce thew among the members of our sect."


    After he announced that, Jiu Shen took out a robe that was prepared beforehand. It was a robe that waspletely ck and the emblem of the Heavenly Sword Tower was also drawn at the back of the robes. Other than that, there was also the words ¡¯Punishment Division¡¯ written on the upper right side of the robes.


    "Ren Shuang, step forward and receive your new robes."


    This was merely part of formality, but Jiu Shen wanted to emphasize this so that everyone would know the importance of each division.


    Swoosh.


    Ren Shuang silently appeared in front of Jiu Shen, stunning the crowd of elders and disciples. They did not even discover his presence and they only saw him when he revealed himself.


    "Isn¡¯t he the guy protecting the second floor of the wine store?"


    "Yeah, it looks like him."


    Ren Shuang kneeled with one knee and paid his respects to Jiu Shen.


    After getting his new robes, Ren Shuang vanished once again.

 Chapter 308 - Blood Sword Division

    <h4>Chapter 308 - Blood Sword Division </h4>


    After giving Ren Shuang his new robes, Jiu Shen nced at the crowd and said. "I will announce the creation of the Pill Division and it will be led by Qi Hongtian. The responsibility of this division is to create the resources and pills meant for everyone in the sect. Qi Hongtian, get your new robes here."


    The old man Qi Hongtian was pleasantly surprised about this, but as a person who had experienced the hardships of life, he was able to quickly calm himself.


    "Congrattions, Elder Qi! No. I should call you Division Head Qi now." Fengzi whispered to the old man. The two of them had be even closer after bing Jiu Shen¡¯s alchemy disciples.


    Qi Hongtian smiled at him before he went towards Jiu Shen.


    "Master." He greeted the young man in a respectful voice.


    Jiu Shen nodded at him and whispered. "Brat, don¡¯t think I¡¯ve forgotten about our agreement. Make sure you break through and be a Nascent Alchemy God."


    Qi Hongtian¡¯s smile vanished when he heard his master¡¯s words. ¡¯Crap!¡¯ He cursed in his heart. He wiped the sweat building up on his face and resolutely said. "Master, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t disappoint you."


    Jiu Shen nodded in satisfaction upon hearing the old man¡¯s words. He then handed the new robes of Qi Hongtian and pushed him aside. The old man could not even muster his strength and was easily flung away by Jiu Shen.


    Qi Hongtian smiled wryly, but he soon became ecstatic at the thought of bing the Division Head of the Heavenly Sword Tower. He was not even this excited when he became the supreme elder of the Alchemy Hall. He knew that with his master leading the Heavenly Sword Tower, it was destined to be the greatest sect in the whole world!


    "Lu Sn,e up here." Jiu Shen called as he nced at the beautiful woman standing not far from him.


    "Master." Lu Sn bowed her head respectfully.


    "I announce the creation of the Heavenly Sword Division. You, Lu Sn, will be the head of this division. Take your new robes." Jiu Shen said to his disciple.


    "Master, what is the role of the Heavenly Sword Division?" She asked after getting her new robes from Jiu Shen.


    "The Heavenly Sword Division will be responsible for training the disciples who are proficient in swordsmanship." Jiu Shen calmly answered.


    Lu Sn nodded her head in understanding after getting his answer. This wasn¡¯t a problem for her since she already has experience in training disciples. After all, she was the sect master of the Ice Cloud Sword Sect that had now integrated into the Heavenly Sword Tower.


    "Hu Xiandao,e here." Jiu Shen called the stunned barbarian.


    "Sect Master!" The barbarian greeted with respect and veneration. This young was the man who had helped him regrow his arm and was also the person he admired the most.


    "I announce the creation of the Defense Division. Its role is to defend the Heavenly Sword Tower from outside threats. Hu Xiandao, you will be the head of this division. Here is your new robes." Jiu Shen said calmly.


    Hu Xiandao was slightly overwhelmed with emotions. He thought that he would only be an elder in the sect because of his identity, but it seems like Jiu Shen did not mind having a barbarian like him be an important figure of his sect. To this, Hu Xiandao was infinitely grateful.


    "I will protect the sword tower with my life!" The barbarian pledged in a loud voice.


    "Good!" Jiu Shen nodded his head at him.


    "Next will be the Celestial Division. It will be responsible for training the disciples who are proficient in other weapons. Situ Liuli,e here." Jiu Shen called the dumbfounded woman.


    Liuli pointed at herself as she nced at Jiu Shen in confusion. She was usually a calm woman, but this time, she was definitely surprised. After all, she was not one of Jiu Shen¡¯s oldest subordinates and she was not even expecting a promotion from him, so his sudden call really surprised her.


    When Liuli saw the stern expression of Jiu Shen, she immediately walked towards him. She was over the moon at this unexpected promotion. "Sect Master." She greeted with a smile.


    "You are a versatile woman and I am confident that you can lead the Celestial Division well." Jiu Shen said expressionlessly. The Celestial Division¡¯s role was simr to the Heavenly Sword Division. However, the focus of the Celestial Division is to train the disciples using other weapons such as bows, spears, axe, etc."


    "Thank you for your trust, sect master. I won¡¯t disappoint you." Liuli promised with a cheerful expression.


    Among the crowd of disciples, the eyes of Zhu Ren shed with excitement when he heard the role of the Celestial Division. He was proficient in the arts of spearmanship and he was reluctant to discard all that he learned. From the looks of it, he no longer needs to worry about this. With the help of the Celestial Division, he was certain that he could increase his spear skills.


    "Brother Zhu, I have to congratte you in advance! With the creation of the Celestial Division, your progress in spearmanship will surely increase exponentially." Prince Dante said with a smile. He was genuinely happy for his friend.


    Beiming Chu and the others were also happy for Zhu Ren. With this, they no longer have to worry about Zhu Ren¡¯s cultivation progress.


    After that, Jiu Shen announced the creation of a few more divisions and he also promoted their respective heads. These are the:


    Mission Hall - responsible for giving missions to the elders and disciples. Led by their Division Head Can Ye.


    Resource Division - responsible for distributing the resources of everyone in the sect. Led by Division Head Xia Xinyue.


    Misceneous Division - responsible for other sect-rted matters like food distribution, cleaning, repair, etc.


    Thest one and also the most surprising of all is the Blood Sword Division. When Jiu Shen announced it, everyone was shocked especially after they heard about its role and its division head.


    Blood Sword Division - responsible for eliminating the sect¡¯s enemies. Led by Division Head Yang Zenke.

 Chapter 309 - Ice Wants To Play

    <h4>Chapter 309 - Ice Wants To y </h4>


    The whole sword tower was in an uproar when they heard about the Blood Sword Division, but what made them even more surprised was the fact that the sect master had actually appointed Yang Zenke as its division head.


    Yang Zenke¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. The sect master was actually giving him much importance that he even appointed him as a division head?


    Yang Zenke could not help but recall his life before he met Jiu Shen. He was just a scrawny little kid with a weak and fragile body. He did not even dream of bing someone great, but then a man suddenly came and changed his life. He told the scrawny kid to train twice as hard as his peers and the man even forced the scrawny kid into a hellish training.


    Yang Zenke nced at Jiu Shen with reverence and gratitude. It was all because of this man. If not for him, he might still be a servant of the imperial family.


    Jiu Shen stared at Yang Zenke with a look of approval. The kid did not disappoint him indeed. He had transformed from a carp into a dragon! "Yang Zenke, take your new robes." He said to the young man.


    "Yes, sect master." Yang Zenke epted the robes and held it tightly. After he sensed its warmth, he promised in his heart that he would always serve as Jiu Shen¡¯s sword regardless of the dangers it may bring.


    After that, Jiu Shen dispersed the crowd and went back to the sect master¡¯s room upstairs.


    "Master, I have something to report to you." Ren Shuang appeared beside Jiu Shen and whispered to him.


    "Speak." Jiu Shen calmly said.


    "When you were still in the Divine Beast Continent, something happened to the new disciples." Ren Shuang did not dare to speak any more nonsense and immediately get to the point.


    "Oh? Did something happen? What is it?" Jiu Shen was a bit curious, so he asked.


    "Jimen Kang from the Crimson Sun Sect tried to capture Sylphie when she was outside of the sect. Luckily, the prince and the others were following her secretly and they were able to prevent Jimen Kang¡¯s group from kidnapping her. They also killed Jimen Kang during that time." Ren Shuang replied.


    "I see. Someone from our sect suggested taking revenge for that, right?" Jiu Shen asked with a calm look as if he was already expecting this to happen.


    Hearing that, Ren Shuang felt surprised in his heart, but he still nodded his head. "That¡¯s right. Elder Hu Xiandao and Elder Hestia led a few elders and a group of disciples to seek justice for Sylphie, but when they came to the Crimson Sun Sect¡¯s sect grounds, they met a Nascent God Realm expert. That expert is also the grand elder of their sect." At the mention of that, Ren Shuang felt a bit embarrassed. After all, he was responsible for the gathering of intelligence, but because of his overconfidence, he failed to discover the presence of the Crimson Sun Sect¡¯s Nascent God Realm expert.


    Jiu Shen stopped in his tracks upon hearing that. He then nced at Ren Shuang in disappointment, but he felt that this was also good. With this, Ren Shuang and the others would no longer dare to becent and they will also be more careful in handling matters. "You have shamed the reputation of our Heavenly Sword Tower. You actually approved the suggestion of taking revenge when there is no need to. The Crimson Sun Sect is merely a small sect in this mortal world. Wasting your time on them is not worth it at all."


    Ren Shuang immediately kneeled when he heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words. He also felt ashamed of himself. "Sect Master, I admit my mistakes! Please punish me ordingly!"


    Jiu Shen sighed in his heart as he shook his head. "Get up. Since you have already started this, then you must deal with it. As for that Nascent God Realm expert, bring him here. I¡¯d like to see what kind of person he is for him to reach that realm in this continent even with its horrendous environment."


    Jiu Shen became slightly interested in this expert. For him to be a Nascent God Realm despite the Profound Dragon Continent¡¯s unfair environment, this guy must be a genius.


    Ren Shuang wanted to say that this expert was actually an old man, but when he saw Jiu Shen¡¯s interested expression, he swallowed the words down his throat. "Yes, sect master. I¡¯ll get this done right away."


    "Leave." Jiu Shen waved his hand at him.


    Ren Shuang vanished with a swoosh.


    "Stinky human, I want to y with that Crimson Sun Sect. I promise I won¡¯t kill that Nascent God Realm expert. Hehehe." Ice suddenly said with a sinister smile.


    Looking at her expression, Jiu Shen could onlyment for the misfortune that is about to befall the Crimson Sun Sect.


    Seeing Jiu Shen¡¯sck of response, Ice elbowed him while putting on a cute look. "Come on, stinky human! I will just eat him... er I mean, I won¡¯t kill him. Hehehe."


    Jiu Shen¡¯s face twitched, but he still nodded his head. He knew that he could not control this little troublemaker, so he might as well agree to her request. "Just don¡¯t kill him. I still want to see what kind of guy he is." He said sternly.


    A hint of regret shed in Ice¡¯s gaze for a brief moment. "Alright, I promise. Meow." She said with a pout before sprinting away from the scene.


    "Sect Master Jiu, please forgive our child. She has been spoiled since she was young, so she acts like that." Ice¡¯s father said helplessly as he watched his daughter¡¯s running figure.


    "Just let her be. At least this way, the Crimson Sun Sect¡¯s demise would be set in stone." Jiu Shen said indifferently. He was confident about the little girl¡¯s power. With her presence, even if there were three Nascent God Realm experts in the Crimson Sun Sect, she would still win.

 Chapter 310 - Crimson Fiend Continent

    <h4>Chapter 310 - Crimson Fiend Continent </h4>


    After dealing with the troublesome matters of the sect, Jiu Shen was finally back in the sect master¡¯s room. He sat on a chair and pondered about what he should do next, but then...


    Ding!


    "Congrattions to the host for earning a sufficient amount of True Crystals in your first store! You have reached the required amount of earnings to open up a second branch!"


    Loading second branch location... Host, please wait.


    After hearing the system¡¯s voice in his head, Jiu Shen was taken aback. "A second branch?" He muttered in confusion.


    Location finalized. The second branch of the host¡¯s wine store will be located in the Crimson Fiend Continent! The host will be teleported to a random city in the Crimson Fiend Continent in 10 minutes!


    10:00


    9:59


    Looking at the timer that suddenly appeared in front of him, Jiu Shen immediately stood up. He had already set up the foundations of his Heavenly Sword Tower and it should have no problem working on its own even without him. However, he had to inform his subordinates that he would be gone or else they might be worried. Thinking about that, Jiu Shen immediately summoned all the newly appointed division heads and asked them toe to the sect master¡¯s room in less than three minutes.


    Three minutester, the division heads were already standing before Jiu Shen. They were wondering what Jiu Shen had called them for.


    After seeing that everyone has arrived, Jiu Shen immediately spoke. "I will go to the Crimson Fiend Continent to open a new branch of wine store. I don¡¯t have time to exin this to you guys, but there is no need to worry."


    After hearing that Jiu Shen wanted to go to the Crimson Fiend Continent to open a new branch of wine store, everyone inside the room became agitated. That ce was the home of countless demons! A ce where evil creatures roam about! Why would their sect master decide to open a branch of a wine store in that kind of ce?


    "This... Sect Master..."


    Jiu Shen raised his hand and prevent them from speaking as he added. "Again, I don¡¯t have time to exin this to you. I might be gone for a longer time, but I wille back once in a while to check on everyone¡¯s progress. Ren Shuang, you made a mistakest time, but I will give you one more chance to prove that you are capable. Don¡¯t let anything like this happen again while I am away."


    Ren Shuang nodded his head solemnly and said. "Yes, master!"


    5


    4


    3


    2


    1


    Jiu Shen suddenly disappeared in front of Ren Shuang and the others, making them slightly surprised. They did not see Jiu Shen controlling the element of space, so they were slightly perplexed at his disappearance.


    "Everyone, go back to your stations and make sure that everything in the sect will be in ce. Division Head Yang Zenke, as the division head of the Blood Sword Division, follow me to the Crimson Sun Sect. The sect master has tasked us to finish this matter with them." Ren Shuang said to them.


    ***


    In a city filled with the stench of blood and filth, a person suddenly appeared.


    Jiu Shen nced around him with a calm look. In front of him was a city with stone houses and buildings. Although it wasn¡¯t as pleasing as Beltran City, it was not that bad. The only thing that made Jiu Shen frown was the smell of blood lingering in the air.


    "So this is the Crimson Fiend Continent..." He muttered to himself.


    "Look! Isn¡¯t that guy a human?!"


    "Indeed! That kid looks delicious! He¡¯s mine!"


    "No way! I saw him first!"


    The loud voices of demons interrupted Jiu Shen¡¯s train of thoughts. He nced at the demons with an expressionless face and a trace of disdain flickered in his gaze. "The demons are indeed stronger than the other races. Even the normal mobs here are at least at the 5th-rank Spirit realm." Jiu Shen said as he casually evaded the demons who had pounced towards him. They could not even touch the hem of his clothes!


    "Shit! This guy seems to be an expert of the Rebel Army! Call the city guards! We are not his opponent!"


    "Run!"


    How could Jiu Shen let them escape? It would be troublesome if more demons came to create trouble for him. With a wave of his hand, Jiu Shen created hundreds of fire arrows before sending them towards the demons.


    Puchi! Puchi! Puchi!


    The demons who were only at the 5th-rank Spirit realm and below could not even evade the me arrows. In less than a few seconds, all of them looked like burning porcupines.


    Jiu Shen also blocked the space around the area to prevent anyone else from seeing or hearing everything that was happening here.


    Howls of despair resounded for a few seconds before it vanished without a trace. Upon closer inspection, not even an ash remained of those demons! They were burned into nothingness by those me arrows!


    "I did not n to kill you guys, but why did you just have to act like that..."


    Ding!


    "Host, please search for an appropriate ce to construct the second branch of the wine store!" The system¡¯s voice once again resounded inside his head.


    "Alright." Jiu Shen nodded his head and immediately went to look for a suitable location for the second branch of his wine store. He was also looking forward to the future of this branch here in the Crimson Fiend Continent.


    It was nighttime, and the demons did not notice that a human had actually snuck inside their city.


    Jiu Shen walked around the city without even bothering to disguise himself. He only masked his presence to prevent the demons from discovering him. Only those at the 9th-rank Saint would be able to see Jiu Shen at this moment. However, are 9th-rank Saints a lot in this city? Well, yes, but none of them were outside the street, so no one even noticed Jiu Shen.

 Chapter 311 - Second BranChapter Store Creation

    <h4>Chapter 311 - Second BranChapter Store Creation </h4>


    It took Jiu Shen less than ten minutes to search for a perfect spot. With his near-perfect control of spiritual power, he was already able to draw a map of the demon city inside his head.


    "This city is actually muchrger than Beltran City. The number of inhabitants is also twice as much as Beltran City. It looks like the business here would also be much better." Jiu Shen muttered to himself at his discovery.


    At this moment, he was standing in front of a secluded spot in the city. It was not that far from the city¡¯s central district, but the number of pedestrians here was significantly lesser. There was a reason for this and even Jiu Shen was taken aback after learning about it. It was because this ce was the territory of a high-ranking demon! Nomon demon dared to wander around this ce in fear of offending this high-ranking demon. Only those with high status among the demons can be seen here.


    ¡¯I just arrived here, but I already discovered a Demon Lord.¡¯ Jiu Shen thought to himself.


    The demons have a simr cultivation level to humans, but once their strength exceeds the 9th-rank Saint, they would be referred to as ¡¯Demon Lord¡¯. That means they are equivalent to a human expert at the Nascent God Realm!


    "System, I¡¯ve found a suitable ce for the second branch of my wine store." Jiu Shen said in a calm tone. He was satisfied with the location, and although this ce was currently deserted, he knew that it would not take long before it will be crowded. As for the Demon Lord overseeing this ce, he put it at the back of his mind.


    Ding!


    Scanning location! Host, please wait!


    Loading...


    Loading...


    "Scanplete! Host, would you like to set up your second branch here?" The system¡¯s cold and emotionless voice rang inside his head.


    "Yes." Jiu Shen calmly replied.


    Ding!


    Initiating creation of second store branch! Host, please wait!


    Under Jiu Shen¡¯s stunned gaze, countless pieces of construction materials suddenly appeared in front of him. However, what made him even more surprised was the value of these materials.


    "Sun Moon Divine Wood, Gold Temporal Sand, Heaven Sundering Rock, Celestial Astral Soil. That metal piece... Isn¡¯t that the Celestial-rank metal that can only be found in Hell, the Fiendgod Divine Irividium? " Jiu Shen became numb when he saw these Celestial-rank materials floating around him. Even in his past life, he could rarely find these valuable items, but these priceless items were actually converging right before his eyes! So how could he not be shocked about this?


    Although Jiu Shen had already prepared himself for this, he was still dumbstruck at what he saw. He had already seen the system¡¯s disy of extravagance when his wine store in Beltran City was upgraded, but watching all these precious materials being made into a wine store, even with his high attainment in the Heart Realm, he could still not help but feel a bit speechless.


    "What a pity. If I could have a few of these precious items, I can make the best weapons and armaments for my sect." Jiu Shen muttered in regret.


    "System, how about you give me some of these materials. If I have these items, I can create a few good toys for my sect." Jiu Shen shamelessly said. He had already conned the system before into giving him the Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword, so he was nning to do the same trick.


    Ding!


    "Host, your cultivation is too low to refine any of these items! You have to reach the Heavenly God Realm before you are able to make weapons from these materials." The system¡¯s cold voice echoed inside his head.


    "Heavenly God Realm?" Jiu Shen shook his head with a nk look. That was his cultivation during his past life. His cultivation speed might be faster now, but he knew how hard it was to reach the Heavenly God Realm. He could even remember how many eons he had cultivated just to reach to that point.


    "Nevermind." He muttered helplessly. The Heavenly God Realm was still a distant goal for the current him. Jiu Shen was also unsure of how many years it would take him before he would reach that realm in this life.


    As Jiu Shen wasmenting hiscking cultivation, the creation of the store was still happening right before his eyes.


    The Sun Moon Divine Wood had be the floor and the wall, the Gold Temporal Sand was also processed by the system and made it a crystal clear ss! Pieces of precious material stacked in front of Jiu Shen and was slowly forming into a two-story building.


    Jiu Shen could only watch with slightly agitated eyes as the precious materials in front of him were slowly decreasing.


    At this moment, it had be a three-story building that was shaped like a blooming lotus. Even Jiu Shen was stunned at this design. It must be mentioned that Jiu Shen was already used to seeing high-ss buildings and establishments, but this was the first time he was shocked to see a building in this mortal world.


    "If this building was taken into the Primordial God Realm, even those old fogies would praise its architecture." Jiu Shen sighed in admiration.


    In another ten minutes, a huge azure lotus can be seen in front of Jiu Shen. It did not look like a building at all, and if one would look at it from afar, they would definitely mistake it as a real lotus!


    "Beautiful!" Jiu Shen praised from the bottom of his heart. The blooming azure lotus in front of him gleamed like a beautiful artwork under the illumination of the moon. If someone was watching the city from above, they would surely notice that it was the only pleasing scenery in the whole city. Just like a blooming flower in a drearynd.


    Just as Jiu Shen thought that the creation was already done, he suddenly discovered that the ground beneath his feet was slowly crumbling. Seeing this, he propelled in the air and floated.


    "This is..."

 Chapter 312 - Carnivorous Dragon Koi

    <h4>Chapter 312 - Carnivorous Dragon Koi </h4>


    Jiu Shen¡¯s mouth twitched at the sight in front of him. The trash soil that he was stepping on earlier had suddenly transformed into Celestial Astral Soil!


    This was another Celestial-rank item that was rare even in the Primordial God Realm. This soil can only be harvested in the territory of the Angel Race, a superior race in the Primordial God Realm. Even the three Celestial Emperors would not dare anger the Angel Race. It was because they had arge number of Heavenly God Realm experts! There were even rumors that the Lord of Hell, Celestial Emperor Asmodeus was once part of the Angel Race. Because of this, getting a handful of Celestial Astral Soil was difficult. However, right in front of Jiu Shen, tons of Celestial Astral Soil had ready covered the ground.


    "Do you really have to be this wasteful?" Jiu Shen¡¯s mouth went dry from being speechless.


    Not longter, in the area where the blooming azure lotus building was located, tall metal fences made from Fiendgod Divine Irividium were suddenly erected trapping the lotus building in a square fence.


    Jiu Shen slowly descended to the ground and opened the gate connected to the metal fences. A stone pavement suddenly emerged in his path and he did not even bother to nce at what it was made from since he was already certain that it was another precious stone.


    Beautiful spiritual flowers and spiritual nts germinated and bloomed within the Celestial Astral Soil, creating an image of a fairy garden. A small pond was also created near the entrance of the new wine store, and Jiu Shen even saw more than a dozen fishes swimming about. With his discerning gaze, he could already tell that these fishes were the Carnivorous Dragon Koi that were Nascent God Realm at birth!


    Jiu Shen¡¯s almost jumped in shock at the sight of it. After all, this species of fish was already extinct in the Primordial God Realm a few eons ago. The reason for its extinction was because this species of fish was too valuable that it could promote a huge leap in cultivation upon consumption! Jiu Shen was lucky enough to eat a piece of this fish when he was still not a Heavenly God Realm expert.


    Just as Jiu Shen was about to capture one of these fishes, all of them suddenly transformed into a white streak of light and formed the figures of women.


    ¡¯This! How could this be? Carnivorous Dragon Koi are the only savage beast that is incapable of transformation! How could they transform into humans?!¡¯ Jiu Shen eximed in his heart when he saw the twelve fishes suddenly transforming into twelve beautiful maidens.


    "Greetings, master! We are the guardians of this branch store." The twelve beautiful maidens bowed at him as they greeted in unison. Their alluring voices that could capture the souls of men drifted beside Jiu Shen¡¯s ears like a tempting symphony. If he was an ordinary person, he would have been beguiled by them.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s Heart Realm forcefully calmed his state of mind and breathing. With an indifferent expression, he nced at the twelvedies as he asked. "Howe you guys can transform?"


    The twelve prettydies nced at each other when they heard his question. Confusion can be seen in their faces. From the looks of it, they were also unaware of their circumstances. Finally, one of them stepped forward and sped her hands as she said. "Master, we also don¡¯t know about this. The only memory we have is you."


    "The only memory you have is just me?" Jiu Shen was perplexed by this.


    The twelvedies nodded their heads simultaneously. Their beautiful faces were filled with innocent ignorance...


    Seeing that they also had no idea, Jiu Shen did not dwell on the matter.


    "Since you are the guardians of this store, all of you must already know what to do, right?" Jiu Shen asked them.


    "Yes, master! Our task is to protect this ce from danger." The girls answered in sweet and alluring voices. Jiu Shen felt his ears tingling, but he forced out a calm look. It seems like he had underestimated the enchanting abilities of the Carnivorous Dragon Koi...


    ¡¯Protect this ce? I don¡¯t think anyone could even break the ss materials in this store. They might not even be able to lift a small grain of Celestial Astral Soil... In my opinion, this store doesn¡¯t need protection.¡¯ Jiu Shen thought to himself speechlessly. With the insane materials used to create the lotus building, Jiu Shen was certain that no one was capable of doing anything to this store.


    The Celestial Astral Soil is a Celestial-rank item, and without sufficient knowledge in handling it, no one would be able to lift even just a single grain of it!


    "Just don¡¯t casually show your human forms to others. They might be agitated and try to eat you guys." Jiu Shen warned them.


    "Eat us? Hmph!" One of thedies harrumphed and showed her two sets of sharp teeth.


    Carnivorous Dragon Koi were meat-eaters and their main prey were small creatures, but if they banded together, they could even consume a whole dragon!


    "Sigh. Nevermind. Just don¡¯t transform without my permission." Jiu Shen relented.


    "Yes, master. Hehehe." Thedies giggled as they answered. It was unknown whether they would follow hismand when he saw their cunning smiles.


    ¡¯It looks like many demons would be snacks for these little girls. My advance condolences to you.¡¯ Jiu Shen muttered in his heart after seeing the crafty smiles of thedies.


    "Transform back to your form. Someone mighte here, so you guys must be careful lest they see your appearance." Jiu Shen did not want to cause a hugemotion in this demon city. The lotus building was already enough amotion, and if thesedies would remain in their human forms, he did not know what kind of scene would happen in this store.


    Thedies smiled seductively at Jiu Shen before they transformed into small fishes.

 Chapter 313 - The Luxurious BranChapter Store (1)

    <h4>Chapter 313 - The Luxurious BranChapter Store (1) </h4>


    Jiu Shen stepped inside the lotus-shaped building and he felt slightly reluctant to step on the floor when he saw that it was made from pure Sun Moon Divine Wood. If this was used as a material in forging a weapon, the resulting weapon would certainly be amongst the strongest Celestial-rank weapons even in the Primordial God Realm! However, such a precious material was actually used as a mere flooring in this store...


    With a bit of reluctance, Jiu Shen walked inside the new store.


    The lotus building has three floors in total and Jiu Shen was currently on the first floor. Everything inside the store screamed luxury and it was unknown what kind ofmotion it would cause in this demon city once everyone takes notice of it.


    Even the Silveria Imperial Family¡¯s imperial hallpletely pales inparison to everything in this store. From the crystal-clear ss window, the smooth porcin wall, the precious wooden floor, none looked mediocre. Just sitting inside this store could make anyone¡¯s cultivation soar at unimaginable speed!


    The first floor alone could already fit more than a hundred customers and it was still spacious.


    "Let me check the wine storage." Jiu Shen muttered to himself as he walked towards the wine storage of the store.


    Along the way, Jiu Shen also noticed a few spiritual nts ced in pots, making the store look more aesthetically pleasing. All those spiritual nts were at least at the Nascent-rank, but despite seeing this, Jiu Shen remained calm. After all, these spiritual nts meant nothingpared to the materials used in making the store. Even the fence outside was millions of times more precious than the spiritual nts, so Jiu Shen did not ce much thought into it.


    Inside the wine storage, Jiu Shen saw rows upon rows filled with glittering wines. From the looks of it, the system had already prepared the store¡¯s first batch of wine. With this, Jiu Shen no longer had to brew the wines himself since everything was already prepared.


    "What¡¯s this? Is this a new wine?" Jiu Shen frowned upon seeing an unfamiliar type of wine. In Beltran City¡¯s branch, this wine definitely did not exist, so he was perplexed when he saw it.


    Ding!


    "Host, this is a unique wine in this branch store, the de Divinity Ardent Spirit." The system suddenly answered Jiu Shen¡¯s confusion with a cold and mechanical voice.


    "I see. This name doesn¡¯t sound like a normal wine. What effects does it have?" Jiu Shen asked the system as he observed the bottle of wine filled with scarlet liquid.


    Ding!


    "The de Divinity Ardent Spirit can stimte the consumer¡¯s proficiency in weapon intent. Upon consumption, their weapon intent will experience a breakthrough." The system answered in the same mechanic voice, but its words made Jiu Shen a bit surprised.


    "Weapon Intent? Interesting." Jiu Shen muttered to himself upon hearing the system¡¯s words.


    Weapon Intent is rted to a cultivator¡¯s proficiency in using their weapons. For instance, a sword expert with great proficiency in swordsmanship would one day gain enlightenment in Sword Intent, making his sword skills even sharper and imposing. A swordsman with Sword Intent was more than a dozen times stronger than those without Sword Intent. So the value of this new wine was immeasurable just with its ability to enhance a cultivator¡¯s weapon intent!


    "How much is it?" Jiu Shen asked the system. He was curious how much a bottle of wine with such effects would be.


    Ding!


    "The de Divinity Ardent Spirit is worth 500 True Crystals or 500 Blood Stones." The system replied immediately.


    Blood Stone is a type of crystal that was unique to the Crimson Fiend Continent. This crystal can be refined to speed up the progress of a body enhancer¡¯s cultivation.


    "Hm, it¡¯s quite cheap for such a precious wine." Jiu Shen said as he returned the wine bottle in ce.


    Although he wanted to try the wine for himself, he was not in a hurry.


    After seeing that there were no more new wines, Jiu Shen stepped out of the wine storage and went to the kitchen.


    The kitchen of this store was twice asrge as the one in Beltran City. Furthermore, the kitchen tools here were also of better quality and standard. Suddenly, Jiu Shen saw something at the corner of the kitchen and his eyes shed with curiosity upon seeing it.


    "An item with this much space power... It looks like it works simr to a space ring." Jiu Shen said as he nced at the crystalline rectangr box.


    Jiu Shen inspected it closely and he became even more interested in it. "What is this?" He muttered as he pulled the rectangr box open.


    "Indeed. This is an item simr to a space ring. Just that, the space inside this item is more stable and firm. It can also hold a living object inside. The time in this space seems to be... it¡¯s moving so slowly?" Jiu Shen could see the items inside the rectangr box and there were living creatures inside. However, what made him astonished was because the time inside this space was moving at a snail¡¯s pace. No. Even a snail was faster than the movement of time here.


    ¡¯If I get inside here and cultivate for thousands of years, wouldn¡¯t I be invincible?¡¯ Jiu Shen thought to himself.


    Ding!


    "Host, only ingredients can be ced inside here. A living being¡¯s soul would immediately dissipate upon entering this space." The system¡¯s words made Jiu Shen sigh in disappointment.


    "Nevermind."


    He closed the rectangr box and went out of the kitchen.


    He was satisfied with everything he had seen so far. After looking at every corner of the first floor, Jiu Shen proceeded upstairs.


    As Jiu Shen ascended the stairs, he felt that the true essence around him was slowly bing more concentrated and thick. Although it was not enough to stimte his true essence, he knew that it would have a more astounding effect on others.


    With his one-of-a-kind physique, it would take more than this to stimte his true essence. However, the same thing could not be said to other cultivators. After all, their physical constitution was not as exaggerated as his body.


    "Looks like the things upstairs are also precious." He smiled as he opened the door to the second floor.

 Chapter 314 - The Luxurious BranChapter Store (2)

    <h4>Chapter 314 - The Luxurious BranChapter Store (2) </h4>


    In a different part of the demon city, inside one of the rooms in a towering mansion, a demon that was about two meters tall can be seen looking outside the window. The demon¡¯s blood-red pupils contracted as he peered deeply into the distance.


    This demon¡¯s body was covered in ck armor-like scales and even the demon¡¯s eyeballs looked as tough as a diamond.


    This demon¡¯s name was Burlock and he was one of the Demon Lords in Morlon City, the demon city where Jiu Shen was currently in. Burlock was a lot stronger than the other Demon Lords since he was already a peak stage Demon Lord!


    Burlock¡¯s diamond-like eyes shed with confusion as he stared at the horizon.


    "Why is that area a lot brighter than before?" Burlock muttered with uncertainty. He has been in Morlon City for hundreds of years and he knew everything about the city like the back of his hands, so he was puzzled by the sudden change in one of the ces outside.


    "Could it be... someone is celebrating there? Hmph! They dare organize an event in my territory without my permission?! Preposterous!" Burlockshed out. He then strode outside his room with a dark expression. Each step he took shook the mansion, scaring the demons serving him.


    ***


    "A Spirit Gathering Array Formation was actually inscribed here. This made the true essence in this part of the store even more abundant. If one cultivates here, their cultivation speed would be a lot faster than normal." Jiu Shen was also an Array Formation Maker in his past life. Although he did not study this upation seriously, he still reached a high level in it, so when he saw the Spirit Gathering Array inscribed on the second floor, he immediately identified it.


    The Spirit Gathering Array that Jiu Shen had mentioned was an Array Formation that can augment the amount of true essence in a specific ce. This array formation was used by notable ns and sects to make the cultivation speed of their juniors faster.


    The space inside the second floor was alsorge and it could amodate more than a hundred customers as well, and from the looks of it, this ce would certainly be famous in Morlon City in just a matter of time.


    "System, is there also a requirement for the ess of the second floor in this branch?" Jiu Shen asked.


    Ding!


    "Host, only Nascent God Realm experts are allowed to step inside the second floor, but they can only remain for a maximum of two hours. As for VIP cardholders, they can go inside without limit." The system answered mechanically.


    After getting the system¡¯s answer, Jiu Shen did not linger for long on the second floor. He went to the topmost floor of the lotus building and was surprised.


    "I thought that this ce was meant for the store¡¯s workers... Then why is this..." When Jiu Shen went inside the third floor, he discovered that there weren¡¯t any rooms meant for the workers, instead, the third floor was a vast space with a huge battle ring at the center.


    Looking at this ring, Jiu Shen furrowed his eyebrows.


    Ding!


    "Host, this is the store¡¯s Divine Battle Arena. The host can unlock this floor after umting enough True Crystals or Blood Stones. As of the moment, the host is still not permitted to open this part of the store to the public.


    "A Battle Arena? What benefits would this battle arena provide to my customers if they spar here?" Jiu Shen asked curiously.


    Ding!


    "The winning participants would receive bountiful rewards. As for the rewards, the host will have to provide them. Aside from the host¡¯s rewards, the winning participants would also be rewarded with God Crystals." The system answered coldly.


    "I see." Jiu Shen could already imagine the storm that this battle arena would cause once it goes into public. God Crystal was a precious resource that could enhance one¡¯s cultivation without any bacsh. A single God Crystal was already precious in the eyes of inhabitants in the Primordial God Realm, how much more the mortals of Nuar?


    After learning that the third floor was still unavable, Jiu Shen went back to the first floor.


    "Where am I supposed to rest in this ce?" He frowned.


    Ding!


    "Host, there is a basement in this store." The system suddenly said.


    "Basement?" Jiu Shen raised his eyebrows in surprise and he immediately used his spiritual power to peer towards the wooden floor. His spiritual sight prated the wooden floor and he discovered that there was indeed a basement below.


    Without hesitation, Jiu Shen searched for the door towards the basement and he swiftly went downstairs.


    "Not bad. The rooms here are also much better." Jiu Shen nodded his head contentedly. He then moved his line of sight towards the furthest room in the basement. This room was significantlyrger than the others and Jiu Shen was sure that it was meant for him.


    ***


    Burlock¡¯s expression changed when he saw an unfamiliar lotus flower ahead of him. This lotus flower was azure in color and it was so huge that he had to raise his head slightly to see its tip.


    "What the hell is this thing? I don¡¯t recall this being here. Strange. Wait. It is fenced? This ce. This is not a real lotus, but a building?!" Burlock¡¯s eyes widened upon discovering that the huge blooming azure lotus in front of him was actually a building. If it was not for his impressive eyesight, it would have taken him longer to see the truth about this lotus building.


    "Who could create such an impressive building here without everyone¡¯s notice? Perhaps he might be a Demon Ancestor..." Thinking about that, Burlock¡¯s gaze went cold. This was his territory and he did not want anybody to im it without his permission, but if the owner of this lotus building was indeed a Demon Ancestor, then things might not be easy for him.


    "No matter what, this is still my territory! Whoever this person is, he must give me an exnation for this intrusion! If worstes to worst, I can ask for Demon Ancestor Jun¡¯s help to punish this fellow! Hmph!" Burlock muttered angrily.

 Chapter 315 - Ugly Demon?

    <h4>Chapter 315 - Ugly Demon? </h4>


    Burlock was still wary of the owner of this new building, so he did not dare release his anger. While suppressing his rage, Burlock noticed that the gate was partially open.


    "He did not even bother to lock his gate. Is this guy not afraid of anyone stealing from his ce? What an idiot." Burlock muttered with a mocking expression as he pushed the gate.


    The moment he stepped inside, his eyes widened like saucers.


    "This... How is this possible?!" He eximed in fright when he saw numerous high-level spiritual nts and spiritual flowers scattered around the lotus building.


    "That is a thousand-year-old Blood Revitalizing Ginseng?! And that one... isn¡¯t that a Purple Moonlight Lily?! This..." Burlock staggered after identifying the precious spiritual nts and flowers.


    After gathering his wits, Burlock nced at his left and right. When he noticed that no one was in the vicinity, he stretched his arm with an intention of snatching the spiritual nts. Since there is an opportunity right in front of him, why would he not grab it? Only an idiot would turn a blind eye upon seeing these valuable spiritual nts. He might be a Demon Lord, but these resources were still of significant value to him. With these in his possession, he might have a chance of breaking through his cultivation realm and be a Demon Ancestor!


    "Since you have constructed a building in my territory without getting my permission, then don¡¯t me me for being rude!" Burlock chuckled evilly.


    Just as he was about to pluck the Blood Revitalizing Ginseng in front of him, he suddenly felt a sense of extreme danger right behind him.


    Without hesitation, Burlock rolled to his left and positioned himself to face the direction where he had sensed the danger. A silhouette slowly emerged from the shadows and showed herself to Burlock.


    This neer was a demure youngdy with long blue hair. Her fair skin had a few spots that had fish scales, but it did not ruin her beauty. Instead, it added a different kind of charm to her.


    Looking at this iparably beautiful woman, Burlock frowned and adjusted his stance warily. He could sense that this woman was as strong as him in terms of cultivation!


    ¡¯Is she the owner of this building?¡¯ He muttered to himself while ncing at the demure youngdy with a solemn expression.


    "Ugly demon, how dare you sneak inside my master¡¯s store and try to steal one of his spiritual nts! Are you tired of living?!" Thedy¡¯s expression suddenly changed as sheshed out angrily.


    Hearing that, Burlock felt indignant and rage welling up his heart.


    "You guys were the ones who built this building in my territory without permission and now you don¡¯t even allow me to get a few stalks of herbs?!" Burlock blurted out. His eyes reddened because of his intense anger.


    "Hmph! It is your honor that my master has taken a liking to your lousy territory! And you even dare to say that you are just trying to get a few stalks of herbs when your hand is reaching out for the Blood Revitalizing Ginseng?! What do you take me for?! A five-year-old child?!" The youngdy pointed at Burlock¡¯s face and he could even feel her spittle raining down on his face. The two of them were only three meters apart, but this youngdy¡¯s spittle had actually managed to reach him. Did she really have to be this loud?


    Burlock¡¯s face contorted in fury. Since when did he experience this kind of thing? He was a respectable Demon Lord, but he was actually being reprimanded by this little girl? Infuriating!


    "Enough! Get your master to get out! Let me see who is so daring enough to construct this goddamn building in my turf!" Burlock stumped his foot on the ground as he shouted furiously. However, he failed to notice that the ground beneath him did not even budge after his stump...


    "Sister Blue, what is happening? Why is this ugly demon so noisy?"


    "Sister Blue, is this ugly demon the food the master has prepared for us? I don¡¯t want it. It¡¯s too disgusting!"


    "He looks fat and full of meat, but this demon looks ugly that I suddenly lost my appetite. Is this really the food the master has given us? I don¡¯t want to eat it. Gross."


    More than ten figures suddenly emerged behind the blue-haired youngdy, stunning Burlock in his ce, but when he heard their words, he almost spurted blood from anger.


    "You... you..."


    "What you? Did we allow you to talk?"


    "Sister Blue, this ugly demoncks manners. How about we teach it a lesson?" One of thedies suggested with a grin. The eyes of Sister Blue and the otherdies lit up when they heard that.


    Looking at the expressions of these young women, Burlock felt his spine tingle.


    ¡¯Shit! I did not expect that there are more of them. And from the looks of it, all of them are at the Demon Lord realm." Burlock¡¯s face fell.


    He could handle one Demon Lord expert, but there are twelve of them standing in front of him. And from their expressions, they are definitely not thinking about something good.


    ¡¯What do I do?! Think! Think!¡¯ Burlock¡¯s heartbeat sped up erratically as thedies slowly inched towards him.


    ¡¯Am I really gonna be eaten by these little girls here?¡¯ he cried in his heart.


    ***


    Jiu Shen who was still busy observing his new store paused his movements and stared in the direction of the entrance. Upon seeing what was happening outside, a smile suddenly lit up his face.


    "What a perfect timing. My store is justcking a few waiters or waitresses, but with this fellow here, I can begin operating this store by tomorrow." Jiu Shen said as he walked towards the door of the new store. He must be quick or those little fishes might really eat that guy.


    Jiu Shen pushed the door open and said. "Wait. Don¡¯t kill him."

 Chapter 316 - I Will Smash Your Store

    <h4>Chapter 316 - I Will Smash Your Store </h4>


    Just as Burlock was about to fight with these little girls to death, he suddenly heard an impassive voice.


    "Wait. Don¡¯t kill him."


    Burlock saw that the twelve beautiful women were already standing behind a young human male with long silver hair. His golden eyes were deep and profound, making Burlock feel as if the human could see through everything about him.


    ¡¯Such prating gaze!¡¯ Burlock shuddered when his line of sight shed with the human. He gulped in dread when he met those pair of golden eyes.


    "Master, is this ugly demon our food?"


    "Master, we don¡¯t like it. This guy looks ugly and he might not taste good. How about we get something else? Just not this guy." The young woman called Sister Blue said to the young man with a pleading look.


    Hearing her words, Burlock stumbled. "You! How dare you insult a Demon Lord?!" He pointed his shaking arm at Sister Blue.


    Although Burlock was fearful of the young man, he was still a Demon Lord! And as a Demon Lord, how could he allow them to trample his pride?


    "Alright, stop. Don¡¯t agitate him." Jiu Shen flicked the forehead of Sister Blue, making her hold her head with a wronged expression.


    "You must be a human expert from the Rebel Army. You might be stronger than me, but I cannot allow you to trample upon my dignity!" Burlock said with a dignified look. He had already sensed that Jiu Shen was a lot stronger than him, but he did not cower.


    "Oh?" Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes shed when he saw the determined look of the demon.


    "You can kill me, but when the news about my death would reach everyone¡¯s ears, you will be surrounded by my brethren from all sides!" When Burlock saw that Jiu Shen was silent, he thought that thetter was afraid of the consequences of killing him, so his confidence intensified.


    "You constructed a building in my territory without permission and despite your identity as a human expert of the Rebel Army, you snuck inside our city. But don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m a magnanimous man, so I will give you a way out." Burlock knew that he was at a disadvantage here, so he chose topromise.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s tranquil expression unnerved him, but he still continued. "Give me a few stalks of spiritual nts and spiritual flowers and I will write off our disagreements. If not, then I willmand my men to smash your building." Burlock threatened.


    Sister Blue and the others wanted to say something, but they were stopped by Jiu Shen.


    "Smash my store? You¡¯re quite an interesting demon. Alright. I¡¯ll give you the chance to smash my store." Jiu Shen smiled mysteriously as he took out a chair from his space earring. And under Burlock¡¯s stunned gaze, he leaned on the chair with a nonchnt look. He even gestured for Burlock to begin smashing his store.


    Seeing his actions, Burlock¡¯s mouth twitched.


    "You think I¡¯m afraid of you? Watch how I destroy your store!" Burlock sneered as he rubbed his fists.


    Jiu Shen was amused by this demon, so he might as well watch the show. He then took out a wine bottle from his space earring and a small silver cup.


    "Master, let me pour the wine for you." The youngdy named Blue offered as she snatched the wine bottle and silver cup from Jiu Shen¡¯s hands.


    Jiu Shen did not stop her and he just nodded his head indifferently.


    Seeing this, Blue gently poured wine into the small silver cup and filled it half full. She then handed the silver cup to Jiu Shen like an obedient maid.


    When Burlock saw this scene, he became even more infuriated. These guys are actually taking him lightly? Thinking about it, Burlock clenched his fists tightly.


    "Don¡¯t me me for this!" Burlock muttered as he swung his fists towards the wall of the lotus building.


    Burlock was a Demon Lord with strong physical strength. His punch whizzed through the air, creating a whistling sound.


    The airpressed following Burlock¡¯s outburst of power! Most of the demons were body strengthening experts and Burlock was one of them. He was even one of the overlords of this demon city, so his strength was far from ordinary.


    When he saw that his punch was about toe in contact with the wall, Burlock¡¯s eyes shed with glee. ¡¯You asked for this you brat!¡¯


    However, what he had expected did not happen. When his fists touched the wall of the lotus building, he felt his arm going soft.


    Bang!


    Burlock felt as if he was electrocuted after punching the wall. And when he saw the undamaged lotus building, his eyes went wide in stupefaction.


    Just as he was about to cry in surprise, he suddenly felt a wave of pain in his right arm. He turned his gaze towards it and was dumbfounded in horror.


    "This..."


    The hand that he used to punch the wall of the lotus building was now broken and his arm was also hanging loosely on his side. He actually broke his own arm!


    "I don¡¯t believe this! How could a wall be this sturdy?! I must be dreaming!" Burlock blurted out with a dazed look, but he was unwilling to believe what he was seeing. And without hesitation, he used his left hand to punch the wall of the lotus building.


    This time, his punch carried a more destructive force. Even Sister Blue and the otherdies furrowed their eyebrows upon seeing the strength behind this punch.


    Looking at this, Jiu Shen¡¯s lips twitched.


    "Is this fellow tired of living? He actually wants to punch a wall made from a Celestial-rank material? Even during my past life, I would find it difficult to break such a thing..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself.


    And without suspense.


    Bang!


    Burlock¡¯s remaining arm hung loosely to his side.


    "Argh! Help! Is this wall made of metal?! Fuck!" Burlock¡¯s screams echoed in all directions.

 Chapter 317 - Scared Burlock

    <h4>Chapter 317 - Scared Burlock </h4>


    "Sister Blue, is that guy an idiot? He actually broke his arms. Hahaha!" One of thedies erupted into peals ofughter as she pointed at Burlock with a mocking look. It was as if she was looking at a clown in a circus.


    "I think this ugly demon is a retard..." Sister Blue replied in derision. She wanted to beat up Burlock personally because of his impertinence earlier, so when he saw his current, she was satisfied.


    The otherdies covered their mouths as they chuckled.


    Looking at their faces, Burlock felt like crying. So that¡¯s why the young human was so confident. The wall of this store must be made of precious metals.


    "Argh! Damn you, human! You fooled me! I¡¯ll kill you!" Burlock steadied himself as he red at Jiu Shen. His face was covered in sweat as a wave of pain swiftly traveled to his body.


    "Kill me?" Jiu Shen nced at the huge demon in amusement. He gently swirled the cup of wine in his hand before downing its content. A look of satisfaction surfaced on his face after drinking the wine.


    Seeing Jiu Shen¡¯s nonchnce, Burlock could no longer hold back his rage. Who cares if you¡¯re strong? Who cares if I¡¯m injured? My dignity cannot be trampled by a mere human!


    Burlock lifted his foot and abruptly pounced towards Jiu Shen. He swung his leg with the intent of kicking Jiu Shen¡¯s head!


    "Die!!" Burlock shouted as he released his kick. The air punctured, creating a huge gust of wind around him.


    Jiu Shen was still seated on his chair and his clothes fluttered under the intense blowing of the wind. His long hair danced chaotically, but his expression remained eerily calm.


    Just as Burlock¡¯s kick was about to hit his face, time seemed to have slowed down as he raised his left hand. He then pointed a finger towards Burlock¡¯s foot.


    Bang!


    Hm?!


    Burlock¡¯s eyes widened in trepidation as he nced at Jiu Shen¡¯s finger which had stopped his kick! He then saw thetter flicking his foot with his finger before hisrge body was thrown outside of the fence. A huge crater was formed where his body dropped!


    "Bring him back here." Jiu Shenmanded thedies.


    "Yes, master." One of thedies bowed before she went to the direction where Burlock was thrown.


    Cough! Cough!


    Burlock coughed several mouthfuls of blood as he lied motionless on the ground. At this moment, he finally realized that the young human was a peak expert! ¡¯What is such an expert doing in our Morlon City? Is the Rebel Army nning to attack us?¡¯ He muttered in his heart.


    In the Crimson Fiend Continent, the Demon Race was the one that ruled over everyone. However, there were a few races who banded together and formed a coalition to fight against them. Some humans experts are also part of this coalition force. They were called ¡¯Rebel Army¡¯ by the demons. Although the overall strength of the Rebel Army was insignificantpared to the Demon Race, they were still able to survive their pursuit by hiding themselves in different locations. Because of this, they managed to survive after thousands of years.


    Before Burlock lost consciousness, he saw a beautiful youngdy looking at him with a smile. She then pulled him by the leg and dragged him back to the lotus building. ¡¯To think that I, Burlock, would fall under the hands of a mere human...¡¯ Burlock closed his eyes and resigned himself to fate.


    "Master, here he is." The youngdy pulled Burlock¡¯s unconscious body towards Jiu Shen.


    Looking at the demon¡¯s pitiful state, Jiu Shen shook his head. This guy was the first demon that he had interacted with aftering into the Crimson Fiend Continent. Jiu Shen was also satisfied with the guy¡¯s personality and with a little bit of training, he was certain that he could make the demon submit to him willingly.


    "Let him consume this." Jiu Shen said as he took out a pill from his space earring. He then tossed it to Blue who was standing beside him. After that, he went inside the new store as he said.


    "After making him consume the pill, bring him to the basement and let him rest there."


    "Yes, master." Blue acknowledged the order with a bow of her head.


    ***


    A dayter, Burlock slowly opened his eyes and stretched his arms. Wait! My arms!


    Burlock shot up from the bed and stared at his healed arms with a stunned expression.


    "This... Was everything a dream?" He muttered with a dazed look. He then raised his head and stared at the unfamiliar environment around him.


    "This is not my home. Where am I? Could it be... is this heaven? No! I am a demon, so I should be in hell, but is hell really as nice as this?" Burlock stood up with a dumbfounded look. Nothing around him was familiar and it was the first time he had been here.


    The room was clean and immacte. There was not even a speck of dust around. Heck! He could even see his ugly reflection on the wooden floor.


    "Where am I?" He muttered as he walked towards the door. He might be able to find a clue if he steps out of the room.


    Creak.


    When the door sprung open, what he saw made his jaw drop to the ground.


    In front of him was a huge hall with hundreds of neatly arranged tables and chairs. Precious Origin-rank spiritual nts ced in a pot can be seen all over the room. He craned his neck to the side and saw a human seated calmly on a chair. The sight of this human almost made him leap in fear.


    "It¡¯s you! Who are you?!" Burlock pointed at Jiu Shen with dread, but he hurriedly retracted his arm in fear that the other party might break his arms again.


    He had experienced Jiu Shen¡¯s might and he no longer dared to look at him in the eye. Such an expert, even if he was an enemy, would still be admired by the demons.


    "Everyone in the Profound Dragon Continent calls me ¡¯Sect Master Jiu¡¯, but you can also call me ¡¯Wine Master Jiu Shen¡¯. I am the owner of this wine store." The young man answered in a voice devoid of emotions.

 Chapter 318 - Weapon Intent?

    <h4>Chapter 318 - Weapon Intent? </h4>


    "What do you want from me? With your strength, you could have killed me, but instead of doing that, you healed my broken arms and allowed me to rest in your ce. What is your intention?" Burlock furrowed his eyebrows as he nced deeply at Jiu Shen. He tried to read the young man¡¯s expression, but all he saw was his indifferent look.


    Just what was this guy up to.


    Burlock knew that he had damaged the meridians of his arms severelyst night, but when he woke earlier, his arms had magically been healed! He did not know how the other party did it. Even if he used the medicines and pills inside his space ring, he knew that it would take him a few days to fully recover, but it only took Jiu Shen a night to heal himpletely. Or was he unconscious for several days?


    "My store iscking a few waiters and waitresses. I think you are perfect for the job." Jiu Shen said as he ced one of his legs on top of the other. His rxed expression made Burlock recall the eventsst night.


    "You want to hire me as a waiter?! Are you out of your damned mind?!" Burlock blurted out unconsciously, but when he realized his mistake, he hurriedly covered his mouth in fear. He then nced at Jiu Shen nervously, and when he saw the unchanging expression of thetter, Burlock heaved a sigh of relief.


    "What are you even selling here? You¡¯re not selling prohibited items, are you?" Burlock asked suspiciously. He might be a Demon Lord, but he did not have the guts to sell products prohibited by the Demon Race¡¯s upper echelons.


    Jiu Shen shook his head and replied. "You think too much. I only sell wines and maybe a few dishes. What do you think?"


    "Wines and a few dishes?" Burlock thought that something was wrong with his ears, but when he saw Jiu Shen¡¯s calm look, he realized that the man was serious.


    ¡¯A great expert like you is actually selling wines and dishes? Are you kidding me?¡¯ Burlock¡¯s mouth twitched, but he did not decline Jiu Shen¡¯s offer right away. This human was able to subdue him with just a finger and with that strength, even a Demon Ancestor might not be his match. Following such an expert was not a bad idea, but if news about him serving a human would spread, it would definitely tarnish his reputation. Aside from that, his kin might even turn hostile against him.


    Burlock was in a dilemma. No matter which choice he makes, there would be danger following behind it.


    Seeing the demon¡¯s difficult expression, Jiu Shen took out a bottle of wine filled with scarlet liquid. This was the unique wine of this branch store, the Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit. After taking out the bottle of wine, Jiu Shen beckoned the demon. "Before you make a decision, have a taste of this." He said as he poured wine on arge silver cup. When Jiu Shen noticed that the silver cup was half full, he gave it to Burlock who had a weird expression.


    Demons have significantly stronger physical bodies than humans and their ability to consume energy is also much better. It would not be a problem for them to consume a lot of Jiu Shen¡¯s wines.


    ¡¯Do you really have to be so serious when pouring wine? Whatever. Let me have a taste of this wine.¡¯ Burlock thought in his heart as he took the silver cup from Jiu Shen¡¯s hand.


    He was not a wine drinker and he even hated the taste of wine, but since this expert is not giving him room to decline, he might as well try it out. It¡¯s just a cup of wine anyway, what¡¯s the big deal?


    Looking at the scarlet liquid, he almost threw the cup, but a mysterious fragrance suddenly entered his nostrils. "This..."


    Without hesitation, he gulped the wine in one go and closed his eyes. Not longter, his eyes suddenly sprung open as he eximed in a loud voice. "Delicious!"


    Burlock regretted drinking the wine in one go. He could still recall the diverse vors that exploded in his mouth when he drank the wine. It was soul-stirring and he could even feel that his physical body was slowly bing sturdier! A cup of wine could actually induce such an effect!


    Burlock nced at Jiu Shen with an eager look as he extended the empty cup to thetter. Even though he wasn¡¯t saying anything, Jiu Shen knew what the guy was thinking.


    "What do you think about my Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit?" Jiu Shen¡¯s lips tilted upwards as he stared at the pleading look of the demon.


    "Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit? That¡¯s a nice name! It¡¯s the most delicious wine I have tasted in my life and all the wines taste like trashpared to it! It can even enhance my physical strength by a tiny margin! Although the increase in my strength is only minimal, if this wine is consumed daily, the resulting increase in strength would be substantial." Burlock answered truthfully.


    Hearing the demon¡¯s answer, Jiu Shen leaned on his chair and said. "You are right, but you¡¯ve forgotten one thing."


    "Forgot one thing?" Burlock was confused.


    Jiu Shen did not make him wait for long and answered. "Take out your weapon and try brandishing it."


    When Burlock heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words, he became even more perplexed, but he still took out arge mace from his space ring and wave it casually. However, he suddenly noticed that something was different about his movements.


    "This is... Weapon Intent?! How could this be?!" Burlock cried out in surprise. He knew that he was still far from reaching the level of Weapon Intent, so when he sensed it behind the casual movement of his mace, he was utterly dumbfounded.


    Burlock waved his mace a few more times and this time, he was certain that he had indeedprehended Weapon Intent.


    "It is indeed Weapon Intent, but how? Could it be..." Burlock lifted his head and stared at the bottle of wine in Jiu Shen¡¯s hand. An absurd thought surfaced in his head.

 Chapter 319 - Drunk Burlock

    <h4>Chapter 319 - Drunk Burlock </h4>


    "This... Is it the effect of drinking that wine?" Burlock asked as he nced at the wine bottle in Jiu Shen¡¯s hand. A clear look of excitement surfaced on his face.


    He had been training his mace for many years, but even after expending so much effort and time, he failed to achieve Weapon Intent. However, a single cup of wine actually managed to awaken his Weapon Intent!


    Looking at his agitated face, Jiu Shen smirked. "This wine is just one of the different kinds of wines I sell. There are still more in the wine storage and there would be more in the future. How about it? Do you want to work for me?"


    Burlock hesitated for a moment, but a gleam of determination shed in his eyes as he replied in a firm tone. "Alright. I agree to your offer, but if I want to leave, you must not stop me."


    He was still worried that working for this young man might bring him unnecessary trouble, so he prepared a way out for himself.


    ¡¯Leave?¡¯ Jiu Shen chuckled in his heart after hearing Burlock¡¯s answer. He was confident that the demon won¡¯t leave once he discovers the secret about the store.


    "Good. From now on, you will be a waiter of my store, but before we discuss about your job here, can you tell me more about this demon city?" Jiu Shen said as he handed the bottle of Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit to Burlock.


    Burlock shamelessly took the wine bottle and immediately poured wine into his cup. He then sat down beside Jiu Shen and replied. "This city is called Morlon City and it is under the jurisdiction of Demon Ancestor Jun, but since he is busy and rarelyes to Morlon City, he left his duties here to the five Demon Lords. I, Burlock, am one of them." He was proud of his strength, but when he recalled that the young man in front of him had overpowered him with just a finger, the smile on Burlock¡¯s face crooked.


    Hearing his words, Jiu Shen closed his eyes and recalled the map of Nuar in his head. After knowing where Morlon City was located, he opened his eyes.


    ¡¯The demons are indeed stronger than the other races here. There are already five Nascent God Realm experts in just one city, and ording to Burlock, Morlon City is under the jurisdiction of a Demon Ancestor. There isn¡¯t even one expert at that level in the Profound Dragon Continent. The difference in power of the two continents is huge.¡¯ Jiu Shen thought to himself.


    Seeing that Jiu Shen had remained silent, Burlock focused his attention on his wine. A look of satisfaction can be seen on his face. "Ah... To think that such a delicious wine actually exists..." He muttered after letting out a moan of delight.


    After a moment of contemtion, Jiu Shen stood up from his seat and took a nce at the menu located near the reception area.


    Wines:


    Mystic Jade - 1 Blood Stone


    Ables nc - 5 Blood Stones


    Frozen Origin - 55 Blood Stones


    Deep Sea Spring Dew - 120 Blood Stones


    Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit- 500 Blood Stones


    Dishes: Currently Unavable


    ¡¯Although the dishes are still unavable, we can still open the store since there are a lot of wines stocked in the wine storage. I should let some of those girls work here temporarily. Burlock might be exhausted if he works alone.¡¯ Jiu Shen went out of the store and left the dazed Burlock.


    "Greetings, master!" The twelve Carnivorous Dragon Koi transformed into their human forms and greeted Jiu Shen respectfully.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head at their greeting and he randomly pointed at Blue and two other girls as he said. "You, you, and you. From now, all three of you will work inside the store."


    Blue and the twodies immediately bowed their heads excitedly as they said. "Yes, master! We will work hard!"


    For the twelve of them, it was an honor to work for Jiu Shen, so the thought of working inside the store made the three girls jump in joy. The other girls could only nce at them with jealousy.


    Seeing the sad expression of the nine girls, Jiu Shen said to them. "Don¡¯t be sad. All of you are working for me. How about this... There are a lot of rooms in the basement, so all of you will rest there at night."


    Hearing that, the eyes of the girls immediately lit up and they hurriedly thanked Jiu Shen with sweet smiles. "Thank you, master!"


    After pacifying them, Jiu Shen turned his gaze to one of the three girls he chose and asked. "What is your name?"


    "Master, my name is Blue." The youngdy answered. She was the one who discovered the sneaking Burlockst night.


    "Blue, from now on, you will be the receptionist of the store. Your job is to greet customers and answer their queries." Jiu Shen exined the nature of her job and Blue listened attentively to him.


    "Can you do it?" Jiu Shen asked as he looked at Blue.


    The young girl nodded her head confidently and replied with a smile. "Rest assured, master. I will do my job well!"


    "Good. What are your names?" Jiu Shen asked the two girls beside Blue.


    "Master my name is Meimei."


    "Master, I am Xiaoxiao."


    Jiu Shen¡¯s eyebrows twitched when he heard the names of the two girls. "The two of you will help Burlock in getting the customers¡¯ orders. You must be patient with them, okay? But if they disrespect you, then do as you see fit." He told thedies.


    Meimei and Xiaoxiao nodded their heads eagerly. "Yes, master! Don¡¯t worry! We will be good! Hehe."


    After delegating their jobs, Jiu Shen went inside the store together with the three girls. Not far away, they saw that the burly demon, Burlock already had his head down on the table. It was obvious that the guy had drunk himself to sleep...

 Chapter 320 - Demon Ancestor Jun

    <h4>Chapter 320 - Demon Ancestor Jun </h4>


    Looking at the sleeping Burlock, Jiu Shen shook his head. "To think that a demon had actually drunk himself to sleep after drinking one bottle of wine. Even those mercenaries in the Profound Dragon Continent weren¡¯t as weak-willed as this guy." He muttered in disdain.


    Burlock had indeed drunk himself to sleep, but the reason for that was because it was the first time he had drank wine with such effects. It can even induce a slight increase in his physical power! And with the wine¡¯s vorful taste and strong medicinal properties, Burlock who wasn¡¯t a drinker was immediately put into sleep.


    Blue and the twodies walked towards Burlock and poked his face a few times, but the demon still had no reactions whatsoever.


    "This demon is too funny! Hahaha!" Blue, Xiaoxiao, and Meimeiughed as they made fun of the sleeping Burlock.


    "Alright. Knock it off. The store will be opening in an hour. Wake up that fellow before you open the store and make sure to treat our guests well." Jiu Shen said to the three mischievous girls.


    Blue and the other two nodded their heads in reply. "Yes, master!"


    "I¡¯ll leave the store in your care. I¡¯ll go out for a moment, but you must behave while I¡¯m away." Jiu Shen said before leaving the store.


    He wasn¡¯t worried that no one wille to his store. With this branch store¡¯s striking appearance and refreshing atmosphere, some curious demons would surely go inside to check the ce. They might be speechless about the prices at first, but they will eventually discover its value.


    With that in mind, Jiu Shen soared through the skies with a light tap of his foot. He left behind a streak of white light as he flew above the skies.


    When Jiu Shen reached a height of two thousand meters above the ground, he stopped his ascent and took a nce at the city down below. Hepared the map inside his head to the sight beneath him and discovered that everything was perfect. "Morlon City is almost asrge Beltran City. This ce isn¡¯t even the capital of this demon country, but it is almost asrge as Silver Wing Empire¡¯s capital city." He muttered to himself.


    "ording to Burlock, there are five Demon Lords here including him. I might as well check the other four Demon Lords while I¡¯m at it." Jiu Shen swept his spiritual gaze over the entire Morlon City. Countless amounts of information surfaced in his mind as he scanned everyone in the city. Everyone¡¯s faces and their cultivation level were seen through by him in just a matter of seconds! However, not one of them was even able to discover his presence.


    Until...


    Hm?!


    An old demon who was cultivating inside a small wooden hut abruptly opened his eyes. Just a second ago, he felt a scrutinizing gaze scanning over him and he even felt that everything about him was seen through.


    "Who is it?! Show yourself!" The old demon might be advanced in age, but his stature was still healthy and vigorous. If not for the wrinkles on his face and his graying hair, anyone would have believed that he was a middle-aged man.


    The old demon nced around him suspiciously. He sent out his spiritual power to observe the ten thousand-meter area around him, but he failed to notice the owner of that powerful gaze. This made his body feel a bit cold. There could only be two reasons why he failed to sense the other party. First, the owner of that gaze was significantly stronger than him or that person had a much stronger spiritual power. Whether it was the first or the second reason, the old man would still not dare face against that kind of expert.


    He had been cultivating for too long, and this was the first time he had been this anxious after so many years. "Who is that person? Why is an expert at that level here in Morlon City? Is he an enemy or a friend?" The old man muttered to himself with a deep frown on his face.


    The old man went out of the small hut and nced at the bustling city beneath him. His small hut was located on top of a mountain and he was able to observe the entire Morlon City from up there.


    "Should I report this to the Demon King?" The old man thought for a moment before shaking his head.


    "I should remain here at this moment and observe Morlon City for a while. If nothing happens, I will report my encounter to His Majesty." The old man muttered before going back to the small hut.


    ***


    Behind the clouds, above the skies, Jiu Shen nced at the tall mountain with a look of interest. "That brat must be the Demon Ancestor Jun that Burlock talked about. His strength is not ordinary and he is already at the peak stage of the Origin God Realm. Just a step away from breaking through the Void God Realm. It seems like Nuar is not an ordinary world..."


    At first, Jiu Shen thought that Nuar was simply an ordinary mortal, but after all he had seen, he assumed that there might be more interesting things about it.


    In his previous life, it took him billions of years before he reached the Heavenly God Realm. The path of cultivation will start to slow down and be harder after one reaches the Void God Realm. Many geniuses in the Primordial God Realm were stuck at this level and even those with superior physiques were not an exception. Only the most elite of individuals managed to ovee the Void God Realm.


    After one bes a Nascent God Realm expert, their lifespans will reach up to tens of thousands of years and it will further increase as their cultivation level grows higher, but the speed of their cultivation will also start to decline. Jiu Shen was certain that the strongest expert in Nuar was only at the Void God Realm.


    "It¡¯s a good thing that these demons abided by the agreement made by their ancestors fifty thousand years ago. If not, the inhabitants of the Profound Dragon Continent might already be goners..."

 Chapter 321 - Visiting The Rebel Army’s Secret Base

    <h4>Chapter 321 - Visiting The Rebel Army¡¯s Secret Base </h4>


    After Jiu Shen swept his spiritual perception throughout Morlon City, he gained an understanding of it and he also discovered the strength of everyone living in the city. Even the overseer of the city, Demon Ancestor Jun, was seen through by him! Aside from that, Jiu Shen also saw the other four Demon Lords, but there was also something that made Jiu Shen a bit surprised.


    He saw a gathering of human experts within Morlon City! There was even a Nascent God Realm expert among them! However, he also noticed that the headquarters of these human experts were located in a discreet location of the city. The humans are all wearing long and dark robes that disguised their appearance.


    "It looks like these guys are the experts from the Rebel Army that Burlock has talked about. It is already incredible of them to survive in the territory of demons and one of them even managed to reach the Nascent God Realm. It seems like this Rebel Army has a capable leader." Jiu Shen said as he rubbed his chin.


    "I might as well visit them and see what they are capable of. If their personality is not bad, then I don¡¯t mind giving them a bit of help." Jiu Shen said thoughtfully. He was currently in the territory of the demons and it would be ideal if he gains the help of the locals. With their aid, he would not need to personally search the spiritual nts needed for his wine recipe. Aside from that, they can also help him in gathering more information about the Crimson Fiend Continent.


    With that in mind, Jiu Shen transformed into a streak of light as he flew in the direction of the Rebel Army¡¯s secret headquarters.


    ***


    Inside arge old mansion, more than several dozen individuals were having a meeting. The atmosphere was solemn as everyone nced at the messenger.


    "General, everything has been calm so far. There are also no major movements in the five Demon Lords¡¯ territories. Just that..." The messenger was a man in his forties and his cultivation had already reached the mid stage of the 7th-rank Emperor. If he was in the Profound Dragon Continent, he could have be an Elder of arge sect, but here, he was just a messenger.


    The man whom the messenger referred to as ¡¯General¡¯ was a middle-aged man in histe fifties. He was wearing a silver battle armor with numerous cuts. His battle armor had fully covered his torso and only his arms wereid bare. Multiple scars and newly healed wounds can be seen on his muscr arms and even his face had a huge sword wound which made him look even more intimidating!


    "Just what?" The general frowned when he saw the hesitant expression of the messenger.


    When the messenger saw the displeased look of the general, he hesitated no longer and decided to tell him what he had seen. "General, I was tasked to collect information about Demon Lord Burlock, and I discovered something fishyst night."


    Hearing his words, the general¡¯s frown deepened and he gestured for the messenger to continue.


    "The servants of Demon Lord Burlock seems to be in a state of panic. They are also looking from house to house as if they are searching for something. I think they might have discovered our presence..." The messenger said. A look of nervousness can be seen on his face as he said that.


    When everyone inside the mansion heard his words, they also became anxious. If Demon Lord Burlock had indeed discovered their presence in Morlon City, it would be a disaster for them!


    The general furrowed his eyebrows and he eventually shook his head as he said. "That¡¯s impossible. We used the secret route provided by the higher-ups toe here, so it is unlikely for them to notice us. They might be searching for something else, but we still have to exercise caution. Have all of our subordinates limit their movements and make theme back before nightfall."


    "Yes, general!" The people inside the mansion replied in unison.


    "Send a few more men to observe Demon Burlock¡¯s mansion. And if they discover something important, report it immediately. Alright, dismissed!" The general issued an order before dismissing everyone.


    After everyone came out of therge meeting room, the general sat weakly on his chair. His face was covered with exhaustion.


    "I hope that I am right. Our objective here is crucial for our Rebel Army. And it would be a catastrophic loss if we fail our mission here." The general muttered through gritted teeth.


    "We must save the young lord at all cost! He is the future of our Rebel Army!" The general¡¯s eyes shed with determination.


    Suddenly...


    The general felt a gaze looking over him and he hurriedly turned his gaze to the side. Right there, he saw a young man with long silver hair sitting calmly on a chair. However, what made him slightly perturbed was the fact that he failed to notice the other party¡¯s presence! If the young man did not intentionally look at him, he would have failed to discover him!


    "Who are you?" The general forcefully calmed his wildly beating heart as he nced deeply at the young man. The more he looked at him, the more uneasy he became. He could not sense the young man¡¯s cultivation level at all!


    This young man was none other than Jiu Shen who sneaked insider this old mansion. He had already seen the entirety of Morlon City through his spiritual perception and it was not hard for him to locate this ce.


    Jiu Shen stared at the general and nodded his head inwardly. The guy was able to maintain his calmness despite the sudden emergence of a potential enemy. From this alone, Jiu Shen could already tell that this general was a valiant man.


    "Not bad. You can actually remain calm in my presence. As for who I am, just visit the lotus building not far from here. When you go there, you¡¯ll know my identity." Jiu Shen said in a calm tone.


    The general inwardly sighed in relief when he discovered that the other party harbored no malicious intent. With a deep look, he asked. "Esteemed sir, what is your reason for visiting our headquarters?"


    "Reason? None. If you need my help, juste to the lotus building." Jiu Shen shook his head expressionlessly. It was still too early for him to tell them about his intentions. For now, he could only give them a vague reply.


    After hearing Jiu Shen¡¯s answer, the general frowned, but he did not ask further. Since the other party refused to tell him, it wouldn¡¯t be good if he forced him to answer. Furthermore, he was also wary of the young man¡¯s strength and he did not want to offend someone as mysterious as him especially because they were still on a mission.


    Swoosh.


    "Space Maniption! He is at least a Nascent God Realm expert!" The general eximed in surprise at Jiu Shen¡¯s sudden disappearance.

 Chapter 322 - Anxious Helios

    <h4>Chapter 322 - Anxious Helios </h4>


    A series of footsteps made the general recover from his shocked state. He put on a calm look and nced at the entrance of the meeting room.


    A few soldiers came inside the room with anxious looks.


    "General, has something happened? We heard you shouting just a few moments ago." One soldier asked worriedly.


    The matter about Jiu Shen was too sudden and mysterious and it wouldn¡¯t be good if he told his subordinates about it. They would only be more restless if they learned it. With that in mind, the general shook his head and said in amanding tone. "It¡¯s nothing. Go back to your posts and bolster our defenses! Tell the patrolling guards to stay alert!"


    "Yes, general!" The soldiers replied as they saluted.


    After the soldiers left, the general stepped out of the room and stared at the crimson sky. "Who could he be?" He muttered with a contemting look.


    ***


    In Demon Lord Burlock¡¯s residence, dozens of demons can be seen going out of his mansion and they seemed to be in a hurry. All of these demons were servants of Demon Lord Burlock and at this moment, they were all wearing anxious expressions.


    "Where is the Demon Lord? He disappeared without notice. This did not happen before... Where is he?" A demon dressed in heavy metal armor muttered with a frown. This demon was Burlock¡¯s right-hand man, Helios. He had a pair of wings and a muscr body. There was also a sharp horn on top of his head.


    "Commander Helios, we still haven¡¯t found the Demon Lord. Maybe, something bad happened to him..." A demon soldier reported to Helios.


    Heading that, Helios¡¯ face darkened and he immediately red at the demon soldier. "Insolent fool! Aside from the Demon Ancestor, no one else in Morlon City can harm the Demon Lord! Not even the four other Demon Lords!" He pped the demon soldier, sending him flying more than tens of meters away.


    "A bunch of trash!" Helios shouted angrily.


    Just then, another soldier suddenly came running towards him with an urgent look.


    "Commander Helios! We have seen the Demon Lord! He...he is..."


    The eyes of Helios lit up and he immediately grabbed the demon soldier and asked. "Where is he? Where is the Demon Lord? Spit it out!"


    The soldier cried out in pain under Helios¡¯ strong grip, but he still answered. "He... He is inside a building that... that looks like a blooming flower. We tried to ask him what he was doing there, but thosedies...they suddenly- Ah!" Before he could even continue speaking, he was already dragged by Helios.


    "Quick! Lead the way! We must go there immediately! How dare those people confine the Demon Lord! I¡¯ll beat them up!" Helios said angrily.


    The demon soldier wanted to say something, but seeing themander¡¯s expression, he knew that talking to him was useless right now. Without any options left, he could only shut his mouth as he led Helios towards the lotus building that they had discovered.


    ¡¯Could you at least let me finish my words...¡¯ The soldier thought speechlessly.


    ***


    "Meimei, why did you chase those guys away?" Xiaoxiao asked the girl beside her as she chuckled lightly. She was a girl with short ck hair and a pair of hazel eyes. She looked just like a normal teenage girl if not for the blue scales on some parts of her body.


    Meimei harrumphed coldly as she said in disdain. "Those guys are too rowdy. They are clearly here to cause trouble. Their ugly faces also made my mood terrible. Hmph!" Meimei had a shoulder-length green hair and her pair of chestnut brown eyes gleamed with arrogance.


    "What if theye back here with more men?" Xiaoxiao asked with a smile.


    "Come back? Then let theme here! I will have them clean the garden outside!" Meimei replied scornfully. She was confident of her own strength and those demons that came earlier were not even as strong as Burlock, so how could they threaten her?


    "This little sister, how about you let me handle my men?" Burlock who was standing at the side suddenly said. A crooked smile hung on his face as he stared at this pair of mischievous little girls. The two of them had actually beaten up his subordinates right under his nose, but in fear of Jiu Shen¡¯s might, he could only watch as the two frail-looking girls smack his men.


    "They are your men? Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? I would have not beaten them up if I knew that they were your people." Meimei scolded him with a righteous look.


    "This... You... That... Sigh. Nevermind. Just let me do the talking if theye here again." Burlock wanted to talk back to the girl, but when he saw her mysterious smile, he could only shake his head helplessly.


    ¡¯You¡¯re pulling my leg! You are not even allowing me to exin! Dammit!¡¯ Burlock gritted his teeth as he cursed in his heart. If not for Jiu Shen¡¯s unparalleled might, he would have already taught this girl a lesson even if he would end up being beaten up by her friends.


    Seeing Burlock¡¯s darkening expression, Xiaoxiao who was listening to their conversation snickered. She tried to suppress it, but with Burlock¡¯s acute senses, how could he fail to notice it? However, he chose to turn a deaf ear to this.


    "Lord Burlock, Helios is here to save you!" A loud voice suddenly echoed in all directions, stunning Burlock and the two little girls.


    "Helios?" Burlock muttered in surprise as he looked beyond the gates. From there, he saw a muscr demon with a pair of wings walking towards the lotus building withrge strides. Behind him was arge group of demons wearing battle armors.


    "It¡¯s them! They came back! They even brought more men with them! Hmph! Ugly demon, go and tell your men to shut up, or else I¡¯ll beat them into submission!" Meimei stared at Burlock with sharp eyes as he threatened him with a look.

 Chapter 323 - You Look Like A Cow

    <h4>Chapter 323 - You Look Like A Cow </h4>


    Helios was surprised when he saw the beautiful lotus building from afar. If it wasn¡¯t for the metal fences around it, he would have believed that this was a high-level spiritual nt.


    The lotus building looked like a blooming flower with its incredibly alluring set of petals. Helios could even smell a tantalizing scent lingering in the air as he approached the gates of the building.


    "Hey! Tell me what kind of people are inside that building!" Helios said to the soldier leading them. He could not help but remain careful after witnessing the enchanting lotus building. From what he could remember, there wasn¡¯t such a building yesterday, so how could it have suddenly appeared here?


    The soldier¡¯s expression darkened as he recounted their first visit to this lotus building. "Commander Helios, we were just looking for the Demon Lord around this area and we suddenly noticed this ce. We were curious about it since it is the first time we¡¯ve seen it here, so we went inside the gate after seeing that it¡¯s open."


    The soldier had a look of awe as he continued. "After stepping inside, we saw numerous high-level spiritual nts around the lotus building and I even saw the very previous Blood Revitalizing Ginseng!"


    Hearing that there was a Blood Revitalizing Ginseng inside the lotus building, Helios¡¯ eyes lit up. It was a valuable spiritual nt that could enhance one¡¯s vitality and physical body. If he consumes it, he would be more confident about his tribtion lightning.


    "Aside from the Blood Revitalizing Ginseng, there was also a crystal-clear pond in front of the lotus building, and living inside this pond are a few beautiful fishes. From how they look, they seem to be of high value." The soldier said with a flushed look.


    Hearing that, Helios also became excited.


    "Just as we were about to pluck a few spiritual nts, we suddenly discovered Demon Lord Burlock inside the lotus building, so we immediately dashed towards him. However, just as we were about to go inside the building, twodies block the entrance. One of them...she... she pummeled all of us and threw us out of the gates..." The soldier was embarrassed as he said that. As soldiers of Demon Lord Burlock, they were actually beaten up by a little girl who looked no older than twenty. If news about it leaks out, they would surely be aughingstock in the whole Morlon City.


    After hearing his subordinates¡¯ words, Helios frowned. "You were beaten up by a little girl? All of you? Preposterous! You shame the name of Demon Lord Burlock! Scram!" Helios shouted as he kicked the soldier¡¯s behind, sending him flying into the air.


    Helios walked withrge strides as he shouted loudly. "Lord Burlock, Helios is here to save!"


    The gate was open, so Helios was able to go in without a problem.


    "This..." His mouth went agape as he stared at the spiritual nts around him. He could not begin to imagine the value of all the spiritual nts he was seeing. Even Demon Lord Burlock whom he was serving did not have this many spiritual nts in his possession. And from how these precious nts were carelessly nted outside the lotus building, Helios was wondering what kind of person the owner would be. Does he not know the value of these things?


    "Helios!" An anxious call drifted behind his ears. He was familiar with this voice, so he immediately turned his gaze towards the owner of the voice. Of course, it was none other than the Demon Lord, Burlock.


    "My Lord!" Helios bowed his head as he greeted the man. He then stared at his lord from head to foot and checked whether he was injured or not. And when he discovered that he was in perfect condition, Helios heaved a huge sigh of relief as he said worriedly.


    "My Lord, did someone kidnap you? Why did you suddenly disappearst night? Everyone was looking for you."


    Burlock felt warm in his heart when he saw the anxious look of Helios. He was happy that he has such a loyal subordinate.


    Just then, an angry voice suddenly interrupted the conversation of the two demons.


    "Who is so noisy outside?! Scram or I¡¯ll break your bones!"


    Hearing the arrogant voice, Helios¡¯ face darkened and he turned his gaze to the door of the lotus building. He saw two girls who looked to be in theirte teens and from their appearance, they looked simr to humans, but when he saw the fish scales on some parts of their bodies, Helios was certain that these girls were of a different race.


    "Who do you think you are to utter such bold words in the presence of Demon Lord Burlock?! You want to break my bones? With your pair of scrawny arms? Are you making meugh, little girl?!" Helios red at Meimei as he nced at her disdainfully. He also exerted the aura of a peak stage 9th-rank Saint with the intent of scaring the insolent green-haired little girl.


    "This... Helios..." Burlock¡¯s face fell after witnessing the drastic change of events. He wanted to say something, but Helios courageously walked in front of Meimei as he disyed his full strength. A broad grin can be seen on his face as he stared at the two girls.


    "That... This youngdy..." Burlock tried to appease the situation, but before he could say anything, a loud peal ofughter suddenly erupted.


    "Hahaha! Xiaoxiao, is this guy trying to make usugh? He is so funny! Look at his face. He looks like the cow I sawst night when I sneaked out of the building. Hahaha!" The green-haired Meimeiughed loudly as he pointed at Helios¡¯ nose.


    Xiaoxiao who was standing beside her chuckled as she watched the scene with interest. A look of anticipation shed in her pair of hazel eyes.


    "You! What did you say?! Say it again if you dare!" Helios¡¯ face darkened when he heard Meimei¡¯s insulting words. She was actuallyparing him to a cow? Since when did he experience this kind of shame?


    Meimei nced at him in disdain as she uttered word by word. " I. Said. You. Look. Like. A. Cow."


    Burlock who was looking from behind had the urge to smack Helios. He actually dared to mess with thisss...

 Chapter 324 - Pitiful Helios

    <h4>Chapter 324 - Pitiful Helios </h4>


    "Impudence! I¡¯ll teach you a lesson!"


    Helios¡¯ overpowering aura abruptly gushed out as he angrily bellowed. He lifted his right hand and swung it towards Meimei¡¯s cheeks.


    "Stop!" Burlock shouted anxiously, but he was already toote. He could only watch as Helios swung his hand towards Meimei.


    Helios ignored Burlock¡¯s warning. He was already in a bad mood this morning, and this girl made it even worse. ¡¯Since you dared to insult me, then don¡¯te crying to meter!¡¯ Helios thought resentfully.


    Just as his palm was about toe into contact with Meimei¡¯s cheek, he suddenly felt a burst of pain in his stomach. He felt his strength leaving his body and his outstretched hand abruptly froze in midair as he slowly slumped to the ground.


    Helios felt his eyelids growing heavier and before he closed his eyes, he saw Meimei looking at him with a smirk. He was confounded about the sudden turn of events. Just what happened? However, he had already fallen t to the ground before he could realize what had happened.


    After knocking Helios unconscious, Meimei swept her gaze towards the demons standing behind Burlock.


    The demons felt their backs covered in a cold sweat when they saw the girl looking at them with a grin. Helios was Burlock¡¯s right-hand man and his strength was only beneath him, but he was actually taken out in a single move by this little girl! If they did not see it, they wouldn¡¯t have believed that it was possible.


    "A bunch of trash! Hmph!" Meimei harrumphed derisively after seeing that no one dared to say anything.


    Burlock¡¯s face twitched in anger. Helios was his most trusted subordinate and the guy was beaten up by Meimei right in front of him. She even scolded his soldiers even though he was still there.


    "Youngdy, do you really have to be heavy-handed? You even dare to insult my subordinates in front of my face! Do you think I¡¯m blind and deaf?!" Burlock bellowed indignantly.


    Xiaoxiao knew that things would escte if she did not stop the two, so she immediately stood in between Meimei and Burlock as she said. "Alright, stop it you two. If the masteres back and sees that you are fighting, he might punish you guys. Don¡¯t worry, Big Brother Burlock, your subordinate is only unconscious. Meimei did not use her full strength when she struck him." She then turned her gaze towards Meimei and pulled thetter inside the store.


    Looking at the retreating figures of the two girls, Burlock sighed helplessly. He was angry, but what could he do? Just Meimei alone was enough to overpower him, and there were still eleven more of them in this store. It wasn¡¯t a wise idea to confront them. Since the girl had been ¡¯lenient¡¯, he decided to drop the matter.


    "My Lord, that girl is too arrogant! She even knocked out themander. Do you want me to gather the army to raze this ce to the ground?" A soldier said with an indignant tone.


    Burlock red at the soldier and smack the back of his head as he said. "Raze your face! Did you not see how strong that girl is?! She is a lot stronger than me and there are still eleven more of them here in this store! Do you think our army is enough to crush them?! We would only be killing ourselves if we do that! Not to mention... I¡¯m already... I¡¯m already a waiter here..."


    "Huh?"


    "Waiter?"


    "What?!"


    "My Lord, you mean you¡¯ve be a waiter here?" The soldiers¡¯ doubted their ears when they heard Burlock¡¯s words. Their powerful lord had actually be a waiter? The soldiers felt their heads going numb after hearing that...


    "Sigh. Just don¡¯t provoke anyone from this ce anymore. Even Demon Ancestor Jun might not be a match to the owner of this store..." Burlock said as he recalled Jiu Shen and his unfathomable might. He had seen Demon Ancestor Jun on many asions, but after experiencing a crushing defeat in the hands of Jiu Shen, he wasn¡¯t sure whether the old man could match the mysterious young man.


    "Stronger than Demon Ancestor Jun?!" The soldiers¡¯ mouths went agape and they felt their hearts growing cold when they heard their lord¡¯s words. They also abandoned the thoughts of seeking revenge. Who would dare to provoke someone who was even stronger than Demon Ancestor Jun? Only an idiot would do so...


    "Bring Helios back to the mansion and treat his injuries. Don¡¯te back here for the time being." Burlockmanded his subordinates.


    "Yes, Demon Lord!"


    "My Lord, what about you?" One of the soldiers asked after a moment of hesitation.


    Burlock red at him and answered exasperatedly. "I will wait for the owner. Why do you have so many questions?! Scram!"


    The soldiers immediately grabbed the unconscious Helios and swiftly went out after being scolded by their lord.


    Looking at his running subordinates, Burlock smiled wryly as he shook his head. "Those fools." He muttered.


    Swoosh.


    "You have good subordinates." A calm voice echoed behind him, almost making Burlock jump in surprise.


    He turned around and saw Jiu Shen slowly descending from midair. His white robes was fluttering along with the wind. Burlock almost thought that he was looking at an immortal¡¯s descent when he stared at Jiu Shen¡¯s peerless visage. He was confident in his appearance, butpared to Jiu Shen, he looked no different than rotten sh*t.


    "Lord Jiu Shen." He greeted respectfully as he bowed towards the young man. He was already a subordinate of this man when he epted his offer of bing a waiter in this store. Although he was slightly reluctant to work for a human, he had no choice. He might be killed if he disobeys him.


    "I¡¯m no lord. Just call me Wine Master Jiu Shen." The young man said impassively. There wasn¡¯t even a change in his expression as he uttered those words.


    "Yes, Wine Master Jiu Shen." Burlock corrected his words immediately.

 Chapter 325 - Opening Of The BranChapter Store

    <h4>Chapter 325 - Opening Of The BranChapter Store </h4>


    "Wine Master Jiu, when are we opening the store?" Burlock asked as he followed Jiu Shen inside the lotus building. Although he was confident about the wines of the store, he was still worried that no one might be willing to try them once they see the exorbitant prices. Even the cheapest wine they sold was sold for 1 Blood Stone! Ordinary demons could not even hope to purchase it and only those with great backgrounds would be able to afford the wines.


    "We will open soon..." Jiu Shen said uncaringly. He thenmunicated with the system internally.


    "System, I¡¯d like to open the store and begin operations."


    Ding!


    The host has met the requirements to begin store operations! Please name the store!


    "Name?" He muttered...


    "Let¡¯s go with the same name. ¡¯The Immortal¡¯s Wine Store¡¯." Jiu Shen said without even thinking.


    Ding!


    Creating a name que for the store!


    On the wall beside the door of the lotus building, a few words suddenly appeared. What was most surprising about these words was their exquisite strokes as if drawn by an immortal calligrapher.


    Burlock who had seen the sudden emergence of the words was stunned and he stood there dumbfounded as he witnessed the scene. It was too beautiful that even a Demon Lord like Burlock found himself immersed in those words.


    "The Immortal¡¯s Wine Store..." Burlock muttered to himself. ¡¯Such arrogant words! The Demon King mightmand his army to decimate this store if he sees its name!¡¯ He thought to himself in trepidation.


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen, what if the demons learn about your identity as human? I don¡¯t care about those low-level demons, but if the Demon Lords and even the Demon Ancestor would discover that a human has opened a wine store in Morlon City, they would certainly send someone to decimate this ce." Burlock said carefully as he nced at Jiu Shen hoping to see his reaction. However, the young man¡¯s face remained tranquil. As if he was unbothered by Burlock¡¯s words.


    "Decimate my store? Let theme here and try for themselves. I won¡¯t stop them." Jiu Shen said in amusement. Jiu Shen wasn¡¯t worried about the demonsing to cause trouble. In fact, he was even slightly looking forward to their arrival. They would serve as an amusement for his boring and uneventful life...


    Burlock wanted to say something, but when he recalled how he had destroyed himself after trying to crush the lotus building, he closed his mouth with a nk look.


    ¡¯That¡¯s right. What is there to worry about? I could not even damage the walls of this lotus building and perhaps only the Demon King would be able to break its defenses. Now, I¡¯m bing even more curious about Wine Master Jiu Shen¡¯s identity. What is his purpose ining to Morlon City? From our previous conversations, he mentioned about the Profound Dragon Continent. He might be one of the top experts there, but are humans really that strong? Should I report his presence to Demon Ancestor Jun?¡¯ Burlock thought deeply as he stared at Jiu Shen¡¯s back. This human was too unfathomable and he could not even understand his thoughts.


    ¡¯Nevermind. I should observe him for the time being and see how it goes...¡¯ He shook his head with a sigh. He felt that he had entangled himself with a huge problem, but he could no longer escape from this since he had already be a subordinate of Jiu Shen.


    After stepping inside the store, Jiu Shen saw the youngdy Blue looking at him with an excited look on her face. "Greetings, master!"


    "Master hase!"


    "Greetings, master!"


    Two small figures scampered towards him with bright expressions on their faces. They were the waitresses of the store, Meimei, and Xiaoxiao.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head at them and said in a calm voice. "The store is now officially open. Make sure to treat our guests politely and don¡¯t provoke them needlessly."


    Jiu Shen wasn¡¯t worried about Blue making a mistake. On the other hand, Meimei and Xiaoxiao were too mischievous. He was certain that the twodies would wreak havoc in Morlon City if he was not there to supervise them. Earlier, when he used his spiritual perception to scan the whole Morlon City, he saw Meimei beating up Burlock¡¯s men, while Xiaoxiao was justughing at the sidelines.


    Looking at their cunning smiles, Jiu Shen could only hope that the two won¡¯t go overboard in their little antics.


    "Master, Meimei is a good girl. Don¡¯t worry. Hehe." Meimei shed a crafty smile as she said those words. Behind her, Xiaoxiao also nodded her head.


    Jiu Shen ignored them and turned his gaze to Blue. "You will be responsible in observing the performance of these two. If they cause too much trouble, have someone rece them." He said coldly.


    The faces of Meimei and Xiaoxiao changed drastically when they heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words. They also discarded the evil thoughts they were harboring earlier and they also told themselves to do their job carefully.


    Blue sensed the seriousness in Jiu Shen¡¯s tone, so she nodded her head solemnly as she said. "Yes, master. I won¡¯t let them cause trouble."


    "Good. Tell Burlock what he has to do and if he causes trouble, you can do anything you want with him as long as you don¡¯t kill him. If anything importantes up, just go to my room downstairs." Jiu Shen said before going to the basement. He still has a lot of leftover cultivation resources in his storage earring, so he was nning to use all of it to enhance his cultivation. With his deity physique, he wasn¡¯t worried about umting too much pill toxins.


    Blue and the twodies bowed their heads at the leaving Jiu Shen.


    "You heard the master. Stop causing trouble or he might really rece the two of you." Blue said to the two young girls, scaring them immediately.


    "Yes, Sister Blue!" They said in unison.

 Chapter 326 - Gift For His Majesty?

    <h4>Chapter 326 - Gift For His Majesty? </h4>


    The branch store was now officially open, but no demon has yet to discover the store. Although the lotus building was very beautiful when looked from afar, no one dared to go near it since it was located in the territory of the Demon Lord Burlock. Even those courageous demons dared not step foot near his territory.


    Burlock might have seemed weak after his crushing defeat under the hands of Jiu Shen, but he was a tyrant of Morlon City and he was known for his ferocity. Even the four other Demon Lords would hesitate in provoking him.


    "Look! There is a big lotus flower in Demon Lord Burlock¡¯s territory! It must be a high-level spiritual flower! I wonder what it is used for..."


    "Woah! It is indeed very beautiful! Demon Lord Burlock might be preparing this for His Majesty Demon King¡¯s iing birthday."


    "Indeed! It looks like Demon Lord Burlock is staking his all this time! The four Demon Lords might not sit still if they learn about this..."


    The demons in the vicinity chatted among themselves as they pointed at the lotus building in Demon Lord Burlock¡¯s territory.


    Among the crowd of demons, a figure dressed in long ck robes can be seen looking at the lotus building with a contemting look. The figure covered his face with a hood and only the lower portion of his face can be seen. From what was visible on his face, one could see his darkplexion. His aura was also intimidating, making everyone keep their distance from him. "Is this the lotus building that he was talking about?" The figure muttered silently.


    "I¡¯ll go and check it out after saving the young lord. It wouldn¡¯t be bad to get acquainted with such a powerful expert. Our Rebel Army needs more people like him..." The figure whispered to himself before he disappeared within the crowd.


    ***


    Inside one of the most luxurious residences in Morlon City, a slim demon who looked rather effeminate was seated on the head seat made of human bones. If one would look closely, the bones on this seat had golden patterns on their surfaces, a sign that these were the remains of Nascent God Realm experts!


    The slim demon looked no different than a human except for the two bronze horns on top of his head. This demon had a handsome face and he was currently drinking a ss filled with the blood of human experts.


    In front of this demon were five burly demons wearing bronze armors. They were kneeling respectfully, not even daring to nce at the handsome demon. This guy was one of the five Demon Lords of Morlon City, Demon Lord Zorzoch!


    "What brings you here?" Zorzoch asked his subordinates with a smile.


    One of the demons immediately answered him. "My Lord, we discovered something unusual in Demon Lord Burlock¡¯s territory. We have no idea what it is, so we decided to inform you about it."


    "Burlock? What is it?" Zorzoch asked curiously after emptying the ss filled with human blood.


    "We were patrolling Morlon City like usual, and when we passed by Demon Lord Burlock¡¯s territory, something suddenly caught our attention. It is a huge azure lotus with nine petals! Even from afar, we could already smell its alluring fragrance, and coupled with its beautiful appearance, we assume that it is a spiritual nt of considerably high value!" The demon reported with a voice filled with awe.


    Zorzoch was initially uninterested in Burlock¡¯s affairs, but when he heard the words of his subordinate, his eyes suddenly lit up. "A spiritual nt with inestimable value? Interesting! It looks like Burlock is going all out to please His Majesty on hising birthday. Prepare my carriage. I¡¯ll go and check this lotus flower personally." Hemanded with a smile.


    "Yes, My Lord!"


    It wasn¡¯t just Zorzoch, the remaining Demon Lords, Demon Lord Zagan, Demon Lord Azgonoth, and even the elusive Demon Lord Physoris were also notified about the ¡¯lotus flower¡¯.


    All of them prepared their carriages. They were nning to visit Burlock¡¯s territory to take a look at the lotus flower that their subordinates were full of praises about.


    Not longter, almost everyone in Morlon City has heard about the ¡¯lotus flower¡¯, but aside from the four Demon Lords, only a few brave ones decided to check it up close.


    "Hey! Have you seen the lotus flower in Demon Lord Burlock¡¯s territory?"


    "What lotus flower are you talking about?"


    "I saw a beautiful azure lotus in the territory of Demon Lord Burlock and everyone who saw it was specting that Demon Lord Burlock is preparing it for His Majesty¡¯s birthday!"


    "What?! There¡¯s actually such a thing?! I¡¯ll go and take a look!"


    ***


    Blue who had her eyes shut tight abruptly stood up and stared beyond the fences of the store. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at the distance. "Meimei, Xiaoxiao, tell Burlock to prepare. Our first batch of customers is about to arrive." She said to the two girls who were still busy chatting between themselves.


    "Yes, Sister Blue!" The two replied before sprinting towards Burlock who was now inside the wine storage.


    "Ugly demon, Sister Blue ordered us to prepare. We have customersing in a moment." Meimei said to Burlock who was busy admiring the wines inside the wine storage. He had thought of stealing a few bottles, but he immediately discarded the idea. It would be fine if Jiu Shen would not discover him, but if he does, then his life might cease to exist...


    Burlock¡¯s wine fantasy was abruptly shattered by Meimei¡¯s annoying voice. He exasperatedly turned his gaze to the girl. He controlled himself from pping this little girl and put on a broken smile. "Yes! Yes! Yes! I¡¯ll go out and prepare to greet our guests!"


    "Hmph! You don¡¯t need to do that. You might scare them away with your cow-like appearance! Sister Blue is responsible for greeting them, your job is to get our guests¡¯ orders." Meimei said with her arms crossed.


    Burlock¡¯s face twitched, but he still managed to nod his head. "Alright. No problem!"


    Meimei nodded her head haughtily after seeing that Burlock was obedient.

 Chapter 327 - Demon Lords Gather

    <h4>Chapter 327 - Demon Lords Gather </h4>


    Zorzoch who was seated inside his carriage peeked outside and he saw something at the corner of his eyes. "That is... the carriage of Physoris?!" He uttered in astonishment. Among the five Demon Lords, although Demon Lord Physoris wasn¡¯t the strongest, she was the most mysterious. She was also an elusive figure and rarely shows herself in public, but every time Morlon City sees her, she would always shock the crowd with her abilities.


    Demon Lord Zagan and Demon Lord Azgonoth were also notified about the presence of Physoris and the both of them revealed their surprise.


    Demon Lord Zagan was a giant demon with a huge hulk-like body that was about 3 meters tall! His body was only partially covered in armor, showing everyone his thick metal-like muscles! Even from a distance, anyone could already tell the explosiveness of Demon Lord Zagan!


    At the moment, Demon Lord Zagan was standing on a huge chariot that was pulled by a pair of incrediblyrge me Bears! This pair of savage beasts were known for their fierceness and brutality, but at this moment, they were obediently pulling Demon Lord Zagan¡¯s chariot!


    "Even Physoris hase to this ce... I never thought that she would be interested in things like these..." Demon Lord Zagan muttered with a look of interest.


    Not far away from Zagan¡¯s location was another group of individuals riding on a pack of savage beast wolves. The demon leading this group had a ruthless aura simr to an ancient primordial god beast! His long gray hair reached his waist and his finely-chiseled body was covered in all sorts of scars. This ferocious-looking demon was none other than Demon Lord Azgonoth, the leader of the five Demon Lords!


    Azgonoth was also surprised by Physoris¡¯ presence here. He knew that thetter had no interest in any political disputes, so she rarely shows herself in public. Her appearance today could only mean one thing. The lotus building that everyone was talking about must not be as simple as it seemed to be.


    Azgonoth narrowed his eyes as he stared at the azure lotus flower ahead of them. It was indeed as beautiful as what the others made it out to be. "This doesn¡¯t look like a spiritual nt... Wait. Someone ising out... This..." Azgonoth could see a lithe figureing out from the lotus building and with his sharp eyesight, he finally realized that this azure lotus flower was actually a building!


    It wasn¡¯t just him, Zorzoch also realized it, but this made them even more perplexed.


    They knew that Burlock could never make something as fancy as this, so it was definitely made by someone else, but to make a building of such ss without being noticed by everyone? They could not think of someone with that capability.


    The first one to arrive at the gates of the lotus building was the carriage of Zorzoch. He elegantly came down from his carriage with two of his subordinates.


    "Zorzoch, long time no see!" A loud and deep voice echoed behind Zorzoch, making him turn his head. He saw the giant demon Zagan jumping out of his chariot. The guy left massive footprints on the ground.


    "Zagan, it has been quite some time indeed!" Zorzoch smiled warmly as he stared at the giant who was walking towards him.


    Awoo!


    A wolf cry suddenly interrupted the conversation of the two, making them slightly displeased, but when they saw the demon climbing down from the wolf, their gazes turned warm as they greeted.


    "Azgonoth, how are you?"


    Looking at the ttering smiles of the two, Azgonoth merely nodded his head at them. He was stronger than the two of them since he was already at the peak stage Demon Lord! On the other hand, Zorzoch and Zagan were only at the mid stage Demon Lord! They were just as strong as Demon Lord Burlock.


    "Brother Azgonoth, what do you think Burlock is up to this time?" Zagan asked the long-haired demon.


    Azgonoth frowned and shook his head. "We all know that Burlock is not the type of man who would build a beautiful building just like this. There must be a story behind this and we will know about it as soon as we go inside." He said.


    Zagan nodded his head at Azgonoth¡¯s words. He was also familiar with Burlock¡¯s character and he knew that it was impossible for the guy to have made something like this.


    As they were specting the owner of the lotus building, a tall woman with long scarlet hair went out of her carriage. She had an enchantingly beautiful face that could instantly capture a man¡¯s soul with just one look. Her pair of ruby eyes were staring at the three Demon Lords with a mischievous look. Her lips curved into a provocative smile as she walked towards them.


    "To think that I would have the honor to see three handsome Demon Lords here. This trip is certainly not wasted." Her tempting voice almost made the three Demon Lords lose theirposure. They hurriedly calmed their wildly beating heart as they nced at the neer. This woman was the most secretive of the five of them, Demon Lord Physoris!


    "Lady Physoris, what brings you here? I don¡¯t believe you are here just to humor us." Azgonoth was the first one to calm himself and he asked Physoris with a deep look. This woman might look like a harmlessmb, but he knew that she was the most dangerous among the other Demon Lords. He could not even discern the other party¡¯s strength.


    Physoris turned her gaze to Azgonoth and smiled at him seductively as she answered. "I came here with the same reason as you guys. I¡¯m also curious about this lotus flower, but it turns out that this is actually a building. With Burlock¡¯s personality, he definitely wasn¡¯t the person who made this. With Burlock¡¯s reckless character, he would have already confronted the owner of this ce, but I haven¡¯t even seen his shadow. Don¡¯t you guys think it¡¯s weird?"


    Azgonoth and the other two furrowed their eyebrows as they thought deeply about her words. Someone had constructed a building in his territory, but Burlock was nowhere to be found. Even his men were not here.


    "Lady Physoris is right. Now, I¡¯m bing more curious about the owner of this building." Zorzoch said with a smile.


    Physoris walked past them and entered the gate as she said. "The gate is open and it looks like the owner is inviting us to go inside. That girl over there has been waiting for us for quite some time now. She might be the owner of this building, so let¡¯s hurry up."


    After saying those words, Physoris walked towards Blue who was standing outside the store. She had a calm expression on her face as she waited for the Demon Lords. No one knew what she was thinking...


    Azgonoth and the other two immediately followed behind Physoris. They stared at Blue without even masking their scrutinizing gazes, but the more they look, the more solemn their expressions became. The woman was actually as strong as them in terms of cultivation!


    "Little sister, we apologize for making you wait. I hope you don¡¯t mind." Physoris sped her hands as she smiled at Blue. She was also shocked when she discovered thetter¡¯s strength.


    "Guests, there is no need to apologize. Please follow me inside the store. There are a few heavenly wines here that you can choose from. I promise that you won¡¯t regret buying it." Blue said with a light smile.


    Wine? Buy?


    Physoris and the three Demon Lords were confused, but they still followed Blue inside the store.


    "Brother Zorzoch, did you see those spiritual nts?" Zagan asked in a whispering voice while trying to hide his surprise.


    Zorzoch nced at him with the corner of his eyes and nodded his head solemnly. "Un. Those spiritual nts are of high value, but they were just carelessly nted outside." He had also seen the spiritual nts outside the lotus building and he even had the urge to pluck a few stalks. However, he dared not do anything rash without knowing the strength of the building¡¯s owner.


    Azgonoth remained silent, but his eyes kept on darting around. His expression was unreadable. "The Immortal¡¯s Wine Store..." He muttered the words written on the name que stered on the wall.


    ¡¯What an ambitious name! Is the owner not afraid of His Majesty¡¯s wrath?¡¯ Azgonoth felt his heart tightening for no reason. It was as if he had stepped inside the den of dragons.


    When the four of them stepped foot inside the store, their eyes widened like saucers at the sudden change in their surrounding.


    "Space Maniption!" Physoris¡¯ smile vanished after witnessing the interior of the store. When looked from outside, it wasn¡¯t that big, but after they came inside the store, the space suddenly became much bigger. This was clearly a high-level maniption of space! Physoris herself wasn¡¯t even capable of doing this!

 Chapter 328 - Zagan’s Question

    <h4>Chapter 328 - Zagan¡¯s Question </h4>


    Blue stared at the stunned Demon Lords with a light smile. She stood there calmly and waited for them to recover from their surprise.


    After a brief moment of shock, Physoris felt embarrassed for her expression. She coughed lightly and took a peek at the other Demon Lords. Aside from Demon Lord Azgonoth who had already regained his calmness, the other two were still in a daze.


    ¡¯I don¡¯t believe this woman is capable of such high-level space maniption. From her aura, she seems to be on the same level as me and Azgonoth, so it shouldn¡¯t be possible for her to do it. It looks like the background of this ce isn¡¯t shallow.¡¯ Physoris thought to herself as she looked at Blue with the corner of her eyes. The woman was exceptionally beautiful and from the faint beastly aura she exudes, Physoris was certain that this youngdy was a savage beast.


    "Guests, I¡¯ll go and call our people to take your orders." Blue smiled at the Demon Lords before she left with a graceful spin.


    Physoris and the others stared at her back with narrowed eyes before finding a seat for themselves.


    "Lady Physoris, from your observations, how strong do you think that woman is?" Azgonoth sat beside Physoris and asked in a grave tone.


    Physoris nced at him and replied with an uncertain look. "I¡¯m not too sure either, but from her aura, she should be at the peak stage Demon Lord or in her case, a peak stage Nascent God Realm expert. However, this is only my estimation based on what I sensed."


    Azgonoth¡¯s expression turned even more solemn upon hearing her words. His conjectures were almost the same as her, but still felt surprised when he got her answer. As a Demon Lord serving under Demon Ancestor Jun, he was quite familiar with the ongoings of the Crimson Fiend Continent.


    ording to Demon Ancestor Jun, the Crimson Fiend Continent was mainly controlled by the Demon Race, but there were still a few races who managed to survive other than them. Although their power was significantly weaker than the demons, they still have a few powerhouses protecting them.


    ¡¯Is she one of those people?¡¯ Azgonoth muttered to himself as he pondered deeply.


    "Brother Zorzoch, from the dozens of spiritual nts outside, I saw something that might be of use to you." Zagan who was still standing suddenly whispered to Zorzoch.


    Zorzoch frowned and turned his gaze to the giant and said. "Brother Zagan, you¡¯ve seen for yourself the power of that woman. Even if there is a spiritual nt that would be of help to me, I won¡¯t take the risk."


    Zorzoch was a careful man and he didn¡¯t want to foolishly offend someone just because of a single spiritual nt. And from the expressions of Azgonoth and Physoris, he was able to deduce that the two were wary of that woman. Just this alone made his rm bells ringing.


    Zagan grinned when he heard Zorzoch¡¯s reply, but he didn¡¯t give up persuading him. "Brother Zorzoch, let me finish first. What I saw is a mature Blood Revitalizing Ginseng. And from its appearance, it should be a ten-thousand-year-old ginseng! I know this type of spiritual nt is very important to someone of your descent. Brother Zorzoch, I know that you have the Demon Vampire bloodline. You don¡¯t need me to tell you the importance of the Blood Revitalizing Ginseng, right?"


    Zorzoch¡¯s expression went cold when Zagan mentioned his bloodline. Furthermore, Zagan was also right about the value of the Blood Revitalizing Ginseng to him. If he consumes it, he would advance to thete stage Demon Lord! And if it was refined into a Nascent Pill, he might even have the chance to leap into the peak stage Demon Lord!


    Looking at Zorzoch¡¯s contemting expression, Zagan smiled cunningly. Don¡¯t be fooled by his huge stature and idiotic look, this giant demon was known for his craftiness!


    "I apologize for making you wait, guests. Meimei, Xiaoxiao, go and take our guests¡¯ orders." Blue came back with two girls who looked to be in theirte teens.


    "Alright. I¡¯ll leave the guests in your care." Blue said to the two girls before she went back to the reception desk.


    "Hello, guests! My name is Meimei and this is my sister Xiaoxiao. We are here to take your orders." Meimei said with a smile as she handed aminated menu to the four Demon Lords. This menu was provided by the system after the creation of the branch store.


    Physoris and the other three nced at Meimei and Xiaoxiao with a stunned look. They could sense that these two seemingly harmless young girls were actually early stage Nascent God Realm experts!


    Zorzoch who was formting a n to steal the Blood Revitalizing Ginseng immediately discarded the thought when he discovered the cultivation of the two girls. He then red at Zagan for insinuating him.


    After recovering from their surprise, they looked down at the menu given by Meimei.


    Wine:


    Mystic Jade - 1 Blood Stone


    Ables nc - 5 Blood Stones


    Frozen Origin - 55 Blood Stones


    Deep Sea Spring Dew - 120 Blood Stones


    de Divinity Ardent Spirit - 500 Blood Stones


    Zagan¡¯s eyes widened when he saw the prices, but he soon calmed down. He must not lose his face here or he would surely be aughingstock in Morlon City. As a Demon Lord, he has a huge number of assets, so paying for these wines wasn¡¯t a problem for him. However, he felt slightly reluctant to pay such a huge number of Blood Stones for just a bottle of wine.


    It wasn¡¯t just him, the three Demon Lords were also stunned at the absurd prices.


    "Little Sister Meimei, I¡¯d like to have a bottle of de Divinity Ardent Spirit and also one Deep Sea Spring Dew." Physoris said with a smile as she returned the menu to Meimei. Although the prices of the wine exceeded her expectations, she still wanted to try them. She wanted to find out why the owner had priced his wines like that. She believed that there must be a reason for it.


    Meimei took the menu from Physoris and smiled gently at her. The usual yfulness in her expression was gone. She did not want to be punished by the master, so she decided to work seriously.


    "That would be 620 Blood Stones in total. You can pay your billter, dear guest. Wait for me here as I get your order." Meimei said before walking towards the wine storage.


    Azgonoth turned his gaze to Xiaoxiao and handed the menu to her as he said in a calm voice. "2 bottles of de Divinity Ardent Spirit."


    "That would be 1000 Blood Stones, dear guest. Is there anything else?" Xiaoxiao asked with a light smile.


    Azgonoth shook his head and said in a cold tone. "I just hope that the wines here are worth their price."


    After hearing his words, Xiaoxiao merely smiled before taking her leave.


    "Brother Azgonoth, Lady Physoris, are you really willing to pay for their wine? They are obviously ripping us off!" Zagan said with a displeased look.


    Azgonoth frowned and turned his gaze to the giant demon. "Enough! Do you think I would fall for your little tricks? Zagan, your ns are useless to me!" He muttered coldly.


    Zagan shrugged his shoulders with an embarrassed look. To think that his thoughts were seen though just like that...


    Zagan nced at the wooden chair in front of him. With his size, he needed two chairs, so he grabbed another chair for himself, but suddenly...


    Hm?


    Zagan was rmed when he grabbed a chair. It was way heavier than he thought and he estimated that it should be at least more than several hundreds of kilograms. Although this weight was nothing to him, he was still surprised that such a tiny chair was actually that heavy. Looking at the stylish wooden chair, he felt that the materials used in making it were definitely not ordinary.


    ¡¯This ce is bing even more mysterious the longer I stay here. From the attitude of the threedies, none of them seemed to be the owner of the store, but to answer my confusion, I should ask them when theye back.¡¯ The giant muttered to himself.


    Not longter, Meimei and Xiaoxiao came back with two bottles of wine each. They then ced the wines on Physoris¡¯ and Azgonoth¡¯s tables respectively.


    "Little sisters, before you take my order, I¡¯d like to ask something." Zagan said with a beaming smile.


    When they heard his words, Physoris, Azgonoth, and Zorzoch listened curiously. They were wondering what this giant was up to.


    Meimei and Xiaoxiao nced at each other before looking at Zagan. "Alright. Go ahead." They said.


    "From how I see things, the sister over there, Little Sister Meimei, and Little Sister Xiaoxiao should be working for someone, am I right?" Zagan asked as he looked at the young girls.


    He sounded gentle, but his words were rude and disrespectful, but instead of getting angry, Meimei and Xiaoxiao smiled warmly upon hearing his question.


    "This guest here is right. We are indeed working for someone. Hehe." Meimei answered truthfully.


    However, Meimei didn¡¯t know that her answer was like a bolt of tumultuous lightning to the Demon Lords.

 Chapter 329 - Good Wine

    <h4>Chapter 329 - Good Wine </h4>


    "Little Sister Meimei, you mean to say that the three of you are working under someone?" Zorzoch who was listening at the sidelines could not help but ask


    Meimei nodded her head at Zorzoch with a smile on her face. As if she was proud about working for someone.


    Looking at Meimei¡¯s naive expression, Zagan hardened his heart and asked. "Little Sister Meimei, is the owner of this store strong?"


    Hearing that, Meimei¡¯s expression turned into worship as she replied with great confidence. "Master is the strongest in the world."


    Azgonoth who was about to open his wine almost fell on his chair when he heard the girl¡¯s answer. ¡¯Little Sister, aren¡¯t you being too honest here? You actually dare to boast about your master being the strongest in the world? Do you not fear His Majesty¡¯s rage at all?¡¯


    Physoris nced to her left and right. After seeing that no one else was inside the store, she heaved a sigh of relief.


    "Little Sister Meimei, even if your master is strong, you shouldn¡¯t randomly say such things. If someone from the Imperial Family overhears you, they might destroy this entire ce." Physoris warned her with a grave look.


    "Destroy my master¡¯s store?" A look of disdain surfaced in Meimei¡¯s eyes upon hearing Physoris¡¯ words. As if it was the funniest joke she has heard in her life.


    Behind her, Xiaoxiao also covered her small mouth as she chuckled lightly. They didn¡¯t think seriously of Physoris¡¯ warning at all.


    Seeing that her advice wasn¡¯t taken seriously, Physoris was more surprised than angry. Just who was the master of thesedies? To think that they are so confident in his strength.


    "Guests, can we take your orders now? Sister Blue might get angry if we continue to chat idly with you guys." Meimei said as she chuckled lightly.


    "Hahaha! Of course! I want five bottles of de Divinity Ardent Spirit." Zaganughed heartily as said those words. He had already gotten his answers and from the confident looks of the two girls, Zagan was certain that they weren¡¯t lying. However, was their master really as strong as they imed him to be? He was eager to find out more about this mysterious master.


    "I¡¯ll also order five bottles of de Divinity Ardent Spirit." Zorzoch did not want to be outdone, so he also ordered five bottles of the most expensive wine in the store. Although he felt his heart aching for his Blood Stones, he felt that the information he gained was more than enough topensate for his loss.


    "Five? Alright! We¡¯ll go get your orders right away!" Meimei¡¯s eyes lit up and she immediately pulled Xiaoxiao with her to the wine storage.


    After the two of them left, the four Demon Lords nced at each other.


    "Lady Physoris, who do you think couldmand three Nascent God Realm savage beasts to work for him?" Azgonoth was the first one who broke the silence.


    Physoris shook her head and sighed. "I¡¯m not too sure either, but it should be at least an Origin God Realm expert. Which means someone with power equal to a Demon Ancestor."


    Her words stunned the three Demon Lords into silence. That was how shocking a Demon Ancestor¡¯s power was. Even in the Crimson Fiend Continent, there are only a few experts at that level. All of them were individuals who canmand the wind and clouds in the continent. Demon Ancestor Jun was among these people. However, even Demon Ancestor Jun did not have the ability to make Demon Lords willingly work for him.


    When experts reach a high enough realm, their pride and dignity would also be proportional to their strength. That was also why the Demon Lords were shocked when they saw how Meimei and Xiaoxiao were so confident about their master.


    "Regardless if their words are true or not, let¡¯s not speak about this matter carelessly. We must report this to Demon Ancestor Jun immediately." Azgonoth said with a solemn voice. He then nced at the two bottles of wine on the table and opened one bottle without thinking.


    A wave of delicate aroma suddenly assailed his nostrils, almost causing the calm Azgonoth to jump in surprise. "Such a fragrant smell!" He eximed unconsciously.


    It wasn¡¯t just him, the three Demon Lords had simrly smelled the alluring fragrance brought upon by the scent of the wine. They found it unbelievable that a bottle of wine could actually have such a heavenly lingering aroma. They were of high status and they had already tasted the best wines there is in the market, but they had never smelled such amazing wine before!


    Zagan and Zorzoch stared at the opened bottle in Azgonoth hands. They eagerly wanted to snatched it from the man, but when they recalled who this guy was, they controlled themselves from doing so.


    "Wow! It seems like the wines here are worth their price!" Physoris said in amazement. She could not help but lick her full red lips after smelling the aromatic scent.


    Despite his surprise, Azgonoth was able to swiftly calm himself. He quickly filled his cup with wine and hurriedly brought the cup to his mouth. He sniffed it one more time before drinking it.


    In contrast with the wine¡¯s delicate fragrance, its vor was actually quite strong. Azgonoth could feel his throat burning as the intense taste of the wine assaulted his mouth, but soon after that, a cool sensation suddenly enveloped his whole body. As if a ssh of cold water to a person under a hot weather. It felt so refreshing that it made Azgonoth close his eyes to savor every second of the lingering aftertaste.


    "Good wine!" He praised as he licked his lips. He could not help but take a nce at the bottles on the table. To think that such fine wine had remained unknown to him until now. It was inconceivable!


    After hearing Azgonoth¡¯s heartfelt praise, Physoris eagerly opened a bottle for herself and quickly filled her cup, but when she realized that she had shown an udylike demeanor, she coughed lightly as she slowly lifted the silver cup to her mouth.


    From the smell alone, she could already tell that this was a high-quality wine.

 Chapter 330 - New Employee? Burlock?

    <h4>Chapter 330 - New Employee? Burlock? </h4>


    "Great wine! This is much better than I expected!" Physoris eximed in awe after a single sip. She was already captivated by the wine in her hands. She promised herself to visit this ce daily. ¡¯I must go here every day and drink a bottle or two. I just hope that His Majesty would not destroy this store if he learns about its arrogant name.¡¯ She muttered in her heart.


    "Big Brothers, here are your orders. That would be 2500 Blood Stones for each of you." Meimei smiled widely at Zagan and Zorzoch.


    Zaganughed heartily upon hearing that. "Don¡¯t worry, Little Sister Meimei. We won¡¯t run for this measly sum. Hahaha!"


    Zorzoch also smiled lightly at the two girls.


    "If you want anything else, you can just tell our new employee about it. Wait, let me call him for a bit." Meimei said to the four Demon Lords before turning around. Xiaoxiao followed behind her like the tail of a cat.


    "They have one more employee? Is he also a Nascent God Realm savage beast?" Zorzoch said in surprise.


    "Who knows? They are calling him, so let¡¯s just wait and see." Zagan said as he opened a bottle of wine. He pushed the silver cup away and took the whole bottle to his mouth.


    Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.


    "Ah! Delicious indeed! My 500 Blood Stones wasn¡¯t wasted! Hahaha!" Zagan said while praising the wine.


    "This!"


    A surprised exmation suddenly interrupted the joyous atmosphere. Physoris, Zagan, and Zorzoch stared at Azgonoth who had abruptly stood up from his seat. A look of astonishment can be seen on his face.


    "Is this Weapon Intent?! And my body strength...it has actually improved by a small margin!" He muttered with wide eyes.


    "Brother Azgonoth, what happened?" Zorzoch asked with a baffled look on his handsome face.


    Azgonoth coughed lightly and shook his head. He then sat back down while looking at the wine bottle on the table with a heated gaze.


    "It seems like we have underestimated the value of this wine." He answered.


    "Underestimated?"


    The three Demon Lords furrowed their eyebrows as they stared at Azgonoth with questioning looks on their faces.


    "That¡¯s right! Ays, you¡¯ll know soon." Azgonoth did not bother to exin and continued to drink his wine with a look of ecstasy.


    The three Demon Lords creased their eyebrows, but they did not press him further.


    "Wait. This is! Weapon Intent?! How could this be?!" The next one to be surprised was the seductress, Physoris. She covered her mouth with her delicate hand and her eyebrows jumped up in shock. She could feel a sharp increase in her weapon proficiency, but this made her dumbfounded.


    Weapon Intent was the extremities of one¡¯s proficiency in wielding their weapons. Only those who trained their weapons to the peak of their abilities would be able to reach the Weapon Intent level in weapon proficiency! Even for someone at the Nascent God Realm or Demon Lord, it was difficult to reach the Weapon Intent level, so her surprise wasn¡¯t without reason.


    Seeing her expression, Azgonoth smiled knowingly. He had already expected this kind of reaction from them, so he wasn¡¯t surprised. Even he was so stunned when discovered the effects of drinking the wine.


    Physoris nced at Azgonoth and said with a wry smile. "Brother Azgonoth, now I know why you have said those words. To think that such wine actually exists in this world. I¡¯m at loss for words."


    Zagan and Zorzoch nced at the two and they could not help but butt in. "Lady Physoris, Brother Azgonoth, can you please enlighten the two of us?"


    Azgonoth and Physoris nced at them with mysterious gazes. This intensified the curiosity of Zagan and Zorzoch. If not for the strength of the two before them, they would have already beaten them up for keeping them in suspense...


    Just as Zagan and Zorzoch were about to crazy, Meimei¡¯s sweet voice suddenly echoed.


    "Guests, this guy here is our new employee. If you have any more orders, you can just tell him about it."


    The four Demon Lords turned their gazes to the burly demon beside Meimei and their eyes widened after identifying him.


    "Burlock?"


    "Brother Burlock?"


    Burlock smiled sheepishly at the four of them. He felt slightly embarrassed to face them in this situation, but he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his back. Looking back, he saw Meimei grinning at him. Her elbow was poking his back like a sharp spear.


    "Don¡¯t mess up." She whispered to Burlock with a meaningful smile.


    Burlock¡¯s heart skipped a beat when he saw her smile. He swiftly turned around and put on a professional smile as he said. "Guests, don¡¯t be surprised. I¡¯m indeed a new waiter here. I just recently applied for this job early this morning."


    "Hahaha! To think that a proud demon like Brother Burlock is actually willing to work for someone! It seems like the owner of this store is really strong!" Zaganughed heartily when he saw that his rival was reduced into a mereckey. He had been at odds with Burlock for hundreds of years, so he was quite happy to see the man greeting him in such a manner.


    Burlock nced darkly at Zagan, but he still forced out a smile as he said. "Brother Zagan, be careful with your words. Do you really think that I have be a soft persimmon?" His voice was full of warning.


    Zagan smiled widely in contempt as he looked at Burlock. "Burlock my old friend, don¡¯t be agitated. I¡¯m merely curious about the owner of this store. I really like to meet him in person."


    Burlock nced deeply at him and snorted. "Wine Master Jiu isn¡¯t someone you can meet casually! Even I was lucky enough to stumble upon him along the way."


    "Lucky to stumble upon him? Are you sure about that? Or did you try to steal his spiritual nts and was beaten ck and blue before making you work for him." Zagan¡¯s eyes shed with wisdom as he said those words. It was truly surprising for such a giant demon to have this kind of perception and intellect. From the small clues he had seen and the actions of Burlock, he was able to deduce what had happened.

 Chapter 331 - Takeout?

    <h4>Chapter 331 - Takeout? </h4>


    Burlock was stumped for words that his face has turned green from shame. Zagan¡¯s words were spot on and although he was missing a few things, his deduction was still close to the truth.


    Physoris and the other Demon Lords were also surprised by Zagan¡¯s confident words and they could not help but reassess this seemingly idiotic giant demon.


    "You... you... baseless assumptions!" Burlock blurted out with a red face.


    Zagan shrugged his shoulders and said with a careless smile. "Whether I¡¯m speaking the truth or not, you know it in your heart, Burlock."


    "Enough! The both of you are still Demon Lords under Demon Ancestor Jun. Don¡¯t make things irreconcble between both of you!" Azgonoth said with a stern voice. He wasn¡¯t as smart as Zagan, but he was a lot stronger than the giant and his words still carried some weight as the leader of the five Demon Lords in Morlon City.


    Burlock took a deep breath as he held back the urge to beat up the giant Zagan. He also gratefully nodded at Azgonoth who nodded back at him in response.


    "Brother Burlock, since you are an employee of this store, could you tell us more about this wine? If I¡¯m not wrong, it is capable of making someone attain the level of Weapon Intent." Physoris changed the topic to ease up the atmosphere.


    Burlock nced at the curvaceous demoness with a smile and nodded his head at her. "Indeed! Lady is Physoris is right! Although I have only recently be an employee of the store, I was also lucky enough to drink the Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit. As Lady Physoris said, this wine is indeed capable of making anyoneprehend the Weapon Intent level in just a cup or two! Aside from that, I also discovered that this wine is also able to enhance one¡¯s physical body by a small margin. The enhancement might be negligible to someone at our level, but if experts beneath the Demon Lord level are to consume this wine, the increase in their physical strength would be huge."


    The faces of Physoris and the other Demon Lords lit up as Burlock exined the effects of Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit in great detail.


    "If it is as Brother Burlock says, then the value of this Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit is enormous! If we let our subordinates consume a bottle, we would have a huge number of experts at the Weapon Intent level!" Zorzoch said excitedly.


    "Brother Burlock, I¡¯d like to order 100 of this for takeout! Please wrap up everything for me! Money is not a problem!" Zorzoch said with a smile. Although he would have to spend a huge amount of Blood Stones to purchase 100 Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit, Zorzoch felt that it was worth the price. With a hundred bottles of the wine, he could train a hundred elites in just a single day! Just the thought of it made his eyes twinkle in excitement.


    "Brother Burlock, I¡¯ll also order 100 bottles of Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit for takeout and I¡¯m willing to pay 50% more than the original price as an apology to Brother Burlock. What do you think?" Zagan said with a smile. He has a lot of bad histories with Burlock, but for the sake of profit and to get the magical wines, he was willing to bleed his pockets dry.


    Burlock could not help but be moved when he heard the offers of the two Demon Lords, but he remained quiet. He wasn¡¯t so sure about the rules of the store, so he felt hesitant.


    "Brother Burlock, I would also like to order 300 bottles of Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit. And I¡¯m more than willing to pay higher than the original price if you say so." Physoris said as she winked coquettishly at Burlock.


    Azgonoth nced at Burlock and also offered. "Brother Burlock, I¡¯m not as rich as Lady Physoris, so I can only order 250 bottles of Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit."


    "This..." Burlock was at loss for words as he mentally calcted the Blood Stones he could earn if he epts this transaction, but before he could say anything, he saw Meimei walking towards them.


    All eyes were on Meimei, but she remained smiling as she looked at the Demon Lords. "My apologies, dear guests, but without a VIP Card, you can¡¯t order a takeout. And even if you had one, the master only allows a VIP Cardholder to order twenty Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit for takeout. As for the reason, this wine is incredibly difficult to brew, and even with my master¡¯s unparalleled winemaking skills, he could not make a lot of it in a single day. I hope the honored guests can understand our difficulties." Meimei smiled apologetically at them.


    "This..."


    The Demon Lords felt that it was a pity, but they also thought that what Meimei had spoken was most likely true. A wine that can make someoneprehend Weapon Intent should be not easy to refine. However, they weren¡¯t disheartened by this. Since the store is selling it, then they could just let their subordinatese here to buy it themselves.


    "Since that¡¯s the case, we shall not impose on you anymore, Little Sister Meimei." Physoris smiled charmingly at Meimei.


    Seeing that they weren¡¯t raising a fuss, Meimei nodded her head contentedly. She then spun and nced at Burlock with a meaningful look as she muttered silently to him. "Good job! You did not lose face for the master. If the guests are unruly, you can do so as you wish." She then patted Burlock¡¯s back before leaving him standing in his spot with a nk look.


    The little girl actually praised him for talking back to Zagan, but he also inwardly felt great about it. All the indignance he felt about Meimei was abruptly extinguished from that moment.


    After finishing all their wines, the four Demon Lords left the store with satisfied looks. Although they felt that it was a pity that they did not see the owner, they did not think too much about it. After all, they can just visit the store another day.


    The four Demon Lords stepped out of the gates and they could not help but nce at the lotus building a few more times. They truly did not expect things to end this way, but they were still satisfied that their visit wasn¡¯t wasted. In fact, they benefited a great deal this time.


    "Brother Azgonoth, should we report this to Demon Ancestor Jun?" Zorzoch asked as he nced at the spiritual nts outside the lotus building with a look of regret.


    Azgonoth thought for a moment before he nodded his head. "This matter is too big to keep for ourselves and since this store is open to anyone, news about it will soon be discovered by everyone in Morlon City. We might as well report our findings to the Demon Ancestor. If hees here in person, the mysterious owner of the wine store might evene out to greet him. We would also gain some benefits from the Demon Ancestor if we tell him about this mysterious expert. Not to mention the value of the Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit sold in his store."


    Physoris and the other two nodded their heads in agreement.


    "What do you think, Brother Zagan?" Azgonoth raised his head and stared at the giant demon. This giant had gained his admiration for his intelligence and crafty mind, and asking for his opinion wasn¡¯t a bad thing.


    Zagan was surprised that the proud Azgonoth was actually asking for his opinion, but he still pondered for a moment before he answered. "I agree with your words, Brother Azgonoth. Informing the Demon Ancestor about this would earn us some merits and we would also learn more about the owner of the store once hees out to greet the Demon Ancestor. And if His Majesty learns about this, we would also earn more since we are the first ones to discover the store."


    The eyes of Azgonoth, Physoris, and Zorzoch lit up when they heard Zagan¡¯s opinion. With His Majesty¡¯s wealth and influence, it wasn¡¯t a problem for him to reward his subordinates with precious resources for this valuable piece of information.


    "In that case, I¡¯ll ask Brother Zagan to exin this to the Demon Ancestor. You two don¡¯t have a problem with my arrangement, right?" Azgonoth was also moved, so he decided to give the job of passing the information to Zagan.


    Physoris and Zorzoch shook their heads with smiles on their faces. They also thought that Zagan was the perfect person to pass this information to the Demon Ancestor.


    "Since you three trust me this much, then I shall thicken my face and agree to this." Zagan smiled humbly as he cupped his fists at them. He would stand to benefit more if he would be the one to pass the information.


    "Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll follow you to the Demon Ancestor¡¯s dwelling ce." Azgonoth said as he patted the giant¡¯s shoulder with a rare smile.


    The group left with their subordinates after that brief moment of conversation.

 Chapter 332 - Boundless Celestial Heart Wave Method

    <h4>Chapter 332 - Boundless Celestial Heart Wave Method </h4>


    Inside his room, Jiu Shen was sitting cross-legged as he tried to cultivate his own cultivation technique. His eyes were shut tight as he absorbed the energy from the pile of God Crystals around him. Because of his Seamless Deity Physique, there was almost no need for Jiu Shen to train a cultivation technique since he only needed to absorb energy from pills and natural resources. However, Jiu Shen still wanted to try cultivating the technique that he had made after breaking through to the Heavenly God Realm during his past life. It was his most prized possession in his peak and it was only after a moment of enlightenment that he was able to make it.


    "ording to the system, I would not need any cultivation technique to further my cultivation, but it would be a pity if I couldn¡¯t use that technique. Maybe I should try it out..." Jiu Shen silently recalled the method he had written and followed the steps thoroughly. He guided the true essence from the God Crystals towards the acupoints in his body. The true essence inside his body followed the route that Jiu Shen had guided them into, slowly strengthening his physical body, soul power, and his dantian.


    When Jiu Shen discovered that the effect of his training in his cultivation method was slightly betterpared to refining and absorbing pills, his indifferent eyes suddenly lit up. "It seems like my Seamless Deity Physique works well with my Boundless Celestial Heart Wave Method. This is much better. At least I don¡¯t have to gather pills or resources to advance my cultivation. As long as I gather sufficient true essence, breaking through is no longer a problem."


    The God Crystals around Jiu Shen turned dim and lost their luster before turning into dust. He then opened his eyes and abruptly stood up. He gathered his true essence and was slightly disappointed by the small increase in his strength.


    "I reached the peak stage of the Nascent God Realm after absorbing the energy of all my resources. Too bad. Just a little bit more and I would have reached the Origin God Realm..." He sighed as he shook his head.


    "I think it¡¯s about time to find the core item for my own wine recipe. I scoured the entire Divine Beast Continent, but the system was unsatisfied with the spiritual nts that I¡¯ve gathered. Perhaps that thing would be approved by the system." Jiu Shen muttered as he thought of a spiritual nt located somewhere in the Crimson Fiend Continent. To make matters simple, this spiritual nt was near Morlon City.


    With that in mind, Jiu Shen went out of his room and walked upstairs. When he came to the first floor where the dining area was located, he saw Burlock sitting solemnly on a chair. Thetter¡¯s thoughts seemed to be upied that he failed to notice Jiu Shen¡¯s arrival.


    "Master!" Xiaoxiao and Meimei greeted Jiu Shen when they saw him.


    "Greetings, master!" Blue also greeted Jiu Shen.


    When Burlock heard the three women, he raised his head and saw Jiu Shen looking at him with an indifferent look. The demon¡¯s heart chilled when he saw Jiu Shen¡¯s expression and he thought that the human was angry for failing to notice him. He hurriedly stood up and put on an apologetic smile as he greeted. "Greetings, Wine Master Jiu Shen!"


    Jiu Shen waved his hand indifferently at their greeting. He then turned his gaze to Blue and asked. "How¡¯s business?"


    Blue smiled at him and replied humbly. "Master, four guests came here earlier and they ordered a couple of Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit. They also wanted to order takeouts, but we rejected them politely."


    "Just four?" Jiu Shen already expected that business would be slow since it was still the first day of opening, but he did not think that it would be this slow.


    "Master, those four people are the Demon Lords of Morlon City. They brought their subordinates with them, but they did not let their subordinatese inside the store. They might have been wary of our store since they have no prior information about us. However, I am certain that they would bring more people with them the next time they visit us." Blue said with confidence. Meimei and Xiaoxiao who stood behind her nodded their heads in agreement. They were confident in their master¡¯s wine.


    Burlock who was silent gathered his courage and spoke. "Wine Master Jiu Shen, those four are my peers. They might have been polite and humble earlier, but that was only because they were wary of Wine Master Jiu¡¯s power. They also don¡¯t have any information about your level of cultivation and they don¡¯t even know your identity as a human. However, once they find out about this, they would certainly inform Demon Ancestor Jun. When that timees, Wine Master Jiu Shen¡¯s store might face the wrath of the whole Morlon City."


    Burlock¡¯s expression turned graver after saying those words. He was worried that something would to Jiu Shen and the wine store. Of course, he was also worried that he would be implicated because of his current identity as Jiu Shen¡¯s subordinate. Initially, the thought of escaping came into his mind, but as prideful as he was, he hurriedly discarded those cowardly thoughts.


    Contrary to his expectations, Burlock did not even see an ounce of change in Jiu Shen¡¯s expression. His eyes remained tranquil and calm as if nothing in the world could make him waver. At that moment, Burlock felt that the human would not even blink if the sky copses. He could only sigh in admiration to Jiu Shen for being able to stayposed under such circumstances. If it was him, he might have already flown into a state of panic.


    "I¡¯ll go out for a while to get something. As for your worry, don¡¯t think too much about it. If they really want toe to my store with unkind intentions, then let them go here." Jiu Shen said expressionlessly. His words made the burly demon¡¯s mouth turn agape in shock. If he did not know Jiu Shen¡¯s personality, he would have believed that this guy had gone crazy.

 Chapter 333 - Informing The Demon Ancestor

    <h4>Chapter 333 - Informing The Demon Ancestor </h4>


    Burlock wanted to say a few more words, but upon thinking a bit more, he decided to shut up. Since Jiu Shen could utter such confident words, then what else is there to say?


    "Master, where are you nning to go?" Meimei asked fearlessly.


    Xiaoxiao, Blue, and Burlock perked their ears when they heard Meimei¡¯s question. They also wanted to find out where Jiu Shen was going.


    Jiu Shen raised his hand and flicked Meimei¡¯s forehead. "Just in the outskirts of Morlon City to pluck an Origin-rank spiritual nt." He said carelessly.


    "Pluck an Origin-rank spiritual nt?!" Burlock eximed as he stared at Jiu Shen with an agitated look.


    "Wine Master Jiu, I don¡¯t want to impose on you, but Origin-rank spiritual nts already have their own spirit and consciousness. Getting one of them would be difficult without the necessary tools and plucking method. Each spiritual nt has different kinds of attributes and one would need an extensive amount of knowledge to get them without damaging them. As for Origin-rank spiritual nts, they are even harder to get because they already have formed their own consciousness, making them behave like savage beasts." Burlock said with a wry expression.


    Jiu Shen stared at Burlock for a good two seconds before he muttered. "I didn¡¯t think that someone like you who looks like an idiot actually knows a bit about the behavior of spiritual nts. It seems like I have underestimated you, Burlock."


    Jiu Shen has lived for an innumerable number of years and it goes without question that he knows about the behavior of spiritual nts. And just like Burlock has said, when a spiritual nt reaches the Origin-rank, they would start to form their own consciousness, making them much more difficult to get. However, this wasn¡¯t a problem for Jiu Shen.


    Burlock¡¯s face twitched when he heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words. Looking at the young man¡¯s uncaring expression, it seems like his words were unneeded. "It looks like Wine Master Jiu has great knowledge about spiritual nts." Burlock said with an embarrassed smile.


    Jiu Shen thought for a moment before he replied in a calm tone. "Just so-so."


    "Alright. Enough chitchat. I will leave the store to the four of you. By the way, if a dark-skinned humanes here, protect him." Jiu Shen said to the four before he went out of the store with his hands behind his back.


    Looking at Jiu Shen¡¯s figure, Burlock could not help but whisper. "Would he be alright? That¡¯s an Origin-rank spiritual nt after all..."


    Meimei nced at him in disdain and said sternly. "Hmph! What do you know? Others might find it hard to get a spiritual nt at that level, but if the master makes his move, nothing is impossible."


    Hearing that, Burlock could only shake his head. He was still skeptical about it. He had tried getting a spiritual nt at that level, but he failed. Some of his subordinates even died during that expedition. Starting then, he no longer dared to get Origin-rank spiritual nts.


    ***


    In a small hut atop a tall mountain, the eyes of an old man who was cultivating suddenly opened. He used his spiritual perception and discovered four figuresing towards his humble abode.


    "What are those four doing here?" He muttered when he sensed the arrival of the four individuals. This old man was none other than Demon Ancestor Jun, the strongest demon in Morlon City, an expert at the Origin God Realm!


    Outside the small hut, the figures of the four Demon Lords, Zagan, Zorzoch, Physoris, and Azgonoth can be seen. They were wearing solemn expressions as they walked towards the small hut. Aftering closer to the humble abode, they kneeled respectfully as they greeted.


    "We greet the Demon Ancestor!"


    The four of them nced at each other and all eyes gathered on the giant Zagan. He mustered his courage and raised his head as he said. "Lord Demon Ancestor, your subordinates havee to convey a piece of important information. It may be beneficial to our Morlon City, so we immediately ascended this peak to inform you about it."


    Zagan was definitely good with his words, and when Demon Ancestor Jun heard about it, the old man¡¯s curiosity was piqued. He then came out of his hut.


    When the four Demon Lords saw the old demon, their gazes turned even more respectful. Even the proud Azgonoth did not dare behave arrogantly in the presence of this personage for this old man was their leader!


    Demon Ancestor Jun stared at the giant and said. "Alright. What is it that you wish to inform me of?"


    Zagan did not dare make the old man wait for long and replied immediately. "Lord Demon Ancestor, we discovered a mysterious store in the territory of Burlock. Initially, we were only there to gather information about it, but when we set foot beyond their gates, we realized that this store wasn¡¯t simple. This store is shaped like a blooming azure lotus and we thought that it was a huge spiritual nt after we first saw it."


    Zagan cleared his throat and continued. "Outside this lotus building, there was a garden full of precious spiritual nts and spiritual flowers. I think there might even be an Origin-rank spiritual nt among them. However, this is not the most surprising thing about this lotus building. When we stepped inside this store, we saw three female savage beasts at the Nascent God Realm. One of them was at the peak stage Nascent God Realm."


    Demon Ancestor Jun¡¯s indifferent look shed with interest upon hearing Zagan¡¯s words. He then recalled the piercing spiritual perception he felt at that time. Could it be that this lotus building and that expert had something to do with each other?


    "The store is selling wine and this wine isn¡¯t simple. It is also the reason why we came here without hesitation. The wine is called Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit and it is capable of making one enter the level of Weapon Intent upon consumption!" Zagan¡¯s eyes lit up in excitement when he said these words.


    The old man¡¯s eyebrows jumped in surprise upon hearing it. A wine that can make someone enter the level of Weapon Intent upon consumption? It seems too good to be true, but upon looking at the serious expressions of the four Demon Lords, he could not help but feel slightly excited. "Are your words truthful?" He asked with a solemn look.


    Zagan hurriedly nodded his head and the three Demon Lords also attested to his words.


    "Lord Demon Ancestor, Brother Zagan is speaking the truth. All of us had drunk the wine and we sessfully entered the Weapon Intent level without effort!"


    The old demon¡¯s eyes gleamed with profound light and he eagerly said. "Come. Show me your battle techniques!"


    Zagan and the other three demonstrated their battle techniques and just like they said, all of them had indeed entered the Weapon Intent level! This made Demon Ancestor Jun¡¯s heart pound wildly.


    "If this wine is indeed capable of inducing such an effect, then its value is inestimable. Making something like that might be difficult. Tell me. How much is the store selling it?" The old demon asked.


    "This... It¡¯s only sold for 500 Blood Stones."

 Chapter 334 - Purple Feathered Flame Eagle

    <h4>Chapter 334 - Purple Feathered me Eagle </h4>


    "What did you say?!" Demon Ancestor Jun was bbergasted. A wine that could make someone reach the Weapon Intent level was only for a measly 500 Blood Stones? The old demon could not believe his ears.


    Zagan and the others knew that it was also inconceivable and if not for them witnessing it with their own eyes, they would have passed it off as a huge joke. However, this was the truth no matter how hard it was to believe.


    Zagan smiled wryly when he saw the look of doubt on the Demon Ancestor¡¯s eyes. "Lord Demon Ancestor, your subordinate speaks the truth and the others can vouch for me about this information."


    Azgonoth and the other two hurriedly expressed their thoughts. "Lord Demon Ancestor, this is indeed the case. That store is only selling the Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit for 500 Blood Stones per bottle."


    Demon Ancestor Jun was still slightly doubtful of their words, but looking at his subordinates¡¯ earnest expressions, he sunk into deep contemtion. "If I learn that you are wasting this old man¡¯s time, you will be punished ordingly, but if it is as you say, you will receive bountiful rewards. Come! Take me to this store! I want to see for myself this so-called heavenly wine!" The old demon was also curious about the mysterious store and he wanted to find out more about it.


    The eyes of Zagan and the others brightened when they heard the Demon Ancestor¡¯s words. They hurriedly stood up, eager to lead the old man to the lotus building.


    "Lord Demon Ancestor, you won¡¯t be disappointed." Zagan smiled confidently.


    "I hope so." Demon Ancestor Jun answered perfunctorily. He wasn¡¯t hoping much for this heavenly wine. He was more interested in the owner of this mysterious store. The owner might even be the expert that had swept his spiritual perception some time ago! The old demon was looking forward to meeting an expert of such caliber.


    ***


    Jiu Shen was already on the outskirts of Morlon City. This ce had no inhabitants and only a forest full of grim-looking trees can be seen. Jiu Shen could also hear the roars of savage beasts from within this gloomy forest.


    "Not even one demon dared toe to this ce. It seems like they are wary of the savage beasts living here." Jiu Shen used his spiritual perception to scan the forest ahead of him and upon his inspection, he saw more than five savage beasts at the Nascent God Realm!


    "A flock of Purple Feathered me Eagles? With their presence, they should be guarding a shard of Purple Fire Crystal. If I ground this thing and add it to my wine recipe, it would enhance the quality of the wine." The Purple Feathered me Eagles were not strong individually, but their strength lies in their numbers. And a flock asrge as this would certainly produce a shard of Purple Fire Crystal. This crystal is created under the nurturing of thousands upon thousands of Purple Feathered me Eagle. It takes around ten years of nurturing before a small shard is created. This crystal can be used to enhance one¡¯sprehension of fire element and if one has a physique rted to fire element, they would experience a huge increase in strength if they refine this crystal. However, Jiu Shen wasn¡¯t nning to refine this crystal for his cultivation. He was nning to use it as an ingredient for his wine recipe!


    Without further dy, Jiu Shen went straight towards the direction of the Purple Feathered me Eagle, creating a white blur in his wake.


    Others might be scared of facing this flock of eagles, but Jiu Shen wasn¡¯t the least bit worried about this. In his eyes, these eagles weren¡¯t even worthy to be on his te and if not for his immediate need of ingredients for his wine recipe, he wouldn¡¯t even pay heed to these savage beasts of lowly origins.


    Jiu Shen was now at the peak stage of the Nascent God Realm and even without using the element of space, he was already hovering in front of the flock of Purple Feathered me Eagle. He eyed the group of eagles with an expressionless look, not cing them in his eyes at all.


    The Purple Feathered me Eagles were surprised about Jiu Shen¡¯s abrupt arrival, but they weren¡¯t afraid of him. There were more than tens of thousands of them hovering in the sky and even a demon at the Demon Lord level would find it hard to cope up with them. Some of the weaker Demon Lords might even sumb to their endless number.


    Screech! Screech!


    The eagles issued threatening bird cries to Jiu Shen as they red at his lone figure.


    Jiu Shen ced his hands behind his back as he stared at the eagles with a calm look. The strongest among them was only at the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint and even if there was a Nascent God Realm among these eagles, Jiu Shen wasn¡¯t worried.


    "Offer your Purple Fire Crystal and I will leave your tribesmen alive." Jiu Shen stared at the leading Purple Feathered me Eagle as he spoke indifferently.


    The leader of the Purple Feathered me Eagle was already at the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint and it was already capable of human speech, so when it heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words, the eagle understood him immediately.


    "Human, how dare you ce your covetous eyes in my tribe¡¯s Purple Fire Crystal?! Do you think that my fearless tribe would fear the likes of you?!" The leader of the Purple Feathered me Eagle erupted into fury when Jiu Shen stated his words. The Purple Fire Crystal was their holy item and it could help them increase the strength of their bloodline and cultivation. How could they give it to a human just because he wants it?


    Jiu Shen already expected their rejection, so he did not reveal a look of anger. He understood the importance of the Purple Fire Crystal to the Purple Feathered me Eagle and it was nigh impossible for them to offer it to him willingly.


    "What if I can make your tribe¡¯s bloodline awaken the royal blood of the Purple Winged Sword Eagles?" Jiu Shen smiled calmly. Jiu Shen¡¯s ability in the art of medicine might be paltrypared to the experts of the Primordial God Realm, but it wasn¡¯t a problem for him to help these eagles of low descent awaken their ancient bloodline.

 Chapter 335 - 3 Ways

    <h4>Chapter 335 - 3 Ways </h4>


    "What did you say?!"


    The leader of the Purple Feathered me Eagle¡¯s breathing became ragged when it heard Jiu Shen¡¯s nonchnt words. And from his confident smile and unworldly presence, the leader of the Purple Feathered me Eagle felt that this human was most likely speaking the truth. Just the thought of it made the eagle leader¡¯s heart spasm in great agitation.


    The Purple Winged Sword Eagle is one of the noblest bloodlines among the lineage of eagles. It was the dream of the eagle leader to evolve into a Purple Winged Sword Eagle, but with its lowly birth, it did not even have the qualifications to even think about it. The eagle leader had already abandoned its hope of evolution, but this human had rekindled its hope!


    When Jiu Shen sensed the eagerness in the eagle leader¡¯s tone, he wasn¡¯t surprised. For savage beasts with mediocre bloodlines, the only way for them to reach an even higher realm in cultivation is to evolve and awaken their ancient bloodline. However, the awakening of a savage beast¡¯s bloodline is easier said than done. Savage beasts would have to consume a precious high-level spiritual nt or absorbed the energy of a heavenly item in order to promote their evolution. To make matters worse, resources like these are hard toe by and only a few lucky savage beasts were able to stumble upon them throughout their entire lives.


    "Your tribe¡¯s Purple Fire Crystal in exchange for a chance in evolution. What do you think about this, little bird?" Jiu Shen said with his hands behind his back, a carefree smile can be seen on his handsome visage. He had the presence of an old sage who bears an endless amount of profound knowledge.


    The eagle leader was slightly irked by how Jiu Shen had calmly called it ¡¯little bird¡¯, but the Purple Feathered me Eagle leader did not reveal a look of anger. It pped its wings and let out a cry as if signaling something to its eagle tribe.


    "Screech!"


    When the Purple Feathered me Eagle heard the bird cry of their leader, they immediately made way for Jiu Shen. They also retracted their killing intent and became more docile.


    "Human, how can I tell that you¡¯re not lying to me? You humans are known for your cunning nature and crafty schemes. I don¡¯t want to bet my tribe¡¯s holy item for something uncertain!" The Purple Feathered me Eagle looked deeply into Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes as if wishing to see if this human was speaking the truth. However, when it gazed into Jiu Shen¡¯s pair of golden eyes, the eagle leader felt its soul tremble inexplicably!


    "Little bird, I have no reason to lie to you. And if I wanted to steal your tribe¡¯s Purple Fire Crystal, you can do nothing to me. It is but a passing thought of mine to help you awaken your ancient bloodline. Whether you agree to my proposal or not is up to you." Jiu Shen nced at the Purple Feathered me Eagle with a calm gaze. He wasn¡¯t entirely truthful with his words, but he could indeed help the eagles awaken their bloodline. With Jiu Shen¡¯s current strength, it wasn¡¯t a problem for him to monitor the movements of the whole Morlon City, but even with his superior spiritual power, he could still not keep an eye on the whole Crimson Fiend Continent. However, it would not be a problem if he had this tribe of Purple Feathered me Eagles. With their ability to fly thousands of kilometers in a short amount of time, they could serve as his eyes and ears in this continent! It would also save him the trouble of personally going into ces to gather information.


    The leader of the Purple Feathered me Eagle was moved, but it was still slightly skeptical about Jiu Shen¡¯s im.


    ¡¯This human¡¯s strength is unfathomable. I could not even sense his level of strength. He should be at the Nascent God Realm or even higher than that! What should I do?¡¯ The eagle leader was in a dilemma and Jiu Shen could even see the hesitation in the eagle¡¯s expression.


    After a moment of internal thinking, the leader of the Purple Feathered me Eagle suddenly let out a defeated sigh. It then nced at Jiu Shen with a sharp look as it said. "Human, you¡¯ve convinced me. Alright, I will offer our tribe¡¯s Purple Fire Crystal to you, but only after you helped me awaken my ancient bloodline."


    The eagle leader wasn¡¯t being greedy here. Jiu Shen only needed to help it awaken its bloodline and the eagle leader could bestow the tribe with its own blood after he sessfully evolves. They could then use its blood to perform their evolution!


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly when he heard the eagle leader¡¯s answer. Jiu Shen knew that it could not escape from this temptation, so he already expected this kind of reply.


    "Since you are smart, I won¡¯t treat you unfairly. I have three ways that can help you awaken your ancient bloodline. One is to create the Bloodline Resonance Divine Formation and use the array formation¡¯s ability to force your evolution. The second way is to impart to you an ancient technique rted to bloodline evolution. However, this kind of ancient technique is incredibly precious and you would only incite the jealousy of other savage beasts if they find out about it." Jiu Shen slowly said as if he was saying something inconsequential, but his calm words sent the eagle leader¡¯s heart into a frenzy.


    The awakening of its bloodline had stumped it for hundreds of years, but this human indifferently stated that he has three ways to help it promote its evolution. The first way seems difficult to achieve. An array formation that could help a savage beast awaken their ancient bloodline was definitely not easy to create. Not to mention the material required to create such an array formation was certainly hard to find and the time needed toplete this array formation was most likely long.


    When Jiu Shen said the second option, the eagle leader¡¯s eyes turned red in excitement, but when the eagle heard Jiu Shen¡¯s sound reasoning, it was like a bucket of cold water to it.


    "Human, what is the third option?" The eagle leader asked with a shaking voice. The eagle failed to hide the agitation it was currently feeling.

 Chapter 336 - The Third Method

    <h4>Chapter 336 - The Third Method </h4>


    The leader of the Purple Feathered me Eagle tribe stared at Jiu Shen with anticipation in itsrge beastly eyes. It was dying to know thest method that could help it awaken its ancient bloodline.


    Seeing the eager look of the eagle leader, Jiu Shen let out a calm smile and replied. "The third way is the easiest among the three, but you need to spend a couple of days or so to aplish it, but with the help of your tribesmen, this method should be the best one for you."


    "Human, spare the nonsense. Just tell me what the method is!" The savage beast could hardly control its emotion after hearing Jiu Shen¡¯s im. From the human¡¯s bearing and stature, the eagle leader could tell that this man was of noble background. However, it also grew curious about Jiu Shen¡¯s origins. From its knowledge, there was only one notable human faction in the Crimson Fiend Continent, but even the said faction doesn¡¯t have a man with Jiu Shen¡¯s bearing.


    "The third method is to refine the Sky Breaking Pill. This pill is used by human experts to help them increase their chances of breaking through the Origin God Realm. However, if this pill is mixed with a stalk of Scarlet Searing Fern using a secret refining technique, it can create a new type of pill that could help savage beasts with impure bloodlines awaken their ancient blood." Jiu Shen said without batting an eye.


    "Sky Breaking Pill... Scarlet Searing Fern... Human, you ... Do you know how to refine this pill?" The leader of the Purple Feathered me Eagle tribe nced at Jiu Shen with a look of shock. Although it was a savage beast, it knew that pill refiners are few in number, and those that could refine Origin-rank pills were even rarer! Only Origin Alchemy Gods can refine pills at that level!


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly and replied. "Since I know about it, I also know how to refine the said pill. It¡¯s just an Origin-rank pill. Nothing worthy to speak about."


    ¡¯Just an Origin-rank pill? Nothing worthy to speak about? This... Just who is this human for him to speak these absurd words so casually?! Could he be one of those hermits who¡¯ve hidden themselves since time immemorial?¡¯ The eagle leader¡¯s face was a sight to behold when it heard Jiu Shen¡¯s words.


    "This...Esteemed expert, if you can help me refine this pill, I won¡¯t hesitate to give you my tribe¡¯s Purple Fire Crystal. In addition, I will represent my tribe in serving under your banner!" The Purple Feathered me Eagle said without hesitation. It knew that Jiu Shan was of great background and origin after speaking a few words with him. The Purple Fire Crystal of their tribe wasn¡¯t worth mentioningpared to the pill that could help it awaken its ancient bloodline. As to why it was willing to serve Jiu Shen, it was because of the human¡¯s mysterious origin and profound level of knowledge. Following someone like him could only bring their tribe with endless benefits!


    Jiu Shen¡¯s eyes were tranquil, but he inwardly praised the intellect of this eagle leader. Since the Purple Feathered me Eagle had already given his promise, Jiu Shen no longer needed the speech he prepared beforehand to get them to serve him.


    "You are quite smart for a little bird of lowly origins. In that case, tell your tribesmen to gather these herbs. Spiritcloud Ganoderma, Crimson Springleaf,..., and a stalk of Scarlet Searing Fern. I will stay in this forest while your tribe is seeking for the ingredients of the pill. When you have gathered all the necessary spiritual nts and herbs,e and find me then." Jiu Shen came here to get the core ingredient that his wine recipecked. After getting his hands on it, he would have all the required ingredients to brew his own wine recipe! The Purple Fire Crystal was merely an extra. His main priority was still the Origin-rank spiritual nt hidden in this forest.


    The leader of the Purple Feathered me Eagle shed an embarrassed look. It did not know what those spiritual nts looked like, so it was at a loss for words.


    Jiu Shen chuckled when he saw the difficult expression of the savage beast. He took out a piece of paper and a quill from his space earring. He then drew the ingredients he mentioned earlier and showed them to the eagle leader. It was already at the peak of 9th-rank Saint, so it wasn¡¯t a problem for it to memorize the contents of the paper. After taking a few more looks at it, the huge eagle nced deeply at Jiu Shen before it departed with a p of its wings.


    Screech!


    Jiu Shen stared at the tribe of Purple Feathered me Eagle with a flicker of emotion in his eyes. "To think that this lowly realm has given birth to the descendants of a divine beast, the Purple Sword Divine Phoenix. Too bad their bloodline had be impure after millions of years of cross-breeding with other avian creatures..."


    Swoosh!


    After muttering those words, Jiu Shen disappeared into the skies.


    ***


    Inside the lotus building, Burlock who was sitting listlessly on a chair suddenly stood up. A look of surprise and fear can be seen in his demonic features. "The Demon Ancestor is here?!"


    He quickly informed Blue and the other twodies about to iing guest when he sensed the familiar strong demonic aura outside of their gates. "Ladies, the Demon Ancestor ising here! Those four Demon Lords must have informed him about the effects of the Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit! The Demon Ancestor is usually indifferent about the matters of Morlon City, but this wine is simply too precious for him to pass up! They mighte here with bad intentions, but let me talk with them for a bit and see their intentions myself."


    Since he was already a waiter of this store, he did not want to see it get destroyed under the hands of the Demon Ancestor. However, the main reason for his choice was because of the existence of Jiu Shen. This young man had subdued him with a mere lift of a finger and he doubted if the Demon Ancestor could even defeat him. Burlock did not want to see the two of them fight it out against each other since these two individuals were one of the few experts he revered.


    "Ugly demon, it looks like you are quite dependable sometimes." Meimei patted Burlock¡¯s back as if she was petting a dog.


    Burlock felt his face twitched at her words, but the demon did not have time to quibble with her. He shed an ugly smile at her before going out to greet theing guests.

 Chapter 337 - Demon Ancestor Jun Arrives In The Store

    <h4>Chapter 337 - Demon Ancestor Jun Arrives In The Store </h4>


    Burlock came out of the store to greet the Demon Ancestor and his entourage. The moment he went outside, he saw a hunched old man holding a thin wooden cane walking in his direction. Behind him were the four Demon Lords who trailed the old man with respectful gazes. They kept on looking at Burlock with meaningful smiles. As if they were waiting for a good show to watch.


    Demon Ancestor Jun was gobsmacked when he noticed the precious spiritual nts carelessly nted outside the store. Each one of these spiritual nts would fetch a high price in the market, but they were treated as mere garden flowers to beautify the surroundings of this lotus building. Even he with his years of savings could not be this extravagant. Now, he was wondering what kind of person the owner of this ce was. ording to the report of the four Demon Lords, this mysterious owner has yet to show himself in public.


    As Demon Ancestor Jun was upied with a series of thoughts, he suddenly saw the familiar figure of Burlocking out of the lotus building. He wasn¡¯t wearing his usual battle armor. Instead, he was wearing the clothes of a lowly servant. However, there wasn¡¯t a look of shame on his face. As if working as a waiter in the store was something to be proud of. To this puzzling scene, Demon Ancestor Jun frowned. How could a proud Demon Lord like Burlock be willing to work under someone? The Demon Ancestor felt slightly offended since Burlock was his subordinate. He felt as if something he owned was forcibly taken away from him.


    "Greetings, Lord Demon Ancestor Jun! Greetings, fellow Demon Lords! Come in! We have been waiting for your arrival!" Burlock smiled at the guests, but he was inwardly cursing for his bad luck. He knew that the Demon Ancestor did note here just to enjoy the wines sold in the store. He must havee here with deeper intentions. As for what it was, Burlock already had an inkling about it.


    The four Demon Lords returned the greeting by cupping their fists at Burlock. On the other hand, the old Demon Ancestor merely nced at him with a cid look on his aged face.


    "Burlock, I don¡¯t know how the owner of this store convinced you to work for him, but do you think I would allow my subordinates to do as they please without even notifying me?" Demon Ancestor Jun¡¯s voice sounded harmless and soft, but Burlock felt his chest tightening upon hearing it. He could feel the old demon¡¯s fury by the choice of his words.


    Burlock put on a pacifying smile at the old man. How could he admit that he was beaten ck and blue by a human with a mere lift of a finger? If he said it out loud, he was certain that he would be a butt of jokes to his fellow Demon Lords.


    "Lord Demon Ancestor, please forgive me for not telling you about this soon. To tell you the truth, I was injured not too long ago and the owner of this lotus building aided me in my recuperation. I also decided to work as a waiter here because of this debt of gratitude. I hope you understand, Lord Demon Ancestor." Burlock wasn¡¯t entirely truthful, but it was true that he was injured and it was indeed Jiu Shen who had helped him recover from his injuries. As for the rest of his words, he came up with it in the spur of the moment.


    The old demon narrowed his eyes and stared deeply into Burlock¡¯s eyes. He could sense that Burlock wasn¡¯t telling the whole story, but he could also see the sincerity in his gaze. His words might have some truth to it, so he just waved his withered hands in exasperation. "Take me inside the store. I¡¯d like to see for myself what kind of man could make you act this way."


    Hearing the old demon¡¯s words, Burlock nced at him apologetically. "Lord Demon Ancestor, the owner of this store, Wine Master Jiu Shen has left the lotus building just recently. You can verify this matter with thosedies over there. They also saw Wine Master Jiu Shen when he left the store." Burlock pointed at the threedies standing neatly in line not far away from them.


    Demon Ancestor Jun furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head regretfully. "What a pity. It looks like we aren¡¯t fated to meet this time. In that case, what can this store offer to this old man?" The old demon nced at Burlock with an inquisitive look.


    Burlock smiled and cupped his fists. "Lord Demon Ancestor, our store specializes in wine. I will grab the menu and show it to you right away, but before that, follow me to your table first." He then led them to the nearest spot and had the Demon Ancestor and the four Demon Lords to their seats.


    "Wait for me here, everyone. I¡¯ll be back in a second." Burlock smiled at them.


    Looking at Burlock¡¯s departing figure, the four Demon Lords could hardly believe that it was the once obstinate and proud Burlock. They were wondering what sort of magic did the owner do to make such a prideful demon work for him. However, they didn¡¯t dare ask especially after they noticed the displeased look of the old Demon Ancestor when he talked with Burlock earlier.


    "Lord Demon Ancestor, the Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit sold here is great. You will find out that we aren¡¯t exaggerating one bit about its effects." Zagan said to the old man. The giant demon wore a ttering smile as he looked at the Demon Ancestor.


    "I hope it is as you say." The old man muttered softly.


    Not longter, Burlock came back with several copies of the menu in his hand. He then handed it to the Demon Ancestor and the four Demon Lords.


    "These are the wines sold in this store. Please tell me your order after you¡¯re done choosing." Burlock said to the guests.


    Not far away from them, Xiaoxiao and Meimei stood watching the scene with interest. Xiaoxiao in particr was looking at Burlock with a wide grin on her face. "This ugly demon is a fast learner. It looks like he listened to my advice." She said as she crossed her arms proudly. Standing beside her, Meimei chuckled secretly.

 Chapter 338 - Calmly Walking In The Forest

    <h4>Chapter 338 - Calmly Walking In The Forest </h4>


    Demon Ancestor Jun stared at the menu in his thin withered hands. There were pictures of a few wines drawn on the piece ofminated paper and there were also lines of words beside each picture, indicating the names and prices of the wines.


    Mystic Jade - 1 Blood Stone


    Ables nc - 5 Blood Stones


    Frozen Origin - 55 Blood Stones


    Deep Sea Spring Dew - 120 Blood Stones


    Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit - 500 Blood Stones


    The murky eyes of the old demon shed with incredulity after ncing at the prices of the wines, but when he recalled the effects mentioned by the four Demon Lords, his gaze gradually softened. ¡¯The price is indeed too much for a bottle of wine. However, if what my subordinates said is true, then these prices would be too cheap for such treasures.¡¯


    The old demon¡¯s gaze locked onto the wine mentioned by his subordinates.


    Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit- 500 Blood Stones


    This amount would certainly scare the living daylights of most demons, but to someone like Demon Ancestor Jun, this much of Blood Stones is nothing.


    "Burlock, give me a bottle of this Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit." The old demon said to Burlock as he pointed at the image drawn on the menu.


    Burlock took the menu from the old demon¡¯s hands and smiled politely at him. "Alright." He then nced at the four Demon Lords and asked for their orders.


    "Brother Burlock, I¡¯ve already tasted the Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit. I want to try this Deep Sea Spring Dew this time. Oh, and uh... Add one bottle of Frozen Origin as well." Zorzoch handed the menu to Burlock as he uttered his order.


    "I¡¯ll take the same order as Brother Zorzoch." Zagan, the giant demon, let out a smile at Burlock.


    "Brother Burlock, I want one order of each wine except the Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit." Azgonoth said with a hint of anticipation. He was subdued by the heavenly taste of the Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit and he was eager to try the rest of the wines sold in the store.


    Seated beside him, Physoris chuckled in surprise when she heard Azgonoth¡¯s order. She also wanted to try out the four other wines, but she wanted to maintain her elegant demeanor in front of the Demon Ancestor, so she reigned in her desire. "Brother Burlock, just give me a bottle of Deep Sea Spring Dew and Ables nc."


    Burlock noted down their orders on a small piece of paper. "I¡¯ve noted down all your orders. Wait for me here as I take your wines." He then turned around and walked towards the wine storage.


    Demon Ancestor Jun nced deeply at Burlock¡¯s proud figure for a brief moment before shifting his gaze towards the interior of the store. Truthfully, he was amazed by the regal and imposing design of the lotus building. The outside of the store looks elegant and enchanting, while the inner part was full of luxury and regality. Even His Majesty¡¯s imperial pce wasn¡¯t as beautiful as this lotus building!


    Demon Ancestor Jun moved his gaze towards the Origin-rank spiritual flowers nted on small pots. They were emitting a vibrant and dense amount of true essence, making the store refreshing and full of vitality. The orchid scent of the flowers made the old demon¡¯s pores stealthily suck the surrounding air. ¡¯I don¡¯t even have a single Origin-rank spiritual flower in my abode, but this ce has dozens of them. From the looks of it, the owner doesn¡¯t even seem to ce any importance on these precious flowers. Sigh.¡¯


    Demon Ancestor Jun sighed in his heart. At this moment, he believed that the owner of this store should be the expert that used his spiritual perception to scan the entire Morlon City just recently. However, the old demon was wondering what this mysterious owner was nning to do in this city.


    ***


    In a forest filled with thick foliage, Jiu Shen walked calmly with his hands behind his back. There were a lot of carnivorous trees and spiritual nts around him, but Jiu Shen remained unperturbed. Each step he took left an icy footprint on the grassy ground which slowly made the surrounding temperature fall.


    A few brave carnivorous trees suddenly extended their spiked roots towards Jiu Shen, intending to pierce him to death. Some vicious spiritual nts also shoot thousands of needle-like thorns in his direction.


    Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Jiu Shen¡¯s expressionless face remained unchanged. As if the attacks aimed his way was something not to be worried about. Suddenly, his golden eyes shed and the space around Jiu Shen seemed to have slowed down.


    At this moment, he could see the thousands of needle-like thorns suspended in midair as well as the spiked roots that were about to hit his face. Facing this scene, Jiu Shen lifted his finger and a drop of crystal-clear water came out at the tip of his finger. This small globule of water abruptly grewrger and enveloped Jiu Shen¡¯s whole body like a shield.


    Time went back to normal and the needle-like thorns speedily struck towards Jiu Shen, but before they could even touch his body, the thin veil of water around Jiu Shen turned these sharp thorns into thin pieces of ice before they crumpled down into specks of dust! The spiked roots weren¡¯t any better. They also turned into ice and broke into small pieces!


    The veil of water around Jiu Shen had the power of ice! And the sheer ease of his control made it look stunning beyondpare!


    If someone else was to witness this absurd scene, their eyes would have popped out of their sockets. The carnivorous spiritual nts and trees around Jiu Shen were at least of Origin-rank, but he took care of them without even a shred of effort!


    When the spiritual nts sensed Jiu Shen¡¯s incredible power, they hurriedly ran away from him, escaping in all directions. The area around Jiu Shen suddenly became devoid of trees and spiritual nts...


    Looking at the fleeing spiritual nts, Jiu Shen chuckled lightly. He didn¡¯t care about these ¡¯little things¡¯ since his primary goal in going here was to search for the Frigid Moonlight Sunflower, the core ingredient of his wine recipe.


    "I¡¯m almost there. Hopefully, those ¡¯little things¡¯ did not scare that stalk of Frigid Moonlight Sunflower." Jiu Shen muttered to himself.

 Chapter 339 - Frigid Moonlight Sunflower

    <h4>Chapter 339 - Frigid Moonlight Sunflower </h4>


    Jiu Shen was still searching for the Frigid Moonlight Sunflower within the depths of the forest. However, for someone searching for an Origin-rank spiritual nt, he looked quite at ease. He doesn¡¯t seem the least bit bothered about the treacherous spiritual nts and flowers all around him.


    If one would look closely, one would see that these spiritual nts and flowers were actually shivering as Jiu Shen walked past them. Some of them even fled at the sight of him. For Jiu Shen, this wasn¡¯t a good news. If the Frigid Moonlight Sunflower would escape at the sight of him, then it would be a bit troublesome to capture it.


    "It looks like I have to remain hidden within this forest or I might waste a couple more days to capture the Frigid Moonlight Sunflower." After muttering those words, Jiu Shen¡¯s figure blurred before vanishing in a blink of an eye.


    In truth, Jiu Shen used a stealth technique capable of masking his figure and his aura. Even a Demon Ancestor could not feel his presence if he was using this technique!


    Jiu Shen silently navigated the forest while in stealth mode. He asionally encountered a couple of precious Origin-rank spiritual nts, but he merely nced at them for a moment. He wasn¡¯t here for them, so he disregarded their presence.


    "I¡¯m close to the location. The savage beasts living here have also be noticeably stronger. However, they are still of no threat to me even if I cancel my stealth mode..." Jiu Shen eyed a huge mountain-like rhino that had a long and horn on top of its head. It was sleeping soundly beside a vastke. Its nostrils emitted a gas of hot air as it breathed out the carbon dioxide in its lungs.


    Jiu Shen reluctantly took his eyes away from the humongous rhino. "This guy should be a descendant of a Giant White Rhino. Its meat is one of the tastiest delicacies in the Primordial God Realm. A pity that this one has yet to awaken its ancient bloodline. Killing it is not worth it." Jiu Shen shook his head as he sighed. He then moved his gaze to the center of theke.


    As he was scanning his gaze, he saw arge number of winged fishes jumping from time to time. However, he ignored these beautiful fishes. Jiu Shen¡¯s gaze was focused entirely on a stalk of a spiritual flower. It was within a small ind at the center of theke. It was roughly thousands of meters away from Jiu Shen, but he could see it clearly as if it was in front of him.


    Jiu Shen¡¯s golden eyes shed with glee when he saw the spiritual nt. It was a stalk of Frigid Moonlight Sunflower!


    "Hm... This stalk of Frigid Moonlight Sunflower should be under the protection of that Giant White Rhino descendant. The moment I capture, it would definitely awaken from its slumber..." Jiu Shen was contemting how he could get his hands on this stalk of spiritual flower as he directly flew towards the small ind.


    Jiu Shen nced at the slumbering Giant White Rhino with a pondering look. He raised his finger and produced a thin ice arrow. However, when he saw the peaceful look of the savage beast, Jiu Shen retracted his finger and shook his head. A light sigh escaped from his lips. "I¡¯ve be softhearted after arriving in this world..."


    Jiu Shen turned around and teleported in front of the Frigid Moonlight Sunflower.


    At this moment, the sleeping rhino was still unaware that its life was spared...


    "I won¡¯t kill you, but I will be taking this stalk aspensation for sparing your life." Jiu Shen said as he swiped his hand towards the Frigid Moonlight Sunflower. The spiritual nt which was unaware of his presence was caught unprepared and Jiu Shen immediately put it inside his space earring.


    The process took no longer than a second and Jiu Shen¡¯s silhouette was nowhere to be seen. Not longter, an angry howl reverberated within this part of the forest, scaring the birds and savage beasts in the vicinity.


    Floating above the ground, the huge rhino nced furiously at the small ind. It was searching for the stalk of Frigid Moonlight Sunflower that was under its protection, but it was nowhere to be seen. Realizing this, the savage beast raised itsrge head and let out a frightening roar that shook the skies.


    Rooaarrr!


    "Who stole it?! Roaarrr!!!"


    Jiu Shen who was already far from theke chuckled lightly when he heard the ferocious cry of the savage beast. The rhino must have noticed that the Frigid Moonlight Sunflower had vanished from the small ind.


    "With this stalk, I can finally brew my own wine recipe, but I can¡¯t leave the forest yet. I still have to wait for those Purple Feathered me Eagle and refine the Sky Breaking Pill and the Primal Blood Awakening Pill for their leader. Hopefully, their tribe would not take too much time to procure the ingredients." Jiu Shen¡¯s figure turned into a blur and disappeared into the skies.


    ***


    "Here are your orders. Enjoy." Burlock said as he neatly ced the wines ordered by the Demon Ancestor and the four Demon Lords.


    Demon Ancestor Jun nced curiously at the bottle of wine in his withered hands. It looks just like any other ordinary wine except for the glimmering liquid inside the wine bottle. His anticipation grew when he noticed this. He hasn¡¯t seen a wine this clear and free of impurities.


    The old demon unhurriedly pulled the cork and when he did, his face changed. "This..."


    A wave of tempting aroma caressed his nostrils. His narrowed eyes widened in surprise. His thin withered hands were shaking as he poured wine into his cup. The trickling sound of wine as he poured it into his cup was pleasant to the ears. All the negative emotions he felt evaporated into thin air as he stared intently at the cup of wine in his hand. "Just the smell alone is already more than its price..."


    Demon Ancestor Jun raised the cup to his mouth and inhaled it onest time. His eyes lit up with eagerness and he immediately drank it.


    The four Demon Lords stared at the old demon with smiles on their faces. They saw the changing expressions of the Demon Ancestor. Although he did not express an exaggerated look, there was still a glimmer of shock on his aged face. To this scene, the four Demon Lords were happy. They could already imagine the rewards that they would get from the Demon Ancestor.


    The old demon ced his cup back on the table and grabbed the bottle of Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit without caring for his image. He then drank the wine directly from the bottle. Even the four Demon Lords were gobsmacked when they witness this.


    "Good wine! Excellent!" The old demon¡¯s aged face broke into a silly grin as he nced lovingly at the bottle in his hand.


    Burlock who was standing near their table smiled at the scene, but he was also growing worried. When the Demon Ancestor notices the effects of the Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit, he would surely demand to get more of it. If this happens, it would be really troublesome since Jiu Shen was still not around. ¡¯Wine Master Jiu Shen, pleasee back soon. I can¡¯t buy you that much time...¡¯


    "Wait... This is..." Demon Ancestor Jun suddenly felt his Sword Intent had grown a lot stronger. His mouth was wide open after he shockingly discovered the effects of the wine he was drinking. At this moment, he was certain that his subordinates had told him the truth!


    A sharp sword aura enveloped the old demon¡¯s sitting figure, but it was mysteriously isted by an invisible force.


    Hm?!


    Demon Ancestor Jun¡¯s eyebrows shot upwards when he noticed this. His sword aura had unconsciously gushed out when his Sword Intent was strengthened, but before he could even retract it, he sensed that it was abruptly vanquished by an unknown force! No one else inside the store had sensed it other than him.


    A shred of doubt shed in the old demon¡¯s gaze. ¡¯Who negated my sword aura? Even a Demon Ancestor would need more time to forcefully negate my sword aura, but it was actually vanquished in less than a second by an unknown force?! Who is it?!¡¯


    Of course, this was done by the system. However, the old demon thought that it was done by a person.


    Demon Ancestor Jun became cautious after this event. He did not dare search for the ¡¯mysterious individual¡¯ who had vanquished his sword aura.


    ¡¯To think that there is actually such an expert hiding here in Morlon City! Perhaps only His Majesty could contend with this individual... I just hope that his presence would not be detrimental for our Demon Race...¡¯ Demon Ancestor Jun thought worriedly in his heart.. He guessed that this ¡¯mysterious individual¡¯ should be the owner of this store. However, he was unaware that Jiu Shen was never there and it was the system that had taken out his sword aura!

 Chapter 340 - Killing Hundreds With A Wave Of A Finger

    <h4>Chapter 340 - Killing Hundreds With A Wave Of A Finger </h4>


    Jiu Shen sat cross-legged atop a tree near the location where he met the Purple Feathered me Eagle tribe. He already had all the necessary ingredients needed to brew his wine recipe, but he had already promised the leader of the Purple Feathered me Eagle that he would help him awaken his ancient bloodline. Jiu Shen wasn¡¯t the kind of man who would go back on his words and besides, he thought that the Purple Feathered me Eagle tribe would be beneficial in his stay here in the Crimson Fiend Continent.


    "The Sky Breaking Pill is an Origin-rank pill and it is not that difficult to refine. However, the Primal Blood Awakening Pill is a bit troublesome. Luckily, I have the Heaven Trampling Cauldron with me, so I should be able to refine it." Jiu Shen scanned the entire forest with his spiritual perception. He saw that the Purple Feathered me Eagle tribe was fighting another tribe of avian savage beasts. They might havee into conflict because of the ingredients needed to refine the Sky Breaking Pill and the Primal Blood Awakening Pill.


    The avian tribe fighting against the Purple Feathered me Eagle weren¡¯t weak, but they were still overwhelmed by the huge number of Purple Feathered me Eagles. However, they refused to back down despite the difference in their fighting force. From the looks of things, the Purple Feathered me Eagle might win this battle, but they would lose a lot of their tribe members. Jiu Shen didn¡¯t want to see this happen. He was nning to subdue the Purple Feathered me Eagle and make them work for him, so he did not want to see them lose too many of their tribe members. Without hesitation, Jiu Shen flew towards the location of the battling avian tribes. His figure vanished from the tree.


    ***


    Screech!


    Somewhere in the forest above the tall trees, two tribes of avian savage beasts can be seen fighting ferociously. One group was led by a huge Purple Feathered me Eagle while the tribe of winged reptiles wasmanded by a winged gargantuan snake-like creature.


    The two sides collided in midair, causing a rain of blood to drop from the skies. The leaves of the trees beneath them were stained by the blood from these two tribes.


    The smell of blood attracted a lot of savage beasts and they immediately rushed in the direction of the battle. The blood of these two avian tribes was beneficial to the other savage beasts, so despite the fearsome strength shown by the two sides, they still attracted some fearless wandering savage beasts.


    At this moment, this patch of the forest was filled with horrific roars, sending chills to the demons who were in the periphery of the forest. The demons were wondering why the savage beasts would suddenly be active this time. Some of them chose to leave the forest, while a few of these demons decided to try their luck and sprinted to the location where the roars of the savage beasts originated.


    "Are the savage beasts fighting over a precious spiritual nt? Or did they find a valuable piece of treasure?"


    Not longter, the area near the battlefield of the two avian tribes was surrounded by a few dozen savage beasts and some wandering demons. All of them were looking at the crazy onught happening in the skies with shocked faces. They were curious why these two groups of avian savage beasts were fighting so frenziedly.


    More and more corpses dropped from the skies, and they were immediately taken away by the savage beasts and demons who were lurking underneath. Seeing this, the leader of the Purple Feathered me Eagle was angry, but it couldn¡¯t do anything about it since it was still facing off the giant snake-like creature.


    "These damned pests! I will kill you all after I finish off this goddamn worm!" The leader of the Purple Feathered me Eagle screeched threateningly as it dove straight into the giant snake creature. Its pair of sharp talons was aiming for the head of the winged snake.


    The winged snake felt the iing threat and it abruptly flew to the side to evade the sharp talons of the berserk Purple Feathered me Eagle.


    The two leaders shed once more, leaving deep gashes on each other¡¯s bodies. And just as they were about to attack again, a silhouette suddenly came into view in between them. The two creatures were bewildered by the sudden interruption, but when the leader of the Purple Feathered me Eagle saw the face of the neer, it revealed a look of delight. "Esteemed sir, we have already gathered all the ingredients that you mentioned. I was about to go back, but these goddamn pests discovered that we have precious spiritual nts with us, so they intercepted us with the thoughts of stealing it!"


    Jiu Shen stared at the Purple Feathered me Eagle. He could sense the anger in its tone. "Alright. Leave these guys to me. I¡¯ll handle them." He muttered while waving his hand disinterestedly.


    The Purple Feathered me Eagle was slightly doubtful, but when it remembered Jiu Shen¡¯s peculiarities, it nodded its bird head and issued amand to its tribe.


    Seeing the Purple Feathered me Eagle tribe retreat after the arrival of this human, the winged snake became incredibly displeased. "Human, how dare you interfere in the affairs of savage beasts?! Disappear from my sights and I will consider letting you-"


    Before it could even finish its words, the giant winged snake¡¯s head was sted into smithereens!


    Jiu Shen retracted his finger and stared at the headless corpse of the giant snake as it fell hard on the ground. None of the creatures dared to steal the carcass of the winged snake after they witness this terrifying scene. Although no one saw what happened, they knew that the sudden death of the giant winged snake should be rted to the mysterious human hovering in midair. They did not want to anger such a great expert for a single savage beast carcass, but they weren¡¯t disappointed either. For they had witnessed an astonishing scene that had changed their views about the world of cultivation.


    No matter how strong one can be, there would always be someone stronger than him.


    The wandering demons watching this felt their hairs raising and they immediately fled from the ce. The presence of this human wasn¡¯t good news for them. This meant that there was one more strong human that they would have to fight. Although they weren¡¯t directly connected with the Great Demon Empire, they would still side with their fellow demons in the war against humans.


    Jiu Shen saw the fleeing demons, but he did not have any interest in them. They were just a bunch of lesser demons and they were of no threat to him.


    When the group of feathered lizards saw the copse of their leader, they became fearful and instantly fled without hesitation. They were already at a disadvantage before and when Jiu Shen came, all their hopes were vanquished.


    Jiu Shen did not want to let them escape. These feathered lizards might look aggressive, but their meat doesn¡¯t taste that bad and it can even be considered as a rare delicacy.


    With a wave of his hand, Jiu Shen produced hundreds of tiny ice needles and sent them hurtling towards the fleeing feathered lizards. The poor creatures could not even emit a shriek before their corpses plopped to the ground tragically.


    Jiu Shen did a beckoning motion with his right hand and stopped the descent of the fallen carcasses. He then stuffed the hundreds of corpses inside his space earring as if he was stuffing apples and cabbages in his bag.


    The scene bbergasted the Purple Feathered me Eagle. They couldn¡¯t believe that such a strong tribe was actually taken out by Jiu Shen in just a matter of seconds. The leader of the Purple Feathered me Eagle breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, it was smart enough and did not provoke Jiu Shen at that time or their tribe wouldn¡¯t be any betterpared to the feathered lizards.


    After stuffing all the corpses inside his space earring, Jiu Shen stared at the creatures hiding underneath. When his gaze scanned them, the savage beasts and the remaining brave demons felt their blood had suddenly be frozen! They shivered as Jiu Shen¡¯s sight moved past them and they only became relieved after Jiu Shen had looked away.


    "Esteemed sir, thank you for saving my tribe. If not for you, more of my family would have died. My Purple Feathered me Eagle will be at yourmand regardless if you refine the pill for us or not." The leader of the Purple Feathered me Eagle respectfully said to Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen nced approvingly at the huge bird in front of him. This creature was smart and it knew that following Jiu Shen was the best choice for its tribe. Aside from this mysterious human¡¯s ability to concoct pills, he was also a peerless cultivator with unparalleled battle strength!


    "Lead the way. Once we find a perfect spot, I¡¯ll refine the pill for you.." Jiu Shen muttered calmly.

 Chapter 341 - Refining The Primal Blood Awakening Pill

    Chapter 341 - Refining The Primal Blood Awakening Pill


    After finding a secluded spot in the periphery of the forest, Jiu Shen took out his Heaven Trampling Cauldron and asked for the ingredients from the Purple Feathered me Eagles.


    After hearing that Jiu Shen wanted to refine the pill in this ce, the leader of the Purple Feathered me Eagle immediatelymanded its tribe to hand over the gathered spiritual nts and flowers. Each one of these spiritual nts was precious, but none of them were at the Origin-rank, so procuring them wasn''t difficult for the Purple Feathered me Eagle.


    Jiu Shen sorted the spiritual nts given by the eagles and inspected them one by one. After careful scrutiny, Jiu Shen heaved a sigh of relief. Luckily, the Purple Feathered me Eagles picked the correct spiritual nts and some of them seemed to be in good condition. Just that the Spiritcloud Ganoderma, an auxiliary ingredient for refining the Sky Breaking Pill, was in bad shape. From the looks of it, this stalk of Spiritcloud Ganoderma had been pulled carelessly.


    Jiu Shen felt that it was a pity, but he did not me the Purple Feathered me Eagle for this. He did not teach them how to pluck these spiritual nts and it was already a miracle for them to collect all the required ingredients. The Purple Feathered me Eagle must have plucked them in a hurry or some of these spiritual nts might have been guarded by powerful savage beasts.


    "The poor birds must have lost a lot of their tribe members from this hunt, but it doesn''t matter. After I refine the Primal Blood Awakening Pill for their leader, their tribe would be even stronger."


    Jiu Shen ced his right hand on top of the spiritual nts and drew a mystical symbol in midair. The symbol lit up brilliantly and fell into the spiritual nts. Upon closer look, one would notice that when the symbol struck the spiritual nts, their properties had be noticeably better. The Spiritcloud Ganoderma which had the worse condition looked much better.


    This was an enchanting technique that Jiu Shen created in his past life. It was capable of enhancing a spiritual nt''s essence, making its condition better. This kind of technique was necessary for high-level alchemists since it was difficult to procure a spiritual nt of perfect condition especially after it reaches a certain level. Spiritual nts that had spirits were even more difficult to obtain and if one manages to luckily get one, their condition might not be perfect.


    "Luckily I have the Spirit Cleansing Symbol or I might not be able to create a pill of great quality." Jiu Shen pped the Heaven Trampling Cauldron and flicked a small dark obsidian me towards the bottom of the cauldron. The dragon images on the cauldron lit up as if they were about to emit a terrifying roar.


    "The first step of pill refining is Purification. This is the easiest step, but one still needs to be careful in handling the spiritual nts or all the medicinal properties from the nts might be gone." Jiu Shen did a strange hand gesture before pping the cauldron. He then ced the spiritual nts inside the Heaven Trampling Cauldron and purified them all together.


    If an alchemist was here to witness the scene, they would certainly suspect that Jiu Shen was a madman. Almost all the alchemists would purify the spiritual nts one by one and they were very careful in this process especially if they were handling high-level spiritual nts. However, Jiu Shen was actually purifying all of them in one go! If this wasn''t an act of a madman then what would be? Nheless, Jiu Shen couldn''t care less about the process of Purification. He even created his own purifying technique which made things easier for him in this process. Others would have to carefully do this step, but he can be willful here because of his purifying skills.


    Not longter, all the spiritual nts inside the Heaven Trampling Cauldron were already purified to a perfect state. All the impurities in them have been removed and they can already be refined.


    "The next step is the refining process. This step is very easy as well. Too bad my cultivation is low right now or I would have refined the Primal Blood Awakening Pill even without the help of the Heaven Trampling Cauldron. Anyway, time to refine the spiritual nts."


    Jiu Shen leisurely refined the spiritual nts as he took out a bottle of wine from his space earring. He then used the other hand for refining and the other for holding the bottle of wine.


    Alchemists would surely be gobsmacked by Jiu Shen''s attitude. The refining of spiritual nts was never easy, but he dared to drink wine while doing this process. Perhaps only Jiu Shen had the guts to do this while refining a precious pill like the Primal Blood Awakening Pill.


    The next step after the refining process was the pill formation. This part was the hardest and before Jiu Shen started this process, he kept his bottle of wine back to his space earring after taking one more sip.


    Thest step of the refining process is known as Pill Condensation. It wasn''t a necessary step to do, but Jiu Shen knew that this step could improve the resulting pill''s final condition.


    A brilliance of rainbow light suddenly illuminated the area around Jiu Shen. This scene stunned the Purple Feathered me Eagle and they wondered what Jiu Shen did in his pill refining process that it actually created such a scene.


    "A Profound State Sky Breaking Pill and there are ten pills created in just one set of ingredients. Not bad. Not bad." Jiu Shen muttered to himself after seeing the glowing pills inside the cauldron, but he did not take them out yet. This was just the Sky Breaking Pill. He still has to add the Scarlet Searing Fern into the cauldron and refine it together with the Sky Breaking Pill using a secret refining method.


    Jiu Shen did not rest, he immediately grabbed the Scarlet Searing Fern and threw it inside the cauldron. He did not even bother to purify and refine it. He directly mixed the Scarlet Searing Fern with the ten Sky Breaking Pills.


    Jiu Shen muttered a series of iprehensible words and did a couple of hand gestures.


    This process took about ten minutes before Jiu Shen opened his eyes. The area around him was once again enveloped by a rainbow radiance. The Purple Feathered me Eagles had already seen this earlier, so they weren''t surprised this time.


    "Sucess. It''s as easy as I thought it was." He muttered as he grabbed the ten Primal Blood Awakening Pill inside the cauldron. The pills were still warm and they emitted a fragrant aroma of fresh fruits and flowers. He took one pill and kept the remaining nine for himself.


    "Little bird,e here." Jiu Shen did a beckoning gesture to the leader of the Purple Feathered me Eagle.


    Seeing this, the huge eagle was delighted and it immediately flew in front of Jiu Shen. A look of agitation and excitement can be seen in its birdy figure.


    "Here. This is the Primal Blood Awakening Pill. Eat it and focus on absorbing the pill''s energy." Jiu Shen carelessly tossed the pill to the huge eagle who immediately caught the pill with its mouth.


    The pill had a lovely scent and the taste was also great, but the Purple Feathered me Eagle hurriedly focused itself on absorbing the pill''s essence and energy.


    Jiu Shen did not disturb the Purple Feathered me Eagle. He stared at the other eagles who were looking at their leader in anticipation. "Hey, little birdies, can I get the Purple Fire Crystal now?" Jiu Shen called out in a soft voice.


    Although these eagles were not yet capable of human speech, they can still understand Jiu Shen''s words, so they immediately gave him the Purple Fire Crystal. Their gaze towards Jiu Shen had also be warmer. They knew that from this moment, they would have to serve this human. If it was some other human expert, they would surely scoff at him in disdain, but this guy in front of them was different.


    Jiu Shen stared at the Purple Fire Crystal in his hands with a calm look. It had a beautiful purple color and emitted a warm and fuzzy sensation. Jiu Shen kept it inside his space earring. With this crystal, the resulting wine he would brew would be even more delicious and valuable. Jiu Shen felt a hint of anticipation as he thought about it. "With my current level, I no longer need the Time and Space Chamber to brew wine. I can just manipte the state of the wine with the use of some techniques." He muttered to himself.


    Screeeh!!


    A loud and resonant cry suddenly reverberated, making the eagles around Jiu Shen fly in the air in surprise. They stared at their leader and discovered that its features had changed, but before they could even congratte their leader, they suddenly heard the loud rumbling of thunder above them.


    Jiu Shen stared at the skies with a calm look.. "It is breaking through to the Nascent God Realm."

 Chapter 342 - Brewing Wine Amidst The Tribulation Lightning

    Chapter 342 - Brewing Wine Amidst The Tribtion Lightning


    "Stay back! Your leader will undergo his tribtion lightning. You will only cause him trouble if you stay here." Jiu Shen shouted at the gobsmacked Purple Feathered me Eagles.


    Screech!


    Screech!


    When the eagles heard Jiu Shen''s warning, they immediately flew far away. The light in their eyes shed with a mixture of concern and excitement as they stared at their leader''s proud figure.


    Jiu Shen stared at the huge eagle that was hovering loftily below the dark clouds. It was no longer a lowly Purple Feathered me Eagle. It has evolved into a stronger avian species, the Purple Winged Sword Eagle!


    It still has the same purple color, but the splendor of its feathers became even more beautiful and sharper! Its long sharp beak was like a sword that could cut through metals like butter! Its feet were now encased in a set of dark obsidian-like armor, making the creature look even more imposing!


    The Purple Winged Sword Eagles are avian creatures with strongbat power. They had no problem fighting savage beasts with powerful bloodlines!


    The leader of the Purple Feathered me Eagle who was now a Purple Winged Sword Eagle stared at the darkened sky with a ferocious glint in its beastly eyes.


    Screeech!!


    The huge eagle emitted a fearsome cry as it red at the rumbling firmament.


    ''So this is what it feels to face tribtion lightning! To think that I would have the chance to be a true Nascent God Realm savage beast in this life! The bloodline of a Purple Winged Sword Eagle is truly terrifying!'' The leader of the Purple Feathered me Eagle tribe moved its gaze towards the human who had made this possible. It shed Jiu Shen a grateful look before it moved its gaze back towards the shes of lightning above the sky.


    Jiu Shen retreated a few kilometers away from the huge eagle. Although he wasn''t afraid of this kind of tribtion lightning, it would be troublesome for the newly evolved Purple Winged Sword Eagle if Jiu Shen''s presence would make the tribtion lightning even stronger. And so to avoid this event, Jiu Shen could only take precautions.


    "If this little birdie ascends to the Nascent God Realm and provide its tribe with its blood after its sessful breakthrough, the overall strength of the entire Purple Feathered me Eagle tribe would rise exponentially. Some of them might even evolve into Purple Winged Sword Eagles like their leader! They would be a great help to me in the future..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself as he grabbed a chair from his space earring. He then sat with a rxed expression on his face as if he was on a holiday vacation.


    "I might as well start brewing my wine recipe while the little birdie is still undergoing its tribtion lightning. This could also save me the trouble from brewing it in the store." With that thought in his mind, Jiu Shen unhesitatingly took out the ingredients for his wine recipe. He then sorted them carefully and adjusted his thoughts. The ear-splitting roars of thunder did not even bother his concentration...


    No one was looking at Jiu Shen since the focus of the entire Purple Feathered me Eagle tribe was on their leader.


    The huge Purple Winged Sword Eagle pped its de-like wings, creating violent gusts of wind to erupt around it.


    Zapp!!


    A bolt of tribtion lightning tore through space as it struck the proud figure of the giant eagle!


    With a fearless look in its eyes, the Purple Winged Sword Eagle emitted a loud cry as it covered its body with its wings.


    Baangg!!


    The sky shook and the patch ofnd beneath the Purple Winged Sword Eagle was charred. The spiritual nts and savage beasts that were once there had now turned into ashes!


    Looking at this scene, the tribe of Purple Feathered me Eagles became terrified. They were worried that their leader might sumb under these bolts of lightning, but when they saw the violent and fierce expression of their leader, the tribe calmed themselves.


    Although the Purple Winged Sword Eagle appeared to be injured, it wasn''t deep enough to threaten it.


    While the tribtion lightning of the Purple Winged Sword Eagle continued, Jiu Shen began his brewing process. His hands moved like a blur as he extracted the essence of the ingredients. And since he was brewing without the Time and Space Chamber, Jiu Shen made use of the secret techniques that he had learned in his past life. With the abundance of his knowledge, he could even take out tens of thousands of techniques capable of improving the quality of herbs and spiritual nts. His only problem was in choosing what technique would be suitable in the current brewing process.


    "Hmm, the Peerless Deliverence Enchantment might be perfect in this situation, but I could also perform the Divine Passage Incantation. This is tough... To think that, I, Jiu Shen, would have trouble in choosing which technique I would perform in wine brewing. How amusing..." Jiu Shen chuckled to himself as he shook his head.


    "I n to brew wine with crystalline liquid and mellow vor. A bnced astringency and sweetness would be perfect as well. In that case, the Peerless Deliverence Enchantment should help me achieve this with the ingredients I have. Begin!" Jiu Shen drew an archaic symbol in front of him as he muttered an iprehensible mantra.


    As the words came out of his mouth, the symbol he drew turned brighter and brighter. He then started purifying and refining the ingredients while muttering the mantra of the Peerless Deliverence Enchantment.


    Jiu Shen''s eyebrows tightly knitted into a frown for a brief moment as he familiarized himself with the brewing process. After a short moment, his face rxed and the movements of his hands became even faster!


    At this moment, Jiu Shen''s brewing process caused quite themotion. The Purple Feathered me Eagles who were intently looking at their leader moved their gazes towards Jiu Shen. When they saw the weird symbols floating around him and the air of mysteriousness that shrouded his entire being, the eagles became confused.


    What is this strong human doing? They thought.

 Chapter 343 - Surprise Caused By The Tribulation Lightning

    Chapter 343 - Surprise Caused By The Tribtion Lightning


    With the Peerless Deliverence Mantra, Jiu Shen was able to quickly prepare the ingredients. Each ingredient glowed brilliantly after being struck by the golden symbol that Jiu Shen controlled.


    "This is much easier than I thought..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself as he mixed the ingredients thoroughly. His golden eyes shone with profound calmness as his hands moved at an indiscernible speed.


    Golden symbols continued to float around Jiu Shen as he recited the Peerless Deliverence Mantra. The space around him was suddenly enveloped by an unfathomable golden light that made the tribtion lightning look garbage inparison.


    The Purple Feathered me Eagle tribe gawked at Jiu Shen who was barely discernible at the moment. They even almost forgot about the tribtion lightning flickering wildly above the firmament.


    The leader of the eagle tribe even lost focus for a second, causing him to be ruthlessly struck by a bolt of tribtion lightning!


    Screech!


    The huge Purple Winged Sword Eagle emitted an angered cry and it hurriedly stabilized its injuries. shes of purple lightning covered the gigantic eagle, dancing around it like small serpents.


    ''I must focus on my tribtion lightning first. I don''t know what that esteemed person is doing, but it isn''t the right time to think about it. I will ask him after I seed.'' The eagle gathered its true essence in preparation for the next bolts of tribtion lightning. It could not afford to suffer the same strike earlier or it might be fatal to it.


    ***


    Inside the lotus building, the Demon Ancestor and the Demon Lords simultaneously stood up and stared in the direction of the forest. They knitted their eyebrows as they muttered in surprise. "Tribtion lightning..."


    "Someone has summoned the tribtion lightning. From its scale, this guy should be breaking through to the Demon Lord Realm! (Nascent God Realm) However, this aura... it is that of a savage beast!" Demon Ancestor Jun frowned as he walked outside of the lotus building. He hovered above the store and stared at the dark clouds on the horizon. His four subordinates, Zorzoch, Zagan, Azgonoth, and Physoris were hovering behind him. They were also looking at the scene with stunned faces.


    Inside the store, the three youngdies looked unbothered by themotion and only Burlock was in a state of shock.


    "Who could it be? Judging from the aura, it should be a powerful savage beast with a noble bloodline. If it manages to break through to the Nascent God Realm, the power bnce in Morlon City might crumble. Demon Ancestor Jun would never allow this kind of threat in his territory... Will the city be engulfed in war once more?" Burlock sat down with a grave look on his face.


    "Isn''t that the direction where the master is headed to?" Meimei asked softly. Standing beside her, Xiaoxiao and Blue nodded their heads in reply.


    "That''s right. Master said that he will be collecting ingredients for his wine. He should be in that forest..." Xiaoxiao said with a pondering look.


    "Could it be that master has something to do with this? I mean, the other sisters checked Morlon City and the forest, and ording to them, there should be no one close to breaking through the Nascent God Realm. In that case, the master must be involved in this incident." Blue, the brightest among the three girls muttered.


    Burlock who had a grave expression on his face suddenly stood up when he heard the girls'' conversation. "What?! Wine Master Jiu Shen could help a savage beast break through to the Nascent God Realm!? And it isn''t even long since he''s gone. This... If that old man learns about this, the consequences... shit! It would be terrible!"


    Burlock hurriedly closed his mouth and looked to his left and right. He then sighed in relief when he discovered that the Demon Ancestor and the four Demon Lords were not inside the store.


    "Goddammit! That scared me! My three lovely friends, please don''t speak about this in front of those guys or there might be a terrifying consequence. Wine Master Jiu Shen might be able to handle the old man, but if that old guy will report this to His Majesty..." Burlock''s eyes shed with trepidation at the mention of the Crimson Fiend Continent''s ruler. However, the expressions of the threedies didn''t even change. They looked at him as if they were looking at an idiot.


    Seeing this, Burlock could only smile wryly. ''You guys haven''t seen him yet, so that''s why you''re unconcerned...'' He thought to himself.


    "His Majesty? You mean the so-called ruler of this continent?" Xiaoxiao stared at Burlock in disdain. Her hands were holding her hips in an akimbo.


    Burlock''s eyes widened like saucers upon hearing the contemptuous tone of Xiaoxiao. He hurriedly dashed towards her and covered her mouth with his hands as he gazed at the entrance of the store. He secretly wiped his sweat after seeing that the Demon Ancestor and the four Demon Lords were still not there. "Young Lady Xiaoxiao, don''t speak carelessly about His Majesty. I know that Wine Master Jiu Shen is a strong individual, but His Majesty''s strength is also unfathomable. From what I heard, he should be at the Void God Realm!"


    Xiaoxiao''s anger red when her mouth was suddenly covered by a big and callous hand, but when she heard Burlock''s words, she snorted as she swatted the big hand away. "Void God Realm, huh?"


    Meimei worriedly held Xiaoxiao''s hands when she heard the demon''s words. "Sister Xiaoxiao, it would be wise if we don''t get involved with someone at that level at this moment. The master has just arrived in the Crimson Fiend Continent and he has yet to establish a firm footing here. We should not recklessly provoke the ruler of this continent at the time being."


    "Meimei is right. Xiaoxiao, you should be careful with your words or you might bring unnecessary trouble to the master." Blue added in a serious tone.


    Seeing her two sisters like that, Xiaoxiao could only re at Burlock.


    Hmph!

 Chapter 344 - Aren

    Chapter 344 - Aren


    Jiu Shen nced at the shimmering mixture of liquid inside the big barrel in front of him. A beautiful and fragrant aroma pervaded the air around him, instilling a tantalizing smell that traveled throughout the forest.


    The noses of the savage beasts and demons at the vicinity twitched when this wave of tempting fragrance caressed their nostrils.


    "What is this beautiful fragrance? Where did thise from?"


    "Is it a divine fruit?!"


    Rooaarr!!


    The eyes of the savage beasts and demons went red from excitement.


    Just where did this smelle from? They all thought.


    The Purple Feathered me Eagles tilted their necks and stared at the huge barrel in front of Jiu Shen. A trail of saliva came running down their beaks when they discovered that the smell came from the liquid inside the barrel. However, the eagles reigned in their desires when they saw Jiu Shen calmly ncing their way. His expressionless gaze sent a chill down their spines!


    Jiu Shen smirked as he looked away from the eagles. He then stared at the Purple Fire Crystal in his hands with a hint of expectation.


    "Just this one final ingredient until my wine ispleted." He whispered as he threw the crystal inside the barrel. He then covered it and ced his hands on the barrel as he muttered an incantation.


    His hands lit up briefly and the huge barrel was then covered by a blinding light that made everyone at the scene close their eyes swiftly.


    Jiu Shen narrowed his eyes into slits. The corners of his lips curved upwards to form a light smile. "My first wine recipe is finallypleted."


    As the blinding light receded, the huge barrel once again came into his view. After he opened the lid, what came into his view was an oceanic blue liquid that shone with brilliant splendor.


    "What a beautiful piece of art! A treasured wine in the mortal world... Bejeweled Ocean Nectar, that will be your name..." Jiu Shen smiled contentedly as he scooped a handful of wine with his hands.


    With one final look at the beautiful blue liquid in his cupped hands, he then drank it with his eyes shut tight.


    Gulp.


    Jiu Shen''s eyshes fluttered gently and his expression froze. He then slowly opened his eyes as his face broke into a smile. "Bejeweled Ocean Nectar, that name indeed is perfect for this wine."


    After muttering those words, Jiu Shen covered the lid of the huge barrel before he carefully put it inside his space earring. And just then...


    Ding!


    The host has brewed his wine! The system is analyzing the quality of the wine! Host, please wait for a moment.


    Ding!


    Bejeweled Ocean Nectar, the wine has passed the system''s assessment!


    Missionpleted!


    - You received x2 Fruit of Cultivation


    - You received x1 petal of Divine Ascension Flower


    "Divine Ascension Flower?! So it exists!" Jiu Shen eximed as he received the rewards with a rare surprised look.


    "To think that the celestial flower of the legends was true! Truly unbelievable... But is the effect the same as what was written in the stories?" Jiu Shen muttered as he lifted the small golden petal with his fingers. This petal looked extraordinarily good and with just one look, anyone could tell that it is valuable.


    Ding!


    The petal of the Divine Ascension Flower has the ability to make even an untrained mortal ascend into the Nascent God Realm after consumption! There are no side effects! It will also allow someone at the Nascent God Realm to ascend into the Origin God Realm! Can only be eaten once. Eating a second time will produce no results.


    When Jiu Shen heard the system''s cold and steely voice and the words it has spoken, he chuckled. "So it is indeed true. With this petal, I am guaranteed to reach the Origin God Realm and with the Fruits of Cultivation, I think I can reach thete stage in one go... I never thought that cultivation would be this fast for me in this life..."


    Jiu Shen remembered that it took him thousands upon thousands of years before he reached that realm in his past life. Just the thought of it made him sigh in his heart.


    "This system... Just how powerful is it that it even allowed me to be reborn and cultivate at this speed? Just what is this thing?" Jiu Shen muttered as he kept the rewards he had received.


    Ding!


    Everything has a reason.


    Surprisingly, the system answered his queries and its tone had some sort of life in its mechanical voice. However, Jiu Shen was currently relishing in the thoughts of his past life to notice this minute detail.


    After a minute, Jiu Shen sorted his thoughts and forced out theplicated emotions he was feeling. He then stared at the sky which was now free of the dark clouds.


    Hovering above the clouds, he saw a bloody gigantic eagle covered in sparks of lightning. Multiple deep injuries riddled its body, but there was a lively and sharp look in its beastly eyes.


    "So you''ve seeded?" Jiu Shen hovered and stared at the eyes of the eagle.


    The Purple Winged Sword Eagle who was now a Nascent God Realm savage beast stared back at Jiu Shen''s golden eyes. It tried to look deeply into his eyes, but after a moment, it dipped its head down in deference.


    "From now on, I will serve you as your servant." The eagle muttered as it slowly transformed into a human.


    Anky man with purple hair that reached his shoulders. His eyes had a pair of reddish pupils that shed with a radiant luster. This man was dressed in a set of shy silver armor with a cape made of purple feathers.


    "Master, please bestow your humble servant with a name." The purple-haired man kneeled in front of Jiu Shen as he spoke those words.


    "A name you say?" Jiu Shen smiled at the man.


    Jiu Shen went closer to the man and patted his shoulder as he said. "The leader of the Purple Feathered me Eagle tribe, I will give you the name ''Aren''. It means a mighty eagle leader."


    Aren''s shoulders trembled when he heard the name given to him. "Aren... Aren...."

 Chapter 345 - Offending Demon Ancestor Jun

    Chapter 345 - Offending Demon Ancestor Jun


    "Lord Demon Ancestor, do you want me to investigate this newly ascended Nascent God Realm savage beast?" Zagan stared at Demon Ancestor Jun and waited for hismand. However, the old demon shook his head in reply.


    "There is no need for that. As long as that beast won''t involve itself in the affairs of Morlon City, then I will not do anything. However... If it ever sets foot in my city, I will ughter it and feast on its flesh!" The old demon said with a calm tone as he descended back to the ground.


    Zagan and the other three Demon Lords stared at each other with unreadable expressions on their faces.


    "Let''s go. I still have yet to finish the wine that I''ve ordered." Zorzoch chuckled lightly as he descended to the ground. The other three then followed behind him.


    "Burlock, we don''t have time to linger here anymore. Pack our orders and deliver them to our residences." Demon Ancestor Jun nced at Burlock with a cold look on his aged face. Themanding tone in his voice made Burlock scream curses in his heart, but he was all smiles at the moment as he replied with a look of difficulty. ''Here ites...''


    "Lord Demon Ancestor, as much as I would love to do that, unfortunately, Wine Master Jiu Shen told me that takeouts aren''t allowed."


    Demon Ancestor Jun''s aged face darkened considerably upon hearing his words. "What did you say?!"


    "Burlock, surely you won''t follow this stupid rule, right? What kind of store wouldn''t allow their customers to order takeout?" Zagan snorted at the sidelines as he red at Burlock.


    "Stupid rule? Who do you think you are to speak so lightly of the master''s rules?! How dare you act so haughty here, giant buffoon!?" Xiaoxiao grimly stared at Zagan, making the giant feel as if he was sitting on pins and needles.


    Blue and Meimei also wore solemn expressions on their faces. They might have been ordered by Jiu Shen to treat their guests with respect, but they will never tolerate someone disrespecting their master!


    Zorzoch, Azgonoth, and Physoris were surprised by the sudden shift in thedies'' mood. They secretly chuckled at Zagan for they knew that the giant had stepped on horse shit this time.


    ''So even someone as smart as you would make this kind of mistake. Hehe.'' Burlock gloated in his heart. Even he had always been on the losing end against Xiaoxiao, so he was d that someone could share the same fate as him...


    "Enough!" Demon Ancestor Jun shouted angrily, making everyone inside the store shut up. He then shifted his gaze back to Burlock as he asked.


    "Burlock, is this your final decision? Do you really want to go against me?" Demon Ancestor Jun was feeling threatened for no reason. He didn''t know why he was having this kind of mixed emotions after witnessing the ascension of a savage beast to the Nascent God Realm. He felt that there might be changes to Morlon City starting this moment. That was also why there was a sudden change to his calm mood.


    Burlock gulped hard after being stared at by the old demon. In truth, he did not want to offend the Demon Ancestor for he knew that behind this old man''s calm facade was the face of a brutal demon. However, after experiencing the power of Jiu Shen, he dared not go against his new boss.


    "Forgive me, Lord Demon Ancestor. I am grateful to you for guiding me before, but I cannot betray the man who healed my wounds." Burlock bullshitted through gritted teeth.


    Demon Ancestor Jun stared silently at Burlock for a moment before he said. "Very well. I hope I can meet this Wine Master Jiu Shen soon. I want to see what kind of man this person is. Hopefully, he won''t disappoint me..."


    Demon Ancestor Jun stood up and walked out of the store with heavy strides. The four Demon Lords immediately followed behind him, but they did not forget to look at Burlock with meaningful gazes.


    "Wait!" Xiaoxiao grabbed Zagan''s clothes and opened the palm of her right hand as she said.


    "You guys haven''t paid yet..." She smirked coldly as she spoke those words.


    Zagan''srge pair of eyes twitched at the sight of her face and he had the urge to p this girl into smithereens. He took a deep breath and grabbed a huge pile of Blood Stones from his spatial artifact. He then gave it to Xiaoxiao with a dark look on his face.


    Xiaoxiao smiled widely as she received the payment. "Thank you for your patronage, dear guests! Pleasee back again!"


    Zagan snorted in response before leaving the store.


    Sigh!


    Burlock sighed heavily as he plopped down on a chair. "We have thoroughly offended the Demon Ancestor and the four Demon Lords. Would Wine Master Jiu Shen be fine? I mean those people are the kind who seeks revenge. They have been humiliated here, so they would certainlye back with evil intentions..."


    "Hmph! What are you afraid of, you coward?! Those fools are nothing to master! And besides, I would love it if theye back as enemies for my sisters are already hungry. Hehehe." Xiaoxiao chuckled eerily as she kept the Blood Stones.


    "What do you mean?" Burlock stared at her with knitted eyebrows.


    "Of course you know what I mean, ugly bastard! Hehehe." Xiaoxiao smirk derisively.


    "Enough of that talk, Xiaoxiao. We must inform the master about this upon his arrival. He should be informed about what happened earlier. Don''t do anything foolish without the master''smands." Blue flicked Xiaoxiao''s forehead as she reprimanded the girl.


    Ow! Ow!


    Xiaoxiao rubbed her forehead as she nodded her head at Blue.


    ***


    Within a huge castle in the central parts of the Crimson Fiend Continent, a man was seated on a throne made of bones from strong creatures. He was wearing a mask made from a dragon''s head and his body was covered by a long ck robe. Beneath him were ten individuals prostrating at him in worship.


    The masked man lifted his head and stared in the direction of Morlon City. His pair of ember eyes were flickering like a violently burning me. No one knew what he was thinking and there was only silence within this dark great hall....

 Chapter 346 - Meeting Demon Ancestor Jun

    Chapter 346 - Meeting Demon Ancestor Jun


    "You can go back with me. I have a store in Beltran City and you will stay there as the temporary guard." Jiu Shen patted Aren''s shoulder in a friendly manner.


    Aren solemnly bowed his head as he replied. "I''ll follow yourmands."


    His voice was filled with reverence and respect. Jiu Shen had helped him be a Nascent God Realm savage beast, a dream that he thought was unreachable for the likes of his tribe. There wasn''t even a hint of reluctance on his part when he decided to follow Jiu Shen, for he knew that serving this expert would only be beneficial to him and his tribe.


    Jiu Shen nced deeply at Aren who had his head bowed. He already knew what the eagle was thinking, but he didn''t mind. He badly needed subordinates not just for his stay in the Crimson Fiend Continent, but also for a greater purpose.


    "Let''s go." Jiu Shen turned into a streak of light as he flew through the skies.


    Aren nced at his tribe and shouted. "My kin, follow me to our new home!"


    After shouting those words, Aren disappeared together with the remaining hundreds of Purple Feathered me Eagles.


    The savage beasts and demons hiding within the forest heaved sighs of relief as they came out of their hiding spots.


    "They are finally gone. That was scary!"


    "That goddamn human is too strong! Who is he?"


    "They went in the direction of Beltran City. It looks like the city will undergo changes in theing days. To think that the Rebel Army actually had such an expert here."


    Jiu Shen stared at the city gates of Beltran City that wereing into his view. He saw several hundred demons wearing full body armor at the top of the city walls. These demon soldiers were emitting a dangerous aura that was honed after undergoing dangerous battles.


    Jiu Shen''s eyes narrowed into slits as he watched the demon soldiers. "Did Aren''s ascension make Beltran City wary? Or is there someonemanding these demons to gather?"


    "Master, why did you stop here?" Aren arrived behind Jiu Shen and asked in surprise. Beltran City was still quite far, so he was surprised when he saw that Jiu Shen had stopped flying.


    Jiu Shen nced at his new subordinate and pointed in the direction of Beltran City. "See for yourself. It looks like your presence is not weed in Beltran City."


    "This... Hmph! I didn''t think that the demons of Beltran City would be this cowardly! Master, do you want me to make a path for you?" Aren muttered sinisterly. As a savage beast who had lived in continuous danger, he wasn''t afraid of battle, especially after his recent breakthrough.


    Jiu Shen lifted his hand and smack the back of Aren''s head as he scolded lightly. "Fighting them would only make things worse. Go tell your tribesmen to settle down. Don''t let them act aggressively once we enter Beltran City. Just leave the talking to me."


    Aren rubbed the back of his head and nodded with an embarrassed smile. "Yes, master. I''ll inform them right away."


    Jiu Shen slowly descended from the skies. "To think that, I, Jiu Shen would actually be forced to talk peace with the demon tribe. How very pathetic I''ve be." He muttered in shame.


    "Who is that?!"


    "Is that a human?! How dare hee to our Beltran City in a high-profile manner?! Is he tired of living?!"


    "His cultivation... I can''t sense it..."


    Jiu Shen''s sudden descent caused a series of exmations from the demon soldiers.


    "Human, why have youe to our Beltran City?!" The leader of the demon soldiers stepped forward as he red at Jiu Shen. His demonic eyes flickering with intense madness.


    The demons and humans have been at war for thousands of years in this continent. There is no room for reconciliation for these two tribes and just meeting each other would immediately cause them conflict.


    Jiu Shen turned his gaze to this demon captain, causing thetter to feel as if he was sitting on pins and needles. He shivered as his gaze met with Jiu Shen''s unfathomable eyes. ''Such strong presence! This human is an expert! We''re done for!'' The demon captain shouted grimly in his heart.


    Jiu Shen remained silent as he walked towards the demon captain. The rest of the demon soldiers could only stare at him as he walked past them. They were too scared to take a step forward in the face of Jiu Shen''s unfathomable power.


    Just as Jiu Shen was about to talk, an aged voice suddenly drifted within the city walls.


    "You must be the Wine Master Jiu that Burlock has talked about..."


    The demon captain inwardly heaved a sigh of relief when he heard this voice. His back was already covered in a cold sweat without him knowing it.


    Jiu Shen shifted his gaze to the side. Right there he saw a hunched old man holding a walking stick. Behind the old man were four individuals with strong auras. All of them were looking at Jiu Shen with scrutinizing gazes.


    "So it''s you... The old brat I''ve seen on top of the mountains. And these four young ones must be the Demon Lords of Beltran City..." Jiu Shen said in a calm tone as if he was unaware of everyone''s gazes.


    Demon Ancestor Jun''s wrinkled lips twitched when he heard Jiu Shen calling him ''old brat''. He nced deeply at this human, hoping to see through his cultivation level. However, no matter how long Demon Ancestor Jun looked at him, he failed to estimate Jiu Shen''s power. It was as if he was looking at a normal human with no cultivation.


    "You?! What did you just call me?!" Zorzoch, the most hot-blooded among the four behind the old demon pointed at Jiu Shen with anger.


    Jiu Shen ignored Zorzoch. His calm gaze was still directed on Demon Ancestor Jun.


    "You! How dare you-"


    Demon Ancestor Jun lifted his withered hand, making Zorzoch close his mouth unwillingly.

 Chapter 347 - Scaring Demon Ancestor Jun

    Chapter 347 - Scaring Demon Ancestor Jun


    ''So it was really him who peered through the whole of Beltran City using an unknown technique. He doesn''t look strong at all based on his physical appearance, but he has this kind of unworldly air that makes him mysterious and unfathomable. Let me test this human. Hmph!'' Demon Ancestor Jun felt unnerved by Jiu Shen''s calm and expressionless face. He wanted to see what this human was hiding beneath his indifferent exterior.


    The old demon released his aura without constraint, making the air around him tremble vigorously. The demon soldiers looking at this scene felt dread in their hearts as they watched the old demon''s disy of prowess. The four Demon Lords behind the Demon Ancestor nced at the old man in worship and fear.


    Flying above the clouds, Aren and his Purple Feathered me Eagle tribe gazed at the old demon with serious looks. They knew that this old man was dangerous just on the malignant aura he exudes. Who knew how many lives he had taken to produce this kind of suffocating burst of aura.


    Jiu Shen who was the main target of this suppression still had an indifferent expression on his face. It was as if the suppressive aura didn''t exist at all.


    "Is this how the demons treat their guests?" Jiu Shen spoke in a calm voice as he stared at Demon Ancestor Jun in amusement. In truth, he could smack this old man senseless despite their current difference in cultivation level. The old demon might be a realm stronger than him at the moment, but Jiu Shen had thousands of ways to make him kneel and beg for mercy. However, he didn''t want to draw the attention of their leader yet.


    ''ording to Burlock, the man they call ''His Majesty'' was an expert at the Void God Realm. This might be nothing to the past Jiu Shen, but it would be difficult for him to fight an expert at that level with his present level of power. ''If that man they call ''His Majesty'' is just at the early stage of the Void God Realm, then I might be able to fight him to a standstill if I use my Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword. However, if that man is at the peak stage of the Void God Realm, then it would be troublesome. I should wait until I consume the petal of Divine Ascension Flower and the two Fruits of Cultivation before making any rash moves.'' Jiu Shen felt that it was a pity that he could not punish the old brat in front of him.


    Demon Ancestor Jun and the four Demon Lords were surprised when they noticed that the suppressive aura wasn''t affecting Jiu Shen. Is he really strong or is he just hiding his fear? They didn''t know.


    Seeing this the old demon increased the power of his suppressive force. The thick floor made of precious stones cracked under this intense pressure and everybody at the scene felt a cold sweat running down their spines.


    The old man was finally serious. They all thought in their hearts.


    ''It seems like I have to show a bit of my power to knock this old brat off his pedestal...'' Jiu Shen sighed and shook his head.


    Just as everyone thought that the human had finally sumbed in fear, his figure suddenly vanished.


    Swoosh!


    "Have you had enough fun?" Demon Ancestor Jun felt a hand patting his shoulder followed by an eerily calm whisper. The suppressive force that he disyed disappeared in a blink of an eye.


    There wasn''t a hint of strength behind the hand patting his shoulder, but Demon Ancestor Jun felt that he could die if he made any wrong moves. He felt as if there was a pair of invisible hands gripping his old heart. One wrong move and he would die. This feeling overwhelmed him, making him almost forget how to breathe.


    When Jiu Shen saw that the old demon had almost passed out from his little act, he retracted his hand and chuckled lightly as he said. "Old brat, you shoulde to my store and drink a bottle or two of my wines. You won''t regreting there."


    After saying those words Jiu Shen stared at Aren and the eagles who were still flying above the horizon and said. "Follow me." He tapped his foot on the ground and slowly ascended through the skies. He then shifted his gaze back to Demon Ancestor Jun who was yet to recover himself.


    "I''m just here to make a living. Don''t worry." Jiu Shen muttered with a carefree smile before disappearing into the skies.


    Screech!


    Aren and his tribe trailed behind Jiu Shen, leaving behind a group of demons who had their mouths agape from the events earlier.


    When there was no longer a shadow of the Purple Feathered me Eagles in the sky, the old demon finally regained his senses. He breathed a heavy sigh as he stared in the direction of Jiu Shen''s store as he muttered. "That human is very dangerous. I only felt this kind of pressure when I''m in front of His Majesty..."


    "What?!" The four Demon Lords were shocked when they heard the old demon''s words. His Majesty the Demon Emperor was an expert at the Void God Realm and Demon Ancestor Jun actually said that the human had given him the same kind of pressure simr to His Majesty?! Just who was that human?


    "Lord Demon Ancestor, do you want us to report this to His Majesty?" Zagan inquired nervously. He never thought that the owner of that lotus building could be this strong.


    Demon Ancestor Jun nced at his hands that were shaking lightly and replied. "No need. I have to report this to His Majesty in person. The four of you will stay here while I''m gone, but never provoke that human while I''m away. And make sure that your subordinates will not make trouble in that store. Provoking that human might cause the destruction of Beltran City."


    The four Demon Lords gasped in shock when they heard his reply, but they hurriedly nodded their heads solemnly.. "Yes, Lord Demon Ancestor."

 Chapter 348 - Escape

    Chapter 348 - Escape


    Aren and the Purple Feathered me Eagle tribe nced curiously at the city below them. It was the first time they''vee this close to Beltran City, so they were curious about their surroundings.


    "That old demon was an existence at the Origin God Realm, but the master didn''t even bat an eye when the old coot released his destructive aura. Is the master at the legendary V-Void God Realm!?" Aren muttered excitedly to himself as he followed behind Jiu Shen with glittering eyes. He praised himself for being smart or he would have wasted an opportunity to serve this strong human.


    Just as he was thinking about the future of his tribe, Aren suddenly heard Jiu Shen''s calm voice.


    "We''re here. Let''s go down. As for your tribe, just let them rest outside that building." Jiu Shen said as he pointed at the lotus building below them.


    Aren''s sight followed where Jiu Shen was pointing and his jaws almost dropped when he saw the huge and captivating azure lotus. It was like an eye candy among the pile of rubbish that this city was. It was truly beautiful!


    "What b-building?" Aren dumbly asked as he stared at the lotus building with a shocked look.


    Jiu Shen smirked when he saw his dumbfounded expression. He then slowly descended towards the lotus building with his hands behind his back.


    When Aren saw Jiu Shen''s descent, he immediatelymanded his tribe to go rest near the lotus building. He then speedily followed Jiu Shen. When they were already in the lotus building''s entrance, Aren''s eyes almost popped out when he noticed that there were dozens or even hundreds of spiritual nts around the lotus building. It was a wonder how such precious spiritual nts were living vibrantly in a demon city.


    "Master, this...this..." Aren poked Jiu Shen with his finger and pointed at the spiritual nts.


    Jiu Shen chuckled and shake his head as he randomly said. "Those are just some ornamental nts I casually nted to make the store look more refreshing. Oh and, don''t let your tribe eat them. I have something more nutritious for savage beasts like them."


    Aren nodded his head woodenly.


    "Master is back! Wee back, master!" A bright and cheerful voice came from inside the store followed by a series of quick footsteps.


    Creek.


    When the intricately beautiful door was partially opened, a charming face popped out carrying a blinding smile that could capture one''s heart.


    "Hello, master! Hehehe." This beautiful girl was the cheeky Xiaoxiao.


    "Wee back, master!" Two more pretty girls came into view and greeted Jiu Shen with worship and respect. Their eyes were shining as they greeted him.


    Just a secondter, a huge and frightening figure walked behind them.


    ''A Demon Lord?!'' Aren nced warily at Burlock. His muscles were tightening as he prepared to strike.


    "Wee back, Wine Master Jiu Shen. It''s good that you''re here. Demon Ancestor Jun and the four Demon Lords came earlier seeking for you." Burlock said with a depressed tone.


    Aren who was preparing to attack calmed himself. It looks like this demon was on their side.


    "I know. Don''t worry about them. They won''t cause trouble here anymore." Jiu Shen said as he patted Burlock''s shoulder.


    Burlock stared suspiciously at Jiu Shen and asked. "What do you mean, Wine Master Jiu?"


    Jiu Shen merely smiled at the curious Burlock as he stepped inside the store.


    "This man here is Aren. He is a newly ascended Nascent God Realm savage beast. He will be working here as a temporary guard, so make sure to treat him well. He also brought with him his Purple Feathered me Eagle tribe. Burlock, you will be responsible for their food." Jiu Shen introduced the man behind him.


    Aren lightly bowed his head. "I will be in your care."


    Of course, he has his reasons for being respectful. Aside from his worship for Jiu Shen, the three girls and the demon were so much stronger than him! Although he wasn''t afraid of them, he didn''t want to offend them since they would be hisrades starting now.


    "Hello, Aren! I''m Xiaoxiao. Don''t worry. I''ll teach you everything you need to know here." Xiaoxiao grinned evilly.


    Seeing her smile, Aren felt a chill running down his spine.


    "Buddy, we wee you here. You can call me Burlock and I''m one of the five Demon Lords of Beltran City, but now I serve Wine Master Jiu Shen. Come, let me tour you around the building." Burlock patted Aren''s shoulder warmly. His warm words were a stark contrast to his demonic visage, making Aren at loss for words.


    "Alright." Aren nodded his head reluctantly.


    Seeing that, Burlock nced at Jiu Shen and waited for his approval.


    Jiu Shen waved his hand and nodded his head. "Go."


    After seeing that the two men were gone. Xiaoxiao, Meimei, and Blue pulled Jiu Shen to a seat and asked him a series of questions about his recent travel.


    Jiu Shen did not want to disappoint the enthusiastic girls, so he answered their questions calmly.


    ***


    "General, we''ve secured the young master!" A dark-skinned single-armed manughed joyfully when he heard the voice in hismunication crystal. Behind this man were a dozen human figures with different degrees of injuries, but despite their sorry figures, relieved smiles can be seen on their faces.


    The one-armed man stared at themunication crystal in his remaining hand and said with fierce resolution. "Leave Beltran City right away! We will buy time for your escape! Treat our family well, brothers!"


    The man behind themunication crystal was stunned when he heard the general''s words, but he still replied as tears trickled down his cheeks. "Yes, general!"


    The general heaved a sigh when heard the reply. He then crushed themunication crystal and nced regretfully at his subordinates. "I''m sorry, brothers, but we must buy time for the young master''s escape." His voice carried a hint of sadness for his men.


    "General, we are more than happy to sacrifice our lives for the young master''s safety!"


    "That''s right! We are prepared for death, general!"


    Looking at the resolute faces of his subordinates, the general felt a pang of pain in his heart. ''I don''t want such loyal men to die under my watch, but how could we live under this circumstance!''


    Just then, he suddenly recalled a mysterious figure. The general''s tired look was invigorated. "Brothers, it looks like we still have a chance to live! Come, follow me to the lotus building!"


    His subordinates were surprised, but they followed the general while looking around their surroundings.

 Chapter 349 - Burlock Scared Silly

    Chapter 349 - Burlock Scared Silly


    "General, I heard that the lotus building is within the territory of Demon Lord Burlock. It would be bad if his men would notice us." One of the general''s men said with a hint of nervousness in his tone. His words made everyone gulp down seriously.


    They knew who Demon Lord Burlock was. He was one of the five Demon Lords of Morlon City and he was also known as a violent individual. It would be unknown what would happen to them if they would be captured by his men.


    The general was also fearful of Demon Lord Burlock, but he did not show it on his face. Besides, the mysterious youth that he encountered gave him a more unfathomable feeling than the Demon Lord. Perhaps he could help them in their predicament since they were all fellow humans. However, he was still unsure of the mysterious man''s background.


    The general knew all of the upper echelon members of the Rebel Army, and that mysterious man was definitely not among them. He was cing his bet on this person despite just meeting him once!


    "Trust me! If there is someone who can save us now, it is only that person! I won''t hide from you guys. I met a mysterious person after ourst meeting. I''m unaware of his background, but he is a human. As for his strength... He is at least a Nascent God Realm expert!" The general''s words made everyone''s eyes sh with hope. With renewed energy, they sped towards the lotus building without care of emptying their true essence!


    Not far away from their location, a group of demons dressed in shining battle armor was carefully following their tracks. They were led by an ox demon. His huge head had a pair of horns that arched towards the sky. His pair of menacing eyes were staring wickedly at the set of disarrayed footprints beneath his huge hooves.


    "Those humans are nearby. They erased their tracks here, but they left in a hurry. I want two of you to check the left and right alleys of this location. The rest of you, follow me!" The ox demonmanded his men with a wicked smile on his horrifying face. He was already thinking of how delicious those humans would be...


    "Yes, sir!"


    Inside the lotus building, Jiu Shen who was about to consume the Fruit of Cultivation suddenly nced in a certain direction and used his spiritual perception. He smiled lightly when he saw a familiar face. "So you have finally decided toe here, but it looks like your situation isn''t good."


    "Xiaoxiao,e here." Jiu Shen nced at Xiaoxiao who was busy talking with Meimei and Blue.


    She skipped towards Jiu Shen when she heard him call for her. "Master, you called me?" She asked with a smile.


    "Hmm. Call Aren and tell him toe here. I will give him his first mission." Jiu Shen said with an expressionless look.


    "Right away, master." Xiaoxiao bowed her head lightly before she went to call Aren. Not longter, Xiaoxiao came back with Aren in tow.


    "Master, Miss Xiaoxiao said that you are looking for me." Aren bowed respectfully at Jiu Shen as he looked at his master with an expectant gaze. He heard from Xiaoxiao that Jiu Shen was looking for him to give his first mission. He was slightly excited about this first mission since this could be his chance to prove his loyalty to Jiu Shen.


    "I want you to protect the group of humans not far from here and bring them safely to me, but you must not show them your true form. You can bring one of your tribesmen, but you must pose as a human." Jiu Shen did not want the general and his men to be scared witless, thus the reason for thismand. Those men might be shocked if a savage beast suddenly shows up in front of them in their wretched state.


    Aren nodded his head seriously after receiving themand. "Yes, master. I won''t let them be harmed."


    "Go." Jiu Shen waved his hand indicating Aren to leave.


    Swoosh!


    Aren''s figure disappeared from the store.


    "Good thing I didn''t eat the Fruit of Cultivation right away. It would be bad if I summon my tribtion lightning within the city. I think I have to breakthrough inside the Spirit World to prevent unnecessary troubles." When a peak stage Nascent God Realm expert attempts to break through, they would summon much fiercer tribtion lightning. Every increase in major realm means that they would encounter stronger tribtion lightning, but after oveing this trial, they would be peak experts!


    "System, open the entrance to the Spirit World." Jiu Shen muttered.


    After those words left his mouth, a huge and mysterious wooden door suddenly appeared inside the store, surprising the threedies and the nearby Burlock. Thetter in particr was scared silly when he saw the sudden emergence of this archaic wooden door. It was the first Burlock sensed this kind of suffocating sacred auraing from a door.


    "That... That... What is that?" He pointed at the huge door with a horrified look.


    The three girls nced at him mockingly and remained silent. They didn''t know about the existence of the system, so they thought that it was the effect of Jiu Shen''s power.


    Under the fearful gaze of Burlock, Jiu Shen pushed the door open and stepped inside the dark void with an expressionless face. The wooden door then slowly closed and disappeared along with Jiu Shen.


    "Advanced spatial ability! Void God Realm! This..." Burlock almost pissed his pants as he muttered. He was aware that only those at the Void God Realm couldmand space element into such a level. He suddenly recalled how he came into the lotus building and openly challenge Jiu Shen. His back was full of sweat and he felt that he was a retard for challenging someone who might be a Void God Realm.


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen is actually a Void God Realm expert...." Burlock slumped into a chair with a listless look.

 Chapter 350 - Aren Arrives

    Chapter 350 - Aren Arrives


    "We are almost there! Just a little bit more, brothers!" The general suddenly said when he noticed that his men were close to giving up. They have been fighting nonstop earlier to save the young lord of the Rebel Army which consumed too much of their true essence. Some of them even had serious wounds, making their escape slower.


    "General, don''t worry about us. We will buy time for your escape." One of his men stopped in his tracks. His words made a few others halt.


    Looking at them, the general was touched but he was also furious. He pointed his remaining arm at the man and shouted. "I don''t want to see more of you die in front of me, but if we have to die, then we must die together! Do you think I fear death, you assholes?!"


    "G-General..."


    "Enough nonsense. They are here!" The general''s eyes turned grim as he muttered those words. His subordinates followed his line of sight and saw dozens of demons looking at them with menacing gazes.


    "What a touching scene! You humans are truly a bunch of weirdos. Hahaha!" The ox demon leading the demon soldiersughed maniacally as he nced at the pitiful humans in disdain. The other demonsughed along with their leader as they stared mockingly at the general and his men.


    The jeeringughter of the demons made the weakened humans tremble in dread. Even the fearless general felt that there was no longer any hope for them.


    The general gritted his teeth and pulled out his sword using his remaining hand as he shouted in a hoarse voice. "Brothers, I hope we will meet again in the next life!"


    The general raised his sword and pointed it towards the ox demon. "Die!"


    With a quick leap, the general pounced towards the ox demon and swung his sword with all his might. Thick amounts of true essence enveloped his sword. Even a peak stage 9th-rank Saint would receive a fatal wound if directly hit by this.


    The ox demon''s eyes narrowed into slits and he immediately lifted his ax to defend against the quick sh.


    ng!


    ''Shit! He blocked it! This guy is bad news!'' The general backed away after his attack failed.


    The ox demon stared at his ax and saw a small nick where the general''s sword had hit. He then red at the general and ordered his men. "Kill them all!"


    "Kill!"


    "Die, humans!"


    "Brothers, gather behind me!" The generalmanded with a grim look.


    "Yes, sir!" His subordinates immediately stood behind him. With their current state, all they can do is passively defend. Not to mention that they were severely outnumbered.


    Just then, the two sides suddenly heard a loud bird cry above them.


    Screech!


    Everyone looked up and saw a massive Purple Feathered me Eagle. A man with purple hair can be seen standing on top of the eagle. His eyes were sharp like an unsheathed sword as he gazed at them.


    "Nascent God Realm expert?! A Nascent God Realm human?!" The ox demon cried out in surprise when he sensed the other party''s power. He felt that everything might not go ording to his ns when he saw this individual.


    The demons and the humans were surprised when they heard the ox demon''s words.


    "We''re saved! Someone came to help us!" The general''s subordinates felt emotional. Some of them even broke into tears.


    The general furrowed his eyebrows as he stared at the person. This wasn''t the man he saw that day, so who was he? And what were his intentions in interfering with their battle? The general was confused but he still felt thankful for this guy since his arrival saved him and his men.


    "Who are you, sir! Identify yourself! This ce is under the jurisdiction of Demon Lord Burlock! We are subordinates of Demon Lord Zorzoch tasked to capture these criminals! Stay out of this!" The ox demon mentioned two Demon Lords to test out the man.


    "Oh, you mean Burlock? I just met him a while ago. As for this Zorzoch guy that you mentioned, who is he?" Arenmanded the Purple Feathered me Eagle to descend as nced contemptuously at the ox demon. Did he really think that a mere Demon Lord would scare him now that he had ascended to the Nascent God Realm? Besides, his master was even able to subdue a Demon Lord like Burlock, so what is there to be afraid of?


    Hearing the mocking tone of Aren as he mentioned their leader, the ox demon felt his anger rising. "Demon Lord Zorzoch is one of the five Demon Lords of Morlon City. He is under themand of Demon Ancestor Jun. Are you sure that you want to go against us?!"


    "Demon Ancestor Jun? Hahaha! He could not even do anything against my master. Listen carefully, demon. Scram the fuck out of my sights! These guys are under my protection!" Aren jumped down from the Purple Feathered me Eagle with an air of confidence. He ignored the demons who were looking at him threateningly and shifted his gaze to the general and his men.


    "Don''t worry. Someone told me to protect you guys. With me here, no one can harm you." His reassuring words made them breathe a sigh of relief.


    "Thank you, sir." The general said gratefully as he stared at Aren.


    "You don''t have to thank me. I''m merely following hismand." Aren replied indifferently.


    "Hismand?" The general thought of a person and he felt that it might be him. To think that the person he met at that time could actuallymand a Nascent God Realm expert to save them! Just who was he?


    "Save the chitchatter. Let me take care of these guys first." Aren smiled coldly as he nced at the demons. This was his first mission. He wants toplete it perfectly!


    The general nodded his head and told his men to stand back.. They would only hold back this man if they remain, so he could only order them to move away.

 Chapter 351 - Strange Scene

    Chapter 351 - Strange Scene


    "Are you sure about this?" The ox demon discarded the honorifics as he asked through gritted teeth. No matter how strong he was among the 9th-rank Saints. He was just like a bug in the eyes of a Nascent God Realm expert! He was unable to do anything but swallow this shame.


    Aren smiled coldly in response as he pointed at the ox demon. "You don''t know what kind of person you are messing with, but on ount of Demon Lord Zorzoch, I''ll give you onest chance to scram!"


    The ox demon''s face fell at the clear disregard of Aren. The man wasn''t even cing him in his sights! He gnashed his teeth in anger and red at the humans behind Aren as he spoke. "You won''t be lucky next time."


    After saying those words, he then turn around and said to his subordinates. "Let''s go. We will report this to Demon Lord Zorzoch!"


    Looking at their retreating figures, Aren chuckled in contempt. He then shifted his attention to the weary humans. This time, he was finally able to see their wretched state.


    The general and his subordinates were in awe at how easily Aren managed to make the demons retreat. The man did not even need to attack to make them leave and he just told them to scram! Such a domineering individual was really admirable!


    "Thank you for saving our worthless lives, sir." The general was beyond grateful.


    "Thank you very much, sir!" The human soldiers thanked Aren solemnly.


    Aren waved his hand and replied indifferently. "As I said, I am just following someone''s orders. He wants me to save you guys and that means your lives aren''t worthless. Never say such things again."


    The general and his men felt emotional upon hearing his words.


    "You guys are severely injured. Drink this medicine first before I bring you to the lotus building." Aren muttered as he handed them a piece of expensive medicinal herbs each.


    Looking at the herbs in their hands, they were all surprised, but they still decided to ept the offer without saying anything else. After consuming the herbs, they felt slightly better.


    "Since you look much better now, follow me to the lotus building." Aren muttered them before he whistled as if he was summoning something. Not longter, nine Purple Feathered me Eagles descended from the skies and stood before the stunned human soldiers.


    "This... 8th-rank Divine realm aerial savage beasts!" They cried out in shock as they stared at the eagles with shining gazes.


    Looking at their stunned faces, Aren smiled and gestured for them to ride on top of the eagles. "Let''s go."


    The general and his subordinates excitedly leaped on the backs of the eagles. At this moment, they had already forgotten their injured state. No one could me them since riding a strong aerial savage beast was only the luxury of the top experts. Individuals like them could only dream about owning aerial savage beasts of such quality, but now, they were about to experience it themselves, so how could they not be excited?


    When he saw that everyone had gotten on top of the eagles, Arenmanded the savage beasts to go back to the lotus building.


    Not far from them, the ox demon and the demon soldiers turned around and saw the Purple Feathered me Eagles. The ox demon in particr clenched his fists in anger when he saw this. "Ignore them. Once we report this to the Demon Lord. We will ask him to destroy that bastard. Let''s see if he could still act arrogantly! Hmph!"


    ***


    Jiu Shen was now on an isted ind within the Spirit World. After noticing that no creatures were living on the ind, Jiu Shen took out the petal of Divine Ascension Flower. This item could help him break through to the Origin God Realm! He might even leap straight to the mid stage of the Origin God Realm!


    After looking at it for a second, Jiu Shen lifted the petal to his mouth. The petal had a unique taste, unlike any other spiritual fruits he had consumed. It melted on his tongue and enveloped his mouth with an icy cold sensation. He felt his body jolt at the sudden coldness, but it gradually transformed into a feeling of warmth as the energy of the petal went down his dantian.


    Om!


    Suddenly, a small rift appeared in the firmament as if something was tearing the space open.


    Jiu Shen lifted his head and stared at the dark and gloomy space behind the rift.


    "It''s here. I wee your return, God Exterminating Divine Eye." Jiu Shen muttered with a calm look.


    His aura which was hidden earlier was now in full disy!


    Peak stage Nascent God Realm!


    Om!!


    Dozens of dark tentacles suddenly forcefully tore the rift open, showing a horrifyingly huge eye. Serpent-like bolts of lightning danced around this terrifyingly huge eye, creating a thunderous noise that reverberated within the whole Spirit World.


    Jiu Shen could feel the earth beneath him tremble as if it was afraid of the entity above the gloomy skies. Even Jiu Shen who had already faced the power of the God Exterminating Divine Eye became wary when he sensed that this thing had be way stronger than back then.


    With a straight unbending figure, Jiu Shen slowly flew towards the God Exterminating Divine Eye. His golden eyes were still as calm as ever while the small ind beneath him was being struck by hundreds of bloody lightning bolts.


    "Come!" Jiu Shen opened his arms wide as if inviting the God Exterminating Divine Eye to strike him. This act of provocation enraged the divine entity, but just as it was about tomand its lightning to strike Jiu Shen, it suddenly narrowed its iparably huge bloody eyeball. Even Jiu Shen was slightly surprised by this sudden scene.


    "Why is it hesitating?" Jiu Shen muttered to himself.


    Just then, he felt his dantian churning like a volcano that was about to explode and a small incorporeal petal suddenly appeared in front of Jiu Shen. It slowly grew in size and turned into a breathtakingly beautiful golden-white flower.


    "Divine Ascension Flower?" Jiu Shen muttered in shock when he identified the flower.

 Chapter 352 - Consecutive Breakthrough

    Chapter 352 - Consecutive Breakthrough


    The incorporeal golden-white flower was in full bloom, giving off a sacred and righteous aura. It wasn''t that huge and was just like a speck of dustpared to the humongous God Exterminating Divine Eye. However, the said divine entity was now looking at the tiny incorporeal flower with a confused look.


    "What''s happening? Why did this guy suddenly stop?" Jiu Shen watched the scene with interest. He knew that the Divine Ascension Flower was an extinct celestial nt, but he had no idea about the extent of its power.


    Suddenly, the huge bloody eyeball blinked a few times and disyed a look of dread. Bloodied veins popped out around the pupil, making it look even more horrifying.


    Jiu Shen who was looking curiously at the divine entity could see it trembling in dread. "So even such an entity is scared of the Divine Ascension Flower..."


    After a moment, the God Exterminating Divine Eye shifted its gaze towards Jiu Shen. It revealed a look of hesitation as if contemting something. Not longter, the divine entity went back inside the rift in space and disappeared along with the bolts of lightning. The Spirit World regained its calmness after the huge eyeball was gone and only the incorporeal golden-white flower was left hovering in midair.


    Jiu Shen saw the flower move towards him. He did not evade the flower since he sensed no malice from it. It then went inside his dantian and exploded into tiny bits of divine light.


    "What pure energy!" Jiu Shen hurriedly absorbed the energy left behind by the flower and refined it in his dantian.


    Early stage Origin God Realm!


    Mid stage Origin God Realm!


    Jiu Shen was shocked at his sudden breakthrough. He did not even have to face his tribtion lightning and just broke through without even breaking a sweat! Such a thing was unheard of even in the Primordial God Realm!


    It wasmon knowledge that one would have to face their tribtion lightning to breakthrough to the next major realm. However, Jiu Shen broke through just like that!


    "It was just one petal. What would happen if I consume the whole flower?" Jiu Shen muttered to himself.


    After that shocking moment, Jiu Shen took out the two Fruits of Cultivation and popped them into his mouth.


    Crunch. Crunch.


    Late stage Origin God Realm!


    Peak stage Origin God Realm!


    "I never thought that cultivating could be this easy." Jiu Shen shook his head with a wry smile. He clenched his fists and felt the huge increase in his power. At this moment, he was confident that he could squash the so-called ''His Majesty'' with just one finger!


    "Time to go back. By now, Aren should have brought those humans to the store..." Jiu Shen muttered as hemunicated with the system.


    "System, summon the entrance."


    A door appeared and Jiu Shen pushed it open.


    ***


    The general and his men were gobsmacked as they stared at the valuable spiritual nts outside the lotus building. They could sense the abundant true essence exuding from the spiritual nts. This alone was enough to tell them that these spiritual nts were precious.


    "General, look! That is a Nascent-rank spiritual nt, the Dark Begonia Wyvern Flower! Consuming that rare herb would make a 9th-rank Saint increase his chance of breaking through to the Nascent God Realm by seventy-five percent! And look at that carnivorous spiritual nt right there! That is a Malignant ded Cactus! That thing is also a Nascent-rank spiritual nt! But how could such precious spiritual nts grow this abundantly in the soil of Morlon City? Even a wild grass could not survive the harsh environment of this ce..." A soldier adjusted the rim of his broken sses as he pointed at the spiritual nts with an incredulous look on his face.


    "You think I can''t identify the value of these spiritual nts? Shut up and don''t make me lose face!" The general felt slightly embarrassed when he saw how his subordinates were acting, but he could not me them since even he was tempted to take a stalk or two among those rare herbs!


    Aren chuckled in his heart when he saw this scene, but he maintained a calm expression as he led them inside the lotus building.


    When Aren pushed the door open, the human soldiers saw three country-toppling beauties dressed in beautiful dresses of different colors. Thedies were sizing them up curiously as they entered the lotus building. The battle-hardened soldiers could not help but feel their hearts beating wildly when they felt the scrutinizing gazes of the threedies.


    Just then, a deep and horrifying voice suddenly sounded behind them. The general and his men turned their gazes and saw a huge bulky demon wearing a butler''s uniform. And when they identified the demon, their expressions turned into dread as they eximed. "Demon Lord Burlock!"


    The general was gripped with fear as he stared at the hulking demon. He put his remaining hand on the hilt of his sword, but before he could pull his weapon, he felt a soft pat on his shoulder.


    "Take it easy. Burlock is one of us." The general turned his head and saw Aren''s reassuring smile. He removed his hand from his weapon, but he was still looking at Burlock with a wary expression.


    Looking at the scared humans, Burlock raised his hands innocently and said crooked smile. "Don''t worry, I''ve already sworn allegiance to Wine Master Jiu Shen. At this moment, that old Demon Ancestor Jun might already be thinking of ways on how to dispose of me."


    "I apologize for our disrespectful actions, Demon Lord Burlock. We''ve been fighting with Demon Lord Zorzoch''s men, so we are kind of anxious at the moment." The general bowed his head apologetically.


    Burlock shook his head and walked away. "I just hope that His Majesty won''te here soon..."


    "Let''s wait for my master. He will make arrangements for you guys once he arrives.." Aren said to them before he went back to guard the entrance of the lotus building.

 Chapter 353 - Passing Out From Shock

    Chapter 353 - Passing Out From Shock


    The general saw that his subordinates were slightly nervous. However, he could not me them since one of the five Demon Lords of Morlon City was here. Not to mention that even he was feeling slightly anxious as to what was going to happen next. After all, he has yet to know if the one he met was the same person who ordered Aren to save them.


    Looking at his anxious subordinates, the general put on a calm look as hemanded them. "Brothers, let''s take a seat first while we wait for that person. Although we have yet to meet him, he shouldn''t be a bad person since he was the one who ordered that sir over there to save us." The general said as he nced at Aren.


    His men felt much better upon hearing their leader, but they could still not fully remove the anxiety in their hearts.


    The soldier wearing sses suddenly said. "Sir, I noticed that even the threedies we met earlier were all Nascent God Realm experts. Inside this lotus building are five Nascent God Realm experts, including the man who saved us and Demon Lord Burlock. The person who couldmand them..." When his words reached that point, a line of sweat trickled down his forehead.


    His words made everyone silent. Even the general who was putting up a calm look felt his lips tremble as he tried to say something. In the end, he slumped to his chair with a heavy sigh.


    Just then, a wooden door with an intense divine aura suddenly emerged within the store, stunning the human soldiers. Their eyes widened in shock as they watch the door slowly open to reveal a young man with long silver hair tied in a ponytail. The young man had an indifferent expression on his face even after seeing the general and his group.


    The general became even more astonished when he realized that this young man was the same person he had met before. Beside him, the soldier wearing broken spectacles shriek. "High-level space maniption! V-Void G-God Realm!"


    The bespectacled man''s eyes widened to an unnatural degree before he passed out from shock. However, no one came to help him since his words made his buddies tremble from head to foot.


    Aren was also surprised by this since he wasn''t here earlier when Jiu Shen revealed the celestial door. After regaining hisposure, he quickly greeted Jiu Shen with more respect and awe. "Master, I havepleted the task you gave me."


    Jiu Shen calmly nodded his head at him. He then shifted his gaze to the general and the others, but before he spoke to them, he lifted his hand and flicked a globule of light towards the unconscious bespectacled man.


    The moment the small ball of white light touched the man''s forehead, his body shook as he abruptly stood up. He still had a dazed look on his face as he held his head. When he recovered, the man stared at Jiu Shen in horror.


    After seeing that he was fine, Jiu Shen finally nced at the general. He saw that one of thetter''s arms was amputated. He dished out a pill from his space earring and tossed it towards the general as he said. "Drink it. As for your subordinates, they can pick a few healing herbs outside the store."


    The general stared at the pill in his hand. It looked like a typical pill, but he could sense a strong amount of life force as he held it. Without hesitation, the general quickly popped the pill into his mouth and sat cross-legged.


    Aren who was looking at the scene frowned when he saw how impatient the man was, but when he noticed that Jiu Shen was silent, he chose to stand aside.


    The general felt a warm current exploding within his body after he consumed the pill that Jiu Shen had given him. ''It must be a precious pill.'' He thought to himself.


    Suddenly, he felt his armless shoulder was beginning to feel itchy. He opened his eyes and saw something incredible. In the ce where his arm was cut off, tissues, muscles, and bones regenerated at a discernible speed.


    "This... I actually ate such a priceless pill!" He eximed. After less than a few minutes, a brand new arm was attached to his shoulder!


    The general felt his stomach churn as he spat a mouthful of ck liquid, but before it could even touch the floor, an invisible force evaporated it.


    The general''s subordinates were tongue-tied after witnessing the scene. They had never heard of a pill capable of regrowing broken limbs, but this young man actually toss it to their leader as if it was nothing worthy in his eyes!


    Ignoring their horrified and reverential expressions, Jiu Shen took a seat and muttered calmly. "We meet again kid. It looks like you encountered a terrible situation earlier."


    The general sighed when he heard Jiu Shen''s words. "Without your help, my men and I would have died at the hands of those demons. I can''t thank you enough, esteemed sir."


    "It''s nothing. Honestly, I thought that there were no humans here in the Crimson Fiend Continent, but then I saw you guys." Jiu Shen took out a bottle of Deep Sea Spring Dew from his space earring and chugged it down.


    "Esteemed sir, if you don''t mind me asking, are you from the Profound Dragon Continent?" The general asked curiously.


    "That''s right. I came from the Profound Dragon Continent. I became bored after ying around there, so I decided to open a store here." Jiu Shen replied carelessly.


    The general and his men were speechless at his reply. Even Aren who was listening at the sidelines almost stumbled when he heard his master''s words. ''So the master came from a different continent...''


    "We can chatter. For now, bring your men outside and let them pick a few herbs to help them heal their wounds." Jiu Shen waved his hand indifferently.


    Hearing that, the general bowed his head politely and walked outside with his men.


    Before they stepped outside, they heard Aren''s cold words. "Remember, just take what you need or else...."

 Chapter 354 - Important News

    Chapter 354 - Important News


    "General Armand, t-that man is capable of manipting space to a high degree! Only experts at the level of Void God Realm are capable of doing that! I learned this from a fragmented copy of an ancient book. ording to that book, when one reaches the Void God Realm, they can tear through space and travel to anywhere in the world in mere seconds! I can''t believe that there is actually a human at that level!" The bespectacled soldier adjusted his broken sses as he whispered to the general.


    The general''s name was Armand and he was an expert at the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint. He was just a step away from breaking through the Nascent God Realm. However, only he knew how difficult and long this step would take him. It wasn''t even guaranteed that he could reach the next realm without any problem.


    When General Armand heard his subordinate''s words, he was also shocked. He thought that the humans would never be able to reach that kind of prowess if they would continue to live under the shadow of the Demons, but when they saw Jiu Shen''s small disy of power, he felt as if he was a frog at the bottom of a well.


    "I saw that man before. He visited me back then, but I was unaware of his intentions. If I knew that he would have this kind of cultivation, I would have begged him earlier to help us rescue the young master. Luckily, we were still able to save the young master, but we lost more than half of our brothers in this stronghold to seed." General Armand felt remorseful when he recalled the death of his subordinates. He med himself for not trying to ask the help of Jiu Shen because of his suspicions.


    The bespectacled soldier patted General Armand''s shoulder and said. "General, with the young master''s talent, he will be a great expert in ten years or so. By that time, we will avenge our brothers!" There was a violent gleam in his eyes as he said those words. He also hated the demons for killing so many of their friends.


    Genera Armand exhaled deeply and nodded his head. "You''re right. I believe that the young master will help us avenge our brothers! We''ve been fighting with the demons for many years, ten years isn''t a long wait for me... For now, let''s see what kind of spiritual herbs we can find here..."


    Hearing his words, everyone eagerly stared at the cacophony of precious herbs outside the lotus building. The air around this small herb garden was vibrant and soothing. They could even feel their dantian churning in anticipation after inhaling the fresh air around the herb garden.


    "General, this herb... I think this is a Nascent-rank Silver Star Fruit. Consuming this fruit would help someone with low cultivation increase their talent. Furthermore, it has no negative side effects and it can even increase one''s cultivation by one major realm! Do you think we could give this to the young master?" The bespectacled man eyed a star-shaped silver fruit. It was exuding a dense amount of spiritual essence.


    General Armand was slightly tempted upon hearing the man, but when he recalled Aren''s cold words earlier, he immediately dispelled all thoughts of taking the fruit.


    "Are you tired of living?! Didn''t you hear what that lord told us before we came here?" He scolded the man harshly.


    The bespectacled man was embarrassed, but he knew that he could not do anything about his wishful thinking. Who wants to provoke the owner of this lotus building? Not to mention that all his subordinates were at least of the Nascent God Realm! He could even hear the cries of the Purple Feathered me Eagles nearby. If they really try to steal this fruit, they might be fed to those eagles. Thinking about that, the bespectacled man shuddered in fear.


    "We are taking this stalk of Blood Lingzhi. With its size, it should be enough for our brothers to heal their wounds. In fact, only half of it would be enough topletely heal them. I wonder if we can take this..." General Armand was slightly ashamed of his own thoughts. He was actually thinking of taking a small bit of profit from the man who had saved their lives. However, he could not really help it since this Blood Lingzhi was important to him and his men.


    Just as he was hesitating whether to take this spiritual herb, he suddenly heard a calm voice from within the store. "Take the Blood Lingzhi and one Silver Star Fruit."


    The eyes of General Armand and the soldiers lit up when they heard the voice. They knew that it was the mysterious expert at the ''Void God Realm''.


    After getting Jiu Shen''s approval, General Armand immediatelymanded his subordinates to take the spiritual herbs. Excitement could be seen on their faces as they carefully plucked the herbs.


    Inside the store, Jiu Shen chuckled when he saw the soldiers distributing the Blood Lingzhi with wide smiles on their faces.


    ***


    One weekter.


    "Your Majesty, Demon Ancestor Jun hase with important intel." A bulky demon wearing ck heavy armor bowed deeply at the robed individual sitting on the throne. He dared not even look at thetter''s figure as he kept his head down.


    The figure sitting on the throne replied with an eerily high-pitch voice. "Let him in."


    The bulky demon soldier felt all the hairs on his body stand up when he heard the man''s voice, but he still stood up and acknowledged themand. "Yes, Your Majesty!"


    The demon soldier pushed the huge double doors of the throne room. An old demon with a wrinkled face can be seen just outside the throne room. He nodded at the demon soldier and stepped foot inside the throne room.


    "Your Majesty, your subordinate is here to deliver important information...." The old demon kneeled on one knee as he uttered those words.

 Chapter 355 - Missing Ice

    Chapter 355 - Missing Ice


    The dark robe of the individual fluttered as he shifted his gaze to the old demon. His exposed pair of demonic eyes stared deeply at Demon Ancestor Jun, causing the old man to break out in cold sweat.


    This man was the supreme leader of the Demon Tribe, Demon Emperor Balmond. Just his chilling gaze alone was more than enough to scare everyone, friend or foe!


    "Oh? You know that my time is precious Jun, so make sure that this important information you''re talking about is worth my time..." Demon Emperor Balmond''s icy blue eyes shed with a cold glint as he uttered those words.


    Demon Ancestor Jun hastily wiped the sweat forming on his forehead as he replied in a hoarse voice. "I wouldn''t dare waste your time, Your Majesty. I came here to inform you about a certain individual that suddenly came to Morlon City. This person set up a mysterious lotus building in the very heart of Morlon City. When I visited the store, I discovered that this guy is selling wines with peculiar effects. The one I drank is called the Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit and it is capable of helping anyone achieve Weapon Intent!"


    Demon Emperor Balmond''s interest was piqued when he heard the old demon''s words. A wine capable of helping anyone achieve Weapon Intent? If it was true, it would be a great resource to strengthen his Demon Army.


    As the Demon Emperor was fantasizing about the wine, Demon Ancestor Jun continued.


    "However, the reason for my visit isn''t the wine he sells, but the man himself! I met him once at the gates of Morlon City. He had this ethereal air around him that makes him look mysteriously profound. I also tried to expose him by releasing my aura, but, I was the one who lost during that exchange..." Demon Ancestor Jun shook his head in shame as he recalled that scene.


    "You lost? How strong is that man?" Demon Emperor Balmond asked with a hint of surprise. Although Demon Ancestor Jun was already old, this guy was still among the strongest Demon Ancestors under hismand! Anyone who could overpower him was definitely not a normal person.


    "His strength? How should I say this... I wasn''t able to decipher his power even after our exchange, but I am certain that this guy isn''t any weaker than you, Your Majesty..." The old demon answered carefully.


    "Insolence! How dare youpare His Majesty to someone! Jun, you old fart, are you freaking tired of living?!" The bulky soldier standing beneath the throne threw a sharp stare at Demon Ancestor Jun. In his eyes, no one was a match to the Demon Emperor, so he was angered by the old demon''s words.


    "Hanzo, shut up." Demon Emperor Balmond nced calmly at the bulky soldier before he shifted his gaze back to the old demon.


    "You mean that the man you mentioned might be as strong as me? Is this what you''re trying to say, Jun?" Demon Emperor Balmond felt curious about this man. He had the urge to meet him in person, but he still has important matters to take care of.


    Demon Ancestor Jun nodded his head solemnly. "Your Majesty, this man is capable of brewing such precious wines and even the lotus building he created is beyond mysterious. He nted dozens of rare spiritual herbs outside this lotus building, but as you know, the soil of Morlon City isn''t good for these types of precious spiritual nts. Furthermore, his subordinates aren''t weak either..."


    Demon Emperor Balmond became silent when he heard that. ''A man who might be a Void God Realm expert like me... Has strong subordinates and is capable of brewing precious wines... Too bad I can''t meet you yet...''


    After a brief moment of silence, the Demon Emperor nced at the bulky demon soldier named Hanzo. "Hanzo, the crown prince will be back from his trip to the Profound Dragon Continent. Make sure that he wille back to this castle within a month. As for you, Jun, since this man doesn''t appear to be hostile, don''t provoke him carelessly. Maintain good rtionships with him and make sure that your subordinates would not spoil things before I go there."


    "Yes, Your Majesty!" The two demons replied respectfully.


    "All right. Leave now."


    Hanzo and Demon Ancestor Jun bowed deeply at the Demon Emperor before they left the throne room. When the two men left, Demon Emperor Balmond who was seated on the throne stared in the direction of Morlon City with interest.


    "We will meet soon..." He smiled mysteriously before he disappeared from the throne room.


    ***


    "General Armand, we''ve fully recovered!" A soldier eximed excitedly as he checked his arms. There were no longer any wounds and even his internal injuries were healed.


    The bespectacled soldier adjusted his sses and said. "The Blood Lingzhi is a Nascent-rank spiritual herb capable of healing even the most extreme internal wounds. I thought the effects of this herb were exaggerated. Only now I learned how true it was..."


    The general nodded his head at those words. He was also surprised at how fast his men were able to recover after eating the Blood Lingzhi. Not to mention that they only consumed half of the whole herb. Of course, he had long since kept the other half in his space ring. It would be handy in the days toe...


    "Since all of you have recovered, let''s go back inside the store and give thanks to the esteemed sir. Without his help, we would have died in the streets of Morlon City..." General Armand said as he walked inside the lotus building. His subordinates trailed behind him with anticipation.


    When they went inside the building, they saw Jiu Shen sitting calmly on a chair. He was chugging a bottle of wine with a thoughtful look on his face. It was unknown what this man was thinking.


    ''To think that I would miss that little tiger....'' Jiu Shen muttered in his heart as he thought of Ice.

 Chapter 356 - Amon

    Chapter 356 - Amon


    Profound Dragon Continent, Heavenly Sword Tower.


    The Crimson Sun Sect was no more. Jimen Kanding, the sect''s leader was killed by Ren Shuang in a single strike. All those loyal to him were also killed by the Blood Sword Division led by Yang Zenke. As for the sect''s grand elder, he was spared by the Heavenly Sword Tower and is locked up in prison. The old man didn''t even fight back when the Heavenly Sword Tower''s people came to attack them. It was as if he had lost his spirit at that time.


    It has been a few weeks since the destruction of the Crimson Sun Sect. The Heavenly Sword Tower was bing more and more famous as time went by. Many talented young experts came to ask when will be the next recruitment date of the sword tower. However, the tower remained silent about all these questions.


    A small little girl with long white hair was sitting on the balcony on the topmost floor of the sword tower. Her short chubby legs were swinging to and fro as she was in deep thought. A look of longing can be seen on her angelic face as she stared at the horizon.


    "Stinky human, why did you not bring me to wherever you are right now..." She almost broke into tears as she muttered silently.


    Just then, she felt a pair of arms wrapping around her waist. She turned her head and saw the dragon girl, Long Meili.


    "Do you miss him?" Long Meili asked as she gently rubbed Ice''s head.


    The little girl pursed her lips as she shook her head. "No."


    Hearing her answer, Long Meili smiled and patted her head affectionately. She had be much closer to this little girl during the past few weeks and she treats her like a little sister.


    "I miss him too, but I know he wille back soon." Long Meili muttered in a hopeful tone.


    "Really?" Ice nced at her with wide eyes.


    Long Meili nodded her head with a smile. "Of course. He has so many reasons toe back. As for when, I feel that he wille here soon."


    "Okay. Meow..."


    Not far from the sword tower, entrance of The Immortal''s Wine Store.


    A woman with long blonde hair was also staring at the skies with an unreadable expression on her face.


    "I finally remember... The man who had the most hope to be the fourth Celestial Emperor...Recognized as the fourth strongest in the whole multiverse... Are you the same person I know... Jiu Shen?"


    Theia''s cold expressionless face turned gentle when she mentioned the name. Millions of years of longing... Even until now, her heart beats the same...


    Suddenly, a loud shout reverberated within Beltran City.


    "The Crown Prince, Prince Reinhardt, and the Third Prince, Prince Erevard were killed! Their bodies were found rotting in a deserted mansion at the outskirts of the city!"


    Theia who was absorbed in her thoughts recovered from her stupor and red at the owner of the voice.


    Hmph!


    ***


    Another weekter, Crimson Fiend Continent, Morlon City.


    "Your Highness Amon, this city is currently under the jurisdiction of Demon Ancestor Jun. It is best not to provoke that old man at this moment. He has been in the worst of mood during the past few days, so we should not cause trouble here in his territory." Hanzo said to the youth walking beside him. What was surprising was this youth was actually a human! He was wearing a royalty''s robe and a jade ne can be seen hanging on his neck.


    If Jiu Shen was here, he would surely recognize this person. Because this person was none other than the second prince of the Silver Wing Empire, Prince Arn! His real name is Amon and he is a prince of the Great Demon Empire!


    He traveled back to the Crimson Fiend Continent using an ancient teleportation array formation. He failed his mission because of the establishment of the Heavenly Sword Tower. With their presence, he could not casually do his ns, but before he left, he killed the crown prince and the third prince. He also wanted to kill the fourth prince and the fifth princess, but they were always inside the Heavenly Sword Tower, so he could only return with a bleak face.


    "Jun that old bastard? Hmph! That old fool wouldn''t dare go against me!" Amon harrumphed coldly in disdain. His n to take over the Silver Wing Empire was foiled, so he was also not in the best mood.


    "Your Highness, the situation this time is different. There is a mysterious individual that suddenly came here to Morlon City. He created a lotus building and is currently selling wines of high quality. ording to the old demon himself, this man might be a Void God Realm just like your father, His Majesty the emperor." Hanzo exined carefully. Although he did not like Demon Ancestor Jun, he still believed in the authenticity of the information provided by the old demon.


    "A mysterious person selling high-quality wine? Might be a Void God Realm expert just like father?" Amon suddenly thought of Jiu Shen who always had an expressionless face. This guy was beyond mysterious and he also sells wine of high quality. Is it just a coincidence or...


    Amon''s face twitched when he recalled Jiu Shen''s face. That man never once showed respect to him even with his identity as the second prince of the Silver Wing Empire. He was even humiliated by the Little Princess Sylvia inside the man''s store.


    "Let''s go visit this lotus building. I want to see this person myself!" Amon gnashed his teeth as he muttered coldly.


    Hanzo''s face fell when he heard the prince''s words, but he could only nod his head when he saw thetter''s dark expression.


    "Yes, Your Highness." Hanzo answered helplessly. He then led Amon and his subordinates to the lotus building. He felt nervous as he led the prince to their destination.. Although he has yet to see the mysterious owner of the store, he felt that Demon Ancestor Jun might not be exaggerating at that time.

 Chapter 357 - Meeting Jiu Shen Again

    Chapter 357 - Meeting Jiu Shen Again


    "Your Highness, I think it would be better if you change into your true form. If I wasn''t around, those demons might have already pounced on you..." Hanzo whispered to Amon as he red at the demons who were looking at them with intense gazes.


    "Hmph! Even without you around, I can destroy those idiots!" Amon muttered with irritation, but he still changed into his true form. His original body was a tall and lean demon with well-chiseled muscles. His body was purple in color and his eyes were ck as obsidian.


    "Purple skin and obsidian eyes! That''s the symbol of the imperial family! Who is that guy?!"


    "A member of the imperial family is actually here! What on earth is happening? Is he also here to visit that famous lotus building?"


    During thest two weeks, Jiu Shen''s lotus building had be increasingly popr as more and more demons came to visit. Aside from the precious wines sold in the store, there was also another reason for the recent spike in its poprity. And that is the presence of the herb garden outside the store!


    Dozens of precious herbs were nted in the herb garden, making the air around the lotus building the most refreshing within the entirety of Morlon City. And because of the rarity of these spiritual herbs, it attracted the avaricious hearts of many. However, the overseer of Morlon City suddenly issued a direct order to everyone living in the city.


    The old demon said at that time: "No one is allowed to steal herbs from this store. Whoever is seen stealing, they would be publicly executed on the spot!"


    Demon Ancestor Jun''s order was like a bucket of cold water to these greedy individuals. However, they could only curse the old demon in their hearts since no one was brave enough to go against him.


    Hearing the fearful and respectful voices of the demons, Amon snorted contemptuously at them.


    "Do you know who the owner of this store is?" Amon asked Hanzo who was trailing behind him.


    Hanzo thought for a moment before he answered. "I haven''t seen the man personally, but I heard my subordinates call him Wine Master Jiu Shen..."


    When Hanzo uttered the name, Amon stopped in his tracks and turned his gaze at the former.


    "What did you say his name is?" Amon asked with a much louder volume.


    "Jiu Shen. They call him Wine Master Jiu Shen. Your Highness, do you perhaps know this guy?" Hanzo inquired curiously. He knew that the prince brought with him his subordinates to the Profound Dragon Continent to wreak havoc in order to prove himself as the rightful sessor of Demon Emperor Balmond. However, the prince came back with disastrous losses. Many of his subordinates died and even he was almost captured by the besieging enemy forces.


    "Jiu Shen... So it''s really him! How could I forget that name?! That man himself was the main reason for my failure! If he wasn''t in the Silver Wing Empire, I could have conquered it with my army!" Amon gnashed his teeth in anger. How could he forget the bastard who had unintentionally spoiled all his ns?


    Hanzo''s face fell when he saw Amon''s expression. It seems like this Jiu Shen was someone from the Profound Dragon Continent.


    ''The two of them must''ve met at that ce and this Jiu Shen guy somehow foiled His Highness'' ns. Oh no! If His Highness goes to the lotus building... No! I should not bring him there. His Majesty the emperor told me not to create conflict with that man for the time being, but how should I do this without hurting His Highness'' pride?'' Hanzo felt a strong headache as he thought of solutions.


    "Y-Your Highness, I remember that His Majesty told me that we must not create conflict with that Jiu Shen for the time being. His Majesty is still upied with the conflict against the Rebel Army''s forces." Hanzo hurriedly said as he pulled Amon.


    Amon frowned when he heard that. "The Rebel Army? Those ants? Don''t worry. I promise I won''t cause trouble in the lotus building. I just want to see if that person is really the Jiu Shen that I know."


    Seeing that Amon was agreeable, Hanzo heaved a sigh of relief. "Alright, but you must do as you promised, Your Highness. You know what will happen if you disobey His Majesty''smand. Even I could not help you when that happens..."


    Amon nodded his head solemnly. "I know. Let''s go."


    ***


    Inside the lotus building, a few dozen of demons can be seen drinking wine with their friends. The expressions of these demons were filled with contentment and bliss as they drank the wine in their cups. Even the most ferocious-looking demons were now disying tamed looks as they sat in a well-behaved manner.


    At the corner of the store, Jiu Shen who was leaning on his chair with an absent-minded look suddenly stared carelessly at the entrance of the lotus building. From his spiritual vision, he saw a small group of demons just outside the gates of the building. They seemed to be looking at the spiritual herbs with surprise. However, Jiu Shen was looking at a certain individual with an amused look.


    "That guy is actually here? How did hee here so fast?" He muttered to himself.


    The chattering inside the store suddenly stopped as a new group of demons came inside. Leading them were two demons wearing eye-catching clothing. One of them was wearing a noble''s robe and the other one was wearing heavy armor.


    "That guy... Isn''t he Executioner Hanzo?!"


    "Why is Executioner Hanzo here? And the guy beside him seems to be from the imperial family..."


    "Are you dumb? Of course, they''re here to drink wine... What sort of idiotic question is that?"


    Amon ignored the whispers of the demon and search through the crowd with a piercing gaze. When he saw a familiar figure sittingzily at the far corner, his eyes shed with aplicated look as he muttered.


    "Jiu Shen...."

 Chapter 358 - I Don’t Know What’s A Good Title For This (Comment For Suggestions)

    Chapter 358 - I Don¡¯t Know What¡¯s A Good Title For This (Comment For Suggestions)


    Jiu Shen stared back at Amon with a disinterested look before closing his eyes. Meeting this guy again in the Crimson Fiend Continent was indeed a surprise, but he did not show it on his face. He couldn''t care less about the man''s presence at all since Amon was just a nobody in his eyes.


    When Amon saw that Jiu Shen wasn''t even taking him seriously, he felt his face twitching in irritation as he thought. ''So he wasn''t able to recognize me because I changed from... I overestimated you, Jiu Shen. Hmph!''


    Amon led his group to a table near the area where Jiu Shen was sitting.


    "Your Highness, here''s the menu." Amon heard a deep voice behind him as he was handed a menu.


    "Thanks." He nodded his head and turned his gaze to the one who gave the menu. When he saw the familiar face of Burlock, he was startled.


    "Aren''t you Demon Lord Burlock?! What are you doing in this ce?" Amon asked in surprise as he sized up Burlock who was wearing a waiter''s clothing.


    Burlock smiled proudly as he patted his chest. "Your Highness, I work for Wine Master Jiu Shen now."


    Amon almost had the urge to smack Burlock, but he suddenly heard a cough from his side. Turning his head, he saw Hanzo shaking his head. Amon failed to understand thetter''s intention so he shifted his gaze back to Burlock and said. "It seems like you enjoy working for a human now, Lord Burlock. I could still remember your heroic figure from back then, but it seems like you''ve had a change of heart when I was gone..."


    Hanzo stretched his arms towards the prince and tried to stop him from talking, but he retracted his hands when he saw Amon ring at him seriously.


    Burlock could sense the sarcasm in the prince''s voice, but he didn''t take it to heart. When he saw Jiu Shen''s disy of power, he vowed in his heart that he will follow this man even if it means going against the Demon Emperor!


    Although Burlock''s life under the Demon Emperor''s rule was great, he find it rather boring and restricted. He couldn''t do the things he truly wanted since there are so many restrictions, but when he worked for Jiu Shen, he felt that he was free despite being hesitant at first.


    Burlock smiled meaningfully at the arrogant prince and merely bowed his head lightly at him. "Can I get your order now, Your Highness? I still have to get the orders of the other customers..."


    Amon gnashed his teeth in anger and just as he was about to stand up, he felt a strong hand pushing his shoulders.


    "Burlock, give us one order of Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit each. Here''s the payment..." Hanzo said as he handed a bag filled with Blood Stones.


    Burlock counted the subordinates sitting with Hanzo and Amon before he checked the contents of the bag.


    "There are eight of you here. I''ve checked the Blood Stones inside and it is just the right amount. I''ll go get your orders right away." Burlock said with a smile before he went to the wine storage.


    Looking at his proud back, Hanzo could not help but shake his head regretfully. "To think that such a proud man has actually betrayed His Majesty..." He then stared at Jiu Shen who had his eyes shut tight.


    Hanzo could not sense any traces of true essence in Jiu Shen''s body. It was as if he was looking at a normal person. He also tried probing the man with his spiritual vision, but there was an invisible power preventing him from taking a closer look at Jiu Shen. Hanzo knew that this was Jiu Shen using his spiritual power to warn him not to probe further. ''This human''s spiritual power is so much stronger than mine! That old man Jun wasn''t exaggerating at all when he said that this Jiu Shen might be as strong as His Majesty! But what is his purpose in going here? I don''t believe he is merely here to open a wine store...''


    Amon noticed that Hanzo was staring at Jiu Shen intently. He believed that this executioner might be probing Jiu Shen''s power using his spiritual power. ''Let me help you a bit...''


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen, you might not recognize me in this face, but what about now?" Amon suddenly said as he activated the jade pendant he was wearing. His whole body morphed and turned into a human.


    The demons who were inside the store were surprised when they saw this transformation. Items capable of transforming their owner are very rare and valuable. In their continent, only a few nobles and high-ranking soldiers are in possession of this.


    Amon smiled with a smug look at Jiu Shen, but then, he noticed that Jiu Shen did not even open his eyes to look at him.


    "You!"


    "Your Highness!" Hanzo held Amon with a stern look on his face. He knew that bringing Amon here was definitely a bad idea. He didn''t want to provoke Jiu Shen at the moment since he was still unaware of the man''s power. He has to wait until the Demon Emperor would check Jiu Shen himself.


    "Don''t mind him, Wine Master Jiu. His Highness is just weary from his travel." Hanzo said with a smile, but even he was also ignored by Jiu Shen.


    "Guests, here is your order." Burlock''s tall figure suddenly blocked their vision. They watch him as he ced the bottles of Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit carefully on their table.


    ***


    "Lord Demon Ancestor Jun! Bad news! Bad news!" At a small hut on top of the mountains, an old demon sitting cross-legged inside the hut was startled by a loud voice.


    "What is it?!" He stood up with irritation as he looked at Zagan who was staring at him anxiously.


    Seeing his subordinate''s pale expression, his face fell as he asked. "What happened?"


    Zagan took a deep breath as he replied in a worried tone. "Prince Amon is back! He is now inside the lotus building with Executioner Hanzo! I think the prince might do something crazy..."


    "Oh no!" Demon Ancestor Jun hastily flew towards the lotus building, leaving behind Zagan who still had an anxious look on his face.

 Chapter 359 - Bejeweled Ocean Nectar

    Chapter 359 - Bejeweled Ocean Nectar


    With Demon Ancestor Jun''s speed, he was able to arrive at the lotus building in just a few minutes. And with a face full of sweat, he touched his sore back as he grumbled to himself. "Why do I have to do all these tasks even at my age..."


    After cursing his bad luck, the old demon went inside the store with his walking stick in hand.


    "Demon Ancestor Jun!"


    "It''s Demon Ancestor Jun!"


    "Good day, Lord Demon Ancestor Jun!"


    The demons hurriedly greeted the old demon when they spotted him entering the store. However, the old man ignored the crowd as he nced around the store seeking someone. When he spotted Hanzo and Amon, he walked towards them with a serious look.


    From his position, he could see the prince ring daggers at Wine Master Jiu Shen. It was a good thing that the human seemed to be calm about the prince''s provocation. Realizing this, Demon Ancestor Jun heaved a sigh of relief.


    "I wee your arrival, Your Highness." Demon Ancestor Jun greeted Amon with a respectful look. This prince might be haughty and prideful, but it won''t change the fact that he was still one of the legitimate sessors under the Demon Emperor''s lineage.


    Amon''s face warmed up a bit facing the old demon''s greeting. "It''s been a while Demon Ancestor Jun, but even after so many years, you still have your youthful re!"


    Demon Ancestor Jun grinned at the prince''s words. Although it was merely the young man''s courteous words, who wouldn''t be happy to hear it?


    Seeing that he was ignored by the old demon, Hanzo snorted.


    "Demon Ancestor Jun, I don''t believe you came here just to wee my arrival. So why did youe here?" Amon smiled at the old man as he lifted his cup of wine into his mouth.


    The old demon stared at the cup of wine in the prince''s hand and gulped hard. He had tasted this wine himself a couple of times already, but he still had never grown tired of it.


    "This... That... Can I sit here first, Your Highness? I hastily came here when I heard of your arrival so I''m a bit tired from flying straight to this ce..." Demon Ancestor Jun pulled a chair for himself and sat on it without waiting for the prince''s approval.


    ''If you''re just gonna sit right away, then don''t bother asking my permission.'' Amon''s face twitched upon seeing this, but he knew that the old demon was being truthful especially after seeing his sweaty face, so he just let it slide.


    As they were conversing, Jiu Shen who was seated not far from them suddenly heard the familiar sound of the system''s notification.


    Ding!


    Host, the system has fully verified your wine (Bejeweled Ocean Nectar) and after careful checking, the system has concluded that this wine can be sold for 1500 Blood Stones!


    Brewed Bejeweled Ocean Nectar detected inside the host''s space earring. Would you like to provide the sample to the system?


    "So I can finally sell my very first wine using my recipe..." Jiu Shen''s eyes shed with a hint of anticipation. The Bejeweled Ocean Nectar was the first wine he had brewed using his recipe since all the wines he had sold were created following the recipe of the system. Furthermore, the system had priced his wine at 1500 Blood Stones! It means that the system concluded that his Bejeweled Ocean Nectar was three times more valuable than the Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit!


    Jiu Shen allowed the system to take the sample he had brewed. He had already tasted the wine himself and even he was slightly surprised by the effects of the wine. It can actually strengthen one''s spiritual power!


    It must be noted that items capable of enhancing one''s spiritual power were very rare and valuable! And the wine that Jiu Shen has created can enhance spiritual power by arge margin! He knew that this wine of his would be able to tempt even those old ones at the Nascent God Realm!


    Ding!


    The system has created a batch of Bejeweled Ocean Nectar ording to the host''s sample. The batch has been added inside the wine storage.


    New lines of words slowly emerged on the signboard at the front desk. Under the Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit was a new wine.


    Bejeweled Ocean Nectar - 1500 Blood Stones


    At the moment, no one aside from Jiu Shen was able to notice these changes. Knowing this, he knew that he had to at least inform everyone about this new wine. With that in mind, Jiu Shen abruptly stood up from his seat, almost scaring the nearby Amon.


    "Everyone. I''d like to inform you all that the new wine I have been brewing thisst couple of weeks has finally been brewed. You can check the menu if you want to try it, but let me inform you first. Only those at the Nascent God Realm can drink this wine. Anyone below the Nascent God Realm will explode on the spot upon consuming this wine." Jiu Shen''s words made everyone inside the store curious. All the wines sold in the lotus building are of high quality. Even the cheapest wine the Mystic Jade was better than the best wines sold in the market, so all the demons present were eager to try the new wine themselves. However, when they heard that only those at the Nascent God Realm can drink the wine, they shook their heads regretfully.


    "Too bad. I''m still at the 8th-rank Divine realm. I want to try this new wine, but I don''t want to die just yet."


    "What a pity! It seems like only the strong are qualified to drink this new wine!"


    "A new wine?" The ears of Amon perked up upon hearing this. The effects of the Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit which he had just drunk was already beyond his imagination. He initially wanted to try Jiu Shen''s new wine, but when he heard that only Nascent God Realm experts can drink the wine, he sighed dejectedly. At the moment, he was still at the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint.


    Hanzo and Demon Ancestor Jun nced at Jiu Shen with surprise when they heard his announcement. Just what kind of wine has this man brewed? To think that only those at the Nascent God Realm could drink it....

 Chapter 360 - Shocking Effect Of The Bejeweled Ocean Nectar

    Chapter 360 - Shocking Effect Of The Bejeweled Ocean Nectar


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen, I''ll have two of this new wine. One for myself and the other is for Sir Hanzo here." Demon Ancestor Jun eagerly called out to Jiu Shen. He wanted to have a taste of the new wine. As for the price... Who was he? He was the overseer of Morlon City and just the revenue of the city alone was enough to make him one of the richest in the whole Crimson Fiend Continent!


    Jiu Shen nced at the old demon and raised three fingers at him as he said. "Two Bejeweled Ocean Nectar for 3000 Blood Stones. Do you want to add anything else?"


    "3000?! That means one wine is worth 1500 Blood Stones! That amount is enough to buy a huge mansion in the city! Crazy!"


    "Just what kind of wine is it for it to be that expensive?! 1500 Blood Stones? I could not even earn that amount in a year!"


    "3000 Blood Stones for two? Alright. That''s not a problem. I don''t want to add anything else for now." Demon Ancestor Jun was slightly surprised by the price of the wine, but this wasn''t too much for someone of his standing. Furthermore, he knew that Jiu Shen''s wines are definitely worth their prices!


    Hanzo grinned at the old demon''s generosity and he could not help but raise a thumb at him.


    Demon Ancestor Jun ignored him and moved closer to the prince as he whispered with a serious look on his aged face. "Your Highness, don''t provoke that Jiu Shen for now. Once His Majesty is done assessing the man, you can do whatever you want by then."


    Amon nodded with reluctance when he saw the solemn look of the old demon. He wasn''t here to make trouble in the first ce. He merely wanted to see if it was really the same Jiu Shen who runs this store and since he had already aplished his objective, he did not mind giving face to the old demon. "Alright."


    Seeing that the prince had agreed, the old demon heaved a sigh of relief. He then leaned back to his chair and waited for his order. Not longter, Jiu Shen came back with two bottles of wine. The old man stared intently at the sparkling blue liquid with interest. Just from where he sat, he could already sense the dense true essenceing from the two bottles of wine.


    "What a valuable wine indeed!" He eximed in praise as he rubbed his withered palms together.


    Hanzo also stared at the wine bottles in Jiu Shen''s hands. He was also able to feel the vast amounts of true essence exuding from the liquid. Even his usually serious face was now filled with shock.


    It wasn''t just the two of them, the prince and everyone else inside the store stared at Jiu Shen as he ced the two bottles on the table of Demon Ancestor Jun''s group.


    "Here is your order. Remember, only you both can drink this. Anyone else who drinks it will explode on the spot." Jiu Shen warned them sternly. After seeing that the two were not even listening to him, he shook his head and went back to his spot.


    The two Origin God Realm experts impatiently pulled the cork covering their wine bottle and filled their cups with wine. A dense oceanic smell pervaded inside the store as the glimmering blue liquid filled their cups. Everyone inside the store who had strengths below the 8th-rank Divine realm experienced a small breakthrough in their cultivation levels after they inhaled the true essence lingering in the air!


    One, two, and more and more demons broke through on the spot after they breathe the true essence gushing out of the Bejeweled Ocean Nectar!


    "This! Freaking insane! Just the wine''s aroma alone is enough to make people achieve a breakthrough?!"


    Everyone was stunned when they witnessed this absurd scene. Inside the store, only Jiu Shen remained calm and indifferent. He had already expected this to happen. The ingredients in making this wine were valuable and hard toe by. Just one of the ingredients alone could make a cultivator breakthrough in his realm, so this scene was within his expectations.


    The two experts immediately downed their cups with excitement after seeing the effects of the wine, but when they emptied their cups, the two men could not help but stand up in shock! They could sense their spiritual power skyrocketing to a terrifying degree.


    Spiritual power is very difficult to train since it involves connecting one''s spiritual nodes. Doing this manually was a long and painful process. Even those unafraid of pain would give up upon reaching a certain point. However, just one cup of the Bejeweled Ocean Nectar had already helped them connect dozens of spiritual nodes! What kind of unthinkable thing was that? One cup of the wine was already worth ten years of manual spiritual training!


    After regaining theirposure, Demon Ancestor Jun and Executioner Hanzo nced at each other andughed loudly.


    "Such a wondrous treasure! Coming here was definitely worth it! Hahaha!" Hanzo smiled with excitement as he poured more wine into his cup.


    On the other hand, Demon Ancestor Jun slowly sat back down afterughing. His face was solemn and unreadable. ''Jiu Shen is actually able to brew such a wine! I think even His Majesty would be tempted to drink this wine... I hope nothing goes wrong when these two people meet...''


    Noticing the odd look of the old demon, Hanzo foolishly grinned at him. "Hey, old man. Do you not like it? How about giving the rest to me?"


    "Shut the fuck up, you idiot! Try touching this old man''s wine and I''ll tear your hands!" Demon Ancestor Jun was like a cat who had its tail stepped on when he saw Hanzo''s hand inching towards his wine.


    "Stingy old fart..." Hanzo muttered under his breath.


    "What did you say?!" The old demon red at him, his murky pair of eyes shed with an indescribable light.


    Hanzo merely shrugged with a smile.

 Chapter 361 - Battle Arena Unlocked!

    Chapter 361 - Battle Arena Unlocked!


    Demon Ancestor Jun and Hanzo were already on their fifth bottle of Bejeweled Ocean Nectar each. These two peerless experts who oversaw the Crimson Fiend Continent with iron hands had drunken expressions as they greedily drank their wine. Their faces were already red and their pair of sleepy eyes almost made the other customersugh at them. However, who would dare embarrass these two demons?


    ''The increase in spiritual power had lessened, but even after drinking five bottles, my spiritual power is still increasing. If I could drink this every day, I might achieve the Void God Realm in another hundred thousand years!'' Hanzo eagerly thought to himself. He was already at the peak stage of the Origin God Realm (peak stage Demon Ancestor). Although he was just a step away into the Void God Realm, this step was like the distance between heaven and earth. If he continue with his usual routine, it would take him hundreds of thousands or even millions of years before he could finally achieve a breakthrough. However, with Jiu Shen''s Bejeweled Ocean Nectar, he could shorten the time of his advancement!


    Don''t underestimate this difference since experts at their level could already live for millions of years depending on their strength. Some could even live for billions of years...


    "Wine Master Jiu, hic...give me hic...one more of this please." Hanzo nced at Jiu Shen with his droopy eyes as he handed him another bag of Blood Stones. His arm was already shaking as he gave it to Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen stared at him and nodded his head. "Alright, but this will be yourst one. Drinking more might not do you good..."


    "Hm?" Hanzo''s sleepy eyes regained rity when he heard Jiu Shen''s words. He checked his body and noticed that his dantian was already filled to brim with true essence. He was a body strengthening expert, so his dantian could not take too much true essence like the human cultivators, so when he saw his dantian in such a state, the executioner revealed a horrified look.


    "Thanks for your reminder, Wine Master Jiu." He muttered gratefully. Luckily, this human didn''t seem to harbor resentment towards their race and he even seemed to get along well with them during the past few weeks that he was here.


    Jiu Shen shook his head and went to the wine storage when a system prompt suddenly popped up in front of him.


    Ding!


    The second floor is now open!


    The store''s battle arena has been unlocked!


    The system is creating a teleportation array formation in the underground. This teleportation array formation is connected to the branch in the Profound Dragon Continent!


    "I thought it would take me another month to unlock these two. And with this teleportation array formation, I can bring those guys here..." Jiu Shen muttered as he recalled the faces of a few people.


    "I''ll check the changes in the storeter..."


    ***


    Profound Dragon Continent, Beltran City of the Silver Wing Empire, on the second floor of The Immortal''s Wine Store.


    A circr array formation suddenly emerged on the floor. Hestia who was coincidentally there was stunned when she noticed the appearance of the array formation. She was familiar with array formation, so she knew that the one transcribed on the second floor was a teleportation array formation! As for where this leads to... Hestia''s eyes sparkled as she thought of something. She then went down and called for Theia.


    "Sister Theia! You might like to see the changes upstairs!"


    Theia who was standing at the entrance with a stern look stared at Hestia with confusion.


    "Changes?" She was bewildered by Hestia''s reaction, so she immediately followed her to the second floor.


    When the two of them arrived where the teleportation array formation was transcribed, Theia could not help but exim. "This is... Is this connected to the Crimson Fiend Continent?" She was certain that this array formation would lead them to where Jiu Shen was currently staying, but they didn''t dare touch the array formation without Jiu Shen''smand.


    "If this is really connected to the Crimson Fiend Continent... Can we see him again?" Theia muttered.


    "Of course!" Hestia answered excitedly. She then rushed downstairs as she yelled.


    "I''ll go to the sword tower and inform everyone about this! Please stay here for now, Sister Theia!"


    Theia nced at her and nodded her head. She then shifted her gaze back to the array formation as she muttered absentmindedly. "Jiu Shen... if it''s really you, would you still remember this foolish woman?"


    ***


    "Here." Jiu Shen handed the bottle of Bejeweled Ocean Nectar to Hanzo with an expressionless look. He then stared at the old demon who was looking at him helplessly. "As for you, if you don''t want to live anymore, then I can give you your final bottle."


    Hearing his words, the old demon shook his head with regret. He was just ate stage Origin God Realm expert te stage Demon Ancestor). His dantian''s capacity was way weaker than Hanzo''s, so he could only drink five bottles of Bejeweled Ocean Nectar.


    "Too bad... In that case, I''lle back once I fully refine this true essence in my body..." He muttered helplessly.


    Jiu Shen ignored them and went to check the battle arena upstairs. When he arrived on the third floor, he saw that the previously dark room was now lit up with bright incandescent lighting from a sphperical stone of unknown origin. It was hovering at the top of the room like a miniature sun.


    Jiu Shen did not bother checking what kind of stone it was since he already knew that it was another celestial-level item.


    The battle arena at the center of the room was vast. It was the size of a whole city! That''s right! This was how huge the third floor of the store was!


    "If I recall correctly, anyone can register here using 1000 Blood Stones and I have to reward the winner with an item. Furthermore, the winners will also be provided with a piece of God Crystal."


    "System, is it fine if I just give them a God Crystal? I mean, I don''t have anything that I can give them." Jiu Shen inquired with a serious look.


    Ding!


    It is up to the host.


    Hearing the system''s reply, Jiu Shen smirked.

 Chapter 362 - Remorse

    Chapter 362 - Remorse


    After checking the battle arena, Jiu Shen went to the ground floor where the teleportation array formation was transcribed. When he arrived there, he saw that the circr formation was already fully transcribed by the system.


    "It''s time to go back to the Profound Dragon Continent. I wonder what happened to those guys while I''m away..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself as he activated the array formation.


    The pattern transcribed on the floor abruptly lit up with a golden glow. Seeing this, Jiu Shen unhesitatingly stepped on the array formation. His body was then enveloped by a brilliant light before vanishing from where he stood.


    In The Immortal''s Wine Store, the array formation on the second floor lit up and a figure suddenly emerged on top of it.


    Jiu Shen looked around him and noticed that he was on the second floor of the store.


    "M-Master?" He heard a quivering voice at the side and he could not help but nce sideways. There he saw Theia looking at him with an indescribable expression on her face.


    Hesitation, guilt, remorse, loneliness... Jiu Shen was bewildered by the look in her eyes.


    "I''m back..." That''s the only thing he could say when Jiu Shen saw the expression of Theia. He did not know why but he could feel a sense of familiarity when his eyes met with hers. It was as if he had known her for a very long time.


    Theia slowly walked towards him and lifted her arms, but she then pulled them back after a moment of hesitation. Looking at her acting this way, Jiu Shen patted her head gently as he asked. "Where are the others?"


    Theia closed her eyes when she felt the warmth of Jiu Shen''s palm. This familiar sensation... She was even more certain that this man might be the same person who had taught her sword techniques in her past life. However, she was unsure if she should tell him about it. After all, she was the reason for his death.


    Theia felt her eyes watering when she thought of what had happened back then. She hurriedly wiped the tears forming at the corner of her eyes as she replied to Jiu Shen. "T-They are in the sword tower. Hestia immediately went there to inform everyone when she noticed this teleportation array formation..."


    Jiu Shen frowned and used his spiritual perception on Theia. He sensed the emotional turmoil in her heart, making him perplexed. ''Why is she acting like this? Did she always have this kind of side in her?''


    Theia pushed Jiu Shen gently and took a step back as she looked at him. "Master, I''ll go to the sword tower and inform them of your arrival right away..." She bowed her head and swiftly went away. She did not even give Jiu Shen a chance to speak...


    Weird...


    As a supreme being who had lived for an innumerable number of years, Jiu Shen had long since known about Theia''s feelings for him, but this time, even Jiu Shen could not understand what she was thinking. However, he knew that she was hiding something from him... ''Just what could it be...''


    Theia nced at the store with a guilty look. "Jiu Shen... Because of me, you were imprisoned for millions of years in the God Sealing Tower... Because of me, you died when you could have be the fourth Celestial Emperor..."


    During her past life, Theia was known as the Peerless Sword Goddess. Nobody knew her true name, not even Jiu Shen of that time. She was fascinated by Jiu Shen''s disy of swordsmanship, so she decided topare her sword arts to his.


    Days went by in a sh and they became much closer after interacting for long. However, news of their closeness soon reached her husband, Celestial Emperor Lao Gou, known as the strongest man in existence!


    Despite being his wife, Theia had never loved this man. She was merely forced to marry him because Celestial Emperor Lao Gou threatened to destroy her family if she declines his hand in marriage. Left with no choice, Theia gave in to Celestial Emperor Lao Gou''s demands and married him. Starting then, her heart became as cold as ice. But then, everything changed when she met a man who was as skilled as her in the art of the sword. However, because of their unusual closeness, the man was implicated and was forced to suffer the wrath of Celestial Emperor Lao Gou.


    Tens of thousands of immortals intercepted Jiu Shen, but he was still able to escape their pursuit with serious injuries. It was only until Celestial Emperor Lao Gou himself moved out that Jiu Shen was finally captured. He even had to use his Celestial-rank item, the God Sealing Tower!


    Jiu Shen was imprisoned in this tower for millions of years. His body and soul was tortured every day until his immortal body could no longer take the damage and perished.


    Theia felt remorse at the thought of his suffering and because of her guilt, shemitted suicide when she heard the news of his death.


    ***


    Inside the store, Jiu Shen used his spiritual perception to scan the entire Beltran City to find Theia. His heart was beating wildly and he knew that something was amiss.


    "There you are..." He muttered when he spotted Theia''s figure flying out of Beltran City. Jiu Shen then used the power of space to teleport in front of her.


    Swoosh!


    Jiu Shen stared at Theia with a confused look. He could see her tear-stained face and her eyes that shed with extreme remorse.


    Suddenly, a familiar figure ovepped between Theia''s figure.


    "You are... It''s you..." Jiu Shen''s eternally calm look changed as he realized something. His golden eyes wavered as a line of tears slowly trickled down his cheeks.


    Memories that he had put at the back of his mind shed back continuously.


    Looking at Jiu Shen, Theia cried even louder. "I''m sorry! Because of me... I-I..."


    She almost choked in her tears as she watched Jiu Shen''s disoriented look. ''Will he forgive me''

 Chapter 363: Return

    Chapter 363: Return


    ''Hm? I''m crying?'' Jiu Shen mocked himself. He then used his true essence to evaporate the line of tears on his cheeks.


    With a gaze full ofplicated emotions, Jiu Shen stared at Theia''s face. This was the first time he had looked at her for this long. Her golden hair ruffled wildly as the wind struck her mncholic figure. Her eyes which were usually cold and aloof was now filled with grief and guilt. Looking at her fragile visage, he could not help but give him a gentle look as he moved closer to her.


    "Theia... It''s been millions of years since Ist saw you... I can''t believe that even in this life you are still this beautiful..." He muttered as he forced out a smile.


    Theia shook her head when she heard his consoling words. "No... Because of me... you died..." She wailed uncontrobly.


    When Jiu Shen realized that she was still ming herself, he pulled her to his embrace and gently whispered. "I don''t me you... I know that it''s not your fault. I was too weak back then and that was the reason why I died. Besides, it''s the fault of that old fart Lao Gou..."


    Theia could sense Jiu Shen''s hatred when he mentioned the name.


    "Sorr-" Before Theia could even speak, Jiu Shen sealed her lips with his. Her heart almost stopped beating when she felt his warm breath and skilled tongue. It didn''t take long before she finally sumbed to his ''surprise attack''.


    Sensing that her body was going soft in his embrace, Jiu Shen held her tightly and kissed her lips fervently as all his pent-up emotions gush out. Only after an unknown period of time did the two separate.


    Theia slowly opened her eyes and when she saw Jiu Shen''s devilishly handsome face looking at her with a gentle look, she could not help but shyly nce away. Her face was beet red as she recalled that long passionate kiss.


    Jiu Shen smiled and wiped the remaining tears on her cheeks using his fingers. "Stop ming yourself, okay? My death was never your fault. Besides, aren''t we alive and well at this moment?"


    "Mn." Theia answered in a small voice as she nodded her head. She was happy that he didn''t me her for what had happened. She was happy that he was finally reunited with him after millions of years. Thinking about this, a smile full of affection blossomed on her face.


    When Jiu Shen saw her beautiful smile and was inwardly stunned. Her smile was the most beautiful he had ever seen... He could not help but embrace her again.


    The two continued feeling each other''s warmth, disregarding the fierce northern wind blowing them. The sky appeared to be even more beautiful behind them.


    "Let''s go back and meet the others..." Jiu Shen gently said as he held Theia''s dainty hand.


    Theia was already an ancient being, but she was like a startled rabbit when Jiu Shen held her hand. She felt as if she was back in her younger years...


    ***


    "Everyone! There is a teleportation array formation in the store! From the carvings of the array, I think it is connected to the Crimson Fiend Continent where the Sect Master is currently located! We might be able to see him soon!" Hestia''s loud shout stunned the entire Heavenly Sword Tower. The division heads, elders, and disciples hurriedly went out of their rooms and asked Hestia for details.


    "Elder Hestia, are you sure that it is connected to the Crimson Fiend Continent?" A disciple suddenly asked.


    Hestia stared at the disciple and nodded her head eagerly. "Of course! I know a bit about array formations and the carvings drawn on the array I''ve seen contains the coordinates of the Crimson Fiend Continent."


    "In that case, the Sect Master mighte here soon..." Yang Zenke, the Division Head of the Blood Sword Division muttered excitedly. At this moment, he no longer looked like the thin sickly kid he once was. His tall muscr body was covered by ck and red armor. On his back was a blood-red sword that gave off a chilling glow. And upon closer inspection, Yang Zenke was now an early stage 9th-rank Saint expert!


    "Luckily, I broke through yesterday..." A middle-aged looking man wearing a long white robe heaved a sigh of relief. This man was none other than Elder Qi Hongtian! He was now an expert at the Nascent God Realm and he had also be a full-fledged Nascent Alchemy God!


    "Who''s back? Tell me! Meow!" A sharp and child-like voice suddenly echoed. Everyone turned in the direction of the voice and saw two figures walking hand in hand. One was a tall woman with long purple hair. She was holding a small little girl with snow-white hair.


    Hestia smiled at the little girl and answered patiently. "Little Ice, the Sect Master will be back soon..."


    Ice''s adorable eyes grew big as she asked. "Really?!"


    "Of course!" Hestia nodded her head with certainty.


    "Show me! Show me! Show me the array! Meow!" Ice pulled Hestia''s clothes with a pitiful look as she pleaded her.


    "Alright. I''ll bring you there..." Hestia patted her head gently and held her hand.


    Long Meili who came together with Ice inquired. "Elder Hestia, I''ll go with you two."


    "We want to go too! We want to see the array formation!"


    Everyone in the Heavenly Sword Tower eagerly stared at Hestia, waiting for her decision.


    Suddenly...


    "It looks like everyone has improved while I was gone." A familiar calm and indifferent voice echoed at the entrance of the sword tower. Everyone was shocked and surprised when they heard this voice since they were very familiar with it. And when they nced at the entrance, they saw Jiu Shen hovering like a deity. Behind him was Theia, who was shyly holding Jiu Shen''s hand.


    When they saw Jiu Shen, everyone erupted into cheers and they immediately scrambled towards him like a pack of hungry wolves...


    "Sect Master Jiu Shen!"


    "Master!"

 Chapter 364: Dying Old Man

    Chapter 364: Dying Old Man


    "You stupid human! Taste my ws!" Ice pounced towards Jiu Shen and raised her arms as she imitated the posture of a tiger, but before she could even strike Jiu Shen''s figure, he could her small body in his arms.


    Smelling his familiar fragrance, Ice''s lips quivered as she silently cried in his embrace. She had grown fond of Jiu Shen after being with him for a short time. She already treated him as her family, so when Jiu Shen suddenly left, she felt sad.


    Jiu Shen rubbed stroked her head gently. "I''ll bring you there with me. You might like the demons living in that ce..." He whispered to the little girl.


    Hearing that, the little girl''s ears perked up and she could not help but nce at him eagerly. "I want to go there! Meow!" She then clung to his neck and climb to his shoulder as she transformed into a chubby white cat.


    Meow. Meow.


    The fat white cat licked Jiu Shen''s face with a contented look, making him chuckle unknowingly.


    After greeting everyone, he asked about the recent happenings of the Profound Dragon Continent and he found out from them that the crown prince and the third prince were both assassinated on the same day. However, when Jiu Shen heard this news, his expression didn''t change. Though he felt slightly sorry for his friend Elyk.


    "The rest of you may go back to your respective areas. Ren Shuang, summon the Division Heads to my room. I will hear their reports one by one..." Jiu Shenmanded before walking away with Theia, Ice, and Long Meili.


    Among the crowd, Lu Sn, Xia Xinyue, and Situ Liuli stared suspiciously at Theia who was intimately holding Jiu Shen''s hand. They sensed a feeling of connection between the two and when they realized this, the three girls felt a wave of pain enveloping their hearts. They nced at each other and saw the determination in each other''s eyes.


    Not longter, all the Division Heads had assembled inside Jiu Shen''s room. All of them were now looking at him with respect and admiration.


    "I''ve been gone for a month and I want to know the progress of your divisions. Let''s start with your report Divison Head Yang Zenke." Jiu Shen stared at the young man he had trained with an approving look. Just from Yang Zenke''s aura alone, he could tell that this man must have experienced bloody battles during the past month. There was also an explosive leap in his cultivation and power.


    "Yes, Sect Master! While you''re gone, under the lead of Lord Ren Shuang and a few elders, Imanded the Blood Sword Division to destroy the remnants of the Crimson Sun Sect. All of their disciples and elders are killed in battle. Their sect master was also killed in action at that time. As for their supreme elder, we imprisoned him in the underground prison. The old sustained many wounds, but he is surprisingly tough. He might be able to live for a few more months if we leave him be..." Yang Zenke reported with a serious expression.


    "Oh? So that brat is still alive huh... Go to the underground prison and bring that brat here..."


    "Yes, Sect Master!" Yang Zenke was curious about thismand, but he unhesitatingly followed the order.


    When he left the room, the other division heads also provided their reports. Most of them were nothing significant aside from the breakthrough of Jiu Shen''s alchemy disciple, Qi Hongtian.


    "Good. If you had failed to break through, I would have certainly tied you upside down naked on top of the sword tower..." Jiu Shen patted Qi Hongtian''s shoulder. The once decrepit old man was now a healthy-looking middle-aged man. His breakthrough to the Nascent God Realm has increased his lifespan.


    Qi Hongtian smiled bitterly when he heard his master''s words. "Master, before you left, you gave me a copy of your understanding towards alchemy. With that detailed copy, even a pig would be an alchemist..."


    Jiu Shen chuckled in amusement.


    "Master, about the death of the crown prince and the third prince. I have some news about it. Do you want me to report it in front of everyone?" Ren Shuang suddenly said, making the atmosphere serious once again.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head at him. "Go ahead. Everyone here is trustworthy, so there is no need to be worried..."


    After getting Jiu Shen''s approval, Ren Shuang replied. "I discovered the second prince at the ce where the princes were killed, but he suddenly disappeared using a teleportation array formation."


    "So it was that demon who killed those two good-for-nothings... I know where the second prince is, so no need to bother about him. As for the upheaval this would cause, I think Elyk can handle it since his father is around."


    "Alright. All of you may go back to your posts." Jiu Shen waved his hands at them.


    Seeing his gestures, the Divison Heads bowed at him and left the room.


    "Master, what are your ns?" Long Meili asked as she looked at Jiu Shen.


    "For now, I''ll meet the supreme elder of the fallen Crimson Sun Sect. After meeting him, I''ll go and visit my good friend Elyk..." Jiu Shen answered calmly.


    ***


    Inside the underground prison, an old man was leaning on the stone wall with a nk look on his face. His aged face was full of wrinkles and ck spots. His eyes were hollow without a sense of life. If not for the rise and fall of his shoulder, anyone might think that he is dead.


    This old man was the supreme elder of the Crimson Sun Sect, a peerless expert at the Nascent God Realm. However, this top expert was now leaning on the stone wall like a corpse...


    Suddenly, the old man heard a series of footsteps walking towards his cell. When he shifted his gaze, he saw Yang Zenke and he immediately recognized him as one of the elders of the Heavenly Sword Tower. He was wondering if this young man was finally here to execute him...

 Chapter 365: Old Man’s Last Wish

    Chapter 365: Old Man¡¯s Last Wish


    Yang Zenke stared at the old man with a hint of pity. He saw the old man fought with all his strength that day and despite his declining age, he was still able to release a terrifying burst of power. However, his opponent was an even scarier individual, Ren Shuang. The two battled for only a few minutes and Yang Zenke was certain that Ren Shuang wasn''t even giving his all at that time. In the end, the old man lost his strength after overdrawing his true essence and was captured.


    "Supreme Elder Jimen, Sect Master Jiu Shen wants to see you..." Yang Zenke said to the old man as he unlocked his cell.


    "Hm? Your Sect Master wants to see a dying old man? Alright. I''m also curious about this person. Bring me there. Cough! Cough!" The old man stood up causing the chains tied on his arms to make nking sounds.


    When Yang Zenke entered the old man''s cell, he finally saw how pitiful he currently looked.


    Tattered clothes, disheveled hair, and numerous scars. The top expert of the Crimson Sun Sect now looked like an old beggar who hadn''t eaten food for many years.


    Yang Zenke hesitated whether he would unlock the chains on the old man''s arms, but he inwardly shook his head upon recalling the old man''s identity. ''I must never be merciful to my enemies...'' He thought to himself.


    "Come with me..." Yang Zenke indicated for the old man to follow him. Thetter nodded his head slowly.


    As Yang Zenke led the old man to Jiu Shen''s room, their presence ignited a fiery conversation between the elders and disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower. They were wondering what would happen to the old man...


    As for Supreme Elder Jimen, although he appeared to be walking calmly behind Yang Zenke, he was startled when he discovered the strength of disciples. Almost anyone of them wasparable to the elite disciples of his sect. Such a huge difference made him sigh to himself in disappointment and regret. If only he taught his son well, things could have been better... However, it was toote for him to regret things. Aside from a few people who had escaped earlier, all the members of the Crimson Sun Sect perished. He only wished that the remaining members would live a low-profile life and avoid getting into conflict with the Heavenly Sword Tower again.


    "We''re here." The old man paused in his steps when he heard Yang Zenke''s voice. He tiredly lifted his head and stared at the room where they stopped. When Yang Zenke pushed the door open, Supreme Elder Jimen saw a young man with long silver hair leaningzily on a chair. On his shoulder was a sleeping chubby white cat and standing on either side of him were two women who emitted a dangerous aura. When he scanned them, he realized in shock that they were at least as strong as the man he had fought back then.


    "You must be Supreme Elder Jimen of the Crimson Sun Sect. You might have already realized my identity, so I will no longer introduce myself." The young man suddenly said in a calm and indifferent voice. He sounded arrogant, but Supreme Elder Jimen wasn''t bothered by this since he knew that this young man was the legendary Sect Master of the Heavenly Sword Tower. The man is known as the strongest expert in the entire Profound Dragon Continent!


    The old expert tried to sense the young man''s strength with his spiritual vision, but just as his spiritual power touched Jiu Shen''s figure, he groaned and spat a mouthful of blood.


    Cough! Cough!


    ''That power! When my spiritual perception barely touched his body, that was...'' Supreme Elder Jimen lifted his head and stared at Jiu Shen with a horrified look.


    "Brat, it''s not good to peek at someone right in front of their face." He heard Jiu Shen speaking in a cold voice.


    "S-Sect... cough! Master Jiu Shen''s power is indeed as unfathomable as the rumors say... Cough! Cough!" The old man said with a forced smile.


    Jiu Shen ignored his words and just stared at the old man with a disappointed look as he muttered. "You might be a Nascent God Realm expert, but you used a trash pill to help you promote your cultivation, causing your foundation to be unstable. Your lifespan did not even increase that much despite your breakthrough..."


    Hearing Jiu Shen''s words, Supreme Elder Jimen''s eyes widened in shock. How did Jiu Shen know about that? Even his son did not know how he suddenly achieved a breakthrough!


    What Jiu Shen said was indeed true. He had found a pill in an ancient ruin and when he noticed the vast amount of spiritual power in the pill, he immediately consumed it. His tribtion lightning at that time wasn''t as scary as the others, so he was able to sessfully break through to the Nascent God Realm. However, he also noticed that his strength was weaker than the other experts at his level.


    "You... How di- Cough! Cough!" Supreme Elder Jimen held his chest and he almost fell to the floor, but then he noticed that his body was held in ce by an invisible force.


    "Since you''re already here, tell me yourst wish..." Jiu Shen nced at the old man calmly. ording to the reports of the Division Heads, Supreme Elder Jimen had been acting obediently in his cell. They also said that the old man initially wanted to make peace with them, but his son, the Sect Master of the Crimson Sun Sect did not listen to his advice. Because of these reasons, Jiu Shen decided to give the old man onest wish.


    Supreme Elder Jimen was stunned upon hearing his words, but he hurriedly calmed down as he spoke. "To tell you honestly, before the final battle with your sect, I sent away a few elders and disciples of my sect. I hope that you won''t kill them. That group was against fighting the Heavenly Sword Tower and they weren''t involved with my son''s wrongdoings."


    Yang Zenke frowned when he heard the old man''s wish.

 Chapter 366: Peaceful Death

    Chapter 366: Peaceful Death


    Supreme Elder Jimen noticed Yang Zenke''s frown and he knew what the young man was thinking, so he immediately said in a determined tone. "I assure you that those guys will never make trouble with the Heavenly Sword Tower. As long as you fulfill this old man''s wish, I will willingly be executed."


    Jiu Shen nced deeply at the old man and eventually nodded his head. "Alright. I ept your demands. If the remaining people of the Crimson Sun Sect won''t cause trouble, no one from my Heavenly Sword Tower will touch them."


    Yang Zenke wasn''t surprised by Jiu Shen''s reply. With his Sect Master''s personality, he knew that Jiu Shen would agree with the old man''s final wish.


    When Supreme Elder Jimen heard Jiu Shen''s agreement, he heaved a sigh of relief. His aged face also turned a shade warmer as if a heavy burden was finally lifted off his chest. "Thank you so much, Sect Master Jiu Shen, but there is one more unreasonable request from this old man that I wish you would fulfill. Don''t worry, this isn''t anything hard¡­"


    Yang Zenke''s frown became even more visible upon hearing that. Although the old man has been very cooperative with them, he was still an enemy of their sect. He believed that their Sect Master had already been kind enough to him. Now, the old man has one more request? However, when Yang Zenke saw the elder''s pleading look, he sighed and shook his head.


    "Oh? Say it." Jiu Shen uttered calmly.


    "I want you to be the one to kill me, Sect Master Jiu Shen¡­" Supreme Elder Jimen said as he gazed at Jiu Shen''s eyes without a hint of fear. Only now did he notice Jiu Shen''s iparably beautiful pair of golden eyes. It was deep and profound, as if a boundless universe was contained within those globes. Dying at the hands of this man was something to be proud of. At least he has something to boast to his friends in the afterlife¡­


    Supreme Elder Jimen noticed Jiu Shen''s eyes flickering with infinite wisdom. This gaze made him feel like he was an infant looking at a supreme being. It was unreal for an old man at his level¡­ He finally realized that this young-looking Sect Master might be way older than him. Only those old ancient beings would have the kind of eyes that Jiu Shen had.


    While Supreme Elder Jimen was guessing Jiu Shen''s true age, the elder failed to notice him lifted his finger.


    "You may rest now¡­" The old man heard Jiu Shen''s calm voice as his vision slowly darkened. At this moment, Supreme Elder Jimen realized what was happening and this made him smile.


    "Thank you¡­" He whispered as his aged figure copsed.


    Jiu Shen waved his hand, preventing the old man''s corpse from falling. He then shifted his gaze to Yang Zenke andmanded him. "Give him a proper burial."


    Yang Zenke acknowledged themand with a nod of his head. He then took the old man''s corpse and left the room without saying anything. He would unhesitatingly do anything Jiu Shen would tell him to do.


    After Yang Zenke left, Jiu Shen stood up from his seat and muttered. "It''s time to visit Elyk and see what that young man has been doing after the death of his sons."


    "I''ll go with you! Meow!" A fat cat jumped into his shoulder as it spoke in a cute human-like voice.


    Jiu Shen lifted the chubby cat off of his shoulder and held it in his embrace. He gently rubbed its soft white fur as he replied. "Of course¡­ Long Meili, Theia, you two can go with me as well¡­"


    The twodies nodded their heads eagerly when they heard Jiu Shen''s words.


    Meanwhile, after Jiu Shen went back to the Silver Wing Empire.


    Great Demon Empire, Crimson Fiend Continent.


    A man draped in a long ck robe sat on his throne. Prostrating before him were two individuals, Amon and Hanzo.


    "Your Majesty, I have aplished the task of escorting His Highness safely back to the pce. However, before we came back, His Highness was intrigued with the lotus building of Beltran City, so I brought him there to see the ce for himself¡­" Hanzo recounted their travel without missing something. He dared not lie in the face of the Demon Emperor and even Amon did not dare speak.


    The man on the throne did not say anything and he just sat there unmoving, but Hanzo knew that the Demon Emperor was listening, so he continued.


    "When we arrived in that human''s store, we heard him announce the avability of his new wine. Your subordinate has already told you about that human''s wines, but his new wine is different! It can enhance one''s spiritual power! And it isn''t just a simple enhancement, a single bottle of that wine is equivalent to thousands of years of spiritual cultivation!"


    This time, the man in a ck robe was finally interested. "A single bottle of wine that is equal to thousands of years of spiritual cultivation? How did he make it?"


    Hanzo shook his head regretfully. "I tasted the wine myself, but just like his other wines, I still could not tell how he brewed those things. And one more thing about his new wine... Only those at the Nascent God Realm can drink it. Even an Origin God Expert like me can only drink a few bottles. I can''t believe how that amount of energy is hidden in every bottle of that wine. For Jiu Shen to be capable of brewing such wondrous things, he doesn''t look like a simple Void God Realm expert. Perhaps..." Hanzo''s words became inaudible, but the Demon Emperor understood him perfectly.


    No matter how arrogant and proud he was, he acknowledged that Jiu Shan was a formidable individual. Despite not meeting the man himself, the Demon Emperor felt unsure if he could beat Jiu Shen. With all the things he had heard about Jiu Shen, it wouldn''t be a surprise if the human was stronger than him. However, the Demon Emperor felt no apprehension about this... only excitement!

 Chapter 367: Burial

    Chapter 367: Burial


    Yang Zenke buried the supreme elder of the Crimson Sun Sect on a mountain near the sword tower. The rushed burial was witnessed by countless experts including the new disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower.


    Sylphie Northcut, the girl who had lost her family under the tyrannical Crimson Sun Sect watched the ceremony with an emotional look. She clenched her fists tightly as she muttered in her heart. ''Father, mother, everyone... May your souls rest in peace...''


    Behind her was the fifth princess of the Silver Wing Empire, Princess Sylvia. The princess hugged her friend from behind,forting her with her warmth.


    Looking at the two girls, Prince Dante and his group of friends sighed heavily. They knew that it was best to remain silent on this asion.


    Not far from the burial ground, a group of less than a dozen robed individuals watched the burial ceremony. Although their bodies were covered by their robes, their faces which were exposed were covered in tears.


    "Supreme Elder..." Mourned the robed figures.


    "Supreme Elder, leave the others to me. I promise I will make the Crimson Sun Sect rise once again. As for the Heavenly Sword Tower... I won''t be foolish enough to touch them as that idiot Jimen Kanding did..." The man leading these people muttered silently as he looked at the coffin of the supreme elder being buried into the earth.


    Suddenly, he noticed a sharp stare looking in his direction. He turned his gaze and saw a man with a blood-red sword strapped behind his back. When he saw the appearance of the man, he instantly recognized that it was the rumored Division Head of the Heavenly Sword Tower''s Blood Sword Division, Yang Zenke!


    The eyes of the man in robes slightly trembled when his gaze met with Yang Zenke''s. He sensed no killing intent from this sword demon, but he dared not meet eyes with him anymore. He heard of rumors about Yang Zenke. ording to the stories told, Yang Zenke has killed hundreds of elders and disciples of the Crimson Sun Sect. Anyone who crossed paths with him was instantly diced into pieces. Such a ferocious man was definitely not someone he can afford to offend especially with the current situation of their Crimson Sun Sect.


    The Heavenly Sword Tower gave their supreme elder a proper burial. Although it was a bit rushed, everyone still paid their respects to the dead expert who was one of the strongest individuals of the Profound Dragon Continent.


    The robed man kept this gesture in his heart and thanked the Heavenly Sword Tower silently. After seeing that the ceremony wasing to a close, he turned his gaze to his group and said in a solemn tone. "From now on, I order every one of you to never touch anyone from the Heavenly Sword Tower."


    "Yes, Elder!"


    "Let''s go!"


    ***


    Silveria Imperial Pce, Beltran City, Silver Wing Empire.


    Jiu Shen was personally weed by Emperor Elyk and the old emperor.


    "It has been a while, Sect Master Jiu Shen! I''ve heard from the elders of the Heavenly Sword Tower that you went to the Crimson Fiend Continent. Perhaps only you would have the guts to go to that hellhole..." Emperor Elyk nced at Jiu Shen with admiration in his eyes. Even the old emperor was staring at Jiu Shen with more respect.


    ''Hellhole? I''ve been to the real hell once and I''ve even talked with the Protector of Hell, the most mysterious among the three Celestial Emperors, Celestial Emperor Asmodeus! The Crimson Fiend Continent is just like a little yground to me.'' Jiu Shen scoffed in his heart but he kept a straight look as he stared at the emperor and his father.


    "I just went there to open a new branch. Luckily, the inhabitants there are obedient or I would have destroyed that... never mind. Bring me inside first before we talk..." Jiu Shen did not wait for Emperor Elyk''s answer and swaggered inside the pce as if he owned the ce.


    "He definitely said he would destroy that continent..." Emperor Elyk muttered with a wry smile as he watched Jiu Shen''s lean figure walking straight into the throne room.


    "Hey, Jiu Shen! Wait!" Ice who was in her human form skipped towards Jiu Shen with a wide smile on her face.


    The two girls, Long Meili, and Theia immediately followed the girl, leaving behind Emperor Elyk and the old emperor standing foolishly.


    "Sigh! I wonder what that man did in that ce. Perhaps his arrival in the Crimson Fiend Continent caused a majormotion..." The old emperor muttered as he dragged his son towards the throne room.


    Emperor Elyk and the old emperor saw that Jiu Shen and the threedies were already seated on chairs that they could not recognize. However, the two of them were already used to this scene, so they were not that surprised.


    Emperor Elyk dared not seat on his throne especially in front of Jiu Shen, so hemanded an imperial guard to get two chairs for his father and himself. After the imperial guard arrived with two chairs, Emperor Elyk sat in front of Jiu Shen.


    "Sect Master Jiu, your arrival was unexpected, but I wonder why you''re here..." Emperor Elyk stared at Jiu Shen with inquiry. Although he already had his guesses about Jiu Shen''s arrival, he still asked the man to make sure that they were on the same page.


    Jiu Shen leaned on his chair and nced at the emperor as he replied. "I''ve heard of the death of your two sons. I came here to offer my condolences and also information about the killer..."


    A few months back then, Jiu Shen gave a few items to the Alliance in case the demons attacked them, but it looks like the Silver Wing Empire did not receive one of them. If they had his items, perhaps the two princes would have survived the assassination.


    Hearing Jiu Shen''s words, Emperor Elyk sighed and shook his head. "So you''ve also heard about it. As for the information that you''re talking about... I wonder if you can tell me more about it..."

 Chapter 368: Cornelia Bloodfallen

    <h4>Chapter 368: Cornelia Bloodfallen</h4>


    Jiu Shen''s expression was still calm as he faced the emperor''s inquiry. He nced at Elyk''s face and noticed that the man looked a lot older than usual. The death of his two sons might have greatly affected this valiant man. Thinking about this, Jiu Shen felt quite sorry for him, but he still put on a poker face.


    When the three girls noticed the serious atmosphere, they ceased their chattering and remained silent. Even Ice who was usually insensitive about matters was surprisingly quiet.


    The former emperor shook his head and sighed. Although his two grandsons didn''t have the best personalities, they still possess his bloodline. Their death brought him a wave of anger and a sense of loss.


    "Elyk, I don''t know if you have noticed it, but your second son Arn is either dead or taken captive, but from how the demons usually do things, Arn should be dead. The man taking on his appearance is a demon from the Crimson Fiend Continent. I haven''t been here for long in Beltran City, so I''m not certain when that demon came here. As for the identity of that demon... He is a demon prince... His name is Amon..." Jiu Shen''s words made Elyk tremble and he almost broke the armrest of his chair. He then took a deep breath and calmed his shaking nerves. Elyk already had his suspicions when he noticed a few changes in Arn, but he didn''t take it to heart. Only now did he realize how stupid he was to not even notice how a demon managed to sneak into his territory. Perhaps even his father failed to discover the demon''s identity.


    Looking at Elyk''s frowning expression, Jiu Shen slowly leaned back on his chair as he said. "If you want, I can bring you to that side to see that demon, but let me remind you... He is a son of the Demon Emperor, an expert at the Void God Realm..."


    Void God Realm!


    Elyk''s frown became deeper when he heard Jiu Shen''s words. An expert at that level can destroy an entire city with a wave of his hand. Even his father who was now a Nascent God Realm cultivator could notst a breath in front of such a peak expert!


    The former emperor''s eyebrows jump. Void God Realm... He wasn''t even worth mentioning in the face of such a being...


    Sigh.


    Elyk sighed heavily as he rubbed his temples. A look of helplessness covered his face as he leaned on his chair. Perhaps he had no chance for revenge... However, when he looked at Jiu Shen who still had the same unchanging expression, a thought came to his mind, but he didn''t say it out loud. He knew that asking Jiu Shen to avenge his sons was definitely impossible and he already owed the man too much.


    "I want to see him in person." Those were the only words that left Elyk''s mouth. His voice contained unconcealed anger as he uttered those words. He tried to hide his rage, but the series of bad news made it difficult for him to control his emotions.


    Jiu Shen slowly nodded his head. "Alright. You cane with me when I go back to that ce."


    "Thank you, Sect Master Jiu Shen..." Elyk nodded at Jiu Shen gratefully.


    ***


    Great Demon Empire.


    Amon stepped out of the castle with a dark look on his face. Although Demon Emperor Balmond did not scold him verbally for his failure in the Profound Dragon Continent, he noticed the Demon Emperor''s dissatisfaction.


    He nned things for a long time and just as he was about toplete his objective, Jiu Shen suddenly came and ruined everything! Amon''s veins bulged as he thought of Jiu Shen''s expressionless face. "Fuck!"


    "Hehe. I wonder who angered my adorable little brother..." A voice that carried a hint of mischief and disdain suddenly traveled to Amon''s ears. His face changed as he swiftly turned his gaze.


    Cornelia Bloodfallen. The eldest daughter of Demon Emperor Balmond. Although she was a woman, she was the crown princess and the first in line to the throne.


    Her beautiful face carried a coquettish smile as she seductively walked towards Amon. The pair of ck wings on her back gently bounced in her every step. The demon prince gulped hard as he looked at this woman. He took a step back and hurriedly bit his tongue to recover his senses.


    Freaking hell! This su??ubus'' art of seduction has already improved to this level?! Just how strong is she now?!


    Amon stared at her warily as he hid his fear. This beautifuldy was his half-sister, the daughter of his father with the Queen who had a noble su??ubus bloodline. Her talent was the best among all the Demon Emperor''s children and she was also the strongest among the younger generation of the Demon Race!


    "Cornelia!" Amon gritted his teeth as he put on a fearless look.


    Cornelia giggled amorously when she saw his reaction. She then lifted her hands and lightly touched Amon''s cheeks, making the demon prince flinch.


    "Even after so long, you still haven''t grown up, my little brother. Hehehe..."


    Amon shivered when he smelled Cornelia''s warm and fragrant breath. He swiftly pushed her hands away and took a step back, causing another wave ofughter from the su??ubus.


    "Cornelia, don''t push me too far! You-" Cornelia''s figure disappeared and Amon suddenly felt a dainty finger blocking his lips, preventing him from speaking further.


    "My little brother, why are you so guarded against your cute and charming sister? You are making me sad..." Amon almost pissed his pants when he heard the voice from behind him. He did not even see when Cornelia moved!


    "You...You''re already a Demon Lord (Nascent God Realm)?! How can this be?! Impossible!" Amon fearfully swatted her hand away from his face. A look of shock and disbelief covered his contorting face.


    Hearing his words, Cornelia giggled as she coyly winked at him. "I''ll find youter for a chat, little brother. For now, your sister will go meet His Majesty first. Hehehe."


    After saying those words, she left a wave of lc fragrance in the air as she elegantly walked away.


    Amon immediately fled when he heard the su??ubus'' words. He dared not remain here any longer. He was already nning where to hide to avoid meeting herter....

 Chapter 369 - One-Day Lecture

    <h4>Chapter 369 - One-Day Lecture</h4>


    With the emperor and the former emperor guiding them, Jiu Shen and the threedies went out of the imperial pce. Although Elyk was feeling emotional, he still put on a smile as he talked with Jiu Shen along the way.


    "Sect Master Jiu Shen, please inform me if you decide to go back to the Crimson Fiend Continent. I have heard a lot about that ce and I''m very curious about how it looks like." Emperor Elyk smiled.


    Jiu Shen merely nodded his head as he walked.


    Seeing hisck of interest in continuing the topic, Emperor Elyk did not press him further and just led Jiu Shen''s group towards the exit of the imperial pce.


    "I''ll send someone to notify you once I go back to the Crimson Fiend Continent. Farewell."


    "Alright." Emperor Elyk nodded at Jiu Shen''s words.


    After getting the emperor''s reply, Jiu Shen and the three girls tapped their feet on the ground and soared through the skies in a blink of an eye.


    Swoosh!


    Emperor Elyk and the old emperor stared at them for a while and when they could no longer see their shadow, the father and son went inside the imperial pce with serious gazes.


    ***


    "Hey human, for how long are you gonna stay here?" Ice who was clinging onto Jiu Shen''s shoulder in her human form asked in a soft voice.


    Long Meili and Theia also stared at Jiu Shen when they heard Ice''s question.


    "Not for long. I didn''t inform my subordinates about this, so they might be restless if I don''te back soon. I will stay here for a few days to check everyone''s progress and also to monitor the continent. I''d like to see if I can find something interesting here before I go back to the territory of the demons." Jiu Shen''s schedule was tight this time, but he didn''t feel disheartened because it has been a long time since he had a lot of things to do. Furthermore, he enjoyed the feeling of seeing his subordinates'' growth.


    For the next few days, Jiu Shen went to the sword tower to observe every division. Everyone seemed to have grown a lot after the battle with the Crimson Sun Sect. It was especially true for Division Head Yang Zenke and his Blood Sword Division.


    During the battle against the Crimson Sun Sect, they spearheaded the charge and experienced the most gruesome fight. Because of that event, everyone in the division changed and matured overnight. Even Yang Zenke''s friend, Han Sen, who was known as the joker of their circle has now be more serious and dignified.


    Jiu Shen was quite happy about everyone''s progress, so he decided to give them more pointers about cultivation and sword techniques for one day. When this news was learned by everyone, all disciples of the sword tower came to listen to his teachings. They were eager to learn more from their sect master who was known as the strongest of the continent!


    The spacious lecture hall was almost full when Jiu Shen walked inside.


    Under the worshipping gazes of the disciples, he walked straight to the front and immediately started his lecture.


    Everyone was engrossed as they listened to his teachings. Jiu Shen''s words were filled with wisdom and experience, making those who were stumped in their cultivation feel enlightened. And when Jiu Shen began demonstrating his swordsmanship, almost everyone experienced breakthroughs in theirprehension!


    And without anyone knowing, the one-day lecture was over.


    "Eh? I thought only an hour has passed..."


    "I think I''ll reach another breakthrough if I cultivate tonight..."


    "The sect master''s teaching is full of detail and very refined..."


    Many disciples had questions to ask, but Jiu Shen was already gone in the lecture hall.


    "I didn''t think you could say so many things at once. Your lecture evensted a day." Theia gave Jiu Shen a rare smile. Ice who was standing beside her nodded her head repeatedly.


    "Master, you look great when you''re teaching the disciples." Long Meili praised him with an admiring look on her face.


    Jiu Shen shook his head as he chuckled lightly. "Enough. I discovered an interesting person near here when I used my spiritual power earlier. This guy is the strongest person I''ve seen in the Profound Dragon Continent..."


    The three girls were shocked when they heard his words. The strongest person of the entire Profound Dragon Continent? They suddenly felt curious about the person that Jiu Shen has mentioned.


    "Is this person stronger than you, master?" Long Meili asked curiously. In her mind, Jiu Shen was the strongest individual, but when Jiu Shen mentioned this person, she sensed the slight admiration in his voice.


    Jiu Shenughed and shook his head. "Of course not. This guy is only at the peak stage of the Origin God Realm and he only has a few hundred years left to live in this world. I can''t believe I failed to notice him before..."


    A few hundred years wasn''t long for experts at their level.


    "Hearing your tone, there must be something special about this guy." Theia nced at Jiu Shen with an inquisitive look.


    "Not so special, but if I like him, I might give him a surprise..." Jiu Shen smiled mysteriously. It wasn''t a problem for him to help experts at the peak stage of the Origin God Realm achieve a breakthrough. He had a wealth of experience after living for so many years...


    Meanwhile, in an old and abandoned cemetery in the periphery of the Silver Wing Empire, a thin and blind old man was cleaning a tombstone with a broom. It was unknown how the blind old man was able to see the dirt on the tombstone.


    Suddenly, the old man sneezed. He then slowly wiped the snot forming inside his nose with the hem of his worn-out shirt.


    "I''ve be so old that even with my cultivation I still get sick... Sigh.." His lonesome and aged voice echoed within the quiet tombstone.

 Chapter 370 - The Old Man In The Abandoned Cemetery

    <h4>Chapter 370 - The Old Man In The Abandoned Cemetery</h4>


    Jiu Shen waved his right hand.


    Om!


    A door-like rift opened in front of Jiu Shen. He was nning to directly teleport where the peak stage Origin God Realm expert was secluded. Although it was disrespectful to do this, Jiu Shen couldn''t care less. After all, he was nning to give the blind old man an opportunity to reach greater heights. However, this was if the old man would agree to his terms.


    "Let''s go." Jiu Shen told the threedies as he looked at them.


    The three women nodded their heads as they jumped inside the pitch-ck space door.


    The scene in front of them suddenly changed and they were teleported into a dpidated cemetery with dozens of aged tombstones scattered around. The atmosphere in this ce was quiet and lonely. It was the kind of ce that no one would dare to live alone.


    A breeze of cold wind struck Jiu Shen and thedies, but their faces remained unchanged. For people at their level, this kind of ce was not enough to scare them. Only mortals with weaker willpower would feel afraid in this gloomy cemetery.


    Jiu Shen scanned the surroundings with his peripheral vision. His golden eyes flickered with divine glow and a wave of spiritual power burned within those beautiful gold orbs.


    "He''s here." Jiu Shen muttered as he slowly walked. The threedies silently followed him as they curiously nced at the deste tombs. Although the tombstones were quite old, all of them looked tidy as if they were regrly cleaned by someone.


    "The Origin God Realm expert that you mentioned is living in such a ce?" Theia asked as she sneakily held Jiu Shen''s hand.


    Jiu Shen''s expressionless face turned a shade warmer as he stared at Theia. He could feel the warmth of her hand and he could not help but grasp it tightly. "Indeed. He only has a few hundred years left to live based on his weak aura. As to why he lives in this cemetery, I think this ce holds a significant memory to him."


    Theia nodded her head at his answer and agreed with it silently. A few hundred years was indeed a small amount of time for experts at their level. In their eyes, a year may just pass by in a blink of an eye. Some experts even meditate for more than a hundred years...


    Not far from them, an old man was sweeping a tombstone with a broom. His back was hunched and he seemed to be struggling to stand up as he busied himself. Suddenly, he sensed a disturbance ahead of him. "Hm?"


    "This power... Void God Realm..." The old man''s body trembled as he muttered those words. There was a hint of sadness and longing in his tone.


    Void God Realm.


    It was the realm that he and his buddies wanted to reach for so many years. They trained like crazy as they protected the Profound Dragon Continent, but even after thousands of years, they all failed. All his friends died and he was the only one left struggling to achieve their dream.


    Without knowing it, he had already dropped the broom he was holding. After being shocked for a moment, the old man sighed and shook his head. "Who could this person be? To reach the Void God Realm in this world is very difficult and only those with heaven blessed talents could reach that level of cultivation. I just hope that he isn''t an enemy or else, no one in the Profound Dragon Continent will be his opponent..."


    The old man didn''t wait for long. He saw four individuals dressed in luxurious robes. They seemed to havee from the same background based on their clothing. He was also shocked when he discovered the cultivation levels of the threedies. All of them were at the Nascent God Realm! And based on their vigorous vitality, they were among the younger generation! However, what made him even more surprised was the man leading them. He looked like a young man in his early twenties and when he tried to inspect the young man''s vitality and cultivation level, the old man felt a sharp stinging pain in his head.


    The old man ced his hands behind his back and stared at the iing group using his ''blind eyes''.


    "Who knew that I would receive such distinguished young guests in my twilight years!" The old man smiled warmly like a kind elder.


    Ice, Theia, and Long Meili greeted the elder with cupped fists. Even Ice who was usually uncultured acted well-mannered this time. Of course, they had their reasons for doing this. The old man was an expert at the peak stage of the Origin God Realm. Cultivators at that level are worthy of their respect.


    Jiu Shen stared at the old man with a stern look. "You faked your blindness, but you can''t fool me, brat. Why are you even hiding those eyes? You have the Fire Lord Crimson Eyes, a rarity that could make one a rarely seen genius! What you are doing is the same as forsaking your talent... So foolish..."


    "Fire Lord Crimson Eyes? Do you mean my Devil Eyes? What talent are saying? My eyes only brought me chaos! Who are you to say such things you... you..." The old man red up when he heard Jiu Shen''s words. He had even forgotten the fact that this young man might be a Void God Realm Expert.


    "Chaos?" Jiu Shenughed lightly as he shook his head. He then continued. "That''s just because you don''t know how to properly control your power. Well, you could not be med. This world has no knowledge about your Fire Lord Crimson Eyes. However, what if I tell you that I have a way to help you control it?"


    The old man''s furious face slowly changed into surprise when he heard his words. "That''s impossible! Even those ancient beings of the ancient era might not be able to do it. You-"


    "Ancient era?" Jiu Shen almost burst intoughter when he heard that. Even Theia who knew about Jiu Shen chuckled at the side.


    This world and even the stars near this weren''t even born yet when Jiu Shen was already roaming around the Primordial God Realm....

 Chapter 371 - I Need A Sweeper In My Wine Store

    ''Wait. I can''t sense this young man''s cultivation level. That means he is at least stronger than me. If that''s the case, there should be some truth to his words. I have nothing to lose anymore even if he''s lying...'' The old man thought deeply to himself. He just got worked up earlier since his cursed eyes caused harm to him and his friends during their younger years. That was also the reason why he sealed his own eyes using a secret technique.


    "This Fire Lord Crimson Eyes that you mentioned, can you tell me more about it?" The old man changed his tone as he asked Jiu Shen with a hint of respect.


    Jiu Shen stared at him calmly as he replied. "The Fire Lord Crimson Eye is a unique ability that is only possessed by those with noble origin. Someone who has the Fire Lord Crimson Eye would have the ability to see the world in great detail. Even the most minute detail couldn''t escape its sights. Possessing this unique ability will also enhance one''s affinity with the fire element and it can even improve your spiritual power. However, if you don''t have the necessary knowledge on how to control this ability, it will be dangerous. I think you have experienced this already..."


    The old man nodded his head gravely upon hearing his words. He was also stunned when he learned that the cursed eyes he had were actually a great and powerful ability! "Do you really have a way to help me control it?"


    "Of course, but you''ve already sealed your eyes for more than a thousand years, so I need to reawaken it. We need to concoct an Origin-rank medicinal pill for you to forcefully awaken it." Jiu Shen answered concisely.


    The old man was initially happy, but when he heard thetter half of Jiu Shen''s words, he sighed. He knew what an Origin-rank pill was, so he knew how difficult it was to make it. He had a friend who was once known as the top alchemist of the whole Profound Dragon Continent, but he had already left this world... There was no one else he knew who had the ability to concoct a pill at this level.


    Sigh...


    "I can concoct this pill and I even have theplete set of ingredients necessary to refine this pill." Jiu Shen suddenly said when he heard the old man''s sigh.


    The old man raised his head with a look of surprise. "You are an alchemist? But I thought you are a cultivator... Sorry, I don''t mean anything with my words, but I just find it shocking. Sigh... I''m getting old..."


    After being silent for a moment, the old man raised his head and gazed into Jiu Shen''s eyes. "If you can help me reawaken my Fire Lord Crimson Eyes and control this power, I will do anything to repay you. I might be old, but I was once one of the top experts of this continent..."


    After hearing the old man''s solemn promise, Jiu Shen''s lips slightly curved upwards. "Actually, I''mcking a sweeper in my wine store..."


    Hm? He wants me to be a sweeper of his wine store? The old man felt that Jiu Shen was mocking him, but when he saw the young man''s calm expression, he thought that he might be serious. However, would he really agree to be a mere sweeper? His answer was...


    "Sure. I''m old and I don''t like to fight anymore. I''ve been cleaning my old friends'' tombstones for hundreds of years, so I don''t mind bing a sweeper in your wine store. Perhaps that''s a good ending for someone like me..." The old man forced out a sad smile. He had long since lost his interest in bing the top expert in the world. The only reason why he wanted to reawaken his Fire Lord Crimson Eyes was because of his past regrets.


    "Good. Don''t worry, although my wine store is located in the Crimson Fiend Continent, the demons there are rather friendly." Jiu Shen casually said, but his words almost made the old man fall to the ground.


    "What did you say?!" The old man held onto Jiu Shen''s clothes, his beard rose and fell as he breathed heavily.


    "I said that the demons there are quite friendly." Jiu Shen answered without a change in his expression.


    "You mean your wine store is truly in the Crimson Fiend Continent? That ce? You-" The old man breathed deeply and sighed.


    "Now, I don''t know if this will be a good ending for me or not..." The old man muttered with a hollowugh.


    Jiu Shen patted him on the shoulder as he said. "Don''t worry, you won''t regret it..."


    The old man raised his head to look at Jiu Shen, but he no longer had the energy to reply. He felt like he was conned by a scammer, but it was already toote to take back his words. Since he had already decided, he might as well believe in his choice.


    Looking at the dispirited look of the old man, the threedies who were standing behind Jiu Shen chuckled secretly. They felt that the scene was a bitical and amusing.


    "Alright. I will begin the pill refining in a while. You should stay further away lest you disturb me in the pill refining process. You don''t want anything going wrong in this, right?" Jiu Shen said with a smile.


    The old man felt as if he was a fly being shooed away, but he merely nodded his head absentmindedly. Although he was a bit irked by Jiu Shen''s attitude, he was also curious if the young man was truthful with his words. After all, he was nning to concoct an Origin-rank pill. Even histe friend had his troubles when he refined pills at that level.


    "Wait. Are you nning to refine the pill here?" The old man suddenly asked as he stared at the surroundings. It was full of old tombstones and wild grasses. The ce was definitely not suitable for refining pills, especially a high-ranked one.


    Jiu Shen stared at the old man as if he was looking at an idiot. "Of course. Is there anything wrong with it?" To Jiu Shen, there wasn''t a problem in refining pills anywhere. As long as no one disturbs him in the pill refining process, then the ce doesn''t matter much.


    The old man felt like spewing blood when he saw the look that Jiu Shen gave him. He waved his hand lifelessly as he muttered. "Alright. Alright. Just do what you want...."

 Chapter 372 - Sky Rousing Dan And The Mantra

    Yue Bo dragged his weary body listlessly and found himself a spot at the corner. He stared at Jiu Shen''s figure with a hint of hope, doubt, and expectation. Could this young man refine an Origin-rank pill? Yue Bo was unsure himself.


    The old man''s name was Yue Bo. He was the?only remaining guardian of the Profound Dragon Continent.?He participated in the battle against the demons during the great warring period and because of his merits and great power, he rose to the highest position in the Alliance. However, after the Alliance signed a treaty with the Demon Race, he stepped down from his position and lived a solitary and unknown life.


    Initially, he nned to stay in this abandoned cemetery for his remaining years and clean his old friends'' tombstones, but then...


    Yue Bo nced at Jiu Shen with a prating look. Although he had the eyes of a blind man, he could still see using his spiritual vision. He watched as Jiu Shen took out a huge cauldron from out of nowhere. The cauldron looked stunning and majestic. Even Yue Bo had never seen a cauldron as precious as that after thousands of years. He could tell that this huge cauldron was not ordinary just based on its arcane aura and intricate patterns. Only a high-level cksmith could create such a masterpiece!


    "This cauldron..."


    Jiu Shen pped the Heaven Trampling Cauldron, making it emit a loud smacking sound. The ground beneath the cauldron trembled and produced a quaking sound.


    ''I have a lot of pill recipes that can awaken a human bloodline, but the pill I''m nning to refine is the Sky Rousing Dan. It is the most suitable and easiest pill to concoct based on that brat''s circumstance. The Sky Rousing Dan should be able to awaken his Fire Lord Crimson Eyes. Alright. Let''s begin...'' Jiu Shen took out more than a dozen spiritual ingredients. Some were rare, while others weremon.


    After taking out all the ingredients from his space earring, Jiu Shen started refining the spiritual nts. His movements were unhurried and rxed as if he was merely brewing a simple medicinal tea.


    Looking at this scene, Yue Bo was stunned. Although he wasn''t an alchemist, he saw how his old friend refined pills. And what Jiu Shen was doing right now waspletely different than what he remembered. ''What is this kid doing? Is he even refining pills or is he brewing coffee?''


    Jiu Shen who was unaware of Yue Bo''s thoughts continued the refining process with a calm expression.


    Long Meili, Theia, and Ice also watched the scene with interest.


    Not longter, Jiu Shenpletely concocted the pill. It didn''t even take him an hour to concoct the Origin-rank Sky Rousing Dan!


    A wave of dense pill aroma covered the cemetery after Jiu Shen opened the lid of the Heaven Trampling Cauldron. He didn''t even look at what level of pill he produced and just took everything in his hand. He kept the rest after tossing one to Yue Bo.


    "Eat this." He said to the speechless old man who caught the pill with trembling hands.


    "Is this really an Origin-rank pill?" He muttered absentmindedly. The pill refining process took less than an hour and he almost thought that he was dreaming. However, when he looked at the brilliantly glowing round pill in his palm and the warmth it was emitting, he knew that it was the real deal. He could even sense a strong amount of true essence and power inside the small pill.


    "It''s just a mere Origin-rank pill. You don''t need to act like that..." Jiu Shen said to the old man as he kept the Heaven Trampling Cauldron inside his space earring.


    Yue Bo nced at Jiu Shen and opened his mouth, but when he saw the look of disdain in that handsome face, he felt a bit ashamed of himself. He then popped the pill into his mouth and swallowed it down his throat.


    When the pill entered his stomach, he felt a burning sensation slowly enveloping his body. It then traveled upwards and stopped on his eyes. The burning sensation intensified, making Yue Bo grit his teeth in pain. He let out a soft groan as he clutched his burning eyes.


    Argh!


    "Endure the pain and refine the medicinal properties of the pill!" He heard Jiu Shen''s reminder, so he immediately sat down cross-legged and started refining the remaining medicinal properties left in his body.


    Yue Bo breathed heavily as beads of sweat slid down his cheeks. His eyes were shut tight and a look of pain can be seen on his face.


    There were only a small bit of medicinal properties left from the Sky Rousing Dan, so it didn''t take Yue Bo much time to fully refine the pill.


    Suddenly, he felt an itchy sensation in his eyes. Just as he was about to rub his eyes using his hands, he heard a calm voice.


    "Open your eyes! The Sky Rousing Dan has already awakened your Fire Lord Crimson Eyes, but it still has to be controlled. I will teach you a mantra that could help you control this power. Listen carefully because I will only say this twice..."


    Oh Luk Ga Si Naw


    Vol Bul Hie Yet


    Yue Bo carefully memorized the chant and silently murmured it as he tried to restrain the power rising in his eyes.


    Haa!


    He exhaled a breath of warm air as he slowly opened his eyes. A pair of crimson pupils that burned like the sun. The threedies unconsciously narrowed their eyes when they saw this. They felt slightly ufortable looking at Yue Bo''s eyes.


    Rumble! Rumble!


    Jiu Shen and the threedies raised their heads when they heard the rumbling sounds above the skies.


    Dark clouds congregated and produced webs of lightning, illuminating the firmament with a brilliant glow.


    "So the pill also gave him the chance to reach the Void God Realm. With the brat''s Fire Lord Crimson Eyes, he should barely survive this tribtion despite his old age. When that happens, he would gain back his youth..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself.


    Yue Bo stood up and stared at the dark clouds with a grave and excited look. "This is...."

 Chapter 373 - Yue Bo’s Tribulation Lightning

    Yue Bo stared at the huge dark clouds in the sky. He could hear the rumbling sounds of thunder as shes of lightning asionally struck.


    "Is this my tribtion lightning? I never thought I would have the chance to break through the Void God Realm. It looks like I have to obediently sweep that guy''s wine store when the timees..." Yue Bo muttered to himself as the fire in his crimson eyes burned intensely.


    Meanwhile, Jiu Shen nced at the threedies and told them. "Let''s stay out of here. If we remain in this ce, his tribtion lightning will only be stronger."


    The three women nodded their heads obediently and followed behind Jiu Shen.


    Yue Bo muttered the mantra that Jiu Shen told him and activated his Fire Lord Crimson Eyes. His crimson pupils released a terrifying wave of power that scorched the old man''s surroundings.


    Yue Bo stared apologetically at the copsed tombstones. "I''m so sorry buddies..."


    He still found it difficult to control his ability, but he knew that he would get used to it soon.


    Zapp!


    A huge bolt of lightning struck like a spear of glowing white light, tearing space asunder!


    Bang!


    Yue Bo was directly hit, but a burst of fiery crimson mes covered his entire body, lessening the damage of the lightning.


    Hahaha!


    Yue Boughed like a crazy old man. His bent back suddenly stood straight as he slowly raised his head to the sky. "COME!! Hahaha!"


    Bolts after bolts of lightning continuously struck Yue Bo, but his unrestrainedughter still lingered in the now-destroyed cemetery.


    ***


    "Your Majesty, I''ve returned..." Cornelia respectfully bowed at the man seated on the throne. Her amorous expression was now reced by a rare look of seriousness.


    "How''s the situation against the Rebel Army?" Emperor Balmond asked as he stared at the kneeling Cornelia. He was most pleased about this child of his. She was the number one expert among the younger generation and she was already a Demon Lord (Nascent God Realm) at such a young age. Her talent was rare even among their ancestors.


    Cornelia gathered her thoughts before she answered. "Our Demon Army has captured three bases of the Rebel Army and we also killed two of their Nascent God Realm experts. The situation at the frontline has been stabilized following our most recent victory."


    Balmond nodded his head, pleased, at the report. "Good! I know that you won''t fail me. It was a wise decision to put you in charge of leading our Demon Army. Although you are stillcking in terms of personal strength, your wisdom and battle tactics make up for it!"


    "I don''t deserve such praise, Your Majesty! The victory isn''t just my achievement alone. Our officers and our soldiers helped me greatly in this battle! They deserve to be praised more than me." Cornelia was being truthful. Their victory was greatly credited to the overwhelming strength of their Demon Army. They decimated the resistance of the Rebel Army, killing thousands of their members in the process. The casualties on their side were negligiblepared to the number of enemies they killed!


    Balmond knew this too, so he nodded his head in agreement. "Even so, your contribution to this war was massive. What reward do you want me to give you?" He asked as he stared at his daughter. Although his son was disappointing, Cornelia''s recent achievements made him happy with his choice of choosing her as the crown princess.


    Cornelia slowly raised her head and answered with a sweet smile. "Your Majesty, I hope you can give me a short vacation."


    Balmond was a bit surprised when he heard this. "Just this? Do you not desire anything else? Land? Soldiers? Treasures? Do you not want any of this?"


    Cornelia shook her head. "Emperor Father, your pitiful daughter is now weary from the constant war at the frontline. I wish to have a short vacation." She answered as she acted pitifully.


    Balmond chuckled to himself when he saw his daughter acting like this. He knew her well, but since she did have huge merit this time, he nodded his head. "Alright. I''ll approve of your one-year break, but you must not get out of the empire without any protection."


    "Don''t worry, Emperor Father. I don''t n to go out of the empire at the moment. I''ve heard a lot about a peculiar wine store in Morlon City. ording to my subordinates, the wines sold in that store have stunning effects. I want to go and see this ce myself." Cornelia said, a hint of expectation can be felt in her voice.


    Balmond frowned upon hearing this. Although there was no conflict between him and the mysterious owner of this store, Emperor Balmond was unaware of the other party''s thoughts. However, when he saw the eager look of his beloved daughter, he sighed and reluctantly agreed. "Fine. Just don''t provoke anyone from that store. Not until we clear the remaining members of the Rebel Army. It''s not good to make more enemies at times like this."


    Cornelia nodded her head obediently. "Yes, Emperor Father."


    She was also curious why her father was so cautious about the mysterious owner of the wine store. However, she dared not ask about this.


    ''I''ll investigate this owner myself and see what makes him so special that even father is cautious towards him.'' Cornelia thought to herself.


    "Alright. You may leave now." Emperor Balmond waved his hand, motioning Cornelia to leave the throne room.


    Cornelia slowly stood up and bowed at Emperor Balmond before she left the throne room.


    Outside, Cornelia''s amorous face slowly returned. She gave off the aura of seduction, making the imperial guards standing outside the throne room feel their lower bodies getting hotter.


    As if she had sensed their reaction, Cornelia winked at them before she left.


    The two imperial guards gritted their teeth and bit their tongues. It was only until a few secondster did they regained their senses.


    "Shit! I almost got my soul lost in Her Highness'' seduction arts!"


    "Shh! Quiet! If His Majesty hears you, I won''t even bother helping you!"

 Chapter 374 - Heavenly God Realm Spiritual Aura

    Jiu Shen stared at the copsed Yue Bo under the ruins with a smile on his face. The dark clouds had already drifted away, reced by the radiant and blue sky. Only the ravaged ruins of the then old cemetery was left behind by the frenzied bolts of tribtion lightning.


    "He actually survived his tribtion lightning..." Long Meili muttered in surprise as she stared at Yue Bo was still sprawled lifelessly on the ground. With her acute senses, she could hear that Yue Bo was still breathing.


    "Give this healing pill to him. His condition might worsen if his injuries aren''t treated well. However, that guy is now a Void God Realm expert, so he should be able to heal on his own soon, but I can''t wait that long so let him consume the pill." Jiu Shen tossed a pill to Long Meili who swiftly caught it with her hand.


    She then walked towards Yue Bo and turned him over. When she saw the face of Yue Bo, she was quite shocked. The old man had recovered his youth! He now looked like a man in his early thirties! After her initial surprise, Long Meili quickly pushed the pill inside Yue Bo''s mouth.


    Gulp.


    Yue Bo''s throat moved as he unconsciously swallowed down the healing panacea.


    Long Meili stood up and returned behind Jiu Shen after letting Yue Bo consume the pill.


    After a while, Yue Bo slowly opened his eyes and sat up cross-legged with difficulty. He could feel a warm sensation in his body and after checking it using his spiritual vision, he discovered a pill in his stomach. It was providing his body with huge amounts of true essence, making him recover faster.


    Without wasting too much time, he swiftly refined the pill. His physical injuries healed quickly and his breathing went back to normal. After recuperating, he slowly stood up and checked the changes in his body. He noticed that his wrinkled skin had be tight and full of vitality!


    Yue Bo touched his face and he almost cried when he felt the youthful skin. It wasn''t a dream! He had be young once again!


    After checking the changes in his body, he scrutinized his dantian. It was filled with power!


    Void God Realm.


    Hahaha!


    Yue Bo raised his head andughed happily. Although he no longer desired anything, he was happy that he had finally achieved his wish. He had be a Void God Realm expert!


    "What''s your name, young brat?" Amidst hisughing fit, Yue Bo suddenly heard a calm voice calling out to him. He turned his gaze and saw the young man who had refined the Origin-rank Sky Rousing Dan that helped him awaken his Fire Lord Crimson Eyes. The said pill was also responsible for his breakthrough to the Void God Realm.


    He didn''t even know this young man''s name, but now that he had broken through, he could still not sense the other party''s cultivation level. As if a metallic wall was preventing him from sensing anything. Now, he finally realized how scary this young man was.


    When Jiu Shen noticed Yue Bo trying to gauge his strength, he smirked in his heart. His cultivation level was only at the Origin God Realm, but no one would be able to discern his real strength because he had the Seamless Deity Physique! A body that exceeded even that of Immortals!


    ''Although my cultivation is weak at the moment, my soul is different. I was once a Heavenly God Realm expert, a few realms stronger than that of a Void God Realm cultivator. Let me show you a bit of my power.''


    The ponytail holder tying Jiu Shen''s hair snapped, making his long silver hair dance wildly. His golden eyes shed with a sharp glint as he stared calmly at Yue Bo. A wave of heavy and stifling spiritual aura suddenly gushed out of him, making Yue Bo nce at Jiu Shen in horror.


    "This power! This is not the Void God Realm! You! You are-" Yue Bo''s knees caved in under the immense pressure of Jiu Shen''s spiritual aura. Blood sipped out at the corner of his lips, but he couldn''t even lift his hand to wipe it off his face.


    Looking at Jiu Shen''s peerless visage, he felt like a bug in front of a deity! The difference in their power was so vast that he didn''t even dare breathe in his presence!


    ''This realm of power is not possible to achieve in this world! Who is he?!'' Yue Bo thought to himself in fear.


    "Brat, it''s not good to inspect the cultivation level of others right in front of their face. You''re lucky that I still have uses for you or I would have erased your body and soul." Jiu Shen muttered in an eerily calm voice as he slowly withdrew his spiritual aura. His current physical body could not handle exerting the spiritual power of a Heavenly God Realm expert for too long.


    Yue Bo fell to the ground after Jiu Shen lifted off his spiritual aura. He breathed heavily as he clutched his chest. That was the most horrifying thing he had experienced in all his life! All the experts he had known all those years ago would only be ants in the presence of this young man! That kind of power was capable of destroying a whole world!


    It took him quite a bit of time before he returned to normal. He anxiously stared at Jiu Shen and bowed as he said. "Your Excellency, please forgive this lowly one for offending you! I didn''t mean to offend you. I was merely curious about your power. Please forgive me, Your Excellency!"


    Jiu Shen chuckled in his heart, but he kept on a straight face. "My name is Jiu Shen, but call me Wine Master Jiu or Sect Master Jiu. That''s what my subordinates call me."


    "Yes, Wine Master Jiu Shen! Don''t worry! I will do as I promised and serve you as your wine store''s sweeper!" He no longer felt reluctant to be this young man''s sweeper. The hell! It was a rare chance to serve such a powerful being! Even if it was just as a lowly sweeper, he was still eager to do it!

 Chapter 375 - Returning To The Crimson Fiend Continent

    Jiu Shen was pleased when he saw Yue Bo''s expression. This man was his strongest subordinate at the moment. The guy''s cultivation realm was even higher than his own!


    "Alright. Meili, give him a few sets of our sect''s guardian robe. We will go back to the sect and rest there for a day before we go to the Crimson Fiend Continent." Jiu Shen said as he summoned a spatial door with a mere flick of his hand.


    Looking at the dark rift, Yue Bo''s gaze turned even more respectful. Even with his current level of power, he could notmand space to that degree.


    The group went back to the sword tower in just a few seconds.


    Yue Bo stared at the huge sword erected on the ground. Its de was pointed at the heavens in an arrogant manner as if it wanted to pierce the skies. Young disciples dressed in ck robes can be seen going in and out of this sword tower. All of them had sharp auras unbefitting their young ages. If any of these disciples were ced in different empires, they would surely be considered as the top talents in the younger generation!


    Yue Bo who was once one of the most powerful members of the Alliance fifty thousand years ago was shocked to see this. The young members of the Alliance all those years ago could not evenpare to the disciples of this sword tower! It must be noted that all members of the Alliance fifty thousand years ago including the young ones were constantly facing wars and battles, making them even stronger. However, the young disciples in front of him were not inferior and even stronger than those young Alliance members!


    "Wee to the Heavenly Sword Tower. From now on you will be one of the guardians of this ce. It is still new and is not even a year old yet, so it is still a bit weak, but I''m confident that in less than fifty years, this sword tower will give birth to countless experts." Jiu Shen said with his hands behind his back. His words were like the words of a madman, but Yue Bo and the threedies didn''t even show a hint of disagreement. They knew that this man was capable of doing what he had just said.


    ''Weak? You call these freaks weak?'' Yue Bo almost cursed, but he put on a smile as he promised.


    "I will follow your arrangements, Sect Master Jiu Shen. As long as I''m alive, I will help you achieve your dreams!"


    Jiu Shen chuckled when he heard his words. He then walked inside the tower under the respectful gazes of Yue Bo and the threedies.


    One dayter, inside the Sect Master''s room. Jiu Shen was seated on a chair. His expression was rxed.


    "Ren Shuang." He called out.


    Swoosh.


    A shadow appeared in front of him as a person teleported out of nowhere.


    "Sect Master." Ren Shuang greeted as he kneeled in front of Jiu Shen.


    "Tell Elyk and his father toe here right away. I have something to tell them." Jiu Shen said with an impassive look.


    "As youmand." Ren Shuang said before his figure disappeared.


    ***


    "Your Majesty, Vice Sect Master Ren Shuang of the Heavenly Sword Tower has arrived!" An imperial guard notified Emperor Elyk. This news made Elyk abruptly stand up. It was actually Ren Shuang!


    Emperor Elyk knew this man very well since he had seen him quite a few times every time he visited the Heavenly Sword Tower. Ren Shuang was a man of few words and he rarely goes out of the Heavenly Sword Tower. Only Jiu Shen couldmand him to go to the imperial pce.


    "Send Vice Sect Master Ren Shuang inside. Never mind, I''ll go out and meet him personally." Emperor Elyk might be the emperor of the Silver Wing Empire, but he dared not neglect Ren Shuang. Even his father wouldn''t dare provoke this man.


    Emperor Elyk rushed out of the throne room to meet Ren Shuang. When he arrived in the guest hall, he saw Ren Shuang who was wearing a stern look.


    "Vice Sect Master Ren, wee! I apologize for making you wait. Come. I''ll bring you inside the throne room." Emperor Elyk greeted Ren Shuang with a warm smile.


    "There is no need for that. The Sect Master wants to see you and the old emperor." Ren Shuang said in a cold and distant tone.


    ''Sect Master Jiu? Is it finally time?''


    Emperor Elyk turned serious as he nodded his head. "Alright. I''ll inform my father and we will be in the sword tower right away."


    Ren Shuang nodded his head. "I''ve delivered Sect Master''s words, so I will now take my leave."


    Swoosh.


    Emperor Elyk did not dally after Ren Shuang left. He immediately went to find his old man.


    "Old man, Sect Master Jiu wants to see us. Let''s go." Emperor Elyk pulled his father who was still drinking his morning tea.


    The old emperor stood up and muttered. "Is he finally nning to go back to the Crimson Fiend Continent?"


    "Perhaps."


    The father and son duo swiftly flew towards the sword tower at their fastest speed. They didn''t even bother to change their clothes as they left behind afterimages in the skies.


    Not longter, they arrived in front of the sword tower. They were then greeted by Jiu Shen''s first disciple, Lu Sn. She also led the two to the Sect Master''s room.


    "Master, His Majesty, and the old emperor have arrived." Lu Sn knocked on the door gently.


    "Let them in."


    Lu Sn pushed the door open and motioned the emperor and the old emperor to get inside the room.


    Inside the room was the calmly sitting Jiu Shen. Standing behind him were Long Meili, Theia, and Ice in her human form.


    "Greetings, Sect Master Jiu Shen."


    "Greetings, Sect Master Jiu Shen."


    The father and son greeted Jiu Shen respectfully. They also greeted the threedies behind him.


    Jiu Shen nodded at them and said in a serious voice. "I will go back to the Crimson Fiend Continent. Elyk, are you sure that you want toe with me?"


    Emperor Elyk''s expression turned solemn as he stared at his father. After seeing his old man nodding his head, the emperor turned his gaze back to Jiu Shen and said. "Sect Master Jiu, I want to go with you!"


    "Good. The teleportation formation is in my store, so we will go there first.." Jiu Shen stood up and summoned the space door.

 Chapter 376 - Owner?

    Jiu Shen checked the teleportation formation. He then stared at Yue Bo, Emperor Elyk, Ice, Theia, and Long Meili. They were?the ones going with him to the Crimson Fiend Continent. "Are you guys ready?"


    The five of them nodded their heads at him.


    After seeing them nod their heads, Jiu Shen activated the teleportation array formation.


    Their bodies were enveloped by a bright ray of light as they vanished. When they opened their eyes, they were already inside an unfamiliar room.


    "We''re here." Jiu Shen''s calm voice woke them from their stupor.


    Emperor Elyk was stunned. He expected a deserted ce full of blood and chaos, but he didn''t expect that they would be teleported inside a luxurious ce.


    "Where are we?" He asked curiously as he stared at Jiu Shen''s face.


    "This is a branch store of mine here in the Crimson Fiend Continent. This ce isn''t as peaceful as it looks. Once you stepped out of this building, you''ll see it yourself. Follow me downstairs." Jiu Shen replied calmly before he led them to the first floor.


    When they reached the first floor, they finally saw a few demons. Some of them were seated in groups of four or five, while others sat alone. Almost all of them had bulky appearances and horrifying faces.


    Emperor Elyk who was still a 9th-rank Saint gasped in surprise when he sensed demons who were even stronger than him.


    ''This is indeed the Crimson Fiend Continent.'' The emperor thought to himself in shock.


    "Burlock. Come here." Jiu Shen suddenly called out a name.


    The five neers turned their gazes and saw a huge and bulky demon walking in their direction. Even though he was hiding his strength, they could still sense that this guy was at the Nascent God Realm! However, what made them even more surprised was the respectful look of this demon as he nced at Jiu Shen.


    "Wine Master Jiu, wee back!" Burlock greeted Jiu Shen enthusiastically. He then noticed a few individuals standing behind Jiu Shen and observed them briefly. There were five people behind Jiu Shen, three weredies who were at the Nascent God Realm,?one was dignified looking middle-aged man who was at the 9th-rank Saint, and thest person made Burlock frown. He couldn''t sense this person''s strength at all!


    "These people are your new colleagues. They have been with me for way earlier than you, so you must treat them well." Jiu Shen patted Burlock''s shoulder.


    Burlock hurriedly nodded his head upon hearing Jiu Shen''s words. ''So they are Wine Master Jiu''s old subordinates.''


    "I will treat them well, Wine Master Jiu. You can rest assured." Burlock promised.


    "Good. Go and get to know them. After that, give them a small tour within Morlon City. Oh, Yue Bo, you stay here and clean the garden outside. I only have a broom here with me, so can you make other tools yourself." Jiu Shen said as he took out an old-looking wooden broom. This was easy to make, so it didn''t take him long to make this broom. Although it looked shabby and frail, it was made of precious materials, making it a lot durable. Heck! It can even be made as a weapon!


    Yue Bo epted the broom with an eager look. There wasn''t even an ounce of reluctance on his face as he took the broom in his hands.


    "Yes, Wine Master Jiu! I''ll start cleaning the garden right away!" Yue Bo patted his chest and stepped outside the building with haste. Perhaps only this man would be excited to clean someone else''s garden...


    Looking at the excited figure going out of the building, Burlock and the rest were speechless.


    ***


    "ording to my subordinates, the wine store should be around this corner." Cornelia muttered to herself as she checked the map in her hands. It was roughly drawn, but everything about Morlon City was clearly drawn on the map.


    Cornelia kept the map in her space ring and nced ahead of her. There she saw a huge blooming azure lotus surrounded by tall metal fences. Demons also came in and out of the lotus building.


    "That should be it!" Cornelia''s eyes lit up and she immediately flew towards the direction of the lotus building.


    She slowly descended in front of the metal gate of the lotus building. In her descent, she saw hundreds of spiritual herbs and flowers neatly nted in rows and columns outside the lotus building. All of which were at least Nascent-rank spiritual nts! She even saw some Origin-rank spiritual nts and a few others with levels that she could not discern. Looking at this scene, Cornelia''s mouth twitched uncontrobly.


    "Just how rich is the owner of this wine store for him to casually nt such precious spiritual nts in his garden? Even Emperor Father isn''t as rich as him..." Cornelia muttered to herself as she stepped inside the metal gate. She nced to her left and right to observe the spiritual nts closely. Even until now, she has yet to recover from her shock.


    Just then, she saw a human in his thirties sweeping near the garden. He was wearing a ck robe with an insignia that she was unfamiliar with.


    ''He must be a worker here...'' Cornelia thought in her heart. However, as she looked closer at this human, she felt that her vision was obscured by a thin veil of strange power, preventing him from looking at the human''s cultivation level.


    Cornelia was shocked to discover this since she only experienced this kind of thing in front of her father, Emperor Balmond.


    ''Wait. Is this guy the mysterious owner of this store? This strength... Void God Realm...'' She was stunned at this discovery. Now she knew why her father was wary of offending this wine store owner.


    As if he noticed Cornelia looking at him, the human turned his gaze at her and smiled amiably.


    His face was average at best, but his temperament was simr to those who had experienced many things in life. His most striking feature was his eyes. It seemed to contain a gxy of its own.


    Suddenly, Cornelia felt her heartbeat moving faster.

 Chapter 377 - Cornelia Meets Jiu Shen

    Cornelia swiftly calmed her restless heart. She was merely excited at the thought of meeting another Void God Realm expert other than her father.


    "Handsome, are you the mysterious owner of this store?" Cornelia asked Yue Bo with a seductive smile hanging on her face. She slowly leaned closer to him, exposing her deep cleavage that could drown any man in ecstasy.


    With a light smile on his face, Yue Bo appeared to be unruffled by her charms. He stared into her eyes as he answered with an amiable voice. "I''m merely an ordinary sweeper working here. If you are looking for the owner, Wine Master Jiu Shen is inside the lotus building."


    Cornelia slightly frowned when she heard the reply. ''Am I wrong? Is he really just an ordinary sweeper? No. For a human, he didn''t show any fear when he spoke to me.''


    "Young Miss? Please excuse me. I still have to clean the garden." Yue Bo bowed gently at her and left with the broom in his hand.


    Cornelia stared at his figure with interest. This average-looking human was definitely not normal. She secretly used her seductive arts on him, but it actually had no effects! If he was a normal human, he would have thrown himself at her, but no such thing happened. The only exnation was that the human was way stronger than her!


    "Interesting! I will find out more about you soon, but first, let me see if the owner is truly inside this lotus building..." Cornelia muttered with a dazzling smile as she elegantly walked towards the wine store.


    When she stepped inside the store, there was a sudden change in the atmosphere. The amount of true essence became denser and the space inside the building seemed to have be bigger. She was sure that it wasn''t just a misconception. This was a high-level array formation that controlled space! That means, whoever made this lotus building was a top Array Formation Maker!


    Cornelia''s arrival inside the store made her the focal point of everyone''s gazes. Lecherous stares were directed at her figure, but she merely ignored them. She was used to this already, so wasn''t surprised by their reaction. Although she didn''t show any change in her outward appearance, Cornelia was mocking these lowly beings in her heart.


    Tap. Tap.


    Her high heels made light tapping sounds as she slowly walked around the store. Wherever she passed by, she would leave a wave of tantalizing fragrance that made the customers inhale her scent greedily.


    Cornelia Bloodfallen was a well-known figure in the Great Demon Empire, but only a few important people managed to see her appearance. That''s why no one was able to recognize her this time.


    The subus princess toured around the store''s first floor as if she was sightseeing. Many individuals had already noticed her seductive figure walking around, but no one dared to disturb or cause trouble for her. This also surprised Cornelia since every time she showed herself in public, there were always brave individuals who tried to strike a conversation with her. Some couldn''t even control themselves after seeing her beauty and pounced at her with hungry eyes. Of course, thetter individuals were no longer alive in this world...


    Suddenly, Cornelia stopped and stared at a human who was sitting calmly in a corner. His devilishly handsome face made her eyes light up.


    This man was leaning on his chair with an expressionless look on his face. At the moment, he was holding a sleeping chubby white cat in his arms. Seated on either side of this man were two peerlessly beautifuldies, each with their own charms. She even sensed that their cultivation levels were on par or even stronger than hers.


    Looking at them, Cornelia smirked and proceeded to walk towards their group.


    Theia and Long Meili noticed someone walking towards them. When they saw the seductive-looking subus throwing amorous nces at Jiu Shen, their eyebrows knitted into a frown.


    Cornelia chuckled when she saw the hostile gazes of the twodies.


    "Oh my! Don''t look at me like that. I feel so scared..." She put on a scared look as she nced at the two.


    "Stay where you are if you don''t want me to break your face!" Long Meili said as killing intent seeped out of her eyes. Theia''s hand also rested on the hilt of her sword, prepared to strike if she saw this subus acting weirdly. They both felt threatened when they saw her appearance.


    Cornelia covered her mouth with her hands as she giggled coquettishly. She then stared at Jiu Shen and said in a cute manner. "Hey handsome, is this how you treat the guests of your store?"


    Jiu Shen turned his gaze towards the unfamiliar-looking subus. He acted as if he failed to notice the seductive arts purposely directed at him.


    "Theia, Meili, you guys sit down. This youngdy is the crown princess of the Great Demon Empire, Her Highness Princess Cornelia Bloodfallen." Jiu Shen said as he motioned the subus to a nearby seat.


    Cornelia was surprised that her identity was uncovered by this human. This was the first time they had seen each other, so how did he know her? She was full of questions, but she still put on the same seductive smile. With a hand covering her small lips, Cornelia winked at Jiu Shen. "Hehe. It seems like you are the mysterious owner of this store, little brother..."


    Little brother?


    Jiu Shen''s calm face froze when he heard this title. He thenughed hard, shocking Long Meili and Theia who was seated beside him.


    After Jiu Shen''sughter ceased, he stared at Cornelia with an impassive look. His handsome features made her blush instinctively. To hide her embarrassment, she looked away.


    "Meili, go and get a bottle of Bejeweled Ocean Nectar for Princess Cornelia." Jiu Shen said.


    Hearing that, Cornelia''s smile turned even more vibrant.. "The mysterious owner Wine Master Jiu Shen is actually this generous."

 Chapter 378 - The Delegate From Narda Principality

    "One bottle is 1000 Blood Stones. Don''t worry. The price is worth it..." Jiu Shen smiled at Cornelia, making her face turn stiff.


    "1000 Blood Stones..." It was not a big amount, but it wasn''t small either. However, this was nothing to the rtively well-off crown princess. She just felt that this Wine Master Jiu Shen was quite the miser of an owner.


    Long Meili stood up with a mocking smile and went to the wine storage. She felt a bit happy that they could swindle 1000 Blood Stones from this lecherous subus.


    "I wonder why the Great Demon Empire''s crown princess is here in my humble store..." Jiu Shen said as he stroked the fur of the sleeping white cat in his arms.


    Cornelia adjusted her sitting posture and tucked her bangs behind her ears. Looking at Jiu Shen with the same charming smile, she answered. "I''m only here to taste your wonderful wines. ording to my sources, each of your wines has different and unique effects on the consumers. In particr, the Bejeweled Ocean Nectar is surprisingly helpful to those above the Nascent God Realm."


    When Jiu Shen heard her reply, he remained silent. He knew that this crown princess has other motives ining here. However, he couldn''t care less about her. As long as she doesn''t do anything outrageous and spend Blood Stones on his wines, then that''s all that matters.


    Theia who was seated beside Jiu Shen continued giving Cornelia a deathly stare. Although Jiu Shen didn''t care about this woman, Theia felt that this subus was a dangerous foe.


    Looking at Theia''s cold gaze, Cornelia merely gave her a splendid smile.


    "Don''t look at me like that, little sister. I won''t eat this guy, but if he eats me, how could I resist. Uh~"


    Theia''s scalp tingled when she heard the subus moaning at the end of her words. ''She definitely did it on purpose!''


    m!


    A bottle of wine was suddenly mmed on the table.


    Cornelia turned her gaze, ignoring the judging look of Long Meili. She focused her attention on the wine. It had an ocean blue color, and despite it still being sealed in the bottle, she could already sense the vigorous amount of true essence within the wine.


    ''This is without a doubt a treasure!'' She eximed in her heart.


    ***


    "Your Majesty, the delegate sent by Narda Principality has arrived in our borders. At the moment, their group decided to rest in Morlon City, so they would only be here in the capital after two days." Hanzo reported to Emperor Balmond.


    "So they could no longer hold back themselves, huh? After eyeing our Bloodfallen Imperial Family for many years, they finally decided to extend their dirty ws in my territory! Hmph!" Emperor Balmond muttered through gritted teeth.


    The Crimson Fiend Continent wasn''t as peaceful as it seemed to be. There have been traces of internal conflict among them during thest few centuries. Although there were norge conflicts yet, the recent altercations have be much fiercer. It was only a matter of time before the whole continent would be engulfed in war.


    The Great Demon Empire currently held the strongest power in the whole Crimson Fiend Continent, but there were rumors that the guardian of Narda Principality has be a Void God Realm expert. If this news was true, then the Great Demon Empire''s authority would be shaken. After all, they weren''t on good terms with this territory.


    Hanzo could feel the wrath of the emperor, so he dared not raise his head.


    "Who did they send as a delegate?" Emperor Balmond suppressed his fury as he asked the trembling Hanzo.


    "It''s Demon Ancestor Lou Baiqing! The Narda Principality also sent five Demon Lords to escort him." Hanzo answered while wiping off his sweat.


    "They were actually willing to send that bastard? Just what are those guys nning that they even decided to send one of their guardians..." Emperor Balmond frowned and was silent for a moment. In the end, he could still not fathom what the Narda Principality was trying to achieve.


    Hanzo who has been quiet for some time suddenly suggested. "Your Majesty, how about we make those guys cause trouble in that lotus building? If they be enemies with that Wine Master Jiu, we would be able to sit at the sidelines and watch the two tigers fight between themselves!"


    When Emperor Balmond heard the idea, his eyes lit up. He mmed the armrest of his chair and said. "Brilliant idea! Hanzo, I never thought that you can actually think of such a terrific n! Hahaha!"


    "I don''t deserve such praise, Your Majesty." Hanzo bowed his head humbly.


    "Good! Put this n into motion and make sure that those bastards from the Narda Principality will offend Jiu Shen!" Emperor Balmond ordered with a ferocious smile.


    Hanzo immediately saluted when he heard themand. "Yes, Your Majesty!"


    He then stood up and left the throne room with haste. With his speed, it won''t take him long to reach Morlon City.


    When Hanzo left, Emperor Balmond was already imagining the battle between Jiu Shen''s group and the army of Narda Principality. However, he suddenly recalled something that made him abruptly stand up from his seat.


    "Wait. Cornelia said that she was nning to visit that wine store. She should have arrived there by now. Oh no! She might be caught up in this! Shit! I have to go there and get her before anything happens. Nothing must go wrong with the n! I have to make sure that the n would proceed smoothly. However, that girl is very stubborn and she would certainly not listen if I send my subordinates to get her. I think I have to go there personally..." Emperor Balmond muttered to himself with a solemn look. He then walked out of the throne room as he cursed in his mind.. Why did he approve his daughter''s vacation? It was such a shitty coincidence that it made his temples hurt.

 Chapter 379 - Balmond’s Discovery

    Hanzo was already on his way to Morlon City when he suddenly felt a strong aura tailing him. He turned his gaze and saw a familiar figure draped in long dark robes.


    "Your Majesty?" He called out, feeling a bit confused. Why did His Majestye out of the imperial pce? Is he nning to visit the delegate of Narda Principality in person? Hanzo stopped his flight in midair.


    Swoosh.


    However, the emperor didn''t even bother to exin things to him and just whizzed past him. Hanzo was stunned and he was wondering what Emperor Balmond was nning to do.


    With a troubled look, Hanzo followed the emperor with his fastest speed, leaving behind a trail within the blue skies.


    In just a few minutes, Emperor Balmond saw the outline of Morlon City. It still looked the same as how it did in the past. The only difference was the presence of a beautiful and huge azure lotus somewhere at the center of the city. It was definitely the wine store of Jiu Shen. The emperor thought to himself.


    As he neared the wine store, he noticed a human cleaning the garden outside the lotus building. He looked ordinary, but Emperor Balmond felt a sense of pressureing from this guy.


    ''A Void God Realm expert? Is this Jiu Shen? But from what my subordinates told me, he should be a handsome young man.'' Emperor Balmond walked towards the gate with a baffled look.


    Hm?


    Yue Bo ced the broom at the side and furrowed his eyebrows as he nced at the iing demon. This guy''s stature was tall and broad. Yue Bo could also sense the dangerous vibe emitted by this demon. ''A Void God Realm demon? Is he the emperor of this empire?''


    "Are you Jiu Shen?" Emperor Balmond skipped the chitchat and asked right away as he scrutinized the man in front of him. From the aura of this human, Emperor Balmond realized that he had just recently broken through.


    Yue Bo stared into Emperor Balmond''s eyes with a calm look. He was surprised that he wasn''t afraid of a Void God Realm expert now. He wondered if it was because of his cultivation or because of Jiu Shen''s presence.


    "You got the wrong person. I''m just a subordinate of Wine Master Jiu Shen. If you''re looking for him, he is inside the store chatting with a subusdy." Yue Bo said as he lightly smiled.


    Hearing his words, Emperor Balmond was stunned. A Void God Realm expert was just Jiu Shen''s subordinate? Emperor Balmond felt a sudden chill in his heart. It looks like their n has to be canceled. It would be fine if their n seeds, but if it fails and Jiu Shen noticed their involvement, it would certainly be a disaster for them.


    Someone who could make a Void God Realm expert serve him was surely not just a simple figure. Provoking that kind of existence should not be done.


    Thinking about this, Emperor Balmond''s eyes softened as he said. "Thank you, brother. My name is Balmond Bloodfallen. I''ll talk with youter."


    Yue Bo was slightly surprised by the sudden change of Balmond. ''This demon is quite smart. He must have realized Wine Master Jiu Shen''s power through my words.''


    "My name is Yue Bo. Alright. I know you''re in a hurry, so I won''t take your time." Yue Bo smiled as he waved his hand.


    Emperor Balmond nodded his head gratefully at Yue Bo. He then walked towards the store after adjusting his mood. Luckily, he came here in person. It would have been a catastrophe if he didn''te here himself.


    When he stepped inside the store, Emperor Balmond scanned the room, feeling slightly anxious. From Yue Bo''s words, his daughter should be talking to Wine Master Jiu Shen at this moment. He hoped that his daughter was smart enough to avoid making enemies with that man.


    After scanning the room briefly, his eyes lit up when he noticed a familiar figure. He hastily moved towards her, but a sudden exmation stopped him in his tracks.


    "Your Majesty!"


    Emperor Balmond nced at the demon who had suddenly called out, making the poor fellow almost piss his pants under the emperor''s prating gaze.


    "At this moment, I''m no emperor. I''m just a customer who wants to buy a bottle of wine or two. Don''t mind me, everyone." Emperor Balmond forced out a smile as he gestured for the startled crowd to move back to their seats. Emperor Balmond didn''t want to cause amotion here in Jiu Shen''s store or he might think badly of him.


    "Father Em- Your Majesty! Why are you here?" Princess Cornelia was stunned to see her father here. She thought that her father didn''t want to involve himself with Jiu Shen at the moment, so she was shocked when she saw him.


    "My good daughter, it''s good to see you." Emperor Balmond took off the hood that covered his face, showing a ferocious-looking appearance. However, this terrorizing face was currently smiling amiably at his daughter. He no longer cared if his image was destroyed in public. It was much better than provoking Jiu Shen, who might be a more terrifying existence!


    Cornelia could not believe her eyes when she saw her father acting like this. In her mind, he was strict and dignified. He never showed such a meek appearance in front of her. She was wondering what strange medicine he had eaten for him to show such a vulnerable personality.


    Emperor Balmond ignored his daughter''s questioning look and moved his gaze towards the human with long silver hair. He felt that this human was detached from the world with how he acted. There was an ethereal air around him, making him seem like a grand being.


    This must be Jiu Shen.


    Emperor Balmond immediately knew it in his heart. He dared not check the man''s cultivation since it might incur his displeasure.


    "Wine Master Jiu, I''ve heard stories about you. It looks like those rumors were true." Emperor Balmond put on a smile, but that smile didn''t truly fit his ferocious look.


    "You must be Balmond. The emperor of the Great Demon Empire." Jiu Shen casually said.


    "You! How dare you talk to father that way!" Cornelia stood up from her seat and pointed at Jiu Shen''s nose as she snarled at him.


    Looking at this scene, Emperor Balmond felt his heart freezing.

 Chapter 380 - Demon Emperor Garland

    Emperor Balmond was feeling nervous at this moment. His daughter was actually pointing at Jiu Shen''s nose as she shouted at him!


    ''My dear daughter. Are you trying to get our Bloodfallen family killed?'' The emperor felt regret that he approved of Cornelia''s vacation leave. If he knew that something like this would happen, he would certainly not give her his approval.


    As he carefully thought of solutions, Emperor Balmond anxiously pulled his daughter behind him and nced apologetically at Jiu Shen. "Wine Master Jiu, please pardon my daughter''s rudeness. She has been on the battlefield for quite some time and she had just returned from duty, so she has no idea about your greatness. I will talk to her for a moment. We wille back in a few minutes. Please excuse us first..."


    Emperor Balmond didn''t care if he had lost face. As long as they could escape imminent death, then that would be best.


    Jiu Shen stared at Emperor Balmond who was now pulling his daughter out of the store. He had an intrigued look on his face as he stroked the sleeping white cat in his arms.


    Outside the store.


    "Father, why did you bring me outside? That man talked to you like he was someone superior!" Cornelia frowned in displeasure. It was the first time she had seen her father act in a humiliating manner! She couldn''t ept it!


    Emperor Balmond''s face turned ashen and he immediately pped Cornelia.


    Pa!


    Cornelia held her face in surprise as she stared at her father with an indignant look.


    "Enough! I thought you are smart, but I was wrong about you! Have you not realized it yet? That man Jiu Shen is no Void God Realm expert! He even has a subordinate whose strength is almost on par with mine! Genius my ass! Have you been blinded by those idiotic praises that it has clouded your judgment to this degree?! Disappointing!" Emperor Balmond red ferociously at his daughter as he reprimanded her in a harsh tone.


    Cornelia who was about to curse, almost choked herself when she heard her father''s words. That''s right. Why did she not think of this? She recalled the man who told her that he was merely Jiu Shen''s sweeper. She had guessed that the guy was a Void God Realm expert because of his distinct quality. However, she wasn''t certain at that time, so she didn''t think too much about it. As for Jiu Shen, she tried gauging the man''s power, but she failed to discern it even after scrutinizing him carefully. She thought that he was at most on par with her father. Now, she realized how incredibly naive she was for underestimating them so much.


    At this moment, Cornelia felt that her father''s p didn''t hurt anymore. It was definitely to wake her up from her stupidity. If she had provoked Jiu Shen at that time, their Bloodfallen Family might cease to exist in this world. Even the Great Demon Empire might be taken down along with them.


    Thinking about it, Cornelia shivered in fright. Luckily, her father was smart enough to notice this or it would have been the end for them.


    "Father, I''m so sorry. I''ve be arrogant after bing a Demon Lord. I will ept your punishments..." Cornelia stared at Emperor Balmond with watery eyes. She felt regretful for her actions. She should have investigated Jiu Shen''s power before she acted.


    Emperor Balmond felt his heart aching when he saw the remorseful look of his daughter. He rubbed her head gently as he said. "It doesn''t matter. Everything should still be fine since it hasn''t escted yet. Make sure that you will apologize to Wine Master Jiu Shen once wee back inside the store."


    "Yes, father. I will make sure that nothing goes wrong this time." Cornelia avoided her father''s gaze. She felt ashamed of herself. She was regarded as an absolute genius in the whole Crimson Fiend Continent, but she acted like an idiot in front of Jiu Shen.


    "Alright. Let''s go back inside. Make sure that you will do as you''ve promised." Emperor Balmond smiled kindly at her.


    Although Cornelia was feeling down, she felt inexplicably happy since this was the first time her father had shown her such a gentle smile.


    The father and daughter duo slowly walked inside the lotus building. Their hearts were in a state of anxiety at the unknown. They were unsure how Jiu Shen would react after that farce.


    ***


    Somewhere in Morlon City, a tall and bulky demon with dark red skin suddenly lifted his head. He narrowed his eyes into slits and carefully observed the distant sky. He could sense a strong aura moving at a lightning speed! ''This aura... It must be Balmond. Did he discover my arrival? No, that''s not possible. So why did he suddenlye here in Morlon City?''


    "Demon Emperor Gand, is there anything wrong?" A thin and handsome demon walked up to him and asked. This was Lou Baiqing who Hanzo thought was the leader of Narda Principality''s delegate. However, this demon who was also a Demon Ancestor and a guardian of Narda Principality was now acting like a subordinate of this red-skinned demon!


    It must be noted that only those at the Void God Realm can be referred to as ''Demon Emperor''. That means, this red-skinned demon whom Demon Ancestor Lou Baiqing called Gand was certainly a Void God Realm expert!


    Gand shook his head and continued leading his group towards their temporary resting ce. They must leave while Emperor Balmond has yet to see them or their ns might be foiled. "This is not the best ce to talk. Let''s return to our resting ce first. Also, Lou Baiqing, have one of your subordinates gather information rted to Morlon City."


    Initially, Gand didn''t treat this city in high regard, but Emperor Balmond going here felt a bit suspicious. He was curious what his long-time enemy was up to this time.. ''Balmond, you''ve be careless after living in luxury for many years. Hahaha!''

 Chapter 381 - Almost Pissed Her Pants

    "Where did His Majesty go?" Hanzo muttered to himself with a distraught look on his face. He tried catching up to Emperor Balmond, but he was left in the dust in just a blink of an eye.


    The difference in their speed was too overwhelming that Hanzo didn''t even have the chance to see the emperor''s shadow.


    After careful consideration, Hanzo slowly descended towards the blooming azure lotus building. This ce was his only lead since he had just talked with the emperor about their n. Hopefully, he would see the emperor here.


    Hanzo nced suspiciously at the human who leisurely sweeping near the garden. However, he was in a hurry, so he ignored the human and went straight inside the store.


    "This is..." When he stepped inside, he was shocked at what he witnessed.


    He saw the emperorughing genuinely as he talked with Jiu Shen. Hanzo also saw the crown princess pouring wine into the cups of Jiu Shen and the emperor. Her smile was blooming as she kept on looking at Jiu Shen''s side profile.


    "This. What''s happening? I thought we were nning to- Sigh. Nevermind..." Hanzo muttered to himself with a nk look. After shaking his head, Hanzo adjusted his look and walked towards the emperor.


    Tap. Tap.


    Noticing the footsteps, Jiu Shen and the others around him nced at the iing demon. It was a familiar face.


    Hanzo, the right-hand man of the emperor.


    "Your Majesty, Your Highness, Wine Master Jiu Shen. I apologize for disturbing your conversation." Hanzo bowed his head lightly as he greeted the three. He also saw two women standing behind Jiu Shen like guards. He noticed that they were merely newly ascended Nascent God Realm experts, so he chose to ignore them.


    Emperor Balmond waved his hand and motioned Hanzo to stand behind him. He just pacified Jiu Shen after sweet-talking him for a bit. He must not allow Hanzo to destroy all his hardwork. "Hanzo, you can stand behind me for now. I''m still discussing something with Wine Master Jiu. Cornelia, give him a cup of wine..."


    Hanzo was full of questions, but he decided to keep quiet. He nodded his head and stood behind the emperor with a solemn look on his face.


    "Lord Hanzo, here''s your wine..."


    Hanzo smelled a sweet and fragrant womanly aroma as Cornelia''s warm breath struck his face. He unconsciously nodded his head as he epted the cup of wine.


    "Thanks." He tried to sound calm, but he felt a certain part of him bing active under Cornelia''s seduction arts.


    ''Shit! It looks like Her Highness'' ability has be stronger!'' Hanzo eximed in his heart as he hurriedly regted his anxious nerves.


    The conversation between Jiu Shen and Emperor Balmond continued, but it was more of the emperor talking while Jiu Shen was just listening.


    ''This guy is getting a bit annoying...'' Jiu Shen muttered in his heart as he sealed his hearing using his true essence.


    ''This is much better...'' Jiu Shen smiled as he gently stroked Ice''s fur.


    Cornelia who saw this stunning smile almost pissed her pants.


    ***


    "Demon Emperor Gand, I''ve already sent someone to gather details about Morlon City. He should be back tomorrow morning to report what he could gather. Is there anything else you want me to do?" Lou Baiqing asked with a look of respect.


    Gand who was seated on an iron chair nced at Lou Baiqing and said. "Do you know who I saw earlier?"


    Lou Baiqing furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head. "No."


    Gand smiled darkly and replied in a strange tone. "Balmond Bloodfallen. He is now here in Morlon City!"


    "What?! He shouldn''t know of your presence here! It must be a coincidence!" Lou Baiqing eximed.


    Gand smirked as he leaned on his chair. "Of course, it''s just a coincidence, but I''m curious about why that guy is here. Something that can catch the attention of a Void God Realm expert like him is not so simple."


    A dawn of realization suddenly surfaced on the face of Lou Baiqing. "So that''s why you told me to have someone check Morlon City."


    Gand nodded his head as he chuckled. "That''s right. For that guy to personallye here in person, there must be a rare treasure or a great opportunity. However, I''m still uncertain about it, so I will wait for now."


    "Do you want me to investigate this city personally? I would only need a day to check every important information here..." Lou Baiqing''s eyes shed as he said those words.


    Gand nodded his head at him. "It would indeed be better if you investigate personally. Go, but you must make sure that no one notices your presence. After all, you are now a delegate of Narda Principality. The Great Demon Empire might be suspicious if they discovered your strange actions."


    "I will be careful." Lou Baiqing promised in a solemn voice. He was confident of his power. As long as it was not Balmond, he was sure that he could escape without being noticed.


    "Good. You may take your leave." Gand motioned him to move out.


    After Lou Baiqing left the room, Gand took out a painting from his space ring. It was a drawing of a beautiful subus dressed in thin and revealing clothes. She had an amorous smile hanging on her face. However, what was surprising was that this subus looked almost identical to Princess Cornelia. The only difference between them was that this subus looked more mature and she has arger size than her.


    "Balmond, you stole Mishka from me and you even made her give birth to your child! I will make you regret stealing what''s mine! I will let you watch as I eat both Mishka and your daughter in front of you! Hahaha!" Hate and fury can be felt in his voice. From this alone, one could already imagine the hatred Gand felt towards Balmond.


    Hahaha!


    Gand''s crazedughter echoed inside the room for quite some time.

 Chapter 382 - Can I Watch Them Fight?

    "I will negotiate with your subordinates about the reconstruction of the street outside to make it a lot easier for everyone toe to your store. Also, your store will be exempted from taxes from now on." Emperor Balmond eagerly said. He had to make sure that Jiu Shen would be happy in his stay in Morlon City. Having his presence here alone would make the city a peaceful ce. After all, an expert at his level could casually destroy any outside threat.


    Jiu Shen unsealed his hearing and stared at Emperor Balmond with an amused look. The guy has been talking for over an hour and he seemed to have no n to stop. "Balmond, I''ll have Theia discuss diplomatic terms with you. It''s gettingte, so you may take your leave. Theia, please see our guests out after you take their payment."


    Emperor Balmond noticed that Jiu Shen no longer had an interest in talking to him. He smiled politely and nodded his head. "Alright. Thank you for your time, Wine Master Jiu Shen. We will take our leave now..."


    Jiu Shen waved him off with a calm look on his face.


    Seeing this, Theia immediately stood up and gestured for the guests to follow her. "Our valued guests, Wine Master Jiu wants to rest now, so please follow me outside."


    Emperor Balmond stared at Theia''s face. From how Jiu Shen passed the diplomatic discussions to this woman, she seemed to hold a special ce among his subordinates. "Thanks, Young Miss Theia. Cornelia, Hanzo, let''s go."


    Hanzo quietly followed behind Emperor Balmond, while Cornelia sneaked a final nce at Jiu Shen before she left.


    Poof.


    Ice suddenly transformed into her human form and stared at Emperor Balmond''s group with disdain. "They finally left! Hmph! That demon was so loud that he woke me up from my sleep! If he was not a Void God Realm expert, I would have wed his face! So annoying!"


    Jiu Shen patted the little girl''s head with a smile. He then adjusted her posture and held her tightly in his arms. "Just let him be. He will be useful in attracting customers to our store. However, things might not be peaceful in theing days."


    Ice furrowed her eyebrows and turned her doubtful gaze to Jiu Shen. "What do you mean?"


    Jiu Shen nced in a certain direction and muttered. "The demons also have their own internal conflict. I can sense another Void God Realm demon other than Balmond. From how this guy is acting, he must be an enemy."


    The little girl''s beautiful pair of eyes lit up when she heard Jiu Shen''s words. She could already imagine the scene of chaos in her head.


    "Can I watch them fight?" She asked excitedly.


    Jiu Shen ruffled her hair as he chuckled. "Of course, but you must be here in the store. A battle between two Void God Realm experts would be dangerous to someone of your level, so you must stay here together with Theia and Meili."


    Ice pouted, but she nodded her head reluctantly. "Okay."


    "Meili, bring Ice to my room and let her sleep there." Jiu Shen carried Ice and handed the little girl to Long Meili.


    "Yes, Master."


    ***


    "Sister Theia, can you tell me who that guy is?" Cornelia moved closer to Theia as she pointed at a human who was removing weeds in the garden.


    Hanzo and Emperor Balmond praised Cornelia in their hearts. They were also curious about this Void God Realm subordinate of Jiu Shen, but they were too embarrassed to ask the cold-faced woman.


    Theia stopped in her tracks and turned her gaze at the smiling subus. She really wanted to smack this girl''s face, but she held herself back from doing it.


    "That man is Yue Bo. It was my master who helped him break through the Void God Realm. He followed us here to serve the master." Theia answered in a cold tone.


    Emperor Balmond''s eyes shone with interest when he heard Theia''s words.


    ''Jiu Shen helped this man reach the Void God Realm? Just how did he do it?'' Hanzo was stunned upon hearing this. He was stuck at the peak stage Demon Ancestor (Origin God Realm), and he was uncertain whether he could reach the next realm. Jiu Shen might be his only way to achieve the impossible!


    Sensing a few gazes behind him, Yue Bo stopped doing his work and stood up. His hands were covered in soil, but it was instantly removed by him using his true essence.


    After weeding the garden for a few hours, he discovered that the soil here was unlike any other he had seen. It was heavy, full of vitality, and rich in nutrients. It was the perfect soil to grow spiritual nts!


    Aside from the precious soil, Yue Bo also discovered a pond near the garden. There were nine fishes swimming within the pond and after observing them for a while, he noticed that these fishes were at least Nascent God Realm beings!


    Jiu Shen''s image in Yue Bo''s mind became even more mysterious...


    Yue Bo waved his hand at the group behind Theia. They must be people of importance since they were personally led by Theia. He also knew that the ferocious-looking demon dressed in luxurious garments was an expert at the Void God Realm.


    ***


    "So this is the Crimson Fiend Continent. It is indeed a ce filled with powerful demons." Emperor Elyk said, feeling slightly downcast. The strength of the demons he had seen so far was way too strong! Just the power of the whole Morlon City alone was enough to destroy his Silver Wing Empire!


    However, he vowed that he will kill the demon prince who had assasinated his sons.


    "Elyk, it''s gettingte. We should go back to the store. Wine Master Jiu Shen might get angry if we don''te back soon." A deep baritone voice echoed in Elyk''s ears. He then turned his gaze at the demon who was responsible for touring him around Morlon City.


    This demon was once A Demon Lord serving Demon Ancestor Jun, but he was now working in Jiu Shen''s store.


    ''Life must have been tough for him..'' The emperor thought.

 Chapter 383 - The Tournament

    A month has passed in a blink of an eye and everything has been peaceful so far. A long line of customers was waiting outside the blooming azure lotus building. However, everyone didn''t seem to mind this. They eagerly cultivated outside the building as they waited for their turn.


    Everyone discovered that cultivating in the garden of this lotus building would yield great results, so that''s why these demons were not bothered about standing under the hot summer sun.


    "Man, my strength has increased by leaps and bounds after training here for a month. The environment here is truly amazing!"


    "Of course! Wine Master Jiu Shen''s garden is full of high-level spiritual herbs and flowers, making this ce rich in true essence! However, I heard from someone that the store''s second floor is a better training environment. The only problem is that only those at the Demon Lord level and above could enter it."


    "Second floor? Is it already open?"


    "It has been open for a month now. I also heard that the third floor of the store is even more amazing. There is an arena where anyone can sign up to join the tournament set by Wine Master Jiu Shen himself. He also mentioned that there will be rewards for the winners!"


    Cornelia who had just arrived was interested in what everyone was talking about. She was punished by her father for her actions and was grounded for a month. This was the first time she hade out after a month of staying in her room. "I wonder what this tournament everyone is talking about..."


    "Your Highness! Look! It''s Her Highness Cornelia!"


    "Greetings, Your Highness!"


    Someone from the crowd identified her and when everyone heard that it was the crown princess, they immediately straightened their posture and greeted the subus with respect.


    Cornelia smiled brightly at everyone.


    She didn''t dare use her seduction arts within Jiu Shen''s store anymore since her father solemnly prevented her from doing so. Besides, it was no longer fun teasing these lowly demons.


    "Don''t mind me, everyone. Be at ease." She said while giggling innocently.


    Looking at her bouncing pair of breasts as she giggled, everyone gulped a mouthful of saliva. However, no matter how beautiful and attractive this woman was, no one dared to tease her. They''ve heard of the news that this crown princess had broken through the Demon Lord level in a battle more than a month ago.


    "By the way, what is this tournament all about?" Cornelia asked as she scanned the crowd.


    One brave demon immediately stepped forward and answered. "Your Highness, this tournament was set up by Wine Master Jiu Shen a few weeks ago. The tournament will be divided into two categories; Earth Battle, and Heaven Battle. Only those at the 9th-rank Saint and below could join the Earth Battle, while only Demon Lords are allowed to participate in the Heaven Battle. From what I''ve heard, Wine Master Jiu Shen will provide ample rewards to the winners of the two categories. And today is the final date to sign up for the tournament."


    Cornelia was intrigued by this tournament and she was also interested in Jiu Shen''s reward. It was definitely a must to join this tournament!


    "Thank you for the information, handsome. Here, take this. A small reward for answering my question." Cornelia tossed a small sack filled with Blood Stones to the demon who answered her.


    Everyone stared at the demon with envy. They could tell that the sack was filled with at least a hundred Blood Stones based on its size.


    "Your Highness, you can go ahead of us. The sun is too hot and it might damage your wless skin."


    "That''s right. We don''t mind if it''s Your Highness going ahead of us."


    Cornelia smiled gratefully at them. Although she didn''t mind waiting in line, it was indeed a bit embarrassing for the crown princess if she stood outside for a long time.


    After giving her thanks to everyone, Cornelia stepped inside the store with an eager look. She badly wanted to see Jiu Shen''s handsome face again for she had dreamed of it day by day.


    "Wee, dear guest. Do you want to stay here or do you want to go to the second floor?" A beautifuldy greeted Cornelia. It was a face that she was unfamiliar with, but when she noticed her strength, Cornelia felt a bit shocked. ''Does this ce notck Demon Lords?''


    "I''d like to register for the tournament." Cornelia covered her shock with a seductive smile.


    "Alright. Please follow me." Xiaoxiao led Cornelia to the front desk and helped her register for the Heaven Battle.


    When Cornelia signed her name, she saw that more than a few dozen individuals had already signed up. She was almost shocked to see those names. Some were familiar people, while others are people whom she didn''t know about.


    "Congrattions! You are the final participant for the Heaven Battle! The tournament will start tomorrow, so please wait for your schedule on the second floor." Xiaoxiao said with a smile.


    ''It seems like I''m lucky enough to get thest spot for the Heaven Battle category.'' Cornelia thought to herself as she went to the second floor. When she stepped inside the second floor, she saw more than a few dozen individuals seated in different areas. All of them gave off dangerous auras, a clear indication that these guys were in the same realm as her!


    Everyone looked at the neer with scrutinizing looks and when they discovered that it was the crown princess, they revealed astonished expressions.


    With their level, they were no longer required to greet the descendants of the emperor, but a few of them still stood up and greeted her.


    "Greetings, Your Highness!"


    "Your Highness!"


    Cornelia nodded her head at them and took a seat at a vacant chair. She felt slightly nervous when she discovered a few strong individuals, but she was also excited. ''These guys must be the participants for the Heaven Battle! Now, things are getting interesting....''

 Chapter 384 - Rewards

    "Master, the 64 spots for the Heaven Battle is now full. Sister Blue will be giving the schedule for the battles. As for the Earth Battle, there are still fifteen spots left. It should be filled in the next few hours." Meimei reported to Jiu Shen as she read the document in her hand. It was the report sent by Xiaoxiao when Princess Cornelia signed up for the Heaven Battle.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head upon hearing the report. Although he did not specifically mention the rewards for the winners, it still attracted the attention of many individuals. Some reclusive experts even showed up which shocked the people who had seen them.


    "Who has the strongest cultivation in the Heaven Battle category?" Jiu Shen asked as he looked at Meimei.


    Meimei scanned the document and answered. "It is from the Elf Race, a guy named Leaf. He is a dual body and true essence cultivator. His true essence cultivation is at the peak stage of the Nascent God Realm, while his body''s strength is also at the peak stage of the Nascent God Realm. If no ident urs, he should be the one to end up as the winner."


    Meimei had already studied the participants who had signed up for the Heaven Battle. She was confident in her judgment after observing the list for many days. She even asked her sisters who were idling in the pond to investigate the participants, so she was more than 90% certain of her guess.


    "An elf signed up for thepetition?" Jiu Shen asked curiously.


    In the Primordial God Realm, the Elf Race was known for their great affinity with the Wood and Earth Elements. Because of their innate talent, their cultivation progress was faster than the other races. However, the elves preferred to live in seclusion and rarelyes out of the forest.


    "Tell Blue toe and meet me first. I will tell her the specific rewards for the winners." Jiu Shen said.


    Meimei nodded her head. "Yes, master."


    After a few minutes, Meimei came back with Blue followed behind her.


    "Greetings, master." Blue gracefully bowed at Jiu Shen.


    "Listen and note this down. I will be telling you the rewards for the winners." Jiu Shen''s voice was serious, making Blue immediately take out a piece of paper and a quill pen.


    "For the Heaven Battle;


    3rd ce reward: 10 pieces of God Stones


    2nd ce reward: 20 pieces of God Stones


    1st ce reward: 20 pieces of God Stones + 1 piece of Dao Enlightenment Pill


    For the Earth Battle;


    3rd ce reward: 10,000 Blood Stones


    2nd ce reward: 15,000 Blood Stones


    1st ce reward: 20,000 Blood Stones + Nascent Evolution Pill"


    After writing the set of rewards, Blue felt a bit surprised. If this was to be announced to the participants, they would certainly do their best to win! Even the reward for the Earth Battle was a lot!


    "You can go upstairs now. Most of the participants for the Heaven Battle are already there, so you can announce it to them. As for those who aren''t here, send some messengers to them. Meimei, you will be responsible for announcing the rewards for the Earth Battle." Jiu Shenmanded the twodies.


    "Yes, Master!" The twodies bowed before they left.


    You might be wondering why Jiu Shen was suddenly generous about his rewards. The only reason for that was the sudden mission given by the system a few weeks ago.


    Mission: Set up a tournament to announce the opening of the stadium on the third floor. Make sure that the tournament will be sessful.


    Mission rewards: x5 Fruit of Cultivation


    With that much Fruits of Cultivation, his breakthrough to the Void God Realm was already guaranteed! There might even be an excess of true essence!


    Jiu Shen was slightly excited at the thought of breaking through the Void God Realm. Although it was still a few realms away from his past cultivation, at least he was making fast progress.


    The cultivation levels after the Nascent God Realm are as follows:


    Nascent God Realm


    Origin God Realm


    Void God Realm


    Mystic God Realm


    True God Realm


    Supreme God Realm


    Heavenly God Realm (Jiu Shen''s past cultivation)


    Celestial God Realm


    Jiu Shen calmed his heart and took a deep breath. The road was still a bit far, but he was determined to climb every step.


    "I still have a long way to go. For now, I should just enjoy the mundane life..." He muttered calmly to himself.


    ***


    "Emperor Gand, a messenger from the lotus building has arrived." Lou Baiqing reported.


    Gand nced at Lou Baiqing and warned. "Let him in. Remember, don''t eat the messenger. We should not provoke Jiu Shen for now."


    Lou Baiqing nodded his head solemnly. They had been investigating Morlon City for a month now and they discovered a few interesting things. One was the sudden emergence of a human powerhouse who was said to be at the Void God Realm. They also discovered that there was another Void God Realm subordinate serving this human powerhouse. That means this force was dangerous to them. Emperor Gand even halted their operations because of this discovery.


    "Yes, Emperor Gand. I will warn the others." Lou Baiqing promised.


    Gand stared at Lou Baiqing as he left the room. When he sensed that no one was nearby, Gand gritted his teeth in anger and smashed the wall near him.


    Crush!


    A fist-sized hole can be seen where his punchnded.


    "F*ck! I should havepleted my ns by now if not for those damnable humans! Arghh!" Gand''s furious howl reverberated inside the house, scaring Lou Baiqing and the others. The human messenger sent by Blue was also scared witless when he heard the enraged roar.


    This human messenger was one of General Armand''s subordinates. The man who was saved by Aren more than a month ago.


    This guy was sent by Blue to deliver a message to a Heaven Battle participant. Initially, he wasn''t worried that someone would do something to him since he could now be considered as Jiu Shen''s underling. However, when he heard that furious roar, he started questioning himself.


    "Don''t mind it too much, brother. It''s just a friend of mine who is training. Don''t worry.." Lou Baiqing forced out a smile as he pacified the scared human.

 Chapter 385 - God Stone And Dao Enlightenment Pill

    Cornelia was still on the second floor together with the other participants. She could already feel the tense atmosphere enveloping the whole room. Some people were observing the others since they might be opponents in the matchups.


    Looking at this scene, Cornelia scoffed in her heart. Only those who are unsure of their own strength would act like this.


    Cornelia scanned the entire second floor as if she was searching for someone. Not longter, she saw a familiar face among the crowd. It was General Nangong, a veteran in their Great Demon Empire''s army. From what she remembered, this old veteran was already a peak stage Demon Lord for more than several decades. It seemed like he still failed to breakthrough after so many years.


    As if sensing Cornelia''s gaze, the old demon dressed in heavy metal armor nodded at her with respect.


    Cornelia returned the greeting with a sweet smile on her face.


    Tap. Tap.


    Suddenly, everyone heard a series of footsteps at the entrance of the second floor. They saw Blue who was holding a piece of document walking at the center of the room with elegant footsteps. After scanning the crowd with a professional smile, she then said. "Everyone, all the slot for the Heaven Battle has been filled. The battles will start tomorrow and all the matchups have already been decided randomly, but before that, let me announce the rewards for the top three participants."


    Everyone''s eyes lit up when they heard her words. They adjusted their posture and listened attentively.


    "The third ce will receive 10 God Stones, the second ce will receive 20 God Stones, first ce will receive 20 God Stones and one Dao Enlightenment Pill." Blue announced as she read the document in her hands.


    "God Stones? What''s that?"


    "I don''t know, but it sounds impressive..."


    Cornelia furrowed her eyebrows. Even a well-learned individual like her didn''t know what a God Stone is. As for the Dao Enlightenment Pill, she also didn''t have any idea about it.


    "Young Miss Blue, do you really have God Stones?" A handsome-looking elf who had a long green sword behind his back stood up with a look of surprise. This elf was Leaf. An elf who was driven out of his own home after he had provoked a High Elf.


    Blue stared at the elf with a smile as she nodded her head confidently. "Of course. The God Stones will be provided by Wine Master Jiu Shen himself."


    Leaf was stunned, but when he realized that everyone was looking at him, he immediately returned to his seat.


    "Young Miss Blue, can you tell us what this God Stone is? Also, the Dao Enlightenment Pill that will be rewarded for the first ce." General Nangong stood up and asked.


    Blue smiled at the old demon and answered him. "A God Stone isn''t a man-made resource, but something that is made by nature after many years of nurturing. It is simr to the True Crystals of the Profound Dragon Continent, but a God Stone is even more precious than that. After all, it can help those at the Demon Lord level increase their cultivation progress. As for the Dao Enlightenment Pill, it is a medicine that can help those at the peak stage of the Demon Lord level have a higher chance of breaking through the Demon Ancestor level..."


    "What?! There are actually such treasures?!"


    Among the participants, there were a few individuals who had been stuck at the peak stage of the Demon Lord level. Their eyes shed with excitement when they heard about this. A pill that could help them reach the next realm!


    General Nangong clenched his fists tightly. He must get his hands on this pill!


    Cornelia who had just ascended to the Demon Lord level shook her head in regret. She might be strong, but even someone as strong as her couldn''t defeat the likes of General Nangong who had lived on the battlefield for centuries.


    Even though she was truly wanted to get the Dao Enlightenment Pill, she didn''t have the ability to win it, so she could only try to get second or third ce.


    "Are there more questions?" Blue scanned the crowd.


    After seeing that no one had any questions, she continued. "In that case, I will announce the matchups for tomorrow. To those who are not here, they will receive a letter from our messengers. Alright, the matchups will be:


    Wally Kalbo vs Jiao Badong


    Cornelia vs Frazer


    ...


    "Those are the matchups for tomorrow. Any questions?" Blue asked.


    "What happens if someone is defeated? Will they have a chance to fight again?" Someone asked.


    Blue shook her head lightly. "Once you are defeated, you will lose your chance to continue the tournament."


    "Anything else?"


    "Is it fine if we identally kill our opponents?"


    This time, Blue was stunned and she could not help butugh. "A Void God Realm expert and a few Demon Ancestors from the Great Demon Empire will personally oversee the fights. I think it would be difficult if you want to kill your opponents."


    Hearing this, everyone heaved a sigh of relief. It would be a pity if they identally died from the battles.


    "If there''s nothing else, then please excuse me. Oh! By the way, everyone on the second floor will get a bottle of Deep Sea Spring Dew. I hope everyone will enjoy their wines..." Blue smiled at everyone before she left.


    Cornelia stared at Blue''s figure, lost in her own thoughts.


    ''God Stones, Dao Enlightenment Pill... Just how many more good things are you hiding, Jiu Shen?''


    ***


    Outside the lotus building.


    Meimei who was responsible for announcing the rewards for the Earth Battle had just finished her announcement. She stared at everyone with a brilliant smile on her face.


    Among the crowd of participants, she saw a figure dressed in luxurious garments. From what she could remember, this man was an emperor of an empire in the Profound Dragon Continent. His name should be Elyk Silveria...


    At this moment, Elyk was looking at a young demon with a calm look on his face. ''Now, I finally have the chance to kill you, Amon!''

 Chapter 386 - Garland’s Greed

    "Have you guys heard of the tournament set up by Wine Master Jiu Shen? ording to my friend, the rewards for the top three winners are so abundant! Some top experts even joined thepetition! Even Princess Cornelia signed up for the Heaven Battle category!"


    "Of course! Who hasn''t heard about it! It has been the most discussed topic by everyone in Morlon City. Even the whole Great Demon Empire has heard of it. From what I know, thepetition will begin today. We still have time to go to the lotus building and spectate the battles!"


    "Right! However, the lotus building will be taking 100


    Blood Stones as entrance fee. It''s a bit expensive for me."


    The tournament organized by Jiu Shen has be very popr. There was a huge crowd of people surrounding the lotus building. The little fishes who had been idling in the pond even had to go out to help in monitoring the building. If not for the little fishes overseeing the crowd, the scene would have be chaotic.


    Normally, only a few dozen individuals can be seen inside Jiu Shen''s store every day, but this time, the spacious hall almost couldn''t take the crowd. To solve this problem, Jiu Shen immediately teleported everyone to the third floor where the space was much bigger. Even a few ten thousand people can fit inside this ce.


    At this moment, the third floor has been divided into two. This was to separate the Heaven Battle and the Earth Battle. There were four arenas in each battle category. With this, the tournament can progress much faster.


    Looking at the noisy crowd chattering incessantly, Jiu Shen nced at Blue, Meimei, and Xiaoxiao who were gathered standing him. "Blue, announce the start of the tournament. Meimei, Xiaoxiao, the two of you will monitor the crowd. Make sure that nothing unexpected happens."


    "Yes, Master!"


    The three girls nodded their heads and swiftly left to do their tasks.


    After taking onest look at everything, Jiu Shen''s figure vanished.


    He then reappeared above the lotus building. With Yue Bo personally overseeing the tournament, he wasn''t worried that anything will go wrong.


    "Now that the tournament has begun, it''s time to do something about that demon. He has been sneaking around myir for quite some time now. I should give him a good scare." Jiu Shen muttered calmly. During the past few weeks, he noticed that the Void God Realm expert of the Narda Principality has been trying to sneak inside his garden.


    ***


    Gand was getting anxious. He truly wanted to steal that spiritual nt from Jiu Shen''s garden, but it was closely guarded by that sweeper called Yue Bo so he didn''t even have the chance to go near it.


    "Sh*t! I need that spiritual nt! The moment I saw it, I knew that it could help me improve my cultivation!" Gand clenched his fists tightly as he thought of possible ways to steal what he desired.


    The thing that he wanted to steal was a spiritual nt in Jiu Shen''s garden. Although he had no idea what it was, when he visited Jiu Shen''s store for a drink, it was the first thing that caught his attention.


    It was a round-shaped spiritual nt that was dark-red in color. Even from a distance, he already sensed the enormous vitality within the spiritual nt. His first thought afterying his sights on it was to consume it! His instincts told him that if he ate that thing, he could advance in his cultivation by leaps and bounds!


    However, there was a huge obstacle preventing him from stealing the spiritual nt. It was the sweeper called Yue Bo! That guy made Jiu Shen''s garden his home, tirelessly weeding and cleaning it from time to time. He was so hateful that Gand always cursed him in his heart.


    "No! This won''t do! I have to get my hands on it! With Yue Bo and Jiu Shen''s presence here in Morlon City, it would be impossible for me toplete my initial ns. Now that an opportunity for me has arrived, how could I not do something?" Gand stood up and opened the window of his room. He stared in the direction of the lotus building when a brilliant thought suddenly came into his mind.


    "Today is the start of Jiu Shen''s tournament. I heard that Yue Bo will personally oversee thepetition, so he shouldn''t be in the garden. Only a few Nascent God Realm ants should be there now! As for Jiu Shen, he might be observing the progress of the tournament... This is my best chance!" Gand''s eyes shone with excitement.


    After preparing his equipment, he sneakily dashed out of their temporary residence. With his power, it wasn''t difficult to stay hidden from the eyes of individuals who are much weaker than him.


    It didn''t even take him long to arrive near the lotus building. From his spot, he could already see the huge crowd around the store. Even outside the iron fences, people can still be seen loitering around.


    "I should use the crowd and hide among them as I steal that spiritual nt. I don''t sense any strong expert nearby, so it should be safe now." Gand''s eyes turned red. A look of frenzy can be seen burning within those globes. He has been clouded by his greed!


    He removed his luxurious garments and changed into an ordinary-looking one. With this, he should be able to sneak among the crowd, undetected.


    "Alright. Time to go!" Gand said as he carefully moved along with the crowd. He even talked with a few of them to make it look like he was interested in the tournament.


    Gand felt like burning this entire ce down, but heposed himself. Doing so would only blow away his cover and he might fail to get the spiritual nt. With a determined look, he moved through the crowd and finally reached the garden.


    It was still densely popted, and he even saw some Nascent God Realm women eyeing the crowd with hostile gazes.


    ''They should be responsible for guarding this garden while Yue Bo is not here, but they can''t stop me..'' Gand muttered coldly in his heart.

 Chapter 387 - The Regretful Jiu Shen

    Jiu Shen hid behind the clouds with an amused smile on his face. "He has good eyes. That Fire Devil Fruit is indeed the most precious spiritual nt in my garden."


    With his hands behind his back, Jiu Shen continued observing the scene with a mocking smile. "Hm, it looks like I finally found another sweeper for my garden. Yue Bo wouldn''t be sad anymore..."


    Meanwhile, Gand was walking calmly towards the Fire Devil Fruit. Although he looked normal outside, he was actually feeling nervous. He didn''t know why he felt anxious all of a sudden, but he ignored his screaming instincts since he was already very close to his goal.


    Gan scanned the women guarding the garden using his spiritual vision. He also observed the store closely since Yue Bo might be around. When he sensed that only the Nascent God Realm women were around, a malicious smile covered his face. He dashed towards the Fire Devil Fruit with his fastest speed and grabbed it. He could already feel the fruit in his hand. It felt rather rough and heavy. Wait!


    Gand opened his hand and he was stunned at what he saw.


    It was actually a palm-sized rock!


    A wave of terror surfaced in his heart. He then turned his gaze to check the surroundings. He could no longer hear the crowd discussing the tournament.


    In front of Gand was a barrennd filled with copsed and dpidated buildings.


    A gust of hot wind blew, making him recover from his fear.


    "This ce... Isn''t this the abandoned city right next to Morlon City?" Gand gulped in worry as he anxiously stared in every direction. The eerie silence unnerved him.


    He swiftly calmed his heart and moved in a battle stance, preparing himself from the unknown."


    How did he suddenly get teleported to this ce? Even with his power as a Demon Emperor (Void God Realm), he couldn''t achieve this feat. Then how did the other party teleport him to this ce without him noticing anything? Yue Bo was definitely not capable of doing this since he was just a newly ascended Void God Realm expert. In that case, who was it?


    Suddenly, a young and handsome face emerged in his mind. ''Could it be him?''


    Jiu Shen was the only man he couldn''t discern. He thought that the young human merely had a cloaking technique that masked his cultivation, but thinking about it now, he realized that his thinking was wed.


    ''So that''s why that old fart Balmond has been acting strangelytely! He already discovered Jiu Shen''s power!'' Gand felt like smacking his own face for his carelessness.


    "Hey."


    A calm voice suddenly interrupted his train of thoughts.


    Gand fearfully turned his gaze and saw a young silver-haired human seated on a luxurious-looking chair. This human was even holding a bottle of wine as he looked at him with an amused look.


    In front of this human was an ordinary table and a vacant chair.


    Gand knew that he was truly fucked up this time. This Jiu Shen was a wolf in sheep''s clothing! No, he is definitely a dragon in sheep''s clothing!


    "Do you prefer standing there like an idiot or do you want to join me in drinking wine?" The human asked him with a disdainful smile.


    Gand felt his knees going weak under Jiu Shen''s stare. The guy might be smiling at him, but it looked like an evil god''s smile in his eyes...


    After hesitating for a moment, Gand picked up his courage and sloppily walked towards the vacant seat. He then carefully sat as he looked down, not daring to meet Jiu Shen''s gaze.


    Looking at the nervous demon sitting in front of him, Jiu Shen almost burst intoughter.


    "Actually, I currently need a sweeper for my garden. After all, Yue Bo is the only one cleaning it, so it must be tiring for him to do it alone. I''ll forget what you did this time if you work for me." Jiu Shen said after gulping down his wine.


    Hearing this, Gand almost stood up in fury. This guy actually wants him to clean his garden? Is he out of his mind?


    Demons are innately stubborn and prideful. They would refuse to ept defeat under any circumstances. And as a demon himself, Gand didn''t want to ept Jiu Shen''s terms. It was beyond his pride to work as a sweeper for someone! He couldn''t even imagine himself weeding someone''s garden.


    Veins protruded on his face as Gand clenched his fists tightly.


    Looking at this, Jiu Shen calmly drank a mouthful of wine and said. "It looks like our negotiations have failed..."


    Gand abruptly stood up and smashed the table in front of him.


    Bang!


    A thick cloud of dust covered the surroundings.


    Gand was unsure of Jiu Shen''s cultivation.


    He couldn''t discern it no matter how hard he tried to observe the human.


    However, he was confident in his own survival skills. Even if Jiu Shen was way stronger than him, he was confident that he can escape this ce!


    Just as he was searching for Jiu Shen''s figure, he felt a strong force on his shoulder, preventing him from moving. After that, a wave of heavy and archaic aura suddenly. burst from behind him, making him immediately fall to the ground.


    Thud.


    Gand kneeled in fear and he didn''t even have the strength to lift his head. He could only stare at Jiu Shen''s feet...


    Jiu Shen took back his aura.


    This time, Gand slowly lifted his head and saw Jiu Shen''s calm face looking at him as if he was an insignificant creature.


    Gand finally realized what true fear was. His heart was beating disorderly, hastening his blood pressure.


    Jiu Shen walked towards the copsed demon and slowly bent over to meet Gand''s gaze.


    "What about now? You should cha-"


    The face of Jiu Shen who was about to offer a second chance to Gand suddenly changed into shock.


    Gand copsed on the ground with a frothing mouth. The whiteness of his eyes was now visible...


    "Eh? Did I identally kill him?" Jiu Shen muttered in regret.

 Chapter 388 - My Chair Looks More Awesome Than Yours

    Jiu Shen wordlessly stared at the breathless corpse of Gand. "This guy''s will is too weak. How did he even manage to reach the Void God Realm?"


    Even Yue Bo who had just ascended to the Void God Realm had much stronger willpower than Gand. After all, Yue Bo survived Jiu Shen''s Heavenly God Realm aura for a much longer time.


    "Hm, I think if I give this corpse to Balmond, he might be willing to be my sweeper..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself with a hint of expectation.


    Jiu Shen knew that Gand had reasons foring to the Great Demon Empire. ording to Jiu Shen''s guesses, there might even be a dispute between this two, so Balmond should be happy to receive the corpse of his enemy, right?


    Thinking about this, Jiu Shen took Gand''s corpse and ced it inside his space earring. He then teleported back to the wine store.


    As he hovered above the lotus building, Jiu Shen calmly observed what was happening below. There were still a lot of people inside and outside of the store. The third floor couldn''t handle too many people, so Jiu Shen already installed a visual projection of each battle arena.


    The tournament seemed to have started and everyone was cheering and shouting as they watched the visual projection of the ongoing battles.


    "Look! Princess Cornelia has won over her opponent!"


    "There''s actually a young prodigy in the Earth Battle! Look over there!"


    Jiu Shen searched through the crowd and realized that Balmond wasn''t there. The demon seemed to be confident about his daughter''s skills that he didn''t evene to spectate her fight.


    After seeing that everything is progressing smoothly, Jiu Shen decided to go straight to Balmond''sir and give him a surprise.


    Meanwhile, in the imperial pce of the Great Demon Empire. Emperor Balmond was seated on his throne, holding amunication crystal in his hands.


    Suddenly, themunication crystal lit up and a voice sounded. "Your Majesty, Her Highness Princess Cornelia has won her first fight. Her opponent was quite strong, but she defeated him without sustaining injuries."


    Hearing the report, Emperor Balmond heaved a sigh of relief.


    Although he didn''te to personally spectate the matchups, he still sent a subordinate to observe thepetition. He even sent Hanzo to personally act as one of the judges of thepetition. He didn''t want anything to happen to his daughter, so this arrangement was necessary.


    "Alright. Continue observing thepetition and send a few more people to monitor the movements of the Narda Principality''s delegates."


    "Yes, Your Majesty." The voice behind themunication crystal replied with a vigorous voice.


    Emperor Balmond kept hismunication crystal while sighing in relief. Luckily, his daughter didn''t disappoint him and won her first battle.


    Just as he was imagining his daughter''s splendid fight, he suddenly noticed a young man seated on a chair that magically appeared beside him.


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen?!" Emperor Balmond cried out in shock. How did this guye inside the throne room without him noticing anything?


    Jiu Shen nodded his head at the stunned Demon Emperor while happily drinking a bottle of wine.


    "Your Majesty, is there anything wrong happening?" A worried voice outside the throne room echoed.


    "Nothing. Remain in your posts and be more vignt." Balmond answered.


    "Yes, Your Majesty!"


    Emperor Balmond waved his hand and blocked the throne room using his spiritual power. This was to prevent anyone from eavesdropping. Jiu Shen should be here for something and for him to go here personally, it must be important.


    "Wine Master Jiu, wee! I apologize for myck of manners. How about you sit here on my throne?" Emperor Balmond said with a smile. He didn''t want to sit on his throne right in front of Jiu Shen. This human was too mysterious that he felt afraid of incurring his displeasure.


    "No need. My chair looks more awesome than yours." Jiu Shen replied with disinterest.


    Emperor Balmond''s mouth twitched and he scrutinized Jiu Shen''s seat. After observing it for a few seconds, he realized that it was indeed more striking than his throne. However, he still felt a bit bothered that Jiu Shen has looked down on his throne. After all, just to sit on it, countless geniuses of the demon race sacrificed themselves in bloody battles...


    With a stiff smile on his face, Emperor Balmond asked. "Wine Master Jiu, I know you''re not just here to mock me. What brings you here?"


    "I came here to deliver something to you..." Jiu Shen said with a mysterious look.


    Emperor Balmond''s eyes burned with curiosity when he saw Jiu Shen''s expression. What thing did this human bring him?


    Under Emperor Balmond''s questioning gaze, Jiu Shen took out a demon''s corpse and calmly ced it down.


    Looking at the breathless corpse, Emperor Balmond abruptly stood up from his throne and cried out in shock. "Gand!"


    Emperor Balmond could see the frothing mouth of Gand, but he saw no visible injuries on the demon''s body. He also scanned Gand''s internal organs, but after checking it three times, nothing seemed to be wrong. However, what made him surprised was when he checked the cultivation level of Gand, it was actually at the Void God Realm! In that case, how did an expert like die?


    Realizing this, Emperor Balmond gulped nervously as he stared at Jiu Shen''s calm face. How did this guy kill Gand? He didn''t even leave any injuries on the demon''s body and Gand''s internal organs seemed to be in perfect condition. Was it a spiritual attack?


    "Stop guessing. That guy died when I showed him my cultivation..." Jiu Shen calmly said. He did show Gand his Heavenly God Realm aura, so he didn''t lie, right?


    "Y-You mean he was scared to death after seeing your cultivation?" Emperor Balmond felt that he heard the most ridiculous joke, but when he nced at Gand''s frothing mouth and his corpse''s perfect condition, it looks like Jiu Shen wasn''t lying to him...


    Emperor Balmond shivered as he thought about it. A Void God Realm expert was actually scared to death after sensing someone''s cultivation?


    If that''s true, then this human''s cultivation level should be insanely high!

 Chapter 389 - Enticing Balmond To Work As His Sweeper

    <h4>Chapter 389 - Enticing Balmond To Work As His Sweeper</h4>


    Emperor Balmond stared at Jiu Shen''s calm face. He didn''t know what this human''s intentions were for bringing Gand''s corpse here, so the Demon Emperor could only stare at Jiu Shen with a look of uncertainty.


    Is he trying to show off his power? What does he want to do? Emperor Balmond''s head almost hurt from thinking.


    "This guy snuck in your territory together with those delegates from the Narda Principality..." Jiu Shen broke the silence. His words was like an rm bell to Emperor Balmond''s ears.


    ''Gand is actually connected to the Narda Principality! Just what were those guys nning? They even sent Demon Emperor Gand and also Liu Baiqing who was a peak expert among the Demon Ancestors!'' Balmond''s eyes narrowed as a thought shed in his head.


    ''Rebellion? They were nning to rebel!'' A look of anger surfaced on the Demon Emperor''s face as he thought of this. He didn''t think that the Narda Principality was actually hiding an expert of Gand''s caliber. Could there be more Void God Realm experts within their ranks?


    Without Jiu Shen''s intervention, he would have been in the dark of this matter and he would have been caught unprepared. Luckily, Gand was somehow killed by Jiu Shen.


    "I wouldn''t have cared about your squabbles, but this guy actually dared to sneak inside my garden to steal my spiritual nts. I decided to punish him for his actions, but who knew that this guy''s willpower is too weak. I only released my aura and it already scared him to death. Initially, I nned to give him a chance and let him work for me, but... What a pity..." A look of disdain can be seen on Jiu Shen''s face.


    Emperor Balmond forced a stiff smile when he heard his words. Luckily, Gand died or it would have been a disaster if he became Jiu Shen''sckey.


    Just as Emperor Balmond was about to say something, Jiu Shen suddenly stared at him and asked. "How about you work for me instead? Actually, Ick sweepers for my garden. You might have seen Yue Bo. I think he is quite pitiful working alone in my garden. What do you think?"


    Hearing this, Emperor Balmond didn''t know whether tough or to cry. So this was Jiu Shen''s reason foring here. He already nned to take him under hismand, but as a sweeper? Emperor Balmond almost cursed at Jiu Shen as he thought about it.


    "Wine Master Jiu, this is a bit..."


    "You know why Yue Bo decided to follow me?" Jiu Shen nced at the hesitating demon with a mysterious smile.


    Emperor Balmond was also curious about this. What made him follow Jiu Shen? Even if Jiu Shen is powerful, it shouldn''t be enough reason to follow him.


    "Because he knows that if he follows me, there would be opportunities for him. After all, I was the one who helped him breakthrough to the Void God Realm..." Jiu Shen said with an enticing tone.


    At this moment, he was like an old man coaxing a kid to buy his candy. Even he felt embarrassed for his actions, but it was necessary for the growth of his faction, so swallowed this shame...


    "What?! So that''s the reason... Can I ask how you helped Yue Bo breakthrough to the Void God Realm?" Emperor Balmond asked with a look of fervor.


    This guy took the bait.


    Jiu Shen smirked and answered in a calm voice. "I concocted a pill for him. It helped him increase his sess rate in reaching the Void God Realm..."


    "You refined a pill for him? There actually exists such a monstrous pill? And you are... you are an alchemist!" This realization made Emperor Balmond''s mouth gape in shock. Just what kind of pill did Yue Bo consume that it actually helped him advance to the next realm? So aside from being an insanely strong expert, this human is also a pill refining powerhouse?


    Jiu Shen nodded his head. "I''m indeed an alchemist..."


    After hesitating for a brief moment, a look of determination shed in Balmond''s eyes. "Wine Master Jiu Shen, please ept me as your subordinate..."


    Emperor Balmond stood up and bowed at Jiu Shen with respect.


    Jiu Shen''s smile became more apparent as he looked at the bowing demon. He then stood up and patted Balmond''s back as he replied. "Alright. From now on, you will work alongside Yue Bo as a sweeper in my store. Don''t worry. I''m not stingy with rewards as long as you do your job well..."


    Working as a sweeper still made Balmond''s face scrunch up, but when he heard about the word reward, his eyes suddenly lit up as he immediately nodded his head at Jiu Shen. "I will do my job well, Wine Master Jiu Shen!"


    "Good! For now, continue ruling the Great Demon Empire. When the tournament is over, you can pass the throne to Cornelia. Although that little girl''s personality is quite quirky, her talent isn''t bad..." Jiu Shen suggested. He has been observing the situation of the Great Demon Empire since he hade here. Among Balmond''s three children, although Cornelia wasn''t the strongest, she was the most capable and fit to be empress.


    Balmond''s eyes narrowed, but he nodded his head in agreement. He also thought about this for a long time and he agreed about Jiu Shen''s suggestion.


    His third son, Amon, can be taken off the list. He was the most unqualified among the bunch to be a leader. As for his second son, Artaurus, he felt a bit conflicted as he thought about this son of his.


    Artaurus'' strength has been kept confidential. Even Cornelia and Amon didn''t know about their second brother''s real strength. They only knew that their brother was a sickly individual and has been in aa for more than a decade. However, they didn''t know that it was merely what their father has led them to believe.


    Artaurus wasn''t sickly and he was definitely not in aa. He was currently locked up inside a secret dungeon. Balmond also sealed his son''s cultivation to prevent him from escaping. As for why he did this, Balmond has his reasons....

 Chapter 390 - Artaurus Bloodfallen

    <h4>Chapter 390 - Artaurus Bloodfallen</h4>


    Artaurus Bloodfallen.


    When he was born, the whole Crimson Fiend Continent was covered by a huge cluster of golden clouds.


    At that time, Emperor Balmond thought that it was an auspicious sign for his son, but after a few years, their Bloodfallen Family noticed something peculiar about Artaurus.


    He wasn''t like the other demons who were innately talented in body refining arts. Artaurus was talented in true essence cultivation! And his cultivation talent wasn''t ordinary. His cultivation progressed steadily despite him not putting in too much work.


    As soon as Emperor Balmond discovered his son''s talent, he rejoiced. However, a few yearster, on Artaurus'' eighteenth birthday, he suddenly went on a rampage as if he was possessed. He lost all sense of reason and killed everyone in his way. Many imperial guards were killed at that time and Hanzo had to personally subdue the rampaging demon prince.


    Everyone who witnessed this tragedy was silenced by Emperor Balmond. He also locked up Artaurus and sealed his cultivation. As for his son''s cultivation at that time... It was at the Nascent God Realm! Artaurus became a Nascent God Realm on his eighteenth birthday!


    If not for him going berserk, Emperor Balmond would have made him the crown prince...


    Thinking about this depressing past, Emperor Balmond hesitated whether to tell Jiu Shen about it or not. In the end, the Demon Emperor sighed and decided to not tell Jiu Shen about it for now.


    Jiu Shen stared at the silent Balmond with a calm look. His golden eyes shed like the starry sky, beautiful and enchanting.


    "That young man locked up in your dungeon must be your son..." Jiu Shen muttered calmly, but his words made Balmond stunned as he looked at Jiu Shen''s face with wide eyes.


    Looking at his stunned expression, Jiu Shen continued. "Initially, I was just specting about his identity, but when I mentioned appointing Cornelia as the Empress of the Great Demon Empire, I saw the hesitation in your eyes. Although it only appeared for a brief moment, nothing can escape my sights..."


    "H-How did you discover the hidden dungeon, Wine Master Jiu? In the whole Great Demon Empire, only Hanzo and I knew about it." Did Hanzo tell Jiu Shen about it? No! That was impossible. Hanzo was his most loyal subordinate and he was confident that the guy wouldn''t betray him. In that case, how did Jiu Shen discover it?


    Jiu Shen shrugged his shoulders. "You think your little dungeon can stay hidden from me? I have long since used my spiritual power to scan the entirety of the Great Demon Empire. I know everything about this ce..."


    Hearing his answer, Balmond''s heart shuddered. This guy was too strong! Luckily, he was smart enough and kept a friendly attitude with them. At first, he even had ns of destroying his lotus building and making Jiu Shen work for him as his personal winemaker. Who knew that it would be him working for Jiu Shen instead? Such a twist of fate made him slightly bitter in his heart. However, he was also excited about the possible rewards he would get for bing Jiu Shen''s subordinate.


    "Your son''s case is indeed a bit special, but you did the right thing in sealing his cultivation. I personally visited him some time ago and observed his situation and I discovered that he has a type of rare physique... He has the Berserk Spirit Divine Body. It is a type of physique that would make one''s spiritual power erupt into terrifying levels, but the process of awakening this type of physique requires a Soul Stabilizing Array Formation. This is a high-level array formation that can control the berserk state of the sudden eruption of his spiritual power. If you didn''t seal his cultivation, your son would have exploded from the sudden rise of his spiritual power." Jiu Shen exined.


    The Berserk Spirit Divine Body wasn''t actually a rare physique. There was a sect in the Primordial God Realm that only epted disciples with this type of physique. They were also one of the first-rate powers in the Primordial God Realm!


    Emperor Balmond furrowed his eyebrows as he digested everything that Jiu Shen said. It seemed like Jiu Shen wasn''t just a cultivation powerhouse and a top alchemist. He was also a well-learned individual whose knowledge wasparable to that of the ancient sages!


    "Wine Master Jiu, is it still possible to save my son?" Emperor Balmond asked with a pleading look. Jiu Shen was his only chance to save Artaurus.


    Jiu Shen nced at the Demon Emperor and nodded his head calmly. "It is easy to help him. We just need to make the Soul Stabilizing Array Formation. I can even make it if I have the ingredients. Unfortunately, Ick two ingredients to make this array formation..."


    "Y-You also know how to make array formations? Wait. Tell me the two the ingredients and I will find it at all cost!" Emperor Balmond bowed at Jiu Shen, his voice quivering as he pleaded.


    Looking at this, Jiu Shen casually replied. "I need two Origin-rank spiritual nts, the Vermilion Callia Lily and the mother leaf of a Vulcan Spirit Vine. I think you can get these two in the Divine Beast Continent..."


    Hearing this, Emperor Balmond heaved a sigh of relief. As long as it can be found, Artaurus can still be saved! "I will immediately send a group of Demon Ancestors to head to the Divine Beast Continent and get the two spiritual nts. Can you tell me more about them so that I can inform my men on what to take note of?"


    "The Vermilion Callia Lily is..." Jiu Shen told Balmond about the characteristics of the two spiritual nts and he even showed a visual projection of the two using his spiritual power.


    Emperor Balmond carefully memorized the visual projections and drew them on a beast''s skin together with their characteristics.


    "Thank you, Wine Master Jiu Shen! After Cornelia''s crowning ceremony, I will immediately head to the lotus building and help Brother Yue Bo in cleaning your garden..." The Demon Emperor promised.


    Jiu Shen smiled upon hearing this.

 Chapter 391 - Lou Baiqing’s Panic

    Lou Baiqing was panicking at the moment. He couldn''t find any traces of Gand no matter how he searched Morlon City. It was as if the guy had suddenly disappeared. His abrupt disappearance made Lou Baiqing feel a bit nervous. Was Gand discovered by Emperor Balmond and was secretly killed or did Gand go back to Narda Principality to get reinforcements?


    Lou Baiqing felt his head hurting from this unexpected news. He immediately sent one of his men to go back to Narda Principality to check if Demon Emperor Gand was there.


    "Hopefully, he just came back to Narda Principality to ask for reinforcements." Lou Baiqing muttered. Although he knew that this was unlikely possible, he still hoped that Gand was still alive. The death of a Demon Emperor would significantly weaken the strength of their Narda Principality. Their n to destroy the Bloodfallen Family would also fail since Gand yed an important role in that conquest. It would be difficult toplete their objectives without Gand.


    "What should I do now? If Gand is dead, Emperor Balmond should already be aware of our objective. Staying here would only mean awaiting our death. I should leave here and look for another ce to hide." Lou Baiqing said in a somber tone. He then took out amunication crystal and ryed this to his subordinates. Although leaving Morlon City was the same as abandoning their n, they didn''t have a choice. They could only retreat for the time being and think of another strategy.


    ***


    A few dayster.


    Third floor of Jiu Shen''s wine store.


    The tournament continued and the battle between the participants of the Earth and Heaven Battle categories became much fiercer.


    There were only sixty-four participants left in the Earth Battle, while there are only sixteen for the Heaven Battle.


    There were only two battle arenas remaining on the third floor and they were much bigger than the ones used in the past few days. This was to ensure that the participants would have an opportunity to show off their battle skills more effectively.


    At this moment, Cornelia was fighting a middle-aged reclusive demon expert. This guy was at thete stage of the Demon Lord level and was proficient in spear arts. His spear left afterimages as he thrust it, making the crowd exim in awe and respect.


    Even though the demon was a lot older than the crown princess, he was still a strong and respectable individual.


    Cornelia''s face was full of sweat as she blocked the spear strikes of her opponent using her spiritual power. She wasn''t skilled in body strengthening and true essence cultivation, but her spiritual power was already at the level of Demon Lord. Her illusion and seductive arts also proved to be annoying for the middle-aged demon.


    Just then, Cornelia summoned a gray fog that covered her entire body.


    The middle-aged demon noticed that this gray fog had a peculiar scent. Suddenly, his eyes turned wide and he immediately covered his nose as he cursed under his breath. "Shit! I fell for it!"


    Following this, his movements became sluggish and his spear strikes weakened considerably. Although he managed to hold with his strongbat abilities, he still sumbed under Cornelia''s illusion arts.


    Hanzo appeared in the battle arena dispelled Cornelia''s illusion and seductive arts. He then proceeded to carry the unconscious middle-aged demon out of the battle arena to get treated.


    "Cornelia Bloodfallen wins!" Blue announced her victory to the crowd, making everyone cheer her name loudly.


    "Princess Cornelia! Princess Cornelia!"


    "Almighty Princess Cornelia!"


    The subus shed a seductive smile at the boisterous crowd, making their eyes lit up fervently. She was too beautiful and alluring that even the women in the crowd had hearts in their eyes.


    Looking at this, the remaining participants of the Heaven Battle category stared at the victorious crown princess with solemn looks. They were already nning on how to stop her illusion and seduction in case they were matched against her. Her cultivation might be lower than their own, but her battle techniques and strange battle style might prove to be difficult to handle.


    At this moment, Balmond was spectating the battle with Jiu Shen and Yue Bo. The Demon Emperor held his head high when he saw his daughter''s victory.


    "She has grown stronger as thepetition reached its final period. If this progress continues, she might reach the mid stage of the Demon Lord level!" Balmond said with a proud look on his face.


    Seated beside him, Yue Bo nodded his head in agreement. He had seen all of Cornelia''s battles and he knew that Balmond was speaking the truth. The subus was indeed a talented young demon.


    "Congrattions, Brother Balmond! Your Great Demon Empire would surely be stronger under Princess Cornelia''s leadership!" Yue Bo wasn''t stingy with his praise.


    Hearing this, Balmond grinned from ear to ear as he nodded, pleased with his words. "Don''t praise her too much, Brother Yue Bo! That girl still has a lot to learn. By that time, I hope Brother Yue Bo can give her some pointers."


    Yue Bo was surprised, but he still nodded his head with a smile. With his strength, it wasn''t a problem for him to teach someone at Cornelia''s level. "Since Brother Yue Bo is now part of Wine Master Jiu Shen''s faction, of course, I would help! This is just a small matter."


    "Wine Master Jiu, what do you think of Cornelia?" Balmond turned his gaze to Jiu Shen who was calmly watching the battles.


    Jiu Shen nced at Balmond and thought of Cornelia''s recent battles. In his opinion, her use of skills wasckluster and even her techniques were wed. Should he say it to Balmond?


    Just as he was about to say the truth to the Demon Emperor, Jiu Shen saw Balmond''s happy smile. He didn''t want to destroy his subordinate''s happiness, so he replied indifferently. "Not too bad. She can be trained. With Yue Bo''s help, she might improve to a certain degree...."

 Chapter 392 - Yue Bo’s Bright Moon Sutra

    As Balmond and Yue Bo were busy discussing about the fights in the Heaven Battle, Jiu Shen frowned when he stared at the Earth Battle. He was now looking at a human dressed in imperial robes.


    This man was Elyk Silveria. He was one of the toppetitors in this category.


    At this moment, Elyk was looking at Amon who was fighting a young prodigy of the Demon Race. Elyk''s eyes shed with an imperceptible glow.


    Elyk might be trying hard to hide his killing intent, but Jiu Shen who experienced countless battles in his life could sense this even with his eyes closed.


    ''This is a bit troublesome. Elyk is a lot stronger than Amon and even if he kills the demon prince, Balmond would definitely not sit still. What should I do?'' Jiu Shen felt a bit of a headache as he thought of this. Balmond was now his subordinate, but Elyk was his long-time acquaintance.


    Suddenly, a bright idea came into his mind. ''Alright. That will do.''


    "Theia, make sure that Amon will fight against Elyk in the next matchup for the Earth Battle." Jiu Shen sent a mind transmission to Theia.


    "Okay."


    After getting her answer, Jiu Shen stood up from his seat and stared at Yue Bo and Balmond with an indifferent look. "The two of you follow me. I will give you guys an opportunity to advance your cultivation level."


    Hearing this, Balmond and Yue Bo immediately stood up with excitement.


    ''This soon?'' Yue Bo was surprised. He just broke through to the Void God Realm and he thought he would need a few hundred more years to get Jiu Shen to help him advance.


    ''Finally!'' Balmond shouted eagerly in his heart.


    "Let''s go." Jiu Shen summoned a space door and told the two to go inside first.


    Jiu Shen then nced at Elyk before he stepped into the space door. ''The rest is up to you, brat...''


    The door closed and disappeared...


    ***


    Yue Bo and Balmond stared at their surroundings with curious gazes. They seemed to have been transported to a different world.


    There were lush trees and thick foliage all around them. There were even a few brave savage beasts roaring at the distance.


    "Where is this ce?" Yue Bo muttered as he observed the vast greeneries. It was so beautiful that he almost thought that he was dreaming!


    Behind him, Balmond scanned the forest using his spiritual vision. What he saw surprised him! He could sense that the true essence of this ce was many times denser than the Crimson Fiend Continent! Just where did Wine Master Jiu Shen bring them?


    "You guys must be shocked?" Jiu Shen chuckled as he beckoned them to move closer to him.


    "Wine Master Jiu, where is this ce?" Balmond could not help but ask. He was sure that they were not in the Crimson Fiend Continent.


    Jiu Shen smiled mysteriously and answered. "This is my Spirit World. When you two reach the Heavenly God Realm, you will eventually know what it is..."


    When one reaches the Heavenly God Realm, they would be able to create a world seen in their dantian. This world seed would then develop into a world of its own after billions of years of nurturing. However, only a few were talented enough to create a world seed of their own. That''s why only a few Heavenly God Realm exists even in the Primordial God Realm.


    There were even rumors that if one bes a Celestial God Realm, their world seed would grow into a cosmic seed, creating a gxy in their dantian!


    Jiu Shen wasn''t sure if this rumor was true since he was only a peak stage Heavenly God Realm in his past life.


    "Spirit World? Heavenly God Realm?" Balmond and Yue Bo were both confused, but Jiu Shen merely smiled at them. He clearly didn''t want to exin things to them at this moment. Although they felt their minds going itchy, they didn''t dare ask Jiu Shen. They knew that he would tell them about it when the timees.


    "Let me give you some advice. Your strength is too weak, so don''t think too highly of yourselves. You might be considered as peak sovereigns in this world, but the universe is so vast that bugs like you two can''t even begin to imagine how strong the beings of the higher realms are." Jiu Shen said to the two with a stern look. He wasn''t speaking nonsense at all.


    Yue Bo and Balmond are indeed strong in the Nuar, but they would only be considered as average in the Primordial God Realm!


    Hearing his words, Yue Bo and Balmond felt indignant, but when they recalled Jiu Shen''s holy and sacred aura, they remained silent.


    They also started specting whether Jiu Shen was a being of Nuar or not. After all, his strength was never been seen in the entire history of their. The only usible exnation for this was that Jiu Shen came from a higher realm!


    Thinking about this, they became even more respectful as they looked at Jiu Shen.


    "Don''t worry. Since you guys are now my subordinates, I wouldn''t allow you to remain the mediocre bugs that you already are. Yue Bo step forward and show me your cultivation technique." Jiu Shen said with a calm look.


    Yue Bo and Balmond nced at each other before thetter took a step forward.


    Showing one''s cultivation technique was the same as telling your greatest secret, but since they were already Jiu Shen''s subordinates, they had no problems doing it.


    "Wine Master Jiu, my cultivation technique is called Bright Moon Sutra. I found this in an ancient relic more than fifty thousand years ago." Yue Bo exined.


    "Alright. Show me how you cultivate with it."


    Yue Bo nodded his head and started cultivating ording to the Bright Moon Sutra.


    Resplendent white light covered Yue Bo''s body, making him look like a human light bulb.


    The true essence around Yue Bo formed into a tempest and was then absorbed into his body.


    Looking at this, even Balmond felt a bit shocked.


    "What a strong cultivation technique!" The demon eximed.

 Chapter 393 - Elyk’s Killing Intent

    Looking at the smug Yue Bo and the stunned Balmond, Jiu Shen''s face twitched.


    "Strong my ass. Aside from making you look like a light bulb, this cultivation technique of yours is also full of ws! Using the energy of the moonlight to extract true essence is indeed a brilliant idea, but the one who made this technique didn''t know how to convert moon energy to true essence. More than fifty percent of the moon''s energy is lost after the conversion, making your cultivation progress slower than it should be. The potential of this Bright Moon Sutra is only up to the Void God Realm. Whoever cultivates this would never have hopes of reaching the Mystic God Realm! You call this strong?" Jiu Shen scolded with a harsh tone.


    Hearing this, Balmond felt awkward and Yue Bo looked at the ground in embarrassment.


    The cultivation technique that he felt so proud his entire life was actually rubbish in Jiu Shen''s eyes...


    Jiu Shen took out a peach of beast skin and a quill pen. His eyes shed with a profound look as he began scribbling down.


    It would be toote for Yue Bo to cultivate another cultivation technique, so Jiu Shen decided to improve the Bright Moon Sutra. This process took no more than thirty minutes.


    After carefully checking the improved version of the Bright Moon Sutra, Jiu Shen nodded his head with a pleased look.


    "It is no longer suitable to call it Bright Moon Sutra. I changed the conversion process and also added more detail to this new sutra. Your cultivation should increase tenfold if you cultivate using this." Jiu Shen said with confidence.


    Yue Bo was stunned when heard his words. "Wine Master Jiu, you managed to edit my cultivation technique in just thirty minutes?"


    Jiu Shen ignored him and tossed the beast skin to Yue Bo.


    The man caught it with a look of curiosity in his eyes. When he started reading the edited version, his eyes knitted into a frown. A deep look of contemtion slowly surfaced on his face. Not longter, Yue Bo sighed as he muttered in a self-mocking tone. "My Bright Moon Sutra couldn''t even bepared to this one. Wine Master Jiu, what should be the name of this new sutra?"


    Jiu Shen shrugged his shoulders and answered in a disinterested tone. "You can name it yourself."


    Hearing this, Yue Bo''s face twitched. After reading it, Yue Bo knew that it was a peak cultivation technique, but Jiu Shen still disdained naming it.


    "Sun Moon Divinity Sutra..." Yue Bo muttered to himself as he stared at the beast skin in his hands. His hands shook as he thought of the heights he could reach with this new cultivation technique. He then nced at Jiu Shen who made this in just thirty minutes. ''Mystic God Realm, Heavenly God Realm... I wonder what those realms are...''


    "Okay, Balmond, your turn." Jiu Shen turned his gaze to Balmond.


    The Demon Emperor grinned as he eagerly nodded his head. "Wine Master Jiu, I cultivate a body strengthening technique called Ferocious Tiger God Art. It has been passed down in our Bloodfallen Family for generations!"


    "Just show it to me..." Jiu Shen said impatiently.


    Balmond smiled awkwardly as he nodded his head.


    ***


    One dayter.


    On the arena of the Earth Battle category, only eight participants remained. All of them were experts who had the potential to breakthrough to the Nascent God Realm.


    At this moment, the matchup was already announced by Theia and the spectators cheered loudly after hearing it.


    "I will bet 500 Blood Stones on that human!"


    "Hmph! How dare you bet on a human! Shame on you! I bet 500 Blood Stones on His Highness Amon''s victory!"


    Someone among the crowd started a betting pool and many spectators ced their bets.


    Looking at this, Blue merely smiled. Their master didn''t mention anything about this, so Blue let it slide, but she memorized the face of the demon who started the betting pool. She would report this to Jiu Shen once hees back.


    "Amon Bloodfallen and Elyk Silveria, pleasee to the battle arena!" Xiaoxiao called the two participants.


    A young demon who had an arrogant smile jumped into the battle arena. He had a sword in his hands. This demon was Amon.


    A middle-aged human dressed in imperial clothes slowly jumped in front of Amon. His eyes were cold and indifferent as he stared at his opponent.


    "We meet again, father." Amon said in a disdainful tone.


    Hearing this, Elyk''s eyes remained cold and indifferent.


    The referee responsible for monitoring the match was an old Demon Lord of the Great Demon Empire. He joined the Heaven Battle, but he was swiftly eliminated. With nothing better to do, he decided to act as a referee in the Earth Battle.


    The old referee nced at the two participants and said. "This is merely apetition. If you think you can no longer hold on, you can surrender. Alright, begin!"


    Elyk''s eyes shed with ruthlessness the moment the battle began. He slowly unsheathed his sword and swiftly initiated the attack.


    Swoosh!


    Amon was surprised about his opponent''s impatience, but he soon calmed down as he parried Elyk''s sword strike with his sword.


    The human''s sword attack felt heavy, making Amon feel a bit shocked.


    With their locked swords, Amon stared at Elyk and saw the middle-aged man''s cruel eyes boring straight into him. "Do you want to kill me, father? Hahaha!"


    Elyk pushed his sword with his full might, forcing Amon to take several steps backward before he managed to stabilize himself.


    "You''re already so old, but your strength is only this much? The humans are truly so weak..." Amonughed mockingly. Hisughter echoed within the third floor.


    The eyes of Blue, Theia and the otherdies turned frigidly cold upon hearing this, but they soon hid their killing intent.


    Elyk stared at Amon with hatred, his killing intent in full disy.


    "You will die by my hands today!" He shouted furiously.

 Chapter 394 - The Final Attack

    Elyk and Amon''s swords shed dozens of times. They might be 9th-rank Saints, but their battle made the audience astounded by their power.


    "That human actually managed to stand toe to toe with His Highness!"


    "His Highness is clearly not using his full strength. Look at his face. He looks extremely at ease."


    Amon leisurely parried the sword strikes of Elyk, but he soon discovered that this human emperor has yet to use his strongest move.


    Amon took the appearance of Elyk''s second son for many years and after observing the human emperor for quite some time, he was already familiar with his sword skills.


    "Old man, if you want to avenge your sons, then you have to do better than this! Hahaha!" Amonughed mockingly as he casually evaded the attacksing his way.


    Elyk''s eyes shed for a moment, but he soon regained rity.


    Suddenly, he heard a woman''s cold voice in his head.


    "Elyk, you must kill this demon! He dared mock us humans! If there wasn''t anyone else here, I would have killed him with my own hands! Hanzo isn''t here now, so only a few average Demon Ancestors are present to protect him."


    Hearing this, Elyk no longer had any concerns. His face turned cold as he erupted with his strongest power!


    Sensing this, everyone was surprised.


    "His power is nearing the Demon Lord level!"


    Amon''s eyes constricted as a trace of worry surfaced in his heart.


    Seeing the turn around in their battle, Theia nced at the otherdies. She then gave all of them a signal as they slowly approached the Demon Ancestors who are protecting Amon in the shadows. They maintained enough distance that wouldn''t make them too suspicious.


    The Demon Ancestors failed to notice this since they were too focused on the battle between Amon and Elyk.


    "It looks like you are finally serious!" Amon smirked as he changed his stance. A heavy pressure emanated from him as he gathered his strength. He then proceeded to attack Elyk with a more powerful sword technique.


    ng! ng! ng!


    Elyk felt that Amon''s swordsmanship suddenly became more unpredictable. If this continues, their battle would remain a stalemate. If that happens, his stamina would be the first to be depleted since Amon who trained in body strengthening had higher stamina than him.


    Elyk''s eyes suddenly narrowed as crazed madness slowly crept into him. A vicious look covered his face as he shouted with insanity. "Die!!!"


    Amon''s sword prated Elyk''s shoulder, but thetter merely gritted his teeth as he hacked his sword towards Amon''s neck!


    No!


    A Demon Ancestor shouted in fear as he watched this scene. He dashed towards the battle arena, but it was already toote!


    Swoosh!


    A severed head wearing a scared look spun in midair, making the entire ce engulfed by silence.


    Thud. Thud.


    The headless corpse of Amony motionless on the battle arena, stained with his own blood.


    As if unsatisfied by this, Elyk raised his sword and shed the head that was descending to the ground.


    Swoosh!


    Amon''s head was shed into two equal pieces!


    Silence...


    The old referee was stunned into silence and he could only stare at Elyk''s face with a dumbfounded look. This human was too ruthless. He actually killed the Demon Emperor''s son!


    "You! Human, how dare you kill His Highness Amon! Kill him!" A Demon Ancestor shouted with a furious look as he pounced towards the battle arena. A few more individuals hidden among the crowd also followed his charge.


    The spectators could only retreat after seeing the drastic turn of events. They still could not believe that there was actually a human brave enough to kill the prince!


    Elyk stared at the iing figure with a calm look, but he was actually feeling nervous. However, he knew that Theia and the others wouldn''t sit still.


    "Stop!"


    A slim figure wearing battle armor suddenly appeared in front of Elyk. Her blonde hair danced wildly as huge amounts of true essence congregated around her body.


    The Demon Ancestor leading the demons stopped and stared at the blonde woman with a wary look. He saw her standing behind Jiu Shen like a loyal maidservant. He didn''t dare do anything rashly with Theia blocking their way.


    "Young Miss Theia, what is the meaning of this?" The Demon Ancestor red at Theia as he raised his hand, signaling his people to not make any movements. Provoking Theia was the same as stepping on Jiu Shen''s tail. It would be terrible for them if this happened.


    Theia put on a calm look as she replied with indifference. "There is no rule prohibiting anyone from killing their opponents. Dying in thepetition means that they are too weak. Besides, that demon called us humans a weak race. If Wine Master Jiu was here, what do you think would he do after hearing someone mocking his own race?"


    Hearing this, the Demon Ancestor was tongue-tied and he couldn''t utter a rebuttal. Indeed. The prince threw disdainful remarks to the humans and even if Wine Master Jiu Shen wasn''t here, someone would surely report it to him. With Wine Master Jiu Shen''s strength, even Emperor Balmond might not be able to protect his son from getting punished!


    In the end, the Demon Ancestor could only sigh heavily as he took a step back. "In that case, please allow me to apologize on behalf of His Highness. We don''t want the peace between the two races to be broken because of this. However, I hope that Young Miss Theia would allow me to keep His Highness'' corpse."


    Theia nodded her head and escorted Elyk out of the battle arena. Blue and a few of her sisters then surrounded Elyk, preventing anyone from attacking him.


    The Demon Ancestor collected Amon''s corpse and left the battle arena with a dark look. He didn''t know what sort of punishment he would face once His Majesty returns.


    At the far corner of the third floor, Cornelia stared at Elyk with a murderous look, but she soon retracted it. "My dear brother, how absolutely foolish you are. Even in your death, you left behind a dirty mess...."

 Chapter 395 - Scaring A Group Of Bugs

    Balmond read the edited version of his body strengthening technique. Jiu Shen wrote this in just over twenty minutes! It was truly absurd that he almost thought that it was a dream. A top-level body strengthening technique was made just like that!


    Balmond stared at the enigmatic Jiu Shen who was seated leisurely on his chair. He was drinking a bottle of wine like a roadside alcoholic. ''He must be someone from the higher realm! And even in that ce, his strength shouldn''t be ordinary, right?''


    After gathering his thoughts, Balmond turned his attention back to his new body strengthening technique. He named it Mythical King''s Body Enhancing Compendium.


    When Balmond read the first few lines of this new technique, he could already sense his cells screaming in excitement!


    This was the first time Balmond felt this kind of thirst for power.


    "To think that Wine Master Jiu Shen just used twenty minutes to write this godly piece." Balmond sighed in admiration. Now, he wholeheartedly epted Jiu Shen as his superior.


    "You two must familiarize yourself with your new techniques. With yourprehension, it should take you one year to get used to it. I won''t allow you guys to step out of this Spirit World if you fail to live up to my expectations. Don''t disappoint me..." Jiu Shen stood up and opened a space door.


    He then nced at the two with a calm look before he left.


    Balmond and Yue Bo stared at each other in silence.


    "What kind of supreme being did we follow?" Yue Bo muttered with a nk look on his face.


    Balmond shook his head and replied in a worshipping tone. "He is someone who is destined to be known by the entire universe! I just hope that I would still be alive to witness his glory when that timees!"


    Yue Bo nodded in agreement. He then turned around and sat down cross-legged. "Brother Balmond, I will take this ce as my cultivation ground. You should begin as well. Wine Master Jiu Shen might scold us if we ck off..."


    Hearing that, Balmond immediately nodded his head. It was truly shameful to be scolded at his age, so he didn''t dare remain idle anymore.


    ***


    Everyone stared at Jiu Shen who suddenly arrived through a spatial door.


    When Jiu Shen noticed the odd looks, he remained calm. From the looks of things, Elyk must have seeded in killing Amon.


    After seeing Jiu Shen''s arrival, Theia immediately flew towards him and reported what had transpired. She didn''t forget to say the mocking words of Amon before he died. She also intentionally increased the volume of her voice, just enough for everyone to hear.


    ''Theia is smart. With this, I can scare these little ants a bit.'' Jiu Shen chuckled in his heart.


    Suddenly, everyone saw Jiu Shen''s face darkening. He then burst intoughter, but when the listeners heard this, they felt their hearts trembling in fear.


    Hahaha!


    When he stoppedughing, Jiu Shen stared coldly at everyone, his piercing gaze almost made them die from shock. However, a few dozen people couldn''t handle the pressure and suddenly fell unconscious.


    Seeing this, no one dared to help them. Heck! They couldn''t even move a muscle, so how could they have the energy to help others?


    After scaring the poor spectators, Jiu Shen disappeared.


    "He''s finally gone... I almost pissed myself. Dammit!"


    "So scary! I would never mock the humans again!"


    Many people copsed on the ground as they panted. The sheer pressure from Jiu Shen''s gaze almost suffocated them. Luckily, he left right away or some of them might be dead by now.


    Cornelia sat weakly on the ground. However, there was a strange look of ecstasy on her face as she recalled Jiu Shen''s domineering aura.


    "So handsome~" She muttered in a feeble, yet seductive voice.


    Theia watched the scared expressions of everyone around her. She then smirked coldly in disdain.


    "Blue, tell everyone to take a one-hour break. The tournament will continue after an hour." Theia said to Blue who was standing behind her respectfully.


    "Yes, Sister Theia." Blue nodded her head before she swiftly went to the arena to announce this.


    ***


    One day ago, in the Divine Beast Continent.


    Hanzo finally arrived with a group of Demon Ancestors behind him. Among them was Demon Ancestor Jun who could be considered as a peak expert in their circle.


    They were the elites sent by Emperor Balmond to search for the ingredients of the Soul Stabilizing Array Formation.


    "Lord Hanzo, I didn''t know that the Bloodfallen Family actually has a secret teleportation array formation connected to the Divine Beast Continent. The imperial family''s strength is truly astounding!" Ate stage Demon Ancestor said with a hint of admiration on his face.


    Hearing this, Hanzo smiled. "Of course! The Bloodfallen Family has more than a hundred thousand years of history. It isn''t a surprise that they have hidden something like this..."


    "Hanzo, can you tell us what the ingredients are for?" Demon Ancestor Jun asked curiously. He had seen the list of ingredients, but he didn''t know what it was for.


    Everyone stared at Hanzo and waited for him to answer. They were also dying to know what those ingredients are for.


    Hanzo''s face turned cold all of a sudden. He then recalled the man locked up in the secret dungeon. The Demon Emperor strictly forbade him from telling anyone about Prince Artaurus. "This matter is of high importance and His Majesty forbade me from disclosing any information about it. On ount of our rtionship, I won''t tell His Majesty that you tried to learn about this secret information."


    Demon Ancestor Jun and the others tensed up upon hearing this. It looks like things weren''t simple, but no one dared to ask questions anymore. They didn''t want to know too much sensitive information or the Demon Emperor might silence them!


    "Enough chitchat! Let''s search separately. We canmunicate through themunication crystals. Just report when you encounter any of the ingredients or if you are in danger.. Alright! Let''s go!" Hanzo shot through the skies and the others immediately left into other directions.

 Chapter 396 - Announcement Of Winners

    The tournament resumed even with the unexpected death of Prince Amon. This time, the participants dared not act leisurely anymore. They were careful as they fought with their opponents. The officials monitoring the battles also observed the fights with keen eyes. They didn''t want any unnecessary deaths to happen again.


    The Demon Ancestors of the Great Demon Empire even encircled the battle arena of Princess Cornelia. They didn''t want anything to happen to her since she would be the next ruler of their empire.


    After a few more days, the tournament finally concluded. Everyone cheered for the winners, while the losers were feeling down.


    "The tournament is now officially over! Now, I will announce the top three participants of the Earth Battle category." Blue said with a loud voice.


    "Top three is Grayrock!" Blue read the name of the top three.


    It was a warrior from the beastmen race. His skin was covered by gray fur and he had a humanoid face. If not for his long canine teeth and beast-like eyes, he would be mistaken as a human.


    Grayrock walked towards the battle arena under everyone''s sonorous cheers. He felt overwhelmed by the crowd''s enthusiasm that he could not mask the smile on his face.


    After that, Blue also announced the second and first ce. The second ce was a huge demon who stood four meters tall. He had bulging muscles and a ferocious face.


    "The first ce is Elyk Silveria..."


    Elyk calmly walked towards the arena. He was the smallest among the top three winners, but no one dared to underestimate this human. He triumphed over all the otherpetitors and remained undefeated. Even Grayrock and the second-ced demon both looked at him with respect.


    Blue smiled at the three warriors and said with a gentle voice. "The three of you can get your rewards from Sister Theia."


    At the mention of the rewards, the three revealed joyous expressions, while the others could only nce at them in envy.


    "Now, let me announce the top three participants of the Heaven Battle category."


    "Top three, Cornelia Bloodfallen!"


    Princess Cornelia walked up the battle arena with graceful steps. With her early stage Demon Lord strength, she managed to clinch third ce which was very surprising. After all, most of her opponents had higher cultivation than her.


    "Top 2, Leaf!"


    The young and handsome elf jumped into the arena with a calm expression. He had the highest cultivation among the participants and many ced their bets on him. However, he was defeated by the experienced and seasoned fighter General Nangong!


    "First ce, General Nangong!"


    A stoic andposed demon wearing heavy battle armor leaped towards the arena.


    The spectators erupted into a frenzy as they cheered for the three. They were the strongest among the Demon Lord level and they deserved the respect of everyone!


    Blue stared at the winners with a beautiful smile. "Sister Theia will take over me. You can get your rewards from her."


    Hearing this, the winners of the Earth and Heaven Battle nodded their heads eagerly. Even the calm-faced General Nangong had a look of excitement.


    The results of the tournament surprised the whole continent. They never thought that such talented fighters were living among them. Everyone was also intrigued by the rewards given to the winners, but no one made things difficult for them. After all, the rewards were provided by the ''legendary wine store''!


    A dayter.


    Outside the lotus building, Jiu Shen was calmly sitting on a chair, basking under the sunlight with a bottle of wine in his hand.


    Ding!


    Mission: Organize a tournament sessfully.


    Missionplete!


    You receive x5 Fruit of Cultivation!


    Jiu Shen ignored the notifications on his head. He leanedfortably on his chair and muttered. "With this, I should be able to reach the Void God Realm..."


    "I should go to the Spirit World and proceed to breakthrough there. Hm, how should I tell Balmond that his usele- his beloved son is dead..." Jiu Shen cupped his chin while looking at the group ofdies who were cleaning the garden.


    Since Yue Bo wasn''t around, Jiu Shen asked the sisters of Blue to be the temporary cleaners of the garden.


    Jiu Shen calmly stared at their lithe figures as they weeded the spiritual garden.


    "I didn''t know that the legendary Wine Master Jiu Shen actually likes watching women cleaning his garden." An amorous voice suddenly echoed behind, but Jiu Shen acted as if he didn''t hear anything.


    After seeing that she was ignored, Cornelia pouted in dissatisfaction. Was her beauty not enough to charm this man?


    Just as Cornelia was about to move closer to Jiu Shen, she suddenly felt a chill on her back. She turned her gaze and saw a cold-faced Theia standing at the entrance of the lotus building.


    Looking at her, Cornelia chuckled nervously. Although their cultivation level was almost the same, she felt that she wasn''t as strong as this blonde-haired beauty. She didn''t why she felt this way, but it was what her instincts told her.


    "Hello, Sister Theia! It''s good to see you!" Cornelia greeted her with a bright smile.


    Theia gave a sidelong nce at the subus before she ignored her. She then walked towards Jiu Shen and stood beside him like a protective hen.


    There was a brief period of silence and it was Cornelia could who spoke first. "Wine Master Jiu, can I ask where my father is?"


    "Why are you looking for Balmond?" Jiu Shen asked without even looking at her.


    Cornelia''s face turned serious as she replied. "I want to tell him about the death of my brother Amon. Don''t worry. I will exin everything to him..."


    Hearing this, Jiu Shen inwardly sighed in relief. Luckily, he didn''t have to exin things to Balmond personally. It would have been awkward for him since Elyk could be considered his follower. "Alright. I will bring you to him."


    Cornelia nodded her head gratefully.


    Jiu Shen stood up from his seat and summoned the door to the Spirit World.


    Om!


    Looking at the huge wooden door, Cornelia had a stunned look.

 Chapter 397 - The Eye That Shocked Balmond And Cornelia

    Looking at the archaic wooden door, Cornelia felt that it was even more glorious than their Bloodfallen Family''s history.


    "Let''s go."


    She suddenly heard Jiu Shen''s calm voice urging her. She followed behind him and they stepped inside the world behind the wooden door.


    Cornelia closed her eyes and when she opened them, she saw a world unlike any other. Her mouth gaped as she stared at the vibrant forest in front of her. It was beyond her understanding that such a magnificent sight actually exists. "This ce is..."


    Jiu Shen poked her and said with an impatient look. "Your father is nearby. Come with me."


    "Oh, okay." Cornelia replied absentmindedly.


    Jiu Shen tapped his foot and slowly flew towards the sky. Cornelia immediately trailed him while enjoying the beautiful sight down below.


    "Amazing..." She muttered.


    "Your father is currently training his new body strengthening technique. He is on top of that mountain right there." Jiu Shen pointed at a mountain that was covered by tall trees and thick shrubberies.


    As they slowly descended, Cornelia finally spotted the figure of her father.


    He was standing in front of a huge boulder with his eyes shut tight. However, when she nced one more time at the towering boulder, she discovered that it contained a strange kind of energy that made it more durable. Perhaps it was much harder than their empire''s hardest te armor!


    Suddenly, she saw Balmond opening his eyes and saw him do something so unbelievable.


    Balmond already discovered the arrival of Jiu Shen and Cornelia, but he focused onpleting his cultivation. He slowly walked towards the giant boulder and released his aura.


    Bang!


    The boulder exploded and broke into millions of tiny pieces!


    It was only the power produced when he released his aura!


    "Father!" Cornelia greeted him with a look of admiration on her face.


    Balmond nced at Cornelia and then towards Jiu Shen who was standing beside her. He then bowed towards Jiu Shen and said with respect. "Wine Master Jiu, thank you for giving me this opportunity."


    Cornelia was shocked by this, but she remained silent. Looking at the body gestures of this two, she realized something. ''Is father working for Wine Master Jiu? But isn''t he also a Void God Realm expert?''


    "Your daughter is looking for you. I''m also about to breakthrough, so I will take my leave now. Farewell." Jiu Shen''s figure blurred before it vanished.


    Looking at the empty space, the father and daughter duo was silent for a moment.


    "Father, are you perhaps..." Cornelia stared at Balmond with knitted eyebrows.


    Balmond sighed and cut her off. "Don''t make trouble with Wine Master Jiu Shen anymore. I''ve already epted him as my lord. From now on, our Bloodfallen Family will work for him."


    "What?!" Cornelia was stunned upon hearing this. Although she already guessed it after seeing the interaction between the two, it was still shocking when she heard it from her father''s mouth.


    Balmond gazed at the horizon and muttered. "Even your father is just a bug in his presence. I don''t know why a peerless individual like him came into our world, but I do know that only by following him will our Bloodfallen Family can prosper."


    Cornelia was speechless. She didn''t know why her father had such high evaluations about Jiu Shen. The human might be strong, but it shouldn''t be too exaggerated, right?


    "Anyway, why did you request Wine Master Jiu to meet me? Did something happen?" Balmond asked while looking at Cornelia.


    The subus nodded her head and said in a grave tone. "It''s about Amon. He''s dead."


    Hm?


    Balmond''s aura suddenly leaked out, making Cornelia almost unable to breathe.


    "What happened?"


    Cornelia swiftly told him how her brother died. She also did not forget what her brother spoke about the humans. After spilling everything out, Cornelia felt the heavy burden was finally lifted off her chest.


    "That foolish child!" Balmond''s face contorted upon hearing everything. He knew his son was so disappointing, but he never thought that Amon would also be foolish enough to mock the humans under the eyes of many. It would have been fine if he had spoken it secretly, but the idiot said it under the eyes of many people. Even Wine Master Jiu Shen''s subordinates were present when he said those demeaning words.


    Balmond was a bit saddened by his death, but he was also angered by Amon''s foolishness. "Just give him a proper burial. As for that Elyk... Sigh. Just let him be..."


    Cornelia merely nodded her head obediently.


    Suddenly, Balmond narrowed his eyes as he nced above the darkening airspace. He could sense a heavy pressure that was about to descend!


    "This is!"


    "Father, is there something wrong?" Cornelia asked in surprise when she saw Balmond''s expression.


    Balmond pointed at the dark clouds and replied in a solemn tone. "Tribtion lightning."


    Hearing this, Cornelia''s eyes flickered as she nced towards the sky. "Is it him?"


    Dark clouds slowly congregated and shes of lightning illuminated the airspace.


    However, something even more shocking happened.


    A huge tear in space appeared and it slowly widened, showing a hideous and huge eyeball staring at them with a profound gaze.


    An overwhelming aura that covered the entire world descended, making all creatures living on the Spirit World copse.


    Balmond grabbed his daughter''s hand and swiftly flew away from the mountain. He then brought her to a faraway region, but he still didn''t feel safe.


    "What the hell is that thing?" He nervously stared at the gigantic eyeball. He could feel that this strange creature was bearing down an enormous pressure on the Spirit World, but there was also a mysterious force that prevented it from destroying the world.


    Without this mysterious force, Balmond was certain that they would be killed in just a few seconds!


    "Is this Wine Master Jiu Shen''s tribtion? Even the heavens don''t want him to live... Just what kind of figure is he that even the heavens is jealous of his talent...."

 Chapter 398 - Void God Realm

    It was a scene of chaos. Mountains were split and a hugeke dried up. Charred trees and ckened corpses littered the ground.


    Balmond and Cornelia were both gobsmacked by what they saw.


    They witnessed everything and they even thought that they would be implicated by Jiu Shen''s tribtion.


    "That huge eyeball is so terrifying..." Cornelia muttered to herself in fear. She saw the gigantic creature spewing lightning beams that scorched thends. Its overpowering aura even overturned the ocean!


    Balmond nodded his head in agreement. Even he felt dread when he saw the devastating power of the huge eyeball. He only felt relieved when that mysterious creature was dragged back into space by an archaic force.


    The Demon Emperor felt that he was just a small being in the face of that behemoth. At this moment, he was unsure if Jiu Shen managed to survive that cataclysmic power.


    "Let''s go search for Wine Master Jiu Shen." Balmond patted his daughter''s shoulder and slowly floated in midair.


    "Alright." Cornelia nodded her head and followed him. She was also curious if Jiu Shen survived his tribtion.


    After searching the entire for more than an hour, they finally spotted a figure on a small ind.


    The father and daughter nced at each other and slowly descended towards the ind. However, they didn''t find Jiu Shen. Instead, they found Yue Bo who was in a not-so-good condition. His face was ck and his clothes were in tatters. The man''s aura has also be noticeably weaker.


    "Brother Yue Bo!" Balmond almostughed when he saw his state. However, he held himself back and helped Yue Bo stabilize his condition.


    Cornelia covered her mouth as she chuckled softly. Even the Void God Realm expert like Yue Bo was left in such a state.


    "Brother Balmond, thank you." Yue Bo heaved a sigh of relief as he inspected his healed injuries.


    Balmond patted the man''s shoulder and said. "It''s good that you''re alright. We are lucky that we were far from the epicenter of that devastating power..."


    Yue Bo shook his head and felt scared when he recalled the events earlier. If not for his recent breakthrough, he would have been scorched to death by that damnable lightning...


    "I thought I was a goner. Luckily, a mysterious force helped me block a part of the stray lightning. Oh right, how did Princess Corneliae here?" Yue Bo changed the topic as he didn''t want to recall the traumatic scene.


    Balmond nced at his daughter and answered. "Wine Master Jiu Shen brought him here. It''s a long story, so I''ll tell you about itter. For now, let''s search for Wine Master Jiu Shen. Hopefully, he survived that tribtion."


    Yue Bo suddenly remembered something. That''s right! It was a tribtion! He was too busy trying to survive that he almost forgot that it was a tribtion! So it was Wine Master Jiu Shen...


    "Alright. Let''s search separately. Just notify throughmunication crystal if you manage to find him." Yue Bo cracked his joints before he streaked through the skies.


    Looking at the disappearing figure above the clouds, Balmond stared at his daughter and said. "Come on. Let''s search for him together..."


    Cornelia nodded her head.


    Meanwhile, above the ocean, Jiu Shen stood with his eyes shut tight. His clothes was destroyed by the tribtion lightning, exposing his lean and explosive muscles.


    He observed his dantian and noticed the great increase in the volume of his true essence. His spiritual power was also upgraded and even his physical body improved drastically. That means all three of his cultivation has now reached the Void God Realm!


    Jiu Shen opened his eyes and smiled. "Void God Realm... Not too bad... Now, I''m only a few realms away from my past cultivation."


    Jiu Shen found it quite funny. It took him thousands upon thousands of years to reach the Void God Realm in his past life. However, it only took him a year to reach it in this life. The difference is truly huge...


    "If my progress continues like this, I might only need ten years to reach the Heavenly God Realm. This speed is absurd..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself, feeling a bit proud. Even the three Celestial Emperors were not that fast...


    "Just where did this overpowered systeme from? Is it an ancient Celestial-rank item?" Jiu Shen suddenly became curious about the system that brought him back to life. Even until now, he still had no idea what it was.


    "Nevermind. I''ll eventually know what it is..." He consoled himself.


    Just then, he soon noticed an aura approaching his direction with great speed.


    Jiu Shen smiled as he looked at the man moving towards him. It was Yue Bo, but this guy seemed to have just survived an explosion...


    "Oh right... I remember that one bolt of my tribtion lightning struck his direction..." Jiu Shen chuckled as he stared at the sorry figure of Yue Bo.


    "Wine Master Jiu!" Yue Bo heaved a sigh of relief after spotting Jiu Shen. He was also surprised when he discovered no injuries in Jiu Shen''s body. That world-destroying power wasn''t enough to injure him?!


    Thinking about it, Yue Bo felt more respect and fear towards Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen nodded at Yue Bo. "I have implicated you guys..."


    Yue Bo shook his head. He almost died, but the lightning also improved his physique. "All of us are fine. By the way, congrattions on your breakthrough, Wine Master Jiu!"


    He was not sure about Jiu Shen''s cultivation level, but he didn''t dare ask. From the power of his tribtion, Jiu Shen''s cultivation must be so high, right?


    "You guys can stay here and recuperate. Remember, our deal still stands, so make sure to train your new techniques well..." Jiu Shen patted Yue Bo''s shoulder. His words made thetter''s face turn stiff.


    "Ah, this... Can we-" Before Yue Bo could even finish his words, Jiu Shen''s figure vanished. He then sighed and took out hismunication crystal.


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen is fine."

 Chapter 399 - Ganda

    Jiu Shen came out of the Spirit World with Cornelia. The subus kept on looking at him with peculiar eyes even after leaving the Spirit World.


    Noticing his return, Theia walked towards him and held his hands. She ignored Cornelia''s jealous look and continued holding Jiu Shen''s hands.


    "Ipleted my breakthrough, but I still have some resources with me. Take some for your cultivation and give the rest to the others." Jiu Shen patted Theia''s head before giving her a hunch of cultivation resources. Some of which were pills while the others were unused God Stones. He didn''t give his remaining Fruits of Cultivation since he needed it more than them.


    At this moment, Jiu Shen still had three Fruits of Cultivation. With this amount, he would be able to reach thete stage of the Void God Realm!


    Theia took the cultivation resources and kept them in her space ring. She then red at the subus who was standing behind Jiu Shen. After warning the subus with her eyes, Theia left in satisfaction.


    "Cornelia, once your father leaves the Spirit World, you will be crowned as Empress. There shouldn''t be any opposing force left after your brother''s death, but you must make sure that nothing goes wrong. Observe the nobles and the officers for the time being. If you see any unusual behavior, report it back to me." Jiu Shen said as he sat down on a chair.


    Cornelia felt slightly ufortable being ordered by Jiu Shen, but when she recalled her father''s words and that traumatizing tribtion in the Spirit World, she swallowed down her misgivings and nodded her head obediently.


    "There shouldn''t be any hidden forces left that could threaten my ascension to the throne. However, there are indeed some members of the noble families that are against me bing the empress. They are Torgrim Family and the Lycan Family. A few weaker nobles are also supporting these two families in the shadows. Initially, they nned to support my brother and make him a puppet emperor, but with Amon''s death, there should be changes in their ns." Cornelia reported with a glint in her eyes. She had been observing the actions of the nobles throughout the years and she had long since discovered their ns.


    Hearing this, Jiu Shen leaned on his chair and motioned the subus to sit on the chair opposite him. "I thought your Bloodfallen Family has a tight hold in the Great Demon Empire. It seems like I have overestimated you..."


    Cornelia felt ashamed upon hearing his words. Their Bloodfallen Family was strong, but they could not stop the greed of the other noble families.


    "Hmph! Even if they decide to rebel, so what? Father alone is enough to squash them to death!" Cornelia muttered in disdain.


    Jiu Shen calmly opened a bottle of wine and took a small sip. He then nced at the salivating Cornelia and said with a mysterious tone. "What if the Narda Principality is secretly helping those nobles?"


    Cornelia''s eyes widened and she thought deeply. It was indeed possible, but was the Narda Principality strong enough to fight against her father? Did they have an expert at the Void God Realm?


    "I haven''t heard of them having a Void God Realm expert, but even if they do, he shouldn''t be as strong as father, right?" Cornelia stared at Jiu Shen inquisitively. She wanted to see if this man knew something.


    ording to her father, he was now a subordinate of Jiu Shen. He even dragged the whole Bloodfallen Family to follow Jiu Shen. If they ever needed Jiu Shen''s help, he would be there, right? She didn''t know...


    Jiu Shen grinned when he saw the subus looking at him like that. Did she really think that he couldn''t discern what she was trying to do? Naive!


    "Not long ago, I killed a demon named Gand. He was a Void God Realm expert from the Narda Principality. I haven''t investigated them yet, so I''m not sure if they have more experts at the Void God Realm. However, I''m certain that one of the noble families might give you a surprise." Jiu Shen chuckled. He already knew everything about the Great Demon Empire, including the cultivation levels of everyone living within. Some time ago, he discovered that a noble family had actually hidden its true power to the world!


    "What do you mean?" Cornelia felt her heart skipping a beat when she hears Jiu Shen''s words. There seemed to be a hidden danger near them!


    "I will only tell you once your fatheres back." Jiu Shen replied calmly.


    Cornelia pouted, but she didn''t press him further. Although she felt a bit anxious, she could still wait. Besides, Jiu Shen was now standing behind their Bloodfallen Family. With his power, he could even have the whole world of Nuar!


    ***


    Outside the Great Demon Empire, ten thousand miles up north was the territory of Narda Principality.


    Hegante City, the capital city of Narda Principality.


    At the very center of this prosperous city was a towering structure that looked like a giant medieval castle.


    "Demon Empress Ganda, I want to ask if Demon Emperor Gand came back here?" Lou Baiqing asked nervously as he kneeled in front of a figure draped in fiery red robes.


    This demon had a human-like appearance. She had a perfectly sculpted face and refined facial features. Her long red hair touched the ground and swayed every time she moved her head. There was also one de-like horn on her forehead that told everyone her demonic origins.


    She didn''t have Cornelia''s seductive aura, but just her beauty alone already surpassed her by a dozen times!


    This woman was Ganda, the leader of Narda Principality. No one knew about her other than the top figures of the Narda Principality. That was also why she was able to remain hidden and unknown after all these years.


    "He''s not here." A soul-stirring voice came out of her mouth.


    Lou Baiqing''s face fell as he muttered. "Then he should be dead now...."

 Chapter 400 - Are You An Idiot?

    "Dead? What do you mean?" Demon Empress Ganda slightly frowned. How could Gand die in the Great Demon Empire? He was already a Void God Realm expert and even if Demon Emperor Balmond was stronger than him, Gand could still escape if he wanted to.


    Lou Baiqing slowly recounted what they had experienced and discovered while they were in Morlon City. He wasn''t actually sure if Gand has died, but knowing that man''s personality, he must''ve unknowingly provoked the owner of that wine store. He was aware of Gand''s greed towards a spiritual nt in Jiu Shen''s garden.


    "A mysterious human suddenly appeared in Morlon City and established a wine store? He has hundreds of spiritual nts in his garden and you''re also telling me that he might be the reason for Gand''s disappearance?" Demon Empress Ganda felt that it was absurd.


    ording to her understanding of Balmond''s character, that guy was very territorial and he strictly forbids the presence of humans in his empire. And now, Lou Baiqing is telling her that a human has peacefully opened a wine store in Morlon City? However, when she looked at Lou Baiqing''s serious face, she fell into deep contemtion.


    ''Balmond is very ferocious towards the humans. If what Lou Baiqing said about this mysterious human was true, then why did Balmond allow this man to live in Morlon City? Unless...'' Demon Empress Ganda''s expression suddenly flickered with uncertainty as she thought of something.


    ''Is Balmond afraid of that human? And is that man really involved with Gand''s disappearance?''


    Lou Baiqing dared not emit a sound when saw that the Demon Empress was silent.


    After a moment of silence, Demon Empress Ganda said. "Follow me back to the Great Demon Empire. I want to see this human myself..."


    Lou Baiqing hurriedly nodded his head. "Yes, Your Majesty!"


    "Tell the elders to guard the territory while I''m away. Get ready. We will depart tomorrow."


    ***


    Jiu Shen was outside his lotus building, enjoying the warm sunlight as he stared at the busty figure training her martial arts.


    Pa! Pa!


    The air emitted a snapping sound as Cornelia executed her boxing technique.


    She wasn''t an expert in body cultivation, so her movements were rather sloppy and unpracticed. Even though she has high endowments in spiritual cultivation, her body''s strength was only at the Saint level. Nheless, her punches still carried tremendous force despite theck of technique.


    At this moment, Cornelia gritted her teeth as she stared at the human sittingfortably on his chair.


    "Focus on your form and control your anma properly while you execute your boxing stances. Are you really a prodigy? Why do you punch like an idiot?"


    Cornelia almost stumbled when she heard Jiu Shen''s words.


    The subus stopped her movements and wiped the sweat on her face with a clean handkerchief. She then pouted as she stared at Jiu Shen with a bit of annoyance. "Wine Master Jiu, I''m not proficient in body strengthening. Why are you even asking me to practice this?"


    She had been executing the same movements for a few hours and even with her strong inborn physique, she still felt a bit tired.


    Jiu Shen leaned on his chair and nced at the subus with a tinge of disappointment. "Although you don''t have a Divine Body, you have the Subus Bloodline flowing through your veins. It is already a given for a subus to have strong spiritual power. However, at the age of six thousand six hundred sixty-nine, your spiritual power is still at the Nascent God Realm! You''ve wasted your talent cultivating a trash spiritual technique! As for your physical body, aside from it being nice to look at, there is nothing worthy to be praised about..."


    Cornelia''s eyes turned red in embarrassment. She red at Jiu Shen while pointing at his face. "You!"


    Swoosh!


    "Ouch!" Cornelia swiftly grabbed her forehead and felt a small bump. She raised her head and saw Jiu Shen standing in front of her with a calm look on his handsome face.


    "It''s not good to point at your elders." He muttered.


    With a teary eye, Cornelia pursed her lips. "Elder? How old are you then?"


    Jiu Shen furrowed his eyebrows and fell into deep thinking. How old was he? In truth, he wasn''t also sure about his age, so he casually replied. "About a few billion years old..."


    Hearing his words, Cornelia stared at him as if she was looking at an idiot. Who was he fooling? A few billion years old? Did he really think that she was a dumbass?


    Jiu Shen sighed when he saw her expression. Even that was just a rough estimate of his age.


    "Continue executing the boxing technique. You can only stop if I say so!" Jiu Shen lightly smacked the back of her head. He then went back to his seat while ignoring the sharp look of the subus.


    Cornelia gritted her teeth as she executed the punching routine. Why was she even doing this? She was already strong among the Nascent God Realm experts.


    As if he could read what was on her mind, Jiu Shen''s voice suddenly echoed beside her ears. "You might be already strong among the Nascent God Realm, but you can still be assassinated by Demon Ancestors and Demon Emperors. If you''re not careful, you might even die in just one move. Training your physical body enhances your chances of survival. You can leave if you want, but don''t say that I didn''t warn you..."


    Cornelia was stunned when she heard his words. ''So he is only worried about me? Did my charm finally make him fall for me? Hehe.''


    Jiu Shen almost felt like smacking the subus again when he saw her blushing face.


    "Continue for five hours! Stop thinking about other things and maintain your focus! For goodness sake, even that brat Balmond is easier to teach than you!" Jiu Shen felt slightly exasperated teaching the subus.. If not for his great aspirations, he wouldn''t even waste his time with this moron.

 Chapter 401 - Demon Empress Ganda’s Surprise

    The next day, Demon Empress Ganda arrived in Morlon City. Standing behind her was Lou Baiqing dressed in his noble outfit.


    Their arrival immediately attracted the attention of the crowd.


    Dressed in her most favorite crimson robes with gold and white highlights, Demon Empress Ganda was the focal point of everyone''s gazes. Even though she was wearing a veil, the crowd could still see her captivating pair of eyes. Her noble and elegant disposition also made her appear like an ethereal being.


    "Who are those two? They look like nobles..."


    "That woman looks freakin hot! Look at those eyes..."


    "I think that man is Lou Baiqing of the Narda Principality. I heard that he came to Morlon City a few days ago as a delegate. They should be here to discuss something with His Majesty. You guys should watch your mouths or you might get killed without you knowing why."


    Lou Baiqing was already used to this scene, so he ignored the crowd''s stupefied expressions. However, he was worried that the Demon Empress might be offended by their gazes. He only sighed in relief when he saw that she didn''t care.


    "Lou Baiqing, can we not fly to that wine store?" Demon Empress Ganda felt slightly ufortable under everyone''s watchful eyes. As someone who was focused on cultivation, she wasn''t used to going out in public. She onlyes out of her room when she had something else to do.


    Lou Baiqing sweated when he heard her words. Non-citizens of the Great Demon Empire are not allowed to casually fly in key cities of the empire. They would be deemed as enemies if they did that!


    "Your Majesty, it is a rule of the Great Demon Empire that non-citizens aren''t allowed to fly in key cities. Morlon City is one of the important hubs for trade in the empire, so there are quite a few restrictions here for outsiders. But don''t worry. The wine store is nearby, so we can just take a beast carriage to go there." Lou Baiqing exined patiently. He was confident about Demon Empress Ganda''s strength, but he didn''t want to provoke the mysterious Jiu Shen without knowing his power.


    Demon Empress Ganda furrowed her eyebrows, but she still nodded her head. She wasn''t an idiot and she could already guess what Lou Baiqing was thinking.


    "Alright. Lead the way." She muttered calmly.


    Lou Baiqing nodded his head and led her to a transportation building that had luxurious carriages. He made sure that the Demon Empress would not be dissatisfied.


    Lou Baiqing acted as the coachman while the Demon Empress satfortably inside the carriage. After a while, he then whipped the Saint-rank Dragon Horse and it immediately neighed and started pulling the carriage.


    It was a huge savage beast with four muscr legs. Even though it had a dragon bloodline, it was so diluted that it can only serve the purpose of a mount to the nobles.


    Inside the carriage, Demon Empress Ganda observed the bustling Morlon City. Although it wasn''t asrge as Narda Principality''s Hegante City, she could see that the citizens here were quite wealthy and strong.


    "I can''t believe that a boorish man like Balmond can actually make a city this prosperous..." Demon Empress Ganda muttered.


    Lou Baiqing chuckled at her words. After observing Morlon City for many days, he knew that the prosperity of the city wasn''t Balmond''s work. It was the result of Demon Emperor Jun''s proper management and skillful ways of negotiating with the merchants.


    Demon Empress Ganda heard him chuckling. She frowned and said in a cold tone. "Do you want to say something?"


    Lou Baiqing awkwardly smiled as he replied. "No, Your Majesty."


    The journey was silent after that short exchange. Lou Baiqing didn''t dare say anything again, while the Demon Empress only watched the city''s scenery.


    Less than an hourter, their carriage stopped in front of a tall metal fence.


    Lou Baiqing jumped down and opened the door of the carriage. He then offered a hand to the Demon Empress, but thetter swatted his hand as she jumped down by herself.


    She was already a Void God Realm expert! Why would she need someone''s help to go down a carriage?


    Demon Empress Ganda ignored Lou Baiqing''s hurt look and stared at the blooming azure lotus building behind the tall metal fences. It was breathtakingly beautiful and even her private house looked like rubbish inparison to this building. She then moved her gaze towards the garden outside of the lotus building. It was filled with hundreds of Nascent-rank and Origin-rank spiritual nts! There were even some nts that emitted a strong amount of true essence!


    "Void-rank spiritual nts?!" She muttered in shock. This garden actually has Void-rank spiritual nts! She then recalled what Lou Baiqing had told her.


    ording to him, Gand nned to steal a high-level spiritual from this ce. She felt that it was unbelievable, but looking at this garden that was filled with vibrant energy, it seemed like Lou Baiqing did not lie to her. If that''s the case, is the owner of this ce truly involved with Gand''s sudden disappearance?


    Thinking about this, Demon Empress Ganda''s expression turned solemn. From the looks of it, things might not go as she had nned. How would she face the owner?


    ''Do I have to attack him? What should I do?'' A hint of nervousness crept into her heart. She thought that Lou Baiqing was merely exaggerating things, but from what she was seeing, he still underestimated the owner!


    As she was in a dilemma, she soon noticed a subus holding a strange object in her hands. It looked like a stone, but when she took a careful look, she discovered that it was actually apressed form of a high-level metal! This thing was heavy!


    "What is that girl doing?" She looked over curiously.


    Lou Baiqing followed her gaze and saw the crown princess of the Great Demon Empire holding a spherical object in her hands. "Cornelia?"

 Chapter 402 - One Surprise After Another

    "Cornelia? You mean the crown princess of the Great Demon Empire?" The Demon Empress had a perplexed look as she stared at the subus who was lifting thepressed metal ball with a face full of sweat.


    Lou Baiqing nodded his head. Suddenly, his face stiffened when he saw the figure seated on a chair behind the subus.


    "Your Majesty, you see that man sitting on a chair? That''s the owner of this lotus building and everyone calls him Wine Master Jiu Shen." Lou Baiqing said while pointing at the silver-haired youth who was holding a bottle of wine.


    Demon Empress Ganda narrowed her eyes as she scrutinized Jiu Shen. The young man was handsome even by her standards of beauty. However, what surprised her more was the man himself. She felt like she was just looking at an ordinary human. Strange.


    Suddenly, a beautiful girl in her early twenties came out and walked towards them. Her face was full of wariness as she stared at Lou Baiqing and Demon Empress Ganda. "Hey, you two! Why are you suspiciously looking at my master''s garden? Are you guys nning to steal his spiritual nts?!"


    The faces of the two demons stiffened when they heard the girl. They were actually suspected as thieves?


    "Little Sister, we just came to Morlon City and we were fascinated by this lotus building''s architectural design. Whoever made this must be an artistic and talented person. Furthermore, we have so many Blood Stones, so why would we still someone''s spiritual nts?" Lou Baiqing stepped forward as he hurriedly exined. He was quite eloquent and well-versed inmunicating with other races, so he was able toe up with a random excuse.


    Upon hearing his words, the girl''s face eased up and she smiled. "Hehe. My master was the one who made this lotus building. Everything you see here, including the garden is his creation! He is a true genius!" She said with a proud tone of voice.


    Lou Baiqing nodded his head exaggeratedly as he replied. "Indeed. Little Sister, is there still any avable spot for the two of us inside?"


    The girl nodded her head as she answered. "The first floor might be at full capacity, but looking at you guys, your strength is beyond the Nascent God Realm, right?"


    Hearing this, Lou Baiqing took a quick nce at the Demon Empress before he nodded his head. "That''s right. What about it?"


    "In that case, you guys can go to the store''s second floor. The environment there is much better than on the first floor. There are a few things there that might even help you improve your cultivation." The girl said mysteriously.


    Lou Baiqing and Demon Empress Ganda merely smiled at her words. With their cultivation, there are only a few things that could help them enhance their strength. As for what she said, they just took it as an advertisement for the wine store.


    "Thank you for the information, Little Sister. Oh, right! What''s your name?" Lou Baiqing asked politely.


    The girl smiled at him and answered with a cheerful voice. "Just call me Ivy. I''m a temporary gardener here."


    Gardener? A Nascent God Realm expert is proud of being a gardener? Is this girl an idiot??Of course, Lou Baiqing wouldn''t dare say it out loud.


    "Little Sister Ivy, we won''t bother you anymore. Thank you." Lou Baiqing said before he turned to look at the Demon Empress.


    Ivy nodded her head and left.


    "Take me to the second floor of this lotus building. As for the owner, we can talk with himter." Demon Empress Ganda calmly said.


    "Yes, Your Majesty!" Lou Baiqing replied. He then brought her inside the lotus building while asionally staring at the spiritual nts in the garden. Even until now, he was still envious and fascinated by this garden. Behind him, the Demon Empress also kept on looking at the spiritual nts. She felt her heart beating wildly when her gaze stopped on those Void-rank spiritual nts.


    When the two came inside the store, they saw a huge hall with dozens of tables and hundreds of chairs. Everything inside this ce from furniture to utensils screamed luxury.


    The hall was packed with customers, but the ce still appeared to be spacious. Everyone chattered with smiles on their faces as they drank their cups filled with wine.


    To the surprise of Lou Baiqing and the Demon Empress, they discovered that although everyone was chatting, none of them dared to create too much of a noise and ruckus. It was very perplexing since they knew the wild personality of their demon brethren.


    How could they act like cultured individuals? It didn''t fit their ferocious faces at all!


    "Wee, dear guests! Is it your first timeing here?" A blue-haired girl came up to them and politely greeted the two.


    Lou Baiqing and Demon Empress Ganda unconsciously nodded their heads.


    "The first floor has been fully upied, but since you guys have cultivation levels above the Nascent God Realm, I can take you guys to the second floor." Blue said with a smile. She could sense the Origin God Realm cultivation of the male demon, but she couldn''t discern the strength of the woman behind him.


    "Alright. It''s our first time here, so please lead the way." Lou Baiqing said with a smile. This girl was a peak stage Nascent God Realm. She was just a step away from the Origin God Realm!


    First was the gardener, and then, this youngdy. The both of them are Nascent God Realm experts. Are all the employees of the wine store this strong?


    Blue led the two demons upstairs where they met a cold-faced blonde-haired youngdy guarding the entrance of the second floor. She had a ck armor filled with battle marks, making her look like a valiant warrior.


    Seeing her, Lou Baiqing furrowed his eyebrows. Peak stage Origin God Realm?


    Simrly, Demon Empress Ganda also felt slightly threatened by this girl''s aura. Although her cultivation level was lower than her own, the Demon Empress sensed a hint of dangering from this youngdy.. There must be something about this valiant woman that made her feel threatened.

 Chapter 403 - The Peculiar Paintings

    Jiu Shen stared at the two demons talking to Ivy with an amused look. He knew who the male demon was since he had seen him together with Gand a few times. As for the beautiful demondy, she should be someone of high standing in the Narda Principality.


    "They finally couldn''t hold back their curiosity..." He muttered to himself as he grinned. The Narda Principality should be here to observe the situation and also to check his power.


    "Wine Master Jiu, did you say anything?" He heard the subus ask with panted breath.


    "No. Continue holding that metal ball for another two hours. You have to practice well since the enemies have alreadye to our doorstep." Jiu Shen smiled as he leaned back on his chair.


    "Huh? What do you mean?!" Cornelia dropped the metal ball and turned her head towards Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen stood up and smacked the back of her head. "Did I say you can drop the ball?"


    He then picked up the metal ball and handed it to Cornelia who red at him with malevolent eyes. Even so, she still epted the metal ball and held it with a contorted expression on her face.


    "Don''t drop it again. Hold it for three hours." Jiu Shen said as he sat back in his chair.


    "Didn''t you say two-" Cornelia immediately closed her mouth when she saw Jiu Shen''s smile. At first, she thought this smile was the most beautiful thing in the world, but at this moment, she didn''t want to see this devil''s smile again...


    ***


    Theia inspected the two demons standing behind Blue. The male was a peak stage Origin God Realm, while the woman was a mid stage Void God Realm. She felt surprised upon seeing this, but she maintained aposed look on her face.


    "Staying here has a limit. You can check the details of the rules here on that scroll pasted on the wall. Remember. Don''t cause any trouble or I''ll kick you out forcibly..." Theia warned them with a cold look.


    ''This girl is beautiful, but she has a problematic personality.'' Lou Baiqing thought as they stepped inside the second floor.


    This room was a ce of absolute grandeur! The design, the paintings... Wait those paintings...


    Lou Baiqing walked closer to a painting and a baffled look slowly covered his face.


    "Eh?" He eximed in astonishment, but then he suddenly felt a sharp stare boring down on him. He turned his head and saw Theia looking at him with an icy gaze. He smiled awkwardly at her before he turned to look at the painting again.


    It was a depiction of a warrior floating above the clouds with a sword in his hand.


    When Lou Baiqing first saw this painting, he felt that it had something hidden within, but no matter how hard he stared at the painting, he could no longer feel the mysterious sensation. "Weird. Did I sense it wrong?"


    Looking at another painting was Demon Empress Ganda. She was staring at a depiction of a faceless woman seated cross-legged on the mouth of a volcano.


    The Demon Empress narrowed her eyes and she used her spiritual vision to observe the painting. When her spiritual power touched the painting, she suddenly felt that she had be the woman in the painting!


    She was cultivating her fire arts on the mouth of the volcano. She felt the temperature around her rising, but she could also sense that her fire arts was improving at a rapid rate!


    "Your Majesty..."


    "Your Majesty..."


    Demon Empress Ganda abruptly opened her eyes and saw Lou Baiqing poking her arm with an anxious look. She red at him as she said. "Why are you disturbing me?!"


    Lou Baiqing''s mouth twitched. You stared at this painting for several hours and used up all your time standing like a fool.


    While scratching his head, Lou Baiqing answered nervously. "Your Majesty, our time is up. Thatdy said that we have to go out now..."


    Hearing this, Demon Empress Ganda had a stunned look. Huh? I thought only a second has passed by. Howe a few hours have passed without me sensing anything?


    Demon Empress Ganda stared at the painting again. She shook her head in regret before she went out of the second floor. It was a pity that staying here was limited or she would have stayed just to dig the secrets of the painting.


    The two demons saw the blonde-haired woman waiting for them outside. "You two exceeded the time limit. ording to the rules, you will have to pay six thousand Blood Stones since every minute of exceeding time is worth a thousand Blood Stones. But since this is your first time here, I will let this go. Just be mindful the next you visit here."


    Six thousand Blood Stones for six minutes!


    "Thank you for your understanding, sister. Can I ask for your name?" Demon Empress Ganda smiled as she stared at the cold-looking Theia.


    "Theia."


    "Alright Sister Theia. We''re leaving now." Demon Empress Ganda smiled at her and went downstairs. She still hasn''t tasted the wines sold in this store. Hopefully, there might be vacant seats now.


    As they were walking down the stairs, Demon Empress Ganda soon noticed the changes in her body. Her essence of fire element became ten percent denser and stronger! This was a substantial increase for her! How did it enhance her fire elemental essence? And what was that painting?!


    "Your Majesty, is there anything wrong?" Lou Baiqing asked worriedly when he saw the flickering eyes of the Demon Empress.


    "Those paintings. There is something peculiar about them. After staring at one of those paintings for a few hours, my fire elemental essence increased substantially." Demon Empress Ganda replied. Her voice contained a hint of surprise and bafflement.


    ''So that''s why she stood there for a few hours. That means what I sensed at that time wasn''t a mistake! What a pity!'' Lou Baiqing felt regret in his heart upon hearing the Demon Empress'' words.

 Chapter 404 - Frightened Demon Empress

    Demon Empress Ganda held the bottle filled with blue wine. When she removed the cover, her nose was assaulted by a wave of oceanic fragrance that reminded her of the vast seas. She also discovered that just the smell alone of this wine made her cells extremely active and agitated. It was as if something had woken them up. This feeling was simr to when she was in her cultivation room. She found it hard to believe that a wine''s smell actually has the same effect as a cultivation room!


    "1000 Blood Stones is too cheap for it. If I was the one selling this, just the smell alone would be worth 5000 Blood Stones." Lou Baiqing suddenly said as he inhaled the fragrance of the wine.


    Demon Empress Ganda ignored him and drank her wine silently.


    It was delicious.


    She licked her lips as she nced at the wine bottle with surprise. "5000? I would even pay 50,000 Blood Stones for this."


    Huh?


    Lou Baiqing stared at her in wonder, but when the wine went down his stomach. He felt his body slowly changing. "This..."


    "This wine is capable of enhancing spiritual power. That means, a much faster cultivation speed for people at our level of power. I wonder how that human created such a precious wine..." Demon Empress Ganda sighed as she thought of the silver-haired youth seated on a chair outside the store. He was truly a mysterious person. Just this wine alone was enough to make the Demon Empress feel that there was something more about this human.


    Lou Baiqing nodded his head in agreement. He could also feel the churning of his dantian. It wasn''t just a minor increase in spiritual power. In fact, it was equivalent to a few years of spiritual cultivation! Just imagine how much time they could save if they could drink this wine daily. It was truly precious!


    "Lou Baiqing, if this man was truly involved with Gand''s death, we might not be able to avenge him. Besides, he caused his own death!" Demon Empress Ganda sighed and no longer spoke after she said those words. She felt truly helpless with their situation.


    She had seen Jiu Shen earlier and although she had yet to see his true power, she was certain that the human was stronger than her. ''If he can kill Gand without difficulty, then he should be a peak stage Void God Realm expert! With that kind of power, no one in the Crimson Fiend Continent is his opponent...''


    "Your Majesty, what do we do now?" Lou Baiqing asked as she stared at the Demon Empress, but thetter merely shook her head in reply.


    Seeing this, he decided to remain silent and just drink all of his wine.


    After drinking her wine, Demon Empress Ganda stood up and walked towards the door leading outside the store as she muttered. "You pay for the wines."


    Hearing this, Lou Baiqing could only speechlessly nce at her back.


    As she stepped outside of the store, Demon Empress Ganda directly headed to where they hadst seen Jiu Shen and the crown princess of the empire.


    At this moment, she once again saw the garden filled with numerous spiritual nts. Her eyes were almost blinded as she stared longingly at these spiritual herbs and flowers.


    She forcefully ignored the garden and searched for Jiu Shen. Luckily, they didn''t go anywhere.


    Demon Empress Ganda saw that Jiu Shen was still seatedzily on his chair as he watched the crown princess hold the metal ball. She felt likeughing when she saw this scene, but instincts told her not to.


    With a face full of curiosity, she approached the human.


    Cornelia slightly turned her head when she heard a series of light footsteps. She definitely didn''t want anybody to see her in her current condition. It was too humiliating for a crown princess like her to do this kind of thing in public!


    When the subus saw the face of the demon walking in their direction, her eyeballs almost popped out in shock. It was a demon with long red hair and beautiful facial features. The subus even felt inferior as she stared at this demondy.


    Cornelia turned around to check Jiu Shen''s reaction, but the man didn''t even stare at the neer. He was only leaning on his chair with his eyes shut tight.


    Looking at this, Cornelia felt slightly relieved for no reason.


    "Greetings, Wine Master Jiu Shen and Your Highness Cornelia." The beautiful red-haired demon greeted in a pleasing voice.


    Cornelia tried to smile, but she could only put on a crooked smile with great difficulty. The metal ball was too heavy! Goddammit!


    Jiu Shen slowly opened his eyes and stared at the Demon Empress with an expressionless face. "So you must be the hidden leader of the Narda Principality."


    Demon Empress Ganda''s face changed, but she soon calmed down. She smiled as she stared at Jiu Shen. "It seems like Wine Master Jiu Shen is already aware of my presence. That''s right. I''m indeed Narda Principality''s hidden leader. My name is Ganda."


    Cornelia''s eyes widened and her grip on the metal ball loosened. It immediately fell to the ground with a loud thud.


    "Ah, this... I didn''t do it on purpose! I swear!" Cornelia hurriedly exined while looking at Jiu Shen with pleading eyes.


    Jiu Shen smirked and stood up from his seat. He then grabbed the fallen metal ball and handed it back to Cornelia. He then whispered to her ears. "I''ll let you go this time, so disappear out of my sight before I change my mind."


    Cornelia''s heart chilled and she hastily left the scene. She didn''t even bother to say goodbye to the Demon Empress...


    Jiu Shen chuckled as he looked at the retreating figure. He then turned his gaze towards the Demon Empress who was looking at him with an amused look. However, to her surprise, Jiu Shen''s smiling expression suddenly went cold when he stared at her.


    "Since you are the leader of Narda Principality, you should know Gand, right?" Jiu Shen icy voice made the Demon Empress feel a bit afraid.


    This guy was frightening!

 Chapter 405 - Jiu Shen The Greatest Bully

    "So you''ve killed him..." Demon Empress Ganda sighed as he looked at Jiu Shen with aplicated gaze. Initially, she wanted to avenge Gand for his death, but when she discovered that she couldn''t even discern Jiu Shen''s power, she immediately discarded those thoughts. This man was a lot stronger than her!


    Jiu Shen shrugged his shoulders as he replied with a bit of embarrassment. "I wanted him to work as a gardener under me, but that guy was strongly against it. He was very violent, so I had no choice but to scare him a bit. However, the guy actually died when I released my aura. I didn''t kill him on purpose though..."


    Hearing this, Demon Empress Ganda''s face twitched.


    Gand died when this guy released his aura? Do you think I would believe that? Although Gand was just a newly ascended Void God Realm expert, even she would find it difficult to kill him. And now, Jiu Shen is telling her that he killed Gand with just his aura? Did he think that she was an idiot?


    When Jiu Shen saw Demon Empress Ganda''s doubtful expression, he waved his hand and took out Gand''s corpse. It was still in perfectly preserved condition.


    The Demon Empress'' eyes widened in shock when she saw Gand''s body in front of her. She scrutinized his corpse using her spiritual vision, but she discovered no internal nor surface wounds. However, when she checked Gand''s heart and brain, she realized that Jiu Shen might not be lying. Could it be that he truly killed Gand by merely releasing his aura?! That was absurd! Even those above the Void God Realm could not do that! Unless...


    Demon Empress Ganda felt her heart shivering when her thoughts reached that point. She could not help but nce at Jiu Shen who was looking at Gand''s corpse with a hint of regret.


    Ehem!


    Demon Empress Ganda cleared her throat. She then nced while putting on a calm look. "Wine Master Jiu, Gand may have coveted your spiritual nt, but do you really have to kill him?"


    Jiu Shen turned his gaze at the Demon Empress. His face was calm, but it frightened her silly. She could even feel her feet slowly getting cold.


    "But since Wine Master Jiu didn''t intentionally do it and besides, Gand is also at fault for trying to steal your spiritual nt. I won''t pursue this matter any further, but I hope that I can take his corpse with me. He might be foolish, but he had been a loyal subordinate." The Demon Empress could onlypromise while nervously looking at Jiu Shen. She regretted not waiting for Lou Baiqing. If he was here, they could at least share the pressure...


    Jiu Shen was inwardlyughing in his heart. This girl was still trying to put on a calm facade when he could clearly sense her nervousness. She was too cute...


    Maybe I could bully this girl...


    He was getting addicted to this especially after bullying the subus for many days. It was fun...


    "Yes, you can, but my garden... You have seen it yourself. It is quiterge and the spiritual nts in it made many people feel greedy. A few youngdies at the Nascent God Realm might be guarding it now, but they are still too weak to protect it against stronger individuals. That was why I tried to ask Gand to be my gardener..."


    As the Demon Empress continued to listen, she felt like things might not go ording to her ns. It was as if she was dancing in the palm of Jiu Shen''s hand. It felt truly ufortable, but she couldn''t do anything about it since Jiu Shen was too powerful! Even the whole Narda Principality might be eradicated if he was angered! She didn''t want this to happen.


    "But since Gand is now dead, how about you take his ce instead?" Jiu Shen sincerely nced at the Demon Empress. He had checked this girl earlier and noticed that she was a bit talented. She also possessed a strong bloodline that might be rted to the Vampiric Fire Demons. He wasn''t sure though since he has yet to see her dantian.


    Hearing his words, the Demon Empress felt her mind going crazy. How can he say it so calmly?


    Demon Empress Ganda regretted going here to Morlon City. She shouldn''t have gone here to see this devil! He was the incarnation of a Demonic God! Wait... She was the demon here, but why did she feel like Jiu Shen was more of a demon than her?


    "This... You''re joking, right?" Demon Empress Ganda stared at Jiu Shen while smiling stiffly behind her veil.


    Jiu Shen who was seated on his chair suddenly stood up and moved closer to the Demon Empress. He smiled evilly at her as he whispered. "Do you think I''m joking with you right now, Little Girl Ganda?"


    The Demon Empress took a step back and she finally could not hold back her fearful look, but a look of defiance slowly covered her face as she red at Jiu Shen. "I''d rather di-"


    "Vampiric Fire Demon, that''s the bloodline running in your veins, right? You must have gotten it from one of your parents... What a pity... I wanted to give you a surprise, but it seems like you don''t want to..." Jiu Shen said with a look of regret.


    "You! How did you know that!? Everything rted to us should have been erased already! Just who are you?!" Demon Empress Ganda had a look of terror as she pointed at Jiu Shen. This man was actually able to see through her bloodline. She didn''t even discover how he did it!


    Jiu Shen raised his arms innocently. "I''m just a winemaker. You don''t need to be so tense."


    No need to be tensed? After all you said?


    Demon Empress Ganda suddenly felt like she was being yed with. Is this guy making fun of me? For the first time in her life, she wanted to cry her heart out....

 Chapter 406 - Removing The Veil

    Demon Empress Ganda''s face suddenly turned frosty. She might be weaker than Jiu Shen, but she''d rather die than be humiliated like this!


    Their Vampiric Fire Demon bloodline was one of the noblest bloodlines in the entirety of Nuar. She didn''t want to bring shame to her ancestors!


    Her aura suddenly spiked and her long red hair danced wildly as crimson me covered her entire body. Strangely enough, her clothes didn''t disintegrate despite the high temperature of the me around her.


    ''Eh? This girl is too hot-headed. Too bad. She would have looked good as a gardener and with her looks, she would certainly attract more customers. Hmm... How do I make her calm down?'' Jiu Shen wasn''t worried about his store and his garden. The materials used in making his store were all Celestial-rank items and even the soil in his garden was more precious than the spiritual nts.


    Jiu Shen immediately brought the angry demon girl to his Spirit World. He didn''t want to cause amotion in Morlon City and the Great Demon Empire. This Demon Empress was way stronger than Gand and her attacks would surely be catastrophic to the nearbynds. The only way to prevent her from wreaking havoc was to bring her to his Spirit World.


    Demon Empress Ganda soon noticed that she was brought to a different ce. Looking at the beautiful blue sky and the vast mountains and forest, she frowned. "Where is this?"


    She then looked at Jiu Shen who was now looking at her with a calm expression. She also sensed that this human was slowly releasing his true essence. Just that she still could not discern his power. This made her feel perturbed.


    "Do you really have to be so violent?" Jiu Shen asked as he lightly shook his head.


    ''Why are most demons so violent? Coercing them to be my subordinate is too hard. Luckily, Burlock and Balmond weren''t like these guys. Wait, Burlock was also like this at first, but when I beat him up... No. This girl mightmit suicide if I do that to her... Sigh. To think that I Jiu Shen would face a moment of difficulty like this...''


    Demon Empress Ganda red at Jiu Shen. Her beautiful pair of golden-red eyes flickered with an intense glow. She then took out a shield and arge heavy sword that are both disproportionate to her frame. After equipping her weapons, her aura rose to a terrifying level and it could even bepared to a peak stage Void God Realm expert!


    Seeing this, Jiu Shen felt even more tempted to make her his subordinate. Her Vampiric Fire Demon Bloodline was of high purity, but this girl didn''t have their ancestral cultivation technique, making her weaker than those Vampiric Fire Demons of the Primordial God Realm.


    "Initially, I don''t want to fight with you, but you forced me to do this!" Demon Empress Ganda muttered through gritted teeth. The crimson me around her suddenly grew and consumed the trees and nts. It burned everything in its path!


    Jiu Shen remained calm as he looked at the forest being consumed by the crimson mes. He then stared at the valiant-looking demon girl who was holding her tworge weapons. ''She used a heavy sword and a shield. These two weapons are typically used by male Vampiric Fire Demons. It seems like the technique inherited by this girl are meant for men...''


    When she saw that Jiu Shen was silent, Demon Empress Ganda became even more infuriated. She stomped her foot and lifted her huge sword and struck it before Jiu Shen. Her attack created a huge fire vortex that melted everything in its path!


    Looking at the fire vortex, Jiu Shen calmly snapped his finger as he produced a small wisp of dark fire. He then flicked it towards the huge fire vortex causing an ear-splitting explosion!


    BAANG!


    Demon Empress Ganda immediately lifted her shield when she saw this. ''Shit! What kind of fire is that?'' A small wisp of it can actually destroy my fire vortex?!''


    When the dust subsided, a huge crater can be seen between Jiu Shen and the Demon Empress. It was almost asrge as the entire Morlon City! That was how destructive their power was!


    After gathering her senses, Demon Empress Ganda pounced towards Jiu Shen as she threw another volley of fire projectiles!


    The temperature around them swiftly rose as hundreds of crimson fireballs littered the sky.


    Jiu Shen raised his head and created an invisible force field using his spiritual power.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Violent explosions rang out as the fireballs struck Jiu Shen!


    Demon Empress Ganda hovered above the clouds as she panted heavily. That attack consumed at least twenty percent of her true essence! Even a Void God Realm expert would be severely injured after receiving that attack! She stared solemnly at the ground, waiting to see the figure of Jiu Shen.


    However, a shadow suddenly teleported in front of her and she felt a sharp pain at the back of her head before she lost consciousness. ''How?''


    Jiu Shen grabbed the demon girl''s weapons and ced them inside his storage earring. He then descended to the ground while carrying the unconscious Demon Empress.


    "I''ll let you go this time. You would be a great opponent for Yue Bo and Balmond. Without your presence, Narda Principality would also fall. That won''t be good for the development of Cornelia since I still want her to experience the battlefield of the top experts in this world. In that way, she would be able to gloriously ascend to the throne." Jiu Shen muttered as he stared at the demon girl''s face. He slowly removed her veil and saw a devastatingly beautiful face. It was evenparable to the Theia of his past life!


    He could already imagine the number of customers this girl could bring to his store if she bes his subordinate. Just thinking about it made Jiu Shen chuckle.


    "Alright. Your subordinate must be worried about you now, so I have to bring you out of this ce...."

 Chapter 407 - Fell Unconscious Because Of Heatstroke

    Lou Baiqing was speechless. He thought that the Demon Empress would be the one paying for them, but he ended up being the one to pay for their wines.


    "Sister Blue, can I get one more bottle of Bejeweled Ocean Nectar, please?" Lou Baiqing called out to the blue-haired youngdy.


    ''She was just a waitress of this store even with her peak stage Nascent God realm cultivation. In our territory, people like her have high positions...'' Lou Baiqing thought to himself as he scanned Blue. Although she was a savage beast, Lou Baiqing didn''t mind being acquainted with her. After all, this girl wasn''t weak! The crown princess of the Great Demon Empire, Princess Cornelia might not even be her opponent!


    "Alright. Is there still anything you want?" Blue asked Lou Baiqing while looking at him with a smile.


    Lou Baiqing shook his head at her.


    ''Her Majesty might still be discussing something with Wine Master Jiu Shen at this moment, so I should just drink one more wine here before I go outside.'' He thought to himself as he looked at Blue who was going to the wine storage area.


    While waiting for his wine, Lou Baiqing scanned the customers on the first floor. After checking everyone, he noticed that most of them were Saint-rank experts and below. However, there were a few Nascent God Realm cultivators hidden among them. Lou Baiqing was also familiar with one of them. It was Leaf! ording to the rumors he heard, this guy ranked second in the Heaven Battle! He only lost against General Nangong in the final match! This elf was one of the strongest individuals below the Origin God Realm.


    At this moment, Lou Baiqing saw that Leaf was talking with a few Nascent God Realm experts. They seemed to be discussing about something important.


    Lou Baiqing was curious about what they were talking about,?but he didn''t dare eavesdrop in this ce. There were too many strong people guarding this ce!


    "I wonder what those guys are discussing..." He muttered while looking at Leaf''s group.


    "Here''s your Bejeweled Ocean Nectar. Enjoy." Blue smiled as she ced the bottle of wine on Lou Baiqing''s table.


    "Thank you, Sister Blue!"


    On the other corner of the ce, Leaf was seated together with the top participants of the Heaven Battle. There were six of them including Leaf. The other five were ranked sixth to tenth in thest Heaven Battle. They were very strong among the Nascent God Realm experts!


    At this moment, they were discussing about forming a team to search for treasures in the Divine Beast Continent.


    "Brother Torgrim, are you sure that the Torgrim Family has a teleportation array formation that can lead us to the Divine Beast Continent?" Leaf asked a muscr demon with a doubtful look. He couldn''t trust these people since they had just known each other. It would be foolish for him to believe people that he had just met. Besides, he already had his fair share of betrayals after leaving the territory of the elves.


    The other four also turned their gazes towards the demon surnamed Torgrim. This guy''s family was quite a big deal in the Great Demon Empire. Together with the Lycan Family, they stood shoulder to shoulder with the Bloodfallen Imperial Family.


    "Of course! The family was happy about me cing fifth in thest Heaven Battle, so the elders decided to give me the opportunity to go to the Divine Beast Continent to hone my skills and search for treasures. However, that ce is infested with numerous high-level savage beasts, so that''s why I invited you guys here to discuss about forming a team with me." Torgrim Barkary said with a grin.


    Leaf and the others nodded their heads at his words.


    "Then how do we split the spoils?" One of them asked.


    Torgrim Barkary smiled as he answered. "Whoever can find the treasures or spiritual nts can keep it, but if the group joined hands to acquire a certain item, the distribution will depend on everyone''s contributions. How does that sound?"


    Hearing this, the eyes of Leaf and the others lit up. This was advantageous to them since they didn''t need to pay for the teleportation array formation. The only problem was the danger associated with going to the Divine Beast Continent. However, when they thought about the spiritual nts and treasures that they could find there, all their hesitation vanished.


    "Alright. I''m in!" Leaf was the first one to join the team. He was the strongest among the bunch and he was also confident that he can reach the Origin God Realm before they go to the Divine Beast Continent. After all, he ced second in the Heaven Battle and he got a precious reward which can help him ascend to the next realm!


    ''If these guys betray me... Hmph!'' Leaf scoffed in his heart, but he didn''t show it on his face.


    "I''m in!"


    "Me too!"


    After seeing that everyone has agreed to join his team, Torgrim Barkary could not help but smile widely. ''These guys are quite strong. With their help, we can gather many spiritual nts and treasures!''


    Meanwhile, Lou Baiqing had just finished drinking his wine. After paying the bill with a pained look, he went out of the store to search for the Demon Empress. "Where are they? Why aren''t they here? This was where west saw Wine Master Jiu Shen and Princess Cornelia, but I can''t even see their shadow now..."


    Lou Baiqing suddenly felt anxious. He walked around the lotus building, but he failed to see Jiu Shen and the Demon Empress. "Shit! Did Her Majesty bring Wine Master Jiu Shen into Hegante City to discuss in private? No way! She would beat me up for not following her immediately..."


    Just as Lou Baiqing was about to go away, he suddenly felt a vibration in space behind him. He turned his gaze and saw Jiu Shen carrying the unconscious Demon Empress in his hands.


    "Quick. I think your boss fell unconscious because of heatstroke."


    Hearing this, Lou Baiqing cursed Jiu Shen in his heart. A Void God Realm expert falling unconscious because of heatstroke? As if I''d believe you!

 Chapter 408 - Where Are My Weapons?

    Demon Empress Ganda slowly opened her eyes as she let out a soft groan, but then, she suddenly recalled something. She abruptly sat up straight and observed her surroundings.


    She found herself in an unfamiliar room. She hurriedly checked her clothes and found out that nothing seemed to be misced. Even her veil was still covering her face.


    "Where is this?" She muttered as she scanned the area two hundred meters around her.


    After scanning the ce, she saw Lou Baiqing standing outside the room with a nervous look on his face.


    Seeing this guy, Demon Empress Ganda was confused but she could not help but let out a sigh of relief. She then stood up and went out of the room.


    "Your Majesty! Are you all right?" Lou Baiqing asked with a hint of anxiety in his voice.


    The Demon Empress walked past him and nced in a certain direction. From theyout and designs of the buildings, she could tell that they were still in Morlon Cit.


    "That man Jiu Shen... I''m not his opponent... I don''t know his cultivation level and I couldn''t evenst a single move against him. If he is truly behind the Bloodfallen Imperial Family, then we can only cut our ties with the Lycan and Torgrim Family. Bing enemies with that person isn''t worthwhile." The Demon Empress'' voice was filled with helplessness and fear.


    "What?! The Empress couldn''t evenst a single move against that guy?! Cut ties with the Lycan and Torgrim Family? This..." Lou Baiqing was stunned when he heard the Demon Empress'' words.


    Demon Empress Ganda turned her cold gaze towards him and muttered. "Trust me. The Torgrim Family and the Lycan Family would be erased if they continue to act against that man. Jiu Shen''s power already exceeded the limits of this world..."


    Hearing this, Lou Baiqing''s body shivered. From the looks of it, Gand''s death became meaningless...


    "What about the resources we got from the two families? Our army has already used a bit of it." Lou Baiqing suddenly asked.


    The Demon Empress shook her head as she replied. "Return everything they sent. As for the used items,pensate the two families with something of equal value. Also, you will be the one responsible for the turnover. I don''t trust anyone else..."


    Lou Baiqing felt overwhelmed by her gaze, but he hurriedly nodded his head. "I''ll get it done, Your Majesty!"


    "You can leave first. I want to remain here and observe the situation." The Demon Empress was curious about Jiu Shen''s objective. With his power, he could already take control of the whole world and even those high-level savage beasts of the Divine Beast Continent could only bow down to his might. She was certain of this since she had experienced Jiu Shen''s power!


    Lou Baiqing bowed at the Demon Empress and left with haste.


    After seeing him leave, the Demon Empress went to check her storage ring and her face drastically changed. "Where are my weapons!? Wait... I used them during my fight with Jiu Shen! Is it with him? Damn you, Jiu Shen!"


    Meanwhile, Jiu Shen was now inside his store. He was observing the two weapons he got from the Demon Empress. One was a huge shield that weighed at least several tons, while the other was a heavy sword that was even taller than a person.


    The shield had a diamond shape and was made of Dark Ember Metal, making it have a dark obsidian-like color. Jiu Shen also noticed ancient array carvings on the surface of the shield, but these array carvings had already lost their ability to extract power. However, this ancient shield could still be considered as a Void-rank weapon despite its damaged array carvings.


    On the other hand, some of the heavy sword''s array carvings are still working. About half of it was damaged, but the remaining half can still be used. As for the de, Jiu Shen noticed that it has some rusted parts and battle marks that made the heavy sword lose a bit of its power. Overall, this heavy sword barely passed as a Void-rank weapon in its current state.


    "These two weapons are peak level True God-rank weapons, but since there are no True God-rank Array Formation Master here in Nuar, these weapons devolve into a mere Void-rank weapon. I wonder how that demon girl''s family came to have these weapons..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself as he kept the weapons inside his space earring. He wondered if the Demon Empress would have the guts toe back for her weapons... If not, why would he return it to her?


    "Meili, use the teleportation array formation ande back to the Profound Dragon Continent. Bring Ren Shuang and Yang Zenke here. I have things for them to do." Jiu Shen said as he nced at thedy behind him.


    Long Meili nodded her head. "Yes, master."


    Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly heard Jiu Shen''s voice. "Also, bring Elyk back to the Silver Wing Empire. He''s done his objective here."


    "Alright." She replied before she left to find Elyk.


    "Meow!"


    Poof!


    The fat white cat in Jiu Shen''s arms suddenly transformed into an adorable little girl. She slowly turned her gaze towards Jiu Shen as she asked curiously. "Jiu Shen, why do you want Ren Shuang and Yang Zenke to be here?"


    Jiu Shen squeezed her cheeks hard. "I want Ren Shuang and Yang Zenke to experience more war. The Blood Sword Division under Yang Zenke also needs more tempering. Only through battles would they be a stronger force!"


    Ice rubbed her aching cheeks with her chubby hands. She then asked him. "Why are you so obsessed with strengthening everyone? You were like this since the first day I met you..."


    Hearing this, Jiu Shen''s eyes shed, but it soon vanished. He then adjusted the little girl''s sitting posture and rubbed her head gently.


    "For revenge..."


    Ice shivered when she heard the cold voice of Jiu Shen. It was the first time she had heard this kind of tone from him. Just what was the story of this man... She wondered...


    ''Hopefully, he will tell it to me one day....'' The little girl muttered in her heart as she held Jiu Shen''s hands tightly.

 Chapter 409 - Breaking Through 3 Minor Realms In Seconds

    A few hourster, Long Meili arrived with Ren Shuang and Yang Zenke. The two men stared curiously around the store as they followed behind Long Meili. She told them that Jiu Shen has asked them toe and meet him here. They were wondering what Jiu Shen wanted them to do in the Crimson Fiend Continent.


    As they went down to the second floor, they saw a few individuals who had strong cultivation levels. Most of these beings were demons, but the two men still noticed some beings of different races.


    "Look at those two humans following behind Sister Meili. I haven''t seen them here yet. Are they also Wine Master Jiu Shen''s subordinates?"


    "That seems to be the case. They came from the third floor. The third floor is closed for the time being, so only the staff of the store can go there."


    Hearing the chattering of the crowd, Ren Shuang and Yang Zenke were both amazed. Even in the Crimson Fiend Continent, Jiu Shen was still a famous individual. This made them feel proud in their hearts.


    "Master, I''ve brought them here." Long Meili said to Jiu Shen.


    "Greetings, Sect Master!"


    "Greetings, Sect Master!"


    The two greeted Jiu Shen while bowing their heads.


    Jiu Shen inspected the cultivation of the two with his spiritual vision. He first checked Ren Shuang and soon noticed that this quiet guy was already at the peak stage of the Origin God Realm! His progress was fast, but it was still a bit slower than Theia''s speed. Nheless, Ren Shuang''s growth was quite big, but Jiu Shen wasn''t that surprised because he left a huge amount of cultivation resources to the sword tower before he left.


    As for Yang Zenke, Jiu Shen was a bit surprised by this kid''s growth. He started with a lower cultivation than Ren Shuang and even his talent was ordinary at that time, but after Jiu Shen''s miraculous pills improved his talent and physical condition, the once weak teenager had now be an expert at the early stage of the Origin God Realm!


    "You two did well with your cultivation." Jiu Shen praised them with a smile.


    Ice who was in her human form was also surprised when she saw the two. She had just broken through thete stage of the Origin God Realm and she thought that she had already left the others in the dust. However, it seems like everyone was also doing their best to increase their cultivation!


    "Hmph! At least you didn''t waste the cultivation resources given to you!" Ice scoffed in disdain as she crossed her little arms. She then transformed back to her cat form and snuggled into Jiu Shen''s arms.


    Ren Shuang remained calm when he heard the little girl''s words, while Yang Zenke could only smile helplessly. Jiu Shen doted on her the most and they didn''t want to go on her bad side, so they could only swallow everything that the girl said.


    "Sect Master, why did you call us here?" Yang Zenke asked curiously while looking at Jiu Shen''s calm expression.


    Jiu Shen nced at the two and replied with an indifferent tone. "There will be war in theing days. I want you two to join this battle. Ren Shuang, you will help the Bloodfallen Imperial Family in leading their army. Yang Zenke, you and your Blood Sword Division will temper yourselves in this war. Make sure that everyone in the continent will know the might of our Heavenly Sword Tower''s Blood Sword Division!"


    Hearing this, the two men solemnly nodded their heads as they replied in unison. "Yes, Sect Master!"


    "Good! Long Meili, tell them about the power structures of the Crimson Fiend Continent. Ren Shuang, once you are done listening to Long Meili''s instructions, gather information about the Lycan Family and Torgrim Family of the Great Demon Empire and then tell everything you''ve learned to Princess Cornelia. As for you Yang Zenke, bring your Blood Sword Division and train them properly to prepare for the iing war!" Jiu Shen issued a series ofmands.


    The three nodded their heads and soon left to do what they were told to do.


    "Hey, Jiu Shen. What about me? I want to do something too." Jiu Shen suddenly felt a cat''s paw scratching his arm. He turned his gaze and saw Ice looking at him with her big adorable eyes.


    Jiu Shen stroked the fat cat''s fur as he chuckled. "That''s quite surprising. Thezy cat who only knows how to eat actually wants to do something? Interesting!"


    Ice bared her fangs at him and threatened him with her chubby cat paws. "Meow! Just give me something to do! I''m almost bored to death here!"


    Jiu Shen smiled at her as he thought for a moment. "Alright. Do you remember that girl Cornelia? Go and protect her in secret. She is still at the Nascent God Realm and those two noble families might send assassins to kill her. Make sure that she won''t be killed, but you can only intervene if her life is threatened."


    Ice jumped to the ground and bounced a few times before she stabilized herself. "I''ll go now!" She said eagerly as she rolled with her fat body.


    Jiu Shen chuckled as he stared at her figure. "Now that they''re gone. Maybe I should consume the remaining three pieces of the Fruits of Cultivation."


    He stepped out of the lotus building and ascended to the clouds. He then took out the three Fruits of Cultivation from his space earring. He received five of these from hisst mission and he already consumed two to breakthrough to the Void God Realm. Now he only has three of this left.


    Without hesitation, Jiu Shen swiftly chowed down the three fruits. After that, his cultivation slowly increased...


    Early Stage Void God Realm


    Mid Stage Void God Realm


    Late Stage Void God Realm


    Peak Stage Void God Realm!


    Jiu Shen felt slightly speechless at the speed of his growth.. He broke through three minor realms in just a few seconds! Just thinking about it made him question the hard work he spent in his past life.

 Chapter 410 - Herald Lycan And Torgrim Stormhoof

    Inside a grand hall, more than a dozen old demons were seated before a round table. Two of them who had higher cultivation levels were seated in the two most prominent seats. They were discussing something with solemn expressions on their aged faces.


    "Howe the Narda Principality returned the resources we provided them? What does this mean?" An elder with a ferocious wolf-head asked the surrounding elders in a cold tone. This person was the Demon Emperor of the Lycan Family, Herald Lycan. He was a mid stage Void God Realm expert!


    A demon with a muscr physique furrowed his eyebrows upon hearing this. He then nced among the elders and asked them. "What''s the current status of the Great Demon Empire? Why did something like this happen during our solitary cultivation?"


    This muscr demon was the Demon Emperor of the Torgrim Family. He was a bit stronger than Herald since his cultivation level has already reached thete stage of the Void God Realm! His name was Torgrim Stormhoof!


    The elders stared at each other for a brief moment before one of them gritted his teeth and answered with a hint of nervousness. "Demon Emperors, we are also unsure why Narda Principality suddenly returned the items that we gave them. We tried to extract more information from their representatives, but they refused to give an answer. However, we feel that their change in attitude might be rted to a certain individual that suddenly came to Morlon City!"


    The two Void God Realm powerhouses frowned as they stared at the elder. They waited for him to continue.


    "During the two Demon Emperors'' solitary cultivation, a mysterious human suddenly arrived in Morlon City. He miraculously created a blooming azure lotus building overnight and stunned everyone with its beauty. This human sells precious wines that can enhance the consumer''s cultivation progress! Not just that, this human also has a garden with hundreds of rare and valuable spiritual nts! If my guess is right, the leader of the Narda Principality might have had a secret deal with this human."


    Hearing this, everyone inside the grand hall thought that this might be usible. Even the two Void God Realm experts were deep in thought. A mysterious human who sells wine? He has a garden that has hundreds of rare spiritual nts?


    "Have you investigated this human and his force?" Torgrim Stormhoof asked as he eyed the elder.


    The elder felt scared under his stare, but he still answered. "We sent multiple teams to investigate this human. We even sent a few Demon Lords (Nascent God Realm) to scout his store. And after several weeks of monitoring him, we still failed to discern this human''s cultivation level. However, his subordinates are quite strong! We noticed the presence of a few Origin God Realm experts guarding his store and there was even a human gardener at the Void God Realm! If I remember correctly, this gardener''s name is Yue Bo!"


    Hm?


    A Void God Realm gardener?!


    The two powerhouses felt that they were hearing things, but seeing the elders nodding their heads, the twopsed into a moment of silence.


    "If he has a subordinate who is at the Void God Realm, this human has to be at least an expert at the mid stage Void God Realm or even at thete stage Void God Realm! To think that there is actually a living human who has reached this level of power! I thought all their Void God Realm powerhouses has already died of old age." Herald Lycan muttered in a solemn tone.


    "Hmph! It doesn''t matter if the Narda Principality has reneged on their promise! I have already broken through thete stage of the Void God Realm! I''m confident that I can beat someone on the same level as me! We will proceed ording to the n! We have already waited for several ten thousand years for this! No one can save the Bloodfallen Family, not even that human!" Torgrim Stormhoof mmed the round table, breaking it into smithereens!


    Herald Lycan also smiled ferociously. "Brother Stormhoof is right! The n should proceed as we discussed! I will breakthrough to thete stage of the Void God Realm in a few weeks. By then, who can stop our two great families?! Hahaha!"


    Hearing his loudughter, Torgrim Stormhoof also smiled. He then nced at the elders andmanded. "Leave the human powerhouses and Balmond to us. Your objective this time is to assassinate the descendants of Balmond! Without them, the future of the Bloodfallen Family will be bleak!"


    "Yes, Your Majesty!"


    ***


    Cornelia was practicing the set of boxing movements that Jiu Shen taught her. It was difficult and strenuous for her since she didn''t have a good physical body foundation. However, after training ording to Jiu Shen''s teachings, Cornelia discovered that her physical body''s strength has increased substantially. It won''t be long before her body reaches the standard of a Nascent God Realm!


    "This body strengthening technique is even stronger than our Bloodfallen Family''s Ferocious Tiger God Art! And to think that he made this technique on the spot... Wine Master Jiu Shen is truly incredible!" Cornelia praised him with a look of admiration. Other than her father, he was the first man she admired.


    Cornelia adjusted her posture ording to the set of movements drawn by Jiu Shen. She had practiced it several times now so she was more proficient this time.


    "My progress has slowed down. I think I need realbat experience to increase my progress! Hmm. Where should I go this time?" Cornelia thought to herself with a pondering look. From her memories, there was a huge forest near Morlon City. That ce should have many high-level savage beasts!


    She then gathered a few things and kept everything inside her storage ring. After checking her weapons and equipment, the subus nodded her head with a smile. "I should leave in secret. ording to Wine Master Jiu Shen, the Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family might be after my life..."


    At the cover of the night, Cornelia left the imperial pce in secret.

 Chapter 411 - The Combat Training

    Hidden within the shadows, a few individuals dressed in ck robes waited outside the imperial pce.


    "Look. Isn''t that Cornelia?" One of them whispered while pointing at the sneaky figure going out of the pce through the back gate.


    Their eyes glinted when they saw the familiar face of Cornelia.


    These individuals were sent by the elders of the two families to assassinate the crown princess and heir of Emperor Balmond, Princess Cornelia. With the death of Prince Amon and the unknown state of the bedridden Artaurus, these men''s goal was to kill the one who would most likely be the next ruler of the Great Demon Empire!


    All of them were top assassins trained by the Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family. There were eight of them monitoring the pce and two of them are even experts at the Origin God Realm! This force was more than enough to assassinate the crown princess who was only at the early stage of the Nascent God Realm!


    They swiftly trailed the crown princess while maintaining a safe distance. They didn''t want to alert her since they were still near the pce.


    They followed the crown princess while evading the eyes of the soldiers guarding the city.


    Unbeknownst to these assassins, a chubby white cat had already noticed their presence. There was a sly smile on the fat cat''s round face as she stared at the dark-robed individuals.


    "They really came!" The cat muttered in excitement.


    After tailing the crown princess for a few hours, the assassins finally discovered where she was headed to.


    "This path leads to the forested area outside of Morlon City. There are quite a few strong savage beasts here, but most of them are deep in slumber. As long as we don''t enter their territory, they wouldn''t be alerted."


    "You guys should be careful. There might be hidden experts protecting the crown princess."


    "Hidden experts? We have two Demon Ancestors on our side. Even if there are people protecting the crown princess in the shadows, we could still assassinate her!"


    Meanwhile, Cornelia was unaware that she had been followed by a group of trained assassins. She nced at the map in her hands and then turned her gaze to the forest up ahead. "I''m finally here! Now, it''s time to hunt for savage beasts!"


    Cornelia sped up her flight. After arriving at the periphery of the forest, she slowly descended. It wasn''t wise to fly straight into the forest as she might attract the attention of strong savage beasts.


    "I should proceed carefully from now on." She muttered to herself.


    Not far from her location, the assassins whispered amongst each other as they watched her figure with suppressed killing intent.


    "Let''s way until she reaches the middle part of the forest. She might be able to escape if we are impatient. Encircle her silently and make sure that she won''t have a path of retreat! Go!"


    "Alright."


    The assassins moved in different directions to seal off Cornelia''s path of escape.


    At this moment, the subus was still unaware of the impending doom as she trekked the forest with an eager look on her face.


    "What an idiot! So that''s why Jiu Shen sent me to protect her in secret..." Ice muttered in disdain as she looked at the subus.


    ***


    "Division Head Yang Zenke, where is this ce?" A disciple of the Heavenly Sword Tower asked curiously as he stared at the man leading them. The other disciples were also curious and they could not help but nce at Yang Zenke with anticipation. They just came out of a beautiful lotus building and Division Head Yang Zenke was now leading them to a secret pathway. They were curious where this tunnel was headed to.


    Yang Zenke nced at them impassively as he replied with a solemn tone. "Alright. Since you guys are eager to know. I will tell you. We are currently in the Crimson Fiend Continent and you are here to train since you guys will be participating in a war."


    What?! Crimson Fiend Continent?! This cursednd?!


    So that''s why they felt uneasy after leaving the lotus building. They were actually walking in the territory of the demons! However, these disciples were from the Blood Sword Division where the strongest and most talented disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower gathers. After being stunned by the revtion, they soonposed themselves.


    Among the disciples, Prince Dante, Princess Sylvia, and their friends were also present. Almost all of them were already at the 9th-rank Saint realm! Even the weakest disciple of the Blood Sword Division was at the peak stage of the 7th-rank Emperor realm! Prince Dante in particr was already at the peak stage of the Saint realm! His true essence was even thicker than his father, Emperor Elyk!


    At first, they were still on the same level as Yang Zenke, but thetter was now an Origin God Realm expert! The difference between their cultivation levels has be wider! To this, Prince Dante and the others could only sigh in their hearts.


    "We''re here!" Yang Zenke scanned his troops. He knew everyone here since they were his fellow disciples many months ago. Life was truly unpredictable.


    After discarding the unnecessary thoughts, Yang Zenke cleared his throat before he said. "The Sect Master hasmanded the Blood Sword Division to train for an iing war! Everyone must do their best to cultivate!"


    Hearing this, the eyes of everyone in the Blood Sword Division shed with ferocity. They had experienced many battles and they knew the importance ofbat training. They didn''t want to ck off just because of their huge improvements during the past few months.


    "Your enemies this time are bandits! These bandits are evil, so you don''t have to hesitate in killing them. Besides, these guys are demons!" Yang Zenke announced with a grim smile.


    The disciples felt slightly nervous when they heard this. They haven''t fought with demons yet, so they were a bit anxious. Nheless, the desire for battle was still apparent in their eyes!


    "This region will be enclosed by my spiritual power, so no one will be able to disturb our training! Alright. Begin!" After Yang Zenke announced the start of theirbat training, the stone doors in front of the disciples finally opened, revealing the ferocious faces of thousands of demon bandits!

 Chapter 412 - Assassins!

    Cornelia red at the huge wolf in front of her. It was 9th-rank Saint Forest Wolf!


    This wolf normally lived in packs, but there were also times when these wolves hunt alone. The Forest Wolf in front of her was among this type.


    With a confident grin on her face, Cornelia adjusted her posture ording to Jiu Shen''s teachings. She then eyed the wolf while stimting her anma.


    Her true essence cultivation was already at the Nascent God Realm, so this Forest Wolf wasn''t a threat to her, but she was nning to fight this wolf using her physical body.


    At this moment, her physical strength was already at the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint, so she was confident about beating this wolf!


    Awoo!


    The wolf was quite smart, and when it noticed the strength of Cornelia, it immediately decided to call for backup.


    Looking at this, Cornelia merely smirked. It was more fun if there were more of them for her to practice on!


    With a light tap of her foot, Cornelia dashed towards the wolf, catching it off guard. She then released a strong punch that hit the Forest Wolf''s body.


    It whimpered as it rolled a few times on the ground. When it stood up, there was a trace of fear in the savage beast''s eyes.


    Awoo!


    It issued another cry before it bolted away. It was trying to escape from Cornelia after realizing that it was no match for her!


    "Did you really think that I would let you escape?" The subus grinned as she leaped aggressively towards the injured savage beast. She then released a kick that immediately sent the poor wolf flying.


    Thud!


    The Forest Wolf dropped lifelessly on the ground.


    After that, more than a dozen wolves suddenly sprung into action!


    "So you''ve finallye! Alright! Let me test the strength of my physical body!" There was a glint of excitement on the subus'' face as she stared at the pack of wolves.


    When they saw their dead ally, the eyes of the wolves turned red and they abruptly surround Cornelia while eyeing her menacingly.


    Most of these Forest Wolves were only at the 8th-rank Divine, but there were six of them who were at the 9th-rank Saint. Cornelia could even sense that the strength of thergest wolf was already at the Nascent God Realm! From her experience, she could tell that it was the leader of the pack!


    "Not bad! Hehe!" Cornelia became serious when she discovered the alpha wolf. She wasn''t sure if she could defeat this guy with just her physical body alone, but she was willing to try it out!


    Awoo!


    The alpha wolf issued amand and its subordinates growled threateningly as they pounced towards Cornelia. Their sharp ws and fangs glinted dangerously under the moonlight!


    "That guy only taught me boxing techniques! I should have asked him to teach me a sword technique instead..." She muttered to herself as she stared at the wolves'' sharp ws. She felt slightly reluctant to fight them barehanded as her skin might be injured. As a woman who was particr with her looks, she didn''t want to have a scar that would make her ugly.


    After more than ten minutes, Cornelia killed the final Forest Wolf with a quick punch. The only one left was the leader of the pack!


    The alpha wolf red at the subus. Its deathly stare made her feel slightly nervous. Even if she used her true essence to fight this wolf, she would need a bit of time before she can kill it.


    Awoo!


    The huge wolf was like a blur as it dashed towards Cornelia. It opened its huge gaping mouth as it tried to bite off her neck!


    Cornelia swiftly covered her arms with her anma as she abruptly backed off.


    The two exchanged moved for a few minutes, and Cornelia ended up seriously injured.


    "I''m still not a match for it if I only use my physical body..." She shook her head in regret as she wiped the blood at the corner of her lips.


    After realizing that she was no match against the wolf using her physical body, Cornelia immediately released her true essence and attacked it using her illusion arts!


    After another ten minutes, the huge wolf fell to the ground with a heavy thud!


    Cornelia smiled and kept the corpses of the wolves inside her space ring. Their corpses can be sold for quite a sum, especially the Nascent God Realm alpha wolf!


    Just as she was about to take a rest, Cornelia suddenly felt a dangerous sensation behind her! She hurriedly nted herself on the ground while looking at the individual who attacked her.


    The person was dressed in dark robes that covered his entire body, making her unable to tell the guy''s identity. She coldly red at the robed person as she asked. "Who are you?!"


    The robed individual didn''t answer her and instead leaped towards her with another attack!


    Cornelia shifted her head to evade the assassin''s strike. She could still hear the wind whistling after that attack! This guy was dangerous! She was still injured after her fight with the alpha wolf, but even at her peak, she might not be able to defeat this assassin!


    ''Peak stage Nascent God Realm assassin!''


    Cornelia''s heart fell when she discovered the cultivation of her opponent. After that attack, she could tell that this guy was at least as strong as Leaf who ranked second in the Heaven Battle!


    "You must be an assassin sent by Lycan Family or the Torgrim Family to kill me!" Cornelia could only buy some time at this moment. Her eyes darted around, hoping to see an escape route when a gloomy voice suddenly echoed throughout the forest...


    "There is no use looking for a path of retreat, Your Highness. We have already blocked your escape routes."


    Hearing this, Cornelia''s hope vanished.. A few more robed individuals suddenly came into her sight. She even felt a few of them from behind her! It was a nned assassination!

 Chapter 413 - Bloody Night

    Despite her dire circumstance, Cornelia didn''t show a look of despair. A grim smile was stered on her beautiful face. She then stared at the robed individuals while trying to identify them.


    "It seems like the two nobles families are truly hell-bent on killing me!" She muttered without hiding her disdain towards them.


    "Did you really think that I wouldn''t notice that you''re trying to buy time? Your Highness, you underestimate us too much." The person who seemed to be the leader of these assassins mocked her.


    Hearing this, Cornelia''s heart sunk. She then activated her illusion art to its maximum power, while also covering her body with true essence and anma. After observing these robed figures, she could tell that all of them were at least Nascent God Realm experts! As for their leader, she couldn''t sense his cultivation level, but he should be at the Origin God Realm!


    "Kill her! Don''t underestimate her just because she is injured! Balmond might have given her a few defensive items!" The leader shouted with a cold look.


    "Kill!"


    "Die!"


    Cornelia could only stare helplessly at the dozens of individuals dashing towards her. Even so, she still did her best to parry their attacks.


    More injuries covered her body as the battle continued.


    This time, the leader could no longer hold back his impatience.


    "A bunch of useless trash! You guys couldn''t even handle an injured little girl!" He scowled as he pounced towards the weakened Cornelia.


    Suddenly, the eyes of the assassin leader constricted as he lifted his dagger.


    ng!


    He was thrown back several meters before he managed to stabilize in midair. He then stared at the white-haired little human girl thatunched a sneak attack on him. When he sensed the cultivation level of the little girl, the assassin leader was stunned.


    Origin God Realm!


    The other assassins were also startled when they saw the sudden turn of events. They couldn''t believe that a little girl actually managed to push back their leader with one move!


    Cornelia stared at the white-haired little girl with surprise. Isn''t this the little child who was always in Jiu Shen''s embrace? She was actually an expert at the Origin God Realm!


    Aside from being shocked, the subus also felt relieved in her heart when she saw the appearance of the little girl. This time, she might be saved!


    Ice turned her gaze to the injured Cornelia and handed a bottle of medicine to her.


    "You stay there obediently and wait for me." Her cute voice traveled to the subus'' ears like a soothing melody.


    Cornelia unconsciously nodded her head while epting the bottle of medicine. She then unhesitatingly consumed it.


    "Why is a savage beast like you involving yourself in the internal affairs of the Great Demon Empire?! You might be strong, but there are more than a dozen of us here! You think that you can stop us by yourself?" The assassin leader red at Ice with a baleful look. He sensed that this little girl was a savage beast based on the structure of her true essence.


    Ice stood in front of Cornelia and smiled at the assassins, showing them her two rows of pearly white teeth. "Even if I''m alone, I could still defeat useless pieces of trash like you guys! However, I didn''te on my own this time. I brought a few helpers with me! Hehe!"


    Hearing this, the assassins became rmed and they could not help but nce around the forest. It was then that they noticed two strong auras.


    Not longter, two figures slowly came into their sights.


    One was an elegant woman with long purple hair. The other one was a man with simr hair color. They were Long Meili and Aren! Both of them were also at the Origin God Realm!


    The assassins became nervous when they discovered the hovering figures. It was especially true for their leader since he could feel the cultivation bases of these two people. Their power was as strong as him!


    Cornelia''s eyes lit up when she saw the two figures. She recognized them since she had seen them a few times in the lotus building. They were Jiu Shen''s subordinates!


    ''It seems like that guy ordered them to protect me in secret while my father is still away...'' She muttered in her heart gratefully.


    "What''s wrong? Are you nervous now, demon? Hehe!" Ice smiled mockingly at the assassin leader.


    The assassin leader gritted his teeth and immediately released his anma as he shouted to his subordinates. "Escape in different directions! If you survive, report the situation to the Demon Emperors!"


    The assassins immediately dashed in different directions after hearing their leader''smand. They were assassins trained by the two noble families for many decades and they were many times stronger than most Nascent God Realm experts. They activated their escape arts to flee with their fastest speeds!


    Seeing this, Long Meili raised her hands and released an invisible and boundless spiritual force that enclosed the entire forest. The fleeing assassins immediately sensed the abnormality and when they tried to leave the forest, they soon noticed that there was an invisible force that trapped them!


    "Good job, Sister Meili!" Ice giggled as she shed a toothy grin towards Long Meili.


    The dragon girl shook her head with a smile before she turned her head towards Aren. "You can take care of the rest."


    Aren nodded his head at her with a confident look. He then disappeared to hunt the assassins one by one!


    "Too bad! Now, I won''t have the opportunity to exercise my fists! I shouldn''t have told you guys toe with me..." Ice muttered with regret as she punched the air with her little fists.


    "You will have every opportunity in the future, Little Sister Ice..." Long Meili rubbed her head gently with a smile.


    Cornelia stared speechlessly at the two figures hovering above the clouds. Those strong assassins immediately fled when they noticed that they couldn''t defeat the three. They were too strong!


    It was destined to be a bloody night for those assassins....

 Chapter 414 - Threshold Of The Fourth Heart Realm

    Aren had just recently broken through the Origin God Realm, but after bing a Purple Winged Sword Eagle, his physical body''s strength has increased several times! Even his true essence and spiritual power received a huge boost!


    For Eren, the only one who could threaten him was the assassin leader and this guy was just slightly troublesome for him. As for the other assassins, it wouldn''t even take him five minutes to kill those weaklings!


    The eyes of the assassin leader shed with terror as he gazed at Aren''s iing figure. He could tell that this man has the same level of cultivation as him, but there was something about this purple-haired man that made him feel inferior.


    Suddenly, the assassin leader felt his back pressing against an invisible wall. He tried breaking it a few times, but he couldn''t even leave a mark on it. In the end, he could only give up and put his guard up while looking warily at Aren.


    "If you think you can kill me so easily, then I have to disappoint you!" The assassin leader put on a savage look as he madly shed before Aren. He left behind afterimages in his path!


    "Die!" He shouted while swinging his dagger with his full strength!


    Aren''s expression remained calm as he looked at this. He then took out a pair of exquisite-looking weapons that looked like metallic ws. Aren blocked the dagger of the assassin leader using one metal w before he shed the other w to the assassin leader''s head.


    Puchi!


    The assassin''s head rotated in midair while his headless body dropped to the ground with a heavy thud.


    Seeing this, Aren didn''t even nce at his corpse and searched for the other assassins.


    After more than ten minutes, Aren who was drenched in his enemies'' blood came back and greeted the threedies with a nod of his head.


    "Everything has been dealt with."


    Ice pouted upon hearing this, while Long Meili nodded her head calmly.


    On the other hand, Cornelia stared at her three saviors with a grateful look on her face as she muttered. "Thank you, elders!"


    Aren nodded his head at her.


    Ice''s smiling face turned cold when she heard how Cornelia referred to her. She then pointed at her face as she gritted her teeth." Elders? Do I look that old to you?! Huh?! Do you want me to rece those problematic eyes of yours?!"


    Even Long Meili was a bit displeased by this.


    Cornelia chuckled awkwardly when she saw the expressions of the two women. She then reworded herself with a forced smile. "Thank you, big brother and big sisters!"


    Hearing this, Ice nodded her head, clearly pleased.


    "Aren, did you discover the identity of those assassins? Long Meili suddenly asked.


    Aren frowned and shook his head helplessly. "I tried interrogating a few of them, but they all killed themselves before I could ask them questions. However, I kept their corpses in my storage ring. There might be someone who could recognize their identities after we remove their masks."


    Hearing this, Long Meili nodded her head. It was the only thing they could do now.


    "Let''s go back. I want to take a nap..." Ice grabbed Long Meili''s arms as she pleaded her with a sleepy look. The little girl yawned before she transformed into her cat form. She then leaped into Aren''s shoulder and decided to sleep there.


    Aren could only helplessly shake his head at this. He didn''t dare push her away at all...


    Ten miles away from them, hidden among the clouds was a figure wearing a transparent veil that covered the lower portion of her face. Her pair of beautiful eyes shed withplicated emotions as she stared at Long Meili and the others. "Even his subordinates are also strong. I can even feel that the little girl could somehow threaten me just based on the thickness of her true essence..."


    Sigh...


    With a swooshing sound, her lithe figure vanished.


    ***


    Jiu Shen cut off his spiritual sight after seeing that everyone was fine. He then went outside his store and stared at the scenery of Morlon City with an unchanging expression.


    "War is approaching, but my strength has already reached the pinnacle of this world. There would be no meaning if I intervene... My mentality has changed so much after staying in this mortal world. I could now sense the threshold of the fourth heart realm. So I was wrong all along... I thought that breaking off my emotions would be the key. I finally know why I was stuck in the peak stage of the Heavenly God Realm for billions of years during that time..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself as he ced his hands behind his back. He had discovered a way that might help him achieve a breakthrough in his heart realm, but there was no joy in his eyes, only regret...


    Old memories surfaced in his mind and he could also see familiar faces appearing like a movie ying backward.


    Love. Happiness. Sadness.


    Jiu Shen immediately opened the gate to his Spirit World and walked inside. After finding a random cloud above the skies, he sat cross-legged and entered a state of trance.


    True essence, anma, and spiritual power covered Jiu Shen''s body as he entered into a deep state of cultivation.


    Balmond and Yue Bo who were both inside the Spirit World was awakened in their solitary confinement. They could sense that the energy of the world was converging in a certain direction.


    The surge of energy was so strong that it even startled the savage beasts who were living peacefully inside the Spirit World!


    All the creatures inside the Spirit World could feel a sacred and archaic aura slowly enveloping the entire. They could not help but prostrate in worship when they sensed the imposing might of this deity-like aura.


    Even Yue Bo and Balmond who were Void God Realm experts felt their minds going numb as they slowly kneeled. Their unfocused eyes stared in a certain direction.


    If one would follow their sights, a figure seated cross-legged atop a cloud can be seen.. Divine light covered his entire body and it slowly became bigger as time went by.

 Chapter 415 - Disciples Breaking Through

    I''m not seeking the void, so why am I forcing myself to be heartless?


    Heartless Void?


    So it was a trap. An abyss that trapped countless geniuses for billions of years.


    Now, I can see it clearly.


    Jiu Shen controlled a part of his spiritual essence and immediately located Balmond and Yue Bo. He then sent them a transmission.


    "Wake up you two. I might be gone for a few months or even a year. I will open the gate of the Spirit World. Go out and win the war. I believe in you..." Yue Bo and Balmond heard Jiu Shen''s voice inside their heads which abruptly cleared up their minds. They then discovered that a door was already opened in front of them.


    They were confused as to why the energy in the Spirit World has suddenly be abnormal, but they didn''t dare ask. Despite their curiosity, they still followed Jiu Shen''smand and went out of the Spirit World.


    They both wondered what was happening to Jiu Shen...


    Meanwhile, Jiu Shen blocked his senses after noticing that they had already left. He then focused his mind on his recent discovery and sank deeper into a trance.


    ***


    Yue Bo and Balmond both came out of the Spirit World. They then stared at each other for a brief moment before they sighed.


    The two had no idea what had happened. When they recalled the vast sacred aura that spread in the entirety of the Spirit World, they could not help but shudder. Was it Jiu Shen''s true power?


    "Maybe we should stabilize our powers first." Yue Bo smiled helplessly.


    Balmond nodded his head. "You''re right. I have broken through one minor realm, but I haven''t stabilized my energy yet. We should find a secluded spot to fully incorporate our newly gained power!"


    The two soon went their separate ways as they searched for spots to cultivate.


    ***


    Yang Zenke stared at the battle between the demons and the disciples with a solemn look on his face. He was also prepared to intervene when any of them would need his help, but he soon found out that this was unnecessary.


    The disciples of the Blood Sword Division were taught how to fight in huge battles. They incorporated the grouping system into their fighting style which was uniting four individuals to fight as a team.


    At first, the disciples had troubles in their teamwork, but they soon managed to learn how to effectively team up with their teammates.


    At this moment, the number of demon bandits was slowly dwindling despite their huge numerical advantage. However, the incohesive bunch didn''t discover this and continued to fight against the disciples of the Blood Sword Division with crazed expressions.


    The area enclosed by Yang Zenke''s spiritual power was filled with noises of battle. The ground was soon painted with blood, creating a field of crimsonnd that spanned more than several thousand meters!


    Among the disciples of the Blood Sword Division, the one with the most number of kills was Dante Silveria. He was like a fiend god as he took the lives of the demons with a wave of his sword! His aura also showed signs of imminent breakthrough! After this livebat training, the young man would certainly summon his tribtion lightning!


    Aside from him, many disciples also experienced massive leaps in their cultivation levels! From what Yang Zenke could see, there might be more than ten of them who would soon be Nascent God Realm experts!


    On the battlefield, Dante Silveria who was covered in blood from head to foot could already feel his blood boiling. He knew that his breakthrough wasing near, but held back his desire to increase his cultivation and suppressed his iing tribtion lightning. He wanted to umte more true essence to increase his chances ofpleting his tribtion!


    "Fourth Sword Form: Boundless Sword Dance!" Dante Silveria muttered as he executed the fourth movement of his sword technique.


    A strong sword will wrapped his sword and shed through the tide of enemies as he performed a unique set of movements. Because of his beautiful strokes and sword moves, he looked as if he was dancing!


    The eyes of the demon bandits were covered in fear as they stared at Dante''s figure. They couldn''t believe that such a young human could actually exhibit this kind of terrifying power! Even the geniuses of the Rebel Army weren''t as good as him!


    "Fifth Sword Movement: zing Sword Resonance!" Dante Silveria chanted as his sword was slowly enveloped by zing golden mes! A resonant cry then echoed out as a huge sword manifestation appeared in front of Dante which reaped the lives of the demons!


    When the disciples saw his performance, they also decided to use their sword techniques.


    The battlefield was soon covered with dazzling radiance as the disciples of the Blood Sword Division released their sword techniques!


    The demon bandits could only watch in despair as they were killed by the crazed charge of the disciples! Their seamless teamwork and strong battle awareness stunned the demons!


    After a few hours of long-drawn-out battle, the massacre finally concluded. All the demon bandits were killed in action and none of the disciples died! There were only a few of them who were seriously injured, but they would soon recover several days of rest!


    The result of theirbat training exceeded Yang Zenke''s expectations. He thought that some of them would need his help in dire circumstances, but they proved him wrong!


    "Sect Master Jiu Shen would surely be proud of their growth..." He muttered with a look of excitement on his normally rigid face.


    This time, the sky darkened and shes of lightning covered the gloomy airspace.


    Yang Zenke stared at the young man who had summoned this tribtion lightning. It was Dante Silveria, the most talented disciple among them!


    However, Yang Zenke soon noticed a few more huge dark clouds converging in the sky. His eyes widened as he muttered. "This... From the number of the dark clouds, at least ten of them are ascending to the Nascent God Realm!"


    Yang Zenke''s eyes shed with a fervent look as he stared at the young figures seated cross-legged.

 Chapter 416 - Ten Individuals Breaking Through?

    Yue Bo and Balmond came out of their seclusion after stabilizing their realms. They chatted as soon as they saw each other.


    "How''s your cultivation Brother Yue?" Balmond asked with a wide smile.


    Yue Bo chuckled as he released his aura. "After gaining mastery over the technique that Wine Master Jiu Shen passed to me, I''m not at the mid stage of the Void God Realm!"


    Balmond was surprised when he sensed his cultivation level. He knew that Yue Bo had just stepped into the Void God Realm when he first saw this guy. To think that he had caught up to him in just a few months!


    Balmond sighed and shook his head. "And here I thought that I was the only one who broke through..."


    He then released his aura.


    Mid stage Void God Realm!


    Yue Bo was stunned, but he soon calmed down. Balmond also had his technique edited by Jiu Shen, so his growth wasn''t too surprising for him.


    Yue Bo changed the topic and said with worry. "I wonder what happened to Wine Master Jiu Shen? Before he took us out of the Spirit World, there was a phenomenon that blotted the skies! It was the first time I''ve seen that kind of thing!"


    Balmond furrowed his eyebrows, but he soon rxed. "What could happen to him? The huge eyeball that came out during his tribtion was scarier. That phenomenon must be rted to his cultivation, so don''t worry about him. He will be fine."


    Hearing this, Yue Bo nodded his head.


    Balmond suddenly pped his thigh as he eximed. "Oh, right! Wine Master Jiu Shen asked me to pass the throne to Cornelia after Ie out of the Spirit World. I should prepare for that. Do you have any suggestions, Brother Yue?"


    Although Yue Bo once held a high status in the Alliance a few ten thousand years ago, he was no expert about imperial ceremonies. He thought for a moment before he voiced out his words. "Brother Balmond, to tell you the truth, I can''t give you a good suggestion. However, we should first announce the ascension of Cornelia and observe the reaction of everyone. After all, you are still healthy and vigorous, but you are suddenly passing the leadership to your daughter. This would certainly make those nobles feel suspicious. I believe your Bloodfallen Family should have hidden enemies here, am I right?"


    Balmond frowned as he nodded his head. "Indeed. Your words are spot on, Brother Yue. Our Great Demon Empire was built under the leadership of the Three Ancient Families with our Bloodfallen Family being one of the three. As for the remaining two, they are the Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family. At that time, our Bloodfallen Family had the strongest force, so the Three Ancient Families unanimously agreed that the first emperor of the Great Demon Empire would be from the Bloodfallen Family. However, the strength of our Bloodfallen Family slowly fell after the death of the founder. Frictions between our three families started at that moment."


    Yue Bo was silent as he listened to his story.


    Just then, the two of them suddenly frowned and turned their heads in a certain direction.


    They slowly hovered in midair and nced at the dark clouds converging. It was quite far from their location, but with their level, they could use the power of space to reach the ce in just a few minutes. However, the two men dared not do that. Because the phenomenon they were seeing right now was a tribtion!


    "Who is breaking through this time?" Balmond muttered while looking at the dark clouds.


    "I don''t know, but from the looks of it, there isn''t just one person breaking through. I could sense the aura of at least ten individuals trying to breakthrough." Yue Bo was slightly shocked. That was ten people breaking through the Nascent God Realm simultaneously! He was also confused since he somehow felt that some of those guys looked familiar.


    "I wonder which faction is strong enough to nurture this many elites?"


    "We will know soon..."


    Meanwhile, Long Meili''s group who was about to return suddenly stopped their flight. They then turned their heads and looked at the darkening skies a few miles away from them.


    "Someone is breaking through?" Cornelia muttered.


    "Not just someone. There are more than ten of them." Long Meili furrowed her eyebrows as she used her spiritual power to scan the ce. Her expression then eased up as she chuckled.


    When Ice and Aren saw her expression, they became curious. They used their spiritual perception to see what was happening.


    Aren was confused when he saw the individuals beneath the tribtion clouds.


    On the other hand, Ice revealed a look of surprise when she saw them. "To think that those kids are now a step closer to bing peak experts..."


    "Sister Ice, Sister Meili, you know those people?" Aren asked the two women as he looked at them with perplexity.


    Cornelia who wasn''t even strong enough to perceive anything could only stare at them with bewilderment. She was just a Nascent God Realm expert and her spiritual perception wasn''t strong enough to see that far yet.


    Long Meili smiled as she answered. "In the Profound Dragon Continent, the master created the Heavenly Sword Tower. Those humans breaking through right now are disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower''s Blood Sword Division. They are the most elite bunch amongst our disciples."


    "That''s right! I even taught some of those kids a few of my moves!" Ice who was in her cat form chimed in with a smug look.


    Hm? Heavenly Sword Tower? Blood Sword Division?


    ''So that guy has a sect in the Profound Dragon Continent... From how it looks, this sect might be even stronger than our Great Demon Empire..." Cornelia thought in her heart.


    "I see..." Aren nodded his head.


    "We should go there and see the situation. We can also protect those kids if someone tries to cause trouble." Ice changed back into her human form and swiftly flew towards the direction of the tribtion clouds.


    The others immediately followed her.

 Chapter 417 - Thousands Of Purple Feathered Flame Eagles

    Inside the topmost floor of the Lycan Family''s castle, Herald Lycan suddenly stood up and jump out of the window. He slowly ascended to the skies as he looked into the distance. His beast-like eyes were filled with surprise. "The location of the tribtion cloud is near Morlon City. I don''t remember any renowned family or group in that ce. Wait... Near Morlon City... Could it be..."


    Herald Lycan''s eyes narrowed as he immediately flew towards the direction of the Torgrim Family''s castle.


    Meanwhile, Torgrim Stormhoof also noticed the abnormality in the skies.


    "More than ten people are breaking through the Nascent God Realm..." He muttered with a bit of confusion written on his face.


    At this moment, the high-level experts of the Torgrim Family were hovering behind him with curious gazes. It wasn''t the first time they''ve seen a tribtion lightning, but it was the first they''ve seen multiple people breaking through!


    Suddenly, Torgrim Stormhoof noticed a strong auraing towards them, but when he discovered that it was someone familiar, he soon eased up.


    "Brother Stormhoof, you noticed it, right? More than ten are breaking through simultaneously! Doesn''t that make you curious? There might even be hidden treasures that made those guys promote their cultivation. What do you think?" Herald Lycan smiled at the muscr demon leading a group of elders.


    Torgrim Stormhoof nced at him and scoffed. "Are treasures cabbages? Although there is only a small possibility of treasures being there, I am indeed curious about that group. Elders, send a few of our top experts to observe the situation. Remind them to not make any rash moves..."


    "Yes, Your Majesty!" The elders nodded and left.


    "You''re as decisive as always! Hahaha!" Herald Lycan chuckled.


    Torgrim Stormhoof stared at the smiling werewolf demon and asked. "I thought you were in seclusion. Why did you suddenlye out?"


    Hearing this, Herald Lycan felt slightly embarrassed. He boasted that he would soon breakthrough, but when he entered into seclusion, he realized that he needed more time than what he told everyone.


    "Haha! I haven''t entered into seclusion yet. I''m still preparing a few high-level resources to help me speed up my breakthrough." Herald Lycan immediately came up with a random lie.


    "You should go back. The war ising and I wouldn''t win this without your help." Torgrim Stormhoof patted his shoulder.


    Herald Lycan''s expression turned solemn at the mention of the iing. He then nodded his head and said. "You''re right. I''ll enter into seclusion now, Brother Stormhoof."


    The werewolf demon left in a hurry after speaking those words.


    Torgrim Stormhoof nced at his figure before he shifted his gaze to the congregation of dark clouds. He could already sense that the tribtion lightning is about to descend!


    ***


    Meanwhile, Yang Zenke furrowed his eyebrows as he stared at the west side of their location. He could sense a few strong aurasing towards them.


    "Elder Meili and Elder Ice? And that guy, I think his name is Aren..." Yang Zenke heaved a sigh of relief after discovering the identity of the neers. He then went to greet them.


    "Greetings, Elder Meili, Elder Ice, Brother Aren!" Yang Zenke then noticed that there was actually beautiful subus with them.


    "This is?"


    "Cornelia, the crown princess of the Great Demon Empire." Icezily answered.


    Hearing this, Yang Zenke''s gaze moved towards the subus. He then nodded his head at her as he greeted her politely. "Your Highness."


    Although he was already a top expert, Yang Zenke retained his humble personality. He didn''t let his aplishments bloat his ego. He knew that everything he had at this moment was solely because of Jiu Shen.


    After being greeted by this rigid and stoic-looking human expert, Cornelia smiled seductively while scanning the human from head to foot. He didn''t look particrly handsome, but his sharp jawline made him look manlier. "Greetings. Who might you be, sir?"


    Yang Zenke felt that this subus'' stare would be fatal to most men. Luckily, he had strictly trained his heart and mind. He extended his hand as a friendly gesture. "Yang Zenke, Division Head of the Heavenly Sword Tower."


    Cornelia had a look of surprise. This human looked young, but he was actually someone of high status! "Oh, I''ve heard so much about you from Sister Meili and Sister Ice!"


    Long Meili stepped forward and said. "Let''s ignore the formalities. Elder Yang, how many among the disciples are breaking through?"


    Yang Zenke nced at her and replied in a solemn tone. "There are twelve of them now. This is a great opportunity for them, but it might be dangerous if their breakthrough will attract the attention of top experts..."


    Ice waved him off and showed off her biceps as she said. "Don''t worry about that! If someone with ill-intentiones, I will smash them into pieces! Hmph!"


    "She''s right. We must not allow people to cause trouble during these kids'' tribtion. Wine Master Jiu Shen would surely get angry if we fail to protect them. Luckily, Aren is with us. He can just summon his Purple Feathered me Eagle tribe if there are many enemies." Long Meili muttered.


    Aren nodded his head and added. "The strength of my Purple Feathered me Eagle tribe has received an upgrade with Wine Master Jiu Shen''s help. With their presence, no one can disturb the breakthrough of these disciples. I''ll go call them now..."


    He then turned around and issued a sharp eagle cry that resounded throughout the skies.


    Not longter, they soon heard the cries of eagles.


    Looking at the thousands of Purple Feathered me Eagles, Cornelia and the disciples of the Blood Sword Division were shocked.


    These eagles weren''t weak at all. Most of them were at the 6th-rank King realm, with about a hundred at the 7th-rank Emperor, several dozens at the 8th-rank Divine, and more than ten at the 9th-rank Saint! There were even two bigger eagles at the Nascent God Realm!


    Aren smiled when he saw the stunned looks of everyone.. In truth, he was also surprised by their massive improvements. He couldn''t believe that so many changes happened after Jiu Shen gave them his miraculous pills!

 Chapter 418 - Descent Of Tribulation Lightning

    "Greetings, Lord Aren!" The two huge Purple Feathered me Eagles transformed into their human forms and bowed towards Aren. They then greeted Ice and Long Meili.


    "Elder Sister Ice, Elder Sister Meili..."


    Aren nced at the two with a proud look. After drinking Jiu Shen''s pills, the bloodline of his tribe experienced a massive change. These two newly ascended Nascent God Realm eagles were among the most talented bunch and it wouldn''t be long before they would evolve into Purple Winged Sword Eagles like him!


    "Purple Sky, Purple Feather, the both of you willmand our tribe. Your task is to defend this group of disciples. They are Wine Master Jiu Shen''s people, so make sure that none of them would be hurt!" Aren said in a grim tone.


    The two nodded their heads as they solemnly replied. "Yes, Lord Aren!"


    They then swiftly flew and issued a series of bird cries towards the Purple Feathered me Eagles.


    "Let''s stay a bit further away or we might get hurt by their tribtion lightning." Long Meili said to the group and led them about two miles away.


    After they had relocated, Ice turned her gaze towards them and said. "We should protect all corners of this area. If someone with ill-intentiones, make sure to notify the group!"


    Hearing this, everyone nodded their heads and went in separate directions. The only ones left are the disciples of the Blood Sword Divison and the stunned subus who was looking at the tribtion clouds above the sky.


    "Just what kind of elites did Wine Master Jiu Shen train? Their tribtion clouds don''t look ordinary at all! Some of them even have superior tribtion clouds than I had when I broke through to the Nascent God Realm!" She eximed while curiously looking at the figures of Dante and the others.


    "A demon? What''s a demon doing here? Is she an enemy?" Cornelia suddenly heard a perplexed voice right behind her. She then turned her head and smiled at the one who had just spoken, but before she could speak, someone spoke again.


    "I saw her talking with the elders a few moments ago. She should be one of us. I also sense no threat from her, so everyone can rest easy."


    Hearing this, Cornelia chuckled and moved her gaze back to the skies. This tribtion might give her a few insights. Who knows?


    The other disciples of the Blood Sword Division also kept quiet and watch the dark tribtion clouds as they summoned bolts of serpentine-like tribtion lightning.


    Zapp! Zapp!


    ***


    "We''re close to the area! Stay sharp everyone!" A muscr demon said to the group behind him. His name was Amar Torgrim, a peak stage Origin God Realm elder of the Torgrim Family. They were sent here to observe the individuals who had broken through to the Nascent God Realm.


    Amar led his group a few miles away from the tribtion clouds. Even with his strength, he dared not challenge the might of the heavens...


    "I can sense a few people at the Origin God Realm encircling the area. They should be the elders of that group who are breaking through. One of them is at least as strong as me in terms of cultivation. This group is not simple..." Amar frowned as hemanded his group to hide their aura.


    Suddenly, the bellows of thunder echoed throughout the skies! Thick bolts of lightning swiftly struck the figures below!


    Zapp! Zapp! Zapp!


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Violent explosions rang out and huge clusters of me lit the area aze!


    Amar hid the look of fear in his eyes. The scene was very chaotic! Even for someone like him who had experienced tribtion twice, he felt that the tribtions of these people were much fiercer! That means, their potential was so much stronger than his own!


    "Just who are those guys..." He muttered in shock. Even among the elders of the Torgrim Family, he could already be considered as one of those who had the best potential. Even his overall strength was just beneath Torgrim Stormhoof''s! However, he was looking at more than ten people who might have a higher potential than he has!


    "Elder Amar, what should we do? Those people protecting the area don''t look weak. I could also sense thousands of savage beasts around them. There might be a strong savage beast among their group!" Another Origin God Realm expert said with a grim voice.


    "I know! His Majesty merely told us to observe the situation. He didn''t tell us to fight them! Just keep quiet and watch everything! We will report what we''ve seen to His Majesty, so make sure that you guys won''t miss anything!" Amar said fiercely.


    "Yes, Elder Amar!"


    ***


    "So those guys are also connected to these people. Jiu Shen, what are you nning to do with all these humans? Or are you really participating in the war?" A woman wearing a transparent veil muttered as she stared at the rampaging tribtion lightning.


    Hovering behind her was a handsome demon. He had a look of shock as he spectated the tribtion. "Your Majesty, you mean Wine Master Jiu Shen might join the fight for the throne of the Great Demon Empire?"


    If that truly happens, wouldn''t Jiu Shen be the final winner? After all, he saw what happened to the Demon Empress. She also told him that she was no match for the man.


    Demon Empress Ganda shook her head. "Even if he doesn''t join the fight, whichever group he intends to help would win this war. Just look at his subordinates. Some of those who are here are even stronger than you..."


    Lou Baiqing wanted to retort, but when recalled the frightening strength of Aren, he swallowed back his words. They only saw one person fight earlier and he had the weakest cultivation base among the group, then how strong were the others?


    Lou Baiqing could only shake his head helplessly as he thought about this.


    "You''re truly wise, Your Majesty! Luckily, you''ve managed to discover Jiu Shen''s strength earlier on... If not, our Narda Principality might have...." Lou Baiqing became depressed, so he no longer continued speaking.

 Chapter 419 - The Slut Is Alive?

    After the bombardment of tribtion lightning was finally over, everyone hurriedly came to the newly ascended Nascent God Realm experts.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Dante Silveria slowly stood up as he dusted his clothes. He felt his whole body aching and he could even hear his bones emitting a series of cracking sounds.


    "Dammit! It still hurts!" He cursed as he held his battered body. He then checked his dantian and smiled widely after noticing the changes.


    Hahaha!


    "I''m finally a Nascent God Realm cultivator! Hahaha! Cough! Cough!" He erupted intoughter, but then he choked and coughed excessively.


    "Easy, boy! Take it easy!" Ice chuckled as she descended in front of Dante. She nodded her head with a look of approval as she stared at Dante and the other ascenders.


    "Good job, everyone! At least you didn''t waste the resources poured onto you by Jiu Shen and the Heavenly Sword Tower. But before anything else, we should first greet our guests..." Ice said as she looked into the distance.


    Dante and the other newly ascended Nascent God Realm disciples were confused, but they followed her gaze out of curiosity.


    "Hahaha!"


    A burst of wild and loudughter suddenly echoed above the skies followed by the arrival of more than ten muscr demons dressed in shiny battle armor. The demon leading them had a peak stage Origin God Realm cultivation, while two were at the early stage Origin God Realm! The rest were Nascent God Realm experts!


    "Congrattions on your breakthrough, friends! Don''t worry! We bear no ill will." Amar Torgrim smiled as he slowly descended towards Ice''s group. However, he didn''t move too close to them and maintained a polite distance. He didn''t want a fight to happen since the opposing party had more people than them.


    "And who might you guys be?" Aren frowned as he nced at the demons.


    Cornelia, Dante, and the other disciples held their breaths as they stared at this group of demons. They could already feel their hearts beating wildly.


    Amar signaled his group to rx before he stepped forward and answered Aren''s question. "We are from the Torgrim Family, one of the three founding families of the Great Demon Empire."


    Hearing this, everyone was startled. Other than Cornelia, none of them knew anything about the Torgrim Family, but upon looking at the people they sent, this noble family shouldn''t be weak.


    Cornelia furrowed her eyebrows as she carefully observed the muscr demon. Suddenly, she recalled the identity of this demon. "Are you perhaps Elder Amar Torgrim?"


    Amar turned his gaze towards the subus and narrowed his eyes upon seeing her, but he hurriedly concealed it. He then smiled at her and nodded his head. "That''s right. I thought no one would remember me anymore after staying in seclusion for more than thousands of years! It seems like Your Highness is very well-informed!"


    Cornelia didn''t discover the changes in his expression.?She didn''t have a good impression of anyone from the Torgrim Family and the Lycan Family. Even if this demon was smiling like a friendly elder, she knew that this guy was just hiding his motives. "You praise me too much, Elder Amar."


    "Amar, is it? As you can see, our disciples had just broken through the Nascent God Realm, and they still need to recuperate. Can you bring your people away, so they can begin to heal their injuries?"?Ice put her hands on her hips as she eyed the muscr demon with a grave look. She also subtly release her peak stage Origin God Realm aura to intimidate the opposing party.


    Sensing her aura which was even denser than his own, Amar Torgrim felt stunned in his heart, but he maintained a calm expression on his face. ''So the strong aura I felt earlier was from this little savage beast...''


    "Of course! We apologize for bothering you guys. Farewell!" Amar gave them a deep look before he left with his group.


    Dante and the other disciples heaved a sigh of relief after seeing them leave.


    Ice continued to re at the demons until their silhouettes could no longer be seen. She then moved her gaze back towards Dante and the others. "Hurry up and recuperate your injuries! More people mighte if you dally any longer! Move!"


    The disciples immediately squatted and took out healing pills from their space rings. After consuming their pills, theplexion of the disciples became rosier.


    After seeing that they had already finished recuperating, Icemanded them. "Alright! Let''s go back to the lotus building!"


    "Yes, Elder Ice!"


    ***


    Torgrim Family''s castle.


    "Your Majesty, we have discovered the identity of the group." Amar Torgrim kneeled as he reported.


    Stormhoof nced at him and said. "Oh! Tell me then..."


    Amar didn''t let him wait anymore and answered. "We found out that the people who broke through the Nascent God Realm was a group of human youths. They were wearing the same set of robes, so they should have the same origin. We also discovered Cornelia among them and she seems to be close to those humans. After our encounter, I can tell that those humans aren''t from the Rebel Army. They should be subordinates of that man named Jiu Shen!"


    Hearing this, Stormhoof''s eyes slowly constricted. "Are you telling me that the little slut of a subus is still alive and kicking?! Which group of trashes did you even send to assassinate her?! Useless fools!"


    Histe stage Void God Realm aura exploded and almost suffocated the kneeling Amar. He gritted his teeth and said with difficulty. "Your Majesty, among those humans, there were three Origin God Realm savage beasts whose strength might not be weaker than mine. The assassins we sent must have been killed by them..."


    Stormhoof snorted and sent Amar flying with a wave of his hand. "Go send a messenger to the Lycan Family and tell them about what you discovered!"


    Amar climbed up from the ruins without even bothering to wipe the blood off his face.. He immediately nodded his head. "Yes, Your Majesty!"

 Chapter 420: Angry Balmond

    <h4>Chapter 420: Angry Balmond</h4>


    "What?! Someone tried to assassinate my daughter?!" Balmond''s face darkened as fumes of turbid air gushed out of his nostrils.


    The messenger had a nervous look as he nced at the ground. He dared not lift this head at this moment or he might get killed by the Demon Emperor out of anger.


    "Calm down, Brother Balmond. From what I know about Wine Master Jiu Shen, he should have sent someone to secretly protect Her Highness, Cornelia. You''ve seen his subordinates in the lotus building, right? Ordinary assassins couldn''t beat them!" Yue Bo patted Balmond''s back as he pacified the raging demon.


    They just came back to the store and this was the first news they received. It wasn''t good! Their originally joyous moods brought about by their recent breakthrough suddenly turned grave.


    Balmond took a deep breath as he stared deeply at the kneeling messenger. He sent this guy to secretly follow Cornelia.


    "Tell me the details..." Balmond muttered through gritted teeth.


    The messenger nervously wiped off his sweat as he narrated the events he had seen that night. He was the onlyte stage Demon Ancestor left in the Great Demon Empire since their strongest experts were sent to do a secret mission. His only task this time was to protect the princess in secret, so he didn''te out when he saw her sneaking out of the pce. He only followed her to the forest and was stunned when the assassins abruptly came to surround her. Just as he was about to move right then, he saw three savage beasts in human forms who suddenly killed those assassins. He didn''t even have the chance to show himself when thest assassin was killed!


    Balmond heaved a sigh of relief after listening to his story. Luckily, Wine Master Jiu Shen had long since known the ns of the two noble families and he even sent three experts at the Void God Realm to secret protect his daughter.


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen is truly wise! He even foresaw that this would happen..." Balmond sighed with admiration.


    Yue Bo also nodded his head in agreement. Indeed! Nothing can escape Wine Master Jiu Shen''s eyes!


    "Brother Yue, I''ll go meet the three savage beasts who protected my daughter. I want to thank them in person." Balmond said before he went to the lotus building. Yue Bo soon followed right after him.


    Balmond had seen the three savage beasts mentioned by the messenger since he had seen them several times during hisst visits to the lotus building. He wasn''t surprised about the guy named Aren and the dragon girl Long Meili. However, he never would have thought that the chubby white cat who was always sleeping in Jiu Shen''s arms was actually a top expert!


    After entering the store, Balmond ignored the greetings of the customers and scanned everyone inside. His gaze then stopped on a purple-haired man. Seeing him, Emperor Balmond''s eyes lit up and he immediately walked towards him with a smile.


    "Thank you for saving my daughterst night, Lord Aren!" Balmond grabbed the hand of the shocked Aren and shook it gratefully.


    Aren immediately pulled his hand away as he shook his head. "It''s nothing. Sister Ice asked Sister Meili and me to go with her, so you should thank her instead."


    Hearing this, Balmond immediately said. "No! No! I still have to thank you, Lord Aren. I will also thank Lady Ice and Lady Meili for their help."


    Aren shrugged as he looked at the Demon Emperor who had gone up to the second floor to search for Ice and Long Meili.


    "That guy almost broke my hand..." Aren muttered while rubbing his aching hand.


    Not longter, Balmond found the twodies and also thanked them. He even took out his treasures and evenly distributed the resources between Aren and the two of them.


    "Feel better now?" Yue Bo asked the Demon Emperor as he chuckled heartily.


    Balmond nodded his head. His eyes then narrowed as he muttered. "Those dogs actually dared to send assassins after my daughter! I will kill them soon!"


    "This is a great opportunity, Brother Balmond." Yue Bo suddenly said.


    Hearing this, Balmond''s ears perked up as he stared at Yue Bo in confusion. "What do you mean?"


    Yue Bo smiled as he answered. "After you announce the ascension of Her Highness Cornelia, those two noble families surely wouldn''t sit still. If my guess is right, they might even start their rebellion during Her Highness'' coronation ceremony! Once that happens, we can kill them in one fell swoop! Of course, this is merely a guess of mine and it is also possible that they might do something unexpected. Still, this is a great opportunity! We can station experts in key areas during Her Highness'' coronation ceremony!"


    Balmond''s eyes shone upon hearing Yue Bo''s words. It seemed like he had underestimated his new human brother. This guy was actually a hidden tactician!


    "Brother Yue, this idea is brilliant! I will announce the ascension of Cornelia immediately, so we should n where to put the experts during the coronation ceremony! But before that, I would like to meet that stupid girl! I thought that she was a genius that was never been seen in the empire for thousands of years, but her actions truly disappointed me. I''ll punish her first! Hmph!" Balmond gnashed his teeth as he spoke.


    Yue Bo chuckled and secretly prayed for the subus.


    And so, the two went to the imperial pce, but they failed to see Cornelia there.


    "Where did that stupid girl go this time?!" Balmond smashed the wall of the imperial pce, sting through a massive hole with just a single fist!


    The Demon Emperor angrily used his spiritual perception to scan the surroundings. He then ended up seeing his daughter outside of Morlon City standing shoulder to shoulder with a strict-looking young human.


    "This.... Who''s this little guy?" Balmond frowned when he saw Cornelia''s shining expression as she looked at this youth.

 Chapter 421: Fierce Xiao Hua

    <h4>Chapter 421: Fierce Xiao Hua</h4>


    When Yue Bo heard Balmond''s exmation, he also sent out his spiritual vision and when he saw the subus together with Yang Zenke, he understood why Balmond suddenly became solemn.


    As he chuckled, Yue Bo said. "Brother, it looks like your daughter has finally found the man of her dreams. Hahaha!"


    Balmond helplessly nced at Yue Bo and asked him. "Brother Yue, do you perhaps know who that human is?"


    Yue Bo nodded his head and smiled. "Yes, that young man is a Division Head of the sect created by Wine Master Jiu Shen. His name is Yang Zenke. His progress in cultivation is very astounding! Now he''s already an Origin God Realm expert! He might be the greatest prodigy of the Human Race!"


    "Division Head of Wine Master Jiu Shen''s sect? Wait... This young man''s true essence and physical body have both reached the Origin God Realm! Cornelia is truly mediocrepared to him..." Balmond''s eyes twinkled as a random thought suddenly came into his mind.


    ''Wine Master Jiu Shen would definitely not fall for that stupid girl, so this young human is the best husband for her. I''ll just let nature take its course...''


    "By the way, how old is he?" Balmond asked.


    Yue Boughed as he replied. "That little guy isn''t even twenty yet. What do you think? He''s an absolute genius, right?"


    "What?! Not yet twenty, but already at the Origin God Realm?!" Balmond''s mouth gaped open after hearing that.


    ''It looks like I have to put her punishment on hold...''


    "Just let her be, Brother. How about you announce her ascension to the throne just as we discussed?" Yue Bo sent the Demon Emperor a serious look.


    Balmond nodded his head. "You''re right. I''ll go to the pce and inform the elders of the Bloodfallen Family about our n. Brother Yue, I hope you can inform Lady Ice and the others about this as well."


    "Of course! I''ll be on my way then!" Yue Bo''s figure turned into a blur as he disappeared.


    Balmond also went to the imperial pce to discuss the matter of Cornelia''s ascension to the throne.


    ***


    ''Why does this subus keep on following me? Is she interested in our training routine?'' Yang Zenke frowned as he took a sidelong nce at Cornelia who was behind him. She smiled seductively when she saw Yang Zenke looking at her.


    "Sister Xiao, look at that subus. I think she is interested in Brother Yang. Hehe." Han Sen chuckled with a lewd smile as he stared at Cornelia''s busty figure. Han Sen is now a peak stage Nascent God Realm expert and is now serving as the Deputy Division Head of the Blood Sword Division.


    Xiao Hua frowned when she heard this. Although her rtionship with Yang Zenke was still not official, everyone already knew that there was something between them. However, someone else is actually trying to steal his man?


    (Check Author''s note at the end of the chapter for description about Han Sen and Xiao Hua)


    When Han Sen saw the darkening expression of Xiao Hua, he immediately closed his mouth. From the looks of it, things might go out of hand...


    "Ah... This... Sister Xiao- Wait! Where are you going?!" Han Sen nervously followed the fuming Xiao Hua.


    ''Brother Yang, I''ll pray for your soul...'' He muttered in his heart.


    "Sister Xiao, do you have anything to say?" Yang Zenke stared at Xiao Hua with a confused look on his face. He wondered who irritated this girl when he saw her gloomy expression.


    Xiao Hua ignored Yang Zenke and walked straight towards the subus. She then stopped in front of her and put on a cold smile as she said. "Hello, Your Highness! I am Xiao Hua, Deputy Division Head of the Blood Sword Division and also Brother Yang''s girlfriend."


    Hearing the bold introduction, Yang Zenke, Han Sen, and the disciples of the Blood Sword Division were dumbstruck. Is this still the cold-faced Deputy Division Head Xiao that they knew? Why did she suddenly act like this? However, when they looked at the subus, a look of realization dawned on them.


    Cornelia was also surprised. She thought that Yang Zenke wasn''t in a rtionship. She could not help but stare at Xiao Hua from head to foot.


    "Oh! So it''s Sister Xiao Hua! It''s nice to meet you!" Cornelia put on a smile as she extended her hand.


    Xiao stared at the subus and shook her hand in return.


    Everyone could already see the shing sparks of lightning between their gazes.


    Han Sen nced at this scene with a look of jealousy.


    ''Brother Yang is really impressive! Two beauties are actually fighting for his affection... Sigh. I suddenly lost motivation. Maybe I should take a nap to heal my wounded heart...'' Han Sen sighed as he lifelessly went back to his tent.


    Yang Zenke hurriedly came forward and gently grabbed Xiao Hua''s waist.


    "Sister Xiao, you shouldn''t be like this in front of the disciples." Yang Zenke gently patted her shoulder before he turned to look at the subus. He then said to her with an expressionless look.


    "Your Highness, Xiao Hua is indeed my girlfriend. I apologize for her rudeness, but you shouldn''t cause trouble as well while the disciples are training."


    Cornelia pouted her lips, but soon she smiled. "Alright. I won''t bother you guys then. Farewell."


    The subus left decisively. She wasn''t in love with Yang Zenke. She only felt that this guy was slightly attractive, so when she heard that he already had someone in his heart, Cornelia immediately decided to stay away from them. She didn''t want to ruin their rtionship...


    Xiao Hua stared at the back figure of the subus as she harrumphed. "At least she is sensible enough! I would have smacked her if she remained here! Hmph!"


    Hearing this, Yang Zenke hurriedly consoled her with a hug.


    The disciples of the Blood Sword Division were embarrassed when they saw the affectionate couple, so they immediately left and start training on their own.

 Chapter 422: That Was Definitely Not The Emperor

    <h4>Chapter 422: That Was Definitely Not The Emperor</h4>


    A weekter, news about Cornelia''s ascension to the throne was publicly announced by the emperor. This announcement surprised everyone since the Demon Emperor was still in his prime and there wasn''t even anything wrong with his health. Despite the suddenness of this news, most of the citizens epted Cornelia as the future ruler of the Great Demon Empire. However, many among the noble families were strongly against this. It was especially true for the Torgrim Family and the Lycan Family.


    Not longter, the imperial pce announced another information.


    It was the date of Cornelia''s enthronement!


    "Her Highness Princess Cornelia Bloodfallen will be enthroned in a month''s time! All experts under the heavens are invited to her enthronement ceremony!"


    "What the hell is Balmond thinking?! He''s actually nning to pass his throne to that subus in a month! Preposterous!" Stormhoof smashed the wall of his room in a fit of rage. The Torgrim Castle shook, making everyone feel anxious.


    Meanwhile, in a remote side of Morlon City, inside a new mansion.


    "Balmond is truly decisive. He didn''t even hesitate to pass the throne to his daughter. Your Majesty, what do you think about this?" Lou Baiqing stared at Demon Empress Ganda who was standing beside the window.


    The Demon Empress stared at the sky as she answered. "You''ve seen it yourself that night. Jiu Shen has three savage beasts subordinates at the Origin God Realm. Not to mention those young human elites that they are nurturing and the few individuals who are still hidden in that lotus building. If you include Balmond and that man named Yue Bo, the strength of Jiu Shen''s faction is already strong enough to conquer this continent. And if Jiu Shen himself makes a move, then..."


    Her words trailed off after that.


    Lou Baiqing sighed upon hearing her words. He couldn''t even utter a retort since even he was convinced about the might of Jiu Shen and his subordinates. The strength of that white-haired little girl in particr still gives him the shivers until now!


    "Our Narda Principality will be present in Cornelia''s enthronement and we will offer her our congrattions with gifts and precious resources." Demon Empress Ganda said with a look of defeat.


    Swoosh!


    Her figure vanished after she spoke those words.


    Lou Baiqing was at loss for words.


    ***


    Inside the Spirit World, the sky was now enveloped with a dazzling radiance! If one was onnd and stare at the sky, they would find themselves lost in this seemingly profound glow of light.


    Seated cross-legged on top of the clouds, Jiu Shen''s eyes were shut tight as he tried to peak into the secrets of the heavens. His Heavenly God Realm soul aura was in full disy!


    After a long time, his eyshes fluttered before he slowly opened his eyes. A gold beam of light shed before those golden pair of globes, prating the firmament!


    "So it''s still not enough... I thought I would reach the Fourth Heart Realm... In the end, I could only stare at the entrance without being able to enter..." Jiu Shen sighed as he shook his head. He received a sh of enlightenment, but there was still a small gap before he could reach the Fourth Heart Realm, the Heartless Void.


    At this moment, Jiu Shen was already the very peak of Third Heart Realm: Heart Unmoved Like Mountain. He was just one step away from the final realm!


    "What is missing?" Jiu Shen felt a bit vexed by this. However, he could still not find an answer to this question.


    Jiu Shen examined his body and his dantian. He noticed that his physical body has now reached the Mystic God Realm! It was even stronger than his cultivation which was still stuck at the peak stage of the Void God Realm. Jiu Shen also discovered that his recent enlightenment boosted the recovery of his spiritual force!


    True God Realm spiritual force! His spiritual power is now only two realms away from his past self!


    "Now, I can use my Heavenly God Realm soul for more than a few minutes. Not bad! I thought it would take me months or even years toplete this secluded cultivation. I have underestimated the power of my Seamless Deity Physique..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself as he slowly stood up.


    "By this time, Balmond should have already announced Cornelia''s enthronement. I will let those kids y a little bit. For now, I should create new cultivation techniques and sword techniques for the Heavenly Sword Tower. I might as well use this time to refine high-rank pills that will be gifted to talented disciples and subordinates." And so, Jiu Shen took out a quill pen and a special parchment paper.


    ***


    Another weekter, outside the lotus building.


    While wearing the signature robes of a Heavenly Sword Tower''s elder, Demon Emperor Balmond was cutting down the weeds in the garden using a hand hoe when a startled voice suddenly interrupted him.


    "Your Majesty, why are you weeding Wine Master Jiu Shen''s garden?!" A bulky ox demon was stunned when he saw the Demon Emperor of the Great Demon Empire squatting down while weeding Jiu Shen''s garden.


    Heck! What am I seeing? The emperor is weeding! I must be dreaming, right?


    The ox demon pped his face and he was startled to find himself in front of Jiu Shen''s garden. "This... I''m not dreaming?"


    "Hey! Keep your dirty foot out of the fucking grass you idiot!" Balmond pointed his hoe towards the ox demon when he saw him stepping on the pristine grass.


    The ox demon hurriedly lifted off his feet while looking speechlessly at the Demon Emperor. Was this still the same emperor that he knew? What the hell!


    "If I see you stepping on the grass one more time, I will cut your ox body into pieces and offer you as fertilizer to the soil! Youth these days! Can you not let this elder weed the garden in peace? Goddammit!"


    The ox demon immediately ran away when he heard the emperor''s words. ''That was definitely not the emperor!''

 Chapter 423: The Power Of Theia’s Name

    <h4>Chapter 423: The Power Of Theia¡¯s Name</h4>


    News about the emperor weeding Jiu Shen''s garden soon spread throughout Morlon City. Even some neighboring cities heard of this rumor. However, everyone merely treated this as a joke.


    "Brother Balmond, it looks like many people have already heard about your new upation." Yue Bo chuckled as he stared at Balmond with a look of schadenfreude.


    Hearing this, Balmond could only shake his head. "It doesn''t matter. None of them knows about the true power of Wine Master Jiu Shen. I even feel proud just plucking the weeds off of his garden. They will eventually grow tired of talking about me. Besides, Cornelia''s coronation is moving closer. Those people would soon shift their attention to her."


    Yue Bo nodded his head in agreement, but he still had a light smile stered on his face. "Let''s just water these spiritual nts."


    After that, the two went to the back of the lotus building. This was where the pond was located.


    After the twelve fishes came out of the pond, many small creatures soon reced them. The pond was now thriving with life and its surface glowed brilliantly.


    Yue Bo and Balmond then took their watering cans and filled them with the pond''s water. This was what Jiu Shen told Yue Bo and up until now, he was still using the pond''s water for the spiritual nts. He wondered what was special about this pond water that Jiu Shen even had to specifically tell him to water the spiritual nts using it. Perhaps this pond is a treasure in itself...


    "Brother Yue, are you sure that we are using this pond water for the spiritual nts?" Balmond asked as he filled his watering can. This item was also a bit special since it could take in gallons of water despite its small appearance.


    Hearing this, Yue Bo merely smiled at him.


    Balmond was stunned and doubtful, but he still followed Yue Bo since he was more knowledgeable than him about this.


    ''We''re actually using pond water for those precious spiritual nts? Wait... Wine Master Jiu Shen must have instructed Brother Yue to do this. If that''s the case, there might be something unique about this pond.'' Balmond thought to himself as he stared at his image on the pond''s surface.


    "Truthfully, I also have no idea about this, but it was Wine Master Jiu who told me to use it for the spiritual nts." Yue Bo chuckled while looking at the perplexed Demon Emperor.


    "Anyway, we should get going and water those little guys. They might attack us if we dally any longer." Yue Bo added as he went to the garden with the watering can in his hand. Balmond trailed behind him with a nk look on his face.


    When they reached the garden, they immediately watered the nts systematically. Balmond looked stiff since this was his first time doing this. On the other hand, Yue Bo looked rxed as he held his watering can.


    "Look! Is that His Majesty?"


    "It looks like His Majesty, but why isn''t he wearing his imperial robes and crown? And why the heck is he watering Wine Master Jiu Shen''s garden?"


    "Could it be those rumors about him are true?!"


    "No way!"


    Yue Bo suppressed hisughter when he heard their conversation.


    Meanwhile, Balmond was already prepared about this, so he merely ignored the whispering crowd.


    However, more and more people soon came to watch him which made Balmond''s face twitch in annoyance.


    Are these kids country bumpkins? Have they not seen someone watering nts?


    Balmond gnashed his teeth in anger.


    Seeing this, Yue Bo knew that he had to intervene this time or those poor people might die from the Demon Emperor''s rage...


    "Everyone, please leave if you are only going to block the gate. How can our customers go inside with you guys blocking the way? Do you want me to call Young Miss Theia to discuss this with you?" Yue Bo said with a kind smile.


    Young Miss Theia?


    Hearing that name, the crowd immediately dispersed as if afraid of a gue spreading through. Who doesn''t know Young Miss Theia? She was the butt-kicking demon of the wine store! Although she had already gone to guard the second floor of the building, she would asionally go down to kick a few troublemakers out of the store! There was even an Origin God Realm powerhouse who was burned to death after he tried to touch her ass. Recalling the powerhouse''s bloodcurdling scream as his body was lit aze, everyone shivered as they ran with all their might.


    Yue Boughed heartily as he watched the fleeing crowd. Young Miss Theia was truly a great deterrent factor. Just hearing her name was enough to scare those people!


    Balmond alsoughed when he saw this scene. ''Now, I know what to do if this happens again. Hehehe.''


    Suddenly, the two stared in the same direction.


    They saw a lithe figure dressed in golden robes with silver highlights. She had a thin veil that covered the lower portion of her face and only her starry eyes can be seen.


    Yue Bo and Balmond were a bit surprised when they saw her, but they then ignored her and resume their work. They had already seen this woman visiting the store a few times, and every time shees here, she would always ask if Jiu Shen was in the store.


    "Greetings, Lord Yue Bo and Your Majesty Balmond! Is Wine Master here this time?" A soothing and angelic voice soon entered their ears.


    Yue Bo and Balmond nced at each other before they turned their gazes to this stunning demon.


    "I apologize, Young Miss, but Wine Master Jiu Shen is yet toe out of seclusion." Yue Bo said with a helpless look. They knew that Jiu Shen was still in the Spirit World, but they couldn''t tell this to this girl.


    Demon Empress Ganda pouted beneath her veil. She then said. "In that case, I shall take my leave. Farewell, gentlemen."


    Yue Bo and Balmond stared at her receding figure with curious gazes. Who might this woman be? And why is she looking for Wine Master Jiu?

 Chapter 424: Poison Valley And The Necromancer Emperor

    <h4>Chapter 424: Poison Valley And The Necromancer Emperor</h4>


    Inside the meeting hall of the Torgrim Castle, more than ten elders d in shiny battle armor were seated before a round table with solemn expressions on their faces.


    Stormhoof suddenly pped his hands and said to the werewolf demon seated together with him on the most prominent seats. "Congrattions on your breakthrough, Brother Herald!"


    The other elders were shocked but they also congratted Herald when they heard Stormhoof''s words.


    Herald Lycan beamed upon hearing this. He was also quite pleased with his recent breakthrough. He was now at thete stage Void God Realm! "Thank you, everyone! But we should focus on more important matters now."


    Stormhoof and the elders nodded their heads.


    "I called everyone here so that we can begin with our preparations. There are only a few days left before Cornelia''s enthronement! We shouldn''t allow that subus to ally with Narda Principality and other superpowers!" Stormhoof spoke with a grim tone.


    Everyone knew why Stormhoof said this.


    The moment Cornelia gained new allies, their ns to subjugate the throne would be difficult. It was necessary to weaken her military power before she ascends to the throne!


    "Do you guys have any suggestions on what we can do?" Stormhoof eyed the elders.


    "Why not ally ourselves with Poison Valley and the Necromancer Emperor?" Herald suddenly said with a hint of hesitation in his voice.


    Hearing the two superpowers he mentioned, Stormhoof and the elders frowned as they contemted deeply.


    Poison Valley''s territory was a bit far from their Great Demon Empire. It was where many deranged demons who specialized in poison arts gathered! They were also mortal enemies with Narda Principality who shared the same region as them.


    On the other hand, the Necromancer Emperor was a wandering Void God Realm expert. However, no one dared to underestimate him since he was in control of an undead army that numbered over a million strong! His power alone was already equivalent to an empire!


    "We can negotiate with the Poison Valley. I''m quite familiar with their Valley Master, so I can try to invite him to our alliance. As for the Necromancer Emperor..." Herald furrowed his eyebrows as he shook his head. This guy was quite a peculiar fellow and it was dangerous to provoke him, even Herald dared not fight with his undead army!


    Stormhoof gritted his teeth and muttered. "Alright, I can visit that guy''s territory and see if I could make him join us. I have the corpse of a Fire Wyvern Overlord. I can part with this if he can help us..."


    Hearing this, everyone gasped in surprise. Even Herald gulped as he stared at Stormhoof''s gloomy face. This guy was actually willing to give the corpse of Void God Realm savage beast! If he had something like this, he would definitely keep it to himself.


    "In that case, I''ll ask you guys to prepare your armies as well. As for that subus, just let her be for now." Heraldmanded the elders.


    "Yes, Your Majesty!"


    ***


    Meanwhile, somewhere in the Divine Beast Continent, a few demons came out of a forest. They were covered in gruesome wounds and one of them even had his entire arm cut off!


    "Lord Hanzo, are you sure that you''re fine?" Demon Ancestor Jun held Hanzo''s shoulder as he asked thetter with a worried look.


    A month ago, they came here to search for spiritual herbs under Balmond''s orders. They thought that everything would be easy since all the members of this expedition team were quite powerful. However, they were soon proven wrong!


    They encountered many strong savage beasts along the way and they were forced to fight just toplete their objective. Even with their strength and teamwork, some of them were still killed by those ferocious savage beasts!


    Hanzo took out a healing panacea from his space ring and quickly consumed it. After the pill entered his stomach, the pain he was feeling became a bit bearable. He then nced at Demon Ancestor Jun and his remaining teammates. All of them looked haggard and weary.


    "Brothers, I know we sacrificed a lot for this expedition, but we are soldiers of the Great Demon Empire! We will do anything that His Majestymands! The fallen didn''t die in vain! We have aplished our goal here, so we should go home and receive our rewards!" Hanzo spoke in a loud voice while ignoring the pain in his internal organs. He could already feel his blood rising through his esophagus, but he quickly swallowed it back down.


    Demon Ancestor Jun and the others nodded their heads, but their faces were still solemn.


    Seeing that his words had no effect, Hanzo gritted his teeth and said. "You want to know what those spiritual herbs are for, right? Well, let me tell you. Those herbs are for Prince Artaurus! I don''t know the specifics, but I do know that the herbs we gathered are meant for him."


    "That means His Highness can recover with the help of those herbs?!" Everyone jolted in surprise when they heard this. They knew that Prince Artaurus was an absolute genius, but he suddenly fell ill when he turned eighteen. If he recovers... Just thinking about it made these injured experts excited!


    The matters about Prince Artaurus were mostly confidential, but with their status, these experts still had some information about the ill prince. If he was healthy, he would have been the crown prince and the next ruler of the Great Demon Empire! His cultivation talent was many times greater than Princess Cornelia and even his wisdom was beyond theidback subus. From what they remembered, Prince Artaurus was already a Nascent God Realm expert when he just turned eighteen! His speed in cultivation could leave anyone in awe!


    Hanzo heaved a sigh of relief when he saw their lifting moods. He then waved his remaining arm and signaled the group to follow him. "Alright, that''s enough. Let''s go back now!"


    After that, Hanzo squatted down and activated the teleportation array formation beneath their feet.


    The inscriptions of the array formation suddenly lit up and enveloped their bodies with a brilliant light. They then vanished in a blink of an eye!

 Chapter 425: Can I Take A Rest?

    <h4>Chapter 425: Can I Take A Rest?</h4>


    Hanzo and the others immediately went to the imperial pce to find the Demon Emperor, but when they arrived, they discovered he wasn''t there. They then asked an imperial guard about the emperor''s whereabouts, but when they heard the imperial guard''s answer, Hanzo and the rest were taken aback.


    "His Majesty is cleaning Wine Master Jiu Shen''s garden?" Hanzo frowned, but he immediately went out of the imperial pce and headed straight to the lotus building. He was a bit skeptical about the imperial guard''s words.


    "Lord Hanzo, what do you think about this? I feel that the imperial guard isn''t lying." Demon Ancestor Jun said with a nk look on his face.


    Hanzo shook his head lightly. "I''m not sure, but those imperial guards wouldn''t dare lie to us. There might be a reason why His Majesty is doing this, so let''s go there and find things out on our own."


    When the group arrived in front of the lotus building, they quickly entered the gates and went directly to the garden.


    "Your Majesty?" Hanzo and the others called out with dumbfounded looks.


    In front of them were two individuals cleaning the garden with wooden brooms. One was an average-looking human wearing a straw hat, while the other was a ferocious demon in simr attire.


    At this moment, the two of them were happily chatting as they swept the fallen leaves on the ground.


    When Balmond heard someone calling him out, he turned his gaze and saw Hanzo with a few others. He then frowned when he saw their current state.


    After checking them using his spiritual vision, he realized that their injuries were quite severe! Hanzo in particr had it worst. His internal organs were in disarray and some of his bones were broken! One of his arms was even cut off!


    Hanzo and the others abruptly kneeled in front of Balmond. Hanzo then reported what they had experienced in the Divine Beast Continent. He told the emperor about the sacrifice of the fallen and also everyone''s achievements. After that, he emotionally took out the spiritual herbs that cost the lives of theirrades and passed them to the Demon Emperor.


    "Here are the spiritual herbs, Your Majesty!"


    Each herb was ced inside a special jade box that can preserve its herbal efficacy and true essence.


    Balmond took the jade boxes with a heavy look. He was d that he finally have the chance to heal his son, but he was also saddened by the deaths of hispetent subordinates. "The families of those who died will receivepensation from the imperial pce. If you have their corpses, make sure that they will be buried gloriously."


    "Yes, Your Majesty!" They answered in unison.


    "As for you guys, I''ll ask Wine Master Jiu Shen to create suitable cultivation techniques. If he agrees, it will be a great opportunity for all of you. If he doesn''t agree, I can give you an ample amount of resources. With it, your chances of breaking through the Void God Realm in the future will slightly increase." Balmond said with a serious look.


    Hanzo and the rest were a bit confused when they heard this.


    Ask Wine Master Jiu Shen to create cultivation techniques for them? Despite their curiosity, no one dared to question the Demon Emperor.


    Balmond merely smiled when he saw their confused expressions. He then took out a few high-level healing pills and gave them to the kneeling demons. "Leave and recuperate well. There will be war in a few days. I will need you guys to be with me in battle!"


    Hearing this, the faces of Hanzo and the others turned grim. They knew about the dispute between the Bloodfallen Family and the other two founding families. However, they were a bit surprised that the battle between them would soon arrive. Even so, they all bowed at the Demon Emperor as they said. "Yes, Your Majesty!"


    After seeing them leave, Balmond''s expression became slightly mncholic. He couldn''t help but tightly grip the jade boxes in his hands.


    "You have such fine subordinates, Brother Balmond. You should treat them well..." Yue Bo stood beside him and patted the demon''s shoulder.


    Balmond nodded his head absentmindedly. "I know. Now, I only have to wait for Wine Master Jiu Shen. Hopefully, he will agree to my request. That way, those men can be properly rewarded."


    ***


    "Your Majesty, I''ve already taken the resources and treasures from our treasure vault. Everything is inside this storage ring." Lou Baiqing said as he handed a golden ring to Demon Empress Ganda. Inside this storage ring were numerous high-level spiritual nts and cultivation resources. The quantity and quality of the items here were even greater in overall value than what the Lycan Family and Torgrim Family gave them some time ago.


    The red-haired beauty took the ring. "Baiqing,e with me to the lotus building. We will give this to Balmond and ask for his forgiveness. Our Narda Principality must ally ourselves with the Bloodfallen Family. If we do things right, we might even receive Jiu Shen''s recognition."


    Demon Empress Ganda was a bit reluctant to do this. She was a prideful woman and she didn''t want to lower her head to someone, but she had no choice. Standing behind Balmond and the Bloodfallen Family was a behemoth who could easily kill her and destroy the Narda Principality. She was afraid to make any careless move that might incite Jiu Shen''s rage.


    Meanwhile, Lou Baiqing''s face twitched. ''Your Majesty, can you not let this lowly one have a moment of rest? I''ve been busy handling matters on your behalf that I didn''t even have the time to eat and sleep...''


    "Ah, this... Can I take a short rest- Haha! Of course! I''m not tired at all! How could I be tired? I will prepare a carriage for us, Your Majesty! Please wait for me." Lou Baiqing quickly left the mansion.


    Demon Empress Ganda nced at Lou Baiqing''s fleeing silhouette with a smile. She then nced at the golden ring in her hand and muttered. "Jiu Shen...."

 Chapter 426: I Apologize

    <h4>Chapter 426: I Apologize</h4>


    Demon Empress Ganda sat inside the carriage while gritting her teeth in exasperation. If you''re asking why she was suddenly like this. The reason for that is that she suddenly remembered that Jiu Shen had taken her weapons when she was unconscious.


    Those two weapons were passed down in her family for generations and ording to her ancestors, the value of those weapons was inestimable! The only problem was that the inscriptions on the two weapons are severely damaged, making them significantly weaker.


    "Jiu Shen... How long are you nning to hide from me?!" She muttered as she gnashed her teeth.


    "Is there anything wrong, Your Majesty?" Lou Baiqing''s worried voice sounded outside of the carriage.


    Demon Empress Ganda frowned in irritation. "Shut the hell up and just bring me to the lotus building!"


    The poor Lou Baiqing could only smile helplessly. He wondered why the Demon Empress was suddenly temperamental this morning. ''Maybe she''s still angry about Wine Master Jiu Shen...''


    Soon, their beast carriage stop in front of the gates of the lotus building.


    Demon Empress Ganda gracefully stepped out of the carriage, while Lou Baiqing trailed behind her silently. When the two entered the gates, they noticed two figures who were sweeping in the garden with wooden brooms in their hands.


    Lou Baiqing was stunned when he recognized these two people. Although they had already heard of rumors that the Demon Emperor was now working in Jiu Shen''s store as a gardener, he still found it shocking to see it with his own eyes.


    Demon Empress Ganda ignored Lou Baiqing and walked towards the two busy figures.


    Balmond and Yue Bo stopped sweeping when they sensed someone moving towards them. They stared at the Demon Empress with a look of surprise, but they soon sighed with helpless looks.


    ''She must be here to look for Wine Master Jiu Shen again...'' The two men thought to themselves.


    "Greetings Lord Yue Bo and Your Majesty Balmond." Demon Empress Ganda greeted the two politely.


    Balmond and Yue Bo merely smiled at her and waited for her question. They were already expecting her to ask about Jiu Shen''s whereabouts, but they were soon proven wrong...


    "Can I talk to you guys inside?" The Demon Empress asked while looking at the two.


    Eh? This wasn''t the script they knew about.


    "Young Miss, if you''re looking for Wine Master Jiu Shen... I''m sorry, but he''s not yet out of seclusion..." Balmond forced out a smile as he stared at the young woman in front of him. She was very beautiful, but he didn''t dare underestimate this woman since she had an aura that was at least as strong as his own!


    The Demon Empress shook her head. "I didn''te here just to look for him. I''m also here to discuss matters with you, Your Majesty."


    Balmond raised her eyebrows upon hearing this, but he still nodded his head. "Alright. We are done cleaning anyway, so I can spare a bit of time to talk with you."


    Demon Empress Ganda smiled beneath her veil. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I hope Lord Yue Bo can join us as well. I also have matters to tell you."


    There was a hint of pleading in her tone and Yue Bo didn''t have the heart to reject her request, so he nodded his head albeit reluctantly. "Hm, okay."


    Meanwhile, Lou Baiqing who was standing not far from them could only watch as the three Void God Realm experts went inside the store. ''Hey! What about me? I''m still here you know!''


    When the three reached the second floor of the store, they saw Theia in her knight''s armor standing at the entrance. She had a distant look on her face as she eyed the three of them. Those cold and expressionless eyes made the three powerhouses feel a sudden chill in their hearts!


    They had an odd feeling that this cold-looking blonde beauty was capable of killing them!


    "Don''t exceed the time limit!" Theia muttered coldly before closing her eyes.


    The three hurriedly nodded their heads. They then stepped inside the room with relieved faces. She was too scary!


    The three quickly found their seats.


    "Gentlemen, can I ask you guys who that woman is?" Demon Empress Ganda asked in a whispering tone. She also blocked the space around them using her spiritual power to prevent anyone from hearing their conversation.


    Balmond and Yue Bo nced at each other before they answered with serious faces.


    "You might have heard of her name already. She is Young Miss Theia, the guardian of the store''s second floor. From what we know, she is also Wine Master Jiu Shen''s partner."


    Hearing this, the Demon Empress was a bit surprised. ''Even his partner is so strong?!''


    "Young Miss, I''m sure that you didn''t approach us just to ask this, right?" Balmond smiled while looking at the Demon Empress who sat opposite him.


    "Indeed. First, please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ganda, the Demon Empress and the leader of Narda Principality. I apologize for thete introduction." The Demon Empress introduced herself directly.


    Hearing this, Balmond''s mouth gaped open, while Yue Bo also appeared to be stunned.


    "So you''re the hidden leader of Narda Principality!" Balmond eximed in shock. All this time, they never knew who was leading Narda Principality in secret. So it was actually this red-haired demon!


    Demon Empress Ganda nodded her head and she felt a bit anxious when she sense the animosity in Balmond''s tone. From the looks of it, it seemed like this guy was dissatisfied with Narda Principality''s past actions. He couldn''t be med though since the Great Demon Empire had been at odds with Narda Principality for many centuries!


    "I know that Your Majesty Balmond is angry about the actions of Narda Principality. I came here to apologize and seek your forgiveness. I hope that you will be magnanimous enough to forgive us, Your Majesty..." She muttered in a soft voice.. Demon Empress Ganda felt a bit humiliated as she uttered those words, but she had to do it. This was for the survival of Narda Principality!

 Chapter 427: Compensation

    <h4>Chapter 427: Compensation</h4>


    Balmond was taken aback. He thought that the leader of Narda Principality was a prideful expert who wouldn''t be willing topromise.


    "Sigh. It''s all in the past. I just hope that Narda Principality will no longer attack our borders." In truth, after Balmond became Jiu Shen''s subordinate, he cared less about Narda Principality. Now that their leader is willing to apologize to him, he was willing to take a step back. Besides, their Bloodfallen Family was still at war with the Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family. They didn''t want more enemiesing at their doorstep at this moment.


    Demon Empress Ganda heaved a sigh of relief. Although she was already expecting Balmond to ept her apology due to their circumstance, she still felt that massive burden was finally lifted off her chest.


    After that, she took a golden ring and ced it on the table as she said. "Your Majesty Balmond, inside this ring are various resources. Take it aspensation for our Narda Principality''s mistakes."


    Balmond silently took the golden ring. He then used his spiritual vision to inspect what was inside. What he saw made him feel a bit surprised. ''This woman is actually willing to take out so many resources at once just to make amends with us... Just why did they suddenly change in attitude?''


    "I''ll take this since we truly need resources right now. You might have already heard about the iing war..." Balmond muttered as he kept the golden ring.


    Demon Empress Ganda nodded her head. "Narda Principality is willing to offer our assistance to the Bloodfallen Family. We wish to ally with you. Narda Principality also hopes that the lotus building would be willing to be allies with our Narda Principality."


    Hm?


    Balmond was pleasantly surprised upon hearing this. Their Bloodfallen Family''s strength was not strong enough to overpower the other two founding families. If Narda Principality is willing to offer their assistance, then they would have a higher chance of winning the war!


    "On behalf of the Bloodfallen Family, I ept Narda Principality as our ally!" Balmond said as he extended his hand towards the Demon Empress who immediately shook it.


    "I''m sorry, but my voice can''t represent the lotus building. However, I''m certain that Wine Master Jiu Shen would not ept the alliance between Narda Principality and the lotus building. Knowing his personality, he might even ask for you to be his subordinate." Yue Bo said in a calm voice.


    ''Wine Master Jiu Shen is standing at the peak of this world, so why would he ally himself with others? Naive!'' Yue Bo scoffed in his heart.


    Hearing this, the Demon Empress became silent. She knew that what Yue Bo said was true. She had fought with Jiu Shen before and she knew that she had no chance of winning against him. That guy also asked her to be his gardener, so what Yue Bo said wasn''t wrong.


    In the end, Demon Empress Ganda sighed bitterly. "Once Wine Master Jiu Shenes out of seclusion, I will discuss this with him. Thank you for your time, gentlemen. Farewell."


    She then left right away, but before she could take a step down the stairway, she heard Theia''s cold voice ringing beside her ears.


    "The next time youe here, you must buy something first. Idling isn''t allowed in this store. You''ve broken two rules already, but I won''t ask forpensation since Yue Bo is with you. Leave."


    Demon Empress Ganda stared at Theia''s expressionless face for a short moment before she lightly bowed her head. She then left the lotus building without looking back.


    Theia stared at Balmond and Yue Bo, making the two grown men unconsciously flinch. "You heard me, right? You can''t bring people here just to talk. Leave."


    She didn''t even give them face, but the two men dared not utter a sound as they obediently left.


    ***


    Herald Lycan slowly descended before the iron gates of Poison Valley. He did not hide his aura, so he immediately attracted everyone''s attention.


    "Hahaha! Long time no see, Herald!" A middle-aged goat demon dressed in purple and ck robes came out of the iron gates to greet him. This guy was the Valley Master of Poison Valley, Jiao Lei! He is an expert at the mid stage Void God Realm!


    Herald Lycan stepped forward and cupped his fists towards the goat demon as he smiled. "It''s good to see that you''re doing well, my friend."


    Valley Master Jiao Lei smiled, but his face suddenly turned stiff when he noticed the cultivation base of the werewolf demon in front of him. "Your cultivation..."


    "Haha! I made a breakthrough just recently!" Herald Lycan proudly stated. Even so, he dared not act too excessively in the territory of Jiao Lei. This guy might be weaker than him in terms of cultivation, but his poison concoctions and poison arts could still threaten him!


    Valley Master Jiao Lei warmly smiled as he said. "I''m sure that you''re not just here to unt your recent breakthrough, Herald. Come. Let''s talk inside my ce."


    Herald Lycan followed the Valley Master to his mansion while looking around the territory of Poison Valley. He was surprised when he noticed that the poison mist here had be stronger than hisst visit. Even so, this amount of poison was nothing to the current him since he could just expel it out of his body using his true essence and anma.


    "So you''ve noticed it, huh? Although I didn''t achieve a breakthrough in my cultivation, I was able to discover a much stronger poison to upgrade the defense of our Poison Valley! Even Nascent God Realm experts would die in a few days if they don''t have our antidote!" Valley Master Jiao wore a smug look when he saw the stunned Herald.


    Herald Lycan felt a chill in his heart upon hearing this. Just the poison mist alone could actually kill Nascent God Realm experts in days if not treated?! That was absurd! Luckily, Valley Master Jiao was his long-time friend andrade.. Making enemies with the Poison Valley was dangerous! He didn''t even know how Narda Principality managed to repel these poison masters.

 Chapter 428: Poison Valley’s Answer

    <h4>Chapter 428: Poison Valley¡¯s Answer</h4>


    "So what brings you here, Herald?" Valley Master Jiao smiled as he looked at the werewolf demon.


    Herald Lycan put on a serious look as he began his pitch. "Old Jiao, everyone knows that your Poison Valley has been in conflict with Narda Principality for very long. However, the battle between the two superpowers has been at a stalemate. I have a proposal which would help you win against them."


    Valley Master Jiao''s smiling expression turned stern upon hearing his words. "You''ve made me curious, Herald. Alright. Tell me about your proposal."


    Herald grinned as he said. "My Lycan Family is willing to help you fight against Narda Principality. Not just that... Our Lycan Family''s long-time ally, the Torgrim Family has also expressed their desire to help the Poison Valley. We will also help you stabilize Narda Principality after you''ve conquered it."


    Valley Master Jiao''s eyes shed with astonishment. This was a tempting proposal, but he knew that there was more to it. "This is indeed tempting, Herald, but I know that there is a catch. Just say it to me."


    Herald''s expression became grave as he replied with a righteous tone. "You''ve been busy dealing with the affairs of the Poison Valley and Narda Principality, so you might not know it. The absolute ruler of the Great Demon Empire, Demon Emperor Balmond has decided to pass the throne to his daughter, Princess Cornelia. However, my Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family are against her leadership! We believe that the Bloodfallen Family has be an ipetent leader! Thus, we decided to rebel against the Bloodfallen Imperial Family and nominate a new ruler! To do this, the strength of our two families alone wouldn''t be enough. We need allies!"


    Valley Master Jiao sneered in his heart when he saw the righteous look of the werewolf demon. However, he nodded his head as if he understood their plight. "I understand, but why should we help you? We can handle Narda Principality by ourselves."


    The Valley Master was confident that they would eventually emerge as the final winner against Narda Principality. Though it might take time, at least they wouldn''t have to join the war of others.


    Hearing this, Herald put on a smile as he muttered. "What if I tell you that Narda Principality has allied with the Bloodfallen Family? Do you think your Poison Valley can handle them alone?"


    Valley Master Jiao Lei frowned. ''So that''s why Narda Principality has been pretty quiet in thest few weeks. They actually allied with the Bloodfallen Family in secret, but is Herald saying the truth?''


    "Herald, do you have proof about this?" The Valley Master stared at the werewolf demon with a grave expression. If it was true, then defeating Narda Principality would be difficult!


    "In truth, we''ve sent delegates to Narda Principality and signed an agreement to be their ally. We even sent them valuable resources to cement our alliance. We thought that everything would proceed smoothly. However, Narda Principality suddenly returned the items we''ve given them and they also revoked our agreement. This happened when they sent a delegate to the Bloodfallen Family. Is this proof enough, my friend?" Herald smiled at the goat demon.


    Valley Master Jiao sighed with a look of defeat. "Fine! My Poison Valley will join your war against the Bloodfallen Family, but you have to make sure that the Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family will do as they promised!"


    "Of course! I wouldn''t dare renege against my words, Old Jiao. I will send my subordinates here to finalize our alliance. I hope you can bring your army to this location. The Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family have soldiers stationed there." Herald took out a map and pointed at an area near Morlon City. It was a mountainous region with no prominent family overseeing the ce. It was the perfect ce to hide their armies!


    Looking at the location pointed in the map, Valley Master Jiao nodded his head. "Rest assured, Herald. I will bring an army of poison masters there soon."


    Herald Lycan''s eyes lit up as he stood up. "Great! It''s a pleasure working with you, Old Jiao! I won''t stay for long since I still have matters to do."


    The werewolf demon soon left after shaking hands with the goat demon.


    After Herald left, Valley Master Jiao chuckled to himself as he muttered. "It looks like I will be taking Narda Principality soon. Hahaha!"


    ***


    Meanwhile, Stormhoof Torgrim was now standing in front of an old and frail demon who was holding a thick old book.


    "Good day, Elder Skull! We have met a long time ago, but I was still a junior at that time, so you might not know me. My name is Stormhoof Torgrim, the current leader of the Great Demon Empire''s Torgrim Family." Stormhoof dared not act pretentiously in front of this old demon. This old guy was already famous in the Crimson Fiend Continent thousands of years ago. He rose to power without the help of anyone and he soon became an expert that everyone could only look up to. This old demon was the Necromancer Emperor!


    Stormhoof was also stunned when he realized that he couldn''t see through this old man''s cultivation level. That means he was also ate stage Void God Realm expert or even higher!


    ''So this undying old demon has already reached this level! Hopefully, the wyvern corpse could move him...''


    After discovering that the Necromancer Emperor was much stronger than he had anticipated, Stormhoof could only pray that the old demon would be interested in the Void God Realm wyvern corpse that he had in his possession.


    "So you''re the son of Markanen Torgrim. You do resemble him." The old demon''s frail and soft voice echoed.


    Stormhoof nodded his head with a smile. "Indeed. Is Elder Skull a friend of my father?"


    The old demon stared deeply at Stormhoof and suddenly chuckled eerily as he muttered. "No. We are enemies."


    "What?!" Stormhoof stood rooted on the ground.. He suddenly had an urge to leave this ce.

 Chapter 429: Corpse Of Fire Wyvern Overlord

    <h4>Chapter 429: Corpse Of Fire Wyvern Overlord</h4>


    Stormhoof adjusted his posture so that he could flee if something goes wrong with the negotiations.


    Elder Skull chuckled when he saw the wary look of the muscr demon. He then let out a sigh as he recalled a certain figure from his memories. "We are indeed enemies. He was even the reason why I''ve be a wanderer. Surpassing him was my lifelong dream, but I no longer have the hope to do that. Markanen Torgrim died during the continental war more than fifty thousand years ago. My dream was buried alongside his death. Now, I''m only an ordinary old man who is studying necromancy."


    Stormhoof felt relieved in his heart when he realized that Elder Skull had no ns of attacking him. Although he was confident in his own skills, the old demon was giving him a dangerous vibe. He didn''t dare think what would have happened if they ended up fighting.


    "Whatever my father has done to Elder Skull, please allow me to apologize on his behalf." Stormhoof said carefully.


    The old demon nced at him with a smile, showing him two iplete rows of ckened teeth. "I know you didn''te here just to say this. Just spit it out since I still have research to do."


    Stormhoof quickly nodded his head as he wiped the sweat on his forehead. "In truth, I am here to ask for your assistance, Elder Skull."


    Elder Skull frowned with a displeased look. "Do you think I wouldn''t kill you just because you''re Markanen''s son!? Just spit everything out already!"


    "Yes! Yes! Yes! I hope Elder Skull would help the Torgrim and the Lycan Family in usurping the throne from the Bloodfallen Imperial Family! In return, I will give you the corpse of a Void God Realm Fire Wyvern Overlord!" Stormhoof immediately said everything in his mind. Heck! This elder was too hot-blooded!


    Hearing this, the murky eyes of the old demon suddenly shed with a look of interest.


    "You have the corpse of a Void God Realm Fire Wyvern Overlord?" Elder Skull stared at him doubtfully. This savage beast lives inside active volcanoes, and when it matures, it would reach the Void God Realm! Its corpse was a very attractive specimen to Necromancer like him!


    Stormhoof nodded his head as he unhesitatingly took out the corpse of a huge dragon-like savage beast. A loud banging sound soon echoed in the surroundings when he dropped it on the ground.


    This savage beast was more than a thousand meters long and its body was covered in red metal-like scales! Even in death, this creature still emitted a terrifying aura!


    Elder Skull''s eyes lit up when he saw the corpse. He then used his spiritual vision to scan it.


    After three minutes, the old demon patted the corpse with his withered hand as he muttered. "This isn''t just a simple Fire Wyvern Overlord. Although its outer appearance is in pristine condition, I noticed that its internal organs are severely damaged. This guy must''ve died from a high-level fist technique! When it was alive, this savage beast was at the peak stage of the Void God Realm... With your strength, you''re not even capable of harming it, so this must have been given to you by Markanen Torgrim... Only that guy is strong enough to release such a high-level fist technique."


    Stormhoof was stunned by the elder''s deep insight. He was even able to recognize his father''s fist aura that was lingering inside the beast''s internal organs!


    "That''s right. This corpse was given to me by my father when I was young. He told me that I could use this corpse in crucial times. Initially, I nned to use it for my cultivation, but things suddenly went out of hand." Stormhoof sighed as he shook his head.


    Elder Skull remained silent as he stared at the huge corpse in front of him. Stormhoof felt nervous as he waited at the side. If the old demon will steal it from him... that would be disastrous...


    After a long while, Elder Skull turned his gaze to the anxious Stormhoof and opened his mouth. "I can help you, but I can''t join personally."


    Stormhoof''s eyes lit up when he heard the first few words, but he then frowned when the elder continued. "Elder Skull, what do you mean?"


    The old demon red at him and scoffed. "Even if I can''t go there, I can still send my most valued corpse puppet to help you with your war. Open your eyes and take a look yourself!"


    The old demon then took out something huge from his space ring. It was a vicious-looking creature that seemed to be crafted from various savage beasts stitched together! This amalgamation of savagery emitted an overpowering aura of suppression that made Stormhoof''s face turn grave.


    Late stage Void God Realm!


    This savage creature has an aura that was simr to his own!


    "If you think that this isn''t enough for the corpse of the Fire Wyvern Overlord, then I will add twenty thousand undead with cultivation bases between 6th-rank King and 9th-rank Saint. What do you think?" Elder Skull smiled as he summoned a huge army of undead behind him. All of them were holding weapons and they emitted a dense deathly aura!


    Stormhoof was shocked by the elder''s offer. Although Elder Skull wouldn''t fight in person, just thete stage Void God Realm chimera alone already made him happy. The addition of twenty thousand undead made him unable to contain his smile. "Elder Skull, this is enough! I''ll ept this transaction!"


    Elder Skull nodded his head calmly. "Good! But remember that I''m only letting you borrow them. Return them to me once your war is over."


    Stormhoof was a bit disappointed, but he could only ept this. Although the Fire Wyvern Overlord''s corpse was valuable, the treasure vault of the Bloodfallen Family could make up for his losses.


    "You can rest assured, Elder Skull! I will bring them back after we take the throne!" Stormhoof patted his chest with a confident look. If Herald was also sessful in his talks with the Poison Valley, their chances of winning is now higher! No! They would surely be the victor!


    Just thinking about it made Stormhoof smile from ear to ear.

 Chapter 430: Jiu Shen, Return My Weapons!

    <h4>Chapter 430: Jiu Shen, Return My Weapons!</h4>


    Within the Spirit World, Jiu Shen was seated cross-legged above the clouds with his eyes shut tight.


    In front of him was the Heaven Trampling Cauldron.


    At this moment, the cauldron emitted a draconic cry as a brilliant rainbow suddenly puffed out of the cauldron''s opening.


    Jiu Shen slowly opened his eyes. He then extended his hand towards the cauldron as he took the pills that were still covered in rainbow radiance. "Mystic Cloud Ascension Pellets,plete."


    Jiu Shen smiled as he stared at the pills in his hand.


    The Mystic Cloud Ascension Pellet was a type of pill that could increase the chances of breaking through the Mystic God Realm! With his True God Realm spiritual power, refining this pill was not difficult.


    "Unfortunately, I can only make one batch of this pill since there is ack of high-level ingredients in the Spirit World. Too bad..." He muttered to himself as he kept the pills inside his space earring.


    "I''ve prepared everything now. It''s time to go out and see what those little kids are doing..." He smiled as he summoned the door to exit the Spirit World.


    He came out above the lotus building. It was still bustling and he could see many customers going in and out of the store.


    Jiu Shen quickly scanned the lotus building with his spiritual perception.


    "It looks like Yue Bo did a great job in teaching Balmond about gardening. I''ll reward himter. Hmm, isn''t that the little leader of Narda Principality? Is she perhaps looking for her weapons?" Jiu Shen chuckled as he spectated everyone through his spiritual vision. They didn''t even notice that someone was watching them.


    After observing everyone, Jiu Shen extended the range of his spiritual vision. He looked at the entire Great Demon Empire and then the vast Crimson Fiend Continent. Soon, his spiritual perception covered the whole of Nuar!


    "I can now cover the entirety of Nuar with my spiritual perception." He saw many things in just a few seconds. This was the power of his True God Realm spiritual force!


    When he observed Morlon City, he discovered that the city has new fortifications. Tens of thousands of demon soldiers were stationed in the city and there were even Nascent God Realm experts patrolling in every corner.


    Seeing this, Jiu Shen revealed a look of interest. Although he didn''t n to join theing war, he wouldn''t allow his key subordinates to die prematurely. He still had ns for them and he needed them alive.


    After that, Jiu Shen slowly descended on the garden, shocking the two figures who were weeding the garden with their hand hoes.


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen!"


    They eximed with wide eyes. They remembered that Jiu Shen told them that he might be gone for months or even years. From the looks of it, he came out of seclusion earlier than he nned! Did he seed?


    Yue Bo and Balmond couldn''t help but feel a bit excited at the thought of it. If Wine Master Jiu Shen seeded, how strong was he now?


    Suddenly, a few figures came out of the lotus building.


    A chubby white cat, a purple-haired man, a purple-haired beauty, a blonde wearing armor, and a few others.


    All of them were looking at Jiu Shen with joyful smiles on their faces as they greeted him.


    "Master!"


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen!"


    "Sect Master!"


    But there was one voice that stood out among the rest.


    "Jiu Shen, return my weapons!"


    Everyone could not help but nce at the red-haired beauty. Although they couldn''t see her expression since her face was covered by a veil, everyone could still sense the exasperation in her tone.


    Demon Empress Ganda became anxious when she sensed everyone''s gazes on her. ''Crap! I lost control of myself...''


    Jiu Shen felt a bit embarrassed when he saw the pitiful Demon Empress Ganda. He coughed as he took out the two weapons from his space earring. "When we sparred, I noticed that your weapons'' inscriptions are damaged, so I decided to bring them with me and see if I could repair them. If you want to get them. You can have them back..."


    Of course, Jiu Shen was just lying. He didn''t n to repair her weapons at all! Not that he couldn''t repair them, but he didn''t have the necessary items to restore the weapons in their peak conditions. After all, these two were peak True God-rank weapons!


    Hearing his words, Demon Empress Ganda was dumbstruck. Repair her weapons? ording to her ancestors, those weapons were peak True God-rank weapons! That means only those True God-rank cksmiths could make them! Now, Jiu Shen is actually telling her that he wanted to see if he could repair them? Wait... Is it possible that he is telling the truth? If it''s true, then his strength...


    Demon Empress Ganda didn''t dare think further. She feared that she might have a heart attack if she continued thinking about it.


    Under everyone''s watchful eyes, Demon Empress Ganda took her weapons from Jiu Shen''s hands and immediately kept them inside her space ring. She was afraid that Jiu Shen might go back on his words if she hesitated longer.


    "Alright. Since everyone is doing good, I''ll go inside and rest now..." Jiu Shen smiled as he went inside the lotus building.


    Theia walked towards him and followed Jiu Shen inside, leaving the rest standing rooted in their spots.


    Demon Empress Ganda immediately left when she saw this opportunity. She didn''t want to face everyone at this moment since she still felt a bit embarrassed about her outburst earlier.


    Soon, the others also went inside the lotus building and only Balmond and Yue Bo were left behind in the garden.


    "I think I''ve forgotten something." Balmond muttered with an absentminded look.


    Yue Bo chuckled when he heard this. He then continued weeding the garden using his hand hoe as he said. "You mentioned earlier that you would beg Wine Master Jiu Shen to create suitable techniques for your subordinates once hees out of seclusion."


    "Oh, right! How did I forget that?!" Balmond dropped his hand hoe and went inside the lotus building.


    Yue Boughed and shook his head as he looked at the scrambling Demon Emperor.

 Chapter 431: Theia’s Thoughts

    <h4>Chapter 431: Theia¡¯s Thoughts</h4>


    Jiu Shen didn''t immediately go to his room. He found a random seat on the first floor and satfortably. He has been refining pills and creating techniques inside the Spirit World, so despite his high cultivation, he still felt mentally exhausted.


    "How did it go?" Theia sat beside him as she asked in a soft voice. Although she couldn''t sense the changes in Jiu Shen''s strength, she guessed that he had experienced a great increase in his strength. Her instinct as a past Heavenly God Realm expert was telling this.


    Jiu Shen held her hand and smiled. "You already know that I''ve been stuck at the Third Level of the Heart Realm for many years. I experienced a sh of enlightenment which made me sense the border of the Fourth Realm. Unfortunately, I could still not take a step into this realm. However, I managed to increase my spiritual power to the True God Realm! Amazing, right?"


    Theia suddenly let out a smile which stunned Jiu Shen.


    "Is there something wrong?" Jiu Shen could not help but ask when he saw her silly smile.


    "You''ve changed, Jiu Shen. You''re no longer the emotionless man I knew before. And you''re smiling more often now." Theia revealed an affectionate smile as she leaned closer to Jiu Shen.


    "Did I really change?" Jiu Shen muttered silently to himself as he gently patted Theia''s back. He suddenly recalled that he now enjoyed bullying people... ''Perhaps she''s right...''


    "Ehem!"


    Theia lifted her head from Jiu Shen''s embrace and red at the demon who had destroyed the atmosphere.


    Jiu Shen turned his gaze towards Balmond who seemingly had something to say.


    Balmond ignored Theia''s chilling gaze as he looked at Jiu Shen with embarrassment.


    "Uhm, Wine Master Jiu Shen, I''d like to ask for a favor..." He muttered with a hint of anxiety. From the looks of it, this wasn''t the best time to ask Jiu Shen for something, but he was already here, so he could only bite the bullet.


    Jiu Shen''s expression was calm and indifferent as he motioned Balmond to sit down on a chair opposite him.


    Balmond sat down nervously and waited for Jiu Shen to speak, but when he saw that the man was merely looking at him, he immediately said. "It''s like this. Do you remember the items that you told me to collect for Artaurus? I sent Hanzo and a few other experts to get everything in the Divine Beast Continent. They came back earlier with the spiritual herbs and I thought I should reward them handsomely. However, I don''t think a simple reward would be enough for what they aplished. So I hope that Wine Master Jiu Shen can help me create suitable techniques for those men. In return, I''ll have the whole Bloodfallen Family swear allegiance to you."


    He then took out the jade boxes that contained the spiritual herbs and carefully handed them to Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen inspected the spiritual herbs inside the jade boxes. He told Balmond that hecked two ingredients to create the Soul Stabilizing Array Formation that could save Artaurus.


    The Vermilion Callia Lily was a small flower that seemed to have burning petals. Jiu Shen furrowed his eyebrows when he saw that it was still so young. On the other hand, the mother leaf of the Vulcan Spirit Vine was in perfect age, but its edges appeared to be damaged.


    "There two Origin-rank spiritual herbs have low quality, but this is already enough..." With Jiu Shen''s recent increase in spiritual power, refining the properties of these subpar ingredients was easy.


    "As for what you''ve asked just now... Fine. Bring those people to me..." Jiu Shen said as he kept the jade boxes inside his space earring.


    Hearing this, Balmond who was about to copse from nervousness heaved a sigh of relief. He then stood up and bowed at Jiu Shen with a look of respect. "Thank you so much, Wine Master Jiu Shen. I''ll bring those guys immediately so you can have a look at them. As for the Bloodfallen Family, I''ll bring the elders here soon to finalize our allegiance. I won''t waste your time anymore, Wine Master Jiu. Farewell."


    The Demon Emperor happily left the lotus building. He couldn''t wait to share this news with Hanzo and his subordinates.


    "I can''t even have a moment to take a break..." Jiu Shen sighed as he shook his head. Now that he had the two spiritual herbs, he can now create the Soul Stabilizing Array Formation for Artaurus. He was willing to do this since that guy''s physique was quite special. He also nned to have Artaurus join his Heavenly Sword Tower.


    Theia chuckled when she heard his words. "Go. I''ll stay here."


    Jiu Shen nced at her and took out something from his space earring. "You will need this soon. I don''t know why, but your physique seemed to be as special as mine."


    "Mystic Cloud Ascension Pellet? You already made this?" Theia immediately identified the pill in her hand. It was somethingmonly sold in the Primordial God Realm, so she was able to recognize it with just one look.


    "Of course. It''s not too difficult..." Jiu Shen replied as he shrugged his shoulders.


    "Alright. I''ll go visit that underground prison now so I can go home early. I''lle back soon." He smiled before he left the lotus building.


    Theia stared at the pill in her hand with an emotional look. "Our cultivation is progressing too fast. I fear that we might have to go back to the Primordial God Realm soon. I''d rather live in this mortal world with you than go back to that ce. That piece of crap, Lao Gou... He wouldn''t rest if he finds out that we are both alive..."


    She then went to the second floor and began cultivating with a serious expression on her face.. "I have to be stronger, so you wouldn''t have to shoulder this burden alone."

 Chapter 432: Recovery Of Artaurus Bloodfallen

    <h4>Chapter 432: Recovery Of Artaurus Bloodfallen</h4>


    Jiu Shen arrived inside the hidden dungeon of the Bloodfallen Family. The ce was dark and gloomy and the only source of light were two flickering Ten Thousand Year Torches. Just like their name, they remain burning for ten thousand years!


    From where he stood, Jiu Shen could see a prison cell not far from him. He then walked towards it with a calm look.


    Despite the dungeon''s gloomy atmosphere, it was still clean. Balmond didn''t want his son to suffer, so he had someone he trusted to clean this ce every day.


    Jiu Shen stood in front of the prison and saw a young man sitting listlessly at the corner. His eyes looked vacant as if he had lost his soul and his body emitted a foul stench.


    "What a pity! You have a Divine Physique, but no one was able to recognize it. Luckily, your father was smart enough to seal your cultivation or you would have died." Jiu Shen muttered silently as he entered the prison. This kind of prison was nothing to him. Even without the key, he could just teleport inside using his space ability.


    The soulless eyes of the young demon suddenly shed with viciousness when he sensed the presence of another individual in this confined space.


    He emitted a beast-like roar as he pounced towards Jiu Shen like an angry lion.


    Jiu Shen lifted his finger and flicked the chest of the young demon, sending him flying towards the other side of the prison.


    Thud.


    "Just sleep there obediently since I''ll begin making the array." Jiu Shen said to the unconscious young demon as he took out several items from his space earring.


    Vermilion Callia Lily, mother leaf of Vulcan Spirit Vine, one vial of Origin God Realm savage beast blood, one God Stone, and a hundred pounds of Golden Sand.


    Normally, Array Formation Makers use an Array Brush and a special type of ink to create an Array Formation. However, Jiu Shen was able to create an Array Formation Making Technique that wouldn''t any of the two items. This technique was created because of Jiu Shen''s boredom when he was studying Array Formation Making in his past life.


    Jiu Shen drew a pattern on the ground using the Golden Sand. This process was the easiest in his technique and it only took him five minutes to do it.


    After that, Jiu Shen grabbed the Vermilion Callia Lily and the mother leaf of Vulcan Spirit Vine and refined them into a liquid form. The refining process was a bit longer and hepleted it in twelve minutes.


    He then took out a sk and poured the liquid forms of the two spiritual herbs inside. He also poured the blood of the Origin God Realm savage beast inside the sk. After mixing the three, a purple liquid mixture was created. Jiu Shen will be using this as the ink for his Array Formation.


    Jiu Shen dipped his forefinger in the sk and coated the tip of his finger with the purple mixture. He then followed the pattern he drew earlier using the Golden Sand.


    The inscription he drew slowly lit up and came to life, but Jiu Shen knew that there was still one final item he needed to add toplete this Array Formation.


    He grabbed the God Stone that he had taken out earlier and ced it at the very core of the inscription.


    The light emitted by the inscription became even brighter, but it soon stabilized.


    "Alright. It''s done." Jiu Shen muttered, pleased with his own work. He then walked towards the unconscious Artaurus and threw him towards the Soul Stabilizing Array Formation.


    "His body and soul need more than an hour to healpletely." He muttered.


    With nothing else to do, Jiu Shen took out a chair from his space earring. He definitely didn''t n to sit on the cold smelly floor. He then covered his nose using his true essence and drank wine as he waited for Artaurus to wake up.


    After about an hour, the unconscious Artaurus suddenly groaned as he slowly lifted his aching body. He felt like he had just woken up from a very long sleep. His bones creaked and his blood churned as if he hade back to life.


    Thest thing he could recall was that he had lost control of his own consciousness and began killing everyone. After that, everything soon went dark and this periodsted for a very long time.


    "Whe-Where am I?" Artaurus lifted his head and observed his surroundings with a weak look. Suddenly, his eyes caught sight of a silver-haired human seated calmly on a chair. At this moment, this human youth was looking at him with an indifferent gaze.


    It unnerved him. It felt like he was being stared at by a predator!


    Artaurus stood up with great difficulty as he looked at Jiu Shen''s face. "Human, where is this ce?"


    He saw the human smiling at him coldly. His voice was devoid of emotions. "Artaurus Bloodfallen. You don''t resemble Balmond at all. That guy looks like he would kill someone any time, but you look no different than your sister, Cornelia. Maybe a haircut would make you look manlier."


    That was the reply Artaurus heard from the human. Suddenly, his eyes became frosty. "How dare you call His Majesty by his name! Cough! Cough!"


    Cough!


    Artaurus fell weakly to the ground as he coughed heavily. He felt his lungs were short of oxygen after that moment of rage. Who is this human? Why did he know his father?


    "Well, at least you got his violent side. You should not talk too much since you just recovered. It''s too troublesome to exin things to you, so I''ll give this job to Balmond. You cane to me when you''ve learned everything." Jiu Shen said as he walked towards Artaurus. He then brought him out of the dungeon and teleported him straight to where Balmond was located.


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen? Wait.... Artaurus?!" A surprised voice soon echoed as Jiu Shen and Artaurus appeared inside the meeting room of the Bloodfallen Family.

 Chapter 433: Doubt

    <h4>Chapter 433: Doubt</h4>


    "Artaurus?" Balmond''s voice quivered as he stared at his son who has been in a deranged state for thousands of years. He tried various ways to make his son recover and he even asked the help of many famous healers and alchemists. However, all of them came to the same conclusion. Artaurus had no hopes of recovery.


    Artaurus'' condition has been his greatest regret in his life and Balmond had even almost given up.


    Seeing that his son has now recovered, this tough Demon Emperor could barely hold back his tears from falling. If not for the presence of other people here, he would have cried his heart out.


    With a great leap, Balmond arrived in front of Artaurus. He held his son''s shoulder and inspected Artaurus'' body using spiritual perception.


    The berserk spiritual energy was no longer there and even Artaurus'' physical constitution seemed to be improving at a discernible speed.


    Balmond was stunned when he saw this scene. Just what kind of miraculous Array Formation was the Soul Stabilizing Array Formation? Wait. Didn''t he just meet with Jiu Shen a few hours ago? Then does that mean this fellow was able to create such godly Array Formation in just an hour?! That was ridiculous!


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen, is Artaurus fine now?" Balmond stared at the young human with a look of respect. Just how many secrets was this guy hiding? On top of being a great expert and a high-level Alchemist, this guy also showed that he was a capable Array Formation Maker! Don''t tell me when he mentioned that he could repair Demon Empress Ganda''s weapons, he was actually speaking the truth?!


    Jiu Shen shrugged with azy look on his face. "You''ve seen his body yourself, right? Did you see anything wrong with it? Why are you asking such an idiotic question? Oh, right! You can tell him what happened since I don''t have time to exin things to him. Also, hurry up and go back to the garden. There are a few spiritual nts that are about to bear fruits. You should help Yue Bo in gathering them. Alright, I have to go now. Bye."


    He didn''t even give Balmond the chance to speak as he vanished in just a blink of an eye...


    The Demon Emperor could only stare at the empty space with a nk look.


    "Your Majesty, who is that insolent, human? He actually dared to talk like that in your presence. We should behead humans like him!" Artaurus'' words broke his reverie and he immediately sent a sharp re at his son.


    "Bastard! Don''t talk like that to Wine Master Jiu Shen! Are you tired of living anymore!? I even thickened my face to beg him just to help you recover!" Balmond recovered his emperor demeanor and immediately scolded Artaurus, making thetter shrink his neck in terror.


    "What do you mean?" Artaurus asked in a shaky voice. He didn''t understand what his father was talking about. Thest thing he could recall was hazy and he could only remember himself frenziedly killing everyone. He thought that it was a dream. Just what happened?


    Balmond sighed when he saw the confusion written all over Artaurus'' face. He then proceeded to tell his clueless son about what had happened. Balmond narrated everything from the start, from how Artaurus suddenly turned crazy and began attacking people, when Balmond had no choice but to seal his cultivation and imprison him in a hidden dungeon, until the present.


    Artaurus'' eyes became dazed as he listened to his father. He couldn''t believe that so many things have happened ever since that day. And when he heard that thousands of years had passed, Artaurus couldn''t help but feel despair. His youth has been spent without him even having the chance to enjoy it. That was also the most ideal time for him to create a sturdy foundation for his future cultivation path. Unfortunately, he couldn''t turn back time.


    Balmond sighed and shook his head when he saw the look of despair on Artaurus'' face. A genius child actually experienced such a devastating event. It was truly regretful...


    "Does it mean that my future aplishments would be mediocre?" Artaurus muttered with a nk look on his face.


    Balmond was silent when he heard his son''s words, but then he suddenly recalled Jiu Shen''s words at that time.


    "From what Wine Master Jiu Shen has told me, you have the Berserk Spirit Divine Body. ording to him, this type of physique is special, but I have no idea what it is. However, Wine Master Jiu Shen was the one who helped you recover. He should know how you can make up for the time you''ve wasted!" Balmond became excited the more he spoke. He then held his son''s shoulder and told him.


    "Artaurus, you cane with meter to the lotus building. Your body is special, so our Bloodfallen Family''s techniques aren''t suitable for you, but you still have a chance if we plead Wine Master Jiu Shen." Balmond said. In truth, he felt embarrassed to face Jiu Shen right now since he had already asked too many favors from the man. Now, he was even nning to ask for his help again, but he truly had no one else he could go to. Only Jiu Shen was capable of helping Artaurus now.


    "Father, is that guy truly that impressive?" Artaurus stared at Balmond''s nearly fanatical look with doubt. He still held prejudice about humans since they have been long-time enemies of the Demon Race. Artaurus also remembered that his father abhorred the sight of humans, so it was quite surprising to see him so respectful to a race he once hated.


    Balmond red at Artaurus and smack his son''s head lightly. Though he didn''t dare add too much force since Artaurus had just recovered. Still, it made Artaurus stumble.


    "That man has already transcended the Void God Realm! I''m not even sure how strong he is right now, but I''m certain that no one else in Nuar couldpete with him! Even those beings of the ancient times might have to grovel beneath his feet! What do you think? Is he impressive or not?"


    Hearing his father''s exaggerated words, Artaurus could only nod his head while keeping his doubts to himself.

 Chapter 434: Brat, Don’t Bother Me Again

    <h4>Chapter 434: Brat, Don¡¯t Bother Me Again</h4>


    Outside the lotus building, in front of the spiritual garden.


    Jiu Shen slumped on his chair with a tired look on his face. Exhaustion was written all over his face.


    He then whipped out a bottle of wine from his space earring and immediately downed the entire bottle.


    "Ah... Thest time I''ve been this tired was when tens of thousands of Supreme God Realm and Heavenly God Realm experts were pursuing me... I never knew that managing a faction was this tedious... Maybe I should let someone act as my figurehead and pass all these troublesome matters to them." Jiu Shen muttered as he leanedfortably on his chair.


    Long Meili suddenly appeared behind him and gave him a satisfying massage. He could not help but close his eyes when he felt her soft fingers rubbing his back.


    "Master, you can pass all those matters to us. Although we might not be able to do things perfectly as you do, we will do our best to fulfill everything to your satisfaction. I''m sure Sister Theia and the others would be willing." Long Meili whispered softly to his ears.


    Jiu Shen pushed her face away from him and looked at her in disdain. "I''m not looking down on you lot, but I don''t think any one of you are capable enough to manage things on my behalf."


    Long Meili felt dejected upon hearing his words. In the end, she could only remain silent.


    In truth, Jiu Shen was already nning to groom someone to do this job. However, no one here in Nuar could satisfy his standards, so he could only wait until hees back to the Primordial God Realm to search for someone qualified. For now, he could only do these things on his own.


    Suddenly, Jiu Shen''s eyes moved in a certain direction. His spiritual perception detected two familiar presence moving towards the lotus building.


    "Balmond? They should be here to ask for cultivation techniques suitable for that dolt Artaurus." Jiu Shen could already smell a long and boring conversation with Balmond.


    He then abruptly stood up and kept his chair inside his space earring before turning his gaze towards Long Meili who still appeared to be lost. "Meili, if Balmondes here, give this to him and tell that brat not to bother me."


    "Meili? Hey! Little Dragon!"


    "Ah, yes! I will give this to him and tell him what you just said." Long Meili took the uneven piece of parchment paper and nodded her head at Jiu Shen.


    "Alright. Bye." Jiu Shen swiftly teleported above the clouds and created a small hut using his power of elements.


    A wooden hut was then erected on top of the clouds.


    Jiu Shen waved his hand and enveloped the wooden hut with his spiritual power. This way, no one would be able to detect his presence even if they used their spiritual vision.


    "Let''s see the current situation of the Crimson Fiend Continent..." He then released his spiritual perception that covered the entire continent. Nothing could escape his eyes!


    After scanning the continent briefly, Jiu Shen slowly sat down on his chair.


    "It seems like the Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family are quite prepared. They even brought ate stage Void God Realm chimera with them." He muttered when saw the huge army hidden on top of a mountain.


    "This battle will forge those little guys to be true elites. After this battle, their battle proficiency should reach the level of those talented geniuses in the Primordial God Realm..."


    ***


    "How are the preparations?" Herald Lycan asked his subordinates as he eyed them with a serious look.


    "The army is prepared for battle, Your Majesty! With the help of the Poison Valley and the undead army, victory is already within our grasp!" A single-eyed werewolf demon general replied with a smile.


    Hearing this, Herald nodded his head in satisfaction. He couldn''t believe that Stormhoof has actually seeded in his mission. The guy managed to get the help of the Necromancer Emperor! Although the old man himself didn''t join their army, the undead army he sent alone was almost as strong as the Lycan Family and Torgrim Family''sbined strength!


    "Brother Stormhoof, did you really give that Void God Realm savage beast corpse to the Necromancer Emperor?" Herald asked the muscr demon standing beside him.


    Stormhoof''s expression became solemn but he still nodded his head. "I had no choice. That old man''s strength has exceeded my expectations and even with my power, I failed to see through his cultivation. I could only give him the Fire Wyvern Overlord''s corpse in exchange for letting us borrow his undead army."


    Hearing this, Herald was stunned. Stormhoof was already ate stage Void God Realm expert, but he couldn''t detect the cultivation level of the Necromancer Emperor? What does that mean? It means that the old man was a lot stronger than them!


    "That old man is too stingy. He is only allowing us to borrow his undead army?" Herald muttered and he felt that his friend was cheated on that exchange.


    Stormhoof sighed and shook his head. "It doesn''t matter. We can''t afford to offend that old man. Anyway, I can recover from this loss once we''ve taken control of the Great Demon Empire. By the way, did the people from Poison Valley already prepare the antidotes? Our men must not be killed by our allies."


    Herald nodded his head with a smile. "Of course! Their Valley Master, Jiao Lei had already given me the antidote. Now, everything is already prepared! We just have to wait for that subus'' enthronement! Hahaha!"


    Soon, a merciless grin emerged from Stormhoof''s face. "Good! Tell everyone to rest! Make sure that they are properly rested before the war!"


    ***


    Meanwhile back at the lotus building, Balmond came with Artaurus following behind him.


    "Young Miss Meili, did you see Wine Master Jiu Shen? Where is he?" Balmond asked when he spotted Long Meili near the garden.


    The dragon girl stared at him and handed an ugly-looking piece of parchment paper to him as she said. "Brat, don''t bother me again... Those are master''s words."


    Long Meili turned around and left after saying those words, leaving two demons standing there with nk faces.

 Chapter 435: Artaurus Meets His Little Sister

    <h4>Chapter 435: Artaurus Meets His Little Sister</h4>


    Balmond stared at the coarse piece of parchment paper in his hands and began scrutinizing it with an earnest look. There were only a few characters depicted on the parchment paper, but Balmond felt that he was reading an entire book filled with profound knowledge! The more he read, the more solemn his expression had be!


    Standing beside Balmond, Artaurus was slightly speechless when he saw the alternating expressions of his father. Why did his father react that way after receiving that piece of ugly parchment?


    "Father, what did that girl give you? Is that a treasure map?" Artaurus asked quietly as he took a peek at the words written on the piece of parchment paper. However, when he saw those odd-looking patterns, he was stunned. He felt that a wave of alien knowledge had suddenly entered his mind. This process took more than an hour before Artaurus finally snapped out of his daze. A look of bafflement covered his face.


    Balmond kept the parchment paper inside his space ring and sighed. "Do you know now? This was written by Wine Master Jiu Shen himself. I don''t know how he was able to write such profound characters, but I do know the value of this piece of parchment. You should have an idea about it since you''ve read it yourself..."


    Artaurus was still in shock afterprehending the characters, so he could only nod his head. Even if was yet to know the details about his own physique, he was able to glean a bit of detail about it after just an hour of looking at the characters. This piece of parchment paper was very valuable! It could actually transmit a foreign knowledge to someone without the need forplicated teachings! Even an idiot would be able to understand it after taking a look at those magical symbols!


    "Father, I think I want to take him as my master..." Artaurus muttered while looking at Balmond. He finally realized why his father was so respectful to this human! This guy was a powerful figure! So powerful that he could casually write profound characters that can transmit knowledge to anyone!


    Balmond sneered upon hearing his son''s words. "Do you think he would casually take you as his disciple? Go ahead. I won''t stop you, but don''t expect too much. You might as well help your sister prepare for war. Our Bloodfallen Family is in danger at this moment."


    Hearing that, Artaurus frowned. War? Wait, sister? He had a sister? That Wine Master Jiu Shen also told him that he looked like his sister. What was her name again? Was it Cornelia?


    Since he had been locked up for thousands of years inside a hidden dungeon, he had no idea about the current state of their Great Demon Empire.


    "Father, please tell me what happened to the empire while I was locked up inside the dungeon..." Artaurus said while looking at Balmond.


    "You remember the Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family? They..." Balmond proceeded to tell Artaurus everything and it took the Demon Emperor another hour to inform Artaurus about what took ce when he was gone.


    "So I actually have a little sister who is now at thete stage of the Nascent God Realm. This is making me her big brother feel a bit pressured." Artaurus smiled.


    After getting the help of Jiu Shen''s Soul Stabilizing Array Formation, he was yet to recover his full strength. However, he felt that he would soon reach his peak state after resting for a bit. He even felt that the Array Formation had somehow enhanced his physical body! Although he could only be sure once he recovered fully.


    "Let''s go back to the pce. I''ll bring you to meet Cornelia." Balmond said while patting his son''s shoulder.


    The Demon Emperor then brought his son to Cornelia''s temporary army camp. This was where the elites of their Great Demon Empire''s army were stationed. Some of Jiu Shen''s subordinates were even here to support the subus.


    When Balmond and Artaurus arrived in the army camp, the soldiers who saw the emperor immediately greeted him.


    "Your Majesty!"


    "Greetings, Your Majesty!"


    The soldiers also turned their curious gazes towards the demon who was standing beside Balmond. Although he appeared to be emaciated and his aura was unstable, he had a noble bearing. Who was this guy? They all thought.


    The arrival of the emperor in the army camp soon reached Cornelia''s ears. She immediately went to greet her father and she was surprised when she saw an unfamiliar demon standing beside him. She could also sense the unusual closeness between the two. Who could this guy be? She wondered.


    "Greetings, Emperor Father." Cornelia greeted her father with a smile. She then turned her gaze towards the demon beside Balmond and said.


    "And this is?"


    Balmond smiled and answered her query. "This Artaurus. Prince Artaurus Bloodfallen, your big brother. He has now recovered with the help of Wine Master Jiu Shen."


    Prince Artaurus Bloodfallen?!


    Cornelia''s eyes widened when she heard her father''s words. She couldn''t help but take a few more looks at the sickly-looking demon who was also looking at her with curiosity.


    "Hello, little sister." Artaurus greeted his sister. His sister''s temperament and looks made him nod his head in acknowledgment. ording to his father, Cornelia would be crowned as the next ruler of the Great Demon Empire.


    At first, he was against it, but when he heard that it was Jiu Shen''s arrangements, Artaurus decided to observe his sister first before he would give his opinion.


    And now that he''d seen her, his first impression of her was that she had an elegant temperament befitting her noble bloodline. Artaurus also felt the confidence in her voice as she spoke. It was as if the word confidence was engraved in her bones.


    Cornelia smiled at Artaurus and she also looked at him with a hint of pity when she saw his pale face. From the looks of it, her big brother had just recovered from his ''illness'', and he was still a bit weak.


    "Greetings, big brother...."

 Chapter 436: Ren Shuang Displaying His Tactical Talent

    <h4>Chapter 436: Ren Shuang Disying His Tactical Talent</h4>


    The soldiers also heard the conversation between the three and they could not help but exim in shock.


    "What?! So this guy is actually Prince Artaurus who was said to be bedridden due to a serious illness! No wonder he has a unique temperament!"


    "Good news! Prince Artaurus has recovered from his illness!"


    Soon, all the soldiers cheered when they heard this news. ording to the rumors, the eldest son of the emperor had the highest talent among his children, but he regretfully fell ill and was bedridden for thousands of years. Now that he had recovered, everyone was in a jubnt mood.


    Suddenly, a figure appeared behind Cornelia, startling Balmond and Artaurus. However, when Cornelia saw this guy, she merely smiled and said. "Don''t be rmed. This person is an expert sent by Wine Master Jiu Shen to help me. He is acting as my advisor and he will also be leading our army. He is Lord Ren Shuang."


    Balmond nodded his head calmly as he looked at the cloaked Ren Shuang. He sensed that this person was only a peak stage Origin God Realm expert, but he somehow felt threatened when his eyes met the human''s pair of emotionless eyes!


    Artaurus stared at Ren Shuang deeply as he greeted respectfully. "Hello, Lord Ren Shuang."


    He couldn''t see through this guy''s cultivation! That means he was at least an Origin God Realm expert!


    Meanwhile, Ren Shuang ignored the two men as he went closer to Cornelia and whispered. "I discovered an army in a mountain near Morlon City. From how they dressed and from the crests on their clothes, they should be from the Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family."


    Hearing this, Cornelia''s expression turned grave.


    "It looks like they''re prepared..." She scoffed with a dark look on her face.


    Balmond and Artaurus also became solemn when they heard this. From the looks of it, those guys might be attacking soon!


    "They might be nning to attack during your enthronement ceremony, but you shouldn''t be too worried since Brother Yue Bo and I have already made arrangements in case that happens." Balmond sneered.


    Cornelia nodded her head at his words.


    "I also saw two more armies among them. One of them is from the Poison Valley, while the other is an army of undead. In total, their whole army is approximately two hundred thousand." Ren Shuang suddenly said and his words immediately changed the atmosphere.


    Balmond furrowed his eyebrows as a solemn look covered his face. "How did they get the support of Poison Valley? And that undead army, where did theye from?"


    Ren Shuang was silent for a moment before he spoke. "After observing them closely, I heard some of their high-ranking soldiers say that those undead soldiers were from the Necromancer Emperor."


    "Necromancer Emperor?!" Balmond and Cornelia were stunned upon hearing this name. Artaurus could only listen since he had no idea who that is.


    "That old codger is actually supporting them? This might be troublesome. If that old man is with them, our army might copse!" Balmond gritted his teeth.


    Cornelia also felt slightly anxious. She had heard a lot about the Necromancer Emperor. Even if she hadn''t met the old man in person, she knew that this guy was already famous in the whole Crimson Fiend Continent!


    "There is nothing to fear. I observed the undead army for a night, but I didn''t notice the presence of the Necromancer Emperor. He must have only sent a part of his undead army to support the Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family. However, there is a strange creature with a strong aura among the undead army. I didn''t dare try to detect this creature''s cultivation since it might discover my presence, but I''m sure that it is at least ate stage Void God Realm." Ren Shuang muttered with a calm voice, but his words only made the three members of the Bloodfallen Family fall into silence.


    Late stage Void God Realm! What kind of concept was that? That kind of power has already reached the peak among experts! Even Balmond had just risen to this level after Jiu Shen edited his cultivation technique!


    "Brother Ren, do you have suggestions?" Balmond stared at Ren Shuang with a look of respect. Heck! This man was able to get such valuable information without getting detected! This was a testament to his ability!


    Ren Shuang took out a piece of beast skin that had a map drawn in it. Balmond, Artaurus, and Cornelia were surprised when they realized that it was a map of the imperial pce. The map was so detailed that even the map of the Bloodfallen Family paled inparison.


    "This is where Cornelia will be crowned." Ren Shuang pointed to a location on the map. He then pointed to another few locations and continued.


    "I suggest that we should station two Nascent God Realm experts in each of these spots. This is where they would most likely try to attack based on the structure of the pce. Also, our army should be here..." Ren Shuang began to tell them about his suggestion, and the more he continued the more they became stunned. They finally realized that this man wasn''t just a skilled scout. He was also a very terrifying tactician! Even Yue Bo''s n looked like a work of a child inparison!


    "I will act as an imperial guard and stand on this spot. This is the most ideal ce for me so that I can immediately protect Cornelia in case an expert would manage to break past the formation." Ren Shuang then became silent after telling them his n.


    Balmond sighed with admiration. "We will follow your n, Brother Ren. Cornelia, make sure that you choose our most trusted soldiers on those key spots. Artaurus, go and familiarize yourself with the army while you recuperate."


    "Yes, Emperor Father!"


    "Yes, Your Majesty!"


    The two then left, leaving Balmond and Ren Shuang at the scene.


    Ren Shuang soon turned around and followed the direction of Cornelia. He was tasked by Jiu Shen to protect this subus, so he wouldn''t allow anyone to kill her.


    In the end, Balmond could only stare as this mysterious man disappeared. "All of Wine Master Jiu Shen''s subordinates are shrouded in mystery...."

 Chapter 437: Reunion Between Master And Disciple

    <h4>Chapter 437: Reunion Between Master And Disciple</h4>


    The night before Cornelia''s enthronement.


    Jiu Shen and Theia sat on top of the clouds as they looked at the situation below.


    "I didn''t think that Yang Zenke would actually call for reinforcements. He even dragged the Heavenly Sword Division, Celestial Division, Pill Division, and the Punishment Division. But this is also good." Jiu Shen muttered to himself when he saw thousands of figures stepping out of the lotus building.


    After Jiu Shen left the Profound Dragon Continent, the Heavenly Sword Tower has already conducted two more recruitment ceremonies. Many elite juniors from all over the Profound Dragon Continent participated in the assessment, resulting in an influx of new disciples for the Heavenly Sword Tower.


    He even discovered a promising youth in the Punishment Division! After looking at this guy using his spiritual perception, Jiu Shen realized that this young man was still fourteen! However, his cultivation had already reached the peak stage of the 9th-rank Saint!


    "There are actually quite a few interesting ones among the new batch of disciples." Jiu Shen muttered with a look of interest. From the looks of it, the Division Heads and the Elders did a great job in handling the matters of the sword tower while he was away.


    "Indeed. Do you remember that girl? Her name is Sylphie Northcut, the one with dragon blood running in her veins. She left the Blood Sword Division and joined the Punishment Division. Long Meili rarely taught that child when she was still in the Profound Dragon Continent, but look at her now." Theia said while pointing at a youngdy with a sharp and valiant disposition.


    Jiu Shen turned his gaze to the youngdy that Theia mentioned. Thest time he saw this girl, her cultivation was only at the mid stage of the 4th-rank Knight Crusader, but she was now an expert at the early stage of the Nascent God Realm! The girl''s hair has turned mint green and she was now wearing a knight''s armor.


    "It looks like she idolizes you more than her master." Jiu Shen chuckled as he teased Theia who immediately rolled her eyes when she heard his words.


    "With the help of Qi Hongtian and his Pill Division, they shouldn''t have to worry about the poison of the Poison Valley. I thought I would have to intervene again, but it seems like I''ve underestimated those young ones." Jiu Shen said as he stood up. He then nced at Theia and said with an ambiguous smile. "We''ve been cultivating for long, how about we do something else tonight?"


    Theia immediately red at him when she heard his mischievous words, but she still followed Jiu Shen inside the hut.


    ***


    "Greetings, master!" Sylphie bowed at Long Meili with an eager look on her face. The two of them have been separated for quite a while, so Sylphie missed her master a lot. Though she was strict and harsh with her teachings, Sylphie progressed at a fast speed that she had even surpassed those who were much older than her.


    Long Meili nodded her head in approval when she saw the great increase in her disciple''s cultivation. "Good! I know you won''t disappoint me. This time, you will follow me in battle!"


    "Yes, master!" Sylphie answered with a passionate look.


    "Follow me. I''ll bring you to see the others." Long Meili said and dragged the confused Sylphie towards thergest tent in the army camp.


    "Division Head Ren Shuang, did you see Ice?" Long Meili asked when she saw a ck-robed man standing in front of the tent.


    Ren Shuang nced at Long Meili and nodded his head. "She is inside the tent talking with Princess Cornelia."


    Hearing that, Long Meili swiftly grabbed Sylphie and dragged her inside the tent. Ren Shuang didn''t stop them and allowed them to go inside.


    The eyes of Cornelia flickered with surprise when she saw the twodies who had suddenlye inside the tent. She recognized the purple-haired one since she was one of Jiu Shen''s top subordinates, but the green-haired youngdy was someone unfamiliar to her.


    "Hello, Young Miss Meili. What brings you here? I''m sorry, but this young miss is?" Cornelia asked with a light smile on her face.


    Sylphie stepped forward and cupped her hands towards Cornelia. "My name is Sylphie Northcut, Your Highness. It''s a pleasure to meet you."


    "She''s my disciple." Long Meili added with a smile as she stroked Sylphie''s long green hair.


    Cornelia smiled upon hearing the short introduction. "So it''s Sister Sylphie."


    The subus then turned her gaze to Long Meili and asked probingly. "Young Miss Meili, to what do I owe this pleasure?"


    "I''m looking for Ice and Ren Shuang said that she is here with you." Long Meili answered as she looked around the tent. She furrowed her eyebrows slightly when she failed to discover Ice. She wondered where that fat cat went.


    The subus chuckled when she noticed the look of Long Meili. She then said as she slowly rose to her feet. "Young Miss Ice has fallen asleep when we were talking earlier. I didn''t dare wake her up..."


    Long Meili and Sylphie stared at the chubby white cat sleepingfortably in the subus''s embrace. She had her fat cheeks nted in between those two huge melons. The faces of the master and disciple duo twitched when they saw this. Even Cornelia appeared to be slightly embarrassed.


    "Since she''s asleep, let''s not wake her up. Anyway, how are the preparations, Princess Cornelia?" Long Meili asked as she sat on a chair opposite the subus. Sylphie also followed suit and sat beside her master.


    Cornelia''s expression turned serious. She then carefully ced the sleeping Ice on top of a table before she answered. "Everything has been prepared. My father and Lord Yue Bo are both on stand-by near the pce. My big brother, Artaurus has also fully recovered. If we follow Lord Ren Shuang''s n, nothing should go wrong."


    She tried to sound confident, but she still felt anxious in her heart.

 Chapter 438: The Banquet

    <h4>Chapter 438: The Banquet</h4>


    The Great Demon Empire was in a festive mood and the imperial pce was filled with peak experts from all over the Crimson Fiend Continent. Some superpowers outside the Great Demon Empire even sent their representatives to join the celebration.


    At this moment, the area outside of the imperial pce had more than a hundred thousand soldiers stationed. All of them had sharp auras, a clear sign that they were veteran soldiers.


    The representatives sent by all the major powers were in awe when they saw this terrifying army!


    "I heard that the Bloodfallen Family has fallen, but it seems like all those rumors were untrue."


    "Indeed. Just look at those soldiers. Who would dare cause trouble here with them on stand-by?"


    Suddenly, everyone noticed that the entrance of the imperial pce was opened. Artaurus, dressed in his battle imperial garment came out with several generals following behind him.


    "Is that guy, Prince Artaurus?"


    "Yeah, it''s him. I heard that he was inflicted with a serious illness when he was young, but he has now recovered. This seems like a good omen for the Bloodfallen Family."


    Artaurus Bloodfallen smiled at the various representatives. "Good day, everyone! I apologize for making you wait. Everything has been prepared inside the pce and I formally invite all the representatives toe with me inside to spectate the coronation of my sister, Cornelia."


    His voice was filled with confidence and charm that made everyone who heard him feel at ease.


    "Your Highness, you don''t have to apologize. We are cultivators! This little bit of waiting is nothing! Hahah!" Someone from the crowd lightened the atmosphere and the others soonughed along with him.


    Seeing everyone''s enthusiasm, Artaurus smiled and gestured them to follow him. "Come! Follow me inside the imperial pce! We prepared a grand banquet for all you valuable guests."


    Everyone followed Artaurus grouped as they entered the pce. Only those with a considerable amount of authority were allowed to get inside. As for the others, they could only watch the coronation through a video screen that was powered by an Array Formation. However, despite the difference in treatment, no one dared to cause trouble. After all, there was a huge army stationed just right outside the imperial pce! Only idiots would dare to be impudent in this situation...


    Artaurus brought the guest inside a spacious hall where the banquet was held. When they arrived, there were already some representatives from other major forces chatting in groups of four or five.


    "Everyone, your seats have already been prepared. Please escort our guests to their seats." Artaurus said before he left.


    "I''ve brought thest batch of guests to the banquet hall. You can start the banquet, Cornelia." Artaurus whispered to themunication crystal in his hand.


    "Alright. Thanks, big brother." That was the reply he heard from themunication crystal.


    After keeping themunication crystal, Artaurus walked towards a group of elites and joined their conversation. Their Great Demon Empire might be strong, but it wouldn''t hurt to get more allies, especially now that they would be at war with the Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family.


    A soothing melody suddenly entered the ears of everyone inside the hall. They couldn''t help but stare at the front where the sound hade from. Seated on a chair was Cornelia who was wearing red and gold imperial robes. Her hair was tied exquisitely, adding more charm to her already beautiful face.


    Cornelia was ying a melody using a harp. Her slender fingers danced as she plucked the strings in a rhythmic pattern.


    Everyone closed their eyes as they savored the beautiful melody. They felt their ears tingling in ecstasy as the melody continued.


    Soon, Cornelia ended the melody, but everyone was still immersed in that soulful y.


    Not longter, everyone snapped out of their daze and pped their hands.


    "Your Highness'' harp skill is truly out of this world!"


    "Splendid performance, Your Highness!"


    Cornelia let out a smile when she heard everyone''s words. She then stood up and said. "Wee, everyone! I don''t like to start this banquet with a long boring speech, I hope everyone enjoyed my performance."


    "We enjoyed it, Your Highness!"


    "Great job, Your Highness!"


    "Please enjoy the banquet, everyone. The coronation ceremony will begin after this. Thank you foring here." Cornelia cupped her fists before she sat down in the most prominent seat together with some elders from the Bloodfallen Family.


    The banquet continued.


    Everyone in this hall was an expert in their own field. Large business deals and alliances between major forces were built throughout the banquet! This was the reason why many major forces decided to send their representatives here! It was for the opportunity to converse with other superpowers and gain friendship from them!


    Meanwhile, a group of youths suddenly walked towards Cornelia. They wore smiles on their faces as they nced in her direction. However, everyone could somehow feel the tension in the atmosphere when these youths moved towards the princess.


    "We thoroughly enjoyed your beautiful performance, Your Highness! Even until now, I am still spellbound by your harp skills." The leader of the youth said as he bowed at the princess. His action was full of grace and respect.


    This youth was the grandson of Stormhoof Torgrim, Bylor. The strongest youth among the Torgrim Family''s younger generation!


    Everyone in this hall were astute individuals, they could already sense the hostility between the two sides. However, no one dared to speak about this and they merely watched the scene with interest.


    "Lord Bylor, thank you for your kind words. My harp skill isn''t that good, but I am practicing all day to sharpen my skills." Cornelia remained in her seat and smiled at Bylor and his group. She was also on her guard since this might be an borate ploy concocted by the elders of the Torgrim Family, but when she recalled that Ren Shuang was nearby, she felt a bit relieved.


    "Your Highness is too modest. We won''t take too much of your time, Your Highness. I know that the day is still long...." Bylor shed a smile before he left with his group.

 Chapter 439: Ceremony And The Start Of The Rebellion

    <h4>Chapter 439: Ceremony And The Start Of The Rebellion</h4>


    After the banquet, everyone rested for over an hour before they were invited inside the throne room. This time, only those major forces who had at least one Void God Realm expert in their midst were allowed to go inside. The others who couldn''t go in could only shake their heads helplessly. However, they were already satisfied with what they gained in the banquet. After all, they''ve befriended like-minded forces and some even struck a huge business deal! As for the coronation, they could just watch the ceremony through a visual screen...


    The coronation ceremony of the Great Demon Empire wasn''t troublesome. The current emperor would just pass his throne to the sessor and finalize the ceremony by receiving the blessings of the elders from the Bloodfallen Family, the Lycan Family, and the Torgrim Family. However, everyone knew that the coronation ceremony this time was different. They could sense that a plot was being brewed behind the scenes!


    At this moment, Emperor Balmond was seated on his throne with a dignified look on his face. He raised his hand and all his subjects immediately bowed to him with respectful gazes, while the guests cupped their fists to show their respect.


    "First, I''d like to thank the guests from all over the continent foring here to our Great Demon Empire to celebrate the coronation ceremony of my daughter, Cornelia. Our Great Demon Empire hopes that everyone here would be our most trusted allies!" Emperor Balmond said with a smile. His gaze lingered briefly on the spots of the Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family.


    After that, the Demon Emperor stood up from his throne and waved his sleeves as he said. "Now, please wee the sessor of the Great Demon Empire! My daughter, Cornelia Bloodfallen!"


    p! p! p!


    Thunderous apuse reverberated inside the throne room following the Demon Emperor''s words. Everyone turned their gazes towards the elegantly-dressed Cornelia who was slowly ascending the throne. Her every step was filled with grace and the slight movement of her head hips was mixed with seductiveness and charm.


    Almost every male inside the throne room was spellbound by her beauty...


    Cornelia stopped in front of her father and bowed at him with a smile.


    "Cornelia Bloodfallen, I hereby proim you as the next ruler of the Great Demon Empire!" Under everyone''s watchful gazes, Emperor Balmond took off his golden crown and ced it on top of Cornelia''s head.


    The golden crown wasn''t heavy. In fact, it was very light. However, Cornelia could already feel the burden of wearing it the moment it rested on her head. She took onest look at her father before turning her gaze to everyone.


    "Your Majesty!" Emperor Balmond was the first one to offer a bow to the newly crowned Queen. The subjects of the Great Demon Empire soon followed suit and bowed towards the new Queen. Even the guests didn''t dare act presumptuously and also lightly bowed their heads.


    "Your Majesty Cornelia!"


    "Your Majesty Cornelia!"


    Demon Emperor Balmond raised his hand and gestured for everyone to quiet down. "Your Majesty, please receive the blessings of the elders from the three founding families of the Great Demon Empire!"


    Cornelia nodded her head solemnly. She then walked down the throne and stood in front of three elderly figures. They were the representatives of the three founding families!


    The three elders stared at Cornelia and began their speeches one by one. The first one to speak was the elder from the Bloodfallen Family, followed by the Lycan Family, and then the Torgrim Family.


    After giving the new ruler their blessings, the three elders bowed at her.


    "Your Majesty!"


    Just then, something unexpected suddenly happened.


    The elders from the Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family suddenly pounced towards Cornelia with daggers in their hands!


    Cornelia''s eyes shed with a hint of terror, but she didn''t move from her spot. She knew that someone was there to protect her! And just as she had predicted, a silhouette dressed like an imperial guard appeared before her and deflected the daggers of the two elders.


    ng! ng!


    To this drastic change of event, some of the guests felt nervous, while a few revealed looks of interest. They knew that the true show was finally starting!


    "Insolence! What is the meaning of this?!" Emperor Balmond erupted into fury. His aura made the two elders take several steps backward.


    Ren Shuang eyed the spectators with a predatory gaze as he stood beside the newly crowned Queen. He was like a peerless general in that battle armor! Even Cornelia felt her eyes shining as she looked at Ren Shuang''s reliable figure.


    "The Lycan Family objects! We don''t want that subus to be our new ruler!"


    "The Torgrim Family also objects! The ruler of the Great Demon Empire must be someone capable! Why should we follow the leadership of a mere woman?!" The one who spoke was Bylor. He was leading a group of elders from the Torgrim Family.


    "That''s right! I feel that I am more qualified to be the emperor than this slut of a subus!" Bylor said with a hideous smile on his face.


    "Preposterous! How dare you speak like that to Her Majesty!" The elder of the Bloodfallen Family jumped towards Bylor, but he was blocked by the elders of the Torgrim Family.


    Balmond''s face was filled with wrath. These idiots from the Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family actually dared to ignore his presence?


    Just as he was about to strike, two figures suddenly emerged in front of him.


    "Herald! Stormhoof!" Balmond muttered through gritted teeth.


    Swoosh!


    Yue Bo also appeared beside Balmond.


    "Balmond. You''ve be uglier after thousands of years. Hahaha!" Herald cackled deliriously while pointing at Balmond''s face.


    "Brother Ren, evacuate Cornelia and tell the soldiers to blockade the pce!" Balmond sent a telepathic message to Ren Shuang who immediately nodded his head.


    "Let''s go.." Ren Shuang grabbed the stunned Cornelia and dragged her out of the throne room. This ce would soon be the epicenter of the war!

 Chapter 440: War!

    <h4>Chapter 440: War!</h4>


    Stormhoof sneered when he saw Ren Shuang taking Cornelia away. He then nced at Balmond and then to Yue Bo who stood beside him. A contemptuous smile shed on his face before he spat a mouthful of spit. "Balmond, you''ve sullied the reputation of the Demon Race by mingling with these humans! Have you forgotten the war fifty thousand years ago?! Many of our ancestors and friends died at the hands of those humans! You disgust me!"


    Balmond was unaffected by his words.


    "You''ve been a fool your entire life, Stormhoof! Even until now you still are! You just haven''t seen what true power is yet! I''ve seen it myself and it made me realize how weak I am! But it''s still not toote for you. I''ll give you guys onest chance... Stop this farce all at once and I''ll let this matter go!" Balmond muttered as he looked at Herald and Stormhoof.


    He didn''t want to fight against the two families. After all, their Bloodfallen Family was once close to the Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family. The three families created the Great Demon Empire together and he didn''t want to fight against them. Once their three families start to fight for the throne, the overall strength of the Great Demon Empire would be severely impacted. It wouldn''t be good if that happens since there are a lot of representatives from many major powers spectating in secret.


    Hearing this, Stormhoof''s face turned cold. "You think your Bloodfallen Family is still as strong as it was before?! Naive! Balmond, I advise you to surrender. I promise that I will give you a quick death!" Stormhoof took out a giant hammer from his space ring and pointed it towards Balmond.


    Balmond sighed and shook his head as he replied. "Since it hase to this, let''s fight!"


    He then sted a huge hole from the ceiling and flew above the clouds.


    Seeing this, Stormhoof and Herald immediately followed him. Yue Bo also took out his weapon as he joined them.


    If you''re asking why Balmond suddenly decided to go into the sky. Simple. He didn''t want to destroy the whole city! A huge part of the Great Demon Empire would be damaged if they fought onnd. Stormhoof, Herald, and Yue Bo also knew this point, so they unhesitatingly followed him above the clouds.


    As Void God Realm experts, their battle was so devastating that just the shockwaves of their battle alone could already shatter mountains!


    Stormhoof and Herald might be staging a rebellion, but they didn''t want to win a broken empire...


    Soon, the four Void God Realm experts released their powers and began fighting!


    Bang! Bang!


    Boom! Boom!


    Ear-splitting sounds of explosions reverberated within the skies and even the people below could feel the terrifying shockwavesing from above!


    Meanwhile, the army of the Bloodfallen Family began battling the soldiers of the Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family!


    War cries and bugle horns echoed throughout the city, signaling the start of the war!


    Artaurus Bloodfallen had now recovered his strength. Although he didn''t manage to break through, he became more proficient in using his spiritual force!


    With a skull wand in his hand, Artaurus created huge fireballs and threw them towards the opposing army.


    "Shielders, raise your shields!" Artaurus shouted towards the soldiers. His spells were quite strong and it would be disastrous if an ally would die under his attack.


    The huge and muscr demons in the frontlines immediately lifted their shields in a circr formation while protecting theirrades.


    Hundreds of zing fire balls descended to the ground and burned the soldiers of the Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family.


    Ahhh!


    Sharp cries rang out as more than several dozen unlucky soldiers were burned!


    However, the fall of theirrades only fueled their ire. They soon gathered into a protective formation and pounced towards the army of the Bloodfallen Family!


    Despite the difference in firepower, the two armies soon entered a stalemate due to the numerical advantage of the Lycan Family and Torgrim Family.


    Suddenly, several hundred figures dressed in ck robes came and threw ss bottles filled with hideous-looking purple liquid towards the army of the Bloodfallen Family.


    Seeing this, Bylor who was among the soldiers of the Torgrim Family revealed a dark smile. "Let''s see how you guys will react with the poison of the Poison Valley. Hahaha!"


    These ck-robed figures were poison experts from the Poison Valley and the ss bottles they threw were filled with powerful poisons that they personally concocted! Even Bylor could not help but shiver when he recalled the effects of the poison. Luckily, they had already consumed the antidote beforehand.


    However, Bylor''s expression turned unsightly when he saw that the soldiers of the Bloodfallen Family were unaffected by the poison. "What''s happening?! Howe they are not affected?! F*ck!"


    Bylor cursed the Poison Valley in his heart.


    "Hahaha! Your poisons are useless to us, idiots!" Artaurusughed in disdain when he saw the ugly expression of Bylor. They had already consumed an antidote created by the alchemists of the Heavenly Sword Tower''s Pill Division! He couldn''t help but feel amazed with those alchemists. After all, the poisons made by the Poison Valley were notorious for being destructive and corrosive!


    When Bylor heard the mockingughter, his face turned darker. "Elders! Summon the undead army and tten these pieces of sh*t from the Bloodfallen Family!"


    Following his furious voice, a huge army of undead suddenly joined the fray!


    More than twenty thousand undead soldiers pounced towards them without fear!


    The Valley Master of the Poison Valley also came and joined the battle! With his strength as a Void God Realm expert, hundreds of soldiers from the Bloodfallen Family immediately died under his poison arts!


    But then, three figures soon appeared before him.


    Seeing these three individuals, Artaurus heaved a sigh of relief.


    "Luckily, they''re here.." He muttered while looking at the figures of Long Meili, Ice, and Aren.

 Chapter 441: The Chimera

    <h4>Chapter 441: The Chimera</h4>


    Valley Master Jiao sneered contemptuously as he stared at the three figures hovering before him. "Three Origin God Realm savage beasts... You think just because you outnumber, you can defeat me? Hahaha! Your meager powers mean nothing to a Void God Realm powerhouse!"


    Ice who was in her human form was incredibly incensed. She red at Valley Master Jiao as she slowly transformed into her true form!


    A huge tiger with pristine snow-white fur soon came into everyone''s view. The aura of Ice also changed and although her cultivation remained the same, the suppressive aura she induced became even more imposing! Even Valley Master Jiao felt slightly perturbed when he stared at this giant white tiger!


    "An ugly demon like you thinks you can beat someone of noble birth like me? To tell you the truth, those two guys right there also have ancient bloodlines running in their veins. Any one of us can beat your sorry ass into a pulp despite the difference in our cultivation level! Roar!" Ice voice changed and it became beast-like. It was so different than when she was in her human form!


    Long Meili and Aren soon transformed into their true forms.


    The other was a dragon, while the other one was a Purple Winged Sword Eagle! Just the mere sight of them flying already startled the onlookers.


    The face of Valley Master Jiao changed. This time, he could feel that these three savage beasts were capable of threatening his life even though they were one realm weaker than him! However, Valley Master Jiao didn''t want to show any weakness. He took out a bottle of poison that was bubbling hideously.


    "Since you think you can defeat me, I''ll show you lowly beings what a real ancient bloodline is! Hahaha!" Valley Master Jiao''s face was filled with madness as he drank all the contents of the poison bottle. His veins then started protruding as his body slowly expanded.


    Valley Master Jiao could no longer be recognized and even those who had close rtionships with him would be unable to identify him now.


    His demon-like face was sported with crimson eyes and his mouth was filled with long serrated teeth. His body which was only two meters tall earlier had be five meters! His skin was no longer visible since it was now covered by red fish-like scales!


    "Scared, aren''t you? But you can save that forter!" Valley Master Jiao mocked when he saw the shocked faces of the three. He then tapped his foot and dashed towards the three as he raised his arms like a hammer.


    Meanwhile, the army of the Bloodfallen Family, the Lycan Family, and the Torgrim Family immediately fled from the scene! They didn''t want to be sandwiched in the crossfire of those four monsters!


    "It seems like that Valley Master Jiao is just all talk! I mean just look at him! He''s struggling against three Origin God Realm experts from our side. This goes to show that you fools from the Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family are weak! Soldiers of the Bloodfallen Family, heed mymand! Kill these weaklings and offer their blood as a sacrifice for the ascension of Her Majesty Cornelia!" Artaurus shouted as he summoned another wave of zing fire balls.


    The army of the Bloodfallen Family shouted their war cries as they charged towards their enemies without a hint of fear! But despite their aggression, they appeared to be in a synchronized formation with no visible weakness!


    Looking at this army of fearless soldiers, Bylor felt his scalp tingle, but when he recalled that they still have the undead army and that chimera, he let out a contemptuous smile.


    "Release the undead army and that chimera! Let them suffer true chaos! Hahaha!" Bylor issued amand with a savage look on his face.


    Following hismand, the army of undead became even more bloodthirsty! Then, everyone also heard a series of earthshaking footsteps.


    When everyone turned their gazes, they saw a grotesque-looking creature looking at the battlefield like a predator! It then raised its repulsive head above the skies and emitted a terrifying roar that caused a violent tremor!


    ROAR!


    Balmond and Yue Bo who were fighting with Herald and Stormhoof suddenly shifted their gazes below. Their eyes narrowed simultaneously.


    "That is the aura of ate stage Void God Realm! Those kids are in trouble!" Balmond eximed in worry.


    Yue Bo was also a bit anxious. The strength they felt earlier wasn''t any weaker than them! In fact, whatever that creature was. It was a bit stronger than them!


    "We can only trust them. Demon Empress Ganda should be there any time now." Yue Bo muttered.


    "How can you guys lose focus when fighting against us!? Die!" A loud shout came followed by the descent of a huge hammer!


    Balmond took out a protective talisman and activated it, while Yue Bo raised his sword and tried to deflect the hammer blow.


    Bang!


    Balmond''s talisman broke apart, while Yue Bo''s sword ray crumbled into pieces! The two were then sent flying thousands of meters away!


    ***


    Above the clouds, Jiu Shen and Theia were watching the battle with calm expressions.


    "Are you sure that you wouldn''t help them?" Theia stared at the man beside him.


    Jiu Shen remained calm as he looked at the bloody massacre happening below. He then answered in an indifferent tone. "If we always interfere in their fights, how could those little ones grow? They would only feelcent if they know that we are always there to protect them. Our return to the Primordial God Realm is moving closer and we don''t need to bring them if they couldn''t even survive this. They have a lower starting point than those geniuses in the Primordial God Realm, so to make up for this, they need to have a stronger willpower and richer battle experience!"


    Hearing this, Theia remained silent. She knew that Jiu Shen was right.


    The two continued to spectate the scene in silence.

 Chapter 442: Ren Shuang’s Power

    <h4>Chapter 442: Ren Shuang¡¯s Power</h4>


    "Surrender yourself Cornelia before it''s toote! Do you think your Bloodfallen Family could handle thebined might of our Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family? Wishful thinking!" An old werewolf demonughed deliriously as he looked at Cornelia who was hiding behind Ren Shuang.


    Cornelia red at the elder, but she didn''t dare say anything since they were now surrounded by more than twenty experts! After looking at them briefly, she noticed that there were ten Origin God Realm experts and the rest were Nascent God Realm experts!


    "Lord Ren, just leave me here and escape on your own. The Bloodfallen Family still has Artaurus even if I die today." Cornelia whispered with a hint of anxiousness in her tone.


    Ren Shuang remained unperturbed even though they were surrounded by dozens of experts. He ignored Cornelia and took out his sword as he muttered. "Stay here and don''t move a step..."


    "Wait what-" Cornelia wanted to pull him, but Ren Shuang already began ughtering the experts under her surprised gaze.


    Ren Shuang''s expression was calm as he reaped the life of someone in his every move! Shrill screams echoed in the scene as the elders and experts of the Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family could only stare helplessly while they were slowly being killed!


    Not longter, Ren Shuang ended the life of thest demon standing.


    Thud.


    The demon''s headless corpse dropped to the ground.


    Ren Shuang flicked his sword before he sheathing it back to its scabbard.


    Cornelia''s mouth gaped open as he stared at this human who now looked extremely charming in her eyes. He killed those experts! To be exact, there were more than thirty of them, but they didn''t even have the ability to fight back as they were cut down by Ren Shuang!


    Ren Shuang pulled the stand Cornelia and said. "Let''s go help the others. Your presence would boost the morale of your troops so make sure to put on a dignified lookter."


    "Are you listening to me?" Ren Shuang turned his gaze at Cornelia when he didn''t get a reply from her.


    The subus snapped out of her daze and hurriedly nodded her head. "A-Ah. Yes! Yes! Of course! That''s easy..." She said with a stiff smile on her face.


    "Good. Now, follow me." Ren Shuang muttered as he leaped towards the main battlefield. It was where Valley Master Jiao and the chimera were present! However, when Ren Shuang looked at the situation, he noticed that there was another army helping them.


    Cornelia also looked at the situation and she was surprised when she recognized the army helping them.


    "Those are people from the Narda Principality! The guy in blue robes who is leading them is Lou Baiqing!" Cornelia eximed as she revealed a joyful look. From what she knew, Lou Baiqing was the top Origin God Realm expert of the Narda Principality! His presence on the battlefield would be advantageous to them!


    "It''s not just him. Look! Isn''t that Demon Empress Ganda?" Ren Shuang pointed at the otherworldly silhouette hovering above the battlefield.


    Cornelia followed his gaze and soon saw the figure of a woman who was holding a huge shield and giant broadsword. "That''s indeed her!"


    At this moment, Demon Empress Ganda pointed her broadsword towards the chimera and then descended like a meteor!


    The chimera emitted a roar as it opened its bloody mouth.


    Dark purple light slowly gathered within the mouth of this creature and formed a purple sphere. The chimera then spewed this sphere towards the descending Demon Empress.


    BANG!


    Ren Shuang grabbed the subus and embraced her while producing a protective shield around them.


    Ice, Aren, and Long Meili also protected their soldiers.


    Everyone then turned their gazes towards where the chimera was standing and saw that its face had a huge bloody wound. A severely wounded Demon Empress Ganda could also be seen floating above the skies. She could barely hold her two weapons...


    "This is not looking good. Cornelia, do what I told you to do. I need to support Ganda. She can''t defeat that creature alone! Go!" Ren Shuang said before he flew towards the chimera with his sword in hand.


    Cornelia didn''t dally as well and jumped straight to where Artaurus was located.


    When the soldiers saw their newly crowned empress, they heaved a sigh of relief.


    "Your Majesty, we''re d that you''re fine."


    Cornelia nced at the soldiers. She saw that the disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower were among them. The army of the Narda Principality also joined their formation.


    While eyeing everyone with a solemn look, she said. "Everyone, Lord Ren Shuang had now joined the battle! With his presence, that vile creature would soon die! Without it, the enemy before us would mean nothing! However, we must not be outdone! Show me your courage and I will guide you in battle!"


    Following her speech, everyone raised their weapons in midair and issued a loud battle cry that reverberated in every corner of the city!


    Seeing this, Cornelia took out her harp and began ying a melody. When the soldiers heard the melody, they felt their injuries slowly healing. They also discovered that they somehow had a surplus of strength within them!


    "Oh. I never thought that you have this kind of ability, my little sister." Artaurus muttered in a teasing voice.


    Cornelia smiled as she answered him. "I learned this from Wine Master Jiu Shen himself. Although I''ve yet to master it fully, I''m surprised that it actually has such a stunning effect! Wine Master Jiu Shen is truly powerful! Just a simple harp technique from him is already this strong..."


    Artaurus nodded his head in agreement. "He is truly an enigma. Luckily, he is not our enemy. Father is very wise to let our Bloodfallen Family swear allegiance to such a person..."


    "Enough talking. Go and lead the army, brother! I''m not good atmanding people." Cornelia said while lightly pushing Artaurus.


    "My pleasure, Your Majesty.." Artaurus chuckled before leaping on the frontlines.

 Chapter 443: Poison From The Ancient Ruin

    <h4>Chapter 443: Poison From The Ancient Ruin</h4>


    Ren Shuang hovered in front of the injured Demon Empress Ganda as he stared deeply at the chimera.


    "Are you okay?" He asked in a soft voice.


    The Demon Empress nodded her head lightly. "I''m fine. Just a few scratches..."


    "Then listen carefully. This chimera is an undead creature, so it should have a core inside its body. And we have to find that core to defeat this monster." Ren Shuang muttered in a serious tone.


    Hearing this, the Demon Empress expressed her understanding. She also knew of this, but the chimera was too strong that she couldn''t even get near it. "I know, but I can''t even go near that beast. How do you think I could kill it?"


    Demon Empress Ganda sensed that Ren Shuang was merely a peak stage Origin God Realm expert. Aside from being a distraction, she believed that he couldn''t offer any other form of assistance.


    His calm voice then traveled to her ears. "You can''t go near it, but I can."


    This time, the Demon Empress was stunned, but she frowned. "I don''t want to break this into you, but that monster is ate stage Void God Realm creature! How do you think you can go near it with your cultivation level?!"


    Ren Shuang gave her a sidelong nce as he muttered in a cold voice. "Just distract it and I''ll do the rest!"


    He then disappeared from his spot and shot towards the chimera like a shadow. He lifted his sword and released dozens of dark sword rays that emitted gloomy auras of death!


    "That human!" Demon Empress Ganda gnashed her teeth as she immediately summoned a raging fire vortex that was as tall as a building! She then controlled the vortex like a whip and willed it to strike the chimera''srge body!


    The earth cracked as the huge vortexshed towards the chimera! Wherever the burning tornado touched, it left burning ashes in its wake!


    The chimera''s eyes narrowed as it casually swatted the dark sword rays. It then stared angrily at the fire vortex. Although it had a strong body, the chimera dared not underestimate the power of this raging me! The hideous beast growled as it grabbed a thick piece of earth beneath its feet and threw it towards the iing fire vortex!


    Bang!


    "A chance!" Ren Shuang gazed at the chimera''s neck as he poured more than fifty percent of his true essence on his sword. He then chanted in a soft voice.


    "Seventh Sword Style: Void Decapitating Sword..."


    A rift suddenly appeared near the chimera and a gloomy and dark sword shadow emerged out of it, shing towards the chimera''s exposed neck!


    The chimera tried to move away, but the rift was too close and it no longer had the chance to evade!


    Puchi!


    A huge bloody head plummeted from the sky, causing a violent tremor as it dropped to the ground. The headless corpse of the chimera soon copsed lifelessly...


    Looking at this scene, everyone was speechless as they all stopped what they were doing. They couldn''t help but stare at Ren Shuang in horror! Yes, they were afraid! That chimera was a creature at thete stage Void God Realm, but it fell under one move from his sword!


    Ren Shuang looked like the god of death with all the dark blood from the chimera all over his body! He then descended towards the ground as he slowly sheathed his sword.


    Demon Empress Ganda''s eyes widened like saucers as she witnessed the absurd scene. A beast that she thought was unbeatable died in just one sword strike from that human!


    "Impossible..." She muttered in disbelief.


    Valley Master Jiao who was battling against three savage beasts also saw this scene and he almost wet his pants in fear! That was ate stage Void God Realm chimera! Bloody hell!


    He immediately made a beeline to escape! Heck! Who cares about this damnable war? He didn''t want to have any part in this anymore...


    However, a peerless beauty holding a huge shield and a broadsword blocked his path of retreat.


    "Fuck off!" Valley Master Jiao raised his muscr arms and punched thedy with his full force!


    Demon Empress Ganda sneered as she lifted her massive shield.


    Bang!


    This was a True God-rank weapon and even though its inscriptions were no longer working, it wouldn''t break so easily!


    "This..." Valley Master Jiao was shocked to find out that his punch proved to be ineffective. He immediately ignored thedy in front of him and escaped in another direction, but a man was already hovering there like a specter of death!


    The sight of him scared Valley Master Jiao and he realized that he was trapped!


    "L-Look, I didn''t want to join this war, okay? I only came here because I owed Herald. How about you guys let me leave? If you let me go, I''ll bring my Poison Valley out of here..." Valley Master Jiao let out an ugly smile as he looked at Ren Shuang, Ganda, and the three savage beasts who had surrounded him.


    "Valley Master Jiao, it seems like you''ve not realized my identity. Then please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ganda, the leader of Narda Principality. Now, do you think I''ll let you escape?" Demon Empress Ganda chuckled contemptuously as she slowly moved closer towards the nervous Valley Master Jiao.


    Hearing this, the face of Valley Master Jiao immediately fell. His Poison Valley and the Narda Principality had been at war for many years! They wouldn''t stop until one of them is destroyed!


    "Hahaha! Foolish! I was so foolish to believe that idiot Herald! But do you think I would allow you morons to kill me easily?! Die!" Valley Master Jiao took out a huge ss filled with a green substance. Just the mere sight of this thing made Ren Shuang and the others feel rmed!


    Seeing their wary gazes, Valley Master Jiao erupted into peals ofughter. "Scared? I got this poison from an ancient ruin! Thousands of disciples from my Poison Valley died just to get this thing! Now, I''ll be using it on you pieces of sh*t! Hahaha!"

 Chapter 444: Spit Of An Ancient Creature

    <h4>Chapter 444: Spit Of An Ancient Creature</h4>


    Atop the clouds, Jiu Shen and Theia who were watching the battlefield suddenly frowned when they saw the green substance inside the ss.


    "Isn''t that thing..." Theia revealed a gobsmacked look as she muttered to herself.


    "That thing shouldn''t be here. If that stupid idiot breaks that ss, this world would copse. We can''t let that happen. Theia, go and capture Herald and Stormhoof, while I get that ss container. It seems like this training can''t go on any further..." Jiu Shen was also startled. The poison inside the huge ss container wasn''t anything ordinary! It was something capable of wiping out an entire world! Jiu Shen wondered why such terrifying poison was in this world...


    Jiu Shen and Theia abruptly moved in separate directions.


    Meanwhile, Valley Master Jiao gathered the true essence in his body towards his right hand, but just as he was about to break the ss with his fist, he suddenly discovered that the ss container he was holding was now gone!


    "Bloody hell! Where is it?!" Valley Master Jiao''s face contorted as he looked around only to see a new face looking at him with an expressionless look.


    "Master!"


    "Jiu Shen!"


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen?"


    Jiu Shen had already kept the poison inside his space earring. That thing was too dangerous to be left outside!


    "Alright. Enough with this. Ren Shuang and you lot, go and make the enemies surrender." Jiu Shen ordered in a calm voice.


    Ren Shuang and the three savage beasts immediately nodded their heads, while Demon Empress Ganda hesitated briefly before she soon followed them.


    Valley Master Jiao was stunned. Just a few words from this human and those pesky critters immediately left? Who is this guy?


    "Hey, brother. I know that what-"


    Swoosh.


    Bang!


    Jiu Shen took back his fist from the headless corpse of Valley Master Jiao. He then grabbed the corpse and burned it into nothingness!


    "Oh... I should have asked him where he got this thing..." He muttered to himself as he looked above the skies. There he saw Theia who was holding two battered demons in her hands.


    "I got them. What do you want me to do with them?" Theia said while clutching the necks of Herald and Stormhoof. Behind her were Balmond and Yue Bo who were both looking at her in fear.


    Stormhoof and Herald tried to escape from Theia''s grip, but to their horror, they realized that they had lost their strength!


    Jiu Shen shook his head as he said in a calm tone. "Just let Balmond deal with them. We still need to study the poison and see if it''s really the real deal."


    Theia turned around and handed the two battered demons to Balmond. She then left with Jiu Shen without saying a word.


    "Well...That happened too fast..." Yue Bo muttered with a nk look on his face. He had seen the mighty Herald and Stormhoof as they were beaten ck and blue by Theia in just a few seconds!


    Balmond was simrly speechless and he could still not process everything!


    First was when Ren Shuang killed thete stage Void God Realm chimera with one sword strike. The second one was when Jiu Shen killed Valley Master Jiao with one casual punch. And then thest one was Theia beating up Herald and Stormhoof.


    "At least this prevented more casualties from our side. Now, let''s just clean up the mess, Brother Yue." Balmond sighed as he sealed the cultivation of Herald and Stormhoof. Now that they were severely wounded, the two demons could only watch as Balmond sealed their cultivation.


    Because of this unexpected turn of events, the rebellion of the Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family was immediately suppressed. All the rebels were sealed in a giant array formation, disyed like ornaments for all the representatives from major powers to see!


    "You''re truly wise to think of this, Brother Ren! Now that the Great Demon Empire had just suppressed a rebellion, those major powers would certainly try to take advantage of us, but by doing this, it will serve as a deterrent to prevent them from making any impulsive actions." Balmond muttered with a look of admiration. This human Ren Shuang killed the chimera! But the most dangerous thing about him was his wisdom! He wasn''t like his daughter who was a bogus genius...


    Ren Shuang remained silent under everyone''s admiring gazes.


    Seeing this, Balmond chuckled and turned his head towards Demon Empress Ganda. "Thanks for your aid, Demon Empress Ganda. Our Bloodfallen Family is in your debt..."


    The Demon Empress shook her head with a sigh. "I didn''t do much. Brother Ren did most of the work..."


    Everyone chuckled at her words. They had all seen what happened...


    "In the end, Sect Master Jiu Shen and Young Miss Theia still had to act..." Ren Shuang who was silent muttered those words calmly. He then left the scene, leaving everyone at loss for words.


    ***


    Inside the Spirit World, Jiu Shen and Theia were looking at a ss container with wary gazes. To be specific, they were cautious about the green substance inside the ss container.


    "Step back first. With your strength, your body still can''t handle this poison. I''ll check it myself." Jiu Shen said indifferently.


    Theia wanted to say something, but when she saw Jiu Shen''s calm face, she could only say. "Just be careful."


    "I will. Reinforce this shield.) Jiu Shen said solemnly. He then released an invisible shield around him and the ss container. He couldn''t let even a small leak of this poison drop in the Spirit World!


    Theia extended her hands and slowly reinforced the invisible shield. She knew that the poison they were handling was dangerous, so sheplied without saying anything.


    Jiu Shen then carefully opened the ss container and poured a small drop of the poison inside a small bottle.


    He heaved a sigh of relief after pouring the drop of poison. He then kept the big ss container inside his space earring.


    "Now, let''s see if this thing is truly the spit of that vile ancient creature...." Jiu Shen muttered silently as he began testing the small drop of the green substance.

 Chapter 445: Undying Venom Dragon

    <h4>Chapter 445: Undying Venom Dragon</h4>


    Jiu Shen stared at the ss bottle in his hand. The items from the system are truly handy since all of them are made from Celestial-rank items. It could even hold such powerful poison! If Jiu Shen didn''t have his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword, he could even use this small ss bottle as a weapon...


    "My body is now at the Mystic God Realm and if this is indeed the spit of an Undying Venom Dragon, it should be able to melt my body." Jiu Shen muttered nonchntly.


    Theia who was outside the invisible shield almost lost her footing when she heard this. "Wait. What did you say?! Are you nning to try it out on yourself?! Are you out of mind, Jiu Shen?!"


    The Undying Venom Dragon was an ancient divine beast that wreak havoc in the Primordial God Realm billions of years ago. Millions of high-level experts died under its venom and it took thebined might of many powerhouses to suppress the divine beast! Celestial God Jian Wang even had to intervene just to seal it!


    "Look. We''re still unsure whether this really is the spit of that creature. How is it even possible for its venom to be here in Nuar?" Jiu Shen wasn''t just saying this to lighten the tension.


    The Undying Venom Dragon was a divine beast that was almostparable to a Celestial God Realm expert in terms of strength. Jiu Shen believed that the venom in their hands might just havee from one of its descendants.


    Theia felt a bit better when she heard his reasoning, but she was still worried. What if that venom came from the real one? "No! No! Definitely not. Even if you did recover your spiritual power to the True God Realm, you still won''t be able to suppress the poison if it is from that divine beast!"


    Jiu Shen hesitated when he heard that. "Alright. Maybe I should just keep it to myself now."


    Theia hurriedly nodded her head. "Yes! That''s the best thing to do. Now, keep that ss bottle away and take back this shield."


    Jiu Shen shrugged and kept the ss bottle inside his space earring. He then removed the invisible barrier he casted.


    Theia heaved a sigh of relief as she went closer to Jiu Shen. She whispered. "Don''t do something stupid next time..."


    Jiu Shen smiled and held her to his embrace as he replied in a gentle voice. "I won''t. I promise."


    ***


    One monthter.


    After suppressing the rebellion of the Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family, the newly crowned Queen of the Great Demon Empire re-invited the representatives of major powers from all over the continent toe to celebrate with them in their victory!


    Those that came during the first banquet immediately rushed to the newly rebuilt imperial pce to join the celebration and even those who didn''test time no longer dared to ignore the second invitation. Who would dare to decline the invitation of the Great Demon Empire?


    The Bloodfallen Family has already shown them their true might! Even an undead chimera that was at thete stage Void God Realm expert was destroyed during the rebellion! The imprisoned members of the Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family are living proof of this shocking news!


    "Her Majesty Cornelia has arrived!" An imperial guard announced followed by the arrival of Cornelia and her entourage.


    All the guests stared at the subus withplicated emotions. They thought that they could get a piece of the Great Demon Empire, but all their ns fell apart. The reason for that is the man walking behind Cornelia. ording to the rumors, he was the very man that killed the undead chimera, the Silent Sword, Ren Shuang!


    "Is that human the man they call the Silent Sword?"


    "Yes, that''s him! He was the one who killed the chimera! I saw it with my own two eyes! He killed that beast in just one sword move!"


    "Then why is he called the Silent Sword?"


    "Well. That''s because he rarely speaks. Even Her Majesty Cornelia could hardly make the man talk."


    The crowd chattered incessantly the moment they spotted Ren Shuang''s figure. This man has be a legend to them! He was a figure that stood at the peak of the Crimson Fiend Continent! The major powers sent their leaders because of him! Quite a few Void God Realm experts were even here just to see Ren Shuang!


    Cornelia sat on her throne and stared calmly at everyone, but when she noticed that some people were still chattering, she frowned.


    Ren Shuang noticed her reaction, so he mmed his scabbard to the ground.


    Pa!


    Everyone immediately shut their mouths.


    Seeing this, Cornelia smiled. "Good day, everyone. Thank you foring here to celebrate our victory with us. But before we start the banquet, I''d like to suggest something for all of us. Don''t worry, this is something that would only benefit the Crimson Fiend Continent."


    The guests furrowed their eyebrows in confusion. They wondered what this newly crowned queen had in mind.


    "Our Great Demon Empire is now a subordinate to the Heavenly Sword Tower. That means, all humans will be considered as friends by our empire. Of course, with the exception of those vile criminals..." Cornelia said in a calm tone.


    All the representatives were stunned when they heard this. Friends with the humans? Just what did they hear?


    Cornelia ignored the grave looks of everyone present. She couldn''t care less about their opinions. "You heard me right. So from now, our human friends must be treated fairly. Am I understood?"


    The subjects of the Great Demon Empire immediately offered their support as they answered.


    "Yes, Your Majesty!"


    Most of the guests soon followed suit and expressed their support to the Queen''s words. However, some people couldn''t ept this, especially those who sold humans as ves! Their business willpletely crumble apart if this happened!


    "Your Majesty, I''m sorry but I can''t agree to this.." A solemn voice echoed inside the throne room.

 Chapter 446: Second Sword Tower?

    <h4>Chapter 446: Second Sword Tower?</h4>


    Cornelia turned her gaze to the demon who had spoken. It was a tall and thin demon who had bat-like wings behind his back.


    Cornelia smiled at the bat demon and asked. "And your reason is?"


    The bat demon wasn''t afraid of Cornelia. She was just a Nascent God Realm youngling in his eyes. The one he was afraid of was the human standing beside her.


    This bat demon''s name was Lark and he built his own force with the help of his massive ve business. The profit from the humans they sold was about forty percent of their profit! If the Great Demon Empire announced its support to the humans, he would lose about half of his possessions! He couldn''t let that happen!


    Lark felt a bit nervous when he sensed everyone''s gazes on him, but he still answered. "Your Majesty, we''ve been enemies with the humans for thousands of years! Many of our ancestors even died fighting against their kind! Why would we befriend creatures like them?!"


    Cornelia''s expression turned cold upon hearing Lark''s words. "Your Mr. Lark, right? Owner of the Blood Bat Merchant Alliance...Before I get back to you, is there anyone else who is against this?"


    Cornelia nced coldly at everyone present. With the Heavenly Sword Tower''s support, she wasn''t afraid of offending everyone.


    "I also disagree with this."


    "Me too."


    Three more major powers supported Lark and all three of them were from merchant groups like him. Their entire wealth would be greatly affected if Cornelia was intent on supporting the humans.


    Seeing that some were brave enough to stand with him, Lark felt a bit relieved. However, he couldn''t shake off this feeling that something bad would soon happen.


    "I see. Guards, see these guests off." Cornelia muttered coldly.


    Tens of guards came and surrounded the four businesses magnates.


    "Your Majesty, what is the meaning of this?! Are you making an enemy of us?! You don''t know what you''re doing!" Lark became angry when he saw this. How could he allow a Void God Realm expert like him to be treated like this by Nascent God Realm youngling?


    The three merchants almost wetted their pants when they saw the reaction of Lark. They wanted to mediate the situation, but when they noticed the gazes sent their way, they discovered that it was already toote!


    Thud.


    A severed head dropped to the ground.


    Ren Shuang sheathed his sword before returning beside Cornelia.


    The three merchants plopped to the floor when they saw Lark''s bloody head rolling over the floor.


    "This... I agree! I agree! I support Your Majesty''s decision!"


    "I also agree!"


    "Me too!"


    They didn''t dare oppose the newly crowned queen any further. Lark was so much stronger than them but the guy died in just one strike! How could they fight back against such power? Even the other guests were horrified when they witness this scene. At first, some of them were still skeptical about the rumors they heard, but from the looks of it, everything was true!


    "Does someone still want to speak?" Cornelia smiled as she looked at the guests. She found it quite amusing to look at these scared experts.


    When she noticed that no one was talking, Cornelia chuckled to herself. "In that case, I officially announce the start of the banquet! Please enjoy, everyone!"


    ***


    Inside the second floor of the lotus building.


    "I n to create another sword tower here for our Heavenly Sword Tower. Which ce do you suggest we build our second sword tower?" Jiu Shen nced at the people seated with him. They were the Division Heads of the Heavenly Sword Tower and he invited them here for an important meeting.


    Everyone stared at the map on the table. Everyone furrowed their eyebrows as they pondered deeply.


    "Sect Master, how about this ce?" The Division Head of the Heavenly Sword Division, Lu Sn, said as she pointed at a certain location on the map.


    Everyone nced at the ce she was pointing and they were surprised. "Isn''t that the territory of the Poison Valley?"


    Jiu Shen had a thoughtful look as he stared at the map. He then patted Lu Sn''s shoulder and said. "Good idea. With the death of their Valley Master Jiao, the Poison Valley crumbled apart and its territory is quite big. However, Narda Principality is currently in control of this piece ofnd. I don''t want to still it away from them."


    Lu Sn smiled when she heard her master''s words. "Master, I heard that Narda Principality is nning to auction the things they found in Poison Valley''s base. This piece ofnd is included in the auctioned items."


    Jiu Shen''s eyes lit up upon hearing this. He then said. "Good job! You''ve done your homework quite well. Sn, you will be responsible for this. You can get the money you need from the Resource Division. If it''scking, you can ask the Bloodfallen Family for it."


    Lu Sn was happy when she heard her master''s praise. "Yes, master! I''ll get this done efficiently."


    "You can bring Can Ye with you. As for the rest, go back and n for the construction of our second sword tower." Jiu Shenmanded before he left the second floor.


    After Jiu Shen left, the Division Heads could no longer hide their excitement. Their Heavenly Sword Tower was expanding! And they were building their second sword tower in the territory of the demons, the Crimson Fiend Continent! Who would have thought of that?


    "This is brilliant! With the Sect Master behind us, who can stop our rise? Hahaha!"


    "You''re right! Hahaha!"


    "Don''t be toocent. We all know that the sect master is nning to go back to that ce. Did you forget that we are nothingpared to the true powerhouses of that ce?! Remember that!" Lu Sn red at everyone.


    "Senior Sister, you mean the Primordial God Realm that master always tells us about?" Can Ye asked.


    "What else could I be talking about!?" Lu Sn had a high position in the Heavenly Sword Tower. Everyone respected her since she was the senior disciple of Jiu Shen!

 Chapter 447: Hestia Comes To The Crimson Fiend Continent

    <h4>Chapter 447: Hestia Comes To The Crimson Fiend Continent</h4>


    "Division Head Xia, how much resources do we have?" Lu Sn asked a cold-looking woman.


    Xia Xinyue took out a piece of document from her storage ring and ced it on the table for everyone to see. "Our Heavenly Sword Tower has umted four billion True Crystals, eight hundred million Blood Stones, two hundred and fifty God Stones,..."


    "... most of our wealthes from the sales of the Pill Division as well as spoils of war from all the sects and major powers we''ve fought. Is it enough Division Head Lu?" Xia Xinyue asked Lu Sn with a smile.


    Xia Xinyue and Lu Sn both came from the Frozen Cloud Sect so they were quite familiar with each other. However, it was better to maintain a professional attitude during meetings, so despite being close as sisters, they refer to each other by their positions.


    Lu Sn and the other Division Heads were shocked when they heard her words. They haven''t had that much wealth before! The only one who was able to remain calm was Qi Hongtian, the Division Head of the Pill Division.


    "That''s more than enough, Division Head Xia! I thought that we would need to borrow money from the Bloodfallen Family, but it seems like I''ve underestimated the wealth we have umted." Lu Sn smiled at Xia Xinyue. From the looks of it, she no longer needs to visit the Bloodfallen Family...


    Xia Xinyue took back the document and kept it inside her space ring as she asked. "How much do you need for this auction?"


    Lu Sn furrowed her eyebrows as she calcted in her mind. She wasn''t certain of the exact value of the Poison Valley''s territory. "To tell you the truth, I''m also unsure how much that piece ofnd is, but to be safe, I''ll bring two billion True Crystals and five hundred million Blood Stones with me."


    "Isn''t that too much, Senior Sister?" Can Ye unconsciously blurted out.


    Lu Sn nced at him and replied in a calm voice. "I know, but we have to make sure that we would get that piece ofnd. I will return the rest of the money after the auction." She then turned towards Xia Xinyue and said.


    "Please get the resources Division Head Xia. We will depart right away after we get everything prepared. Also, please bring Sister Hestia here. She''s been guarding the master''s store in Beltran City all this time. Just get an Elder to rece her. No one would be foolish enough to cause trouble there anyway."


    Xia Xinyue nodded her head in understanding. "No problem. I''ll bring her here." She then went to the Teleportation Array Formation.


    "Alright. Everyone, you can go back to your posts. Can Ye, you stay." Lu Sn adjourned the meeting and everyone soon left the second floor. Only Can Ye and Lu Sn remained there.


    "Senior Sister, how are the disciples doing? I haven''t seen some of them after they left to join the war." Can Ye asked as he looked at his senior sister. Can Ye was the Division Head of the Mission Hall and he was quite upied with his job, so he wasn''t able to join the war.


    "No need to worry about them. None of them died and only a few were severely injured, but they''re fine now. By the way, how''s your cultivation going?" Lu Sn nced at her junior brother with a probing look. This guy was very diligent with his cultivation, but she was unsure of how strong he had be.


    Can Ye released his aura as he replied with a smug look on his face. "As you can see, your Junior Brother is now a peak stage Origin God Realm! What do you think, Senior Sister? Not bad, right!"


    Lu Sn''s face twitched when she sensed his aura. This guy had actually caught up to her! Her cultivation speed was much slower than the others because of her cultivation technique and unique physique. However, although her cultivation level was just simr to Can Ye, she knew that she could defeat him in just a few moves!


    Thinking about this, Lu Sn felt a bit better.


    "Feeling smug, are you? How about a spar with me then?" Lu Sn let out a cold smile as she red at Can Ye.


    "No way! Hahaha! I mean, I still haven''t stabilized my cultivation yet since I just recently broke through. Let''s not talk about this..." Can Ye sweated bullets. He ignored Lu Sn''s gaze and closed his eyes as if he was in a meditative state.


    Lu Snughed in her heart when she saw him acting like this.


    About an hourter, Xia Xinyue came back with a red-haired beauty following behind her.


    "Sister Hestia!"


    "Elder Hestia!"


    Lu Sn and Can Ye greeted the woman behind Xia Xinyue. It has been a while since they''vest seen each other. Hestia had been guarding Jiu Shen''s store in Beltran City all this while and she rarelyes to visit the Heavenly Sword Tower.


    Hestia smiled at the two. "Hello, you two. Why did you call me here? Did the master call me?" She asked.


    Lu Sn shook her head. "No. The master didn''t say anything. You''ve been guarding master''s store all this while, Sister Hestia. I want to bring you to an auction for a change of pace. Don''t worry about the store. I already asked Division Head Xia to rece your position."


    Hestia was a bit disappointed when she heard the answer, but she didn''t show it to her face. "I see. No problem. I''m also interested in the Crimson Fiend Continent, so I don''t mind tagging along with you guys. I heard that this ce is ruled by demons."


    Hestia''s eyes flickered at the mention of the word ''demons'', but it disappeared right away so no one noticed anything.


    "You''re right, Elder Hestia! I also want to see these demons myself. I''ve been busy with the Mission Hall''s matters all this time.. Now I can finally see what this ce looks like!" Can Ye said eagerly.

 Chapter 448: Hegante City

    <h4>Chapter 448: Hegante City</h4>


    Strange memories flooded Hestia''s mind a few months ago, and it was only recently that she had finally realized that she had been reborn!


    "Elder Hestia. Elder Hestia!"


    "I''m sorry. What are you saying?" Hestia nced at Can Ye with a smile.


    Can Ye furrowed his eyebrows. Hestia was acting weird and it was the first time he saw her like this. "Is there anything wrong, Elder Hestia?"


    "Nothing." Hestia shook her head at him. He wouldn''t understand even if he told her. Besides, she didn''t want anyone to know anything about what happened to her.


    Despite his curiosity, Can Ye held back asking her more questions. "Alright. Let''s go downstairs now. Senior Sister is waiting for us there. We will go to Narda Principality." He then brought Hestia outside the lotus building where they met up with Lu Sn.


    "Are you guys ready?" Lu Sn asked while looking at the two. Hestia and Can Ye nodded their heads.


    "Alright. Let''s go!" Lu Sn led them towards Hegante City, the capital city of Narda Principality. The Narda Auction House where the auction would be hosted is located there.


    The journey wasn''t long for someone at their level and it only took them about an hour despite the great distance. The three descended at the entrance of Hegante City. Apparently, outsiders aren''t allowed to fly within the city, so the three stopped at the entrance to take a carriage. However, they were surprised when someone came to greet them.


    "Greetings, Division Head Lu! I''m Lou Baiqing and we''ve fought together during the rebellion. I''m pleased to meet you again." Lou Baiqing came with a few generals from Narda Principality. The Demon Empress told him that someone from the Heavenly Sword Tower woulde to Hegante City to join the auction. He''d been waiting for them all this time.


    Lu Sn cupped her fists at Lou Baiqing. "It''s great to see you again, Lord Lou. This is Can Ye, Division Head of our Mission Hall, and this is Hestia, one of our strongest Elders."


    Lou Baiqing moved his gaze towards the two people standing behind Lu Sn and smiled at them. "It''s a pleasure to know you Division Head Can and Elder Hestia. Come! I''ll bring you to see Her Majesty. She''s in the pce waiting for you guys to arrive."


    "Alright." Lu Sn, Can Ye, and Hestia nodded their heads and followed Lou Baiqing to the pce of Narda Principality.


    Lou Baiqing led them to the topmost floor of the pce where Demon Empress Ganda was staying.


    "Your Majesty, I''ve brought them here." Lou Baiqing lightly bowed towards the Demon Empress.


    "Greetings, Demon Empress Ganda." Lu Sn, Can Ye, and Hestia greeted the red-haired demon seated on her chair.


    Demon Empress Ganda nced at Lu Sn and Can Ye for a moment before her gaze stopped at Hestia. Although the Demon Empress didn''t use her spiritual power to scan Hestia''s cultivation, the Demon Empress still knew that she was the strongest among her three visitors.


    "No need for formalities, Division Head Lu. I''m sorry, but these two are?"


    "This is Can Ye, Division Head of our Mission Hall, and this is Elder Hestia." Lu Sn introduced the two briefly.


    Demon Empress Ganda stood up and cupped her fist at them. "I knew that the Heavenly Sword Tower would send representatives in our Hegante City to attend the auction in Narda Auction House. However, I''m not sure which of the auction items does the Heavenly Sword Tower wants."


    Lu Sn smiled at her and said probingly. "The sect master has sent us here to bid for the territory of Poison Valley. I wonder if someone else is also interested in that piece ofnd."


    The Demon Empress'' eyes shed upon hearing her words. Why would the Heavenly Sword Tower desire the territory of Poison Valley? It should be of no use to them, unless if they were nning to construct something in that piece of richnd!


    "From what I''ve heard, there are indeed quite a few major powers that are interested in thatnd. A peak expert even expressed his interest in that territory." Demon Empress Ganda said with a serious look.


    "Peak expert? And who might this be?" Lu Sn asked curiously.


    "You guys might not have heard of him yet since you''re not natives here. Everyone calls him Necromancer Emperor!" The Demon Empress said in a solemn tone. She knew that the undead army and the chimera that the Lycan Family and Torgrim Family brought with them during the war came from the Necromancer Emperor. She was wondering what that old demon was nning to do this time.


    Lu Sn haven''t heard of that name, but looking at the Demon Empress'' expression, it seemed that this Necromancer Emperor was quite formidable. However, she wasn''t worried since Hestia was with them.


    "Thanks for the information, Demon Empress Ganda. We won''t stay here for long since we still have to prepare for the auction. Farewell." Lu Sn smiled at her.


    "No problem. Baiqing, see our guests out." Demon Empress Ganda didn''t let them stay when she noticed Lu Sn''s expression. She knew that these guys would start investigating on their own. However, that wasn''t her problem, so she didn''t n to stop them.


    Lou Baiqing led them outside the pce.


    After the three left the pce, Lu Sn nced at Can Ye and said. "Junior Brother, I want you to investigate this Necromancer Emperor. Meet with us in this location after your investigation." She pointed at an inn on the map.


    Can Ye stared at the map and nodded his head. "Alright. I''ll be back right away."


    "Be careful." Lu Sn patted his shoulder.


    Can Ye''s figure disappeared from the scene.


    "Are you worried about this Necromancer Emperor that the Demon Empress talked about?" Hestia asked as she looked at Lu Sn.


    Lu Sn nodded her head with a frown on her face. "I won''t allow anyone to snatch thatnd from us!"

 Chapter 449: Auction Begins!

    <h4>Chapter 449: Auction Begins!</h4>


    Knock. Knock. Knock.


    A dayter, Lu Sn heard a knock on her door. She stopped cultivating and stood up as she said. "Come inside."


    "Senior Sister." Can Ye greeted Lu Sn.


    "What did you discover about that demon?" Lu Sn asked while looking at her junior disciple. She saw that his expression had suddenly turned serious.


    "Senior Sister, that guy was the one who offered the chimera and the undead army to the Torgrim Family and the Lycan Family. I heard it from the mouth of an Elder from the Torgrim Family. He told me that their leader, Stormhoof Torgrim, visited the Necromancer Emperor to get his help. I also heard that this old man was already at thete stage of the Void God Realm fifty thousand years ago! It seems like this guy is quite difficult to handle..." Can Ye frowned as he reported his findings. He had to go back to the Great Demon Empire just to get this information. Can Ye felt that the auction this time would be dangerous if they acted impulsively.


    Lu Sn furrowed her eyebrows as she processed Can Ye''s information. She finally realized why the Demon Empress was wary of this Necromancer Emperor. However, Lu Sn was confident in Hestia''s strength!


    "It doesn''t matter. We must get that piece ofnd! I promised the master that I can aplish this. I wouldn''t have a face to show if we fail! I don''t think he''s brave enough to provoke our Heavenly Sword Tower!" Lu Sn muttered with a dark look on her face. She wouldn''t allow anyone to take that piece ofnd from her!


    Looking at his Senior Sister''s determined expression, Can Ye said in a serious tone. "Don''t worry, Senior Sister. Even if that guy is strong, Elder Hestia is with us. With my current cultivation, I''m confident that I can battle evenly with ate stage Void God Realm!"


    Lu Sn nodded her head and patted Can Ye''s shoulder. "I know. Get Sister Hestia. The auction will begin this afternoon."


    "Alright."


    ***


    Narda Auction House.


    Lu Sn, Hestia, and Can Ye were led towards a VIP room.


    "Demon Empress Ganda is treating us well." Can Ye muttered with a smile as he looked at the gorgeous maid that brought them here.


    "There are only ten VIP rooms in this auction house. We took one and the other nine are already upied. The people inside those VIP rooms might havee from major powers, so we have to be careful not to provoke them needlessly." Lu Sn reminded in a calm voice. She then turned her gaze towards the gorgeous servant and said with a smile. "You can go back. Please thank the Demon Empress for us. We appreciate her hospitality."


    The servant nodded her and bowed professionally. "I''ll send your message to Her Majesty. Enjoy the auction." She then left their VIP after that.


    Not longter, Lou Baiqing walked towards the stage and greeted everyone. "Good afternoon, everyone! We have seventy-six auctioned items waiting for you guys! Everyone knows about the rebellion that happened in the Great Demon Empire, right? Our Narda Principality was lucky enough to join hands with the Bloodfallen Family and the Heavenly Sword Tower to stop the rebellion. After the battle, our Narda Principality earned quite a lot of high level resources! Now, you will all have the chance to acquire these items! I won''t make this introduction long anymore! Let me show you the first item! Bring it here!"


    Two servants pushed a trolley that had a mystery box on top of it. They then lifted the cloth that covered the box and everyone saw a piece of armor.


    "This armor was taken from an Elder of the Torgrim Family. It wasn''t in its best condition when our team discovered this armor, but our best cksmiths were able to repair it to its peak condition! Our appraiser has already appraised this armor as a Nascent-rank item! The initial price for this armor is two hundred thousand Blood Stones! Everyone''s bid increment must be at least ten thousand Blood Stones!"


    "Two hundred and ten thousand Blood Stones!"


    "Two hundred and twenty thousand Blood Stones!"


    "Two hundred and thirty thousand Blood Stones!"


    The armor was quite appealing to Nascent God Realm experts, but no one from the VIP rooms made any bid for this.


    The armor was bought by a solitary Nascent God Realm expert for three hundred and seventy Blood Stones!


    "The next item is ten bottles of Frozen Blood. To those who don''t know about this item. It is a type of special poison that was concocted by the poison masters of Poison Valley. Each of these bottles can kill Nascent God Realm experts within a month if left untreated! However, the most effective use for this poison is to hunt savage beasts! If this poison is draped over a weapon and is used to injure a savage beast, they would be in a weakened state!" Lou Baiqing could already sense the murderous gazes sent by savage beasts experts among the guests, but he ignored them. Business is business. He couldn''t do anything about it...


    "Is it sold by bottle or in batches?" Someone from the crowd asked.


    Lou Baiqing smiled and replied. "One bottle of Frozen Blood is worth eighty thousand Blood Stones! Everyone''s bid must be at least five thousand Blood Stones higher!"


    This poison was very useful for hunters and mercenaries. They were the ones who began bidding for the bottles of Frozen Blood.


    In the end, each bottle of Frozen Blood was sold for at least one hundred ten thousand Blood Stones. There was even one bottle that was sold for one hundred and thirty thousand Blood Stones!


    The people inside the VIP rooms calmly observed the bidding for the first few items, but nothing seemed to interest them. However, when Lou Baiqing showed the eleventh item, some of them finally took notice.


    "For the eleventh item, an Origin-rank dagger from an Elder of the Lycan Family. The initial price is one million Blood Stones and each increment must be at least fifty thousand Blood Stones!"

 Chapter 450: Overbearing Necromancer Emperor

    <h4>Chapter 450: Overbearing Necromancer Emperor</h4>


    There are only a few Origin-rank items and all of them are incredibly precious and sought after by peak experts. Now that such a treasure was being auctioned, how could they remain indifferent?


    "One million and two hundred thousand Blood Stones!"


    "I bid one million and three hundred Blood Stones!"


    The required increment was at least fifty thousand Blood Stones, but these experts from the VIP rooms had no qualms about increasing the bid by hundreds of thousands!


    Can Ye chuckled disdainfully when he saw the fierce bidding war for the Origin-rank dagger. He already had his own weapon and it was even more precious than the dagger being auctioned. "These guys haven''t seen what a real weapon is..." He muttered in a mocking tone.


    Lu Sn smacked the back of his head and immediately scolded him. "Without the master''s guidance and help, would you even have the chance to gloat at those demons? Remember your roots and don''t let your sess make you forget where you''vee from!"


    Can Ye rubbed his aching head and nodded his head in embarrassment. "Yes, Senior Sister!"


    She was right! Without his master''s help, he would have been the same unknown mercenary scavenging and hunting in the ruins or a forest.


    The Origin-rank dagger was sold for three million and seven hundred Blood Stones! The solitary experts who were inside the auction house could only shake their heads in jealousy at the wealth of these tycoons...


    The following items were also precious and those people inside the VIP rooms began bidding for them. The ordinary ones could only watch as these rich powerhouses increased the bid without even batting an eyelid...


    "The Necromancer Emperor is surprisingly quiet in his VIP room. Is he really waiting for thend of Poison Valley?" Lu Sn muttered with a frown. She was confident with the number of resources they brought. However, the opposing side was someone who lived for thousands upon thousands of years! How could that kind of individualck money? So no matter how much resources they brought, Lu Sn still felt threatened.


    Can Ye also realized this. "I heard that the skull of the chimera would also be auctioned here. Maybe that old demon would be interested in it. After all, he was the one who created that monster." He said after he remembered an important detail.


    "We have no use for that skull, so we won''t bid for it. Just let them waste their resources, so our chances of getting thend will increase." Lu Sn smiled coldly.


    Meanwhile, Hestia didn''t join their conversation. She merely watched the auction or to be specific, she watched the demons inside the auction house with an icy look. A hint of hatred momentarily shed in her eyes as she looked at the demons.


    "The next item is somewhat special and ites from thete stage chimera that was killed by the human expert, Lord Ren Shuang!" Lou Baiqing said with slightly red eyes. He then uncovered the item and everyone saw a huge skull! The skull of the chimera was in perfect condition since its head was cleanly cut by Ren Shuang when he killed it.


    Everyone gasped in surprise when they saw the giant skull. Even though it was just a bone of the dead chimera, some of the weaker ones felt suppressed when they looked at the skull.


    "This chimera skull is worth eighty million Blood Stones and every increment must be at least one million Blood Stones!"


    The crowd was stunned by the price of the skull, but those who knew its true value immediately ced their bids. If used correctly, this skull could help them improve their cultivation!


    "One hundred million Blood Stones."


    An aged voice suddenly echoed from the silent VIP room number two where the Necromancer Emperor was staying and he increased the bid directly by twenty million Blood Stones!


    The guests were gobsmacked when they heard the bid, but soon, more people began to bid.


    "One hundred and ten million Blood Stones!"


    "One hundred and fifteen million Blood Stones!"


    The Necromancer Emperor frowned when he heard the bids of the people from the VIP rooms. This skull belonged to his chimera, so this was technically his property. However, Narda Principality took ownership of it and ignored him when he asked for them to return it to him. If not for his wariness towards the Heavenly Sword Tower, he would have already started a massacre in Narda Principality with his undead army!


    "It seems like I''ve stayed hidden for too long that these juniors thought that I''ve be a soft potato. Hehe." The Necromancer Emperor muttered coldly to himself.


    The bidding for the skull continued and it soon reached more than two hundred million Blood Stones! The shocking price of this chimera skull was enough to create a holynd!


    The Necromancer Emperor ced his bid coldly. "This old demon bids two hundred and fifty million Blood Stones for this thing. Don''t irritate me further young ones. You all know that this thing belongs to me! Let me see who has the guts to outbid me!" He threatened the guests by releasing a bit of his aura.


    Everyone felt their chests tightening when the Necromancer Emperor''s aura covered the auction house.


    Suddenly, a gentle breeze destroyed the old demon''s aura followed by the tantalizing voice of the Demon Empress. "Necromancer Emperor Skull, please don''t cause trouble here in our Narda Auction House..."


    The Necromancer Emperor chuckled in disdain when he heard the warning. "You must be the leader of Narda Principality, but I don''t care. A mere mid stage Void God Realm junior dares to act so high and mighty against me? Hahaha! Are you sure that you want to provoke me for something that is not even yours?"


    Everyone was nervous when they heard the exchange of words between these two top experts. If they suddenly end up fighting, then they would be caught in the crossfire! That would be terrible!

 Chapter 451: Land Deed

    <h4>Chapter 451: Land Deed</h4>


    Demon Empress Ganda was a bit hesitant. She knew that the Necromancer Emperor was here to cause trouble, but she didn''t want to offend the old demon. However, it seemed like the guy was hell-bent on making things difficult for her.


    If she lowered herself in this situation, everyone would feel that she was afraid of the Necromancer Emperor. And if she goes against the old demon, he might strike out of fury.


    While she was in a dilemma, a soft voice suddenly echoed within the auction house.


    "The Heavenly Sword Tower is interested in this chimera skull. We bid two hundred and sixty million Blood Stones."


    Lu Sn and Can Ye were both surprised by the sudden turn of events. Hestia, who usually had a smiling expression now had a malevolent look on her face. They also sensed that her aura Had suddenly be unstable.


    Can Ye nced helplessly at his Senior Sister, but thetter only shook her head without saying anything.


    Hm?


    The Necromancer Emperor frowned upon hearing that voice. He somehow felt apprehensive of the auraing from the VIP room of the Heavenly Sword Tower. He wondered who this woman was...


    ''These humans from the Heavenly Sword Tower is too much!'' The Necromancer Emperor gritted his teeth, but he held back his anger. He wanted to see their boss before he would make a move. He might be old, but he hasn''t lost his shrewd mind...


    After seeing that the Necromancer Emperor had be silent, Demon Empress Ganda heaved a sigh of relief.


    Lou Baiqing also took this opportunity to end the deal. "Two hundred million and sixty million going once!"


    "... going twice!"


    "Congrattions to the Heavenly Sword Tower for getting the chimera skull for two hundred and sixty million Blood Stones!" Lou Baiqing said while wiping the sweat on his forehead.


    Hestia soon regained rity. She then shed an apologetic look towards Lu Sn and Can Ye. "Sorry, do we still have enough resources for thend?"


    Lu Sn nodded her head lightly. "It''s fine. We should have enough for thend, but are you alright Sister Hestia?" She asked while looking at Hestia with a probing look. She wondered what made Hestia react like that.


    Hestia smiled at her and replied. "Of course. I just can''t stand the ugly voice of that old demon."


    Lu Sn and Can Ye were both speechless at her reply, but they decided to not press the matter. They could just ask herter after the auction is done.


    The auction continued and things progressed smoothly. The Necromancer Emperor also became silent after that short exchange of words.


    "For thest item of today''s auction, we present to you thend deed for the territory of Poison Valley. As some of you might know, the Poison Valley joined the Lycan Family and the Torgrim Family in their rebellion. However, their Valley Master and most of their Elders died in that war, leaving the Poison Valley in a mess. Now, this big piece ofnd will be auctioned for four hundred million Blood Stones and each increment must be at least ten million Blood Stones!" Lou Baiqing said with a wide grin on his face. Thisnd deed was like a hot potato in their hands, so the Demon Empress decided to auction it.


    Everyone was taken aback when they heard Lou Baiqing. The territory of Poison Valley was not just big, it was also rich in natural resources. However, they knew that only those in the VIP rooms would have the capital to fight for thisnd.


    "I bid four hundred and ten million Blood Stones!"


    "Four hundred and twenty million Blood Stones!"


    "Four hundred and fifty million Blood Stones!"


    To everyone''s surprise, the Necromancer Emperor was strangely silent throughout the whole bidding for thend deed. In the end, the Heavenly Sword Tower bought thend deed for seven hundred million Blood Stones! The guests could shake their heads helplessly when the deal was concluded.


    The auction came to a close and the guests started leaving one by one. Only those who bought items remained.


    "Lord Lou, can we use True Crystals as a substitute? We didn''t bring enough Blood Stones with us." Lu Sn asked with a smile. She was happy that no problem urred during the auction.


    Lou Baiqing''s eyes lit up upon hearing her words. Blood Stones were abundant in the Crimson Fiend Continent, but True Crystals weren''t so easy to find here. Although their value was mostly the same, True Crystals were a bit more difficult to find. He wasn''t foolish enough to reject Lu Sn''s offer.


    "No problem!" Lou Baiqing answered right away. He was afraid that Lu Sn would suddenly change her mind.


    Lu Sn smiled and gave him a storage ring filled with Blood Stones and True Crystals. "Here it is. You can check it first."


    "No need. I trust you guys." Lou Baiqing epted the storage ring and kept it immediately.


    "Thanks. We will leave now, Lord Lou. Farewell." Just as Lu Sn, Hestia, and Can Ye were about to leave, Lou Baiqing suddenly said.


    "Wait! Her Majesty would like to speak with Elder Hestia."


    The three nced at each other and nodded their heads.


    "Alright. I''ll go talk with the Demon Empress. You two can wait for me here." Hestia said softly.


    Lou Baiqing then led Hestia towards a secret room inside the auction house. "Your Majesty, I brought Elder Hestia with me."


    "Bring Elder Hestia inside." A voice sounded inside the secret room.


    Lou Baiqing opened the door and let Hestia go inside before closing it again.


    Hestia looked indifferently at the Demon Empress. In truth, she still found it hard to maintain her calmness in front of a demon. After she recovered her memories from her past life, Hestia began to despise the demons even more!


    "Is there anything you need from me?" Hestia asked with a cold look.


    The Demon Empress was confused by Hestia''s change in attitude. Did she do something that offended her?

 Chapter 452: Angry Old Demon

    <h4>Chapter 452: Angry Old Demon</h4>


    Despite her confusion, the Demon Empress smiled at Hestia. "Thank you for your help earlier, Elder Hestia. I would have been in trouble if you didn''t speak up."


    Hestia shook her head and replied. "It''s nothing."


    The Demon Empress let out a stiff smile when she heard the reply. She couldn''t help but ask. "I''m sorry, but did we do anything that displeased you, Elder Hestia?"


    Hestia furrowed her eyebrows. She felt slightly guilty for being so unfriendly with the Demon Empress when she didn''t even do anything untoward to her. "No. If there''s nothing else, then please excuse me." She muttered and left the room, leaving behind the perplexed Demon Empress.


    "Weird..." Demon Empress Ganda whispered to herself.


    Lou Baiqing was quite surprised to see Hestia going out of the room. She just entered for more than a minute, so why was she leaving so soon?


    Lou Baiqing went inside the room and stared at the Demon Empress in puzzlement. "What happened?"


    The Demon Empress shrugged and shook her head. "I don''t know. Go and bring a few of our top experts with you. I don''t believe that old man wouldn''t make a move. He might do something to Elder Hestia''s group, so follow them in secret and report back to me if something happens."


    Lou Baiqing nodded his head solemnly. "Yes, Your Majesty!"


    ***


    Can Ye and Lu Sn were baffled. They thought that Hestia would discuss something with the Demon Empress for a long time, but she was already back after a little more than a minute.


    "Let''s go back. The master wants us to build a second sword tower, so we should begin discussing it with the other Division Heads." Hestia said while smiling at the two.


    "Is there-" Lu Sn tugged Can Ye''s sleeve before he could finish speaking and she said.


    "Yes, of course! Alright. Let''s leave."


    Can Ye scratched the back of his head and followed the two women. They went out of Hegante City right away, but when they left the protected zone of Narda Principality, a figure blocked their path.


    It was an old demon dressed like a poor beggar.


    "You must be the Necromancer Emperor. Is there anything we can do for you?" Lu Sn frowned as she looked towards the old demon. She couldn''t sense this guy''s cultivation level!


    "Hahaha! At first, I don''t want to cause trouble, but you young ones didn''t even give face to this old one. However, I''m a benevolent demon, so I''ll give you one more chance. Give thatnd deed to me and I will let this matter go." The Necromancer Emperor said with a contemptuous smile hanging on his aged face.


    Lu Sn and Can Ye revealed furious faces when they heard the old demon''s words. This guy was indeed eyeing thend deed!


    "I''m sorry, but we can''t give it to you." Can Ye stepped forward as he stared coldly at the Necromancer Emperor.


    "Hahaha! You''re quite brave for a human, but are you sure about this?" The old demon grinned wickedly and slowly released his aura to suppress Can Ye. However, a figure appeared before Can Ye and blocked the old demon''s aura.


    "No one can hurt the master''s disciples with me here!" Hestia uttered in a cold voice.


    Necromancer Emperor Skull frowned while looking at Hestia. This was the woman who went against him during the auction! "So it''s you. I thought you were some kind of top expert, but you are just a mere early stage Void God Realm trash! Do you really think I''m afraid of offending your Heavenly Sword Tower?"


    "You wouldn''t have talked so much to us if you''re really not afraid." Hestia chuckled mockingly.


    "You!" The Necromancer Emperor nearly lost control of his emotions when he heard those words.


    "If you''re so afraid to attack us, then scram out of my sight!" Hestia shouted furiously.


    The Necromancer Emperor''s body shook with fury. He never experienced this kind of tant mockery, especiallying from a human!


    The old demon cackled malevolently.


    He then released his aura in full disy!


    Peak stage Void God Realm!


    "You asked for this! Die!" The old necromancer summoned a huge demonic hand that emitted a dark and gloomy energy. This huge demonic hand then extended towards Hestia in a swift motion, followed by a thick scent of death in its wake!


    Can Ye and Lu Sn were both suppressed. Even if they joined hands to block this demonic hand, they would still end up dead, so they could only pin their hopes on Hestia.


    Hestia remained calm as she looked at the dark and hideous hand that was wing towards her. She then summoned a sword and struck it towards the huge hand!


    Bang!


    The Necromancer Emperorughed in disdain. He spent ten percent of his true essence for that attack and he was confident that it could kill even a mid stage Void God Realm, so Hestia who was only at the early stage of the Void God Realm would definitely die!


    However, the old demon''sughter soon stopped.


    He discovered that Hestia was still in perfect condition! "How is this possible?! That attack should have killed you!"


    Hestia''s sword was now burning fiercely with golden mes. She flicked her sword and pointed it towards the old demon and muttered. "Too weak!"


    "Insolent bastard!!" The necromancer angrily howled before casting a high-level dark magic.


    The sky darkened as hundreds of thousands of flying creatures soon blotted the sky!


    "Kill them!!" The old demon pointed at Hestia''s group with a malicious look.


    ***


    "Your Majesty, bad news! That old bastard attacked them!" Lou Baiqing said as soon as he stepped inside Demon Empress Ganda''s room.


    "What?!" The Demon Empress pushed him lightly and darted out of Hegante City in a sh.


    When she stepped out of her territory, she noticed a strong suppressive power ahead of her. When she looked closely, she saw that the sky was soon filled with strange-looking flying creatures!


    "Is he insane?! Dammit!"

 Chapter 453: Undead Army

    <h4>Chapter 453: Undead Army</h4>


    The old demon cackled maliciously as he stared at the dark flying creatures descending towards Hestia''s group. These creatures had long scythe-like arms and grisly sharp teeth! And all of them were now striking towards Hestia and the other two!


    "Hahaha! Die!" Necromancer Emperor Skull let out a malevolent expression as he watched the scene. These humans dared to provoke him, so they should face the consequences of their actions! As for their mysterious leader, who cares about that guy? He could just escape here after killing these three maggots!


    "No!" An enraged voice resounded, followed by a flying figure moving towards Hestia''s group to aid them.


    "Demon Empress Ganda, why are you here?" Lu Sn asked in surprise as she blocked dozens of flying creatures. These dark and winged beings weren''t that strong. The only problem here was that there are too many of them!


    The Demon Empress hacked her way towards them with her giant heavy sword. She then nced helplessly at Lu Sn. "Your master, Jiu Shen, would definitely skin me alive if something happens to his disciples near my territory. Leave this ce! We''ll buy time for you guys!" She then stared at Lou Baiqing who just arrived at the scene. "Lou Baiqing, tell your men to protect them at all cost! Don''t allow them to be harmed!"


    Lou Baiqing nodded his head solemnly. He then nced at his subordinates atmanded them. "You heard Her Majesty! Protect our three friends!"


    With the help of the Demon Empress and the others, Hestia''s group of three felt less burdened. However, they were overwhelmed by their favor, especially Hestia who was now guilty for the bad treatment she showed earlier.


    "How foolish! Hahaha! Even if you help them, they would still end up dead and you guys might even die along with them! Hahaha!" The old demonughed eerily in a high-pitch voice. The aura of darkness around him had noticeably be stronger as he summoned spells after spells to attack the two groups!


    The Demon Empress red at the old necromancer as she muttered. "You don''t know what you''re doing, Elder Skull! Of the three humans you attacked, two of them are Wine Master Jiu Shen''s disciples! You might have heard of that name, right?"


    The face of the old demon changed upon hearing the Demon Empress'' words. She was right. He has heard a lot about this Jiu Shen fellow. He even heard of an absurd rumor that this Jiu Shen killed the Valley Master of Poison Valley with just one punch! Who in their right mind would believe something like that?


    Valley Master Jiao was a mid stage Void God Realm poison master and he even drank a strong poison that enhanced his overall abilities! And they were saying that such an individual was killed with just one punch? Even he couldn''t do such a thing! However, were the rumors about him true, or was it merely fabricated by the humans to strike fear among the demons?


    The Necromancer Emperor sneered. "As if I care about him! Hahaha! I joined the great continental war more than fifty thousand years ago and I''ve never heard of any human expert that goes by the name Jiu Shen. And even if his cultivation is the same as mine, would he be able to defeat my undead army? Hahaha!"


    Can Ye who was busy battling against several dozen winged creatures suddenly erupted intoughter. "You don''t know what you''re talking about, old fool! Master is the strongest expert in this whole world!"


    Can Ye had seen his master doing all sorts of unimaginable things. He even knew all sorts of professions and he was also the best in all of that! His master also gave an average mercenary like him the chance to stand shoulder to shoulder with the top experts of this world! Not just anyone can do that!


    The old demon furrowed his eyebrows. "Such boastful remarks! The strongest person in the world? No one dares to say that in front of me, little human! Even your ancestors who fought bravely fifty thousand years ago dared not utter such absurd ims!"


    The Necromancer Emperor decided to no longer hold back. "Perhaps it''s time to announce my reappearance to this world! Hahaha! Come out my undead army!"


    All sorts of undead creatures suddenly appeared all over the ce! The once lush forest was now covered by a dark and gloomy atmosphere as millions upon millions of strange-looking undead creatures emerged!


    The Demon Empress'' face fell. This undead army was dangerous for the Narda Principality! If she didn''t do anything, everyone living in her territory would die a miserable death! She couldn''t allow this to happen!


    "Baiqing, have one of your men go back to the territory and tell him to blockade the territory! Get the army to prepare for war!"


    Lou Baiqing immediately sent his fastest subordinate to leave at once.


    "We''ve implicated you, Demon Empress Ganda. I''m so sorry this happened." An exhausted Lu Sn hovered beside the Demon Empress. The former had all kinds of wounds all over her body. If not for her unique physique, she would have already gone unconscious from the loss of too much blood.


    Hestia also appeared beside Demon Empress Ganda. She then muttered. "I also apologize for acting like that earlier. You aren''t the same as the other demons. At least you and your group are somehow reliable."


    The Demon Empress nced at the two women and smiled at them. "We will talkter,dies. We still have millions of enemies to kill!"


    She then shed towards the center of the undead army and struck with her giant heavy sword.


    Bang!


    Hestia and Lu Sn smiled and began their ughter...


    However, as more time passed by, the more exhausted they''ve be. Some of Lou Baiqing''s subordinates even perished during the onught! If this continues, more of them would die!


    Looking at this dire scene, Hestia and the rest almost lost hope, but then a calm voice suddenly echoed in the skies.


    "It seems like I''mte to the party...."

 Chapter 454: Rain Of Golden Swords

    <h4>Chapter 454: Rain Of Golden Swords</h4>


    Hestia, Lu Sn, and Can Ye nced at the figure hovering above the clouds with excitement.


    "Master!"


    Demon Empress Ganda and Lou Baiqing also heaved sighs of relief when they noticed Jiu Shen''s arrival.


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen!"


    The Necromancer Emperor frowned as he looked at the silver-haired human with a scrutinizing gaze. The more he stared at this human, the more anxious he be! He couldn''t sense this guy''s cultivation level! However, he soon calmed down. This human might have some item that can hide his cultivation against prying eyes.


    Elder Skull felt relieved as he thought of this.


    "You must be Jiu Shen. I''ve heard a lot of rumors about you. However, I don''t think you are that special..." The old demon nced at Jiu Shen in contempt. Now that this person was here, he might as well check if this guy was at least strong enough to entertain him.


    Jiu Shen ignored the old demon and handed a healing panacea to Hestia and his two disciples. He even gave the healing pills to the Demon Empress'' group.


    "Thanks, Master!"


    "Thank you, Wine Master Jiu Shen!"


    Elder Skull was furious! An arrogant human actually ignored him?! Preposterous!


    "Jiu Shen, you think I''m afraid of you? I know all of those rumors about- eh? What?!" Elder Skull''s eyes widened as he watched Jiu Shen summon a rain of incorporeal golden swords and smite his undead army as if they were mere ants. The moment the golden swords touched the undeads, they were immediately incinerated! Not even an ash remained of them!


    After killing thest undead, Jiu Shen moved towards the old necromancer and asked in a teasing voice. "Did you say anything?"


    "Y-You... You! I did not say any-"


    Puchi!


    A headless corpse dropped to the ground with a loud crashing sound.


    Jiu Shen was still holding the head of the old necromancer. He stared at it for a while before crushing it into powder!


    Utter silence...


    No one spoke a word after what they saw.


    A peak stage Void God Realm expert with millions of undead soldiers under hismand died just like that...


    Elder Skull, more famously known as the Necromancer Emperor, his name resounded like thunder for thousands of years, but he died without ever being able to fight back!


    Jiu Shen ignored their stunned faces as he moved towards Hestia. He looked at her with confusion as he asked. "Is there anything wrong, Hestia? With your strength, you could have defeated that old cretin, but you seemed to be distracted during the battle and you failed to release your full capability."


    Hestia revealed a look of remorse as she stared at Jiu Shen. "Master, I-"


    "We''ll talkter. For now, you should bring these two foolish disciples of mine back to the lotus building." Jiu Shen waved his hand and dismissed her. From her expression, he was certain that she might be experiencing the same thing that happened to Theia before.


    "Yes, Master!" Hestia bowed at Jiu Shen and left with Can Ye and Lu Sn.


    After seeing them leave, Jiu Shen turned his gaze towards the Demon Empress who was now looking at him veneration. "Little girl, I''ll give you onest cha-"


    "I agree! I''ll work for you!" Demon Empress Ganda blurted out excitedly. She couldn''t wait to work for this man! He killed a peak stage Void God Realm expert with just one move! What does that mean? It means that his strength had already exceeded that level!


    Mystic God Realm!


    A realm that she thought was impossible to reach! However, one such person was standing right in front of her!


    Jiu Shen was speechless. The demon girl didn''t even let him finish speaking. "Well. That was quick. Nevermind. Just go back with me to the lotus building."


    In truth, he came here to try recruiting the Demon Empress again. It seemed like killing the old cretin helped speed things up.


    "Yes, Sect Master! But can you give me a moment to speak with Lou Baiqing first?" Demon Empress Ganda felt guilty for leaving Narda Principality. This ce had be her home for thousands of years. She was also somehow reluctant to leave here. However, Jiu Shen was her only chance to go beyond her limits! She couldn''t miss this opportunity.


    "Fine." Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly and moved a bit further away. However, this was only for show since he could still listen to their conversation with his current power.


    The Demon Empress sighed as she nced at Lou Baiqing and her subordinates. These men followed her for thousands of years and she didn''t have the heart to just leave them. "Baiqing, how about you go with me to the Heavenly Sword Tower? You''ve seen it yourself. Sect Master Jiu Shen is someone beyond the Void God Realm! If we follow him, we would have a higher chance to reach that level. The territory can be left in the hands of the Elders. As for their safety, the Great Demon Empire is our ally and they wouldn''t let anyone touch Narda Principality."


    Lou Baiqing hesitated when he heard her words. He stared at his subordinates and saw the looks of expectation in their eyes. He sighed and nodded his head. "Alright, but I hope you can bring the rest with us."


    The Demon Empress smiled when she heard his confirmation. "No problem! I''ll try to convince Sect Master Jiu Shen about this. There shouldn''t be no problem since these guys are the best experts of Narda Principality."


    Everyone heaved a sigh of relief and they were also excited!


    "You can take them with you. I need more men anyway since we will be creating a sword tower in our newly acquired territory." Jiu Shen who was hovering far from them suddenly spoke.


    The faces of the Demon Empress and Lou Baiqing lit up upon hearing that.


    "Thank you so much, Sect Master Jiu Shen!" They all bowed at him gratefully.

 Chapter 455: Hestia’s Past

    <h4>Chapter 455: Hestia¡¯s Past</h4>


    Inside the lotus building, Jiu Shen and Hestia sat opposite each other.


    "So what happened?" Jiu Shen stared at Hestia with a calm look. He tried to recall if there was someone who had a simr personality to Hestia in his past life. However, no matter how hard he tried to think, he couldn''t remember anyone with the same personality as her.


    Hestia looked at Jiu Shen with sadness as she recounted everything.


    Hestia was born in the Primordial God Realm as an angel. To be specific, she was of the me Angel Race, a race renowned for their battle prowess and strong me maniption abilities. The only problem about them was their low reproductive rate, so the me Angel Race only had about a little more than ten thousand members.


    Hestia had a high rank among the me Angels since she was the daughter of the patriarch. She was supposed to live the life of a princess. Life should have been great for Hestia and the me Angels, but then, millions of demons suddenly invaded their territory!


    The me Angels fought bravely, but they were outnumbered. Even their patriarch who was a Heavenly God Realm expert was killed in the battle! Hestia was also killed along with the other members of the me Angel Race!


    Hestia''s eyes turned red as she recalled all those scenes.


    Jiu Shen stood up and patted her head gently. This girl''s story was even more pitiful than his own. At least, he didn''t have to grieve for someone because he died alone in the God Sealing Tower.


    Jiu Shen didn''t offer any words of sympathy. He just stood there and patted her head.


    "Master, I want to avenge them! I know that the demons in this world are innocent, so I won''t do anything against them, but the ones that killed my family, I want to kill all of them!" Hestia muttered with hatred. Her eyes burned with malice and rage.


    Jiu Shen looked into her eyes and nodded his head. "Tell me who killed your family."


    Hestia took a deep breath before she replied in a cold voice. "It''s the Dark Devil Race! However, they were merely the pawns sent by someone! Before I was killed, I heard them mention that they were sent by Celestial Emperor Lao Gou to steal our me Angel Race''s Celestial-rank heirloom, the God Sealing Tower!"


    Jiu Shen frowned when he heard her words. He thought that the God Sealing Tower was made by Celestial Emperor Lao Gou, but it looks like the old codger stole it from the me Angel Race!


    "Then we have amon enemy. That makes things easier." Jiu Shen revealed a malevolent look for a brief moment that made Hestia a bit scared.


    "What do you mean, master?" Hestia couldn''t help but ask.


    Jiu Shen smiled coldly as he replied. "It''s quite a long story, but that old bastard, Lao Gou, was the one who killed me..."


    Hestia''s eyes turned wide when she heard his words. So her master was also someone who had transmigrated? She finally knew why her master was hell-bent on creating the Heavenly Sword Tower. He was nning to get his revenge!


    "Don''t tell anyone about this. Only Theia and I know about this." Jiu Shen said in a stern voice. The others would only be anxious if they learned about this story. He wanted the Heavenly Sword Tower to grow as quietly as possible for the time being.


    Hestia nodded her head in understanding. "Yes, master."


    "Alright. Go back and help the others n for the construction of the second sword tower." Jiu Shen patted her shoulder before he left.


    ***


    News about the death of the Necromancer Emperor soon spread like wildfire. Everyone was stupefied when they heard how he was killed and they became warier about Jiu Shen, the man who killed the Necromancer Emperor!


    The Great Demon Empire has also gained the support of many major powers after this and the Heavenly Sword Tower which was unknown in the Crimson Fiend Continent became a major topic. As for the reason, it''s because this sect was created by Jiu Shen!


    About a yearter after the death of the Necromancer Emperor.


    Jiu Shen stared at the sword tower that was constructed just a few months ago. This one was five times bigger than the first sword tower created in the Profound Dragon Continent. It took the effort of thousands of people toplete this in several months!


    "Master, Vice Sect Master Theia has reached the peak stage of the Void God Realm and she just came out of the Spirit World!" Lu Sn reported to her master.


    In the past year, Jiu Shen promoted Theia as the Vice Sect Master of the Heavenly Sword Tower. He also promoted a few promising disciples to be Elders. During that time, Jiu Shen also found a way to create another door that leads to his Spirit World. However, only a few selected members of the sword tower cane and go as they please.


    "I see. You can go back. I''ll meet her by myself." Jiu Shen smiled upon hearing the news.


    Jiu Shen entered the sword tower. He went directly to the portal that leads to the Spirit World. Upon arriving, he saw Theia outside the portal, looking at him with a smile.


    "Congrattions, Theia! You''re now one step closer to the Mystic God Realm!" Jiu Shen gently smiled at her.


    Theia rolled her eyes at him. She knew that this guy was just saying this tofort her. After all, she was an early stage Heavenly God Realm expert in her past life and she was still a few realms away from that.


    "How''s everything going?" She asked.


    Jiu Shen shrugged his shoulders. "Not too bad. The Heavenly Sword Tower has already cemented itself here and the demons are now less prejudiced against the humans. From the looks of it, that brat Cornelia was working hard.. How about we talk about thatter?" Jiu Shen smiled at her with a knowing look.

 Chapter 456: Elf Kingdom

    <h4>Chapter 456: Elf Kingdom</h4>


    Inside a hut located above the clouds.


    Jiu Shen slowly opened his eyes. He turned to the side and saw Theia sleeping beside him. He gently smiled and kissed her forehead before he sat up.


    "When are we going back?" He heard a tired voice from behind him.


    Jiu Shen sighed and shook his head. "We won''t be going there yet. The Heavenly Sword Tower isn''t ready for now. Maybe we should start teaching them about the Primordial God Realm and the realms after the Void God Realm. This way, they won''t be too shocked if we ascend to that ce." He said after a moment of thinking. Since the creation of the Heavenly Sword Tower, the disciples were given the best cultivation techniques and sufficient resources. However, they were yet to learn about the Primordial God Realm!


    Theia nodded her head seriously. It looks like there was only a little bit of time left until they go back to that ce. "I think Sister Hestia would be the perfect person to teach them about this. She knows a lot about the Primordial God Realm, so she should be fine."


    Jiu Shen agreed with her. He was toozy to teach the disciples about the Primordial God Realm, so he might as well pass this job to Hestia. "Alright. You can tell her about this. I''ll go to the wine store to check things."


    Jiu Shen left the hut and flew towards the lotus building.


    There were many people outside the lotus building. Jiu Shen even saw some humans conversing with demons.


    Seeing this, Jiu Shen smiled as he descended in front of the gates.


    "Look! Isn''t that Sect Master Jiu Shen?!"


    "Yes, that''s him!"


    When they spotted Jiu Shen, everyone scrambled just to get a clearer look at him. However, no one dared to move close to him in fear of offending this individual.


    "Wee back, Sect Master!" A demon girl with long red hair greeted him respectfully. She was holding a watering can in her left hand and a hoe in her right hand. This was Demon Empress Ganda, the third official gardener of the lotus building. She was also now an Elder of the Heavenly Sword Tower!


    It seems like this little girl is doing her job well. Should I give her a raise? "I just came here to take a look. How''s everyone doing?"


    Demon Empress Ganda smiled as she replied. "The store''s sales have increased by twenty percent this month. I''ll bring you inside, Sect Master."


    The Demon Empress brought Jiu Shen inside and they stumbled upon Balmond and Yue Bo who were busy watering the nts in the garden.


    "Sect Master!"


    Jiu Shen waved his hand at the two. "Don''t mind me. Continue what you''re doing."


    "Yes, Sect Master!" The two saluted and returned to their task.


    Ganda brought Jiu Shen inside the store. The first floor was packed with people. Everyone was chattering with smiles on their faces.


    Jiu Shen could identify most of the people here since they were regrs. He was more surprised with the new faces. "Since when did we have elven customers? If I remember correctly, only Leaf was our elven customer."


    Ganda chuckled and slowly recounted the details. "Sect Master, while you were in seclusion, that guy Leaf came back with a group of elves with him. Starting then, more and more elves began visiting our store. The Elf King would evene here from time to time."


    Jiu Shen felt quite interested when he heard her words. Elves were talented creatures blessed by the heavens. It would be great if he could recruit some of them to the sword tower. However, these elves were proud beings and they would never yield to someone regardless of their strength.


    "Ganda, were there any elves who joined the past assessments of the sword tower?" Jiu Shen asked. He just came out of seclusion and he was yet to check the sword tower.


    Ganda thought for a moment before she started shaking her head. "From what I know, the ones who took part in our assessments are mostly demons, beastmen, and humans. I haven''t heard of any elf who joined our assessments. However, I did hear that Leaf came during the first assessment, but he didn''t sign up for it."


    "You mean he only spectated, but he didn''t join?" Jiu Shen was confused, but he soon had a guess.


    That little guy Leaf must have wanted to join the Heavenly Sword Tower, but something or someone was preventing him. It looks like he needed to visit the den of the elves this time.


    Thinking about this, Jiu Shen smiled. "Ganda, follow me to the Elf Kingdom. I''d like to talk with this Elf King."


    Ganda was surprised, but she still nodded her head. "Yes, Sect Master. Do you want me to prepare anything for the journey?"


    "No need. I''ll just go there for a chat, so why prepare anything? Let''s go." Jiu Shen chuckled.


    ''I doubt that... Don''t tell me you also want that fellow to be your gardener?'' Ganda thought to herself. However, she was happy that Jiu Shen was bringing her since she wanted to see how that arrogant Elf King would end up under Jiu Shen''s hands. Just the thought of it made her smile wickedly.


    ***


    Far from the Great Demon Empire, there was a huge forest inhabited by savage beasts and other forest creatures, but there was arge patch of this forest that was under the rule of the elves. This ce was the Elf Kingdom!


    Thousands of treehouses were built on the branches ofrge towering trees. Elven kids ying with magic can be seen all around this area and there were elven guards secretly protecting the ce.


    Inside thergest treehouse at the center of this kingdom, a handsome man with pointed ears and long green hair suddenly opened his eyes. He frowned as he peered into the distance.


    "Two people areing. One mid stage Void God Realm expert, while the other is... eh? I can''t sense his level...." He muttered in surprise.

 Chapter 457: No Way!

    <h4>Chapter 457: No Way!</h4>


    The Elf King immediately stepped out of his treehouse to greet the two unexpected guests. He looked rxed on the surface, but he was already calcting in his mind in case these two had ulterior motives.


    "One human and one demon. Long silver hair...is this man the rumored Jiu Shen?" The Elf King muttered to himself. He has heard of a human expert who had turned the Crimson Fiend Continent upside down. It was mentioned that this guy killed the Necromancer Emperor with just one move!


    When he recognized Jiu Shen, the Elf King felt a bit nervous. There were Elders from the Heavenly Sword Tower who came to their Elf Kingdom to recruit some young elves to their sect, but he was the one who strictly disallowed them to join the Heavenly Sword Tower. The Elf King was a bit anxious since Jiu Shen might have held a grudge against him for what he did.


    "Greetings, Elf King Amdiel. I am Ganda, the former leader of Narda Principality and now an Elder of the Heavenly Sword Tower. This man is Sect Master Jiu Shen, leader of the Heavenly Sword Tower." Ganda said with a calm look, but she failed to hide the proudness in her tone when she introduced Jiu Shen.


    Elf King Amdiel revealed a smile. "So it''s Elder Ganda and Sect Master Jiu Shen. Come. Let''s talk inside my treehouse."


    The Elf King brought the two to his treehouse under the curious gazes of the elven people. They couldn''t help but specte who these two were that even their king had to personally bring them to his ce.


    "That man looks familiar. I think I''ve seen a painting of him before. Weird..."


    "Wait... I think that''s Jiu Shen of the Heavenly Sword Tower!"


    "No way! What is he doing here?"


    The smile of the Elf King vanished. He stared at Jiu Shen and Ganda with a cold look on his handsome face. "What brings you two here?"


    He didn''t even bother to conceal his dislike towards them. His Elf Kingdom had been peaceful after the continental war fifty thousand years ago. They secluded themselves from the public and ignored the fight for supremacy. He didn''t want to destroy that peace in his reign!


    Ganda furrowed her eyebrows when she saw the hostile expression of the Elf King. After bing Jiu Shen''s subordinate, Ganda had be fiercely loyal to him to the point of veneration. She couldn''t allow anyone to disrespect Jiu Shen in front of her face.


    "Elf King Amdiel, we came here with good intentions, why do you seem so upset about our visit? Do you hate our presence here?" Ganda red at the Elf King.


    Elf King Amdiel shook his head and replied coldly. "You came here because I rejected the Heavenly Sword Tower''s invitation to let the young geniuses from my kingdom join your assessment. You can''t force me to change my mind. Our Elf Kingdom has been peaceful for thousands of years and I don''t want to see my people dying again! Please leave at once!"


    Just as Ganda was about to say anything, Jiu Shen raised his hand.


    "We didn''te here to recruit the young generation of the elves. I came here to see what kind of man you are Amdiel. And it seems like I wasn''t wrong about you. You are one close-minded fool! Yes, you will be able to maintain this peace for your kingdom by doing this. However, what would happen if someone stronger than you decides to invade your territory?" Jiu Shen shed out a smile, but this smile looked incredibly evil in the eyes of the Elf King.


    "Are you threatening me, Sect Master Jiu Shen?" Amdiel frowned as he looked at Jiu Shen with a hint of nervousness. If this man decided to attack them openly, he wasn''t confident to leave unscathed. After all, he was just a peak stage Void God Realm expert, but someone on the same level as him died at the hands of Jiu Shen!


    "You''re not being cautious at all. You are afraid! You''re limiting the growth of your people by doing this, Amdiel! Why are you acting like you are doing this for their own good?!" Jiu Shen''s smile vanished and his face turned icy cold.


    Amdiel''s handsome face contorted. Jiu Shen''s words were spot on, but he didn''t want to admit it.


    "Oh? Did I hit a sore spot? Look at this and it might change your mind." Jiu Shen chuckled and handed him a piece of parchment. It was one of the techniques he casually wrote when he nearly stepped into the fourth level of the Heart Realm.


    Despite his displeasure, the Elf King took the parchment and slowly unfurled it. There was an ancient diagram drawn on the parchment, but he had no idea what it was. However, the more he looked at it, the more he became stunned.


    "This is... This can''t be! W-Why do you have this thing?" He stared at Jiu Shen with a dumbfounded expression. The parchment in his hand was holding a very mysterious technique cultivated by the ancient elves. If they had this technique, his Elf Kingdom would be a lot stronger, and breaking through the hazy Mystic God Realm would not be impossible for him!


    Jiu Shen grabbed the parchment and kept it inside his space earring. He stared at the shocked Elf King with a calm smile. "What if I tell you that this was something I''ve casually written during my free time? Do you understand now?"


    When Amdiel heard Jiu Shen''s words, he was speechless. That was a technique that could enhance the bloodline of the elves, how was that possible?!


    Amdiel''s expression turned strange as he muttered. "You are not of this world... You must havee from that ce!"


    "If you''re talking about the Primordial God Realm, then yes you''re right." Jiu Shen shrugged his shoulders.


    Amdiel immediately stood up from his seat and bowed towards Jiu Shen. "Sect Master Jiu Shen, please ept me as your disciple!"


    "No way!" Jiu Shen turned him down immediately.

 Chapter 458: Amdiel and the Geniuses of the Elf Kingdom

    <h4>Chapter 458: Amdiel and the Geniuses of the Elf Kingdom</h4>


    Amdiel raised his head in confusion. He was a peak stage Void God Realm expert, but he was actually rejected by Jiu Shen? "This...Sect Master Jiu Shen..."


    "You''re wondering why I rejected you?" Jiu Shen took out a chair from his space earring and sat down before looking at the Elf King with a smile.


    Amdiel nodded his head.


    "Very simple. Your talent is mediocre..." Jiu Shen''s words almost choke the Elf King. Him? Mediocre talent? However, when he thought about the diagram drawn on the parchment, he felt that Jiu Shen might not be exaggerating. He could casually write a technique that could enhance one''s bloodline! That means he could freely create a bunch of geniuses if he wanted to!


    Ganda almost couldn''t hold back herughter when she saw this scene. The Elf King Amdiel, who was known for his stubbornness begged Jiu Shen to ept him as his disciple, but he was still rejected...


    "However, how about bing my gardener first? As you can see, my garden has expanded and three people are not enough to take care of it. If you do good, I might even promote you as an Elder of the Heavenly Sword Tower." Jiu Shen said as he took out a bottle of wine. He then took a small sip and waited for the Elf King''s answer.


    Amdiel didn''t even hesitate as he nodded his head. "Yes, I will, but that parchment..."


    "I''ll give it to you if you promise to let the most outstanding young geniuses of your kingdom join the Heavenly Sword Tower. You know that this will help them, so I don''t think I''m being unreasonable here." Jiu Shen stated calmly.


    Amdiel knew that Jiu Shen was telling the truth. Just that parchment alone could change the fate of his kingdom! What would happen if they follow the man who made it? Just thinking about it made his eyes shine with excitement.


    "No problem! I''ll bring them with me to the Heavenly Sword Tower!" Amdiel said decisively. Heck! He would be foolish if he rejected this offer.


    Jiu Shen smiled and stood up from his seat. "In that case, I''ll wait for you in the sword tower. Once you get there, I''ll give you the parchment."


    Amdiel nodded his head eagerly. "Yes, no problem! How about you guys stay here first. I''ll tour you around the kingdom."


    Jiu Shen shook his head and declined tactfully. "Unfortunately, I still have some matters to deal with. Maybe another time, Amdiel."


    The Elf King felt regretful, but he didn''t force Jiu Shen. "Too bad. Then at least let me send you guys outside."


    "Sure." Jiu Shen agreed with a smile.


    The Elf King led the two out of the Elf Kingdom. He also tried to converse with Jiu Shen along the way, but the man only replied halfheartedly.


    After seeing them leave, the Elf King immediately went back to his kingdom to select the most talented youths and bring them to the Heavenly Sword Tower!


    ***


    "Why are you looking at me like that?" Jiu Shen moved a bit further away when he noticed the strange gaze of Ganda.


    Ganda chuckled when she saw his reaction. "You were able to make Amdiel bow with just a piece of parchment. I''m in awe of your greatness, Sect Master." She muttered with stars in her eyes.


    "Just a piece of parchment? Maybe..." Jiu Shen chuckled mysteriously.


    ***


    Three dayster.


    Hestia was having a lecture in the sword tower''s huge lecture hall. All the disciples were listening earnestly as she discussed. They were excited to learn new things from her. At the same time, they were also eager to explore this new wide world! However, they knew that it was still too early for them to do that.


    "Now, can someone tell me what are the cultivation levels after the 9th-rank Saint?" Hestia smiled as she nced at the disciples. She then saw a young demon girl raising her hand, so Hestia immediately called her. "Alright. Stand up and tell everyone your answer."


    The young demon stood up confidently and said. "The cultivation levels after the 9th-rank Saint are Nascent God Realm, Origin God Realm, and Void God Realm." After saying that, she sat down with a smug look.


    Hestia smiled when she saw this. "You''re right. However, there are still realms after the Void God Realm..."


    Except for a few individuals, most of the disciples were surprised.


    Seeing their looks of anticipation, Hestia continued. "After the Void God Realm is the Mystic God Realm, True God Realm, Supreme God Realm, Heavenly God Realm, and the Celestial God Realm!"


    Amdiel who just arrived in the sword tower also listened to the lecture. He was stunned by all these revtions. He even felt as if he had been living like an ant trapped in a sandbox.


    "Good thing I epted Sect Master Jiu Shen''s offer or I would have missed this opportunity..." He heaved a sigh of relief. He then turned towards the young geniuses he brought with him. "You guys listen carefully, okay?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty!" They answered.


    "Just call me Elder starting now." Amdiel said calmly.


    "Yes, Elder!"


    After the lecture, Amdiel immediately went to greet Hestia. "Elder Hestia, I''ve brought the young disciples of the Elf Kingdom as per Sect Master Jiu Shen''s order."


    Hestia smiled at Amdiel and nodded her head. "Master is waiting for you upstairs. You can go with me. They can wait here."


    Amdiel nodded his head and followed Hestia towards Jiu Shen''s office.


    When they stepped inside the office, Amdiel saw Jiu Shen sitting calmly on his chair.


    "Greetings, Sect Master Jiu Shen!" He greeted Jiu Shen with a light bow of his head.


    Jiu Shen stared at the Elf King and handed a piece of parchment to him. "You can start with your gardening duties. You can ask Yue Bo what to do since he knows everything rted to gardening. If he''s not there, just ask Balmond."


    Amdiel took the parchment with care and immediately kept it inside his space ring. "Yes, Sect Master!"

 Chapter 459: Don’t Read( Wrong Chapter)

    `


    Sorry guys, this was supposed to be the 12th chapter for Herb King, but I identally published it here. I''m really sorry. Unfortunately, premium chapters can''t be deleted.


    Leric in his new body followed his father''s tracks. He wasn''t new to this since he had his fair share of animal tracking in his past life. "I never thought that I would find this skill useful here. Hehe."


    You learned a new skill [Track]


    You learned a new skill [Danger Perception]


    You learned a new skill [Night Vision]


    You learned a new skill [Regeneration]


    You learned a new skill...


    You learned...


    Leric was speechless when he saw dozens of additional skills on his Status Screen. He felt that he was cheating too excessively. However, the feeling of seeing new skills in his arsenal was also exhrating for him. He didn''t experience this kind of thrill in his past life.


    Leric felt energized as he continued to track his father. The skill [Regeneration] allowed him to extract world essence in his surroundings like a vacuum! Leric almost didn''t have to do anything and all the world essence around him would gather towards him!He didn''t even have to worry about exhausting his world essence anymore...


    Not longter, Leric finally saw his father''s figure in the distance. "There you are... I''ve finally caught up with you, Dad. Hehe. Wait... This ce... I can sense a few people guarding the perimeter... Is this the camp of Barden City''s army?" Leric muttered to himself as he used [Conceal]. His figure blurred and camouged with the darkness...


    With his new skill [Night Vision], Leric noticed a few individuals hidden within the trees and bushes. All of them were holding weapons in their hands as they observed the surroundings carefully. From their behavior, Leric concluded that they were veteran scouts. "That insignia belongs to Barden City''s soldiers! This is the army that father is working with. How do I infiltrate them without getting their suspicions? Hmm..."


    Leric racked his brains and a few momentster, his eyes lit up. "Why am I worried? I can just go inside directly... Hehehe."


    Aftering up with a n, Leric deactivated his skill [Conceal] and directly entered the main entrance of the camp. He had a bright smile on his face as he waltzed towards the camp.


    "Hey! Stop right there!" A group of guards surrounded Leric with fierce expressions as they pointed their weapons at him. Who was this handsome fellow and what was he doing here in the dead of the night?


    Leric raised his hands innocently when he noticed the suspicious gazes of the guards. "Sorry, friends. I''m an Alchemist and I seemed to have lost my way in the forest. When I saw the lightsing from the bonfire, I immediately decided to go here..."


    The eyes of the guards immediately became less fearsome when they heard that this guy was an Alchemist. Some of them even revealed looks of admiration and respect. However, the leader of the guards still felt suspicious about him. He couldn''t let this fellow enter their camp without verifying his identity!


    "I''m sorry, Sir, but this is me Tiger Army''s encampment. Please follow me to see General Gavin. We would like to verify your identity first." The guard captain didn''t want to offend this man who introduced himself as an Alchemist, so he tried to sound as respectful as he could.<sub> </sub>


    Leric smiled upon hearing this. He knew who this General Gavin was since he heard his father talking about this guy at home. "No problem! I understand your difficulties. Please lead me to General Gavin."


    The guard captain heaved a sigh of relief when he realized that this Alchemist was quite easy to talk with. His tensed expression also eased up as he shed a smile. "Thank you for your understanding, Sir. Can I have your name please?"


    Leric chuckled and replied. "You might not have heard of me since I''m a traveler. My name is Aethelwolf..."


    The guard captain tried to recall someone with that name. However, he couldn''t remember anyone like that, so he could only say a few nice words. "Sir Aethelwolf must be a man who prioritizes research above else."


    Leric merely smiled upon hearing his words. The guard captain wasn''t wrong. He indeed focused his entire past life on researching herbs and the human body.


    The guard captain brought Leric to the biggest tent of the encampment. "General Gavin, an Alchemist hase to our camp. However, he has no documents in his possession to prove his im, so I brought him here to verify his identity."


    "Let him in." A stern voice echoed inside the tent.


    The guard captain turned his gaze towards Leric and said. "Sir Aethelwolf, please follow me inside."


    Leric nodded his head and followed the guard captain inside the tent. When he stepped inside, he saw two individuals seated opposite each other. One of them was his father, while the other one was a middle-aged man with thick stubble on his chin.


    "General, this is him."


    General Gavin stared at Leric like a hawk looking at its prey. Leric who had an old man''s soul merely smiled at this disy of power. "You must be General Gavin? I''ve heard so much about you in my travels." Leric said with an amiable smile.


    General Gavin was inwardly surprised when he saw that this young man was unaffected by his presence. Most of those who just met him would disy a hint of nervousness, but this handsome fellow didn''t show even an ounce of fear. He was just smiling casually as if he was meeting an old friend.


    "I''m sorry, but you are?"


    "Aethelwolf... I''m an Alchemist. It''s a pleasure to meet you in person, General Gavin." Leric extended his hand with a friendly smile.


    General Gavin took Leric''s hand and shook it. "So it''s Sir Aethelwolf! It''s a pleasure to meet you as well. What brings you here to our camp?" The general nced at Leric with a sharp look. This guy was too young to be an Alchemist. Is he a fraud?


    Although the general did not actively show his suspicions, Leric who was once referred to as a ''wise old man'' saw through him with one look.`

 Chapter 460: Don’t Read( Wrong Chapter)

    <h4>Chapter 460: Don¡¯t Read( Wrong Chapter)</h4>


    Sorry guys, this was supposed to be the 12th chapter for Herb King, but I identally published it here. I''m really sorry. Unfortunately, premium chapters can''t be deleted.


    Leric in his new body followed his father''s tracks. He wasn''t new to this since he had his fair share of animal tracking in his past life. "I never thought that I would find this skill useful here. Hehe."


    You learned a new skill [Track]


    You learned a new skill [Danger Perception]


    You learned a new skill [Night Vision]


    You learned a new skill [Regeneration]


    You learned a new skill...


    You learned...


    Leric was speechless when he saw dozens of additional skills on his Status Screen. He felt that he was cheating too excessively. However, the feeling of seeing new skills in his arsenal was also exhrating for him. He didn''t experience this kind of thrill in his past life.


    Leric felt energized as he continued to track his father. The skill [Regeneration] allowed him to extract world essence in his surroundings like a vacuum! Leric almost didn''t have to do anything and all the world essence around him would gather towards him! He didn''t even have to worry about exhausting his world essence anymore...


    Not longter, Leric finally saw his father''s figure in the distance. "There you are... I''ve finally caught up with you, Dad. Hehe. Wait... This ce... I can sense a few people guarding the perimeter... Is this the camp of Barden City''s army?" Leric muttered to himself as he used [Conceal]. His figure blurred and camouged with the darkness...


    With his new skill [Night Vision], Leric noticed a few individuals hidden within the trees and bushes. All of them were holding weapons in their hands as they observed the surroundings carefully. From their behavior, Leric concluded that they were veteran scouts. "That insignia belongs to Barden City''s soldiers! This is the army that father is working with. How do I infiltrate them without getting their suspicions? Hmm..."


    Leric racked his brains and a few momentster, his eyes lit up. "Why am I worried? I can just go inside directly... Hehehe."


    Aftering up with a n, Leric deactivated his skill [Conceal] and directly entered the main entrance of the camp. He had a bright smile on his face as he waltzed towards the camp.


    "Hey! Stop right there!" A group of guards surrounded Leric with fierce expressions as they pointed their weapons at him. Who was this handsome fellow and what was he doing here in the dead of the night?


    Leric raised his hands innocently when he noticed the suspicious gazes of the guards. "Sorry, friends. I''m an Alchemist and I seemed to have lost my way in the forest. When I saw the lightsing from the bonfire, I immediately decided to go here..."


    The eyes of the guards immediately became less fearsome when they heard that this guy was an Alchemist. Some of them even revealed looks of admiration and respect. However, the leader of the guards still felt suspicious about him. He couldn''t let this fellow enter their camp without verifying his identity!


    "I''m sorry, Sir, but this is me Tiger Army''s encampment. Please follow me to see General Gavin. We would like to verify your identity first." The guard captain didn''t want to offend this man who introduced himself as an Alchemist, so he tried to sound as respectful as he could.


    Leric smiled upon hearing this. He knew who this General Gavin was since he heard his father talking about this guy at home. "No problem! I understand your difficulties. Please lead me to General Gavin."


    The guard captain heaved a sigh of relief when he realized that this Alchemist was quite easy to talk with. His tensed expression also eased up as he shed a smile. "Thank you for your understanding, Sir. Can I have your name please?"


    Leric chuckled and replied. "You might not have heard of me since I''m a traveler. My name is Aethelwolf..."


    The guard captain tried to recall someone with that name. However, he couldn''t remember anyone like that, so he could only say a few nice words. "Sir Aethelwolf must be a man who prioritizes research above else."


    Leric merely smiled upon hearing his words. The guard captain wasn''t wrong. He indeed focused his entire past life on researching herbs and the human body.


    The guard captain brought Leric to the biggest tent of the encampment. "General Gavin, an Alchemist hase to our camp. However, he has no documents in his possession to prove his im, so I brought him here to verify his identity."


    "Let him in." A stern voice echoed inside the tent.


    The guard captain turned his gaze towards Leric and said. "Sir Aethelwolf, please follow me inside."


    Leric nodded his head and followed the guard captain inside the tent. When he stepped inside, he saw two individuals seated opposite each other. One of them was his father, while the other one was a middle-aged man with thick stubble on his chin.


    "General, this is him."


    General Gavin stared at Leric like a hawk looking at its prey. Leric who had an old man''s soul merely smiled at this disy of power. "You must be General Gavin? I''ve heard so much about you in my travels." Leric said with an amiable smile.


    General Gavin was inwardly surprised when he saw that this young man was unaffected by his presence. Most of those who just met him would disy a hint of nervousness, but this handsome fellow didn''t show even an ounce of fear. He was just smiling casually as if he was meeting an old friend.


    "I''m sorry, but you are?"


    "Aethelwolf... I''m an Alchemist. It''s a pleasure to meet you in person, General Gavin." Leric extended his hand with a friendly smile.


    General Gavin took Leric''s hand and shook it. "So it''s Sir Aethelwolf! It''s a pleasure to meet you as well. What brings you here to our camp?" The general nced at Leric with a sharp look. This guy was too young to be an Alchemist. Is he a fraud?


    Although the general did not actively show his suspicions, Leric who was once referred to as a ''wise old man'' saw through him with one look.

 Chapter 461: Create An Offspring

    <h4>Chapter 461: Create An Offspring</h4>


    Jiu Shen visited the Profound Dragon Continent to check his first wine store. Jiu Shen discovered that the street has been renovated. The road became wider and his wine store now had the most prominent location in Beltran City. It must be the doing of the Silveria Imperial Family.


    His wine store was surrounded by metal fences, but he didn''t recall any store upgrade, so this should also be done by that guy Elyk.


    Thinking about him, Jiu Shen shook his head. Elyk was an emperor of a mortal world, but he had no hopes of stepping foot into the Primordial God Realm with his talent. At most, he could be one of the strongest experts in the Profound Dragon Continent.


    Jiu Shen entered the metal gates and soon saw a long line of customers waiting outside.


    "I heard that Young Miss Hestia and Young Miss Theia are no longer here. I wonder where they are..."


    "Yeah. I came here yesterday, but I didn''t see the both of them. The guards and waitresses are all new people, but no one still dares to cause trouble here. Those new guys are outer core disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower! Even their lowest ranking disciples are already very strong!"


    Jiu Shen ignored the chattering crowd and entered the store. No one seemed to have noticed him as he directly went inside.


    Upon entering, Jiu Shen saw quite a few familiar faces among the crowd of customers on the first floor. He even saw Scar and his group of mercenaries. They were his first customers.


    Looking at them, Jiu Shen smiled and continued walking upstairs.


    "This must be the new guard of the second floor. Not bad." Jiu Shen muttered to himself when he saw an old man seated with his eyes shut tight beside the door. He could sense that this old man was at the Nascent God Realm. This was the highest level he could achieve with his talent. However, this was already good enough in the Profound Dragon Continent.


    Jiu Shen did not deliberately hide his aura this time, so the old man soon noticed his presence. When he opened his aged murky eyes, he was shocked when he saw Jiu Shen, the legendary sect master of the Heavenly Sword Tower! "S-Sect Master!" He greeted with a stunned look.


    Jiu Shen smiled at him and handed him a small bottle. "The store and the sect will need you for tens of thousands of years, so work hard..."


    The old man absentmindedly took the bottle and he only came back to his senses when Jiu Shen had finally gone inside. He nced at the bottle in his hands and saw a bunch of pills lying inside. "These are..." He muttered emotionally.


    "Sect Master Jiu Shen!" Elyk eximed in surprise when he saw Jiu Shen''s figure. He hasn''t seen this guy for more than a year. Jiu Shen still had the same mysterious air around him and that calm but electrifying look.


    Jiu Shen sat beside Elyk unceremoniously. "Elyk, I will go back to where I belong. During my absence, I hope that your Silveria Imperial Family will be the staunchest ally of the Heavenly Sword Tower, but I think you should create a new offspring soon because I will be taking Dante and Sylvia with me to that ce." Jiu Shen said unhurriedly.


    Elyk almost dropped from his chair when he heard his words. "Y-You''re taking them both with you?"


    He knew that Jiu Shen wasn''t someone of this world. His mannerisms, his strength, his wisdom, everything about him exceeds the peak of this world. Perhaps the most mortal thing about him was his addiction to wine.


    Elyk felt excited but also nervous. Following Jiu Shen was a great opportunity for his kids. They would surely be experts that would exceed the limits of this world, but there was also one problem. He might not be able to see them again...


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly. He knew that this decision was tough for someone who cared so much about his family like Elyk. "Those two kids have grown so much and it would be a waste if they remain here in Nuar. Don''t worry, when I have the resources, I''ll create a high-level Teleportation Array Formation, so that they cane back whenever they want." Jiu Shen said while looking at the emperor.


    Elyk was silent for a moment before he nodded his head. "You must take care of them, Sect Master Jiu Shen. In return, the Silveria Imperial Family will forever support the Heavenly Sword Tower!" He promised solemnly. This was good for his children and this was also a good opportunity for the Silveria Imperial Family. With the Heavenly Sword Tower as their greatest support, the Silver Wing Empire would continue to prosper!


    "Take this with you, Elyk. A final gift from me." Jiu Shen handed Elyk a box tied up in a ribbon. Elyk wondered what was inside the box, but before he could ask Jiu Shen, the man was already gone.


    "He hasn''t changed at all..." Elyk chuckled. He then cut the ribbon that tied the box before opening it. Elyk could not help but gasp when he saw the items inside the box. Pills, weapons, resources, and many other precious materialsy inside the box. If you''re wondering how so many items were able to fit inside the box, the answer was fairly simple. Space ability! The box was like a small space of its own!


    "This... Perhaps I might have the chance to follow my kids..." He muttered with a nk look on his face.


    Meanwhile, Jiu Shen who was outside the store chuckled when he saw Elyk''s reaction through his spiritual vision. He made those items inside the Spirit World and the resources inside the box also came there. "I''m looking forward to meeting you again in the Primordial God Realm. It might take you hundreds of thousands of years or even millions of years, but I will be there waiting... Goodbye, Elyk."


    Swoosh.

 Chapter 462: The Passage

    <h4>Chapter 462: The Passage</h4>


    Jiu Shen returned to the Crimson Fiend Continent after visiting the Profound Dragon Continent. He immediately went to the lotus building where he saw four individuals watering the spiritual nts. They were Yue Bo, Balmond, Ganda, and Amdiel, the former Elf King.


    "Sect Master Jiu Shen!" The four went forward and greeted Jiu Shen respectfully. Although this man didn''t announce his strength to the world, the four of them knew his power! The Demon Race and the Alliance, these two superpowers were separated between two continents, but they were forced to ally together because of Jiu Shen. He was the man who stopped the long-standing feud without even doing much.


    Jiu Shen nced at them impassively and said. "Excluding those who have important duties, bring all the 9th-rank Saints and above to the Heavenly Sword Towers'' Main Hall. I have something important to tell everyone, so make sure that no one will be absent. I''ll give you guys two hours to gather them all."


    The four were surprised, but they immediately kept their gardening tools and swiftly moved in separate directions.


    When the four of them left, Theia came out of the lotus building and walked towards Jiu Shen. Her beautiful face was filled withplicated emotions. "Is it finally time?" Theia asked as she held his hands.


    Jiu Shen pinched her hand softly and nodded his head. "We can''t stay hidden here forever. The Primordial God Realm is where we belong and that is where the real stage is! Besides, those kids must experience what life is like in that ce. That''s the only way they could move forward in their paths of cultivation."


    Theia remained silent upon hearing his words. She knew that Jiu Shen had a greater goal in mind, but she didn''t remind him. It was still too early to worry about that thing.


    "How is Hestia?" Jiu Shen changed the topic and asked Theia in a soft voice.


    "She''s fine now. She''s a tough girl." She answered.


    "That''s good. Let''s go to the sword tower and wait for everyone to convene. I will also prepare the passage that connects to the Primordial God Realm. With my current level of strength, I should be able to create the passage in an hour." After a year, Jiu Shen''s cultivation had finally reached the Mystic God Realm! At this moment, his body and cultivation were now at the same level whereas his spiritual power is at the True God Realm!


    The two went to the new sword tower and began their preparations. Jiu Shen started making the passage, while Theia brought everyone to the Main Hall to wait for the others.


    After less than two hours, an exhausted Jiu Shen came into everyone''s view. He slowly floated about five meters above the ground, so that everyone could see him. "Everyone, you''ve been learning a lot about the Primordial God Realm and we''ve been preparing you for that ce. Now, the time hase for everyone here to go to the Primordial God Realm! Remember, that ce is filled with untold dangers and strong experts. I''ll give you onest chance to step out of this ce if you don''t want to go there."


    Jiu Shen nced through the crowd. No one moved an inch from their spots. Their faces were filled with determination. They have been waiting for this moment, so why would they give up now?


    Jiu Shen grinned upon seeing this. He then waved his hand and disyed the passage he made earlier. It was a huge Teleportation Array Formation, but this Array Formation was only capable of bringing people to the Primordial God Realm and not vice versa. There must be another Teleportation Array Formation in the Primordial God Realm for that to happen.


    Everyone was gobsmacked when they saw the intricately made Teleportation Array Formation. All the other Array Formation they had seen in their lives looked like rubbish inparison to this one. They couldn''t fathom how an individual could make such a grand creation.


    "This is an Array Formation that leads to that ce. Elders! Step forward!" Jiu Shen called out the Elders of the sword tower. All Elders were at least Nascent God Realm experts and every one of them immediately stood in front of Jiu Shen in a rectangr formation.


    Looking at their nervous and excited faces, Jiu Shen warned them. "This Array Formation requires too many God Stones to activate, so you guys should move fast once I activate the inscriptions."


    The Elders nodded their heads solemnly. They nervously waited for Jiu Shen''s signal.


    "Disciples! Prepare yourselves! You will be following the Elders!" Jiu Shen nced calmly at the disciples. The young ones abruptly moved in a formation and prepared themselves. They were eager and nervous at the same time. They wondered what kind of world was waiting for them.


    After seeing that everyone was prepared, Jiu Shen took out a bunch of God Stones and ced them in the Array Formation. He then activated the inscriptions using his spiritual power.


    Om!


    The inscriptions of the Array Formation lit up with a bright golden light that almost blinded everyone.


    "Go!" Jiu Shen''s solemn voice woke them from their stunned states and everyone immediately went inside the passage orderly.


    When thest disciple stepped inside the passage, Jiu Shen nced at the remaining people. They were his strongest subordinates and the Division Heads of the Heavenly Sword Tower.


    Jiu Shen turned his gaze towards Theia and asked. "Have you informed those that will remain here in Nuar?"


    Theia nodded her head. "I''ve already informed them. There is an Origin God Realm Elder that will remain to lead everyone. Ice''s parents also decided to remain and watch over the sword tower while we are away."


    Hearing that, Jiu Shen heaved a sigh of relief. "Let''s go. A new world awaits us." He muttered as he stepped inside the passage. The others soon followed after him...


    After a few more seconds, the Main Hall became silent.

 Chapter 463: Hard Rock City

    <h4>Chapter 463: Hard Rock City</h4>


    Jiu Shen slowly opened his eyes.


    Ignoring the crowd from the Heavenly Sword Tower, he observed the surroundings using his spiritual vision. Strangely enough, his spiritual vision wasn''t working like how it was in Nuar. Jiu Shen didn''t be weak, instead, there was a force that prevented his spiritual perception from moving further. This was the restriction from the world itself, meaning, everyone''s strength would be much weaker here!


    It didn''t take long for Jiu Shen to adapt to the changes, but the others found it difficult to adjust themselves to the new environment. However, they didn''t panic.


    It was nighttime in this ce and the sky had three moons of different sizes. Everyone also saw a floating ind with three towers sitting on top of it. They had so many questions, but they knew that it wasn''t the right time to ask for answers. Besides, they would be living here from now on, so their questions would be answered soon.


    "Where are we?" Theia approached Jiu Shen. She checked their surroundings, but she couldn''t identify their current location. Her spiritual power was also weaker than Jiu Shen, so the scope of her spiritual vision was limited.


    Jiu Shen nced at the floating ind above them and the ruined buildings all over the ce. He frowned with an unsure look. "If I remember correctly, there should be a small sect here, but even after using my spiritual vision, I couldn''t spot any buildings in the vicinity. Maybe I''m wrong..." He muttered to himself as he walked towards the broken debris.


    Jiu Shen squatted down and saw a rusty name que. Although some words appeared to be unreadable, Jiu Shen was still able to read the words.


    ''Blue Wave Sect''


    "No... This is the ce, but the sect that was supposed to be here was already destroyed. And looking at how aged this rusted name que is, this sect has been destroyed for millions upon millions of years." The materials used to build this building were special and it didn''t decay that much even after millions of years.


    Theia took the rusted name que from Jiu Shen''s hands. "Blue Wave Sect... This is the sect that built its sect building near the ocean!"


    She finally remembered an obscure memory from her past life. This was a peace-loving sect that isted itself from the eyes of the public. She wondered how the Blue Wave Sect was destroyed. Did it fail to survive the ravages of time or did someone destroy it?


    "That''s right. This ce was once an ocean..." Jiu Shen muttered as he rose to his feet. He then nced at Ren Shuang and said. "Tell the disciples to build a temporary camp here, while the elders must check the area for any possible dangers."


    Ren Shuang nodded his head and immediately informed everyone.


    "Theia, I''ll find someone and ask for information about the current status quo of the Primordial God Realm. It seems like many things happened when we died..." Jiu Shen didn''t know what happened here when they were gone, so it was better to find information first.


    Jiu Shen left and trod the ce with the memory of his past life. From what he could remember, there was a city one thousand miles north of the Blue Wave Sect. It was a major trading city with millions of people living within.


    "I hope Blue Rift City survived..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself as he used his space maniption abilities to speed up his flight.


    Not longter, Jiu Shen saw a small city surrounded by tall walls. "What happened to the vast ocean here?" He was perplexed by the massive changes he saw.


    Jiu Shennded in front of the huge wooden gates and saw a long line of people going in and out of the city. There were more than a dozen human guards dressed in te armor observing the crowd with hawk-like gazes. These guards were Nascent God Realm experts!


    Jiu Shen could just directly fly inside the city, but he didn''t want to cause trouble on their first day of return. Besides, his strength wasn''t what it used to be, so it was better to be low-profiled. There might be strong experts inside, so it was good to be careful.


    "5 God Stones to enter Hard Rock City." A guard said to Jiu Shen in a strict and monotonous voice.


    Jiu Shen took out five pieces of God Stones and gave them to the guard. The guards then made way for him after he paid for the entrance.


    "Hard Rock City? What''s going on? I should find someone and asked what happened during the past millions of years..." Jiu Shen walked around the city to search for a pub. It was the best ce to ask for information since everything there can be bought with money.


    This city wasn''t just inhabited by humans. There were also people from other races. Everyone seemed to be living in harmony despite the massive difference in their looks.


    After walking for thirty minutes, Jiu Shen found a pub and entered it. Upon entering, he noticed that this ce was quite popr since there were quite a few customers present. Everyone was busy chatting with their respective groups and no one seemed to notice Jiu Shen.


    "One bottle of your best wine..." Jiu Shen said to the old humanoid bartender who was wiping wine sses using a clean white cloth. This guy had a dark green skin and he was wearing a formal set of clothes. He looked unique and amicable, but Jiu Shen wouldn''t be fooled by this.


    Jiu Shen already sensed that this old bartender was the strongest among everyone inside this pub. He was a Mystic God Realm expert! This kind of expert could already be an overlord in Nuar, but in here, he was just a bartender.


    The old bartender nced briefly at Jiu Shen before taking out a bottle of wine from the shelf behind him. He then ced the bottle in front of Jiu Shen together with a clean wine ss.


    "Sky Jade. 50 God Stones." The old man muttered softly.


    Jiu Shen took out a bunch of God Stones and gave them to the old man. He then asked. "Can I ask a question?"


    The old man raised his head and stared at Jiu Shen. "My answers aren''t free." He answered.


    Jiu Shen smiled and took out a small sack filled with God Stones. "I''m not short on money..."

 Chapter 464: Corpse Lord

    <h4>Chapter 464: Corpse Lord</h4>


    The old bartender''s eyes turned softer when he saw the small sack in Jiu Shen''s hands. He then stared at the young human in front of him with a renewed look. "Speak. As long as I know it, I will answer your questions..."


    Jiu Shen smiled upon hearing the old bartender''s words. "I came from outside the city and I heard that there was a city called Blue Rift City somewhere around here. Do you know anything about it?" Jiu Shen asked calmly.


    The old bartender''s eyes shed for a moment. He then look to his left and right cautiously before he answered in a whispering voice. "Young man, don''t ask such questions in public again in the future. There is indeed a city called Blue Rift City, in fact, the location of Hard Rock City was once the area where Blue Rift City was located. However, the City Lord of Blue Rift City offended an esteemed personage. He was killed and destroyed along with Blue Rift City."


    Jiu Shen wasn''t surprised when he heard that. Such things were normal in the Primordial God Realm. Without sufficient strength, you would only be trampled upon by others!


    After hearing the answer, Jiu Shen pushed the sack of God Stones towards the old bartender. "One more question, what happened to the Blue Wave Sect?" He asked with an indifferent look.


    The old bartender cautiously took the sack of God Stones as he replied. "Young man, since you are generous, I will give you a final warning. The man who killed the City Lord of Blue Rift City was the same person who destroyed Blue Wave Sect. I don''t know his real name, but people call him Corpse Lord..."


    Jiu Shen was satisfied with the information he received from the old bartender. "Thanks for the information." Jiu Shen nodded at the old bartender before leaving the pub. He decided to stroll around Hard Rock City to get more information.


    The city was quite prosperous and most of the establishments around had Array Formations for protection. Some even had ferocious savage beasts as guards!


    After looking around for about a day, Jiu Shen ended up arriving inside the city''s library. It was huge and had a vast array of books. Jiu Shen quickly went to the history section and search for information rted to Blue Rift City and Blue Wave Sect.


    He found four books that mentioned them and he quickly read the contents of the books. Jiu Shen discovered that what the old bartender has told him was true. However, there was one additional detail he learned from the books.


    The City Lord of Hard Rock City was the same person who killed the City Lord of Blue Rift City! This revtion made Jiu Shen feel a bit contented.


    "I should go back and find the others. This ce should be safe with the Corpse Lord overseeing things." Although Jiu Shen was still not in his peak state, he wasn''t afraid of this so-called Corpse Lord.


    Jiu Shen soon left Hard Rock City and directly went to find the temporary camp of the Heavenly Sword Tower. It didn''t take long for him to find them since he was familiar with this location.


    "Did you find anything?" Theia asked as she looked at Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head calmly and replied. "I did find something. The Blue Wave..." He then told her about what he had discovered.


    Theia sighed upon hearing the story. She felt that the Blue Wave Sect and the Blue Rift City were quite pitiful to receive such an ending. "What do we do now?" She asked.


    Theia wasn''t proficient in handling a sect. She was also not good at conversing with people due to her personality, so she could only ask Jiu Shen for guidance.


    "We will rest for now and let the others get familiar with the ce first. Once everyone settles down, I will try tomunicate with this Corpse Lord and see if he is willing to let us build a building near his territory. If not, then I''m afraid that Hard Rock City will have a new City Lord soon..." Jiu Shen said with a mysterious smile on his face. Theia also smiled upon hearing the confidence in his tone.


    A dayter, Jiu Shen went back to Hard Rock City to search for the current City Lord who was famously known as the Corpse Lord. It didn''t take him long to find the location since the city guards were easily bought by his God Stones.


    The manor of the Corpse Lord was situated within the central part of Hard Rock City. It was covered by tall walls made of precious high-level stones and the gates of the manor were protected by a team of peak stage Nascent God Realm experts.


    "Stay back! No one is allowed to enter the City Lord''s manor without an appointment!" One of the guards warned when he saw Jiu Shen moving towards them.


    Jiu Shen ignored the warning and continued moving forward in a calm manner. He knew that if acted weakly in front of these guards, he would be ignored by them. The most ideal thing to do here is to show them his might!


    When the guards saw that Jiu Shen didn''t heed the warning, they immediately surround him while taking out their weapons. Anyone who would dare to ignore the City Lord''s guards was not weak, so they immediately chose to take out their weapons.


    Jiu Shen merely smiled coldly upon seeing this scene. He could squash these cretins with a wave of his hand, but he did not want to cause too much trouble. The Corpse Lord might be backed by someone, so it was better to remain cautious without more information.


    Jiu Shen slowly released his True God Realm spiritual aura and shouted. "Corpse Lord, how about youe out here so that we can have a chat?"


    The guards were stunned when they felt the aura of Jiu Shen''s spirit force. This human was actually a True God Realm!

 Chapter 465: Discussion With The Corpse Lord

    <h4>Chapter 465: Discussion With The Corpse Lord</h4>


    Inside the City Lord''s manor, an aged figure dressed in gray robes was cultivating with his eyes shut tight. His face was covered in sweat, but he remained unmoved in the exact same spot. Suddenly, his eyes sprung open and there was a look of surprise in his aged eyes as he used his spiritual perception to stare at the situation outside the manor.


    "A True God Realm spirit force practitioner! How rare!" The old man muttered with a bit of shock in his tone. He was also a True God Realm expert, but he was a body strengthening practitioner. He might be stronger than most ordinary experts, but his strength was considered nothing on the grand scale. In the eyes of true powerhouses, he was only a slightly bigger bug!


    The old man dusted his gray robes after rising to his feet. He then came out of the manor to greet this unexpected guest. When he looked at the visitor, he was stunned when he saw his youthful figure. His aura also seemed to be vigorous, a clear sign that this person had a stable foundation. The eyes of the old man turned serious upon discovering this.


    The guards became nervous when they saw the old man walking toward them.


    "City Lord!" They greeted the old man in unison.


    Jiu Shen sized up the old man from head to foot. He noticed that the old man had a strong physique despite his old age. From this, Jiu Shen concluded that this guy was a body strengthening expert.


    "You must be the City Lord of Hard Rock City..." Jiu Shen muttered in a calm voice while looking at the old man''s face. This guy had a pair of triangr eyes and his face was covered in wrinkles. The old man''s skin was dark red in color, but there was a pale hue to it.


    The old man wasn''t used to this casual attitude since he had be the City Lord of Hard Rock City, but he still put on a smile as he nodded his head at Jiu Shen. "I am indeed the City Lord of Hard Rock City. Most people also call me Corpse Lord..." He was a bit proud of himself as he introduced himself briefly. Most of the experts he had encountered would feel a bit fearful if they heard his nickname, but this human seemed to be strangely calm even after hearing it. The Corpse Lord felt a bit unnerved by his calmness, but he didn''t show it on his face.


    "I have something to discuss with you, Mr. Corpse Lord. I hope you don''t mind my abrupt visit." Jiu Shen said with an indifferent tone. This old man was already close to his twilight years and if he didn''t breakthrough into the next realm, his life woulde to an end. This type of person wouldn''t cause trouble for Jiu Shen.


    Corpse Lord furrowed his eyebrows slightly upon hearing Jiu Shen''s words. He was also wary about this human''s objectives. He had already experienced countless assassination attempts throughout the years, so he had grown suspicious of every individual hee across. However, the opponent this time was strong or even stronger than him. It was better to remain cautious when facing someone like this...


    "This isn''t a good ce to talk. Come! I will take you to my study." Corpse Lord smiled and gestured at Jiu Shen invitingly. He had his reasons for inviting Jiu Shen to his study. There was a Protective Array Formation there that could trap a True God Realm expert! He was confident that he could trap Jiu Shen if he activated the inscriptions of the Array Formation!


    Jiu Shen nced at the old man for a moment. This deep nce almost made the old man feel that Jiu Shen has seen through his ns, but he heaved a sigh of relief when Jiu Shen nodded his head.


    "Alright. Lead the way." Jiu Shen answered calmly. Whatever this old man had in his mind, Jiu Shen was confident that he could escape from it. If there was really something unexpected, he could just take out the terrifying poison he had in him!


    Corpse Lord''s smile became wider when he heard Jiu Shen''s words. He then led him inside his manor. Not longter, they arrived inside a room with several rows of bookshelves. There was a table with two wooden chairs sitting at the center of the room.


    Corpse Lord gestured for Jiu Shen to sit down. "Please take a seat, my friend." He said with a friendly smile.


    Jiu Shen looked at the chair with disdain. He then took out his own chair from his space earring.


    This move made the Corpse Lord a bit speechless. He also wondered if Jiu Shen discovered the Array Formation inside the room.


    Seeing Jiu Shen''s impatient look, the old man sat down and asked. "Before we discuss anything, can you tell me your name?"


    "Jiu Shen..."


    The brief reply made the old man feel a bit ufortable.


    "Mr. Jiu Shen, what do you want to discuss with me?" The Corpse Lord hid the dissatisfaction in his heart and went straight to the topic. He wanted to see what this Jiu Shen want to discuss with him. If this human wanted him to do something too drastic, then he would have to silence him here forever and get his treasures!


    Jiu Shen tapped the table rhythmically and replied. "I''vee here with a huge group of people. We''ve lost our territory because of a great war up north. We had no choice but to abandon our territory. I hope that you can allow us to build a building in this location." Jiu Shen took out a map he bought in the city and pointed at the area where the Heavenly Sword Tower was temporarily camped.


    The Corpse Lord nced at the map. The location where Jiu Shen was pointing was the old territory of thete Blue Wave Sect. It had a prime location when the ocean was still present, but it had be and of destion now. However, he didn''t want to agree right away especially after hearing that Jiu Shen came with a group!

 Chapter 466: Deal

    <h4>Chapter 466: Deal</h4>


    Corpse Lord didn''t know if Jiu Shen was threatening him when he said that he came with a group. If this human came with a group, it was possible that this force would attack him if something happens to Jiu Shen. That means, he had to abandon his ns to deal with him. He could only choose to approach this situation in an amicable manner to prevent the group behind Jiu Shen from dering war. As an expert who has lived for millions of years, he had developed a cautious personality.


    ''I have to gather information about this man''s group first. It would be dangerous if there''s another strong expert behind him.'' Corpse Lord muttered in his heart.


    Jiu Shen remained calm as he waited for Corpse Lord''s reply.


    "To tell you the truth, that area is under my jurisdiction. However, I love making friends, so I willpromise and sell that piece ofnd to you at a discounted price. What do you think?" Corpse Lord handed the map back to Jiu Shen and looked at him with a light smile.


    ''Once I find out the overall strength of this guy''s group, I''ll decide what to do then...'' The old man muttered in his heart. This Jiu Shen was so nonchnt that it made him feel that he was facing someone older than him. In fact, it felt like he was a child in front of an elder.


    Jiu Shen took the map and kept it inside his space earring. This Corpse Lord was quite shrewd. Jiu Shen had already discovered the Array Formation hidden in this study and if this old man decides to activate the inscriptions, Jiu Shen had multiple ways to deactivate it. Corpse Lord''s answer somewhat surprised him since most overlords of a region would be angry when a part of their territory will be taken by someone.


    ''This brat knows how to use his brain. Not bad...'' Jiu Shen chuckled in his heart.


    "That would be great. Unfortunately, my group fled in a hurry and we couldn''t bring many resources with us, but I have something that might take your interest." Jiu Shen said with a mysterious tone. He didn''t have many God Stones with him, so he could only take out his wines. Wines that could enhance physique were not rare in the Primordial God Realm, but Jiu Shen''s wines are unique. The effect of drinking his wine was simr to consuming high-level resources. He knew that Corpse Lord would be in love with them!


    Corpse Lord revealed a look of interest. Of course, he didn''t buy Jiu Shen''s tale about the war or something. He had been here for millions of years, but he heard no mention of wars in the nearby locations. However, he didn''t expose Jiu Shen''s lie.


    "Oh? I wonder what Mr. Jiu Shen is talking about?" Corpse Lord wondered what this human had brought with him for him to be this confident. If it''s something valuable, he didn''t mind taking it as payment.


    Jiu Shen smiled and take out a bottle of Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit. This wine could enhance someone''s Weapon Intent and it could also strengthen one''s physique.


    Jiu Shen pushed the bottle towards Corpse Lord.


    The old man furrowed his eyebrows when he saw the bottle on the table. It wasn''t something he had expected, but looking at Jiu Shen''s indifferent look, he decided to check the contents of the bottle. He took the cork and saw a scarlet liquid inside. The fragrant wine aroma invaded his nostrils like a stream. It smells great! He thought.


    "Mr. Jiu Shen...this is?" Although Corpse Lord liked the fragrance, he was confused about what was special about this wine.


    Jiu Shen grinned when he saw the expression of the old man. "Try it and you will know..." He answered with great confidence.


    Corpse Lord slightly frowned, but he still grabbed the bottle. He then took a light sip of it and...


    "This..." His old eyes widened like saucers. He could feel a slight improvement in his physique after that small sip of the wine. Furthermore, there was also something that made him feel stunned. He could feel that his Weapon Intent was somehow stimted by the wine!


    Corpse Lord drank a few more mouthfuls of the wine until he was satisfied. The results also shocked him even more! This wine could enhance his body''s strength and also improve his Weapon Intent! Only a few resources were capable of doing this! He knew that this was a treasure!


    Corpse Lord sighed as he put the bottle back on the table. He knew that he was defeated in the negotiation when he saw the strange smile on the human''s face. "You surprised me, Mr. Jiu Shen. Alright, give me five hundred bottles of this wine and thend is yours."


    Jiu Shen shook his head calmly. "You''ve tried the wine yourself, Corpse Lord, so you should know its value. I can give you one hundred bottles at most for that destend."


    Corpse Lord felt a bit speechless at the counter offer. It was five times lower than he offered, but he knew that Jiu Shen was already being generous. Thend he wanted to get also didn''t have anything of value, so to get a hundred bottles of such precious wine was already a great bargain for the old man. The old man revealed a look of defeat as he sighed. "Deal!"


    He then took out an old parchment paper from his space ring and gave it to Jiu Shen. This was the title of thend and he was now giving it to Jiu Shen. "This is the document of ownership for thatnd. Take it." He said with a bit of reluctance.


    Jiu Shen took the parchment before he grabbed a box from his space earring. Inside this box were a hundred bottles of Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit!


    "Here''s one hundred bottles of Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit." Jiu Shen pushed the box to the old man.


    Corpse Lord took the box with a hint of expectation. ''I wonder where he got these from...''

 Chapter 467: Balkan Race

    <h4>Chapter 467: Balkan Race</h4>


    After the two reached an agreement, they both stood up with satisfied expressions. Although Jiu Shen felt a bit regretful that he couldn''t kill this old man, he was still pleased with the exchange.


    "It''s a pleasure to do business with you, Corpse Lord. I won''t stay here for long since I still have many things to do."


    Corpse Lord let out a smile as he said. "I hope there would be more exchanges between us next time, Mr. Jiu Shen. The doors of my manor will always be open for you..."


    Corpse Lord couldn''t wait to drink the wines he got from Jiu Shen, so he didn''t bother to make him stay for long. He was stuck at the early stage of the True God Realm. This batch of wine might help him reach the next stage!


    Jiu Shen merely smiled at his words. He then left the manor under the guidance of Corpse Lord.


    When the guards saw Jiu Shen being guided by the City Lord with a friendly smile, they became curious about this human''s identity. The City Lord was known for his fearsome reputation and they couldn''t believe that he was talking amicably with someone.


    "You can visit here any time, Mr. Jiu Shen." Corpse Lord said while looking at Jiu Shen''s face. Until now, he still couldn''t discern the thoughts of this man. This was dangerous since they were now neighbors. However, he had to take this risk since the wine presented by the other party was too valuable for him.


    Jiu Shen waved his hand without saying a word. He then left with calm and steady footsteps.


    Corpse Lord stared at his figure, his thoughts unknown. When he could no longer see Jiu Shen''s shadow, he nced at the guards standing before him and said. "Don''t block him the next time hees here."


    "Yes, City Lord!" The guards nodded their heads seriously.


    The old man then went back to the manor...


    ***


    Jiu Shen did not return to the camp immediately. That was because he received a new mission from the system.


    Ding!


    Mission Details: Search for a new location to build another branch store.


    Mission Rewards: x3 Fruits of Cultivation


    Jiu Shen smiled after reading the new prompt. He then used his spiritual perception to search for the best spot in Hard Rock City. After looking for a while, Jiu Shen selected an area near the city''s main entrance.


    The traffic there was great and the location was ideal for his new branch store.


    "This ce it is then!" He muttered before disappearing from his spot.


    Jiu Shen arrived in front of an old building. This was a restaurant, but it only had a few customers.


    Jiu Shen entered the building and because customers were rare in this ce, he was immediately spotted by the owner. The owner was a demi-human with a boar''s head. He looked shabby in hismon-looking clothes. The interior of the building was unexpectedly clean. The furniture and ornaments inside looked aged, but still eye-catching. Overall, the restaurant was not too bad.


    "Wee! What would you like to order?" The boar-headed owner greeted Jiu Shen with a lifeless look.


    Jiu Shen nced calmly at the owner. He could sense the weak true essenceing from this guy. He was only at the Origin God Realm and it was quite surprising that he had survived long in this ce with his strength. "I don''t want to order anything, but I n to buy this ce. Give me a price." Jiu Shen stated with an overbearing tone.


    The owner was a bit surprised when he heard Jiu Shen''s words. ''Is this guy new here? Doesn''t he know that this restaurant is under the protection of Boss Serek?'' The owner thought to himself.


    "This... Although I own this restaurant, I still have to talk with Boss Serek about this..." The owner felt a bit embarrassed as he said this. Boss Serek was connected to the City Lord, so he didn''t dare go against this man.


    Jiu Shen furrowed his eyebrows when he heard this. It looks like he found an unreliable owner. "Tell me where I can find this person." Jiu Shen uttered in a calm voice. He didn''t want to waste any more time. He couldn''t wait to get his hands on those three Fruits of Cultivation!


    The owner felt a bit nervous when he saw the indifferent expression of the human before him. He seemed to not care about Boss Serek''s reputation. Is he confident in himself or is he just a fool?


    "Uh, I-" Before the owner could answer, he suddenly heard a loud series of footsteps outside the restaurant. From the vibration of the ground, there seemed to be more than a dozen individualsing.


    When he heard these familiar footsteps, the owner''s expressions turned incredibly ugly.


    "Someone is actually looking for me?" A loud and deep voice came from outside the restaurant. His voice carried a strong sense of suppression and power!


    Jiu Shen smirked as he turned his head. "It looks like I don''t have to waste my time looking for you..." Jiu Shen muttered while looking at the group who had entered the restaurant. This group was of the same race. They had thick and strong arms and tall muscr figures. These people only had one eye, the most distinctive trait about them.


    These guys were from the Balkan Race. A race that is widely known for their inherent battle skills and ferocious personalities. Only a few dared to cause trouble for them...


    The group of Balkans frowned when they saw the nonchnt smile of the small human before them.


    The tallest and most muscr among the group stepped forward and walked towards Jiu Shen with a ferocious glint in his eyes. "I didn''t think that a tiny little human like you would actually dare to act arrogantly in my presence." He released his peak stage Mystic God Realm aura to scare Jiu Shen.


    However, the human remained unmoved as he stood there with the same indifferent smile.

 Chapter 468: The Jaw-Dropping Branch Store

    <h4>Chapter 468: The Jaw-Dropping Branch Store</h4>


    Serek furrowed his eyebrows when he saw that Jiu Shen was unaffected by his fearsome aura. He couldn''t help but take this human seriously.


    "Oh? Not bad! You''re quite strong for a human..." He praised Jiu Shen. The other Balkans behind him also changed their perception of Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen remained silent when he heard his praise. He only looked at Serek with the same nonchnt gaze.


    Serek felt ufortable when he saw Jiu Shen''s expressionless face. As a subordinate of the City Lord, he never experienced being looked down upon by others. Jiu Shen''s indifferent gaze seemed as if he was looking at a group of juniors.


    Serek didn''t want to embarrass himself in front of his subordinates, so he stepped forward with great momentum and released his aura to the fullest extent! Everyone around him turned stiff when they sensed the overwhelming aura that covered the entire building.


    Jiu Shen frowned when he saw this. He didn''t want to waste too much time with this brainless muscle man, so he briefly summoned his Heavenly God Realm aura. When his spiritual power reached the True God Realm, he could now summon his Heavenly God Realm aura for a much longer time. However, Jiu Shen didn''t want to always depend on this since it could only scare weaker experts. Furthermore, it consumes too much of his spiritual power.


    Thud!


    Everyone inside the building dropped to the ground after they sensed Jiu Shen''s aura. They looked at the silver-haired human with horrified gazes.


    "Sir...you are..." Serek was also affected by the aura and he was still having a hard time collecting himself. ''That strength! It seems to be greater than the City Lord''s power! Who is he?!'' He cried out in his heart.


    "I don''t want to waste my time with you people. I want the ownership of this restaurant transferred to me!" Jiu Shen muttered coldly as he nced at everyone one by one. His gaze lingered on Serek, making the guy almost copse from nervousness.


    "I- I... S-Sure! No problem at all! Hey, pig! What are you waiting for?! Give thend title to this gentleman! Quick!" Serek immediately shouted to the boar-headed owner.


    "Ah- Yes! Yes! Yes!" The boar-headed owner quickly rose to his feet and grabbed a piece of parchment from his space ring. He then handed it to Jiu Shen with shaking hands. Although he felt a bit reluctant to give it to Jiu Shen, he couldn''t do anything since even Serek was powerless against him.


    Jiu Shen kept the parchment in his space earring and saw the sad expression of the boar-headed owner. He then stared at Serek and said. "You will be responsible forpensating the losses of this guy. If not, I will tell Corpse Lord about it..."


    "Ah... You know the City Lord?" Serek was surprised, but when he saw the cold expression of Jiu Shen, he immediately nodded his head. "Yes! Yes! I willpensate him! Don''t worry!"


    "Good! Now, all of you can scram out of my sights!" Everyone scrambled to the exit with haste when they heard Jiu Shen''s words. No one dared to stay here anymore after what had happened earlier. They could never forget that overbearing aura he released!


    After everyone left, Jiu Shenmunicated with the system. "I want to set this ce as the next branch store."


    Ding!


    Checking location!


    Location approved!


    You received x3 Fruits of Cultivation!


    Do you want to build the branch store now?


    Jiu Shen took the three Fruits that suddenly appeared out of nowhere. He then stuffed them inside his space earring.


    "Build the branch store now." Jiu Shen enveloped the area around the building using his spiritual power to prevent anyone from seeing anything. With his True God Realm spiritual power, no one in Hard Rock City would be able to see what was going on inside.


    Initializing!


    A few momentster, Jiu Shen saw the old building copse under a mysterious power. After the building copsed, everything turned to dust and then disappeared!


    The scene was magical and even Jiu Shen who was a Heavenly God Realm in the past was fascinated with what was happening in front of him.


    Celestial God-rank materials appeared out of thin air and slowly formed the structure of a new building. A few breathster, furniture and ornate ornaments appeared inside the building one by one. A few Heavenly God-rank spiritual nts also took shape inside jade pots that covered almost every corner of the building. Soon, a pond that was almost the size of ake and a garden emerged outside the building. The structure was almost the same as the branch store in Morlon City, but the ones here were muchrger and more precious!


    A huge shadow of a creature can be seen in the depths of the pond. It was currently unknown what type of creature it was since it was hidden in the deepest part of the pond.


    Meanwhile, the garden was filled with Supreme God-rank spiritual nts and a few Heavenly God-rank spiritual nts.


    Jiu Shen stepped out of the newly erected store and saw the changes that happened outside. He was stunned when he saw the vast array of high-level spiritual nts.


    "I don''t know if this is good or not..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself. He realized that things would be troublesome from now on. Just the spiritual nts within the garden alone were already enough to attract a huge crowd of experts in this ce. When he saw the huge pond, his eyes widened like saucers.


    "Crystal Lake... This is water from Crystal Lake! Goddammit!" Jiu Shen cursed when he discovered the pond water. It was a type of water that was only found in Crystal Lake. A ce that was tightly guarded by dragons!


    Suddenly, Jiu Shen felt a violent tremor as a gigantic silhouette came out of the pond. When the huge figure emerged, he was speechless. "No way..."

 Chapter 469: True God Realm

    <h4>Chapter 469: True God Realm</h4>


    It was a huge tortoise with a dragon-like head and thick metallic shell. Its pair ofrge eyes were gazing at Jiu Shen with a proud and ferocious look.


    Looking at this figure, Jiu Shen muttered in shock. "Green Dragon Tortoise!"


    This was an ancient savage beast that lived with the dragons in Crystal Lake! With its dense dragon bloodline and almost unrivaled power, this creature was at the very top of the food chain! An adult Green Dragon Tortoise could reach the Heavenly God Realm! And the one in front of Jiu Shen was such a being! This was a fully grown Green Dragon Tortoise!


    The aura of a Heavenly God Realm powerhouse can be felt from the beast!


    The huge tortoise slowly morphed into its human form. It turned into an old man holding a walking cane. His gentle-looking face was covered in wrinkles. The old man had a pair of sage-like eyes that seemingly contained rich knowledge and experience. His back was slightly hunched, but he stood stable like a mountain.


    "Master!" The old man greeted Jiu Shen with an electrifying archaic voice.


    Jiu Shen who was once recognized as the fourth strongest in all realms quickly calmed himself. He nodded his head at the old man.


    "What is your identity?" Jiu Shen asked the old man. The system had already summoned four individuals to serve him. The first ones were Theia and Hestia, followed by Ren Shuang, and then this old tortoise. All of them had stories of their own, but so far, only Theia and Hestia have recovered their memories. There was no inclination that Ren Shuang has remembered his past life. As for this old man, Jiu Shen wondered if he could remember anything.


    The old man nced at Jiu Shen with a calm look and answered. "I can only remember my name. It is As..."


    Jiu Shen already expected this answer, so he wasn''t surprised. He wondered how the system chose the individuals that would serve him, but all of them seemed connected to his past life. Maybe he would get his answers soon...


    "As, your duty is to protect this ce, but you will onlye out during dire situations. Do you understand?" Jiu Shen felt happy that he now had a Heavenly God Realm subordinate. Although As was only an early stage Heavenly God Realm powerhouse, it was enough to deter many experts!


    As nodded his head in understanding. "Yes, master." He then morphed into his true form and dived back into the pond, causing the precious Crystal Lake water to ssh violently.


    Jiu Shen noticed that the new branch store was barricaded by tall golden fences. He even discovered a Protective Array Formation inscribed on the ground with a rank that he couldn''t identify! He guessed that this was at least a peak Heavenly God-rank Protective Array Formation!


    After reveling in the shocking sights, Jiu Shen nced at the new branch store. The building was designed like a coiling thunder dragon.


    The building only had two floors, but the first floor could already serve thousands of customers based on its size. As for the second floor, Jiu Shen has yet to check what was there.


    "I should check the second floor..." Jiu Shen went to the second floor. When he entered, he was surprised to discover a vast empty hall. There were ten stone statues standing in every corner of this hall. All of them were holding a sword and a shield, looking like valiant warriors.


    At the center of this hall was a maroon meditation mat with golden edges. "Is this a cultivation room?" Jiu Shen muttered to himself as soon as he entered the hall.


    Jiu Shen sat cross-legged and entered a meditative state. He began cultivating and soon discovered that his Seamless Deity Physique was stimted! It means that he could cultivate in this hall! The cultivation speed here was also many times faster than the most abundant cultivation holynd that he had been to!


    "Great!" Jiu Shenughed at this discovery. Now, he no longer needed to rely so much on the resources given by the system! Inside this hall, he could slowly increase his cultivation!


    "There are some ancient array inscriptions inscribed in this hall... Strange... Wait... this is... It can hide from the eyes of the heavens?! That means I no longer have to deal with that annoying God Eye of Extermination! Wonderful!" Jiu Shenughed like a madman. With the Ancient Array Inscriptions inscribed in this hall, his cultivation would have no bottleneck and no tribtion lightning!


    Jiu Shen hurriedly grabbed the three Fruits of Cultivation he got as a reward from the system and a few other resources he had umted over time.


    "These resources should be enough to help me reach the early stage of the True God Realm for my physical body and true essence..." He muttered with expectations in his eyes. He was closer to recovering his past strength!


    Jiu Shen began devouring the resources and not longter, he stood up with a satisfied look on his face.


    Early stage True God Realm!


    "Now, let me check those stone statues..." Jiu Shen went towards the stone statues and observed them one by one. He noticed that each statue had different faces. There was also something strange about them. It was as if they had a life of their own!


    "Are they Soul Puppets?" Jiu Shen muttered to himself. Soul Puppets are the creation of an extinct sect. The puppets are made using countless precious resources and are powered by the souls of Supreme God Realm powerhouses! That means that if Jiu Shen''s guess was correct, he would have ten strong subordinates!


    "How do I activate these things?" Jiu Shen looked around the cultivation hall and it was then that he noticed a small ck ring sitting on top of the meditation mat.


    Seeing this, Jiu Shen smiled and went to pick it up. He then put the ring on his finger and activated the inscription on the ring...

 Chapter 470: Soul Puppets

    <h4>Chapter 470: Soul Puppets</h4>


    The array inscriptions on the ring lit up with a bright golden light. Jiu Shen then felt a connection with the ten stone statues inside the hall. He could sense that each of these stone statues had souls sleeping inside of them, and the ring in his hands was the key to awakening these things!


    Not longter, the stone statues suddenly cracked and revealed their forms. They became more human-like except for their lifeless and vacant eyes. Only those who were proficient in Array Formations and those with strong spiritual power would be able to notice that these guys were Soul Puppets!


    The ten Soul Puppets had souls controlling them, so Jiu Shen didn''t need to give them a very detailedmand as to what they needed to do. They were like humans! The only nonhuman thing about them was their bodies since they were made from precious resources.


    "Master!" The ten Soul Puppets greeted Jiu Shen in monotonous and cold voices.


    Jiu Shen stared at the Soul Puppets that emitted the auras of Supreme God Realm experts with an expectant look. With As and the Soul Puppets, he became more confident in achieving his goal.


    "You and you there. The two of you will guard the entrance of this building. You, the one at the leftmost corner, and you at the center, you both will guard the store..." Jiu Shen gave his instructions to the Soul Puppets. As long as he had the ring with him, the Soul Puppets would continue to work for him endlessly! They didn''t require energy or any resources. This was the most terrifying thing about them!


    There were only two Soul Puppets who didn''t have to do anything. Jiu Shen decided to let them look after the Heavenly Sword Tower. As for As, he was Jiu Shen''s trump card!


    "Now that the new branch store has been made, I should quickly go back and inform the others. The store still needs some workers..." Jiu Shen went back to the temporary camp of the Heavenly Sword Tower together with two Soul Puppets. They followed behind Jiu Shen with cold and emotionless faces.


    Before he left the branch store, he asked the Soul Puppets to not allow anyone to step inside. Soon, many experts would be attracted by the spiritual nts in the garden. Even the pond water would attract their attention...


    Jiu Shen arrived at the temporary camp in just a few minutes. His arrival surprised everyone since he came back with two strangers.


    "Who are they?" Theia whispered to his ears as she curiously stared at the two Soul Puppets standing behind Jiu Shen. She couldn''t sense the strength of the two men and there was something about them that made her feel suspicious.


    "I''ll exinter, but don''t worry. They are on our side. Anyway, I''ve got thend title for this piece ofnd. You can take a few Elders with you to get construction materials from Hard Rock City. Have them create a new sword tower. Also, let Hestia select twenty trustworthy female disciples. I need them for the new branch store..." Jiu Shen was in a bit of a hurry. He only had a little bit of time before the store would attract the attention of others.


    Theia nodded her head solemnly when she sensed the urgency in Jiu Shen''s voice. She then left and quickly told everyone about hismands.


    The Elders immediately left with some disciples. They were headed to Hard Rock City to buy construction materials. Jiu Shen also sent a Soul Puppet to go with them to prevent any troubles from happening. After that, Hestia selected twenty female disciples toe with Jiu Shen to the new branch store.


    "Theia, stay here and watch over everyone. I will also leave this guy here to protect you guys from harm. He is a Supreme God Realm expert, so everything will be fine." Jiu Shen hugged Theia gently as he whispered those words.


    "Alright, but I will stay with you once the construction of the new sword tower is finished." Theia muttered in a soft voice.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head as he stroked her golden hair. "I will wait for you..."


    After saying goodbye to Theia and the others, Jiu Shen went back to the new branch store together with the twenty selected female disciples. The youngdies revealed excited and expectant gazes as they followed behind Jiu Shen.


    Meanwhile, inside the City Lord''s manor.


    Serek stood before the City Lord with a respectful look. He then bowed at the City Lord as he greeted him. "Greetings, City Lord!"


    Corpse Lord nced impassively at Serek. He then asked with a slightly impatient voice. "Why did youe here to meet me? Didn''t I tell you not to disturb me during this time?"


    The City Lord was in the middle of consuming the Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit that he got from Jiu Shen, but this guy suddenly came here to disturb him. If not for his value, Corpse Lord would have beaten up this fellow...


    "City Lord, I came back with a piece of important information. I discovered a dangerous individual in Hard Rock City!" Serek reported in a grave tone. Jiu Shen''s overwhelming aura was still fresh in his mind!


    Corpse Lord furrowed his eyebrows, but his face soon rxed as he muttered. "Let me guess. This man has long silver hair and he is a human. He wears in white robes and has an expressionless face."


    Serek was stunned since this description fit perfectly with the man in his mind! Could it be that the City Lord knows of his identity?


    "City Lord, you know this guy?" Serek could not help but ask.


    Corpse Lord nodded his head. "Yes. His name is Jiu Shen. He came here a while ago to buy a piece ofnd from me. Oh, right... Since you are here. I want you to investigate the group located in this area. Just observe them from afar and if they notice your presence, leave immediately..." The City Lord handed a map to Serek and pointed at the location where the temporary camp of the Heavenly Sword Tower was located.


    "But that man... his strength is..." Serek wanted to say something, but the City Lord cut him off.


    "Just don''t mess with that Jiu Shen..."


    The old man then left hastily after saying those words. Serek could only shake his head helplessly upon seeing this.

 Chapter 471: Targeted

    <h4>Chapter 471: Targeted</h4>


    Long Meili kept on ncing at the Soul Puppet following behind them. She was now a Void God Realm expert, but she still couldn''t sense this guy''s cultivation level. She wondered how strong this man was.


    "Elder Meili, ording to the Sect Master, we will have to pay the entrance fee to enter the city. There are also a lot of people from different races inside the city, so we shouldn''t provoke anyone to avoid drawing unnecessary attention." Another Elder warned her in a grave tone. They were in a new environment so it was better to have a cautious attitude.


    After flying for more than ten minutes, the group arrived at the entrance of the city. They saw a long line of people paying the entrance fee just to enter the city.


    Soon, it was their turn. "How many of you are in your group?" The guard stared at Long Meili as he asked her in a cold voice. His gaze lingered on her body for a long time before he turned to look at the other people behind her.


    Long Meili felt ufortable when she sensed his invasive gaze, but she didn''t express her anger. She answered in an icy voice. "Ten people."


    The guard counted them one by one and when he discovered that she was speaking the truth, he said with a smile. "50 God Stones for ten people."


    Long Meili grabbed a small sack filled with God Stones and gave it to the guard. They were then allowed to go inside the city.


    Not far from them, a group of more than a dozen ogres dressed in heavy metal armor was staring intently at Long Meili''s group. The ogre leading them revealed a malicious grin as he spoke. "The woman leading them is just a Void God Realm savage beast with diluted dragon bloodline. The others are nothing worthy to mention."


    "Boss, what do you want us to do?"


    "What else? Same old move. After we capture those people, that woman is mine! As for the rest, you guys can have them!" The leading ogreughed in a perverted manner.


    "Are you sure, boss? Hehe!"


    Meanwhile, Long Meili and the others were unaware that they were being targeted by a group of ogres. They went to ask people for directions since they didn''t know this ce yet.


    "Hello, Mister! Sorry to bother you, but where can we find a store that sells construction materials?" Long Meili stopped a middle-aged dog person and asked with a soft voice.


    The dog person was a bit irritated when someone had stopped him, but when he noticed that it was a beautiful youngdy, he immediately revealed a gentlemanly smile as he answered. "Yes! You can find that kind of store four hundred meters from here. You just have to turn on this corner and you will see a two-story building with the name ''The Pavilion''. They sell a lot of things there, so you can find most of the things in their store."


    Long Meili thanked the dog person and led her group towards the ce where the dog person had told her to.


    Soon, they realized that there were fewer people here and the atmosphere became silent and cold.


    Long Meili felt that something was wrong, but it was already toote. She discovered the auras of a few individuals surrounding her group!


    "Who are you?! Reveal yourselves!" Long Meili was nervous, but she wasn''t worried. They had the expressionless man that was sent by the Sect Master to protect them. Wait! Where is that guy?!


    Long Meili''s eyes shed when she realized that the expressionless man who was walking with them earlier was now gone. ''Crap!'' She cursed in her heart.


    "Hahaha! Good job in bringing them here, Billy!" A loud voice suddenly echoed in the surroundings as more than a dozen ogres suddenly emerged one by one. All of them revealed malicious faces as they red gloatingly at Long Meili''s group.


    Long Meili nced coldly at the ogre who had just spoken. She then saw a familiar figure standing beside the huge ogre.


    "It''s you!" She spat out angrily when she saw the dog person looking at her with a mocking smile.


    "You''re too gullible, youngdy. You shouldn''t believe what a stranger would tell you! Hahaha!" The dog personughed derisively.


    Long Meili''s expression turned red from rage. She couldn''t believe that she was fooled by someone!


    "Don''t look at me like that! I''m scared!" The dog person put on a scared look, but his eyes were filled with scorn and ridicule. The ogresughed contemptuously when they saw this scene. They had already seen it many times.


    "Stop ying. Boys, don''t waste time! The guards might be here at any minute, so make sure the job is done before that happens!" The leader shouted at his subordinates.


    "Yes, boss!" The ogres and the dog person grabbed their weapons tightly and began sprinting towards Long Meili''s group with ferocious expressions.


    Long Meili almost fell into despair, but she suddenly noticed a familiar silhouette hovering above the sky. It was the expressionless man! "Hey! Kill these people! They are enemies!" She shouted with all her might.


    Hm? The leader of the ogre furrowed his eyebrows when he heard Long Meili''s shout. ''There was another one?'' He thought to himself as he scanned the surroundings.


    Soon, he noticed a human dressed in silver armor. He was holding a shield and a sword as he slowly descended to the ground. The leader of the ogres couldn''t sense this guy''s cultivation, and it made him feel a bit worried.


    However, something horrifying happened before he could even warn his subordinates! He saw them being sliced in half one by one! The scene happened in less than a few seconds and all his subordinates were slowly being killed without even the chance to fight back!


    Seeing this, Long Meili immediately shouted. "Don''t kill that dog person!" She had a strange smile on her face as she said this.

 Chapter 472: Long Meili’s Revenge

    <h4>Chapter 472: Long Meili¡¯s Revenge</h4>


    The leader of the ogres finally came back to his senses. He turned around and bolted away at his fastest speed.


    "What the hell! Who is that guy?! He actually killed everyone with just a few sword strikes! I must leave here quickly! Dammit!" He anxiously dashed away without even looking back.


    However, a familiar figure soon blocked his path. It was the man who was holding a sword and a shield! The ogre leader gulped down nervously as he looked at this person. He could tell that he was no match for this guy! He lost the courage to move and his legs turned soft under the cold stare of the other party.


    ''I''m finished!'' The ogre leader cried out in his heart.


    The Soul Puppet shed down his sword and decapitated the head of the ogre, causing a fountain of blood to gush out of the headless corpse!


    The only survivor from the group was the dog person. The Soul Puppet grabbed him by the neck and handed him silently to Long Meili. He then disappeared without saying a word.


    "Who is he? He''s too strong!"


    "Is he the Sect Master''s friend?"


    The Elders and disciples standing behind Long Meili eximed in admiration.


    Long Meili ignored them and walked toward the dog person with a look of schadenfreude. This bastard dared to trick her! If not for the man sent by the Sect Master to protect them, they would have died in this ce! This bastard deserves to be punished!


    With a face filled with malevolent intentions, Long Meili took out a bunch of torturing equipment from her space ring.


    Soon, the quiet street was filled with eerie screams and pathetic cries.


    "Ahhhhhh!"


    "Stooppp!"


    "Heeellpp!"


    After almost an hour, a bloody Long Meili stood up with a satisfied look on her face. She wiped off the blood stuck on her face and nced at the map she took from the dog person. It was a map of Hard Rock City. They shouldn''t be lost this time with the map in their hands...


    "There is a store nearby, but to make sure that this map is real, we should ask a few people to verify it." Long Meili said carefully. Everyone almost died because of her carelessness. She learned her lesson this time. It was best to move cautiously in a new environment.


    ***


    Meanwhile, outside the golden gates of the new branch store. The twenty females disciples that Jiu Shen brought with him were stunned.


    Behind the golden fences, they saw a patch of spiritual nts that contained vast amounts of energy. They could already feel their dantian being stimted by just breathing the air around them! From this, they concluded that those spiritual nts were beyond just precious! They wondered why Jiu Shen has brought them here?


    Wait. This ce has a simr structure to the Sect Master''s Wine Store in Morlon City. Could it be that...


    The eyes of the youngdies shone with excitement as they realized this.


    The two Soul Puppets guarding the entrance opened the gates for them with expressionless faces.


    "Wee back, Master!" The two greeted Jiu Shen with a hint of warmth.


    Jiu Shen led the disciples to the garden and let them enjoy the beautiful sight.


    The spiritual nts here looked incredibly pretty and enchanting. If not for their hidden power, Jiu Shen would have thought that they are harmless creatures. However, he knew that behind their beauty was an unfathomable strength that could crush anyone! Even in his peak state, he wouldn''t dare casually provoke a bunch of Heavenly God-rank spiritual nts...


    "Sect Master, the spiritual nts here looked very pretty! What rank are they?" Sylvia Silveria, the only daughter of Elyk was among the chosen disciples toe with him here. She asked him with a curious look.


    Don''t be fooled by her innocent appearance. This girl was now a Nascent God Realm expert! To be fair, all the youngdies that came with him here were at that level! The strongest among them, Sylphie Northcut, was already close to breaking through the Origin God Realm!


    Jiu Shen nced at the eager-looking youngdies with a smile. "Most of these spiritual nts are at the Supreme God-rank, and a few are at the Heavenly God-rank, but don''t worry. You won''t have to take care of them since I already have a few people in mind that are fit for that job. Follow me inside the dragon building. I''ll show what is inside." He said as he walked towards the entrance of the dragon building.


    The youngdies followed behind him with excited faces.


    As soon as they stepped inside the building, they were almost blinded by the scene they witnessed!


    Marbled flooring, jade walls, ornate decorations, and golden furniture...


    Just one of the chairs here was already enough to buy a huge plot ofnd in Nuar! They were sure of it!


    Seeing their shocked expressions, Jiu Shen chuckled. Even he was also surprised by the sheer luxury and regality of this new building. If not for his stable heart, he would have had the same reaction as them.


    "Some of you guys might have already realized it. This dragon building is my new branch store, but to prevent future troubles, we will avoid having too much contact with the others from the Heavenly Sword Tower starting today. You''ve seen it yourself. The items and resources here are very precious and they would soon attract the attention of many experts. When that timees, trouble will follow, so to prevent those people from harming our friends, we should cease our contact with them for the time being. From now on, you guys will be known as the waitresses of ''The Immortal''s Wine Store''!" Jiu Shen knew that this was the best he could do in this situation. The Heavenly Sword Tower was still too weak. It would be bad for it to be implicated just because of the riches inside the dragon building!

 Chapter 473: Serek’s Fear

    <h4>Chapter 473: Serek¡¯s Fear</h4>


    "Alright. You guys should familiarize yourselves with the dragon building first. The store will be open for customers starting tomorrow, so you better prepare for what is toe. Also, you can cultivate on the second floor during your free time, but no one else should be allowed to go there." Jiu Shen could already imagine the chaos that would happen tomorrow, but with the system protecting the store, nothing should go wrong.


    Jiu Shen and his workers are protected by the system as long as they were within the golden fences. With the system as their backer, Jiu Shen could control the life and death of anyone who is in this ce!


    The youngdies began wandering around the dragon building, touching and admiring the things inside. All of them had bright expressions as they toured around the new branch store. Some of them also went outside to observe the spiritual nts in the garden. While a few decided to check the huge pond at the back of the dragon building.


    To make sure that they would be safe, Jiu Shen sent a mental message to As telling him to protect the girls in secret. "As, these young girls will be working in the store. They are still quite weak since they are still young, so make sure that they will be safe at all times. Also, tomorrow will be lively because it will be our first opening. You might have to exercise your old bones by that time."


    Soon, the old tortoise gave him a reply. His voice was filled with the calmness and confidence of an Elder who had experienced so much in life. "Yes, Master! I won''t let anyone harm these young ones. As for the store, I will destroy anyone who would dare to desecrate it!"


    "Good!" Jiu Shen was satisfied with the old man''s reply. Now that it has been dealt with, the only problem left was who would take care of the spiritual nts. To this, Jiu Shen had forgotten to bring the people he had in mind because he was in a hurry earlier.


    "Hey, you there. Come here." Jiu Shen called out one of the Soul Puppets.


    "Master!" The Soul Puppet immediately came to Jiu Shen and greeted him respectfully. This Soul Puppet was quite strong. It has the strength of a peak stage Supreme God Realm expert! That was also the reason why Jiu Shen designated him at the golden gate.


    "Outside of this city, you''ll find a group of people camped in a temporary settlement. You should be able to find it since there is another Soul Puppet there. When you reach that ce, look for Theia and tell her to bring these people for me." Jiu Shen handed a paper with the images of a few people drawn on it.


    The Soul Puppet took the piece of paper and took a nce at the images before keeping it inside his armor. "I''ll bring them here, Master!"


    Jiu Shen nodded his head and waved his hand. "Leave now."


    The Soul Puppet bowed at Jiu Shen before it left with great haste.


    ***


    "Boss Serek, there is a settlement up ahead, but I didn''t dare move closer. I sensed a dangerous sensation, so I immediately left before something goes wrong." A person dressed in ck clothing reported to the one-eyed Serek. The Balkan warrior furrowed his eyebrows upon hearing this information. He knew that this subordinate was the best in scouting under hismand, so his information should be reliable. He wondered what this guy had sensed that made him retreat.


    "Good job! Let''s go there. I want to see for myself what kind of group the City Lord wants us to observe." Serek muttered in a serious tone. From the City Lord''s tone, this group seemed to be connected to the human that he met in that old restaurant.


    Serek, with more than a dozen subordinates, cautiously walked towards the path that the scout led them to.


    A few momentster, Serek finally noticed that something was wrong with this ce. It was strangely quiet and devoid of savage beasts! He had been here a few times before and this ce was inhabited by a few dozen savage beasts. However, he soon calmed down and attributed this change to the group that settled here.


    ''Maybe they cleaned up those savage beasts...'' He thought to himself while following the scout, but he still didn''t remove his vignce. There was this sense of danger that was bing more and more apparent as they went closer to the settlement. It made him feel nervous and anxious at the same time. He would only be like this if there was a threat to his safety! That means, there is something or someone in that group that was capable of taking his life!


    ''Are the people together with that Jiu Shen also strong?'' Serek felt that this trip might not be as easy as he thought it was.


    Suddenly, he felt a strong aura locking him and his group in ce!


    Serek was horrified when he realized that he couldn''t move his body nor release his strength. The force that was binding him and his group was too strong for them to escape!


    ''We''re screwed! Goddammit! City Lord, why didn''t you tell me this?!'' Serek cursed in his heart, his face bing increasingly unsightly to behold.


    Soon, Serek''s group finally saw a figure moving towards them with calm and steady footsteps. He didn''t look particrly impressive, except that he had this cold and indifferent expression that was apathetic to life. The human had a shield strapped behind his back, and he also had a sword tied to his waist. The man''s pair of emotionless eyes scanned Serek and his subordinates, making them feel a rush of fear rising from their heart.


    "This ce is off-limits to outsiders. I didn''t sense any ill-intentions from you guys, so I will spare your lives. Leave!" The man spoke in a calm voice.


    Serek and his subordinates felt the restrictive force in their bodies weakening. They then discovered that the man was already gone. However, Serek immediatelymanded his underlings to retreat with him. Heck! They almost died here!


    "Let''s go back!"

 Chapter 474: Back To Gardening Duties

    <h4>Chapter 474: Back To Gardening Duties</h4>


    "City Lord! Things are not looking good!"


    Serek''s anxious voice echoed outside the City Lord''s manor. This made Corpse Lord crease his eyebrows. He exasperatedly opened the door of his room and saw a haggard-looking Serek standing before him. Seeing his most capable subordinate like this, the City Lord was finally rmed.


    "Speak! What happened?" The City Lord asked.


    Serek calmed himself and collected his thoughts. He then replied with a hint of nervousness in his tone. "City Lord, the group that you told me to observe... There is a strong individual protecting them! I couldn''t even sense his strength and he was able to stun me and my subordinates in ce! We were powerless against his power and we could only wait for his verdict! Luckily, none of us showed killing intent at that time or he would have ughtered us in that ce! City Lord, I feel that this person is someone stronger than a True God Realm expert!"


    The face of Corpse Lord changed upon hearing this. Serek was a peak Mystic God Realm expert, but he was locked in ce by someone. This could only be done by a peak stage True God Realm expert or a Supreme God Realm expert!


    "Maintain friendly rtions with Jiu Shen at all costs and don''t allow anyone from our faction to stay near that ce again. Wait... Didn''t he buy that old restaurant from you? Make sure that no one will cause trouble for him there!" Corpse Lord hastily gave out an order. With the information he got from Serek, he knew that he was no match for the power behind Jiu Shen. The best thing he could do was befriend them!


    Serek nodded his head solemnly. He knew that they had other solutions for this, so he could only follow the City Lord''s instructions. "Yes, City Lord!"


    After Serek left, Corpse Lord took out a bottle of wine from his space ring and muttered. "Someone who could create this wine isn''t someone ordinary. I was right about not provoking you, Jiu Shen..."


    ***


    "Master, I''ve brought them here..." A Soul Puppet said to Jiu Shen as he pointed at the small group of people standing behind him. They were Yue Bo, Balmond, Ganda, and the Elf King, Amdiel. These four were the former gardeners of his branch store in Morlon City.


    "Greetings, Sect Master!" The four individuals greeted him respectfully. All of them had already reached the peak stage of the Void God Realm and it was only a matter of time before they could step into the Mystic God Realm!


    Jiu Shen nodded at the Soul Puppet and told him to go back to his post. He then nced at the four people with a smile. "It''s good to see you guys again. Come in!"


    Balmond and the others followed behind Jiu Shen and entered through the golden gates.


    "This..."


    Therge garden was filled with precious spiritual nts that blinded their eyes! The size of this garden was at least ten timesrger than the one in Morlon City! Not to mention the level of the spiritual nts here...


    Jiu Shen smiled when he saw their reactions. "This building is my new store and you guys will work as the gardeners of this ce. I would only feel at ease if you four are the ones tending my spiritual nts. As you can see, these guys are quite temperamental and they needed to be tended well..." Jiu Shen said as he pointed at the dragon building ahead of them. The coiling dragon design was so exquisite and well-crafted that the four people could only remain silent with shock.


    "Sect Master, these spiritual nts, I can''t see their levels..." Yue Bo said after discovering that he couldn''t gauge the power of the spiritual nts in the garden. Upon hearing this, the other three were stunned and they began observing the spiritual nts, but they were dumbstruck when they noticed that they failed to identify their power!


    Jiu Shen chuckled and answered. "Most of these spiritual nts are at the Supreme God-rank, while a few of them are at the Heavenly God-rank, so you guys have to make sure that you will treat them well..."


    "What?!" The four were stunned when they heard his words. What was a Supreme God Realm?! What was a Heavenly God Realm?! The four of them were even struggling to breakthrough to the Mystic God Realm and now Jiu Shen wanted them to take care of these malevolent creatures? It was crazy! However, this was also an opportunity for them!


    "What about it? Are you guys up for it?" Jiu Shen scanned the faces of the four. He didn''t even have to wait for long before they answered with determination.


    "Sect Master, we ept your offer!"


    Jiu Shen already expected their answer, so he wasn''t surprised by this. "Good! I know I wasn''t wrong about you guys, but before you begin with your gardening duties, let me warn you about a few things first." Jiu Shen''s voice turned serious, making the four people listen to him intently.


    "From now on, you must cease contact with anyone from the Heavenly Sword Tower. The riches inside this dragon building are too tempting and it would soon attract the attention of many. When that happens, anyone involved with us would be implicated and they might even be used as hostages to acquire the wealth here. Starting today, the four of you are only gardeners of ''The Immortal''s Wine Store''! Remember to call me Wine Master Jiu Shen next time..." Jiu Shen stated in a calm voice.


    "Yes, Wine Master Jiu Shen!" The four nodded their heads in understanding. They were smart individuals so they immediately understood why Jiu Shen was doing this. They also didn''t anything want to happen to their friends, so they agreed right away...


    "Alright. Familiarize yourselves with the dragon building. If you have any questions, you can find the waitresses here and ask them anything." Jiu Shen left after saying those words.


    "It looks like we''re back to our gardening duties." Yue Bo muttered with a smile.

 Chapter 475: The Opening Of The Dragon Building

    <h4>Chapter 475: The Opening Of The Dragon Building</h4>


    The next day, Jiu Shen removed the invisible barrier that masked the dragon building from the outside world. He then stared at the group of youngdies behind him with a smile. They were already dressed in their new waitress uniforms.


    "Are you guys ready?" Jiu Shen asked them when he saw their slightly nervous expressions. They''ve been familiarizing themselves with their new jobs, but they were worried that they might do something wrong.


    The girls slowly nodded their heads despite their rising anxiety.


    Seeing this, Jiu Shen smiled gently as he said. "You don''t have to be worried. Nothing would happen as long as I''m here."


    "Yes, Wine Master Jiu Shen!" Thedies regained their confidence when they heard Jiu Shen''s words. They trusted this man so much since he had always exceeded their expectations. As long as he was here, even if the sky copsed, they believed that Jiu Shen would be able to protect them.


    "Guards, some people will cause troubleter. You know what to do for those types of individuals, right?" Jiu Shen nced at the Soul Puppets. Their faces remained indifferent as they replied.


    "Yes, Master!"


    "Good! Go back to your posts and wait for our customers toe!" Jiu Shen said before going inside the dragon building. Now that he could cultivate, he didn''t want to waste more time!


    The new branch of The Immortal''s Wine Store was now officially open!


    ***


    "City Lord!" Serek came to the City Lord''s office and shouted urgently. He saw something that made his nerves feel restless!


    "What is it this time, Serek?" The City Lord frowned as he opened the door.


    "City Lord, the old restaurant that Jiu Shen bought from me is now gone!" Serek eximed.


    "What?! Did someone destroy it? Didn''t I tell you to prevent others from provoking him?!" Corpse Lord was incensed when he heard Serek''s words.


    "No! No! The restaurant is indeed gone, but it was reced by a new building! I can''t exin it to you in detail, so you should take a look at it yourself. Once you see, you''ll understand everything." Serek said with urgency.


    The City Lord sensed the gravity in his tone, so he immediately went out of his manor and went directly to the location of the old restaurant. Serek followed behind him with a solemn look on his face.


    When the two arrived, they discovered that there was already a huge crowd of people in the area. However, despite the number of people here, the City Lord could still see the magnificent dragon building beyond the golden fences.


    "Bloody hell!" He unconsciously cursed when he saw the splendid sight.


    "City Lord, you know why there is a huge crowd here?" Serek''s voice echoed from behind him.


    The City Lord red at him and spat out coldly. "Just spit it out already!"


    Serek immediately pointed at the garden right outside the dragon building. "Look at that garden. The spiritual nts in there, I could recognize that some of them are at the Supreme God-rank! As for the others, I couldn''t identify them..." He muttered.


    The City Lord furrowed his eyebrows as he scanned the garden filled with various kinds of spiritual nts. Even from his location, he could already sense the dense amount of true essence lingering in the air. Those spiritual nts were precious! He even saw one that he identified as a Heavenly God-rank spiritual nt! He could still remember it since he had seen it in an old book!


    "How in the world did he manage to get that thing?!" The face of the City Lord changed after discovering this. That was a Heavenly God-rank spiritual nt! Possessing such a precious item was a guarantee that one would ascend to the higher realms of cultivation! And such a valuable spiritual nt was now before his eyes!


    However, the City Lord quickly calmed himself. He wasn''t stupid. How did Jiu Shen create this dragon building in just one night? Furthermore, how did he ce those spiritual nts without being noticed by anyone? Could it be that there was a Heavenly God Realm expert behind Jiu Shen or is Jiu Shen himself a Heavenly God Realm expert? The more he thought about it, the more horrified he be. It was possible! That was the only exnation he could think of since it was impossible for a True God Realm expert or a Supreme God Realm expert to possess such precious items!


    "Let''s get inside! Quick!" Corpse Lord was still not sure about his guesses, so the only way to know the truth was to speak with Jiu Shen. He impatiently pushed everyone blocking his way and soon he was able to enter the golden gates.


    Corpse Lord saw two warriors guarding the entrance and just looking at them was enough to scare him out of his wits! These two are Supreme God Realm experts! He was sure of it!


    "Don''t cause trouble inside the dragon building or someone will kick you out." Corpse Lord nodded his head seriously when he heard the warning. He then followed the marbled pathway leading towards the dragon building. For some reason, he felt nervous the more he walked closer to the building.


    "The Immortal''s Wine Store..." He saw a name que above the door of the dragon building. The store''s name was written in calligraphy. The strokes were filled with the brilliance of a master and beauty.


    Corpse Lord nced onest time at the spiritual nts before reluctantly taking his eyes off of them. He then stepped inside the store as he muttered to himself. "A wine store this luxurious? Perhaps I''m right..."


    Just the value of the name que alone was already enough to buy his entire manor! He wondered what kind of shocking sights he would see inside this dragon building.


    Serek followed the City Lord with a dazed look. Everywhere he looked, everything screamed opulence! He felt that he was a farmer going inside the emperor''s castle!


    "I must be insane... This is a dream, right?" He muttered with a nk look.

 Chapter 476: Updated Price

    <h4>Chapter 476: Updated Price</h4>


    Corpse Lord and Serek were dumbfounded when they stepped inside the dragon building. They almost forgot to breathe when they saw what was inside. From the floor to the ceiling, everything was pure luxury! They felt as if they were beggars who had suddenly stepped into a goldmine...


    "There are also Heavenly God-rank spiritual nts in here..." Corpse Lord muttered with a nk look on his face. Behind him, Serek was at loss for words.


    "Wee, guests! Please follow me. I will lead you to a vacant seat." A youngdy dressed in a maid uniform stood in front of them and greeted them with a smile.


    After hearing her words, Corpse Lord and Serek absentmindedly nodded their heads.


    Looking at their dazed look, the youngdy smiled sweetly and led them to their seats.


    The same thing was happening to the other customers who came into the dragon building. They revealed the same stunned looks and the same surprised expressions on their faces.


    There were too many customers, but everyone waited patiently as the waitresses took their orders. However, not everyone present was patient enough to wait.


    A guy with dark purple skin and a muscr physique suddenly stood up andshed out angrily. "You want me to pay God Stones for a bottle of wine? Are you guys insane?!"


    The prices of the wines have been updated after the new branch store was created. The wines were also enhanced by the system to satisfy the demands and needs of the customers in the Primordial God Realm.


    Mystic Jade - 100 God Stones


    Ables nc - 500 God Stones


    Frozen Origin - 5,500 God Stones


    Deep Sea Spring Dew - 12,000 God Stones


    Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit - 50,000 God Stones


    Bejeweled Ocean Nectar - 150,000 God Stones


    Everyone stared at the guy causing trouble. When they saw the clothes he was wearing, they finally realized why this guy dared to cause trouble despite the strength of the guards in this ce. This man came from a big sect outside of Hard Rock City and this sect was heralded by a Heavenly God Realm expert! With that kind of expert backing them, the sect enjoyed the respect and worship of everyone.


    Everyone inside the dragon building watched the scene with growing interest. They wanted to see how the people from the dragon building would react to this person. However, to everyone''s surprise, they saw one of the armored guards of the dragon building suddenlye toward the man and gave him a resounding p to the face!


    p!


    The purple-skinned man couldn''t believe that someone would actually dare to p him despite his background. He could still feel his head ringing from that p.


    "No one is allowed to cause trouble inside the dragon building! People who disobey this rule will be punished!" The armored guard nced coldly at the purple-skinned man.


    "You! Just you wait! I will let you people know that it is a big mistake to do this to me! My Shadow God Sect wille here for revenge!" The man spat out coldly as he wiped the blood at the corner of his lips. He then left the dragon building while stomping his feet.


    Everyone stared at the scene in silence. That was a disciple of the Shadow God Sect! A sect with a Heavenly God Realm expert protecting them! However, the people working in this dragon building looked as if they didn''t care about it. Could it be that there was also a Heavenly God Realm expert behind them? Everyone spected after witnessing the sight.


    After that brief interlude, no one caused trouble anymore. If someone from the Shadow God Sect was even pped for causing disorder, what would happen to them? They shuddered at the mere thought of it.


    "City Lord, I can''t see Jiu Shen here. How do we look for him?" Serek asked while looking at the City Lord. He became more nervous the more he stayed inside this dragon building.


    Corpse Lord was holding a menu in his hands. He scanned through the lists of wines and saw a familiar type of wine among the list.


    "Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit...50,000 God Stones?!" Corpse Lord finally realized why that man from the Shadow God Sect was emotional. The lowest-priced wine here was sold for 100 God Stones! He was also surprised when he discovered the value of the wine he got from Jiu Shen. "I thought I was on the losing end during ourst deal, but it looks like I was the one who ended up winning the most..." He muttered to himself.


    After having been ignored, Serek could only shake his head and take a look at the menu. However, the moment heid his eyes on it, he almost fell from his chair!


    "Bloody hell! 150,000 God Stones for a bottle of wine?!" He could not help but exim, but he suddenly felt a sharp stare looking in his direction. Serek hurriedly closed his mouth and looked apologetically at the ring armored guard.


    "I want to order a bottle of Mystic Jade..." Serek let out a stiff smile as he handed the menu back to the youngdy standing before their table.


    "I''ll have one Frozen Origin and one Deep Sea Spring Dew." The City Lord also gave his orders.


    The young waitress smiled as she nodded at the two. "One bottle of Mystic Jade, one bottle of Frozen Origin, and one bottle of Deep Sea Spring Dew. Is there anything else?"


    Corpse Lord and Serek shook their heads.


    "Alright. I''ll be back with your orders in a minute." The youngdy smiled at them before she left.


    "City Lord, I didn''t know that you are actually a fan of wines." Serek said with envy. He wanted to try the other wines as well, but the high price stopped him.


    Corpse Lord chuckled as he replied. "I just recently learned to love wine..." The wine that he got from the trade with Jiu Shen had astonishing effects, so he wondered if the same was true for the wines sold in his store.

 Chapter 477: Extinction Sword Movement

    <h4>Chapter 477: Extinction Sword Movement</h4>


    "Here are your wines. Enjoy!" The youngdy ced three bottles of wine on top of the table of the City Lord and Serek. After that, she gave them one silver cup each. She then left to serve the other customers inside the dragon building.


    Serek grabbed the bottle that wasbeled as Mystic Jade. This thing costs 100 God Stones, so he was hoping that it would be worth his money. With a slight twist of his finger, he pulled the wine stopper and slowly filled his cup.


    He then drank the wine from the cup...


    "Oh? It actually tastes good! Not bad!" He praised the wine after tasting his first mouthful. It was good! Just the taste alone already made him satisfied. However, the more cups he drank, the more confused he be.


    The true essence inside his dantian seemed to be growing slowly? Although the increase was small, it was still an increase! After he consumed the entire wine inside the bottle, Serek concluded that one bottle of this wine was equivalent to a month of continuous cultivation!


    "Now I understand why it''s worth 100 God Stones..." He muttered to himself while looking at the City Lord who was enjoying two kinds of wines.


    "You finally know why, huh? To tell you the truth, I already know that the wines sold here have great effects on our cultivation. During my trade with Jiu Shen, I got a lot of wines from him for a piece of drynd." Corpse Lord chuckled before downing another cup of wine. He felt that he was closer to stepping into the Supreme God Realm! If he drinks more wine in this store, he would certainly reach the next realm in just a year or so!


    Although Corpse Lord was enjoying his wine, he was also feeling confused. The wines he got from Jiu Shen looked simr to the ones sold here for 50,000 God Stones. However, just this wine called Frozen Origin already had a greater effect than the one he got from his trade with Jiu Shen.


    ''Perhaps what I got from him were failed products... Then what effects would the best Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit have?'' He thought to himself with excitement. If his conjecture was right, he might be able to progress at a much faster speed!


    Meanwhile, the other customers were also fascinated by the effects of the wines. They couldn''t believe that wines could offer such great help to their cultivation and strength!


    Everyone has temporarily forgotten the garden filled with Heavenly God-rank spiritual nts and the suspicious-looking golden pond at the back of the dragon building. They were absorbed in the joy of drinking their wines...


    In one corner of the dragon building, a group of ferocious-looking people was looking around the store with eyes filled with greed. These people were from the Ggad Race, a race known for their monstrous facial features and greedy personalities.


    This group of Ggads was eyeing the Heavenly God-rank spiritual nts and other precious items inside the dragon building.


    "Boss Leo, are you sure that those things are Heavenly God-rank spiritual nts?" One of the Ggads asked a lion-headed Ggad.


    The lion-headed Ggad nodded his head solemnly. "That flower is a rare type of Heavenly God-rank spiritual nt. I''ve seen one that is identical to that thing during an auction. I shouldn''t be wrong. Furthermore, did you not notice that some of the other people here are also showing interest in those spiritual nts? Did you guys really think that I would be the only one who could identify them? If I''m not wrong, something big will happen here in a few days. The riches here are too valuable and it would soon attract the attention of the top sects! By then, we will have the chance to fish from the sidelines!" Boss Leo muttered with a devious grin on his ferocious face.


    He was only a peak stage True God Realm expert, so he wasn''t confident that he could take anything from this dragon building. However, if the top sects woulde here to take these items, they might have the chance to get a few things!


    The eyes of the other Ggads shone with anticipation when they heard their boss'' words.


    ***


    Inside the cultivation hall, Jiu Shen sat cross-legged as he meditated with his eyes shut tight. His body was covered by a bright light, but it soon vanished when he slowly opened his eyes.


    "I have now consolidated my strength. With the speed of my cultivation here, I will only need less than half a year to reach the Supreme God Realm. If I get more resources from the system, that speed would be even faster." Jiu Shen took out his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword. He wasn''t able to use this sword much during his stay in Nuar. Most of the people there were too weak for him to even use his true power. Now that he was back in the Primordial God Realm, he could finally use all his strength!


    Jiu Shen began practicing his sword techniques. Although he had already reached a high understanding of swordsmanship, he believed that there was no ending to the process of learning.


    He shed his sword in a certain set of movements while adjusting his breathing. This was Jiu Shen''s way of training his sword techniques. He would practice the same set of movements for a few hours and he would only stop if he was already tired. This way, he could ingrain the movements in his mind and it wouldter be muscle memory.


    An hourter, Jiu Shen kept his sword and let out a long exhale. "It has been long since Ist perform the Extinction Sword Movement..." He muttered with a nostalgic look. This was a sword technique that Jiu Shen created when he was trapped inside the God Sealing Tower. It was the best sword technique he had created in his past life, but he didn''t have the opportunity to use it often because of his condition inside the God Sealing Tower.

 Chapter 478: Shadow God Sect’s Arrival

    <h4>Chapter 478: Shadow God Sect¡¯s Arrival</h4>


    Soon, news about the dragon building spread far and wide. It became a hot topic for travelers and merchants. Some sects and cities outside Hard Rock City also began to notice this rich wine store. Everyone spected who was the expert behind this newly created group.


    Because of the surprise caused by the sudden emergence of the dragon building, many decided to visit Hard Rock City just to take a look at the rumored wine store.


    It was the second day of the dragon building''s opening, the store was filled to the brim with people and some were even standing outside the golden fences, looking at the garden with greed. However, no one dared to steal anything since there were a few armored guards observing them coldly. They knew that these armored guards were Supreme God Realm experts. Only a fool would dare to create a ruckus here... Unless one had the strength of a Heavenly God Realm expert, they could only stare enviously at this rich garden...


    Suddenly, the crowd beyond the golden fences parted and made way for a group of individuals wearing gray robes. All of them bore the same insignia drawn on their robes, an indication that they came from the same sect.


    "That is the insignia of the Shadow God Sect! I heard that one of their disciples was pped by an armored guard inside the dragon building for causing trouble. These guys might be here for revenge!"


    "It looks like we are about to witness a great show!"


    The onlookers chatted excitedly when they saw this group of people walking towards the dragon building.


    Everyone could already feel the solemn atmosphere when the people from the Shadow God Sect came. The armored guards of the dragon building stared at the group with cold faces. There were five armored guards stationed outside the dragon building. With the deterrent force of five Supreme God Realm experts, even the entourage of the Shadow God Sect felt a bit of pressure.


    An Elder of the Shadow God Sect stepped forward and shouted with a cold voice. "I am Vincent, and Elder of the Shadow God Sect. We came here to ask forpensation from the dragon building for harming our disciple!"


    His loud voice echoed within the entire street, making everyone cover their ears. This Elder Vincent was also a Supreme God Realm expert! Standing behind him were four more Supreme God Realm Elders of the Shadow God Sect.


    Seeing this scene, everyone eagerly waited for what was about to happen.


    "If you are not here to drink wine, then scram!" An armored guard let out a deafening shout towards the people from the Shadow God Sect. The other armored guards were staring at them with cold and malevolent faces.


    Elder Vincent felt a bit surprised. These armored guards were actually stubborn people. He thought that they would feel threatened because of their background, but it seems like they also had someone to rely on. After realizing this, the expression of Elder Vincent became unsightly. If he backs down this time, he would be aughing stock. If that happens, the Shadow God Sect will be a target of ridicule. He didn''t want this to happen!


    "We are not asking for too much. We will only demand five hundred thousand God Stones aspensation for hurting our disciple. If youpensate us, the Shadow God Sect will forget this matter." Elder Vincent put on a generous look as he said those words. This was his form ofpromise. At first, he was nning to demand a million God Stones from them, but he directly cut it in half to express his good intentions.


    However...


    The armored guards remained silent. They only stared at him as if they were looking at a fool. Their looks of contempt was like a tight p to his face! Elder Vincent was incensed by the attitude of these people! He gritted his teeth and slowly released his peak stage Supreme God Realm aura.


    When his aura burst out, the onlookers felt a strong wave of suppression. They felt as if their bodies were carrying a huge boulder!


    "Sh*t! It looks like we will be implicated by the sh of these two groups! Let''s retreat before it''s toote!"


    "I''m out of here! You guys can spectate on your own!"


    A huge percentage of the crowd immediately left the area when they sensed that a battle was about to erupt. They didn''t want to be swept by the residual forces of the battle, so they smartly left.


    After a little while, only a few brave ones remained to watch the scene.


    The people from the Shadow God Sect took out their weapons as they red at the armored guards.


    Meanwhile, the five armored guards remained calm despite the overwhelming pressure produced by the Shadow God Sect''s people. To be precise, an invisible energy was blocking the suppressive force of Elder Vincent and the others from entering beyond the golden gates! However, no one saw this...


    Suddenly, a sixth armored guard suddenly stepped out of the dragon building. He was the leader appointed by Jiu Shen among the ten Soul Puppets. This guy had the strength of a peak stage Supreme God Realm expert!


    "Why are you guys stopping them from entering? Let them go inside the dragon building." The armored guard let out a mysterious smile as he said this. He wasmanded by Jiu Shen to allow this group of people to get inside the dragon building. He was wondering why his master was allowing the enemies to go inside their turf, but he still followed Jiu Shen''smand.


    The armored guards were taken aback. They looked at their leader in confusion, but thetter ignored them.


    After hearing his words, the people from the Shadow God Sect were shocked, but they soon smiled coldly. They believed that this was the dragon building''s way of settling the dispute.


    Elder Vincent put down his weapon and he gestured for the others to do the same. He then stared at the leader of the armored guards and smiled at him. "Many thanks, brother!"

 Chapter 479: Elder Vincents Fear

    <h4>Chapter 479: Elder Vincent''s Fear</h4>


    The armored guards opened the golden gates and allowed the people from the Shadow God Sect to enter.


    Elder Vincent and his group walked through the marbled pathway with wide smiles on their faces. They were looking at the crowd with victorious expressions.


    "Eh? I was hoping for a good fight! I can''t believe that the people from the dragon building are cowards! Are they really nning topromise?"


    "I was expecting so much from them, in the end, they are still afraid of the Shadow God Sect''s power. There''s nothing to see here any more, we should leave..."


    More and more people soon left after seeing the sudden turn of events. They were disappointed by the dragon building''s response.


    Elder Vincent tried to put on a calm look on his face, but when he turned his gaze towards the garden, his eyes widened like saucers. Now that he was up close, he found out that all those rumors about the existence of Heavenly God-rank spiritual nts in this ce were all true! He felt his heart beating wildly after recognizing the worth of those spiritual nts. He then turned his head and motioned for a disciple toe near him.


    When the disciple saw the Elder''s gesture, he stepped forward and listened attentively.


    "Go somewhere far and inform the Sect Master using amunication crystal about the existence of Heavenly God-rank spiritual nts here. Tell him to bring everyone from the sect. We need to get all these items before the others can take them!" Elder Vincent whispered using his spiritual power.


    The disciple was shocked when he heard this, but he nodded his head solemnly and left.


    Seeing that the armored guards didn''t notice anything strange, Elder Vincent smiled evilly.


    ''I have to apologize in advance! It''s your mistake for owning such valuable resources without sufficient backing! You can''t me me for this! Hahaha!'' Elder Vincent thought to himself as a mocking look surfaced briefly on his face, but he hurriedly concealed it to prevent others from knowing his intentions.


    Elder Vincent forced himself to look away from the spiritual nts. He then followed the leader of the armored guards and entered the dragon building. He couldn''t help but admire the design of the building. Even their sect''s headquarters paled inparison to this dragon building. ''I wonder what type of materials they used to build this wonderful building...''


    When the group stepped inside the dragon building, they were dumbfounded. They were so shocked that they almost jump in surprise.


    Elder Vincent swiftly calmed his stunned heart. He couldn''t believe that such riches can be found in one ce! It appears that the owner must be one extravagant fellow!


    "A table has been reserved for your group. Please follow me." The leader of the armored guards muttered and led them to a much bigger table. This table could amodate more than twenty people! However, there was a silver-haired human sitting calmly at the most prominent seat. He was reclining on his chair with azy look on his face. This human didn''t even seem to notice their arrival.


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen, I''ve brought them here." Elder Vincent was surprised when he saw how respectful the armored guard leader was to this person. Is this silver-haired human the owner of the dragon building? He wondered.


    Elder Vincent scrutinized Jiu Shen from head to foot. After looking at him briefly, he was a bit surprised when he realized that he couldn''t sense the other party''s cultivation level. He furrowed his eyebrows as he thought deeply to himself.


    Jiu Shen turned his gaze at the armored guard leader and nodded his head calmly as he said. "Alright. You may leave."


    The armored guard leader bowed at Jiu Shen before he left.


    Jiu Shen then turned his gaze towards Elder Vincent and gestured for his group to sit down. "Take your seats." He uttered in a calm voice.


    Elder Vincent felt that this human wasn''t normal. No matter how he tried to gauge the man''s strength, he couldn''t sense even an ounce of powering from him. It felt as if he was looking at a normal human. However, Elder Vincent didn''t let this fool him. This human was strong! That was the only exnation he could think why he couldn''t sense his power.


    Elder Vincent thought that Jiu Shen had something to say, however, a few minutes has passed, but the man remained silent after letting them take their seats. He furrowed his eyebrows and suddenly felt a sense of foreboding. ''What was this guy''s name again? Was it Jiu Shen?''


    Elder Vincent lightly coughed and spoke. "Wine Master Jiu Shen, do you have something to say to us?"


    Jiu Shenzily turned his gaze towards Elder Vincent. He let out a mysterious smile as he replied. "Didn''t you call for reinforcements? I''m waiting for them toe here so that I can destroy you all in one fell swoop."


    Elder Vincent let out a stiff smile. The sense of foreboding he was feeling earlier intensified when he saw the smile on Jiu Shen''s face.


    "You must be joking, Wine Master Jiu Shen." Elder Vincent let out a dryugh, but Jiu Shen''s expression remained the same. From the looks of it, the guy wasn''t lying! Is he mad?! Their Sect Master is a Heavenly God Realm expert!


    "No. No. No. You called your Sect Master, right? I heard your words outside. You even specifically ordered that disciple to inform your Sect Master about the Heavenly God-rank spiritual nts in my garden." Jiu Shen changed his sitting position. He ced one of his legs on top of the other and nced at Elder Vincent with a smirk.


    Hearing this, Elder Vincent''s eyes widened in fear. He was using spiritual power when hemanded the disciple earlier! How did this guy hear them?! Is he a Heavenly God Realm expert as well?!


    He finally realized that he was screwed big time!

 Chapter 480: The Sect Master of the Shadow God Sect

    <h4>Chapter 480: The Sect Master of the Shadow God Sect</h4>


    Elder Vincent felt as if he was sitting on pins and needles the more he stared at Jiu Shen''s calm smile. To make it even more infuriating, the other people from the Shadow God Sect were merelyughing as if they heard the funniest joke.


    ''These fools! They don''t even know that we''ve stepped on and mine! F*ck! I shouldn''t have volunteered toe here!'' Elder Vincent cursed in his heart.


    He anxiously looked in the direction of the exit, it was only a few meters away from them, but it felt that he was so far from it.


    Elder Vincent nervously looked around the dragon building as he tried to find a way out of this situation. He has to escape from here! This man called Jiu Shen was giving him an invisible pressure despite the man doing absolutely nothing! Even their Sect Master wasn''t capable of doing this!


    "Your name is Jiu Shen, right? How about this... You give us three Heavenly God-rank spiritual nts and we will right off this matter." Another Elder of the Shadow God Sect suddenly said in a mocking voice.


    Elder Vincent wanted to punch this guy when he heard his words. Is he trying to seek death?!


    "Uh...this..." Elder Vincent wanted to say something, but the same Elder suddenly added in a confident tone.


    "Wait... You should add two more Heavenly God-rank spiritual nts, right Elder Vincent?"


    Elder Vincent''s face contorted. This guy was actually dragging him down to hell with him?


    Jiu Shenughed when he heard the Elder''s words. He then stared at the door leading outside the dragon building. He could sense the arrival of a few more experts. He even sensed an overwhelming pressure from one of them!


    "It looks like your reinforcements have finally arrived. That''s good. How about you guys go with me to greet them?" Jiu Shen stood up from his seat and nced at Elder Vincent and the others. He didn''t wait for their answer and immediately went out of the dragon building.


    Elder Vincent abruptly stood up from his seat and followed behind Jiu Shen with an anxious look. He had to warn the Sect Master! If something bad happens, he would be the greatest sinner in the history of their Shadow God Sect!


    The others from the Shadow God Sect also followed them outside.


    When everyone came out of the wine store, they noticed a group of individuals in gray robes flying over in the direction of the dragon building.


    Jiu Shen gestured for the armored guards to open the golden gates. "Open the gates. We can''t let our guests wait outside." He had a mysterious smile on his face as he uttered these words.


    Elder Vincent saw their Sect Master leading arge group of Elders and disciples from the Shadow God Sect. "Sect Master, don''te here! This guy is nning something dangerous!" He warned their Sect Master through a mental message.


    "Haha! Don''t worry, Elder Vincent! I brought the full fighting force of our Shadow God Sect! Even if they have a Heavenly God Realm at their helm, they wouldn''t be able to stop us! As for what they''re nning, it would be meaningless in front of real strength!" That was the reply he got from their Sect Master, but for some reason, Elder Vincent was still worried despite the reassuring words.


    The Sect Master of the Shadow God Sect was an old man with dark purple skin. He still had a vigorous body despite his old age and coupled with his muscr frame, he didn''t look like an old man at all! Behind him were a few more Supreme God Realm Elders of the Shadow God Sect and several dozen disciples with cultivation levels of varying degrees. All of them had a look of confidence as they stood behind their Sect Master.


    The Sect Master of the Shadow God Sectnded in front of the golden gates and entered with a mboyant smile. He ignored Jiu Shen and went straight toward Elder Vincent. "Elder Vincent, where are the Heavenly God-rank spiritual nts that you mentioned?" The Sect Master asked with an expectant look on his face.


    Before Elder Vincent could even speak, an Elder pointed at the garden and answered with a smug look. "Sect Master, the Heavenly God-rank spiritual nts are in that garden, while some are inside the dragon building."


    The Sect Master nced at the garden and his eyes soon revealed a look of greed. However, a hint of confusion soon surfaced on his face. He wondered how the owner of this dragon building moved such precious spiritual nts in this garden. These spiritual nts require different handling methods and the type of soil and environment would also have to be taken into ount. Furthermore, one had to be at least a Heavenly God Realm expert to capture a Heavenly God-rank spiritual nt.


    The Sect Master stared at Elder Vincent with furrowed eyebrows. "Who is the owner of this dragon building?" He asked with a serious voice. When he first heard the message from the disciple, he thought that the owner of the dragon building was just a lucky individual. However, when saw the state of the garden, he realized that this wasn''t the case.


    A Heavenly God-rank spiritual nt would have the same power as a Heavenly God Realm expert, but the number of spiritual nts at that level within the garden was a lot! Not just any ordinary person could do this!


    Elder Vincent saw the solemn expression of the Sect Master and he immediately answered as he gazed at Jiu Shen. "We haven''t checked yet, but the armored guards of this dragon building are respectful to that person. He should be the owner..."


    The Sect Master followed his gaze and finally took notice of the silver-haired human. He remembered seeing him when they just arrived here. He thought that he was just a fan of their Shadow God Sect...

 Chapter 481: One Sword Strike

    <h4>Chapter 481: One Sword Strike</h4>


    When the Sect Master stared at the silver-haired human, he became a bit rmed. He couldn''t sense the man''s cultivation level! This shouldn''t be possible unless the other party was a lot stronger than him or he had a Celestial God-rank item that can conceal his aura. No matter what it was, he knew that this guy was dangerous. He finally understood why Elder Vincent gave him a warning earlier. He must have noticed the irregrities of this man.


    ''I was careless! Dammit!'' The Sect Master stared at Jiu Shen solemnly. The silver-haired human remained calm and he still had that annoying smile hanging on his face.


    "Are you the owner of this dragon building?" The Sect Master asked as he looked at Jiu Shen warily.


    This time, Jiu Shen was the one who ignored him. He took out a chair from his space earring and took a seat. He then stared at the Sect Master with a look of contempt.


    Theck of nervousness from Jiu Shen and his mysterious strength made the Sect Master feel deeply unsettled. He then used his spiritual power to check the area and he soon noticed that he couldn''t use his spiritual power! After realizing this, a seed of fear slowly budded inside his heart.


    "You finally noticed it, huh?" The silver-haired human suddenly muttered with a voice filled with mockery. The look in his eyes seemed to be telling that he was looking at a group of fools.


    The Sect Master calmed his breathing as he slowly took out his weapon.


    Seeing this, the others from the Shadow God Sect also grabbed their weapons.


    Elder Vincent sighed and shook his head. It looks like they had no choice but to fight. Although Jiu Shen''s mysterious power distressed him, he felt that they could still escape since the Sect Master was with them.


    Jiu Shen''s smile became more vibrant when he saw this scene.


    A huge crowd of onlookers suddenly arrived outside the golden fences to spectate. They sensed that things are suddenly bing more exciting! Their anticipation intensified when they saw the Sect Master of the Shadow God Sect taking out his weapon.


    "Are they finally fighting?"


    "Maybe, but what is that guy doing there sitting on a chair?"


    The crowd chatted animatedly as they watched the drama.


    "As,e out and take out these people. They are disturbing the peace of the dragon building." Jiu Shen muttered with a nonchnt look as he remained seated in his chair. He even took out a bottle of wine and began chugging it down under the stupefied gazes of the onlookers.


    The people from the Shadow God Sect suddenly felt a violent tremoring from the still pond behind the dragon building.


    The Sect Master frowned and a grave look covered his face when he sensed a strong aura from that direction. "Heavenly God Realm! There is one more?! Sh*t!"


    Because of Jiu Shen''s indifference, the Sect Master thought that he was a Heavenly God Realm expert. Now, another expert at that level has suddenly shown himself.


    Things are bing more dangerous for them!


    An old man holding a walking cane emerged from the golden pond. He had an amiable look on his face as he slowly walked toward Jiu Shen. He ignored the stunned looks of everyone and bowed respectfully at Jiu Shen. "Master."


    Jiu Shen waved his hand. He didn''t know if this was As'' way to establish of helping him establish a strong image for everyone.


    ''The Heavenly God Realm expert called him master?! Who is he?!'' The Sect Master of the Shadow God Sect could no longer hide his fear. The faces of the others from the Shadow God Sect finally changed into uncertainty. They thought that everything would be fine if the Sect Master was with them, but from the looks of it, things might not go ording to their ns...


    "As, I change my mind. I think I want to exercise my muscles for a bit... Don''t let anyone of them escape here..." Jiu Shen suddenly stood up from his seat and patted As'' shoulder. The old man was a bit surprised when he heard Jiu Shen''s words, but he still nodded his head.


    "As you wish, Master!"


    "Good. Now, let''s begin this, shall we?" Jiu Shen took out his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword and activated his peak stage Heavenly God Realm aura! He also took the initiative tounch an attack on the Sect Master of the Shadow God Sect!


    "Peak stage Heavenly God Realm! F*ck!" The Sect Master cursed in fear when he sensed the aura released by Jiu Shen. He was only an early stage Heavenly God Realm expert and even if he used all of his power, he wouldn''t be able to overpower someone of Jiu Shen''s caliber! Each advancement in the Heavenly God Realm means a huge qualitative increase in strength!


    The Sect Master abruptly raised his weapon to block Jiu Shen''s strike, but he noticed that Jiu Shen''s silhouette had suddenly vanished from his field of vision! And with his spiritual power being unusable, he couldn''t pinpoint the exact location of Jiu Shen!


    Suddenly, he felt a warm sensation on his back and the area around his stomach. He looked down and saw the edge of Jiu Shen''s sword poking a huge gaping hole in his body!


    He didn''t know what happened and he had absolutely no idea how Jiu Shen did it...


    The Sect Master of the Shadow God Sect felt his strength slowly leaving out of his body.


    ''So this is how I die, huh? What a pathetic ending for me...'' He muttered to himself with a look of remorse. He was too careless and he didn''t even investigate the opponent''s strength beforeing here. He also ignored the warning of Elder Vincent.


    Jiu Shen pulled his sword out of the Sect Master''s body.


    Blood sprayed like a fountain from the gaping hole and the Sect Master slowly copsed!


    Everyone witnessing the scene was silent! No one dared to breathe when they saw what happened...


    A Heavenly God Realm expert died! He died in just one sword strike!

 Chapter 482: Widespread Fame

    <h4>Chapter 482: Widespread Fame</h4>


    The Sect Master of the Shadow God Sect was killed by Jiu Shen in just one sword strike! However, after he killed the guy, he felt a piercing sensation in his head. He overdid it this time...


    Although he had already reached the True God Realm, his body still found it taxing every time he releases his Heavenly God Realm aura. Furthermore, he used up a huge bulk of his power in that one sword strike. Jiu Shen deliberately did this to show a strong image in front of everyone.


    "Did the Sect Master of the Shadow God Sect say that Wine Master Jiu Shen is a peak stage Heavenly God Realm?" Someone from the crowd suddenly asked with a look of disbelief.


    "Yeah, I heard it too... That exins how he killed the Sect Master in just one move! Only a peak stage Heavenly God Realm expert could do that!"


    "To think that there''s actually such an individual living in this region... Perhaps, a huge change in the power structure is about to happen..."


    Jiu Shen felt weak all over his body, but he didn''t let out a frown. His face was calm and indifferent as he looked at the remaining members of the Shadow God Sect. He then stared at As and said. "As, seal their cultivation levels. These people will be punished for trying to steal from me!"


    After saying those words, Jiu Shen went back inside the dragon building under the admiring gazes of everyone. Besides their admiration, everyone also revealed a hint of fear as they stared at his figure.


    As bowed his head lightly at Jiu Shen. He then sealed the cultivation of the remaining members of the Shadow God Sect. They couldn''t even muster the courage to fight back since their only backbone had already died. All of them had a look of despair in their eyes as As sealed their cultivation...


    Suddenly, Elder Vincent from them pounced toward As with a crazed look in his eyes.


    "Die!"


    He shed down his weapon, hoping that he could kill this Heavenly God Realm expert by surprise.


    However, as if the old man had eyes behind his back, As moved to his left to evade the attack. He then grabbed his attacker by the neck and crushed it!


    Crack!


    Elder Vincent''s neck broke and As threw his corpse to the side without even a change in his expression.


    After As sealed their cultivation, he stared at the dragon building. A look of worry shed before his eyes, but it soon vanished. He then turned his gaze towards the armored guards and said in a cold voice. "Find a ce to imprison these people. We will wait for the master''s verdict!"


    The armored guards nodded their heads and they immediately tied the shivering members of the Shadow God Sect.


    After dealing with the situation, there was still a huge crowd of people left at the scene. Everyone couldn''t believe that such a surprising drama has unfold right before their very eyes.


    "Now I finally realize why the dragon building has so many Heavenly God-rank spiritual nts and other precious items..."


    "They also have two Heavenly God Realm experts in their midst... One at the early stage and the other at the peak stage... Who would dare to offend them?"


    Among the crowd, a group of Ggads can be seen forming a small circle. Suddenly, one of them spoke.


    "Boss, are we still doing what we nned?"


    "Are you an idiot? Did you not see what happened earlier?! Even a Heavenly God Realm expert died in just one sword strike! Do you think I''m tired of living?!" The boss smacked his subordinate''s head and left the scene with a fuming expression.


    The others who had simr intentions as them also sighed and left with looks of regret.


    Soon, the news about the copse of the Shadow God Sect spread like wildfire. It was one of the top sects in the Primordial God Realm with a Heavenly God Realm expert protecting them. However, such a strong force was destroyed overnight because of the death of their Sect Master. All the core members of the Shadow God Sect were also captured by the armored guards of the dragon building, so no one was left to protect the sect.


    Enemies showed up one by one and the defenseless sect was destroyed just like that...


    Many people also began to take notice of the new force that caused the destruction of the Shadow God Sect.


    The Immortal''s Wine Store...


    It was a strange name for such a strong force, but when everyone investigated, they discovered that the man responsible for the copse of the Shadow God Sect was, in fact, a wine store owner!


    The name ''Jiu Shen'' became famous and everyone began talking about this mysterious expert.


    Meanwhile, the man behind the incident was now recuperating inside the cultivation hall. It was now a week since that happened, but Jiu Shen barely recovered his strength.


    He slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath. "I ended up spending a week to recover..." He muttered as he stood up. He then let out a smile as he wondered what changes happened in Hard Rock City during the past week after that event.


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen, the City Lord of Hard Rock City wishes to speak with you privately." An armored guard came and informed him.


    "Oh? I wonder what that brat is up to now..." Jiu Shen smiled as he went down to the first floor.


    Everyone inside the dragon building turned their gazes towards Jiu Shen when they saw him walking down the stairs. Some were looking at him with a worshipping gaze, while a few revealed looks of fear.


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen!"


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen!"


    The customers enthusiastically greeted him.


    Jiu Shen ignored them and scanned the dragon building. His gaze stopped when he saw the familiar figure of the City Lord. His right-hand man, Serek was also there sitting with him.


    When the City Lord saw Jiu Shen look his way, he immediately stood up and walked toward Jiu Shen.

 Chapter 483: God Sword Region

    <h4>Chapter 483: God Sword Region</h4>


    "Greetings, Wine Master Jiu Shen!" The City Lord did not dare looked Jiu Shen in the eyes as he bowed at him respectfully. When they first met, he thought that this guy was just someone with equal standing as he was, but who knew that he was actually just hiding his strength? He shuddered when he remembered that he tried to kill this fellow when he came to the City Lord''s manor. He realized how lucky he was at that time...


    Serek stood behind the City Lord without saying a word. He was just a peak stage Mystic God Realm expert. In front of Jiu Shen, even the City Lord had to humble himself like a lowly servant.


    Jiu Shen nced at the City Lord with a calm look. He then gestured for him to sit on a nearby chair.


    The City Lord felt nervous as he sat before Jiu Shen. He had beening here in the dragon building every day because he couldn''t cultivate properly. The reason for that was because he knew about Jiu Shen''s secret. He has another force outside of Hard Rock City! At first, he thought that he could sell this information to a top sect, but when he witnessed Jiu Shen''s strength, he immediately buried that thought.


    "I heard that you''re looking for me..." Jiu Shen muttered indifferently. When he saw the anxious look of the City Lord, he already had a few guesses on why the guy was here.


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen, it''s like this..." The City Lord nced to his left and right to check if there was someone listening to their conversation.


    "No need to worry. I''ve already isted the area around us. Even if a Heavenly God Realm uses his spiritual power to eavesdrop, they wouldn''t hear anything, so you can speak freely." Jiu Shen suddenly said.


    The City Lord let out an embarrassed smile as he said. "Wine Master Jiu Shen, I came here to promise you that I won''t tell anyone about your connection with the force outside of Hard Rock City. Other than that, I also came here in hopes of bing your subordinate." He looked nervously at Jiu Shen when he said thest sentence, but the man''s expression didn''t even change, so he couldn''t tell what Jiu Shen was thinking...


    "The dragon building doesn''tck people. Besides, you are still too weak to even be an armored guard here..." Jiu Shen''s words were like a direct stab to his chest, but the City Lord already expected this rejection.


    "However, I can give you the opportunity to reach the Supreme God Realm. Once you reach that level, you can be an armored guard of this dragon building." Jiu Shen''s next words made the City Lord extremely ecstatic. This was a promise from a peak stage Heavenly God Realm expert!


    The City Lord immediately rose to his feet and bowed at Jiu Shen gratefully. "Wine Master Jiu Shen, I won''t disappoint you!"


    "But you still have to pass a trial in order to be one of us. You see, I don''t want people to betray me, so I created an item that is capable of seeing the true heart of someone. Your loyalty will be tested, are you prepared?" Jiu Shen muttered in a cold voice. This Corpse Lord was quite a questionable individual, so Jiu Shen had to be careful.


    The City Lord panicked when he saw the cold gaze of Jiu Shen. He hurriedly nodded his head and expressed his determination. "Wine Master Jiu Shen, I''m ready!"


    Jiu Shen nodded his head and gave him a token. "This is a token of my Heavenly Sword Tower. It is a sect that I created just recently. You already know their location, so go there and show this token to the people there and tell them that I sent you to be tested."


    The City Lord epted the token and kept it inside his space ring carefully. "Thank you so much for your trust, Wine Master Jiu Shen!"


    Jiu Shen turned his gaze towards Serek and handed him another token. "Since you are here, you can go with him to be tested."


    "This... I-..." Serek was at loss for words. He wanted to say something to Jiu Shen, but the man was already gone. He nced at the token in his hands and kept it.


    "Congrattions, Serek! It seems like we will be colleagues in the future!" Corpse Lord patted Serek''s shoulder encouragingly.


    "City Lord..." Serek felt slightly emotional.


    "Come on! Don''t give me that look. Haha! Let''s go!" Corpse Lord chuckled and grabbed Serek out of the dragon building.


    ***


    Far from Hard Rock City, there was a humongous castle surrounded by tall walls. The castle was heavily guarded by hundreds of experts and there was even a Protective Array Formation inscribed on the walls!


    This imprable fortress was the headquarters of a major sect called God Sword Region. The God Sword Region was the true overlord of this part of the continent and they have three Heavenly God Realm experts behind them! Furthermore, the founder of this sect was once the student of a renowned individual crowned as the second strongest swordsman in the history of the Primordial God Realm. This renowned individual also became the fourth strongest in all realms just right after the three Celestial Emperors!


    The God Sword Region once had eight Heavenly God Realm experts, however, five of them died including the founder. As for the reason for their deaths, the remaining members of the God Sword Region chose to remain silent about it...


    Now, in the main hall of the God Sword Region, the three Heavenly God Realm experts were seated before a round table. One of them suddenly spoke.


    "Are you sure that someone that goes by the name of Jiu Shen had suddenly caused amotion in Hard Rock City?" The one who spoke was an old man with a fat figure.


    An old man with gray sword-like eyebrows and long white hair nodded his head. "I''m sure of it. I''ve heard of it from a core disciple who was out on a mission. I don''t know if this is a coincidence, but he has the same name as the teacher of our founder..."

 Chapter 484: Yin Long

    <h4>Chapter 484: Yin Long</h4>


    "You think that this Jiu Shen person might be connected to the founder''s teacher?" Thest person was an old man with a thin and sickly look.


    The old man with sword-like eyebrows shook his head and replied. "I don''t know, but that guy also uses a sword... There might be some sort of connection between them..."


    "But the founder''s teacher has been dead for millions of years! This was announced by Celestial Emperor Lao Gou himself!" The fat old man interjected.


    "You''re right... I may be wrong, but I will still investigate this person..." The elder with sword-like eyebrows said.


    "Hey, Brother Yin Long! Are you sure about this? Although the Celestial Paragon Tower has stopped monitoring our movements, there still might be people observing us in secret! It will be dangerous if youe out alone!" The fat old man furrowed his eyebrows as he uttered those words.


    "Brother Yin Long, Brother Gu San is right. To be safe, I''ll go with you..." The thin and sickly-looking old man muttered.


    Yin Long shook his head immediately upon hearing his friends'' words. "Brother Ka Wayan, I can protect myself, so you don''t have to go with me. Besides, there would only be Brother Gu San left here to guard the castle if youe with me. Just stay here while I investigate this matter..."


    Ka Wayan and Gu San sighed upon hearing this. In the end, they could only reluctantly agree with him.


    "Don''t worry. I, Yin Long, am a mid stage Heavenly God Realm expert. Even if I encounter someone stronger than me, I''m confident that I could escape from their grasp!" Yin Long assured his buddies with a confident look.


    "I knew that we could not convince you once you have decided on doing something. Just be safe, Brother Yin!" The fat old man, Gu San, patted Yin Long''s shoulder.


    Yin Long smiled and nodded his head. "I will!"


    ***


    Jiu Shen was seated on a chair outside the dragon building. He was looking at Balmond and the others who were tending the garden.


    Standing behind Jiu Shen was an old man dressed in in white robes.


    "Master, what are you nning to do with the remnants of the Shadow God Sect?" The old man suddenly asked to break the silence.


    Jiu Shen took a sidelong nce at him and replied. "I don''t know, but they might be useful for Theia since they are still in the process of building a new sword tower. Theycked manpower right now because they couldn''t casually ask for someone to build the sword tower for them."


    "Do you want me to send a Soul Puppet and bring them there?"


    "Sure, but you have to make sure that their cultivation would remain sealed. Theia and the others are still too weak right now, so we have to be careful." Jiu Shen muttered solemnly.


    As nodded his head. "Yes, master! I will double-check everything before sending those people there..."


    After saying those words, As'' figure vanished.


    Jiu Shen stood up from his chair and went inside the dragon building. There were many customers inside, but no one was causing trouble. No one was brave enough to be enemies with the owner of this store! Besides, the wines here were very valuable and they didn''t want their chance to be here to disappear just because of a simple mistake.


    When Jiu Shen entered the dragon building, his presence immediately caught the attention of everyone. They were now used to his presence, but they still couldn''t help but feel nervous every time he was here.


    Jiu Shen ignored the customers and went to the cultivation hall. However, he stopped when he was already midway to the second floor. He stared in a certain direction and furrowed his eyebrows.


    "A mid stage Heavenly God Realm expert?" He muttered to himself. He had just barely recovered his strength after overexerting himself in the fight against the Sect Master of the Shadow God Sect. He was not in his best condition to fight and if he was forced to use his peak stage Heavenly God Realm aura, it would be dangerous for him. Doing it forcibly would damage his foundations and his n of reaching the Celestial God Realm would be jeopardized.


    "Who is it this time?" Jiu Shen disappeared and reappeared outside of Hard Rock City. He could already do long-distance teleportation, so this wasn''t difficult for him.


    Jiu Shen hovered in midair with an indifferent look on his face. He ced his hands behind his back as he waited.


    Not longter, he saw the figure of an old man flying towards him with great speed! When he finally got a clearer look, Jiu Shen noticed that the old man didn''t reveal any malicious movements.


    ''This must be just another curious individual. Well, that saves me from a fight...'' Jiu Shen thought to himself.


    Yin Long had long noticed Jiu Shen, so he wasn''t surprised to meet him outside Hard Rock City. The only thing that made him feel shocked was the fact that he couldn''t sense this man''s cultivation.


    "Hello, friend! My name is Yin Long! I came here to visit the rumored dragon building here in Hard Rock City. I wonder if you could help find this ce?" Yin Long let out a smile as he introduced himself briefly. He also stated his intentions ining here to prevent the other party from thinking that he had ulterior motives.


    Hearing this, Jiu Shen''s expression didn''t change. He wore the same calm look as he nced at Yin Long.


    "Oh? It appears that my wine store has be quite reputable. Pardon me for blocking your path. I am Jiu Shen. The owner of ''The Immortal''s Wine Store'' or the famously known dragon building. It''s a pleasure to meet you." Jiu Shen said with a smile.


    Yin Long was pleasantly surprised when he heard this. "It seems like I don''t have to look around aimlessly. Brother Jiu Shen, could you take me to your store?"

 Chapter 485: Nostalgia

    <h4>Chapter 485: Nostalgia</h4>


    Jiu Shen looked calmly at the old man. He had long white hair and sword-like eyebrows. He looked sharp for his age and there was a strong sword aura gushing out of him unconsciously. ''A swordsman?'' Jiu Shen thought when he sensed the sword aura.


    "No problem!" Jiu Shen answered with a smile. If a fight was to happen here, it would be disadvantageous for him, but things wouldn''t be the same in the dragon building!


    Yin Long smiled upon hearing this. "Great! I''ve heard that the wines sold in your store have beneficial effects even to top cultivators. Can you tell me more about this?" He initiated a conversation. He wanted to see if he could dig up something from this man without being suspicious.


    If this man was indeed connected with the founder''s teacher, he wouldn''t casually tell others about his origin. After all, Jiu Shen, the teacher of the founder was killed by Celestial Emperor Lao Gou himself! To be specific, he was captured and sealed inside the God Sealing Tower and was subjected to cruel torture for millions of years! Just thinking about that made Yin Long''s spine crawl in dread.


    Yin Long was nning how to get information from Jiu Shen.


    The two flew towards the dragon building. It was the most beautiful ce in Hard Rock City, the area around the dragon building was also beautified under the City Lord''s order.


    Yin Long was a bit surprised when he saw the appearance of the dragon building. He thought that the disciple who informed him about its existence was just exaggerating his words, but it seemed like he was truthful. However, when he moved closer to the golden gates, he frowned. He noticed that there was a strong Protective Array Formation inscribed to protect this ce. He wouldn''t have noticed it if not for his strong spiritual power!


    "So you noticed it?" Jiu Shen nced at Yin Long with a smile when he saw the sudden change in thetter''s expression.


    "Don''t worry. That Protective Array Formation is only meant for dangerous situations. I didn''t even use it when the Shadow God Sect''s people came here to cause trouble." Jiu Shen muttered with the same nonchnt smile.


    Hearing this, Yin Long no longer dared to treat Jiu Shen casually. From the disciple''s information, he said that this Jiu Shen revealed the strength of a peak stage Heavenly God Realm expert! If it was true, even he wouldn''t be able to escape his grasp!


    "I can''t believe that there''s actually a hidden expert living in our region. It''s truly surprising!" Yin Long let out a smile, though it was a bit forced.


    When they entered beyond the golden gates, Yin Long saw a massive garden filled with spiritual nts that emitted strong suppressive auras. ''Heavenly God-rank spiritual nts?! It''s actually true! Just how much good stuff is in this man''s possession?! No wonder the Shadow God Sect decided to open steal from him...''


    ''His name is Jiu Shen. His strength is at the peak stage of the Heavenly God Realm. His weapon is also a sword... Could it be, he''s alive? No way!'' Yin Long frowned as he drowned in his thoughts. He didn''t even notice that they were already inside the dragon building. He only became aware of this when he heard the loud noiseing from the chattering of the customers.


    "There are a lot of people here, so I apologize in advance for the noise." Jiu Shen with an apologetic look. He then led Yin Long to an empty spot and gestured for him to sit down.


    The two men sat opposite each other.


    "Tell me your real intentions." Jiu Shen broke the silence. His voice was calm as he uttered those words.


    Yin Long was a bit surprised that he was seen through. It seems like he had underestimated this man. He then put on a serious look as he asked. "Do you know Xuan Kaisheng?"


    Jiu Shen''s expressionless face revealed a hint of nostalgia when he heard this name... He recalled the face of a young man who had a high talent in swordsmanship. This young man begged him for many years to take him as a disciple, but Jiu Shen always rejected him. After many years of pleading, Jiu Shen finally decided to start a lecture about swordsmanship for the young man and also for the others who wanted to take him as their master. That was when his lonely days began to take a different turn.


    "Xuan Kaisheng... Is he still alive?" Jiu Shen nced at Yin Long as he slowly calmed himself.


    Yin Long''s eyes widened when he heard this. This was equivalent to him admitting that he was Jiu Shen! But how was he still alive?


    "You are... It''s you!" Yin Long stood up from his seat and wanted to bow at Jiu Shen, but thetter immediately pushed Yin Long back to his chair.


    "There are many people here, so don''t do something that would attract their attention. Yes, it''s me, Jiu Shen, the teacher of Xuan Kaisheng. From the way you act, you must be his friend." Jiu Shen sighed. He couldn''t believe that he would meet someone that was somehow connected to him in his past life.


    "I''m from the God Sword Region! The sect that Xuan Kaisheng created after he became a Heavenly God Realm expert!"


    Yin Long''s face was enveloped with excitement when Jiu Shen admitted his identity.


    He is alive! The founder''s teacher is alive!


    "Pardon me for asking this, but how did you survive being sealed inside the God Sealing Tower?" He could not help but ask.


    Jiu Shen let out a mocking smile as he replied. "Survive? I didn''t survive. I died, but it''s a long story, so I''d rather skip that part. Since you are a friend of Xuan Kaisheng, tell me, how did die?" He asked solemnly.


    Yin Long''s face suddenly turned grim as he slowly answered. "When he heard about your death, he rallied the Sword God Region and a few other sects to join him in avenging you. However, we were effortlessly defeated by the Celestial Paragon Tower. He was killed at that time..."

 Chapter 486: Proposal?

    <h4>Chapter 486: Proposal?</h4>


    "Celestial Paragon Tower?" Jiu Shen uttered coldly. His calm and indifferent face revealed a look of rage and contempt. In his past life, the Celestial Paragon Tower sent more than a dozen Heavenly God Realm experts and tens of thousands of other experts just to capture him, in the end, they miserably failed. Celestial Emperor Lao Gou had to intervene to reduce their casualties.


    "Yea, it''s them! In order to let us escape, Brother Xuan sacrificed his life. Including me, two more Heavenly God Realm experts survived, and a few more of our core disciples also managed to escape. However, because of our severe losses at that time, we were forced to iste ourselves for millions of years. It is only recently that we started going outside again..." Yin Long muttered with a heavy expression. He could not forget the events at that time. The sacrifice of his friends and the downfall of their God Sword Region.


    Jiu Shen nced at Yin Long and suddenly thought of something. "Yin Long, go back to the God Sword Region and bring the other two Heavenly God Realm experts to me, but don''t tell them about my existence yet. It is better if I do the exnations myself. Once all three of you are gathered, I will offer a proposal."


    Yin Long furrowed his eyebrows as he pondered deeply. He wondered what Jiu Shen had in mind for them. "Yes, Lord Jiu Shen! I will bring those two here immediately!" He replied.


    "Alright. You can try the wines next time. We still have important things to discuss, so you must go now." Jiu Shen waved his hand.


    Yin Long nodded his head and stood up from his seat. "Lord Jiu Shen, I wille back with them."


    After saying those words, Yin Long left the dragon building and went back to the God Sword Region''s headquarters at his greatest speed.


    "With those three Heavenly God Realm experts, I could hasten the growth speed of my Heavenly Sword Tower. And if they agree to my proposal, things would be much faster..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself.


    ***


    Heavenly Sword Tower''s temporary camp.


    Corpse Lord and Serek trekked the area with nervous expressions. They were afraid that they would be identally killed by Jiu Shen''s people without being able to exin things.


    "Are you sure that this is the ce?" Corpse Lord asked Serek as he tried to hide his anxiety.


    Serek nodded his head solemnly as he observed the surroundings. He could not forget this ce. This was where they were spotted by a Supreme God Realm expert! "I''m sure of it. The armored guards would be here soon to give us a warning. Hopefully..."


    Corpse Lord became even more nervous when he heard the uncertainty of Serek. He could only pray that they wouldn''t be killed right away.


    Suddenly, they felt their bodies stiffening as a man with a tall and lean figure appeared. He was wearing the same outfit as the armored guards, so Corpse Lord and Serek immediately identified him.


    "It''s you again!" The armored guard muttered in a cold voice as he looked at Serek''s familiar face. He was preparing to take out his sword, but Corpse Lord immediately shouted.


    "Wait! Wine Master Jiu Shen sent us here to be tested!"


    The armored guard frowned as he looked at Corpse Lord. "Do you have proof?" He asked in the same cold voice.


    Corpse Lord hurriedly nodded his head. "Yes, we have his token with us. Remove this restrictive force and we will show it to you..."


    The armored guard nced at Corpse Lord and then towards Serek. "Fine! But if you show me something fake, then I wouldn''t be polite anymore!" He then released the restriction force that he had cast towards the two.


    Corpse Lord and Serek felt the force that was restricting them vanished and they immediately sighed in relief. They then took out the token given by Jiu Shen and showed it to the armored guard.


    The armored guard took their tokens. He could the familiar aura of Jiu Shen within the tokens. He nodded his head and returned them to the two as he muttered in a less cold voice. "Follow me..."


    The eyes of Corpse Lord and Serek lit up when they heard this.


    The two trailed behind the armored guard and they soon reached a temporary settlement. They could see hundreds of young humans dressed in white robes. Their robes had an insignia that they couldn''t identify, but they guessed that this was the insignia of Jiu Shen''s sect.


    The armored guard led them to a cold-looking blondedy. She was only a peak stage Mystic God Realm expert, but surprisingly, Corpse Lord and Serek felt a wave of pressure when she looked in their direction.


    The blonde-haireddy frowned when he saw the armored guard leading two unfamiliar faces. "Who are they?" She asked in a frosty tone.


    The armored guard lightly bowed his head towards Theia and exined. "They have the master''s token with them." He then turned his head towards the two and said. "Take out your tokens and show them to the Vice Sect Master!"


    Corpse Lord and Serek were both surprised. This Mystic God Realm youngdy was actually a Vice Sect Master?


    The two immediately took out their tokens and passed them to Theia.


    She inspected the token carefully and when she sensed Jiu Shen''s aura within the tokens, her expression eased up. "Why did he send you here?" She looked at the two curiously.


    Corpse Lord and Serek nced at each other before answering. "Wine Master Jiu Shen told us to be tested here. We don''t know the exact details, but he said that if we tell you this, you will know what to do. If we pass the test, we will be armored guards of the dragon building!"


    Theia nodded her head. "I see. Follow me. Once you pass the test, you will also be members of the Heavenly Sword Tower." She muttered as she gestured for the two men to follow her.

 Chapter 487: Deacons

    <h4>Chapter 487: Deacons</h4>


    Yin Long came back to the God Sword Region''s castle and he immediately called Gu San and Ka Wayan. The two old men were surprised when they saw the sweaty face of Yin Long. They wondered what this guy encountered outside for him to be like this.


    "What happened, Brother Yin Long? Did the Celestial Paragon Tower ambush you?" The thin old man, Ka Wayan, asked with a frown.


    Yin Long shook his head. He suddenly smiled and said eagerly. "Follow me! You will be surprised by what I''ve discovered!"


    Gu San and Ka Wayan nced at each other with surprise. Yin Long was usually calm, so it was a bit shocking for them to see him act like this.


    "Brother Yin, just what did you discover?" The fat old man, Gu San, asked with a perplexed look.


    Yin Long grabbed the two old men and said. "I''ll exinter! Go with me to the dragon building first! When we arrive there, you''ll know what I''m talking about! Besides, this might be an opportunity for our God Sword Region!" There was a trace of expectation in his eyes as he said this. He saw hope when met Jiu Shen! Although he hasn''t stepped into the Celestial God Realm, based on Jiu Shen''s qualifications, it was only a matter of time for him!


    Hearing this, the eyes of Gu San and Ka Wayan shed with radiance.


    "Alright! We trust you, Brother Yin! But if you''re just wasting our time, I promise that I''ll beat you up after I reach the mid stage of the Heavenly God Realm!" Gu San put on an ugly smile as he gave Yin Long a warning look. Every time he sparred with Yin Long, he would always end up beaten up.


    Yin Long chuckled at his words. "Don''t worry, Brother Gu San. You will be surprisedter..." He muttered with a mysterious look.


    Gu San and Ka Wayan felt their fists itch when they saw his expression.


    "Come on! Let''s go!"


    ***


    "A mirror?" Corpse Lord and Serek both muttered in surprise when they saw Theia taking out a door-like mirror. It was like a portal that leads to a different location, but they could sense that something was different about this thing.


    Theia saw the confusion in their eyes, but she didn''t bother to exin things to them. This is the Mirror of Truth and Deceit and it could read the minds and hearts of anyone who try to pass through it. If their hearts and minds didn''t have any malicious intentions, they would be able to pass through the mirror.


    "This is the Mirror of Truth and Deceit. This is your only test. If you pass this test, you will be armored guards and also members of our Heavenly Sword Tower! We will start with you. What''s your name?" Theia asked as she pointed at Serek.


    "Ah, my name is Serek, Vice Sect Master!" Serek introduced himself. Although this blonde-haired youngdy has the same cultivation level as him, he didn''t dare understand her. Even the armored guard who had the strength of Supreme God Realm was respectful to her!


    "Serek? Alright. Step into the mirror!" Theia said in amanding voice.


    Serek nodded his head at Theia. He then slowly walked in front of the Mirror of Truth and Deceit. It looked like a Teleportation Array Formation, but the more he went closer to it, the heavier his heart has be. This feeling made him nervous, but he didn''t stop walking toward the mirror. ''We were sent here by Wine Master Jiu Shen to be tested, so this mirror should not be dangerous.'' He consoled himself.


    Serek''s heart almost stopped when he was just a few inches away from the mirror. The moment he stepped into it, he felt as if he was stripped naked with everything about him being scrutinized by an invisible force! The feeling was weird and ufortable at the same time, but it only happened for a second.


    When Serek opened his eyes, he realized that he hade out to the other side of the mirror. "What just happened?" He nced at Theia and asked her in confusion.


    Theia''s cold expression slightly eased up when she stared at Serek. She nodded her head at him and said. "Congrattions! You passed the test!"


    "Huh? I... What?!" Serek eximed in surprise, but he immediately smiled joyfully.


    "Thank you, Vice Sect Master!"


    Theia ignored the grateful Serek and moved her gaze towards the old man, Corpse Lord. "What''s your name?" She asked.


    Corpse Lord wanted to say ''Corpse Lord'', but that wasn''t his name. It was only a title that people call him. He cleared his throat and answered. "My name is Garyun. I''m a Necromancer and an Alchemist."


    Theia nodded her head calmly. Though she was a bit surprised when the old man revealed that he was also an Alchemist. "Enter the mirror!" She said coldly.


    Garyun nodded his head with a solemn look. He saw the entire process of Serek stepping into this mirror, but he still had no idea what this mirror was capable of doing. He thought their test would be something difficult, but they were actually given a weird test.


    As he drew nearer to the mirror, Garyun''s face changed. He felt an unknown force sweeping his consciousness! If he was to describe how it felt, it was like he was electrocuted for a short moment. He unconsciously closed his eyes and when he opened them, he saw the cold-faced Vice Sect Master revealing a light smile. She looked beautiful, but Garyun immediately looked away from her. ''She might be Wine Master Jiu Shen''s wife...'' He concluded.


    "You also passed the test! Congrattions! Now, I officially announce that the two of you will be the newest armored guards of the dragon building and also new members of our Heavenly Sword Tower! With your cultivation level, you can already be Elders of the sword tower, but I can''t do that. We have to follow the rules set by Jiu Shen himself, so I could only appoint you guys as deacons for now. Also, as the new deacons of the..." Theia began to exin their new position and also the job attached to it. Garyun and Serek listened to her with serious faces.

 Chapter 488: The Proposal

    <h4>Chapter 488: The Proposal</h4>


    "Brother Yin, can you at least tell us what to expect? This feeling of knowing absolutely nothing makes me feel a bit ufortable." Gu San stared at Yin Long, hoping to get an answer from him. However, thetter merely smiled at him.


    "Brother Gu, we''re already here! Just follow me inside the dragon building!" Yin Long chuckled when he saw the upset Gu San.


    Ka Wayan was strangely silent because his focus was on the garden that they just passed by. He was shocked when he saw the spiritual nts. Some of which even gave him a sense of crisis! He only felt this way in front of Heavenly God Realm experts or creatures of the same level! That means those spiritual nts...


    "Hey, Brother Ka, are you alright?" Gu San turned his head towards Ka Wayan. The man was standing straight with a nk look on his face, Gu San was confused when he saw this.


    "Hey, Brother Ka!" Gu San grabbed the thin Ka Wayan''s shoulder and lightly shook him to get his attention.


    "Ah, yes? Brother Gu, what is it?" Ka Wayan nced at his friend. He was still shocked by what he saw!


    "What happened to you? Why are you suddenly spacing out?" Gu San asked as he looked at Ka Wayan''s face.


    Ka Wayan let out a forced smile as he pointed at the garden. "Take a look yourself..." He muttered weakly.


    Gu San followed the direction he was pointing and soon, he saw a garden. He didn''t see this earlier because was too upied with asking Yin Long about what he was trying to show them.


    "Brother Yin, is this the surprise you are talking about?" Gu San grabbed Yin Long and asked him in a serious voice. The number of Heavenly God Rank spiritual nts in the garden was more than enough to make the three of them increase their cultivation!


    Yin Long chuckled when he saw the expression of his two friends. He then shook his head and replied. "Of course not! The owner might punish you if you steal one of his herbs. Come on! Just get inside the dragon building and you''ll know!"


    Yin Long pushed his two buddies inside the dragon building without waiting for them to say anything.


    Gu San and Ka Wayan discovered that there were a lot of people here, so they tried to remain as calm as possible to maintain their image as top experts of the Primordial God Realm, but they almost failed to hide their surprise every time they saw something valuable inside this dragon building. To be precise, everything they have seen is precious!


    Finally, they realized that someone who could own such a luxurious dragon building wasn''t someone so simple. Not to mention that he also have that mind-boggling garden outside this building!


    Gu San and Ka Wayan remained silent as they followed Yin Long. Thetter brought them towards a spot upied by a lone person. He was holding a bottle of wine as he reclinedzily on his chair. The man had a distant look as if he was deep in his thoughts.


    "Lord Jiu Shen, I have brought them here." Yin Long cupped his fists towards the man as he pointed at his buddies who were standing behind him with shocked gazes.


    ''Lord Jiu Shen?'' They were both surprised when they heard Yin Long acting so respectfully towards this person. Isn''t this the man who caused the downfall of the Shadow God Sect?


    Jiu Shen put down the bottle of wine and turned his gaze towards Yin Long. He then moved his gaze towards the two old men behind him. One was a fat man whose eyes were barely visible, while the other was a thin old man who looked as if he might copse at any moment.


    "Oh, take your seats." Jiu Shen said as he pointed at the chairs in front of him. He already prepared this earlier.


    Yin Long nodded his head. He then nced at his buddies and said. "Lord Jiu Shen, this fatty right here is Gu San, and this guy here is Ka Wayan. We are the only remaining Heavenly God Realm experts of the God Sword Region!"


    Gu San and Ka Wayan who had just taken their seats almost fell from their chairs when they heard this. Why is Yin Long suddenly telling this to someone he had just met?! No one was supposed to know about them!


    "Brother Yin!" Gu San and Ka Wayan red at Yin Long.


    Yin Long was speechless when he saw his friends acting like this, but he realized that he was yet to introduce Jiu Shen. "Oh, right! I haven''t introduced Lord Jiu Shen to you guys yet. He is Jiu Shen, the owner of this dragon building, the teacher of our founder, and the man recognized as the fourth strongest in all realms!"


    "Huh?!"


    The mouths of Gu San and Ka Wayan gaped wide open upon hearing this. Didn''t Jiu Shen die millions of years ago? How is he still alive?!


    Jiu Shen was a bit embarrassed by the shy introduction of Yin Long, but he didn''t show it on his face. He looked calmly at the three and said. "It''s indeed me. I know you guys have so many questions, but you can save them forter. For now, we have a more pressing matter to discuss. I learned from Yin Long about what happened to your God Sword Region and I know that the reason for your copse has something to do with me. I can''t let you guys suffer for nothing, so I have a proposal."


    "A proposal?"


    Jiu Shen nodded his head. "I want your God Sword Region to merge with my Heavenly Sword Tower! In return, I will make sure that the three of you will have an increase of at least one minor realm in your cultivation! You saw the garden outside, right? So you should know that I''m not speaking nonsense here." He said with an air of dominance.

 Chapter 489: Cultivation Hall

    <h4>Chapter 489: Cultivation Hall</h4>


    Gu San and Ka Wayan frowned upon hearing this. Even Yin Long was stunned after Jiu Shen said those words. They didn''t even know anything about this Heavenly Sword Tower that he mentioned.


    "Lord Jiu Shen, even if you are the founder''s teacher, we can''t agree to this. The God Sword Region has stood tall even after our defeat against the Celestial Paragon Tower. We can stand on our own." Ka Wayan said with a slightly cold voice.


    Gu San was silent, but he nodded his head after Ka Wayan said his piece. He was also against Jiu Shen''s proposal.


    Yin Long nced at them. He didn''t know how to respond since he was surprised about Jiu Shen''s proposal. They would be stronger once their two groups merged, but they would also be Jiu Shen''s subordinates. He knew that his buddies who had been leaders for millions of years wouldn''t agree to this easily.


    Jiu Shen let out a smile filled with contempt. "Stand even after being defeated? Do you even know what you are saying? If Xuan Kaisheng was alive, he would have strangled you! Listen closely because I will only say this once. If you agree to my terms, I will promise you that I would help you guys reach thete stage of the Heavenly God Realm within a hundred years!"


    The eyes of the three old men widened when they heard this. Reach thete stage of the Heavenly God Realm within a hundred years?!


    "What absolute nonsense are you talking about?! Ka Wayan felt that Jiu Shen was lying. Was that even possible? No one in the Primordial God Realm had reached thete stage of the Heavenly God Realm in just a hundred years! Not even the three Celestial Emperors were able to do that!


    Gu San and Yin Long also found this absurd, but when they saw the calm and unchanging expression of Jiu Shen, they tactfully remained silent.


    "Of course, I will give you proof. In fact, I can even show it to you guys now." Jiu Shen muttered with a confident look.


    Hearing this, the three old men became silent. If Jiu Shen could give them proof of his ims, they might change their minds, but they still found it hard to believe for such an impossible thing to happen.


    Seeing their doubtful looks, Jiu Shen stood up from his seat and gestured for them to follow him. "I''ll take you guys there." He said in a calm tone.


    Yin Long and the other two nced at each other. They then stood up and followed Jiu Shen upstairs. They wondered what Jiu Shen was about to show them. Was it a Celestial God-rank spiritual nt or was it a Celestial God-rank item that could enhance their cultivation? They were dying to know what it was despite the doubt in their hearts...


    Jiu Shen led them to an empty hall. The space here was quiterge and it could amodate thousands of people.


    "Hm?" Yin Long and the other two noticed another old man sitting cross-legged at the center of the hall. His eyes were shut tight and he appeared to be cultivating.


    "He is As. A subordinate of mine." Jiu Shen said in a soft voice.


    "This is the ce that I''m talking about. If you cultivate here, your cultivation speed will increase exponentially."


    The three old men furrowed their eyebrows. They were expecting more than this. They couldn''t believe that Jiu Shen would actually bring them to a cultivation hall! Even if the cultivation hall had the effects of increasing their cultivation speed, the enhancement would still be negligible for experts at their level, so they felt disappointed by this.


    "Lord Jiu Shen, if this is your proof, then I-" Ka Wayan wanted to say something, but...


    "Try cultivating first and you''ll know..." Jiu Shen cut him off before he could even finish his words.


    Ka Wayan gritted his teeth, but Yin Long grabbed him and shook his head. "Brother Ka, he is Lord Jiu Shen, so please control yourself and be more respectful."


    Jiu Shen was one generation older than them and he was also the fourth strongest in the Primordial God Realm, so Yin Long didn''t want Ka Wayan to act like this.


    "Fine. I apologize for being rude, Lord Jiu Shen. We will begin now." Ka Wayan sighed and shook his head before he sat down. The other two soon followed suit and adjusted their posture.


    When the three old men started to cultivate, they sensed the sharp increase in their cultivation speed. They felt a giant surge of true essence gushing towards their dantian like a storm! If not for their stable foundations, they would have drowned from this amount of true essence!


    They could not help but open their eyes in shock when they sensed this!


    "What in the world..." Ka Wayan muttered with a nk look on his face. With this cultivation speed, he was confident in reaching thete stage of the Heavenly God Realm in just fifty years! That was only a rough estimate, but it should be close to that!


    Yin Long and Gu San were simrly shocked. Jiu Shen wasn''t lying to them! In fact, the effect of this cultivation hall was more than what he had described!


    "To tell you the truth, this cultivation hall would help you guys reach thete stage of the Heavenly God Realm in less than fifty years. You should know that I''m not lying to you since you''ve felt it yourselves. What do you think? If you agree to my proposal, I will allow the three of you to cultivate here." Jiu Shen smirked when he saw their expressions. He knew that they couldn''t reject him now that they''ve experienced the effects of the cultivation hall!


    "We agree! We agree to your proposal!" Yin Long immediately said before the other two could even say anything. This was a rare opportunity for them!


    Gu San and Ka Wayan soon nodded their heads. "We also agree with the proposal."


    Only a fool would reject this offer once they''ve experienced it...

 Chapter 490: Winged Devil Race

    <h4>Chapter 490: Winged Devil Race</h4>


    After Jiu Shen reached an agreement with the three Heavenly God Realm experts, he told them to gather everyone from the God Sword Region and bring them to the location of the Heavenly Sword Tower. The sword tower was yet to be finished but it should be done soon since Jiu Shen was nning to send the surviving members of the Shadow God Sect as freebor.


    With the construction of the sword tower off of his mind, and the merge with the God Sword Region being handled by Yin Long and the others, Jiu Shen was now free to cultivate.


    "You may leave now and prepare for the merging process. I will send one armored guard to inform the Heavenly Sword Tower about the details. Once you''re done with everything, you can start cultivating here. You can also bring the elites of the God Sword Region to cultivate here."


    "Yes, Lord Jiu Shen!" Yin Long and the other two bowed at him with grateful expressions. They then left the cultivation hall with excitement written all over their faces. They could already imagine their future under Jiu Shen''smand!


    After the three old men left, only Jiu Shen and As remained in the cultivation hall. As was still cultivating, so he didn''t disturb him. He came out of the cultivation hall and went downstairs.


    The wine store was still packed with people. With the fame of the dragon building spreading far and wide, experts from all over the region decided to pay a visit. They wanted to see if the rumors about the legendary dragon building were all true. As a result, more and more experts with high cultivation came to see ''The Immortal''s Wine Store''.


    Jiu Shen called an armored guard and gestured for him toe close.


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen!" The armored guard bowed at him respectfully.


    "Go to the Heavenly Sword Tower''s camp and tell Theia to bring all the elites of the sword tower here. Make sure that they wille discreetly and they can only go inside the dragon building after it closes. Their safety will be in your hands." Jiu Shen muttered solemnly. Although he could already kill a Heavenly God Realm with his current power, he could only do it for a short amount of time. In a prolonged battle, he would be at a disadvantage. Once the God Sword Region has fully merged with the Heavenly Sword Tower, he wouldn''t need to be that cautious anymore.


    The armored guard realized the gravity of his job. He nodded his head at Jiu Shen and patted his chest as he dered with a cold look. "Don''t worry, Wine Master Jiu Shen! I won''t allow anyone to harm them!"


    "Good! You may leave now."


    The armored guard saluted at him before he left the dragon building.


    "I can finally start cultivating. This time, I might be in seclusion for many years... Theia..." Jiu Shen muttered silently to himself. He then went back to the cultivation hall to begin his seclusion.


    When he left, a man who was seated in a corner of the dragon building all by himself suddenly furrowed his eyebrows. He didn''t dare nce at Jiu Shen for he might be noticed by the other party. He only used his peripheral vision to look at Jiu Shen discreetly.


    This man had a pair of silver horns that protruded slightly above his ears. He had dark and gloomy eyes. There was also a pair of wings behind his back!


    "The man who came here... I saw a picture of him on the wanted list of the Dark Devil Race! Yin Long of the God Sword Region... As for the other two who were with him... from their bearing and their unfathomable strength, they should be Heavenly God Realm experts as well. From what I can remember, there are only three Heavenly God Realm experts left in the God Sword Region... If it''s them, why did all of their remaining Heavenly God Realm expertse here to meet Wine Master Jiu Shen? Strange... I should report this to the Leader!" He muttered to himself with a grave look before leaving the dragon building in haste. He then went inside an inn near the dragon building and entered his room.


    From his physical appearance, this man was from the Winged Devil Race! They were the newest subordinate race of the Dark Devil Race, the strongest demonic race in the Primordial God Realm!


    He took out amunication crystal from his space ring and activated it. "Leader, I discovered a piece of important news! This is about the God Sword Region! Yin Long..." He narrated everything he had seen inside the dragon building.


    "You mean Yin Long and the other two came out of their turtle shells to visit this dragon building? This is indeed strange... If you''re sure that it''s them, those three old codgers might be plotting something... Where are you right now?" An aged and demonic voice sounded behind themunication crystal.


    "Leader, I''m in Hard Rock City. After Ipleted my mission, I came here to rest. I didn''t think that I would discover something like this here..." The demon muttered.


    "Good job in discovering this information, Kadhar! Stay where you are! I will send a team of experts toe there and help you in investigating more about this. If everything you said is proven to be true, you will gain a huge amount of merit! The Elders from the Dark Devil Race might even reward us for this!"


    Kadhar was ted when he heard this. He clenched his hands joyfully as he muttered. "I will cooperate with the others to learn more about this, Leader!"


    "Alright. I will send Elder Hadji and a few Supreme God Realm experts to aid you in your investigation. The future of our Winged Devil Race is in your hands, Kadhar!"


    "I won''t disappoint you, Leader!" Kadhar kept themunication crystal in his space ring. His eyes shed with determination.

 Chapter 491: Elder Hadji

    <h4>Chapter 491: Elder Hadji</h4>


    The next day, Kadhar weed the experts sent by the Leader. The one leading them was Elder Hadji. He was the second Heavenly God Realm expert of their Winged Devil Race. Elder Hadji was at the early stage of the Heavenly God Realm! Behind him were five Supreme God Realm experts.


    "Wee Elder Hadji! I apologize, but I don''t have my own house or manor here since I just came here yesterday. However, I''ve already prepared rooms for each one of you." Kadhar said with a hint of embarrassment.


    Elder Hadji shook his head. He had a strict and solemn face that could scare anyone just by seeing him. Even Kadhar didn''t dare look at him straight in the eye. "It doesn''t matter. The Leader didn''t give us any additional details about the mission this time, so tell us more about it."


    Kadhar nced to his left and right before muttering. "This isn''t the best ce to talk. Let''s go somewhere quieter."


    Kadhar brought Elder Hadji and the other five to a small pub. There were only a few people inside. It was the perfect ce to talk about important matters!


    After they sat down, Kadhar cleared his throat and said. "I reckon that the Leader has already informed everyone about the minor details of this mission, but to make sure that we are on the same page, I''ll start from the beginning."


    Kadhar took out a piece of parchment from his space ring and ced it on the table. It has the image of a person and his name. It also has some information about him.


    "Yin Long, the current Sect Master of the God Sword Region. I saw him yesterday in a wine store. As you all know, the God Sword Region is an enemy of the Dark Devil Race and they even posted wanted posters for its remaining members. Just Yin Long''s head alone is already valuable! However, he didn''te alone in that wine store!"


    The eyes of Elder Hadji and the five Supreme God Realm experts shed coldly upon hearing this.


    "I saw two more old men together with Yin Long. I don''t have the wanted poster of the other two Heavenly God Realm experts of the God Sword Region, but I''m certain that it was them!"


    "What?! All three of them came out at the same time?!" Elder Hadji eximed in surprise. He then took out two pieces of parchment from his space ring and ced them on the table. "Look at these posters. Is it them?"


    Kadhar furrowed his eyebrows and took the two posters. When he saw the images of the two, he let out a smirk. "It''s them! I can''t be wrong! Although I didn''t dare look at them for long, I''m sure that I saw them!"


    Hearing this, Elder Hadji was surprised. He then frowned as he pondered deeply. "Where did you see them?" He asked.


    "I don''t if you''ve heard about this ce already. I found them in the most famous wine store of Hard Rock City, the dragon building, ''The Immortal''s Wine Store''!" Kadhar answered.


    "The Immortal''s Wine Store? I''ve heard about it, but I didn''t take those rumors seriously..." Elder Hadji muttered in contempt.


    Kadhar suddenly smiled and said. "What if all those rumors are true? Yesterday, Yin Long and the other two went to the dragon building and chatted with the owner, Wine Master Jiu Shen. I didn''t know what they chatted about and I didn''t dare move closer to them, but the whole matter is very suspicious."


    Elder Hadji nodded his head in agreement. He also believed that there was a reason for the sudden appearance of those three old men in the dragon building, but what could it be?


    "This information is too valuable. We must not allow anyone to know about this. Kadhar, you and the others will monitor that dragon building and see if those three old men woulde back. Once you see any of them, inform me immediately through yourmunication crystals!" Elder Hadjimanded.


    "Yes, Elder Hadji!" Kadhar and the other five Supreme God Realm experts replied.


    "Good! I will do a separate investigation myself. If I visit that dragon building, I would only attract unnecessary attention. If I do that, we might be discovered by them! I''ll try to search for the location of the God Sword Region''s secret base. I will inform you guys if I find anything. Alright, that would be all. Dismissed!"


    ***


    Yin Long, Gu San, and Ka Wayan went back to the castle and informed everyone about the merge with the Heavenly Sword Tower. At first, the Elders and disciples were shocked and confused by the sudden decision of their Sect Master and Vice Sect Masters. They didn''t even know anything about the Heavenly Sword Tower. However, Yin Long and the other two repeatedly assured them, so everyone tactfully chose to remain silent and just followed theirmands.


    "Take all of your possessions! We will be moving to a new home! If everything goes well, our God Sword Region will no longer have to hide! Remember, we will be part of the Heavenly Sword Tower from now on, so you must respect their members like how you respect your friends, okay?" Yin Long announced to the members of the God Sword Region.


    The others felt a bit ufortable about this, but the idea of no longer hiding from the outside world was very tempting for them. They''ve been hidden for a very long time that it almost reached the point of being unbearable. This was certainly good news for them!


    "Alright, everyone! Pack up everything! We will leave before nightfall!"


    "Yes, Sect Master!"


    The Elders and disciples went back to their rooms to begin packing their items.


    Yin Long, Gu San, and Ka Wayan nced at each other withplicated expressions. This ce has been their home for many years.


    "Brothers, this is for the future of our God Sword Region! We must continue to face forward!" Yin Long patted their shoulders with a smile.

 Chapter 492: Encounter

    <h4>Chapter 492: Encounter</h4>


    Serek and Garyun were now escorting arge group of elites from the Heavenly Sword Tower. They were told to bring this group to the dragon building in secret. They were curious why Jiu Shen wanted his elites to go to the dragon building, but Serek and Garyun didn''t dare ask too many questions. They had just be subordinates of Jiu Shen and it might be inappropriate for them to ask so much.


    It was already nighttime, but they weren''t worried because there was an armored guard protecting them in secret. With a Supreme God Realm expert guarding them, the journey was smooth and peaceful. However, no one dared to rx because there are too many uncertainties in this area!


    "I wonder why the Sect Master asked us to go to the dragon building?"


    "From what I know, the Sect Master and the others who are now working in the dragon building stoppedmunicating with the camp to prevent the experts of the Primordial God Realm from causing trouble to our Heavenly Sword Tower."


    "Yeah. I''ve also heard of it. Now that the Sect Master wants us to go to the dragon building, he might have something important to tell us or it might also be a mission!"


    The disciples and Elders chatted silently among themselves.


    "Everyone, please avoid talking along the journey. The Sect Master wants us to be discreet, so justmunicate using spiritual power." Garyun reminded them.


    The disciples nced at him, and when they saw his Elder''s robes, they nodded their heads respectfully. Serek and Garyun were given the Elder''s robes since they didn''t have a deacon''s robes yet.


    Garyun thought that the disciples would not listen to him since he was just a neer and a deacon. He couldn''t believe that just a casual warning from him would make them silent.


    Just as he was feeling smug about himself, Serek suddenlyughed. "City Lord, I think they listened to you because you''re wearing an Elder''s robes."


    Garyun red at him when he heard that. "What nonsense! And don''t call me City Lord from now on. We now have the same positions, so call me Garyun or Brother Garyun. Whatever suits you..."


    Serek was a bit surprised, but he nodded his head with a light smile. "Yes, Brother Garyun..."


    ***


    Yin Long, Gu San, and Ka Wayan also led the migration of the whole God Sword Region. There were only about a few thousand surviving members, and all of them were mostlyprised of elites, so the dangers associated with the journey wouldn''t be a problem for them.


    "What do you think about Lord Jiu Shen''s Heavenly Sword Tower?" Gu San suddenly asked the two old men beside him.


    Ka Wayan shrugged his shoulders and remained silent, while Yin Long shook his head and said. "I don''t know what to say for now. I haven''t seen them yet, so I have no idea, but since it''s Lord Jiu Shen''s sect, it should be powerful."


    After hearing this, Gu San nodded his head in agreement. On the other hand, Ka Wayan furrowed his eyebrows as he thought of something. "I think Lord Jiu Shen said that he had just created this sect recently, so I doubt if they''re as strong as you guys think. What I''m sure though is that the members should be very talented even if their cultivation levels are low."


    Ka Wayan''s words were reasonable, so Gu San and Yin Long agreed with him.


    "I didn''t think that you can be this smart sometimes, Brother Ka..." Yin Long chuckled with a mocking expression.


    "You old thing! What did you say?!" Ka Wayan''s face twitched when he heard his words.


    Yin Long wanted to say something, but he suddenly felt a strong and unfamiliar aura nearby. "Wait! Someone''s here! You two, protect the others! I''ll check who this guy is!" He said in a cold tone.


    Gu San and Ka Wayan also turned serious as they nodded their heads before splitting up in two directions.


    Yin Long dashed towards the area where he felt the aura. It wasn''t far from them. It was about ten kilometers east of their group.


    A silhouette hidden in the shadows frowned when he realized that he was noticed. He immediately unfurled his wings and flew away.


    "Sh*t! I was noticed! This Yin Long is quite sharp!" Elder Hadji muttered through gritted teeth as he increased his flight speed. He was only an early stage Heavenly God Realm expert, while Yin Long was at the mid stage. He would be defeated in a frontal battle against Yin Long! Not to mention that Gu San and Ka Wayan were also nearby!


    Yin Long frowned when he saw a winged figure fleeing decisively. "Winged Devil Race?" He could recognize this guy''s features even from afar. After discovering the identity of this person, Yin Long suddenly thought of something.


    "ording to the intelligence we gathered, the Winged Devil Race has be a subordinate race of the Dark Devil Race. No! I must not let this guy escape! Once he brings back information about our migration, we will be hunted! The Heavenly Sword Tower and Lord Jiu Shen might even be implicated!" Yin Long activated his true essence to the maximum, making his speed increase manyfold!


    The distance between them became smaller and smaller. Yin Long could now see the facial features of this person. "Hadji! I know it''s you!" Yin Long shouted angrily when he identified the other party.


    Elder Hadji gritted his teeth and took out hismunication crystal. "Kadhar, don''t look for me! From now on, you will lead the investigations! Make sure that you will hide your wings when you''re in public! Farewell..."


    After saying hisst message, he broke themunication crystal and also his space ring. There were many things in his possession that contains information about their Winged Devil Race. He didn''t want Yin Long to have it in case something happened to him!


    Elder Hadji stopped in his tracks and took out his weapon. He red at Yin Long with a dark look on his face. "Yin Long!"

 Chapter 493: Final Spear Strike

    <h4>Chapter 493: Final Spear Strike</h4>


    Yin Long unsheathed his sword when he saw Elder Hadji taking out his weapon.


    "Hadji, your Winged Devil Race was once neutral! Why did you join the banner of the Dark Devil Race?!" Yin Long shouted angrily as he pointed his sword toward Elder Hadji. Although they weren''t friends, they were an acquaintance during their youth. Who knew that they would one day face each other like this?


    Hadji revealed a trace of sadness, but he concealed it and rece it with a serious look. "Yin Long, it has been millions of years since Ist saw you! Show me the improvements in your sword techniques!" He shouted as he adjusted his position.


    Elder Hadji''s weapon was a short spear. It was only about five feet long with a sharp dagger-like de at the edge. Its body was made from a sturdy wooden material that was as tough as steel!


    Yin Long sighed and shook his head. From the looks of things, a fight between them was inevitable... "In that case, I will show you the results of my million-year seclusion, Hadji! I hope your spear won''t disappoint me!"


    Yin Long vanished in midair and reappeared in front of Hadji. He shed out his sword, bringing with it a devastating power that could tear a mountain into two!


    Hadji frowned when he sensed the overwhelming strengthing from that strike. He tilted his spear slightly downwards to minimize the impact of the attack.


    ng!


    A line of spark shed when their weapons shed!


    Yin Long''s face remained calm, his long white hair danced wildly because of the violent wind caused by their sh.


    Meanwhile, Elder Hadji was thrown a few meters away before he managed to stabilize himself. He felt his arms aching considerably after parrying that attack. Although he managed to minimize the impact, the residual damage from that sword sh still numbed his muscles! He was sure that Yin Long wasn''t even using his full strength yet!


    "Yin Long! How dare you mock me with this paltry power! Use your full strength! You can''t defeat me like this!" Elder Hadji bellowed in rage. He then pounced at Yin Long and thrusted his spear forward!


    A violent cluster of mes followed his attack, aiming to burn down Yin Long!


    Seeing this move, Yin Long casually swiped his sword as he released his true essence to control a fearsome gale of snow that contained millions of ded snowkes!


    Bang! Bang!


    When the cloud of smoke receded, Yin Long''s steady figure can be seen hovering in midair, holding his sword in hand. In front of him was the bloodied figure of Elder Hadji who was still tightly holding his weapon. The eyes of the winged devil turned cold when he realized the disparity in their power.


    "You''ve be weaker, Hadji. It seems like your Winged Devil Race has too many problems that it slowed down your cultivation speed. The increase in your strength is also unnoticeable. Did the Dark Devil Race force you guys to submit to them?" Yin Long asked with furrowed eyebrows. His talent was almost simr to Hadji''s, but thetter''s power stagnated even after many years. He might have experienced something terrible that slowed down his progress.


    Hearing this, Elder Hadji shook his head bitterly. "So what of it? We are too weak to protect ourselves against them! If the Leader didn''t surrender, our entire race would have been wiped out! They now have more than a dozen Heavenly God Realm experts among them! And the Devil Lord has also reached the peak stage of the Heavenly God Realm! We are powerless against them..." He revealed a look of remorse as he uttered those words.


    Yin Long was shocked at this information. From what they knew, the Dark Devil Race only had about eight Heavenly God Realm experts, so howe there are more than a dozen now?


    "We can help you! I encountered an individual that might be able to help you guys. If you''re willing to join us, I''ll vouch for you!" Yin Long tried to reason with him when he saw how emotional Hadji was. He didn''t want to fight this person for he had known him for many years. Despite them not being too close, they still knew each other when they were young.


    Elder Hadji''s face suddenly turned hideous when he heard his words. "Help us? Do you even know what you''re saying?! Hahaha! Let me tell you! Only someone with the strength simr to the Celestial Emperors can help us in our predicament! As for this person that you mentioned, even the Devil Lord can kill him in just one move! You haven''t seen it! You don''t know anything! Hahaha! Now that you''re involved in this, there wille a time that you''ll know what I''m talking about Yin Long! The enemy isn''t just the Dark Devil Race! Hahaha!"


    After uttering those words with a crazed expression, Elder Hadji poured all his true essence and he even activated his blood essence to increase the lethality of his next attack! Elder Hadji''s aged face turned even older and older the more blood essence he stimted.


    With bloodshot eyes, Elder Hadji roared. "Yin Long, die!"


    The sky around the area turned blood-red as a fierce aura of destruction came down followed by Elder Hadji''s final spear strike!


    Elder Hadji''s body was almost torn into shreds as he threw his spear toward Yin Long!


    Swoosh!


    The space cracked and the surroundings vibrated ferociously!


    "Brother Yin!"


    "Brother Yin!"


    Yin Long heaved a sigh of relief when he heard those shouts. It was Gu San and Ka Wayan who hade to his rescue right on time!


    "Quick! Release your strongest defensive arts and items to block this spear!" Yin Long shouted urgently at the two old men who were speeding towards him.


    Gu San and Ka Wayan nodded their heads gravely and they immediately took out a few of their life-saving items. They then threw them towards the iing spear!


    Meanwhile, Yin Long adjusted his breathing and pointed his sword toward the spear. He then released a huge sword wave that almost emptied the true essence in his dantian.


    BANG!

 Chapter 494: Arrival

    <h4>Chapter 494: Arrival</h4>


    A violent explosion rang out after Elder Hadji''s spear struck thebined attacks of Yin Long, Gu San, and Ka Wayan!


    A huge cluster of dust covered the surroundings. The nearby trees and mountains copsed under the shockwaves of the battle! The ground was covered in fissures and cracks and the sky was enveloped by a gloomy and dreadful aura.


    When the cloud of dust subsided, the figures of Yin Long and the other two can be seen hovering above the clouds. The three of them were looking in the same direction with cold eyes.


    "Hadji, we can still talk this out. If you tell us information about the Dark Devil Race, we can consider sparing your life!" Yin Long shouted in a hoarse voice.


    "Brother Yin!" Gu San and Ka Wayan were surprised when heard this, but Yin Long ignored them. The value of taking Elder Hadji alive was enormous since he might hold information about the secrets of the Dark Devil Race!


    Opposite of them was Elder Hadji who was there hovering unsteadily as he tightly clutched his broken spear. His face was pale and his body was covered in wounds and cuts. He let out a mocking smile as he muttered. "You can''t get anything from me, Yin Long! Haha!" He then raised his broken spear and pierced his heart while bursting his remaining blood essence!


    Puchi!


    Elder Hadji''s body fell from the sky, his face filled with regret and remorse.


    "No!" Yin Long dashed towards Elder Hadji, but when he caught thetter''s body, Yin Long sensed that he was already dead.


    "Brother Yin!" Gu San and Ka Wayan nced at Elder Hadji''s corpse withplicated emotions. They were also familiar with him, but fate works mysteriously, who knew that they would face each other like this in their old age?


    "He''s already dead. He burned all his blood essence and he even severed his heart meridians. Even the best medicine can no longer revive him..." Yin Long shook his head and sighed.


    "Did you get any information from him?" Ka Wayan asked.


    "Only vague information. ording to him, the Dark Devil Race now has about a dozen or more Heavenly God Realm experts and the Devil Lord has reached the peak stage of the Heavenly God Realm!" Yin Long answered in a grim voice.


    "What?!" The faces of Gu San and Ka Wayan fell upon hearing this. Peak stage Heavenly God Realm! That means the Devil Lord was now as strong as Jiu Shen!


    With a dark look on his face, Yin Long added. "Not just that. He also said that the Dark Devil Race isn''t our only enemy..."


    Gu San and Ka Wayan felt a sense of foreboding when they heard that. The Dark Devil Race alone was already too much to handle for them. Now, Yin Long was saying that there might be more enemies!


    Yin Long didn''t tell them about the thing that Elder Hadji mentioned before he died. He said that they would only be of help to the Winged Devil Race if they had the strength of a Celestial Emperor! He didn''t know if Elder Hadji was talking about the Devil Lord or he could be talking about someone else...


    "Let''s go! The battle will attract experts soon, so we must leave this ce immediately! We should prioritize the migration process for now and talk about this with Lord Jiu Shen some other time! Come on!" Yin Long urged his two buddied when he saw them spacing out.


    ***


    Inside an inn, Kadhar was cultivating motionlessly on his bed, but he suddenly sensed hismunication crystal vibrating. He opened his eyes and took out hismunication crystal with his eyebrows furrowed slightly.


    "Kadhar, don''t look for me! From now on, you will lead the investigations. Make sure that you will hide your wings when you''re in public! Farewell..." The voiceing from themunication crystal contained a hint of urgency and regret.


    Kadhar''s eyes widened when he heard Elder Hadji''s voice.


    "Elder Hadji where are-" Before he could ask anything, Kadhar heard a cracking sound, and the voice behind themunication crystal soon vanished.


    Kadhar frowned and he could not help but feel that something bad has happened to Elder Hadji. "He said that he will look for the hidden base of the God Sword Region. I think Elder Hadji manage to find their hideout but he was also noticed by Yin Long and the others..."


    "Elder Hadji..."


    Kadhar rose to his feet as he muttered with a grave look. "I have to inform the others about this and change our ns!"


    ***


    Meanwhile, the people from the Heavenly Sword Tower arrived safely in the dragon building. The wine store was now closed, so there were no people loitering around.


    After seeing that no one was present, Serek and Garyun led everyone from the Heavenly Sword Tower inside the dragon building.


    The Supreme God Realm armored guard who was protecting them from the shadows also put up an invisible wall to prevent anyone from noticing them.


    Inside the dragon building, another armored guard greeted them upon their arrival.


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen is waiting for you guys upstairs." He said as he pointed at the staircase that leads to the second floor.


    Everyone curiously stared at the dragon building as they slowly walked. They were fascinated by the beautiful sight!


    Hestia, Ren Shuang, and a few other important members were also here. Only Theia and some Division Heads remained in the camp.


    When they entered the second floor, they were surprised when they saw a vast empty hall. There were about twenty people inside, cultivating with their eyes shut tight. They recognized Jiu Shen and the twenty female disciples, but the old man who was dressed in in white robes was someone unfamiliar to them. Everyone wondered who this guy was...


    Jiu Shen calmly opened his eyes and stood up when he sensed their arrival. He then smiled at everyone and said. "Hello, everyone!"

 Chapter 495: Student?

    <h4>Chapter 495: Student?</h4>


    "Greetings, Sect Master!"


    Everyone greeted Jiu Shen with a light bow of their heads.


    Jiu Shen smiled and waved his hand. He then stared at Ren Shuang and beckoned for the guy toe near him. "How is the construction of the sword tower?" Jiu Shen asked.


    Ren Shuang nced at Jiu Shen and replied. "With the manpower you sent, the construction process has be a lot faster. The sword tower will bepleted in a few days. However, we still couldn''t find a high-level Array Formation Maker to create a Protective Array Formation for us. Sect Master, do you know where we can find one?"


    Jiu Shen patted Ren Shuang''s back and chuckled lightly as he said. "In front of you is a high-level Array Formation Maker. Once youplete the construction of the sword tower, just inform me and I''ll rush there to create a Protective Array Formation. You can ask Serek and that brat right there to search for the materials needed. As for the payments of the materials, someone else will help us with that. They might even have the materials we needed for the Protective Array Formation." Jiu Shen was talking about the God Sword Region.


    Ren Shuang nodded his head upon hearing Jiu Shen''s words. He totally forgot that their Sect Master was also an Array Formation Maker and on top of that, he was also proficient in other professions! "I will notify you immediately once the sword tower ispleted."


    "Alright."


    Ren Shuang bowed at Jiu Shen and stood beside him with a thoughtful look on his face. He didn''t know why, but he kept on having this life-like dream where he was training under someone with the same name as the Sect Master. It was weird but it also felt real at the same time. ''I wonder what this dream means...''He muttered to himself.


    This thing has been bugging him for many days now, but he didn''t want to tell this to the Sect Master since it might be just a normal dream.


    "Since everyone has now gathered in this hall, let me tell you the reason why I asked all of you toe here. It is actually simple. From now on, you will be cultivating in this hall!" Jiu Shen said while pointing at the ground beneath him.


    "Here?" Everyone was confused when they heard his words. The true essence around this ce might be denser than normal, but it wasn''t enough for all of them.


    Looking at their confused expressions, Jiu Shen smiled and said. "This ce is the best cultivation hall you can find in the Primordial God Realm. You will know about it when you start cultivating. Try it."


    Everyone furrowed their eyebrows with perplexed expressions, but they followed their Sect Master''smand and proceeded to sit down cross-legged. One by one, they began to cultivate...


    The first one to notice something was Ren Shuang. He opened his eyes abruptly and stood up with a stunned look. "This is..."


    After a few more seconds, Hestia and the others also opened their eyes in surprise after they realized the value of this cultivation hall.


    "Sect Master, is the true essence here unlimited?" A disciple asked nervously. He felt a huge amount of true essence entering his body when he started cultivating just a few moments ago. He found it absurd that such arge amount of true essence was absorbed by him in just a short amount of time. If that was the same for everyone else, wouldn''t the true essence inside the cultivation hall be fully consumed?


    "Good question. However, you don''t need to worry about this. The true essence in this cultivation hall is unlimited! However, you must not cultivate here permanently! One has to experience more battles to stabilize your realm! Remember that." Jiu Shen answered in a calm voice.


    "Unlimited? What?!" Everyone''s eyes widened like saucers when they heard this. Such an absurd ce actually exists in this world?! If it didn''te from Jiu Shen''s mouth, they would have thought that he was a madman.


    "Alright, everyone. You can now start cultivating to your heart''s content! Ren Shuang, Hestia, Yang Zenke, the three of you, follow me downstairs first." Jiu Shen called out.


    Other than the three called by Jiu Shen, everyone else started cultivating inside the cultivation hall with eager looks.


    Jiu Shen brought the three downstairs and found a random spot. He sat down and gestured for the other three to do the same. "I sent two armored guards to fetch the God Sword Region''s people. Their three Heavenly God Realm experts will soone here, and you three will be responsible for finalizing the merging process with them. Those three are cunning little brats, so make sure that you won''t be conned by them." Jiu Shen warned them.


    "Sect Master, why are we suddenly merging with those people?" Hestia asked with a curious look on her face. Yang Zenke was also curious about this. He wondered what the God Sword Region''s connection was with Jiu Shen.


    Meanwhile, Ren Shuang suddenly frowned upon hearing this. ''God Sword Region? Isn''t that the sect in my dreams? This...'' He became even more confused about the meaning of his dream. Could it be...his dream was real?


    "It''s quite a long story, so I''ll exin it quickly. The God Sword Region is the sect of a student of mine. Although I didn''t take that brat as my disciple, he was still my student. However, he''s already dead, so as his teacher, I''ll make sure that the sect he left behind would not be destroyed or forgotten." Jiu Shen said with a hint of guilt. Xuan Kaisheng''s death was rted to him. It was also one of the reasons why he decided to take the God Sword Region. As the teacher of Xuan Kaisheng, he wanted to help the sect of his student rise from the ashes!


    Hestia and Yang Zenke were surprised when they heard this, but they remained silent and no longer pressed the matter.


    Ren Shuang who was silent the whole time suddenly grabbed Jiu Shen''s arm and asked. "Is your student''s name Xuan Kaisheng?"

 Chapter 496: God Sword Formula

    <h4>Chapter 496: God Sword Form</h4>


    Jiu Shen was taken aback by Ren Shuang''s abrupt reaction. He could not help but nce at thetter with a surprised gaze as he nodded his head. "Yes, his name is Xuan Kaisheng. Wait! Ren Shuang, could you be..."


    Jiu Shen suddenly realized something. His face was covered in shock. "It''s you!"


    Ren Shuang nodded his head as he slumped on his chair. "So it was all true. I''ve been having dreams about Xuan Kaisheng. I didn''t think that it was actually a rey of my past life..." He muttered with aplicated look on his face.


    Hestia revealed a look of surprise, but she was able to calm down a bit because her experience was simr to Ren Shuang''s. Both of them have reincarnated!


    Meanwhile, Yang Zenke had a perplexed look the whole time. He could not understand what Jiu Shen and the others were talking about. He felt as if he was missing a huge piece of the story. However, he also knew that it was best not to ask questions in this situation.


    After gathering his senses, Ren Shuang stood up from his seat and bowed at Jiu Shen. "Although I''m no longer Xuan Kaisheng, I''m still grateful to have received your guidance in my past life. I''m more than happy to be your subordinate in this life, Master!"


    Jiu Shen''s gaze softened as he looked at Ren Shuang. With a calm expression, he nodded his head. "Ren Shuang, since those brats Yin Long and the others are your subordinates, you should be the one leading this negotiation. I''ll leave the merging process in your care. I''ll go back and cultivate first."


    Jiu Shen rose to his feet and went back to the cultivation hall. He was happy that his student was alive, but didn''t have a lot of time to spare. He could feel that a storm was brewing in the shadows and he didn''t know when it would erupt!


    Not longter, an armored guard arrived with three old men following behind him.


    "Where''s Wine Master Jiu Shen?" The armored guard asked the three people seated together.


    Hestia pointed above as she answered. "He went into seclusion. We are responsible for the merging process and the negotiations."


    The armored guard nodded his head. "In that case, I shall take my leave." He left the dragon building after saying those words.


    Yin Long, Gu San, and Ka Wayan observed the three people inside the dragon building. One was a woman with exceptional beauty, the other one was a man with long wavy hair, while thest was a young man who looked to be in histe teens.


    After observing them for a while, they also noticed that the cultivation levels of these three were only at the Mystic God Realm! Even some of their disciples were stronger than them!


    "Pardon me for asking, but who are you guys?" Yin Long asked as he walked closer to the three.


    Hestia and Yang Zenke both stood up with respectful gazes. They knew that these three old men were Heavenly God Realm experts!


    "I am Hestia, an Elder of the Heavenly Sword Tower and this is Yang Zenke, Division Head of the Blood Sword Division." Just as Hestia was about to introduce Ren Shuang, she noticed that the man was still seated on his chair. He had a light smile on his face as he stared at the three old men.


    Seeing this, Hestia tactfully chose to remain silent.


    "It has been a while, Yin Long, Gu San, Ka Wayan..."


    Hm?


    The three old men were stunned when they heard this and they could not help but turn their heads toward the man who had just spoken. He was the only one who remained seated on his chair even after their arrival. From someone else''s point of view, it would be disrespectful to do this.


    "You! Junior, do you know who you talking to?!" Ka Wayan, the most hot-headed among the three old men pointed at Ren Shuang and scolded him.


    Ren Shuang was unperturbed by his outburst. He nced at Ka Wayan and suddenlyughed as he muttered. "You still haven''t changed Ka Wayan. Even after millions of years, you are still that noisy guy! Haha!"


    "What did you say?!" Ka Wayan''s face turned red as he flounced towards Ren Shuang, but a hand suddenly grabbed his should, preventing him from walking forward. He turned his head and saw Yin Long who had a confused look on his face.


    "Who are you?" Yin Long asked.


    Ren Shuang stood up from his seat and took out his sword. "Watch closely and you''ll know..."


    Yin Long and the other two frowned but they still observed him carefully. They didn''t know what this man was up to.


    Ren Shuang recalled the sword movement that he learned from Jiu Shen. Using that sword movement as the foundation, he was able toe up with his own style of swordsmanship and he named it ''God Sword Form''!


    Ren Shuang started to execute the movements of the God Sword Form. This was also the technique that he taught everyone in the God Sword Region!


    His movements were a bit stiff, but after a bit more time, his set of actions became more profound and perfect!


    Seeing this, Yin Long and the other two had a stunned look on their faces.


    "This is..."


    "Indeed. This is the final movement of the God Sword Form and the only one who could perform this is Sect Master Xuan Kaisheng!" Yin Long muttered with


    a nk look on his face. How did this man know the God Swore Form and how can he perform thest sword movement that has stumped them for millions of years?


    "Could he be..."


    Ren Shuang executed the final stroke of his sword. His forehead was covered in sweat, but there was a faint smile on his face.


    "It has been a while, my friends. It''s good to see that you guys are still alive." He said as he sheathed his sword back to its scabbard.

 Chapter 497: Vulcan Mountain Range

    <h4>Chapter 497: Vulcan Mountain Range</h4>


    ''This air, this aura, this can''t be!'' Yin Long''s eyes widened as he stared at Ren Shuang. The other two also soon noticed the resemnce!


    "You are, Sect Master Xuan?" Yin Long pointed at Ren Shuang with shaking hands.


    Ren Shuang nodded his head with a smile. "Bingo!"


    "But how? You were killed along with the other experts of our God Sword Region!" Yin Long furrowed his eyebrows with a confused look.


    "I died, but I was reincarnated. It''s quite a long story, so we''ll save the chitchatter. We still have to negotiate about the merging process of our two sects." Ren Shuang''s personality took a drastic change after he remembered his past life. He was no longer the serious and solemn man he once was.


    "This... are you really Sect Master Xuan?" Gu San and Ka Wayan couldn''t believe this.


    "It''s him. No one other than Sect Master Xuan can perform thest sword movement of the God Sword Form! He was the one who created it and only he has the perfect mastery of that technique!" Yin Long answered with confidence. Although it was hard to believe, he was sure that this man was their Sect Master!


    Gu San and Ka Wayan were gobsmacked and they didn''t know how to face Ren Shuang. The man had sacrificed his life to save them and they didn''t have the face to even lift their heads to look at him.


    "Come on! You guys are already so old, but you still act like little kids! Let''s focus on the matter at hand before we discuss about the past! Elder Hestia, please state the Heavenly Sword Tower''s decision." After Ren Shuang scolded them, the three old men became quiet and they started the negotiations.


    ***


    In a vast mountain range filled with hundreds of active volcanoes, arge city can be seen. It was protected by a high-level Array Formation that prevented deadlyva and excruciating heat from affecting the inhabitants of this city. This is the territory of the Dark Devil Race, Vulcan Mountain Range!


    Vulcan Mountain Range has a poption of about ten million, but their fighting force was only about a million strong! The rest were ordinary citizens of the Dark Devil Race and ves from other races!


    At the center of Vulcan Mountain Range was the manor of the Devil Lord, Berith, the Leader of the Dark Devil Race!


    Inside his manor, Berith who was resting with his eyes closed slowly opened his eyes. He took out a wooden box that contained Soul Jades, an item that can be connected to one''s soul. If the one who ced a part of his soul dies, his Soul Jade would break apart.


    Now, one of the Soul Jades inside this wooden box was broken.


    Berith frowned as he muttered. "Hadji...the Elder of the Winged Devil Race... How did he die?"


    The Winged Devil Race was a new race that his Dark Devil Race has subjugated. He valued them a bit for they had two Heavenly God Realm experts at their helm, but now, one of those two has died!


    "Domas!" Berith called out, and soon, a towering shadow appeared before him. It was a humanoid with dark blue skin and a muscr physique. He had a pair of golden horns and his facial features looked ferocious and intimidating! This man was Domas, his most trusted subordinate, an expert at thete stage of the Heavenly God Realm!


    "Lord Berith, what can I do for you?" Domas bowed as he asked in a low voice.


    "Domas, one of our high-ranking ve was killed. You need to investigate his death." Berith muttered in a cold voice. He was the only one allowed to punish his subordinates and no one else had the right to do it without his instructions!


    Domas raised his head and asked. "Who died?"


    Berith nced at him and said with a raging look. "It''s Hadji of the Winged Devil Race. Domas, go to the Winged Devil Race''s territory and ask their Leader about what happened. Tell your men to find the culprit and they must bring him to me immediately!"


    Domas nodded his head. "Yes, Lord Berith! I''ll immediately send people to search for the culprit! One more question, my lord."


    "What is it?"


    "Do you need him alive or dead?" Domas'' expression turned cold as he muttered these words.


    Berith let out a smile and answered. "You can decide it on your own. Now leave!"


    "Yes, my lord!" Domas bowed before he left the manor.


    When Domas left, Berith took the broken Soul Jade of Hadji and muttered an incantation.


    Slowly, a vague projection of what Hadji saw in his final moments appeared in front of him.


    Berith could see the figures of three individuals. He couldn''t identify them clearly because the projection was blurred and unclear. He also couldn''t hear what they were saying.


    After about five seconds, the projection vanished.


    Berith grabbed the wooden box that contained the Soul Jades. There were fifteen Soul Jades left inside the box and each Soul Jade represented a Heavenly God Realm expert!


    "Who are those three rats?" He muttered to himself as he kept the wooden box inside his space ring.


    ***


    "Everyone, something bad has happened to Elder Hadji!" Kadhar informed the five Supreme God Realm Elders of the Winged Devil Race.


    When they heard the news, their faces drastically changed. Elder Hadji was one of the pirs of the Winged Devil Race. His death would shake their foundations and if the others heard about it, there would be massive unrest among them! Once this happened, the Winged Devil Race would copse!


    "I don''t know what exactly happened to him, but I can no longer contact him through themunication crystal. He may be alive, but the possibility is too small." Kadhar muttered in a deste tone.


    "Elder Kadhar, what should we do?" One of the Elders asked with uncertainty.


    "Before I lost contact with Elder Hadji, he told me to continue monitoring the dragon building. He also specifically told me to hide our wings when we''re in public. Also, I need one of you to inform the Leader about this."

 Chapter 498: Lord Domas

    <h4>Chapter 498: Lord Domas</h4>


    The territory of the Winged Devil Race was situated in an isted valley. Because the ce was inhabited by high-level savage beasts, few dared to venture within this valley. The higher-ups of the Winged Devil Race also reached an agreement with the high-level savage beasts to coexist together in the area.


    The base of the Winged Devil Race was protected by tall earthen walls that prevented outside threats. However, this time, the territory was shaken by the arrival of a few individuals.


    "Leader, Lord Domas of the Dark Devil Race has arrived!" An urgent voice rang out inside the building, waking up an old demon who was sitting listlessly on his chair. His tired eyes abruptly dted when he heard the urgent shout of the messenger.


    "What?! Lord Domas is here?! Quick! Bring him inside!" The old demon responded in surprise.


    The door suddenly sprang open and a group of intimidating individuals walked inside the room with heavy footsteps. Leading this group was a tall and bulky demon with a pair of golden horns and dark blue skin. His menacing eyes scanned the old demon with a dark look.


    When the old demon saw this guy, he immediately rose to his feet and bowed his head nervously as he greeted him in a slightly shaky voice. "Greetings, Lord Domas!"


    Domas let out a mocking look on his face when he saw this, but he hurriedly kept a straight face. "Ventus, you should already know why I''m here. I don''t want to waste my time, so just tell me what happened to Hadji. Lord Berith asked me to bring the culprits to him!" He muttered in a cold voice.


    Ventus, the leader of the Winged Devil Race raised his head and secretly gulped when he saw the fearsome look of Domas. He was also shocked by the quick response of the Dark Devil Race. The death of Elder Hadji was only known by him and a few other Elders of the Winged Devil Race.


    ''How did the Dark Devil Race know about this?'' Ventus muttered to himself.


    "I- This... In truth, I dispatched Elder Hadji and a few Supreme God Realm Elders recently. We received a report that there was a strange movement from God Sword Region. After we got the report, I immediately sent Elder Hadji to verify it. Who knew that he would suddenly die because of this..." Ventus answered with a look of remorse on his aged face. Elder Hadji was a major pir of their Winged Devil Race. Now that he was dead, it was only a matter of time before everyone would descend into panic.


    Domas knitted his eyebrows upon hearing this. "God Sword Region? What did you guys discover? Tell me everything!" He said with a trace of a smile on his ferocious face.


    Ventus didn''t have the guts to conceal anything in front of this guy. With Elder Hadji gone, he was the only Heavenly God Realm expert left in the Winged Devil Race. It would be idiotic to go against Domas in a time like this. Not to mention that the guy was many times stronger than him.


    "From Elder Hadji''sst report, he said that they saw Yin Long, Gu San, and Ka Wayan visiting a wine store together. ording to Elder Hadji, there might be something going on for the three of them to suddenlye to that wine store together."


    A look of interest surfaced on Domas'' face upon hearing this. The God Sword Region has been inactive since its defeat a few million years ago. It was indeed intriguing that their three surviving Heavenly God Realm experts were seen together in a wine store.


    Domas grabbed Ventus shoulder and looked into his eyes as he said. "Tell me. Where can I find this wine store?"


    Ventus almost cked out from Domas'' strong grip, but he still managed to reply. "Hard Rock City!"


    Domas released Ventus and said. "Tell the surviving members of Elder Hadji''s party to meet with us in Hard Rock City."


    Ventus was surprised and he could not help but ask. "Lord Domas, you''re going there in person?"


    Domas'' smile vanished as he moved his gaze towards Ventus. "You think you can handle Yin Long and the other two?!"


    Ventus immediately closed his mouth and bowed his head in silence. He could not even refute Domas'' words.


    Seeing this, Domas scoffed in disdain. "Tell them that I will be there tomorrow." He muttered coldly.


    "Yes, Lord Domas!" Ventus hurriedly answered.


    ***


    Kadhar took out hismunication crystal. He then heard Ventus'' urgent voice.


    "Kadhar, cease your investigations for tomorrow!"


    Kadhar frowned and responded emotionally. "Leader, we have to be in that store tomorrow! Yin Long and the others might be gone if we don''t move fast! If that happens, Elder Hadji''s death would be in vain!"


    "Shut up and listen to me! Lord Domas from the Dark Devil Race wille to Hard Rock City tomorrow! He will investigate this matter personally! You have to be there when he arrives!"


    Kadhar''s eyes constricted in surprise.


    "What? Lord Domas?! Alright! I''ll be there tomorrow!" He answered before putting away hismunication crystal.


    "Why is Lord Domasing here in person? Is the Dark Devil Race already aware of Elder Hadji''s death?" Kadhar felt fearful of the Dark Devil Race''s power. It wasn''t even long since Elder Hadji''s death, but they were already sending a high-ranking expert to investigate the matter.


    "What is the Dark Devil Race nning this time? Are they nning to destroy the God Sword Region for good?! With Lord Domas'' strength, that isn''t entirely impossible..." Kadhar muttered to himself with a nk look.


    If a war would break out against the God Sword Region, Kadhar knew that his Winged Devil Race would be made as cannon fodder. He could already imagine what would happen to them when the timees.


    "Is this the end of the Winged Devil Race?" He muttered to himself with a lifeless look on his face.

 Chapter 499: Domas In Shock

    <h4>Chapter 499: Domas In Shock</h4>


    The next day, Domas, together with his subordinates, arrived at the entrance of Hard Rock City.


    From above the clouds, Domas surveyed the walls that surrounded the city.


    "Why did those threee to this backwater city?" A look of contempt shed before Domas'' eyes as he scanned the cracked earthen walls.


    A huge demon with dark blue skin moved beside Domas and whispered to his ears. "My Lord, I''ve located the aura of a few Winged Devils near our location. They must be the remaining members of Elder Hadji''s party."


    Domas smiled upon hearing this. "I know..." He replied.


    He then slowly descended in front of the city gates right where Kadhar and his party were located.


    Meanwhile, Kadhar who had arrived here early in the morning was looking at the long queue of people. Suddenly, he frowned and raised his head.


    He saw five tall and muscr demons wearing dark battle armors. Their faces looked menacing and cruel.


    "Lord Domas!" Kadhar''s eyes widened like saucers when he saw the man leading the group. How could he not recognize the second strongest expert of the Dark Devil Race?


    Kadhar and his buddies immediately walked toward Domas'' group and bowed their heads respectfully. A trace of fear also surfaced in the corner of their eyes.


    "Greetings, Lord Domas! I''m Kadhar, the leader of this party. We have already arranged your amodations beforehand. Please, follow us inside the city." Kadhar said in a humble manner. Although he didn''t like the Dark Devil Race, he had no choice but to show them respect. One single mistake from them would be disastrous for their race! He couldn''t afford to act carelessly.


    Domas nced at the group of Winged Devils and furrowed his eyebrows as he said in a cold voice. "I have no time to waste here. Take me to the wine store immediately!"


    Kadhar could feel his soul going out of his body when he heard Domas'' words. He then straightened his body and put on a forced smile as he answered. "Yes! Of course! This way please!"


    The members of Kadhar''s party didn''t even dare breathe loudly at this moment.


    ***


    Outside the wine store, Jiu Shen was sitting leisurely on his chair. He had a calm look on his face as he stared at the sky. Behind him was an old man holding a cane. The both of them were silent the entire time, but then, they suddenly moved their gazes in a certain direction with their eyebrows furrowed.


    "As, it seems like it was a bad idea to bathe in the sun today..." Jiu Shen muttered with a light smile on his face.


    At this moment, he could sense the aura of ate stage Heavenly God Realm expert moving in their direction. Furthermore, there were also two more early stage Heavenly God Realm experts and a few Supreme God Realm experts following behind him!


    "Master, we must get inside the store. The Protective Array Formation should be enough to handle them!" As had a grave look on his face. He was confident in his strength, but the oneing this time wasn''t a normal individual!


    However, to his surprise, Jiu Shen merely chuckled and said. "It wouldn''t be fun anymore if I do that. Besides, I want to see who ising this time. Perhaps it might even be an acquaintance of mine..."


    Hearing this, As sighed and bowed his head lightly. "Alright."


    Not longter, Jiu Shen and As saw a group of demons slowly descending in front of the golden gates. From their physical appearance, he could already tell that they were Dark Devils and Winged Devils.


    ''Since when are these two races so close to each other? Hold on... Isn''t that...Domas? To think that this guy is still stuck at thete stage of the Heavenly God Realm even after millions of years have passed!'' Jiu Shen thought to himself when he saw a familiar face among the group.


    Domas frowned as he looked at the dragon building behind the golden fences. He could sense a strong power all around the area. From his observations, he could tell that there were a few high-level Protective Array Formations inscribed all over the dragon building. Even the golden fences and the golden gates had the same hidden energy fluctuations!


    ''What kind of wine store would have this many Protective Array Formations inscribed all over it?! I can''t urately tell the level of the Array Formations, but I could sense the threat in them. That means that they are at least of the Heavenly God-rank level! Who could have so many resources to spend fortifying a mere wine store?!'' Domas was filled with disbelief as he scanned the dragon building. Even the protection of their territory wasn''t as fortified as this ce!


    Domas felt a sense of foreboding as he slowly stepped beyond the golden gates. Someone who could waste so many resources to protect a wine store wouldn''t be just any random person. He was also certain that the God Sword Region didn''t have this kind of wealth even in their peak period.


    "Lord Domas, is there anything wrong?" Kadhar asked when he saw the pale face of Domas. He was wondering why this scary demon was suddenly not looking so well after they arrived in the store.


    Domas'' face regained rity when he heard Kadhar''s voice. The reputation of the Dark Devils must not be stained. "Nothing..." He muttered as he carefully observed the surroundings.


    "Lord Domas, look! Those are Heavenly God-rank spiritual nts! And there''s a bunch of Supreme God-rank spiritual nts all over the ce!" A Dark Devil pointed at the medicinal garden with a shocked look on his face.


    Domas followed his gaze and saw a dazzling sight that almost blinded his eyes. A vast variety of high-level spiritual nts neatly nted in rows and columns came into his sights!


    "What the hell! This is..." He couldn''t believe what he was seeing at this moment. Even the secret herbal garden in their territory couldn''tpare to the one in front of him. This was true wealth!

 Chapter 500: Bait Failed

    <h4>Chapter 500: Bait Failed</h4>


    Domas moved closer to the herb garden, but he didn''t dare touch the spiritual nts. These spiritual nts were already of a high level and if they attacked him together, he might be in a pickle.


    The Dark Devils were stunned by the number of precious spiritual nts in this herb garden. They could barely contain their calmness at this absurd scene.


    Looking at the dumbstruck Dark Devils, Kadhar and his party were secretly snickering in their hearts. They also wondered what these guys would do after seeing the herb garden.


    "Lord Domas, if we bring these Heavenly God-rank spiritual nts back to our territory, Lord Berith would surely reward us handsomely." A Dark Devil whispered to Domas. Thetter''s eyes shed for a moment upon hearing that.


    "We will talk about the spiritual ntster. Let''s check this wine store first." Domas was also tempted by the idea of snatching the spiritual nts. However, he didn''t want to take any action without observing the situation.


    ''This ce has many Protective Array Formations and now a garden filled with high-level spiritual nts. Who the hell is the owner of this ce?'' Domas thought to himself. He had a deep frown on his face as he scanned the area. He then moved his gaze to the Winged Devils and saw them smiling weirdly.


    ''Those damn bastards must know something about this ce! Dammit! I will punish themter!''


    Kadhar gulped nervously when he sensed Domas'' sharp gaze. He knew that they might be fucked up this time. ''I told you guys to rest first so that I can tell you about the wine store, but you were so eager toe here.''


    Domas retracted his gaze. He then walked along the stone pathway, but then, he stopped in his tracks.


    In front of them were two individuals looking at them. It was an old man with the aura of a savage beast and a young human who was seated on a chair.


    Domas didn''t discover them right away because he was too upied by the herb garden.


    He looked at the two deeply.


    ''That old savage beast is not that strong, but that young human... This is strange... Why can''t I sense his cultivation?! How could this be?!'' Domas felt uncertain for the first time in his life.


    Jiu Shen stood up and walked towards Domas. He had a light smile on his face as he walked with his hands behind his back. The old man, As, followed behind him like a loyal servant.


    One Dark Devil stepped forward and blocked Jiu Shen''s path as he shouted in anger. "Stop right there!"


    However, Jiu Shen merely side-stepped and ignored him as he continued walking toward Domas.


    The Dark Devil was infuriated after being ignored. He turned around and tried to grab Jiu Shen, but a cane prevented his hand from grabbing Jiu Shen. He then heard a calm and aged voice speaking behind him. "I won''t allow you to harm the master in my presence."


    The Dark Devil was furious at the old man''s interference. He released his aura and was about to attack the old man...


    "Stop!"


    The Dark Devil immediately recalled his aura when he heard Domas''mand. "You''re lucky, old bastard." He whispered through gritted teeth.


    As remained silent and acted as if he didn''t hear anything.


    Meanwhile, Domas scanned Jiu Shen from head to foot. He heard the old savage beast call this young human his master. To have a Heavenly God Realm expert as a servant, this guy wasn''t simple!


    ''I can''t sense any true essence or anma from his body, his spiritual power is also non-existent. It feels like I''m looking at an ordinary human. However, the mysterious aura he has can''t be concealed. Who is this guy?'' Domas tried to recall all the notable experts he had met in his life, but there wasn''t anyone that matched this human''s appearance.


    "What do you think about my garden? It''s beautiful, isn''t it?" Jiu Shen smiled as he looked at Domas.


    ''His garden? Is this the owner of the wine store?'' Domas was a bit surprised, but he still managed to put on a smile as he answered.


    "Oh, so you must be the owner of this ce! Your garden is indeed beautiful."


    "Is that so? You can take a few spiritual nts with you if you want." Jiu Shen''s smile widened. His gaze turned increasingly mysterious as he stared at the demon in front of him.


    Domas furrowed his eyebrows upon hearing this. ''Is this guy testing me?''


    "Haha! I wouldn''t dare covet someone else''s treasure. I apologize, but I must decline your offer." The Dark Devils and Winged Devils were surprised by Domas'' answer. The Dark Devil famed for his cruelty and ferocity has actually declined a free meal? At this moment, they suddenly realized that the young human in front of them was no ordinary person!


    Kadhar frowned when he saw this scene. He thought that with Domas leading them, nothing would go wrong. Who would have thought that the owner of the wine store could make this ferocious demon act reservedly?


    "Oh? So you guys must havee here for my wines. You can order them inside the dragon building." Jiu Shen said as he pointed at the dragon building.


    Domas nced deeply at Jiu Shen and nodded his head. He then walked towards the dragon building.


    When the demons have gone inside the building, Jiu Shen sighed in disappointment. "Too bad he didn''t take the bait. We would have watched a nice show if that happened."


    Hearing this, As could only chuckle as a response.


    With a dispirited look on his face, Jiu Shen sat on his chair and continued bathing in the sun. "As, let''s enjoy the warm sun for a little longer. It might be long before we could do this again once we start cultivating." He muttered as he slowly rested his eyes.


    The old man nodded his head lightly and responded. "Yes, master..."

 Chapter 501: Sword God Jian Wang?

    <h4>Chapter 501: Sword God Jian Wang?</h4>


    ''Who is he?'' Domas muttered to himself as he entered the dragon building.


    The ce was extremely luxurious, but Domas wasn''t as surprised this time. He had already expected something like this especially after he saw the medicinal garden outside.


    From the ceiling down to the floor, everything was made from precious materials. He could tell it with just one look!


    "These materials... They aren''t of Heavenly God-rank..." He whispered after he recognized the worth of everything inside the dragon building.


    He was already ate stage Heavenly God Realm expert, but he could not even discern that human''s cultivation.


    Domas turned his gaze towards Kadhar and frowned. "Do you know anything about that human?"


    This time, Domas regretted taking things too lightly. He should have investigated everything carefully before he came here, but it''s toote for that now.


    Kadhar''s expression turned heavy as he replied. "You mean the owner of this store? His name is Jiu Shen. I don''t have a lot of information about him... but this guy... he is an expert in swordsmanship! And his wines-"


    "I don''t care about his wines... Wait... Did you say Jiu Shen?" Domas'' expression turned grave all of a sudden.


    ''Jiu Shen... No, it''s not him... That guy''s been dead for millions of years... ording to Lord Berith, Jiu Shen was trapped and tortured by Celestial Emperor Lao Gou inside the God Sealing Tower, so it should be impossible for him to be that person...''


    ''He possesses a wine store made from Celestial God-rank items. He is an expert in the sword... There is only one man who fits this description other than thete Jiu Shen... Sword God Jian Wang... Is he Jian Wang?! The man recognized as the strongest in all realms?!'' There was a trace of fear in Domas'' eyes when he reached this conclusion.


    "Lord Berith, it looks like we stepped on dogshit this time..."


    It took him five seconds to recover from his fear. He then nced at his subordinates and said with a grim look. "Let''s go back to the base! I have something urgent to report to Lord Berith!"


    "But what about the mission?" Someone asked with a confused look on his face.


    "Mission? What I''m about to report is more important than the mission! Let''s go!" Domas red at the man.


    Kadhar frowned when he heard Domas'' words. He grabbed Domas'' shoulder and asked. "Lord Domas, what about Elder Hadji''s death? Are you not going to do anything about it?!"


    Domas'' face became frosty as he turned his gaze towards Kadhar. "Since the Winged Devil Race is our subordinate race, I have one piece of advice to you guys. Stop your investigations before it''s toote!"


    After saying those words, Domas went out of the dragon building with his subordinates following behind him.


    Meanwhile, Kadhar and his party could only stare at them in confusion.


    ''Why did Lord Domas suddenly leave without even investigating? Did he discover something about the owner? Then does that mean Elder Hadji''s death would be for nothing?!'' Kadhar gritted his teeth in anger.


    "Elder Kadhar, what should we do now?"


    Kadhar sighed weakly and responded. "Let''s go back to the territory and report this to the Leader."


    From Domas'' actions earlier, he could tell that something was wrong with the owner of the wine store. He had to inform their Leader about this.


    ***


    Outside the store, Jiu Shen who was recliningzily on his chair suddenly opened his eyes. He saw Domas and the other Dark Devils leaving the dragon building in a hurry. "They''re leaving already? It wasn''t even a minute since they entered... What do you think, As?"


    The old man standing behind Jiu Shen also saw the Dark Devils going out of the wine store. "Perhaps they discovered something..." He said in a whispering voice.


    "Discovered something?" Jiu Shen smiled upon hearing that. He then stood up and kept his chair inside his space earring and said.


    "As, stay here for a week and report to me immediately if theye back."


    "Yes, master!" The old man replied with a slight bow of his head.


    ***


    A dayter, in the territory of the Dark Devil.


    "What did you say?! You think the owner of that wine store is Sword God Jian Wang?!" Berith''s eyes widened as he stared at Domas with incredulity.


    Who is Jian Wang?


    He is one of the three Celestial Emperors and the one recognized as the strongest man alive!


    The servants and guards who were inside the room overheard Berith''s outburst and they could not help but feel stunned.


    Berith red at them and bellowed. "All of you, get out!"


    Everyone immediately left the room when they heard Berith''s roar.


    This time, only Domas and Berith remained inside the room.


    Domas was silent for a moment before he answered. "I''m not sure as well... ording to the Winged Devils, the man calls himself Jiu Shen, but there is no way that guy is still alive. You told me that he was killed by Celestial Emperor Lao Gou millions of years ago. Isn''t Celestial Emperor Jian Wang known for being mysterious and unpredictable? Although I''m not a hundred percent certain about my guess, it is still usible."


    Berith nodded his head gravely upon hearing Domas'' deduction. "If you''re right... Does that mean the wine store is owned by Celestial Emperor Jian Wang himself? If that''s the case, what is his connection with the God Sword Region?"


    Domas frowned and shook his head. "We didn''t encounter Yin Long or anyone else from the God Sword Region when we went there. Lord Berith, I think we should not meddle too much in this anymore. If that guy is Celestial Emperor Jian Wang, we would be in trouble if we cross des with them."


    Berith mmed the table in front of him.


    Bang!


    "Dammit! Who knew that those Winged Devils would stumble upon this discovery. Luckily you noticed it right away."


    "What should we do about the Winged Devils? If they do something, we would also be implicated." Domas stared grimly at Berith.


    "Get rid of them!"

 Chapter 502: Destruction

    <h4>Chapter 502: Destruction</h4>


    "Get rid of them!"


    Domas'' face hardened upon hearing this.


    The Winged Devil Race was a useful subordinate race with thousands of elites in their midst. However, with the death of Elder Hadji, there was only one Heavenly God Rank expert left to oversee them. They might do something to the wine store that would implicate the Dark Devil Race. At this moment, they had no choice but to destroy the Winged Devil Race to prevent this from happening!


    "Yes, Lord Berith!" Domas answered coldly.


    He then left the room to gather their troops.


    The Winged Devil Race might be weaker than them, but they would still pay a significant price just to wipe them out!


    "I need five Heavenly God Realm experts and five thousand elite soldiers gathered here immediately!" Domas instructed a messenger with a stern look on his face.


    They must act quickly before the Winged Devils could do anything!


    Not longter, five thousand elite soldiers stood before Domas. All of them were wearing their battle armors, their faces grave and solemn.


    "Lord Domas, five Heavenly God Realm experts, and five thousand elite soldiers are ready for yourmand!" The messenger reported with a bow of his head. He wondered what Domas was nning to do with this number of fighters.


    With their strength, it was enough to destroy an entire race!


    Domas nodded his head in satisfaction.


    He stood in front of the army with his hands behind his back. With a loud voice, he said. "The Winged Devil Race has betrayed us despite our benevolence! We can''t allow treason among our subordinate races or we would be aughingstock in the entire Primordial God Realm! There is only one ending for them! Death!"


    "Kill!"


    "Kill!"


    Loud roars filled with anger resonated throughout the area.


    "Move out!" Domasmanded the army.


    He then led the Dark Devil army towards the territory of the Winged Devil Race. With the strength of their army, it would only take them a short time to reach their destination!


    Meanwhile, Kadhar arrived in their territory and was now discussing with their Leader.


    "Leader, that''s what happened in the wine store." Kadhar told their leader about what happened when they visited the wine store with Lord Domas.


    Hearing this, their leader, Ventus, furrowed his eyebrows and entered into deep thinking.


    The old demon moved his gaze towards Kadhar and asked. "Why do you think Lord Domas acted that way?"


    Kadhar frowned and replied. "I think we have underestimated the owner of the wine store. At first, I thought that he was just a mid stage Heavenly God Realm expert with a ton of wealth. However, Lord Domas reacted weirdly after he met this person. He only went inside the dragon building for less than a minute and left urgently. From what we know, Lord Domas is ate stage Heavenly God Realm expert, a force that could dominate almost anyone in the Primordial God Realm, so it''s quite surprising to see him act dismissively in front of the owner. If my guess is right, that human might be as strong as Lord Berith or he might even be..."


    Ventus frowned as he looked at Kadhar with an incredulous look. "As strong as Lord Berith?! Do you mean that owner could be peak stage Heavenly God Realm expert?! Howe I''ve never heard of anyone with the name Jiu Shen before? Wait... There was one such person, but he''s been dead for millions of years!"


    "I also thought about it, but it''s impossible for that human to be Jiu Shen since he was already killed by Celestial Emperor Lao Gou. Someone who is proficient in sword arts and is a peak stage Heavenly God Realm at the very least. I could not think of such a person, but what if this human is that person?" Kadhar muttered with a grave look.


    Ventus'' face fell when he heard Kadhar''s analysis. There was only one person that he could think of after hearing that. Sword God Jian Wang!


    "Impossible! There''s no way that person would... No way!"


    "Leader, this is the only conclusion I could think of after seeing Lord Domas'' reaction. However, what''s making me feel nervous is that they might silence us to prevent this news from leaking to the public. Everyone knows that Sword God Jian Wang doesn''t want to involve himself in a public dispute. However, we have unintentionally poked him by attacking Yin Long and the others from the God Sword Region who may be connected to him! Leader, we have to leave immediately!" Kadhar''s voice was filled with urgency.


    Bang!


    The ground suddenly shook, making Kadhar and Ventus rise to their feet.


    "It''s them! To think that they''re already here..." Ventus muttered weakly. His face aged considerably after saying those words.


    "Leader, the Dark Devils are attacking us! The one leading them seems to be Lord Domas!" A terrified voice echoed outside the room.


    Ventus plopped back to his chair when he heard that.


    On the other hand, Kadhar gritted his teeth and stared at the leader who had already lost hope. ''Elder Hadji, it looks like we would be reunited soon...'' He thought in his heart.


    "Leader, wake up! The Dark Devil Race is turning their des against us! Since our death is already sealed, we must die in glory!" Kadhar said in a resolute voice before he stepped out of the room.


    Ventus was stunned for a brief moment before he regained his senses. He kneeled and cried out in remorse. "Ancestors! I have failed my duty as the leader! Please forgive me!"


    ***


    Above the clouds, overlooking the territory of the Winged Devils, Domas'' figure can be seen. His eyes looked cold and ruthless as he watched the ughter down below.


    With five Heavenly God Rank experts leading the Dark Devils, the Winged Devil Race was bound to be destroyed!


    "What a pity... These fellows could have been great cannon fodders, but letting them live would be troublesome." Domas'' words were filled with sympathy, but his expression didn''t reveal an ounce of pity as mountains of corpses littered the ground.

 Chapter 503: Ancient Sword Division

    <h4>Chapter 503: Ancient Sword Division</h4>


    Soon, news about the destruction of the Winged Devil Race spread throughout the Primordial God Realm. Their extinction came as a surprise to many since the Winged Devil Race was a powerful force with two Heavenly God Realm experts at their helm. However, such a powerful race was actually killed overnight! No one knew who was responsible for the massacre and even the Dark Devil Race who controlled the Winged Devils remained silent about the rumors.


    In the territory of the Dark Devil Race, a bloodied Domas stood in front of Berith. The blood that covered his armor and skin wasn''t his but the blood of the countless Winged Devils he had in!


    "Lord Berith, I''ve aplished the task." Domas cupped his fists as he bowed lightly. His voice was cold and unfeeling, not even a hint of remorse was present on his face.


    Berith nced at the bloody Domas with a calm look and nodded his head. "Good work. Make sure that the soldiers will remain tight-lip about this matter. We can''t afford to offend that wine store for now. We should also cease our investigations about them and continue our expansion in other areas."


    Domas nodded his head in understanding. With the Winged Devils gone, there shouldn''t be a problem for them. However, he still felt perturbed every time he recalled what he had seen in the dragon building.


    "Yes, Lord Berith. I''ll make sure that everyone who joined the expedition will keep quiet about this matter."


    "Alright. You may leave now." Berith waved his hand and leaned on his chair.


    Domas cupped his fist and left the room.


    "Is it truly Jian Wang?" Berith who was alone in the room muttered to himself with an uncertain tone.


    ***


    The merging of the God Sword Region and the Heavenly Sword Tower was sessful. Although the disciples of the two sects were still unfamiliar with each other, the two sides were in an amicable rtionship. It wouldn''t take long for them to familiarize themselves with each other as long as there would be no disputes between them.


    "How is the situation of the disciples?" Ren Shuang asked Yin Long.


    Yin Long smiled wryly and shook his head. "There is still some dissatisfaction among them. The disparity in strength between them created a rift that made the God Sword Region''s disciples feel superior. If not for the top disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower pacifying the matter, it would have blown out into a major conflict."


    Ren Shuang furrowed his eyebrows upon hearing this troublesome matter. He had already expected this kind of situation to happen, but he was confident that the two sides would soon be friendly to each other. "Make sure that the elders would remain partial regarding the disputes between disciples. It would be more chaotic if the elders would also fight amongst themselves."


    Yin Long nodded his head seriously.


    "Is there anything else?" Ren Shuang asked when he saw that Yin Long was still there.


    Yin Long cleared his throat and nced at Ren Shuang as he slowly said. "I discussed things with Ka Wayan and Gu San earlier. We came up with a solution that might lessen the dissatisfaction among our disciples."


    Ren Shuang looked a bit interested when he heard this. "Say it." He urged Yin Long to continue speaking.


    "Uh, the three of us thought that it might be a good idea if a new division would be created. If the new division is established under the leadership of either the three of us old fellows, the old members of the God Sword Region would feel more at home. What do you think?" Yin Long stared at Ren Shuang nervously. Although thetter was weaker than him in terms of cultivation, the man was the reincarnation of their Sect Master.


    Ren Shuang was silent for a moment. He pondered deeply after hearing the suggestion. It wasn''t a bad idea in his opinion and it might lessen the tension between the two sides.


    "Alright. I''ll inform Miss Theia about this matter. It shouldn''t be a problem since Miss Theia is quite flexible about sect matters. After she approves this, make sure to give me a detailed report about the division that you three old men are nning to create."


    Yin Long was overjoyed upon hearing this. He adjusted his sitting position and said in excitement. "Actually, we have already thought about the name and the purpose of the division. We decided to call it the Ancient Sword Division. Its task is the handle new disciples and this division will also be responsible for the sect''s missions. The Ancient Sword Division will be divided into two courts, the Outer Court and the Inner Court. The Outer Court would be the first destination of new disciples and the Inner Court is for the more talented ones. The disciples of..."


    Yin Long eagerly discussed the n that he hade up with Gu San and Ka Wayan. He didn''t even realize that he had already spoken for more than an hour. He only stopped talking when he saw the annoyed look of Ren Shuang.


    "Ah, this... Do I still have to give a report for this new division?" Yin Long scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. He was too excited earlier that he had almost forgotten about Ren Shuang''s identity.


    Ren Shuang smiled helplessly. "You three old fellows are truly something. You even came up with this idea in just a few days. With your presence, the Heavenly Sword Tower would soon be an unstoppable force."


    Yin Long was slightly proud upon hearing the praise.


    "Alright, go back and make the preparations for the establishment of the new division. I''ll handle the discussion with Miss Theia." Ren Shuang dismissed Yin Long who left the room with a satisfied smile.


    After Yin Long left, Ren Shuang also left the room to search for Theia. He had to discuss this matter with her immediately. The disagreements between the disciples was also a major concern to him so he wanted to solve it right away to prevent future troubles.

 Chapter 504: Jian Wang

    <h4>Chapter 504: Jian Wang</h4>


    "Ancient Sword Division?" Theia raised her eyebrows as she stared at Ren Shuang with a questioning look.


    Looking at her face filled with doubt, Ren Shuang slowly exined to her what Yin Long had told him about the Ancient Sword Division.


    After hearing the details, Theia put on a thoughtful and she eventually nodded her head in praise. "That''s a great idea! Alright, I''ll let you handle this matter. However, I still don''t trust them fully, so you have to make sure that those people won''t do anything that would endanger the safety of the sword tower!" She warned him in a cold tone.


    Ren Shuang nodded his head seriously. He could understand Theia''s misgivings, so he didn''t mind it. He was confident that Yin Long and the others would soon gain her trust.


    "Thank you, Miss Theia!" He muttered gratefully.


    "If there''s nothing else, you may take your leave. I still have to call the next batch of disciples that would enter the cultivation hall." Theia stood up and pointed the door to Ren Shuang.


    Ren Shuang bowed his head and left the room right away. He couldn''t wait to tell this good news to Yin Long and the others.


    After Ren Shuang left, Theia soon left the room and went to find the disciples who would soon enter the cultivation hall.


    The area of the cultivation hall wasrge enough to amodate all the disciples of the sword tower, but it would be a bad idea to let all the disciples cultivate at once, so Jiu Shen instructed them to let the disciplese in batches.


    Theia arrived in front of a group of young disciples. All of them had looks of excitement as they stared at Theia. They knew that it was finally their turn to get inside the rumored cultivation hall in the dragon building!


    ording to their friends who had already gotten inside, cultivating inside the cultivation hall was very beneficial in increasing their power!


    Thinking about this, the young disciples couldn''t help but feel excited.


    Looking at their shining gazes, Theiaughed in her heart. "All of you, follow me to the dragon building!"


    ***


    A monthter.


    In a faraway location, within a lush forest, a small wooden hut can be seen. It was surrounded by tall evergreens and dense shrubberies. Despite being in the middle of a huge forest, the area around the hut seemed to be devoid of savage beasts. This was quite strange since this location was the most ideal ce for savage beasts to live.


    Suddenly, the wooden door of the hut slowly opened and the figure of a middle-aged man wearing ragged clothes can be seen. Strapped on the man''s back was a golden sword that was sheathed in a special ck sword case.


    The middle-aged man''s face was calm and indifferent. He nced at the sky with a gaze filled with longing and destion. It was unknown what this man was thinking for him to reveal such expressions.


    p. p.


    The pping sounds of a huge flying creature suddenly echoed in the forest.


    The middle-aged man turned his gaze and saw a gigantic vermillion bird with a brilliant scarlet me that covered all of its majestic body!


    Seeing this creature, the middle-aged man''s cold expression revealed a trace of warmth.


    Screech!


    The burning bird issued a loud cry that resounded throughout the forest. It lowered its huge head and stared at the old man as if it was expressing its greeting.


    Suddenly, the huge burning bird transformed into a middle-aged man with curly fiery red hair. His scarlet eyes shed like eternally burning torches.


    The huge red bird that turned into a curly red-haired mannded in front of the cold-looking middle-aged man.


    "Brother Jian, I heard a piece of interesting news during my travels in the outer fringes of the desert region. I think you might be interested if you hear it." The red-haired man said with a smile while looking at the man in front of him with a teasing look.


    Brother Jian shoved the red-haired man to the side and walked away without looking back. "No matter what you say, this old man doesn''t care and if you have nothing important to say, then just y at the sidelines. I still have to train my sword techniques." He muttered in exasperation.


    The red-haired man chuckled upon hearing that, but he wasn''t willing to give up just yet. He grabbed Brother Jian''s shoulder and said. "In a remote city called Hard Rock City, I heard about a wine store that sells exquisite wines. ording to the people I''ve asked, the wines sold in that store have special effects. It can even enhance one''s understanding of swordy! However, I don''t think it can help you increase your understanding of swordsmanship. After all, you''re already a Celestial, and increasing your strength more is akin to a mortal trying to climb a steep mountain."


    Hearing this, Brother Jian seemed a bit interested. First, he loves wine, and his one pursuit in life was to reach the pinnacle of the sword. However, his understanding of swordsmanship has stagnated no matter how hard he trained.


    When he saw that he had sessfully gotten Brother Jian''s attention, the red-haired man smiled widely and continued. "However, the most intriguing part of what I''ve heard was about the owner of this wine store. ording to the man I spoke to, there are rumors that the wine store is owned by Celestial Emperor Jian Wang himself. Isn''t this funny? Someone is actually using your name to boost up the reputation of their wine store. Hahaha! This guy has the guts of a dragon!"


    Brother Jian''s eyes turned cold and the red-haired man could not help but feel a bit apprehensive when he saw the icy gaze aimed at him. He abruptly raised his arms innocently and nervously said. "I''m just telling you about what I''ve heard outside."


    "You damned bastard! For millions of years, you''ve been using all sorts of excuses just to make mee out of this forest! Your excuse this time is the most preposterous of all!" Brother Jian red at the red-haired man.

 Chapter 505: That Is A Phoenix!

    <h4>Chapter 505: That Is A Phoenix!</h4>


    This cold-looking middle-aged man who was called Brother Jian was the renowned Sword God Jian Wang! The man is regarded as the strongest being in the Primordial God Realm!


    This time, Jian Wang red at the red-haired man in exasperation.


    This guy has been pestering him to go out of the forest for millions of years. Back then, this bastard even dared to burn the entire forest just to force him toe out! In his rage, Jian Wang punished him by beating him up until he was half-dead.


    "Come on, Brother Jian! I know that you''re also tempted by those miraculous wines. Who knew... Maybe one of those wines might even help you increase your attainments in swordsmanship..." The red-haired man shrugged his shoulders with an enticing smile hanging on his face. He knew that Jian Wang would be tempted by this. After all, the man was a sword maniac and he would do anything just to further enhance his sword skills!


    For the first time in millions of years, the clear eyes of Jian Wang revealed a hint of hesitation. He wondered if there was indeed such a heavenly wine that could help him increase his sword attainments.


    "Furion, where is this wine store located again?" Jian Wang stared at the red-haired man named Furion.


    Furion''s smile deepened upon hearing this. He had finally managed to convince this guy toe out of this damnable forest! With an unconcealed smile, Furion replied. "It''s in Hard Rock City."


    With a face full of confusion, Jian Wang nced questioningly at Furion. He racked his brain and tried to recall a city called Hard Rock City in the desert region. However, no matter how hard he tried, no such name came into his mind. That means this city might be a new one!


    Looking at his confused expression, Furion chuckled lightly. It would be a surprise if this guy knew about it. Hard Rock City wasn''t around when Jian Wangst roamed thends of the Primordial God Realm.


    "Just follow me and I''ll bring you there." Furion said with a smile. He then tapped his foot and transformed into his phoenix form as he ascended into the skies.


    Furion was a Divine Beast with a pure Phoenix Bloodline! He was one of the remaining few pure-blooded Phoenix in the Primordial God Realm! Although his strength wasn''t at the level of Celestials, he was only a step away from it!


    Screech!


    With a sharp bird cry, Furion stared at Jian Wang with his pair of scarlet eyes. Thetter stood unmoving as if he was contemting something.


    Jian Wang sighed and looked at the small wooden hut and the tall evergreens that surrounded his humble abode.


    "It''s time for me to leave..." He muttered to himself with aplicated look on his face. He had been here for many years and he felt slightly reluctant to depart. However, there was a chanceid in front of him that might help him advance his swordsmanship.


    After onest look at his home, Jian Wang soared through the skies and jumped at the broad back of Furion. He then sat cross-legged and shut his eyes tight as he said. "Let''s go!"


    Screech!


    Furion emitted a sharp cry and nodded his huge bird head. He then pped his gigantic scarlet wings and shed through the clouds.


    The sudden appearance of the gigantic Phoenix scared the lower-leveled savage beasts living in the forest. Even some intelligent creatures were shocked when they saw the behemoth flying past the horizon.


    "Don''t worry, my friend. I''ve investigated the wine store for a couple of days and I found out that they indeed have a wine that can enhance one''s sword intent! I haven''t tried it myself yet since I was in a hurry to share this news with you, but I have asked my friends about this matter and they all said that the said wine store is selling this wine!" Furion suddenly said.


    Jian Wang slowly opened his eyes. His heart was filled with anticipation upon hearing those words. His swordprehension has been stuck for millions of years with no signs of breaking through. Now, a chance was right before his eyes! How could he not be excited?


    "If by any chance you are lying to me, I''ll pluck half of your feathers and make a hundred swords out of them!" Jian Wang muttered coldly under his breath. This brat has yed a prank on him for who knew how many times already, so he was yet to fully believe his tale.


    Furionughed in his heart when he heard Jian Wang''s words. ''I was also skeptical about it at first, but I know that those friends of mine would never joke casually. Even if it''s not real, so what if you pluck half of my feathers? I can just grow them back after several thousands of years! Haha!''


    "My friend, we''re almost there! Just sit tight and we''ll know soon!" Furion muttered with a light smile. In his field of vision, a boundless desert can be seen. It stretched far and wide and even with his enhanced vision, Furion could not see the end of it!


    There were a few cities scattered about in this drynd, but the cities here couldn''t bepared to the ones at the heart of the Primordial God Realm.


    Meanwhile, the city guards guarding the gates of Hard Rock City were rmed when they saw a huge figureing toward them!


    "What the hell is that?!"


    "What overpowering pressure! This savage beast is no ordinary creature! It must be a Heavenly God Realm at the very least!"


    "What do we do?"


    The city guards were panicking and they didn''t know how they would face such a terrifying creature. This savage beast was capable of squashing the entire city with a mere p of its wings!


    "That is a Phoenix!" An old guard eximed when he got a clearer look at the iing creature.

 Chapter 506: Nervous Furion

    <h4>Chapter 506: Nervous Furion</h4>


    Looking at the scared city guards, Furion snickered secretly in his heart.


    "That''s enough. Stop scaring them already. They might attack you out of fear." Jian Wang shook his head when he saw the yful smile of the Phoenix. This guy was already very old, but his heart was like that of a little kid.


    Furion chuckled lightly as he slowly descended in front of the city gates. He then transformed into his human form and smiled amicably at everyone who was looking at him warily.


    Jian Wang handed the entrance fee to the stunned city guards before he walked inside the city.


    Seeing this, Furion immediately followed behind him with a wide smile on his face.


    "I''ll lead you to the wine store. Follow me." Furion said as he looked at Jian Wang with a smug look.


    "Even without you leading the way, I already know where the wine store is located." Jian Wang pushed him aside with a calm look. While they were still outside Hard Rock City, he had already scanned the entire area and he found out that there was actually a ce where his spiritual sight could not prate! He guessed that this might be the location of the wine store that Furion was talking about.


    ''It looks like this wine store has aplicated origin. Even my spiritual sight could see through what''s beyond those golden fences.'' He muttered to himself in surprise. He saw the golden fences that surrounded a dragon building. However, the ce seemed to be shrouded in mystery. Even with his deep cultivation and powerful eyesight, he still failed to see through what was hidden within those golden fences.


    When he first heard about the so-called miraculous wine from Furion, he was doubtful about it, but when he saw the elusive dragon building, he felt that there might be some truth behind those rumors.


    Without saying a word, Jian Wang continued walking towards the location of the dragon building. He walked as if he was very familiar with this city, but it was actually his first timeing to this ce.


    Behind him was Furion who was looking around the city with a curious look on his face. "This city is trulycking in terms of wealth. Looking at the stone pathway made from cheap materials, I can say that whoever created this city must be a miser!" He muttered in disdain.


    Jian Wang ignored his mumbling and continued walking on a straight path. It didn''t take long for them to reach the dragon building.


    They could already see a huge number of people outside the golden fences. From the looks of it, this wine store was truly famous in the area.


    Guarding the golden gates were two guards dressed in dark battle armor. Their faces were solemn as they stared at the passing crowd. Because of their rigid faces, those that didn''t have money didn''t dare step foot beyond the golden gates for fear of provoking the two.


    "The both of them are at the Supreme God Realm. From the aura they exude, their power is equivalent to those at the peak stage of the Supreme God Realm. Not bad." Furion nodded his head in praise as he scanned the two guards.


    Beside him, Jian Wang agreed silently. Both the guards were strong, but they were merely the gate guards of this dragon building.


    "Let''s go." Jian Wang muttered with a look of anticipation on his face. His expectations towards the dragon building increased after what he had seen so far.


    The two guards nced at them briefly but they didn''t stop Jian Wang and Furion from going inside.


    Although the two men didn''t intentionally release their aura, both the guards could feel a suppressive pressureing from them.


    "I thought that they would inspect us more thoroughly. I didn''t think that they would actually let us go inside right away." Furion muttered.


    Jian Wang didn''t even bother to reply to his remarks. He moved through the pathway and observed the surroundings through his spiritual vision. He sensed that everything in this ce were valuable items. From the golden fences, the golden gates, the stone pathway, and even the medicinal garden outside the dragon building.


    A rare trace of curiosity can be seen on Jian Wang''s face. He wondered who the owner of this wine store was. He could already tell the absurd wealth of the owner just based on what he had seen!


    "These are Celestial God-rank items... Although those spiritual nts were merely at Supreme God-rank and Heavenly God-rank, they are still precious." Jian Wang muttered to himself as he hid the shock in his heart. He also had a couple of Celestial-rank items in his possession, but he would never use them as mere designs for his home.


    "The owner of this ce is truly extravagant." Furion sighed in amazement. He could also tell the shocking value of those items. Furion could not help but feel slightly envious in his heart. Even his eons of savings could barelypare to what he had witnessed thus far. He even had the urge to steal a few stone pebbles from the pathway to save as a souvenir, but hisst shred of pride held him back.


    Looking at Furion''s twitching face, Jian Wang let out a smile as he said. "Don''t even think about it. You might not have noticed it, but this entire area is protected by countless Protective Array Formations. If you attempt to steal even a de of grass, those Array Formations would immediately activate and attack you."


    After hearing his words, Furion swallowed a mouthful of saliva. He failed to notice the Array Formations since he was too shocked by the precious items of this ce. Now that he had taken a closer look, he indeed saw that there were indeed a bunch of Array Formations inscribed all over this wine store! Luckily, Jian Wang was kind enough to remind him about this.


    "Brother Jian, I think the owner of this wine store is also Celestial. What do you think?" Furion mumbled nervously.

 Chapter 507: Celestial-rank Item Reduced To Mere Flooring

    <h4>Chapter 507: Celestial-rank Item Reduced To Mere Flooring</h4>


    Jian Wang stopped in his tracks when he heard Furion''s words.


    Up until now, there were only three Celestial God Rank experts known to all. With himself included, the other two were Celestial Emperor Lao Gou who was the Sect Master of the Celestial Paragon Tower, and Asmodeus, a very mysterious individual who rarelyes out in public.


    Jian Wang had been in seclusion for millions of years, so he was quite ignorant about thetest news happening in the Primordial God Realm. His only source of information was the unreliable Phoenix in front of him.


    From what he could remember, there was a man named Jiu Shen who was recognized as the fourth strongest in all realms. The public thought so highly of him and they guessed that he would be the fourth person to reach the Celestial God Realm. However, he met an untimely death under the hands of Celestial Emperor Lao Gou. And from what Jian Wang could remember, Jiu Shen''s death was because of a woman.


    This event made Jian Wang feel pity for Jiu Shen. He could have be a top expert and stood on the same level as him, but he died before that happened.


    Other than Jiu Shen, the only person he could think that was about to reach the Celestial God Realm was this Phoenix, Furion. This guy might be annoying at times, but his strength was the real deal!


    "You think too much. Although I haven''t been out for eons, I haven''t heard of anyone ascending to the Celestial God Realm." Jian Wang said before he went inside the dragon building.


    Furion immediately followed behind him and he saw the name que posted on the wall of the dragon building. It was written in aggressive calligraphy writing that was covered in a dense sword aura.


    The Immortal''s Wine Store


    ''What a domineering name!'' He thought to himself as he stepped inside the dragon building.


    It was in the middle of the day, so there were more than a dozen customers drinking wine. Some sat alone, while most were drinking in groups of four or five.


    Looking at this lively scene, Jian Wang and Furion recalled the time when theyst entered a pub.


    Suddenly, a lovely youngdy walked toward them with a professional smile hanging on her face. She nced at the two and noticed that they were unfamiliar faces. She guessed that they might be new here, so she asked them with a sweet voice. "Hello, guests! Is it your first timeing here?"


    Her voice wasn''t too loud, just enough for the two men to hear her.


    Jian Wang and Furion nced at her and nodded their heads in unison.


    After getting their answer, the youngdy smiled vibrantly and said. "Wee to the Immortal''s Wine Store! Come. I''ll take you to an empty spot."


    Jian Wang and Furion followed the youngdy as they looked around the wine store. Everything was clean and tidy. In fact, they couldn''t see a hint of blemish anywhere. From the marbled floor to the pristine ceiling, everything was shiny and dazzling!


    Besides that, the two men also noticed that the materials used to make the dragon building were Celestial-rank items! This made Furion gape in shock. Just a small piece of this marbled floor alone was already enough topare to his umted wealth of million years! Just thinking about it made him depressed.


    Looking at his expression, Jian Wang chuckled internally, but he was also surprised by the sheer wealth and luxury of the dragon building. The marbled floor that they were stepping on can be made into Celestial-rank weapons, but the owner of the wine store was actually insane enough to use this precious item as a mere flooring of this dragon building!


    Despite his shock, Jian Wang didn''t show it on his face.


    Soon, they were brought to an empty spot. They sat down and the youngdy gave them the menu. There were only a few wines on the menu. It was very detailed and it even had the picture of the wines and their subsequent effects written. The prices were quite absurd for normal wines, but if their effects were true, then the prices would be cheap.


    "I''d like a bottle of this Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit." Jian Wang knew that this was the wine he was looking for. From the description written on the menu, this wine could enhance a person''s Weapon Intent. It was unimaginable, but he wanted to see if this im was true.


    "Give me a bottle of the most expensive wine." Furion said with a gant tone.


    After getting their orders, the youngdy slightly bowed her head. "Please wait for a moment, dear guests. I''ll bring the wines to you in a minute."


    Jian Wang and Furion nodded their heads calmly.


    When thedy left, Furion''s gant smile drastically changed. He grabbed Jian Wang''s arm and muttered. "Brother Jian, I know you''ve also noticed the items used in building this dragon building. Do you know of anyone who might be the owner of this ce? He is actually crazy enough to squander such valuable items!"


    Jian Wang swatted his hand and shook his head. "I don''t know. The only guy I could think of who was this much wealth is Lao Gou. Other than him, maybe Asmodeus... Just ask the youngdy after shees back."


    Furion racked his brains, but he also couldn''t think of anyone. In the end, they could only ask the young waitress for the identity of the owner. Perhaps she would be kind enough to tell them about it.


    Not longter, the youngdy came back with two bottles of wine. She ced a bottle in front of Jian Wang and Furion respectively. Her actions were well-practiced and elegant.


    "Is there anything else, dear guests?" She asked with a smile.


    Furion stared at Jian Wang, but he saw that thetter had no intentions of looking at him. This guy''s focus was on the wine in front of him.


    Seeing this, Furion coughed and looked at the youngdy as he asked. "Uh, young miss, who is the owner of this wine store?"

 Chapter 508: Ice And Her Baby Bottle Filled With Milk

    <h4>Chapter 508: Ice And Her Baby Bottle Filled With Milk</h4>


    The youngdy shifted her gaze towards Furion and answered with a proud smile. "The owner of this dragon building is Wine Master Jiu Shen. He is usually here to drink wine, but he is now in seclusion."


    She wasn''t worried about telling him this since Jiu Shen was already famous in Hard Rock City. There was a long line of people who wished to meet him, but almost all of them were ignored by Jiu Shen.


    Furion had a look of regret upon hearing that. "Too bad. If hees out of seclusion, please contact me using thismunication crystal." He said as he handed a small red crystal to the youngdy.


    "No problem." The youngdy took the crystal and nodded her head. This was just a small matter. She usually wouldn''t do this, but these two gentlemen carried a different kind of bearing, unlike any other expert.


    "Thank you." Furion thanked the youngdy with a smile on his face. He then moved his gaze towards the wine bottle on the table. He ordered the most expensive wine on the menu. In truth, he didn''t have much expectation about the wine. The information on the menu seemed to be a bit exaggerated that it was too hard for him to believe it.


    If not for the mystery of the wine store, he would have smashed this wine bottle and left in anger.


    Meanwhile, Jian Wang had already opened his wine. The wine he ordered was the Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit. This was also his main reason for going here.


    Jian Wang slowly pulled the stopper and a delicate fragrance soon entered his nostrils. When the aroma entered his lungs, he felt his soul trembling unknowingly.


    It must be noted that his soul power was already at the Celestial God Realm. Few things could make him react like this.


    At this moment, he realized that this wine might be capable of helping him advance his sword skills.


    Jian Wang ignored the silver cup provided by the youngdy and lifted the entire bottle. He ced the opening to his mouth and gulped down a few mouthfuls.


    Soon, his face changed. He noticed his sword aura gushing out uncontrobly. He tried to retract his aura, but it was as if there was something stimting his sword aura. Luckily, an invisible barrier prevented his aura from leaking, holding it five meters around him.


    "This is..." Jian Wang''s eyes widened. He could feel that his Sword Intent was being tempered. Although the process was almost negligible for his level, if he continued this kind of tempering, his strength would increase by leaps and bounds in just a few a thousand years!


    A thousand years wasn''t long for someone like him. He could even meditate for thousands of years in just one sitting!


    The prospect of increasing his Sword Intent made Jian Wang feel excited. He found it hard to believe that such wondrous wine actually existed!


    Lost in his thoughts, he failed to notice that he had already emptied his wine. He checked the wine bottle, but there was no longer a drop left inside.


    "Amazing!" He praised.


    Jian Wang lifted his head and stared at his buddy only to see him kissing a bottle of wine with his eyes shut tight.


    Seeing this, Jiang Wang chuckled lightly. ''He must have felt the effects of the wine.'' He thought to himself.


    Jian Wang then called the attention of the youngdy and asked for two more bottles of the same wine.


    ***


    Inside the cultivation hall, Ice who was in her human sneakily opened her eyes. She stared at Jiu Shen''s face and saw that he was immersed in his cultivation. She silently stood up and tiptoed her way out of the cultivation hall. She then went downstairs as she muttered to herself. "I''ll drink a hundred liters of milk before I resume my seclusion. Hehe..."


    As she went down, a young waitress noticed her presence and she immediately bowed her head politely. "Is there anything I can help you with, Young Miss Ice?"


    This little girl might have the appearance of a child, but she knew that this girl was one of the protectors of the Heavenly Sword Tower. Even the Elders of the sword tower had to be respectful to her.


    Ice stared at her indifferently, but she was pleased by the youngdy''s humble attitude. "I think Jiu Shen has already told you about my drink. Give me a hundred liters of it." She said in amanding tone.


    After hearing that she wanted a hundred liters, the young waitress was surprised, but she still nodded her head in understanding. The Sect Master doted on this little protector so much and he has given her all that she wants. As a disciple of the Heavenly Sword Tower, she didn''t want to offend Ice.


    "Please take a seat first, Young Miss Ice. I''ll get it for you." The young waitress said with a smile.


    Ice nodded her head indifferently and walked towards an empty table. She climbed atop the chair that was almost as tall as her with great difficulty. After finally sitting properly, she swayed her little legs as she waited for her milk. Her eyes glistened in anticipation and a line of drool can be seen trickling down her lips.


    After waiting for about a minute, Ice finally saw the young waitress and she immediately waved her little arms to grab her attention. "Here. Quick!"


    The young waitress spotted the little girl and she dashed toward her table when she heard the impatience in her voice. "Here''s your milk, Young Miss Ice." She said in a respectful tone as she handed Ice a small sk that looked like a baby bottle. It was filled to the brim with milk.


    The eyes of the little girl shone like the stars as she grabbed the baby bottle from her hands. She then dismissed the young waitress with a wave of her tiny hand. She lifted the baby bottle and suckled on the teat with a voracious look.

 Chapter 509: Old Farts

    <h4>Chapter 509: Old Farts</h4>


    Ice let out a satisfied sound as she stared at the baby bottle in her hands. "Dwinking milk is still the best. Hehe." She muttered, her eyes filled with delight.


    She had been cultivating non-stop since Jiu Shen told them toe to the cultivation hall. Now that she had escaped from that ce, she could finally rx for a bit. ''Maybe Jiu Shen would punish me if I''m gone for long.'' She thought nervously, but she pushed it at the back of her mind.


    After cultivating in that ce, her cultivation has increased by leaps and bounds. If this pace continued, she would reach the Supreme God Realm in a short amount of time!


    Not far from her table, Jian Wang who had just finished his second bottle saw a small girl with snow-white hair seated a few meters away from their spot. He narrowed his eyes and was a bit shocked when he identified the bloodline running through her body.


    Ancient golden symbols shed in his eyes as he scanned the little girl.


    "A cial Sovereign Tiger descendant? But is she doing in this desert region? Her kind lives in the snowy region in the far north. Why is she here?" Jian Wang muttered after discovering the identity of Ice.


    cial Sovereign Tigers were divine beasts with noble bloodline. They reside in the coldest regions of the Northern Territory, a vast expanse ofnd that is mostly covered in snow and ice.


    Seeing a cial Sovereign Tiger drinking milk in a wine store located in a desert city was very surprising. Not to mention someone with a pure bloodline like her!


    He could tell from her vigorous bloodline that she was the one with the purest of bloodline that he had seen among all the cial Sovereign Tigers he saw in his life. ''She must be a child of their leader...''


    Meanwhile, Furion, who was sitting opposite him also noticed this little girl. His eyebrows jumped upon sensing her bloodline. "Interesting! How did a brat like here all the way here from the Northern Territory?" He muttered, feeling a bit intrigued by what he saw.


    As a peak stage Heavenly God Realm expert and also a possessor of divine beast bloodline, he immediately noticed the peculiarity of the little girl''s bloodline.


    Ice who was being scrutinized by two peak experts was unaware of what had transpired. She was still busy suckling her baby bottle and she only ced the bottle down after emptying it.


    "Ah~" She closed her eyes and licked her lips in satisfaction. She then used her arm to wipe away the residual milk stuck on her face.


    With a wide smile, Ice suddenly called out to another young waitress and asked her to refill her baby bottle. "Hey! Refill this bottle with a liter of milk. Quick!"


    The young waitress let out a gasp after hearing her words. She then put on an awkward look as she said. "Young Miss Ice, Wine Master Jiu Shen told us that you can only drink one liter a day at most. I hope that you won''t make things difficult for me..." She was a bit nervous when she said this, but she had to obey Jiu Shen''s words.


    Hearing that, Ice pouted in dissatisfaction, but she didn''t protest. She could only harrumph with her arms crossed.


    Hmph!


    The young waitress apologized to her and grabbed the baby bottle as she hurriedly left.


    "That Jiu Shen is truly... Hmph!" Ice snorted and iled angrily on her chair.


    After letting off some steam, she inadvertently saw two middle-aged men looking at her with peculiar gazes.


    "What are you two old farts looking at?!" She shouted while pointing at Jian Wang and Furion. After having been denied a refill of milk, she was still a bit angry. Looking at the two middle-aged men, she could finally release her pent-up dissatisfaction.


    Jian Wang''s eyes twitched upon hearing her voice, while Furion almost spat the contents of wine in his mouth.


    What did the brat just call them? Old farts?


    Furion pointed his finger at Ice, but the words that he was about to say were stuck in his throat. He then calmed himself down. He almost cursed the little girl, but luckily, he managed to stop himself from doing that or he would have lived in shame as someone who had verbal sparring with a child.


    "What are you pointing at me for you red-headed old fart?! Haven''t you seen a cute youngdy before?!" Ice snorted as she slowly walked toward the two, her face filled with contempt.


    Looking at his friend who had an ugly expression on his face, Jian Wang could not help but chuckle. He then moved his gaze towards the tiny girl and saw the smug look stered on her angelic little face.


    Some nosy customers adjusted their postures to get a clearer look at the scene. This kind of event doesn''t usually happen in the store, so they watched the scene unfold with looks of anticipation.


    A few burly customers even cheered for Ice, making the little girl even more pleased with herself.


    Hmph!


    Furion snorted and released a bit of his aura.


    Heavenly God Realm expert!


    Everyone immediately shut their mouths when they sensed the pressureing from his aura. This red-haired middle-aged man was actually a Heavenly God Realm expert! Even Ice was shocked when she sensed the auraing from him.


    However, she was not the kind who would back down from this. Not to mention that this man was in her territory.


    A cunning look shed in her eyes for a brief moment.


    "So what if you are a Heavenly God Realm expert?! I''ll ask Jiu Shen to punish you!" She red at Furion as she spat those words.


    ''Jiu Shen? Why is that name familiar? Wait, isn''t that the owner''s name?'' Furion thought to himself.


    "Oh? You are familiar with the owner of this store?" Furion nced at Ice with an inquiring look. The wines in this dragon building had astonishing effects. He truly wanted to see the man who created these miraculous wines.

 Chapter 510: Encounter

    <h4>Chapter 510: Encounter</h4>


    Hearing the name ''Jiu Shen''ing from the little girl''s mouth, Jian Wang recalled a distant memory in his life.


    ''Jiu Shen, the second-best swordsman in the Primordial God Realm...'' He thought with aplicated look on his face.


    Jian Wang rarely admired someone, but this man was one of the few people he admired. Sadly, he was killed after he offended Celestial Emperor Lao Gou.


    "Of course! Jiu Shen is a friend of mine! Hmph!" Ice proudly stated with her chin raised upwards.


    Furion''s gaze softened after hearing that. "Oh, in that case, can you tell him that I want to meet him?" He said with a probing look.


    Ice crossed her arms and shook her head right away. "No way!"


    She would never do that since she had just escaped from the cultivation hall without permission. If shees back, she might not be able toe out of that ce for many years. Just the thought of it made her shiver in fear.


    Jiu Shen had be very strict with regards to their cultivation the moment they arrived in the Primordial God Realm. He would surely punish her for sneaking out without informing him.


    Furion was stumped by the decisive refusal. The little girl didn''t even hesitate and refused him right away.


    ''From the way she acts, she must be close to the owner. Hm, how can I convince this little brat to bring the owner here? Wait. Didn''t shee from upstairs? Maybe the owner is there. Let me check it...'' Furion used a wisp of his spiritual perception to scan the entire dragon building.


    However...


    The moment his spiritual perception reached the door of the second floor, he suddenly sensed that his vision was forcefully cut off! His face paled and he grabbed his head in pain.


    "Ugh!" He groaned in pain.


    Jian Wang frowned upon seeing this. He also noticed that Furion was using his spiritual perception to scan the second floor, but it was abruptly cut off by a mysterious power. He found it hard to believe since Furion was only a step away from the Celestial God Realm. In his opinion, only the three Celestial Emperors had stronger spiritual power than him, so how did this happen?


    "Are you alright?" Jian Wang asked with a hint of worry in his tone. Luckily, Furion only used a small portion of his spiritual power or he would have suffered a stronger bacsh.


    Furion shook his head rueful smile. "Whoever is upstairs is much stronger than me..." He was sure of it.


    Recalling that mysterious power, Furion felt uneasy.


    Hearing his words, Jian Wang nodded his head with a frown. ''Is he still alive? But that''s impossible... Maybe it''s just someone who has the same name as him...''


    Ice was confused when she saw the pale face of Furion. She suddenly lost interest in them when she noticed their somber expression.


    ''Weird old farts! Hmph.'' She snorted as she went back to her chair.


    Jian Wang furrowed his eyebrows as he fell into deep thinking.


    Meanwhile, outside the dragon building, Domas arrived with Berith in tow.


    "Is this the ce?" Berith narrowed his eyes into slits as he stared at the name que embedded on the wall.


    Domas nodded his head gravely as he replied. "Yes, this is the wine store. You''ve already sensed the Protective Array Formations all over the ce. What do you think about it, Lord Berith?"


    Berith''s expression hardened as he shook his head. "Even I couldn''t survive if all of those Protective Array Formations are activated. Perhaps you might be right about Jian Wang being the owner of this wine store, but to make sure of our conjectures, let''s get inside first."


    Domas nodded his head before leading Berith inside the dragon building.


    The arrival of the two didn''t cause amotion since they hid their aura very well. No ordinary expert would be able to sense their power no matter how hard they check them.


    Berith was stupefied by what he witnessed inside the dragon building. With his long years of experience, he could already identify the precious items used to design the building. "This is madness! He actually used Celestial-rank items to make chairs and tables..." He blurted out unconsciously.


    Domas already expected this kind of reaction from him. "Indeed. Only the number one expert would have the capital to be this extravagant..." He muttered with a wry smile.


    Berith took a deep breath to calm his shock.


    Suddenly, a beautiful youngdy walked toward them with a sunny smile on her face. "Wee, guests! There is still a vacant table. Let me take you there."


    Berith and Domas nodded their heads at the youngdy. They then followed her while observing the store. Even until now, Berith could still feel his heart beating wildly as he scanned the precious items inside the building.


    Suddenly, his pupils constricted when he saw the face of a certain individual. He then used his transmitted a spiritual message to Domas. "Domas, he is here! Your guess is right! Jian Wang is indeed the man behind this store!"


    Domas could sense the nervousness in Berith''s tone when he heard the message. "Where is he?" He asked through transmission.


    "Three tables away on the right side from where we are right now."


    Domas moved his gaze and saw a face that he only saw in scrolls and Visual Array Formations.


    Jian Wang, the strongest being in the Primordial God Realm!


    As if he had sensed their gazes, Jian Wang nced at the two men who were being escorted by a young waitress. ''Dark Devils? Lao Gou''s minions... What are they doing here?'' He muttered to himself after identifying the two individuals.


    The pale-faced Furion noticed Jian Wang''s expression. He followed his gaze and saw two Dark Devils dressed in fancy battle armor. "Aren''t they Berith and Domas? Are they also here to drink wine?" He muttered in surprise.


    It was rare to see top experts of their caliber appearing in one ce, but including them, two peak cultivators from the Dark Devil Race were also here in the dragon building.


    The two sides stared at each other, but the two Dark Devils nervously nced away.

 Chapter 511: Courageous Ice

    <h4>Chapter 511: Courageous Ice</h4>


    "Lord Berith, what should we do now that we''ve ascertained that Jian Wang is the man behind this wine store?" Domas transmitted a message to Berith.


    The wine store seemed to be connected with the remnants of the God Sword Region, an old enemy of the Dark Devil Race. If they make a move on the God Sword Region, the wine store might intervene. They didn''t want to offend the wine store especially after seeing Jian Wang''s presence here.


    Berith shook his head as he replied. "This matter has already exceeded our scope of power. The only thing we can do is report this to Celestial Emperor Lao Gou. Only Celestial Emperor Lao Gou would have the ability to stand against Jian Wang."


    Domas nodded his head in understanding. They might be top experts among the Heavenly God Realm cultivators, but there was a wide chasm that separated them from the Celestial God Realm experts! The three Celestial Emperors were like an insurmountable mountain that they could only look up to.


    Meanwhile, Ice suddenly felt bored, so she decided to have quick look at the garden outside the dragon building. Looking at the high-rank spiritual nts might be her only sce before she returns to the cultivation hall.


    Ice jumped down from her chair and walked towards the exit. However, she suddenly stumbled when she identally stepped on someone''s foot.


    Ice expertly did a front flip to prevent herself from falling face-first. After managing to stand on her feet, she immediately red at the man who almost made her fall. She pointed at the man''s face as she hollered. "Why are you blocking the way with your dirty foot?!"


    Nothing good happened to her today and she has been in a bad mood since a while ago. Now, someone almost caused her to fall head-first on the floor! What a bad day!


    Berith who was at the receiving end of her furious shout frowned. Since when did he experience this kind of treatment? If not for Jian Wang''s presence deterring him from making a move, he would have already killed this annoying brat!


    Berith could only gnash his teeth as he red at Ice with dense killing intent. Since he couldn''t make a move, he might as well punish this little brat by scaring her out of her wits! She could only me her impudence!


    Ice felt her body turn cold after sensing the sharp killing intent of Berith. She finally realized that this man was no ordinary expert!


    Jian Wang nced at the scene with interest.


    Furion was about to intervene, but a hand firmly grabbed his shoulder and prevented him from standing. He turned his gaze and saw Jian Wang shaking his head as he whispered. "You want to see the owner, right? This is your only chance to see him. If that girl is truly connected with the owner, he would surelye down to protect this youngdy. Let''s just wait and see."


    Jian Wang''s words made sense so Furion nodded his head in agreement. Nheless, he still positioned himself in a way that he could prevent Berith from harming the little girl.


    The other customers also noticed themotion. Initially, they also wanted to intervene, but the overwhelming aura of a peak stage Heavenly God Realming from Berith caused them to back down. In the end, they could only pray for the little girl''s safety.


    Ice felt her knees going soft as Berith coldly nced at her. She felt as if thousands of knives were piercing her body!


    The eyes of the young waitresses suddenly shed with a fierce glint after witnessing the scene. This little girl was their Sect Master''s beloved Young Miss Ice whom he treated as his little sister. Aside from that, she is also a Protector of their Heavenly Sword Tower. Seeing her being treated like this made the young waitresses angry.


    "Guest, please don''t cause trouble inside the store." A young waitress stepped forward and nced at Berith with a hint of nervousness. This man was a Heavenly God Realm expert. Just one move from him was enough to kill her many times over! How could she not be nervous while facing such an existence?


    Ice who was feeling anxious earlier slowly calmed herself. They were inside the wine store and she knew that nothing would happen to them as long as they were inside.


    Now that she had regained her courage, Ice gently pushed the young waitress to the side and pointed her finger at Berith as she said in a contemptuous voice. "You think I''m afraid of you? I''ll stand here and do nothing. Come on! Attack me!"


    Berith''s face twitched when he saw the cunning smile of the little girl. He could barely contain his anger at this point. A weak fledgling actually dared to humiliate him in front of many people?


    "Girl, watch what you say!" He muttered through gritted teeth.


    Inside the cultivation hall, the eyes of Jiu Shen suddenly snapped open.


    "Someone is causing trouble? As check the situation below and kick out those people who are causing trouble." Jiu Shen said in a calm voice.


    The old man, As, immediately answered. "Yes, master." He then stood up and hurriedly went downstairs to check what was happening.


    "The little tiger isn''t here... The moment she came out, she is already causing trouble... It looks like I have to punish that little brat to make her more obedient..." There wasn''t a hint of anger in his voice, only amusement.


    After muttering those words, he gently closed his eyes and resumed his cultivation. With so many Protective Array Formations inscribed all over the dragon building, Jiu Shen wasn''t the least bit worried about Ice''s safety. And with As overseeing things, he has nothing to worry about.


    ***


    As came down with his cane in hand. After arriving downstairs, he saw the face-off between Ice and a member of the Dark Devil Race. He frowned after sensing the strength of the man.


    "Peak stage Heavenly God Realm? Young Miss Ice is truly courageous. No wonder the master treats her highly." The old man muttered.

 Chapter 512: Shocked Jian Wang

    <h4>Chapter 512: Shocked Jian Wang</h4>


    Jian Wang sensed the presence of another Heavenly God Realm expert. He turned his head and saw an old man holding a cane walking down from the second floor. His body looked thin and fragile, but Jian Wang knew that this seemingly harmless old man was a top expert.


    Jian Wang inspected the old man''s cultivation using his spiritual power. ''He is quite weak. Is he the owner of this dragon building? With his power, how did he amass so many precious materials to build this ce?''


    The old man might be a Heavenly God Realm expert, but he wasn''t that strong in his realm. Even the two Dark Devils were stronger than him.


    "Green Dragon Tortoise..." Jian Wang mumbled when he identified the bloodline that the old man possessed. With his strength as a Celestial God Realm expert, he could see through the divine beast bloodline running through the old man''s veins.


    ''Why is a creature from the Crystal Lake here? I thought that they never want toe out of that ce...'' Jian Wang was familiar with the Green Dragon Tortoise. They were divine beasts that lived in the depts of Crystal Lake, the territory of many dragon-blooded creatures.


    After many years, dragon-blooded creatures of the Crystal Lake never came out of that ce. They continued to protect theke from outsiders for many years. Even the strongest of experts dared not to venture into their territory.


    Jian Wang poked Furion as he pointed at the old man.


    The red-haired phoenix followed the direction he was pointing and saw a frail and hunched old man. He was walking down from the second floor with careful steps.


    After what happened earlier, Furion no longer dared to casually use his spiritual perception inside the dragon building. He believed that this ce was very mystical.


    "Is he the owner?" Furion muttered in a whispering voice as he looked at Jian Wang.


    Jian Wang shrugged his shoulders and replied. "How would I know?"


    Furion was speechless after getting his answer. He then chose to stay silent and just watch the scene from the sideline. He wanted to see how the old man would deal with the situation.


    The one causing trouble was a peak stage Heavenly God Realm expert. Someone at that level was difficult to handle and there was still ate stage Heavenly God Realm expert who was yet to make a move.


    Soon, Ice discovered the presence of an old man in the corner of her eyes. Her eyes lit up when she saw him and she immediately waved her hands as she shouted. "Hey, old man! This guy right here is causing trouble!"


    As'' aged face cramped severely when he heard the little girl''s words. He sighed and slowly walked toward them while maintaining a calm look. ''Young Miss Ice is truly mischievous. I bet the master would punish her the moment shees back to the cultivation hall.'' He thought to himself, feeling slightly amused.


    Berith and Domas narrowed their eyes as they looked at the old man. Their fierce malevolent eyes were ring at him coldly.


    ''An old tortoise who had just taken a step into the Heavenly God Realm? What can he do to me?'' Berith was already clouded by his anger and he had already forgotten about Jian Wang''s presence inside the dragon building. He didn''t notice that Domas was already signaling him to back down.


    When he saw that Berith was ignoring him, Domas felt nervous. He regretted bringing Berith to this ce. Things would have been better if they had reported their discovery to Celestial Emperor Lao Gou or the higher-ups of the Celestial Paragon Tower.


    "Guest, this Young Miss is the precious adopted little sister of Wine Master Jiu. If she did something to anger you, I apologize on her behalf." As stared at Berith as he pulled the little girl behind him.


    The young waitresses and the customers sighed in relief when they saw the old man. They knew that this ancient being was an expert. With him around, the situation should be under control.


    However...


    Berith, consumed by rage, suddenly chuckled coldly as he stared back at the old man. "You think that just because you came I will let that little bastard go?! Who do you think you are?!" His aura flickered wildly as he lost control of his temper.


    Seeing that the situation has developed out of control, Domas stood up and tried to hold Berith. However, thetter pped his hand away and murmured. "You don''t have to be afraid, Domas. Celestial Emperor Lao Gou will protect us, so there''s nothing to be worried about. I only want to punish that little bastard for ruining my mood!"


    Domas wanted to say something but swallowed down the words he was about to say when he saw the dark expression of Berith. He sighed heavily and stood beside Berith to give his support. Now that things have gone wrong, he could only choose to follow his leader.


    The genteel eyes of the old man suddenly reflected a frigid look when he heard the words of the Dark Devil. This guy actually dared to call the master''s adopted sister a little bastard?


    "You have gone too far, Dark Devil! Since you can''t be reasoned with logic, then don''t me this old man!" As muttered icily as he draw strange symbols in midair.


    As the strongest subordinate of Jiu Shen, he already knew how to activate the Protective Array Formations in the entire dragon building. Initially, he didn''t want to scare their customers, but this Dark Devil has gone overboard!


    A dozen golden symbols suddenly lit up around the dragon building, giving off a sacred and overwhelming aura that subjected everyone inside the store to a heavy mountain-like pressure!


    Jian Wang who was sitting on the sidelines was surprised when he sensed the power behind the Protective Array Formations. He even unconsciously summoned his spiritual power to protect himself and Furion. "The Protective Array Formations inscribed in this dragon building are at the Celestial-rank level!" He muttered in surprise.

 Chapter 513: Ice Kicking Asses

    <h4>Chapter 513: Ice Kicking Asses</h4>


    Jian Wang frowned after his initial surprise. From the way the old man spoke, he was merely following themands of this Wine Master Jiu Shen. That means the old man wasn''t the owner...


    ''The owner should be upstairs. How did he inscribe dozens of Celestial-rank Protective Array Formations? The number of resources needed to make them is already more than enough to make a powerful country! However, all those precious materials were used to protect a mere wine store!


    What was even more shocking was the fact that the owner was capable of making such high-level Array Formations. Even Jian Wang wasn''t capable of such a feat! After all, he wasn''t a master of Array Formation making.


    ''That means the owner of this dragon building already has the power to stand on equal footing with the three Celestial Emperors! Jiu Shen... The only man I know with this name has already died. Could he be alive?'' Jian Wang thought to himself after sorting out all the clues he had found.


    Including himself and Lao Gou, the third Celestial Emperor is Asmodeus, the guardian of Hell.


    Among the three of them, Lao Gou was the most high-profile, and practically everyone in the Primordial God Realm has already heard of his name. As for himself, the people of the Primordial God Realm only knew of his name and only a few top experts would be able to recognize him. And finally, Asmodeus was an individual who was difficult to understand. He had so much power in his hands, but he never involved himself in the power struggles. Asmodeus was even more discreet than Jian Wang.


    "It looks like the Primordial God Realm will wee the fourth Celestial Emperor soon." Jian Wang muttered with a hint of expectation in his tone. The presence of another behemoth would be the start of a new age! He might even have the chance to improve his swordsmanship further when the timees.


    Furion who heard his words was stunned. "Fourth Celestial Emperor? What do you mean by that, Brother Jian?" He asked in a whispering voice.


    Jian Wang stared at him and remained silent. It was only his spection and he was not yet certain about his ims, so it was better not to tell Furion about it. The guy was a huge bbermouth and it was a bad idea to tell him such things.


    When the dozens of Protective Array Formations inside the dragon building lit up, the faces of Berith and Domas fell drastically. They never thought that the old man would actually activate the Array Formations for a mere child!


    "Hold on! The wine store would be destroyed if you release the power of these Protective Array Formations!" Domas was sweating profusely as he tried to speak to the old man. However, he was only met with a look filled with extreme coldness. The murky eyes of the old man made him feel a sense of anxiousness.


    He might be stronger than the old man in terms of cultivation, but thetter was controlling more than a dozen high-level Array Formations capable of vanquishing them!


    Berith finally realized the predicament they were in. He regretted running his mouth against the little girl. He forced out an ugly smile as he said. "Wait! We will co-"


    Before he could continue his words, the Array Formations suddenly released their oppressive might that bored down to the two Dark Devils, forcing them to crawl on all fours.


    The arrogance on Berith''s face was reced with sheer terror and panic. There was no longer a semnce of a mighty expert on his pale face.


    The two Dark Devils were subjected to a heavy and overwhelming pressure that almost tore their bodies. They could feel their internal organs churning in protest.


    The customers shivered when they witnessed the scene.


    Those two unruly Dark Devils were at thete stage and the peak stage of the Heavenly God Realm respectively, but they couldn''t even raise their heads under the intense pressure brought upon them by the dragon building''s Array Formation. They swiftly swore in their hearts to never provoke anyone in the dragon building...


    Domas was the first one to sumb to the intense pressure, he fainted and copsed on the floor with white foams in his mouth.


    The pressure on Berith intensified after Domas fainted and in less than ten seconds, he also lost consciousness.


    After seeing that they had fainted, Ice who was behind As snickered coldly as she looked at the two Dark Devils. She then walked towards them and grabbed them by the neck as if she was holding a pair of chickens.


    "You''re lucky that it wasn''t Jiu Shen who came here. If it was him, you two wouldn''t have the chance to see tomorrow''s sunshine." Ice muttered as she casually kicked the asses of the two Dark Devils, sending them flying out of the dragon building.


    Everyone could only stare at her speechlessly throughout the ordeal. None of them dared to make a sound. This little girl was too mischievous and cunning. She might be weaker than most of them here, but inside this dragon building, no one was brave enough to make trouble with her, not after what they had witnessed.


    Ice watched the bodies of the two Dark Devils soaring through the skies. A devious grin can be seen on her chubby face. After a little while, she turned around and stared at everyone inside the dragon building, making the guests feel slightly ufortable.


    The girl was threatening them! And it was effective! Now, no one would dare to provoke her!


    Ice tilted her head upwards and walked towards As with a lovely smile. "Old man, you can go back now. I''ll stay here for a while."


    As chuckled upon hearing that, but he shook his head as he replied. "Young Miss Ice, you escape from the cultivation hall without the master''s approval. I advise you toe back with me upstairs lest you anger him any further."


    The face of the little girl contorted after hearing his words. She shrunk her neck as she pouted. "Okay." Her voice was as small as a mosquito. She knew that Jiu Shen would punish her the moment shees back, but knowing that guy, her punishment would be more severe if she doesn''t return.


    As gently rubbed the little girl''s head when he saw her glum look. "Don''t worry. I''ll put in a good word for you."


    "Really?"


    "Of course!"


    The crowd watched as the old man and little girl went upstairs.

 Chapter 514: Celestial Paragon Tower

    <h4>Chapter 514: Celestial Paragon Tower</h4>


    Jian Wang and Furion stared at the old man and little girl as they walked upstairs.


    "Too bad. I thought the old man was the owner, but based on his strength, it would be impossible for him to gather so many Celestial-rank materials even if he spend millions of years looking for them. He also said earlier that the little girl is the adopted younger sister of Wine Master Jiu Shen. Hey, Brother Jian. Do you know anyone else with the name Jiu Shen?" Furion asked the man in front of him.


    Upon hearing the question, Jian Wang thought about the man who inadvertently provoked Lao Gou. "You also know him, but he''s already dead." He answered calmly.


    Furion furrowed his eyebrows and nodded his head in agreement.


    "Let''s find somewhere to stay and then we''ll go back here tomorrow. Their wine here can help me improve my Sword Intent. Although the increase is not much, there is still progress. If we visit here every day, my sword intent will break through to the next level in less than a thousand years." Jian Wang said with a smile. He didn''t expect to find something so surprising aftering out of seclusion.


    Furion''s eyes lit up upon hearing his words. He also loved the wines in the store and he was already thinking about how to persuade Jian Wang toe back here with him, but who knew the guy would beat him to it?


    After paying for the wines they ordered, the two men left the dragon building.


    ***


    Outside Hard Rock City, two bedraggled figures can be seen walking side by side. Their faces were filled with trepidation as they recalled what happened earlier. Luckily, the old man didn''t use the power of the Protective Array Formations to kill them.


    "Lord Berith, I think it would be wise to report this to the Celestial Paragon Tower. Once their higher-ups learn about this, I am certain that they would immediately inform Celestial Emperor Lao Gou. Without his help, we can''t do anything to the wine store." Domas said with a helpless voice. The strength possessed by the wine store was unexpected. They thought that the Protective Array Formations were merely a disy of power and wealth. They never thought that the Protective Array Formations were still active!


    Berith gritted his teeth as he recalled the hateful figure of the little girl they met in the dragon building. Because of her, he was humiliated in front of many people! He couldn''t let this go!


    "You''re right. Only Celestial Emperor Lao Gou can help us in this situation. I can''t believe that the solitary expert, Jian Wang, would actually build a wine store, but what I don''t understand is his connection with the Sword God Region. Once we have the support of the Celestial Paragon Tower, we must get to the bottom of this!" Berith''s demonic eyes glinted coldly as he muttered those words. He then soared through the skies with Domas in his tow.


    The direction they were going to was the center of the continent. With their cultivation, they could already manipte the power of space to a certain degree and enhance their flight speed.


    After flying for more than a few hours, they finally saw a towering skyscraper that pierced the clouds!


    The outer coating of the tower was made of pure gold and even though they were still quite a distance away from the tower, the two Dark Devils could already see the brilliance it reflected.


    Numerous high-level cultivators can be seen flying outside the tower and they were all wearing a set of white robes with golden dragon patterns. They were filled with pride as they watched the respectful gazes of the other experts.


    The men wearing white robes were the disciples of the Celestial Paragon Tower. All of them were the cream of the crop in the Primordial God Realm. Their talents were unrivaled since the day they were born and because of their unique constitution and natural endowments, they became disciples of the number one superpower in the Primordial God Realm!


    The Celestial Paragon Tower was very strict when ites to the recruitment of disciples. They only conduct recruitments every one hundred years and the minimum requirement to have the chance to join the tower was to have a supreme physique! Despite the harsh requirements, thousands upon thousands of geniuses still try to register. However, the tower only epts five hundred disciples every recruitment and because of this, thepetition for the final five hundred positions was very fierce and many top geniuses even die during the filtering process!


    Soon, Berith and Domas arrived at the entrance of the tower. They descended and greeted the disciple guarding the entrance.


    The disciple nced at them coldly and remained silent.


    Seeing this, Domas took out a golden token with the words ''Dark Devil Race'' engraved on it. He then showed it to the disciple.


    "Oh, so you guys are from the Dark Devil Race! What can I do for you?" The gaze of the disciple softened after seeing the ck token, but there was a hint of ridicule in his eyes.


    The golden tokens were given to the subordinate races of the Celestial Paragon Tower. The two Dark Devils might be stronger than him, but as a disciple of the tower, he had a superior identity to them!


    "We have something to report to the Elders of the Celestial Paragon Tower. It is of utmost importance and is rted to Celestial Emperor Lao Gou. I hope you can lead us inside." Domas was respectful to the disciple. He didn''t have the guts to unt his power in this ce.


    The disciple''s eyes shed briefly upon hearing his words. He then nodded his head with a serious look.


    "Alright. I''ll take you there. Follow me." Anything that involves Celestial Emperor Lao Gou must not be taken lightly. The disciple was arrogant, but he knew that this wasn''t the time to show his superiority towards the Dark Devils.


    Berith and Domas followed the disciple inside the tower. The two Dark Devils were feeling a bit unsettled as they stepped foot inside the renowned golden tower.

 Chapter 515: Vice Sect Master Valir

    <h4>Chapter 515: Vice Sect Master Valir</h4>


    The disciple brought the two Dark Devils to the upper floors of the golden tower. It was strictly prohibited to fly inside the tower. Even those with power and status didn''t dare to disobey this rule.


    Berith and Domas rarely came here and they only visit this ce when they have something important to report.


    As they ascended the upper floors of the golden tower, the two Dark Devils witnessed the abundance of geniuses inside. They had already seen hundreds of True God Realm and a few dozen Supreme God Realm experts! To make things more shocking, these disciples were just a small part of the true power of the Celestial Paragon Tower! After all, they have millions of disciples all over the Primordial God Realm!


    Not longter, the three arrived in front of a huge hall. There was a pair of Heavenly God Rank Elders guarding the entrance of the hall.


    The disciple bowed respectfully at the two Elders and reported their arrival. "Greetings, Elders! These two are from the Dark Devil Race. They came here with a piece of information that is rted to the Celestial Emperor."


    The eyes of the two Elders narrowed upon hearing the report. Anything rted to the Celestial Emperor was of utmost importance, so they carefully inspected the two Dark Devils.


    Suddenly, the eyes of the two Elders jumped in surprise. They could recognize these since they were one of the strongest subordinates of the Celestial Emperor.


    "We never thought that Brother Berith and Brother Domas woulde here in person." One of the Elders smiled as he greeted the two Dark Devils. Although they had a higher statuspared to the two Dark Devils, they were a bit weaker than them, so it was necessary to show them a bit of respect.


    The young disciple who brought the two Dark Devils was stunned when he saw how the Elders treated them. He thought that those guys were merely messengers from the Dark Devil Race. Who knew that they were actually the leader and the second inmand of the said race! Thinking about his earlier attitude towards them, the disciple sweated a bit.


    Berith and Domas smiled and also greeted the two Elders.


    "Since you guys came here with an important piece of information, follow me inside." One of the Elders volunteered to take them inside the hall.


    The two Dark Devils nodded their heads and followed the Elder inside the hall.


    When the door opened, they saw a bald old man with dark red skin. He was seated behind an azure table with golden edges.


    The old man frowned when he sensed the entrance of the three. He nced at them with a questioning look.


    The Elder and the two Dark Devils immediately bowed when they spotted the old man.


    "Greetings, Vice Sect Master Valir!" The three greeted the old man respectfully. Even Berith who was usually arrogant and conceited didn''t dare act pompously in front of this old man.


    Valir is the Vice Sect Master of the Celestial Paragon Tower. His cultivation was already at the peak stage of the Heavenly God Realm millions of years ago. He was one of the oldest experts of the Primordial God Realm with power second only to the Sect Master and the Celestial Emperor!


    Valir nodded his head in response. "Mn. Speak. Why are you guys here?" The old man eyed the three with a cold gaze. He was in the middle of researching the fourth Heart Realm, so he was a bit irritated by their arrival.


    Seeing the displeasure on the old man''s face, the Elder hurriedly exined. "Vice Sect Master Valir, Berith, and Domas said that they have information rted to the Celestial Emperor. After I heard that, I immediately brought them here."


    Valir furrowed his eyebrows upon hearing that. "Is that so? Alright, you can leave them here."


    The Elder sighed in relief and immediately left the hall.


    After the Elder left, Valir nced at the two Dark Devils with a cold look on his face. "Make sure that the information you have is valuable. Alright. Tell me."


    He was still angry about the fact that his research was disrupted, so he didn''t let the two Dark Devils sit.


    Berithposed himself and nced at the old man as he said. "Vice Sect Master Valir, it''s like this. We suddenly heard of rumors about a unique wine store in the desert regions. When we were investigating the wine store, we discovered that the remnants of the God Sword Region are somehow rted to them. After knowing this, Domas and I personally visited this wine store to observe the situation. When we arrived at the said wine store, we saw someone we didn''t expect to be there!"


    "Cut the crap and just tell me who is it?!" The old manshed out when he saw Berith putting on a mysterious look.


    Berith cleared his throat and muttered the name slowly. "Jian Wang."


    Valir''s eyes widened when he heard the name.


    Jian Wang.


    How could he not know who the man was?


    Valir''s anger dissipated and he gestured for the two Dark Devils to sit down. "Tell me the details and make sure that you don''t leave out even the smallest information!"


    Any information rted to the three Celestial Emperors was valuable. It was very rare to see them in public and even Celestial Emperor Lao Gou who was the most active among the three only shows himself seldomly.


    When he saw the look of anticipation in the old man''s eyes, Berith smiled internally. He then narrated what they had witnessed in the dragon building, including their altercation with people from the wine store and the power they showed on the surface.


    After hearing everything from Berith, Valir frowned as he pondered deeply.


    ording to Berith, Jian Wang was most likely the owner of the wine store. Although they had no conclusive evidence, Valir believed that Berith might be right.


    A wine store with dozens of Celestial-rank Protective Array Formations? Only a Celestial God Realm expert would have the wealth and energy to create such things!


    "You may be right, but Jian Wang isn''t skilled in Array Formation Making. Could it be that he got the help of Asmodeus?" Valir muttered in confusion.

 Chapter 516: Celestial Emperor Lao Gou

    <h4>Chapter 516: Celestial Emperor Lao Gou</h4>


    Asmodeus, another name that sent waves throughout the entirety of the Primordial God Realm!


    Initially, people thought that there were only two Celestial God Realm experts. However, Asmodeus suddenly appeared out of nowhere and revealed his existence. Along with his appearance, the existence of Hell, a ce of pure evil and chaos, also surfaced.


    Hell, it is a world that is almost asrge as the Primordial God Realm. It has trillions of inhabitants and they were collectively called as ''Infernals''. These beings were filled with malice and darkness! If not for Asmodeus sealing this dark world, its baleful inhabitants would have already brought chaos to the Primordial God Realm.


    Asmodeus'' first appearance was when an entrance of hell suddenly surfaced in the centralnds of the Primordial God Realm.


    At that time, countless ferocious-looking Infernals came out one by one from the entrance and their numbers soon reached in millions. When the Infernals noticed thend of paradise in front of them, they immediately brandished their ws and summoned their powers to im thesends. It took the collective effort of thousands of Heavenly God Realm experts to quell the invasion. However, more and more Infernals came out of the portal and each one of them was stronger than the ones who came out earlier!


    The central parts of the Primordial God Realm became the battlefield between the ferocious Infernals and the top experts of that time!


    Millions of corpses, young and old, were strewn all over thend! Their blood flowed like a river as more and more fell from the battle!


    It was then that Asmodeus suddenly appeared and seal the gates of Hell!


    Celestial Emperor Jian Wang and Celestial Emperor Lao Gou also helped in destroying the Infernals that invaded the Primordial God Realm.


    Starting then, everyone gave the three experts the title ''Celestial Emperor''...


    Valir could still vividly recall the scene at that time when all three Celestial Emperors stood shoulder to shoulder. He had just entered the Heavenly God Realm during that moment and he had never forgotten that battle.


    "If it was Celestial Emperor Asmodeus, creating a dozen Celestial-rank Protective Array Formation should be possible. However, I don''t recall Celestial Emperor Jian Wang and Celestial Emperor Asmodeus having a good rtionship. Perhaps they made a secret deal..." Valir mumbled to himself, but the more he spoke, the more he became worried.


    The major powers in Primordial God Realm maintained a fragile bnce with the three Celestial Emperors silently overseeing the world. If the two of them suddenly decide to work together, Celestial Emperor Lao Gou wouldn''t have an easy time. The Primordial God Realm would once again descend into chaos and with their powers, the scale of destruction that they would cause would be enormous!


    Just the thought of it made Valir''s body tremble in dread.


    Valir nced at the two Dark Devils and grabbed their shoulders solemnly. "You two did a great job this time. I will report this matter to the Celestial Emperor immediately, but you have to make sure that no one else would know about this! I''ll also ask the disciple and those two Elders to keep quiet about what they have heard."


    When Berith and Domas heard the seriousness in the old man''s tone, they could not help but nod their heads gravely. From the looks of it, things might be a lot moreplicated than they had thought!


    "Don''t worry. You guys will be rewarded for giving this valuable information. Once Ie back, I''ll immediately notify you two about your reward!" Valir gave them a rare smile of encouragement.


    The eyes of Berith and Domas lit up upon hearing the old man''s words. Vice Sect Master Valir was a credible man and he wouldn''t go back on his words. After getting his promise, the two Dark Devils soon excused themselves. They were then escorted out of the golden tower by a bunch of Elders.


    After they left, Valir immediately took out amunication crystal from his space ring. And with a respectful voice, he greeted. "Greetings, Celestial Emperor Lao Gou!"


    "Mn. Why did you call me, Valir?" A deep and ancient voice sounded behind the crystal.


    "Domas and Berith came here earlier to report about a piece of information. They told me that they spotted Celestial Emperor Jian Wang in a backwater city in the desert regions. From how they describe the situation, it appears that they are speaking the truth." Valir said carefully.


    The voice behind the crystal was silent for a moment. After a couple of seconds, the ancient voice once again echoed. "Jian Wang? So he has finallye out of seclusion after millions of years... That man...he never once stopped training his swordsmanship, so howe he is suddenly spotted in a backwater city? What is he doing there?"


    "I was also surprised when I heard about this information, so I asked them to rify things. ording to them, they Celestial Emperor Jian Wang in a wine store and from..."


    Valir exined what he had heard from the Dark Devils to Celestial Emperor Lao Gou. He didn''t dare leave any details and told him everything he has heard.


    "Dozens of Celestial-rank Protective Array Formations? Jian Wang actually invested so much in a mere wine store? I bet that old man has be bored of ying with his sword!"


    "Celestial Emperor, do you want the Celestial Paragon Tower to investigate this wine store? If we are not careful about this, it might be toote to salvage the situation. Once those two Celestial Emperors decide to form an alliance, we might be in trouble." Valir voiced out his thoughts worriedly.


    The Celestial Paragon Tower might be considered the strongest force in the Primordial God Realm, but he still felt anxious at the thought of facing two Celestial Emperors.


    Jian Wang and Asmodeus were both terrifying figures with unparalleled might! Even though he was confident in Celestial Emperor Lao Gou''s strength, one man isn''t strong enough to fight against those two deities!

 Chapter 517: Celestial Emperor Lao Gou’s Task

    <h4>Chapter 517: Celestial Emperor Lao Gou¡¯s Task</h4>


    "You have nothing to worry about, Valir. I''ve interacted with Asmodeus a long time ago and I''m sure that the man isn''t here in the Primordial God Realm. As for allying with Jian Wang, that is even more unlikely. Jian Wang is a proud man. He won''t do something that would damage his reputation, but it''s not a bad idea to monitor his wine store."


    Valir was stunned upon hearing those words and he could not help but ask in disbelief. "Celestial Emperor, you mean Asmodeus is not here? In that case, where is he?"


    "That guy... he is quite the peculiar one. He didn''t even disy an ounce of interest in the bountifulnds of the Primordial God Realm. When Ist met him, he told me that he would stay in Hell to monitor the Infernals. I don''t know why made such a decision, but Asmodeus didn''t answer me when I asked him about it. Anyway, enough of that... Just order some people to monitor the movements of Jian Wang and the wine store. Make sure that none of our men would provoke them!" Celestial Emperor Lao Gou warned.


    Valir nodded his head and replied. "Alright. I''ll summon a few Elders and disciples and have them observe Jian Wang and that wine store regrly."


    "Mn. Just call me if somethinges up." Themunication crystal became silent after that.


    Valir kept the crystal inside his space ring and sighed.


    "Celestial Emperor Lao Gou seems to be at ease about this matter. Perhaps I''m just overthinking things..." He muttered to himself. He then went out of the hall and summoned two Elders and a bunch of high-ranked disciples.


    "Greetings, Vice Sect Master Valir!" The two Elders and the disciples greeted him in respectful voices.


    Valir nodded his head calmly and said. "I called you guys here because the Celestial Emperor has given us a task."


    What?! The Celestial Emperor has given a task?!


    The eyes of the two Elders and the disciples turned wide upon hearing the words of Vice Sect Master Valir.


    Celestial Emperor Lao Gou had be silent for many years and no one has seen him for a very long time. How could they not be surprised after hearing that had given them a task?


    Seeing the excited faces of everyone, Valir chuckled in his heart, but he still maintained a stern look. "Quiet! We receive intel saying that Celestial Emperor Jian Wang is spotted in Hard Rock City of the desert region. To be specific, he was spotted drinking wine in a unique wine store and ording to our informant, this wine store is quite famous in that area, so it should be easy for you guys to locate it. Your mission is to go into that wine store and observe things secretly. Remember, you must not provoke anyone in the wine store and if you notice something abnormal, report to me at once!"


    Jian Wang?!


    After hearing the name, the faces of everyone turned serious. Although their mission was merely a reconnaissance, they still felt a bit nervous since they would be observing the man named Jian Wang!


    Valir harrumphed coldly when he saw their anxious expression. "Hmph! A bunch of cowards! If you don''t dare take this mission, then I''ll just ask for someone else!"


    "Vice Sect Master, please wait! W-We will take this mission!" An Elder stepped forward and said through gritted teeth. Although the mission was quite dangerous, he believed that the Vice Sect Master wouldn''t be stingy with their rewards.


    Soon, the others also voiced their participation in the mission.


    Valir smiled contentedly when heard them. "Good! Remember, just act like you are normal customers of the wine store. From what I''ve heard, that wine store is owned by Jian Wang, so never antagonize the workers there!"


    "Yes, Vice Sect Master!"


    "Alright! Set off at once!" Valir dismissed them with a wave of his hand.


    ***


    "Wait! I think I''ve forgotten to tell Vice Sect Master Valir about those rumors saying that the owner of the wine store is a swordsman named Jiu Shen. Ays, never mind, I think that guy is just a figurehead that Jian Wang ced to maintain his peaceful life..." Berith who was on his way back to their territory muttered to himself.


    "What do you think, Domas? You''ve seen that man called Jiu Shen, right?" Berith nced at the guy behind him.


    Domas furrowed his eyebrows as he recalled the young human he saw when he first visited the wine store. "Now that you''ve mentioned it. That man is quite mysterious. When I tried to probe his power, I didn''t sense any strength from him. It''s as if he is a normal human with no cultivation. However, the old man in that wine store seemed to be respectful to that guy. I believe that he isn''t someone so simple. Maybe he is a disciple of Jian Wang..." Domas was also uncertain, but he still told Berith about his spections.


    Berith frowned upon hearing that. The wine store in Hard Rock City seemed to be veiled in mystery. The more they investigate it, the more mysterious it bes. "It doesn''t matter. We have already informed the Celestial Paragon Tower about it anyway. It would be better for us if we remain on the sidelines. After all, this matter involves Jian Wang!"


    No matter how arrogant he was, he could only admit defeat in front of Jian Wang.


    Domas nodded his head in agreement. Their Dark Devil Race might be stronger than the other races and major powers in the Primordial God Realm, but there were still some hidden forces that were much stronger than them!


    "Are we not going to continue our investigation on the wine store, Lord Berith?" He asked.


    Berith shook his head immediately. "There''s no need to involve ourselves in this matter anymore. As long as the Celestial Paragon Tower doesn''t say anything, let''s just stay silent about this."


    Domas nodded his head. He could understand the misgivings of Berith, so he didn''t bring up the matter anymore.

 Chapter 518: Slip of the Tongue

    <h4>Chapter 518: Slip of the Tongue</h4>


    Jian Wang and Furion became regr visitors of the wine store. They would arrive in the morning and leave at noon. The two of them also tried to befriend the young waitresses of the dragon building and asked them about the owner.


    Soon, the wine store became more renowned in the desert region. More and more people became their patrons and they even attracted some bigwigs. However, none dared to create a ruckus inside the wine store since there were rumors about it being protected by dozens of high-rank Protective Array Formations.


    A few monthster, Jian Wang and Furion walked towards the newly opened golden gates.


    "We''ve been here for a few months, but we still haven''t seen the owner of the wine store. Even that old man and the little girl never once stepped out of the second floor since then. Brother Jian, I think those people are purposely avoiding us." Furion muttered while scratching his head thoughtfully.


    Jian Wang shook his head upon hearing his words. "No. I think they are cultivating in seclusion. I asked one of the waitresses and she told me that the little girl back then had escaped from her training. I don''t know what they are up to, but it is not our business to pry. If we wait, we would eventually meet the owner of the dragon building. Once hees out of seclusion, I''ll try to ask him if he''s willing to sell his wines in bulk."


    Furion nodded his head understandingly. They''ve beening here daily just to drink wine. They even rented a small mansion in Hard Rock City just to save time from traveling.


    When the two stepped inside, they were warmly greeted by a pair of young and beautiful waitresses.


    "Good morning, Mister Jian and Mister Furion!"


    Since they were already regr visitors, the waitresses already knew these two. Of course, they still had no idea that their loyal customer Mister Jian is actually Jian Wang!


    Jian Wang and Furion smiled at the two youngdies. They enjoyed the unique atmosphere of the wine store. They also have a good impression of their polite young waitresses.


    After the two were escorted to an empty table, a young waitress asked them with a smile. "Do you want the usual?"


    Jian Wang and Furion nodded their heads.


    "Alright. Two bottles of Sword Divinity Ardent Spirit, three bottles of..." The waitress expertly stated their usual order.


    After the waitress left, Furion inched closer to Jian Wang and muttered. "Brother Jian, those people are here again. They have been monitoring us for several months. If not for the fact that they have no ill intentions, I would have already burned them to ashes! Who do you think are those people?"


    The first time they encountered these people was a few months ago. At that time, they just ignored them and didn''t think too much about their presence. However, the same group woulde to the dragon building daily. Although they were discreet in their actions, Furion and Jian Wang still noticed their weird actions.


    "They have the unique battle aura of the Celestial Paragon Tower''s secret cultivation technique, the Almighty Sacred me Canon. They are using a Heavenly God-rank cloaking technique to mask their battle aura, but they can''t escape my detection." Jian Wang muttered calmly under his breath.


    Furion was surprised when he heard those words. He tried to probe the group for a few months using his spiritual perception, but he didn''t even sense their battle aura! That means their cloaking technique was among the very best in the Heavenly God-rank! "That means that old man Lao Gou has already discovered your presence here. Maybe he is using them to monitor our movements. Since when is that old fart so nervous?! He even dared to send his underlings to observe us!"


    Although he wasn''t angry, Furion still felt vexed at the thought of being observed. Not everyone would be calm if their every action is being scrutinized.


    "Just let them be. We''ve been living in seclusion for millions of years, so I can understand why that old man is curious about our sudden appearance in this remote area. I believe that his underlings had already told him about the effects of the wines sold in this store. We might meet that old man Lao Gou soon..." Jian Wang shrugged his shoulders with an uncaring look. He didn''t mind those few bugs observing them as long as they don''t disturb his peaceful life.


    "Mister Jian, Mister Furion, here are wines. Enjoy!" A clear and melodious voice echoed beside them. A young waitress with long ck hair and a curvaceous figure smiled at them as she ced their wines on the table.


    "Thank you, Miss Phoebe! Oh, by the way, is the owner going out of seclusion today?" Furion casually asked. He wasn''t really expecting too much, but he still asked her.


    The young waitress named Phoebe shook her head. "Wine Master Jiu Shen has nevere out of seclusion. Everyone else inside the second floor hasn''te out yet. However, I heard that an important figure from our Heavenly Sword-"


    Phoebe hurriedly covered her mouth after realizing that she had almost slipped a piece of important information. Her face paled and she repeatedly apologized to the two men before she left.


    "Interesting." Furion revealed a look of interest as he watched the escaping youngdy. From her slip of tongue, the youngdy mentioned something about ''our Heavenly Sword''. "What do you think, Brother Jian? It appears that this dragon building has a mysterious background. You also told me that the Protective Array Formations inscribed here are at the level of Celestial-rank. Among the three Celestial God Realm experts, only Asmodeus is an expert in Array Formation Making. From how it looks, there might be a connection between them."


    "You''re right, but all these are just spections. We would only know about these things once the owneres out of seclusion. For now, let''s just enjoy this rare moment of peace." Jian Wang replied as he drank his wine.

 Chapter 519: Jian Wang’s Shock

    <h4>Chapter 519: Jian Wang¡¯s Shock</h4>


    Inside his private hall, Valir took out his vibratingmunication crystal.


    "Vice Sect Master Valir, I led the group out of the dragon building. We noticed that Furion has been giving us weird looks, so I immediately ordered the group toe out of the wine store. From the way he is acting, I think they already discovered our identities." A slightly urgent voice echoed from the crystal.


    Valir frowned upon hearing the report. "Don''t go to the dragon building inrge groups. Just go there in groups of two or three. With Jian Wang and Furion''s level, it isn''t surprising for them to notice you guys. Don''t worry. They wouldn''t do anything to you as long as you don''t provoke them. Make sure to warn the others to hold their haughty attitudes."


    "Alright. I''ll inform them right away."


    Valir kept hismunication crystal and sighed in relief. "Luckily Jian Wang and Furion are not arrogant people, but it is only a matter of time before they lose their temper. Should I go there in person?"


    The old man rubbed his temples as he thought of the next course of action. In the end, he shook his head as he muttered. "Not now. The Sect Master is still out on a mission and Celestial Emperor Lao Gou is still in seclusion. I should wait for either of them before I take action."


    The Sect Master of the Celestial Paragon Tower is Telu, the firstborn son of Celestial Emperor Lao Gou and also the most talented among his many children. Because of his fast cultivation progress, his father immediately handed the Sect Master title of the Celestial Paragon Tower to him.


    At the moment, Telu was out on a mission. It has been a while since he had taken the mission, so he should be back soon.


    "If I bring Sect Master Telu with me to the dragon building, Jian Wang and Furion would give us a bit of face. After all, he is Celestial Emperor Lao Gou''s most favorite child." Valir wanted to visit the wine store as soon as possible especially after he heard about the reports sent by the small group he sent to Hard Rock City.


    "ording to our men, the wines sold in that store are quite special. Even the two Elders I sent praised the wines there." Valir''s eyes shone with anticipation.


    ***


    "Vice Sect Master Theia, we have finally arrived. The new batch of disciples and Elders who would cultivate inside the cultivation hall are already prepared." Ren Shuang reported to the blonde youngdy wearing dark battle armor.


    Theia nodded her head calmly. She stared at the dragon building with a look of longing. She had been dealing with the matters of the Heavenly Sword Tower. Now that everything has been dealt with, she could finally go back to his side. "It is still early and the dragon building is serving many customers this time. The next batch of people that would cultivate in the cultivation hall is about five hundred. Let''s send them inside in groups of ten every five-minute interval to avoid making a ruckus." Shemanded in a calm voice.


    Ren Shuang nodded his head after getting hermand. He then led everyone to the back of the dragon building and sorted them into groups of ten.


    "I''ll go inside first. You handle the rest here." Theia said before going inside the dragon building.


    "Ah! Greetings, Vice- Young Miss Theia!" The young waitresses were flustered when they saw the blonde beauty wearing battle armor.


    Theia nced coldly at them.


    Their Heavenly Sword Tower was still hiding from the eyes of the public. They would only reveal themselves once everything has been stabilized, but without Jiu Shen''smands, they could only wait for that day toe.


    Theia''s arrival caused a bit ofmotion among the customers inside the dragon building. She was very beautiful and her beauty even exceeded the young misses of the major powers!


    The eyes of the men immediately lit up when they saw this unparalleled beauty. However, when they saw her cold and unapproachable demeanor, no one dared to strike up a conversation with her. They would only invite humiliation among themselves if they do that.


    Furion and Jian Wang also noticed this cold-looking ice beauty.


    Theia headed straight to the second floor and ignored everyone''s gazes.


    "Brother Jian, she went to the second floor. Is she someone from this dragon building?" Furion mumbled to himself.


    "I don''t know, but I think she has something to do with that Heavenly Sword that Phoebe mentioned earlier. Could it be a hidden major power?" Jian Wang answered with uncertainty. He followed Theia through his spiritual perception and when the door of the second floor opened, he caught a glimpse of its interior.


    The space inside the second floor seemed to berger than the first floor. Jian Wang also sensed that the true essence inside this vast room was hundreds or even thousands of times denser than the outside world. He also saw several thousands of people sitting cross-legged inside. All of them had their eyes shut tight as they sat in a lotus position.


    Before the door closed, Jian Wang saw the old tortoise and the little girl with white hair. The two of them were sitting beside a young man with long silver hair.


    At that time, the eyes of the silver-haired young man suddenly opened as if he had noticed Jian Wang''s prying eyes!


    Bang.


    It was thest thing Jian Wang saw before the door of the second floor was shut.


    "I failed to sense his cultivation... How is this possible?!" Jian Wang was stunned. It was the first time he had failed to sense someone''s cultivation level after bing a Celestial God Realm expert! Even Lao Gou and Asmodeus couldn''t escape the detection of spiritual perception, but that silver-haired young man... he couldn''t discern his power!


    Furion saw the unnatural look of his friend, so he immediately asked. "What''s going on, Brother Jian?"

 Chapter 520: Weakening Seal

    <h4>Chapter 520: Weakening Seal</h4>


    "I saw him. I saw the owner of the dragon building!" Jian Wang muttered with shock.


    Furion was surprised and he could not help but look to his left and right as he said. "Where? Where is he?"


    "Inside the second floor. His cultivation... I couldn''t discern his cultivation..." Jian Wang was still reeling in shock.


    "What did you say?! You failed to sense his power?!" Furion was stunned upon hearing his words. Who was Jian Wang? He was recognized as the number one in the Primordial God Realm! And now he was saying that he couldn''t discern someone''s cultivation using his spiritual perception!


    Soon, Jian Wang''s eyes regained rity. He turned his head and stared at the stairs leading to the second floor. That silver-haired young man was able to sense his spiritual perception!


    Although Jian failed to sense the other party''s power, he felt a sense of familiarity when he recalled the silver-haired young man''s golden eyes.


    One could say that the eyes are the windows of one''s soul. And those pair of calm and indifferent golden eyes that seemingly contained the universe, he swore that he had seen it before!


    "Furion, this Jiu Shen... I think I know who he is..." Jian Wang nced at his buddy with a serious look on his face.


    "What do you mean, Brother Jian?" What is Brother Jian saying? Furion was confused as he stared at his friend.


    However, Jian Wang shook his head and refused to speak. The matter was too inconceivable. If he didn''t see the man''s eyes, he wouldn''t have been so sure about his identity. ''So you''re still alive... Jiu Shen... Now, I know why you are hiding in this dragon building... Since you want to hide, I won''t tell anyone about your presence. Not even Furion...''


    ***


    Jiu Shen furrowed his eyebrows as he stared at the closed door.


    Earlier, he discovered a fluctuation of spiritual power following behind Theia! If not for the system forcefully weakening the spiritual power, he wouldn''t be able to notice it. ''A Celestial God Realm expert hase to my store. Among the three of them, only Jian Wang and Asmodeus have refined control of their spiritual power, but Asmodeus should be in Hell, guarding the entrance. That means it is Jian Wang! He is here!''


    For the first time aftering back to the Primordial God Realm, Jiu Shen felt an inexplicable sense of urgency. If Jian Wang coulde, that means Lao Gou could also do the same!


    Suddenly, Jiu Shen stood up and held Theia in his arms as he whispered. "Jian Wang is downstairs, we must speed up our cultivation. I think it won''t be long before Lao Goues to this ce. The Heavenly Sword Tower must seal its gates for the time being. The Teleportation Array Formation is almostplete, I only have to inscribe thest symbols to make it work. Once it starts working, the members of the sword tower don''t need to travel on foot anymore. Inform Ren Shuang about this and have the rest of them enter the cultivation hall at once."


    Theia could sense the urgency in his voice, so she nodded her head in understanding. She then left his embrace and went back downstairs to send his message to Ren Shuang. Now that it hase to this, they could only hasten their ns.


    Jiu Shen stared at everyone who was inside the cultivation hall. All of them were members of the Heavenly Sword Tower. They would be his aides when the time for his revengees!


    Jiu Shen took a deep breath and went back into lotus position with his eyes closed.


    He was still far from reaching his past cultivation, but inside the cultivation hall, his progress wouldn''t be slow!


    "I won''te out for the next one hundred years!" He said in his heart before he drove straight into cultivation.


    One hundred years might be a long time for mortals, but to cultivators at their level, a hundred years would pass by in just a blink of the eye. Some people even spend thousands or even millions of years in seclusion!


    Spurred by the sense of urgency, Jiu Shen''s cultivation increased by leaps and bounds. With his experience, he felt no bottlenecks whatsoever. He also had the Seamless Deity Physique, a special physique that has never been seen in the Primordial God Realm!


    ***


    Meanwhile, inside a different dimension. The crimson sky was zingly hot and the drearynd filled with nothing but sand and dried-up soil became increasingly hotter. In this kind of extreme temperature, no ordinary creatures would survive! However, there were strange beings that can be seen roaming this apocalyptd! All of them had dark skins and grotesque-looking figures. Their malevolent faces could make anyone''s skin crawl at a mere nce!


    Not far from this area, a small house made of stones can be seen.


    Sitting cross-legged inside this small house was a man who had three pairs of wings! He had long golden hair and a handsome face with an aquiline nose. If not for the long scar that blinded his right eye, he would have been perfect!


    Suddenly, the man frowned and turned his gaze behind him.


    There was a door-like rift that was covered in multiple Sealing Array Formations. The rift trembled and produced an eery cry as if it was about to shatter, but the Sealing Array Formations lit up and stabilized the rift!


    The man with long golden hair stood up and stared at the door-like rift with a frown. "I can no longer suppress the entrance. If this continues, the seal could only hold for another one hundred years! By then, the entrance leading to the Primordial God Realm would once again be opened! I''ve already consumed all my power to seal this ce for millions of years... My strength has be weaker and weaker. The Infernals would use my moment of weakness to escape from this ce!"


    Sigh!


    The man stepped out of the stone house and nced at the crimson sky with helplessness. "Why are you doing this?" He muttered.

 Chapter 521: Buy More Time

    <h4>Chapter 521: Buy More Time</h4>


    "Master it has been ten years since we began monitoring the dragon building, but we still have yet to discover anything significant other than the marvelous effects of the wines here. Some of our disciples and Elders even started to visit this ce. Because of the dragon building''s presence, Hard Rock City is now bustling with activity. Many rich merchants and great families even decided to invest more in this desert region! Everyone in this ce now calls Hard Rock City the Oasis of the Desert! Er... I''m sorry Vice Sect Master Valir. I got carried away..." Valir almost pounded themunication crystal in his hand when he heard the man''s voice that was filled with excitement. Did he think that they were out on a vacation?


    "Shut your damn mouth and continue observing that bloody wine store!" Valir clenched his hand, turning themunication crystal into fine dust. He was itching to go there personally, but he couldn''t go there yet because the Sect Master has yet to return. The good news was that Sect Master Telu called him earlier and informed him that he would return in a few more days.


    "Ten years... I''ve been holding myself back for ten years! Those damn disciples and Elders! How could I remain calm after they repeatedly told me stories about the dragon building''s godly wines?! Dammit!" Valir cursed with gritted teeth.


    Suddenly, his sparemunication crystal vibrated.


    Valirposed himself and said. "Who is this?" His voice was cold and contained a hint of irritation.


    "Valir, you sound glum. Who made you angry, old man? Haha!" A voice filled with amusement can be heard behind the crystal.


    There was only one person who would dare to speak to him like this.


    Telu, the Sect Master of the Celestial Paragon Tower!


    "Sect Master!" Valir adjusted his posture, his face filled with embarrassment after having been seen through.


    "Old man, you can tell me your storyter. I only called you to inform you that I would be back tonight. My mission here is finally over. Dammit! I want to have a good rest and drink an entireke filled with wine!"


    Hearing that, Valir''s eyes lit up and he immediately said. "Sect Master, good timing! I know a ce that we could visit once you are here! I guarantee that you would love the ce!" All of the people who went there spoke highly of the wine store, so he was confident about it.


    "Oh? In that case, await my return! We''ll catch upter!"


    "Alright!" Valir kept hismunication crystal with a look of anticipation. "Finally! I can leave this ce and enjoy a moment of respite!" He clenched his fists as he lightly chuckled.


    ***


    "Ten years. After ten years, the door of the dragon building''s second floor has never opened again. Brother Jian are the people who went therest time in seclusion?" Furion recalled the time when five hundred people dressed in matching robes with golden patterns suddenly barged inside the dragon building and walked straight to the second floor. The customers at that time were so surprised when they saw the huge group''s abrupt arrival. They tried asking the young waitresses about the identities of those people, but they never got an answer.


    Seated in front of him, Jian Wang calmly drank wine from his cup. At first, he ignored the silver cups provided to them, but he had suddenly taken an interest in using them.


    Jian Wang ignored the grumbling Furion and enjoyed his wine in peace. Only he knew why the second floor of the dragon building has never opened again, but he didn''t tell anyone about it to avoid causing trouble for Jiu Shen. ''Jiu Shen... How long are you nning to cultivate in seclusion? If Lao Goues to this ce, he might discover you...'' He thought to himself.


    "Too bad they changed the waitresses here or I could have asked Young Miss Phoebe about what''s happening..." Furion muttered helplessly.


    ***


    In a separate dimension, in the world of crimson sky.


    A man with golden hair was staring at the Sealing Array Formations that he had fortified using his power. Visible cracks can be seen on the symbols of the inscriptions! Once the symbols of the Sealing Array Formations were destroyed, he could no longer block the entrance of Hell!


    Asmodeus observed the ce outside his stone house and he discovered more and more Infernals camping inrge groups! "They must''ve felt the weakening of the seals! Those bastards! They knew that I don''t have the ability to split my power anymore because of the entrance and that''s why they dared to camp here!" His handsome face contorted with fury when he spotted arge number of Infernals surrounding him.


    If not for his overwhelming cultivation, those sickening creatures would have alreadye to destroy the seals! Luckily, they were still wary of his power and they still don''t have the guts to oppose him. However, it was only a matter of time before the entrance would fully open. Once that happens, trillions of hungry and ferocious Infernals would w their way towards the only entrance to the abundantnds of the Primordial God Realm!


    Asmodeus even saw some of them looking at him with weird smiles. "A bunch of bloody bastards!" Heshed out angrily, causing the entire area to be submerged in cold temperature!


    The Infernals who were camped outside the stone house felt dread in their hearts when they sensed the anger of Asmodeus, but despite their trepidation, none of them left the ce. They have already grown tired and weary of this bleak and soullessnd. They wanted to wreak havoc on the bright sunnynd that they saw behind the entrance millions of years ago.


    The strongest Infernals had already banded together in preparation for the shattering of the seals. They have been waiting for this moment for many years and they could hardly contain the malice in their hearts!


    Seeing this scene, Asmodeus poured more spiritual power into the seals, hoping that he could buy more time. "Not yet! I, Asmodeus, have not given up yet!"

 Chapter 522: Sect Master Telu’s Return

    <h4>Chapter 522: Sect Master Telu¡¯s Return</h4>


    After ten years of seclusion inside the cultivation hall, everyone''s strength increased by leaps and bounds. The fastest among them was still Jiu Shen who had a Deity Physique! At this moment, he had already reached the peak stage of the Supreme God Realm! Just one step away from reaching the Heavenly God Realm!


    "Peak stage of the Supreme God Realm..." Jiu Shen muttered to himself as he slowly opened his eyes. He clenched his fists, causing a crisp cracking sound toe from his muscles. He then tested his spiritual power and the strength of his anma. After a quick check, he let out a smile of satisfaction. "All three are already at the peak stage of the Supreme God Realm. If this speed continues, I would recover my past strength in fifty more years. My sudden increase in power wouldn''t be a problem for me because of my experience, but to the others..."


    Jiu Shen stared at everyone inside the cultivation. All of them were his people and they will fight with him against Lao Gou and the Celestial Paragon Tower!


    "Everyone''s cultivation has increased drastically, but they stillcked battle experience of high caliber." Jiu Shen frowned as he muttered to himself.


    Suddenly, he thought about the Spirit World. The Spirit World''s growth was proportionate to his own strength. That means, the savage beasts living in the Spirit World also experienced a sharp increase in power!


    With those thoughts in his mind, Jiu Shenmunicated with the System to open the Spirit World.


    Om!


    Arge wooden door appeared in front of him.


    As the Lord of the Spirit World, he could observe the movements of the creatures living in it. When he willed his thoughts to check the strongest living creatures, he noticed some savage beasts had already reached the Heavenly God Realm!


    "One, two,..., seven. Seven Heavenly God Realm savage beasts. Not bad! This ce is the perfect training ground for my Heavenly Sword Tower! Once everyone wakes up, I''ll take them inside the Spirit World to train them further!" Jiu Shen''s eyes gleamed.


    If news about their shocking cultivation speed spreads, everyone in the Primordial God Realm would surelye knocking on their doorsteps and interrogate them with drastic measures! The process of cultivation was exceptionally difficult and the higher one''s cultivation, the slower their progress would be. However, Jiu Shen has the cultivation hall! They didn''t need a long time to bitterly train themselves!


    ***


    "Valir, it has been a while since west met! Haha! You seem to be excited this time!" A three-meter tall giant arrived inside the Vice Sect Master''s private hall. He had a human-like facial feature, but his looks slightly leaned on the fierce side. On his forehead was a purple gem that emitted a dull glow.


    This towering figure of a man was the Sect Master of the Celestial Paragon Tower, Telu!


    "Sect Master! You''re finally here! This is great! Hahah!" Valir abruptly stood up from his seat and greeted the man.


    "You''re even more excited than me about my return. Valir, tell me. What made you this excited?" Telu''s eyes narrowed as he nced at the old man. Normally, this old Vice Sect Master was very irritable and he rarely shows enthusiasm about something, so it was a bit surprising to see him act like this.


    Valir smiled and pulled Telu to sit beside him. "Sect Master, you''ve been away for a very long time, so you haven''t kept in touch with the Celestial Paragon Tower for many years. Ten years ago, the Dark Devil Race spotted the remnants of the God Sword Region in the desert region! Furthermore, they also discovered Jian Wang in that ce!"


    Telu who was listening halfheartedly suddenly jolted in shock when he heard the name. "What did you say?! Jian Wang?! He actually came out of his mountain?!"


    Valir nodded and continued. "That''s right! ording to Berith, Jian Wang owns a store in Hard Rock City, a minor city in the desert region..."


    Valir recounted every information he had gathered for the past ten years and told Telu everything.


    When Valir finished his story, Telu''s eyes shed with an eager look. "It seems like you''ve been quite busy for the past ten years, old man! You''ve done great this time. Have you contacted father about this?"


    "Yes, Sect Master! I''ve already contacted Celestial Emperor Lao Gou about this matter. It was also him who tasked me to send our men to monitor Jian Wang''s movements."


    "What else did he say?" Telu asked while looking at the old man.


    Valir shook his head helplessly as he answered. "Celestial Emperor Lao Gou seems to be uninterested in Jian Wang. Other than observing the man and his wine store, he didn''t give me another mission."


    "I see. That''s good then! Alright. Tomorrow, we''ll go to Hard Rock City and visit Sword God Jian Wang! I want to see what that man has been up to all this time..." Telu said as he patted Valir''s shoulder.


    Hearing that, Valir''s eyes shone with excitement. It has finallye! The day that he had been waiting for has finally arrived! He had already broken a few dozenmunication crystals because of his eagerness to visit the dragon building. From the vivid descriptions of his men, he could already imagine the level of wine the store has to offer! Just the thought of it made him rub his palms in anticipation.


    "Oh, by the way, how''s your mission this time, Sect Master Telu? Did you get the Undying Holy Crystal? That thing is quite useful. Using that item, we can nurture ten new Heavenly God Realm experts for the golden tower!" Valir stared at the towering Telu. He wondered if the Sect Master has gotten his hands on that miraculous item.


    Telu''s expression turned cold as he shook his head. "The enemy was too vicious. When he was about to be defeated, he consumed the Undying Holy Crystal and detonated his dantian! I was severely injured because of that and it took me more than five years to recuperate. I only got a bunch of other resources from them."


    Valir could only sigh in regret when he heard his words.

 Chapter 523: Arriving Inside the Spirit World

    <h4>Chapter 523: Arriving Inside the Spirit World</h4>


    "Is this the Sect Master''s Spirit World? What a beautiful ce! The density of true essence here isparable to the Primordial God Realm. One could even say that it is better by a small amount! Amazing!"


    Among the disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower, only a few of them had the chance to visit the Spirit World. Most of them were still unfamiliar with the ce, so they all revealed looks of shock and amazement. Even those who had already visited the Spirit World were still surprised by the massive changes they saw. For example, Yang Zenke, the Division Head of the Blood Sword Division.


    During their time in the Silver Wing Empire in Nuar, Yang Zenke and the rest of the one hundred former ves trained in the Spirit World. At that time, the world was still growing and it didn''t have the presence of strong savage beasts like it did now.


    "Sect Master''s means are truly unfathomable..." Yang Zenke muttered to himself as he stared at the silver-haired young man leading them.


    In truth, Jiu Shen was also stunned by the massive changes in the Spirit World. It only took a little more than ten years for the Spirit World to develop to such heights, but it was understandable. The timeflow inside the Spirit World was much faster than outside. Even so, it was still shocking!


    "Listen, everyone! Your progress in cultivation has been fast because of the cultivation hall. However, most of you stillck the necessary battle experience for someone at your level. To make up for this weakness, I brought you all to this Spirit World and give you the chance to gain more battle experience! You will be staying here for the next ten years and kill as many savage beasts as you can! Your kills will be recorded and all of you will be ranked ording to your number of kills and the strength of the savage beasts that you''ve killed! At the end of this training, the top 100 among you will get a reward from me! As for those that fail to reach the top 100, you will still receive rewards ording to your performance!" Jiu Shen decided earlier to spur everyone''s growth by doing this. With the concept of rewards, everyone''s fighting spirit would be roused and they would do everything in their power to outshine everyone.


    "Sect Master, can we join as well?" Yin Long, the former leader of the God Sword Region''s remnant force asked through spiritual transmission.


    Jiu Shen nced at the old man and sent him a transmission, his voice contained a hint of exasperation. "Old brat, you''re already a Heavenly God Realm expert and you still want topete with these bunch of kids? Shame on you!"


    When he heard Jiu Shen''s words, Yin Long could only smile awkwardly. After knowing that Jiu Shen was the same man known as the fourth strongest expert in the Primordial God Realm, his enthusiasm toward the Heavenly Sword Tower reached its peak. Anything given by Jiu Shen was certainly a treasure, so he wanted to see if he could join the trainingpetition as well.


    "Don''t worry. I have a separate mission for you old brats. In this Spirit World, there are seven Heavenly God Realm savage beasts. Six of them are at the early stage of the Heavenly God Realm while thest one is at the mid stage. Your job is to make sure that none of our disciples are killed by those seven savage beasts. Remember, you will only make a move if those seven beasts are involved. Other than that, you can just watch them silently. If they die, then they die! If we are always there to save them, then they can never truly progress to be peerless experts! As for those seven savage beasts, don''t kill them. I still have some use for them." Jiu Shen sent the transmission to Yin Long, Ka Wayan, and Gu San, the three Heavenly God Realm experts of the former God Sword Region.


    The three nodded their heads seriously upon getting the message. It looks like the Sect Master is increasing the difficulty of their training. However, they also understood the logic behind his actions. After all, once they show themselves to the public, they would be enemies with the Celestial Paragon Tower and Celestial Emperor Lao Gou!


    Jiu Shen nced at everyone and announced in a cold voice. "I hope I can see you guys again ten yearster!"


    After saying those words, he left the Spirit World with Theia, Hestia, and Ren Shuang. These three were already peerless cultivators in their past lives, so there was no need for them to join the training. As for As, he was responsible for monitoring the dragon building, so he didn''t join the training as well.


    When they left, everyone from the Heavenly Sword Tower immediately dispersed to search for their prey. With the rewards for the top 100, they were eager to begin their hunt!


    ***


    "Is this the dragon building that you always talked about?" Telu asked the old man beside him as he looked at the beautiful and regal dragon building behind the golden fences.


    Valir was shocked when he spotted the dragon building. Even from afar, the two of them already sensed the Protective Array Formations inscribed all over the ce. This wine store was even more well protected than the gates of their golden tower! Just the number of Celestial-rank Protective Array Formations here made them stunned!


    "Sect Master, initially, I thought that our subordinates were just exaggerating the reputation of this wine store, but from the looks of it..." Valir smiled helplessly.


    Telu nodded his head in agreement. Even before they entered the golden gates, he could already feel the power emanating from the hidden Protective Array Formations! In terms of defense, this wine store was even aheadpared to their golden tower! He couldn''t imagine how much wealth was needed to construct so many Array Formations around the dragon building! "It seems like Sword God Jian Wang truly has a connection with Asmodeus, the sole expert in Array Formation Making among the three Celestial Emperors..."

 Chapter 524: 9

    <h4>Chapter 524: 9</h4>


    As soon as they stepped inside the dragon building, Valir and Telu spotted their subordinates. They made eye contact andmunicated through spiritual transmission.


    "Everything they reported is true. Even the details about the garden outside this building were also true." Valir sent a transmission to Telu.


    "Indeed, but it doesn''t matter. Sword God Jian Wang doesn''t seem to be interested in creating a major power of his own. Let''s just enjoy the wines sold here." Telu replied calmly.


    Valir nodded his head in agreement.


    The two followed a young waitress and sat on an empty spot. Their table was located near the entrance of the dragon building, so they could get a clearer look at everyone inside. Most of the customers here were vagrant cultivators. They had exceptional cultivation levels, but their backgrounds were ordinary. Only a few of them came from renowned major powers and great families. Nheless, Valir and Telu chose to remain low profile.


    After getting their order, the two men observed everyone silently.


    Jian Wang was not yet around, but ording to their subordinates'' report, he would usuallye to the store during this timeframe, so they patiently waited.


    More and more people entered the dragon building and the store was instantly packed with patrons. Most of them were old customers and only a few were new ones.


    The wine store was already famous in the desert region and only a few hermits haven''t heard about its grand reputation.


    Not longter, a cold-looking middle-aged man with a sword strap behind his back entered the store. Behind him was a red-haired man who had a light smile on his face.


    Looking at the two of them, Valir and Telu nced at each other.


    Jian Wang has arrived!


    Jian Wang and Furion were escorted to an empty spot and they both ordered their favorite wines.


    Hm?


    Jian Wang turned his head and stared at Valir and Telu.


    The two nodded their heads to greet Jian Wang, but the man ignored thempletely and chatted with Furion.


    "He''s too much!" The hot-headed old man, Valir, gritted his teeth in anger, but Telu grabbed him by the arm and told him to calm down.


    "Old man, in his eyes, we are nothing. As the person recognized to be the strongest in the Primordial God Realm, he has all the right to ignore us. Just hold it in. We are not here to fight him." Telu whispered in a calm voice.


    "I was rash, Sect Master! My apologies!" Valir sighed and shook his head.


    "Gentlemen, here are the wines you ordered! Enjoy!" A pleasant voice echoed beside them.


    Valir and Telu took the wines ced before them and took a quick look at them.


    Valir ordered the most expensive wine, whereas Telu chose the Frozen Origin.


    When the two men drank their wines, their eyes widened in shock.


    "Not bad!" Valir eximed while looking at the empty silver cup in his hand. It was only his first sip, but he already felt that just that cup alone was already worth the astronomical price! The heavenly aroma that assailed his nostrils and the delicate taste of the wine lingered inside his head. He finally understood why his men never asked him to resummon them to the golden tower.


    Valir poured more wine into his cup and this time, he inhaled the sweet fragrance of the wine before he emptied his cup.


    "Ah~ It is truly delicious!" Valir revealed a look of awe. In his mind, he was already praising Jian Wang for being a great ''wine maker''.


    Meanwhile, Telu who was seated opposite him was also enjoying his wine. He ordered the Frozen Origin. It wasn''t the best wine in the store, but it was also a unique creation that was many times more delicious than the wines he had tasted before! Even the wines he got from his father were not as good as this! "Valir, thank you for bringing me here! Once we return, I will reward you handsomely! Haha!"


    Telu stared the at wine in his cup. It was shimmering like a divine liquid! He could feel the coldness of the wine from the palm of his hands. "Truly a wondrous wine!" He praised wholeheartedly.


    The customers who were seated near them chuckled when they heard the two. They could tell that these two men were new customers of the wine store.


    Valir and Telu who were immersed in drinking their wines failed to notice the snickering customers. They had even forgotten that they were also here to observe Jian Wang''s actions.


    ***


    9 years after everyone from the Heavenly Sword Tower entered the Spirit World.


    Yang Zenke, the Division Head of the Blood Sword Division was currently sitting at the top position in points gained. He had killed a huge number of savage beasts in the past nine years and he gained a lot from it. His Sword Comprehension has advanced by leaps and bounds and even his cultivation progress skyrocketed!


    At this moment, Yang Zenke stared at the Visual Projection above the skies. He could see his name at the top of the rankings as well as the points he gained after nine years of hunting.


    Yang Zenke - 2,769,476


    Lu Sn - 2,757,989


    Ice - 2,665,783


    Can Ye - 2,448,126


    Looking at the rankings, Yang Zenke frowned as he muttered. "I''ve been killing so many high-level savage beasts, but Sister Sn is still steadily progressing behind me. Her crowd control skills are just too overpowered! If not for my speed and superior sword techniques, she would have already left me behind! Even Young Miss Ice is not too far from reaching me!"


    Yang Zenke''s eyes zed with apetitive glow.


    After taking a short rest, he resumed his hunt!


    Meanwhile, in another part of the Spirit World, a little girl with short white hair and chubby cheeks was strolling inside a huge forest. In her right hand was a huge chunk of cooked meat.


    She lifted her head upwards and snorted when she saw her name in the third ce. "Hmph! That brat Yang Zenke is a madman! Doesn''t he know how to rest?"

 Chapter 525: Lao Gou’s Rage

    <h4>Chapter 525: Lao Gou¡¯s Rage</h4>


    Jiu Shen opened his eyes and rose to his feet as he muttered. "The ten-year training in the Spirit World is finally over."


    He entered the Spirit World and stared at the final rankings.


    Ice - 3,147,461


    Lu Sn - 3,067,227


    Yang Zenke - 2,998,625


    Jiu Shen used his power as the Lord of the Spirit World to forcibly summon everyone in front of him.


    "Your ten-year training is over! And like I promised, the top one hundred will get a reward from me! You can im your rewards from Ren Shuangter!" Jiu Shen announced as he looked at everyone with a calm gaze.


    At the corner of his eyes, he spotted a little girl standing with her arms crossed. She had a smug look on her face as she stared back at Jiu Shen.


    Looking at her, Jiu Shen''s lips twitched. ''This little brat..."


    Jiu Shen opened the exit to the Spirit World and led everyone back to the cultivation hall.


    When they were back to the cultivation hall, Ice walked toward Jiu Shen and stood in front of him with a wide smile. Her dimples became visible as the smile on her face deepened.


    Jiu Shen chuckled when he saw her appearance and he couldn''t help but rub her head gently. "Good job!"


    "Of course! Who do you think I am?" Ice bragged happily.


    Jiu Shen ignored her and turned his gaze towards Ren Shuang as he handed him a visual data. "Pass the rewards to these people. As for the others, give them some resources as well."


    Ren Shuang took the visual data and nodded his head. "Yes, Sect Master!"


    "Sect Master, the seven Heavenly God Rank savage beasts didn''t intervene during the past ten years. Those guys must have sensed our presence, so they remained cautious until the end." Yin Long said with a helpless look. The ten-year training this time almost bored him to death. Luckily, the environment in the Spirit World was good for cultivation, so they didn''t lose too much.


    "Good work, you three. You can also get something from Ren Shuang. Just tell him and he''ll understand." Jiu Shen said as he patted Yin Long''s shoulders.


    The eyes of Yin Long and the other two old men immediately lit up upon hearing his words.


    "Thank you, Sect Master!" They said eagerly.


    After dealing with the rewards for the training, Jiu Shen walked toward Theia. "Once everyone gets their rewards, tell them to begin their seclusion again!"


    Theia nodded her head gently. "Alright."


    ***


    Five yearster, Celestial Emperor Lao Gou came back to the golden tower! The whole Celestial Paragon Tower immediately began preparing a huge celebration to wee him!


    "Wee back, Your Majesty Celestial Emperor Lao Gou!" Valir, Telu, and everyone from the Celestial Paragon Tower kneeled when they spotted a golden figure descending from the sky.


    Tap.


    It was a man who was about 2.5 meters tall. He was wearing a full set of golden armor that covered his entire body. The only exposed part of him was his pair of azure eyes that gleamed with intense ferocity.


    The man removed his golden armor and his face which was filled with brutal air was finally exposed!


    From his appearance, he looked like a middle-aged man in his mid-forties with slick short ck hair. A diamond jade was embedded on his forehead emitting a dazzling radiance!


    This man was Celestial Emperor Lao Gou, the founder of the Celestial Paragon Tower!


    Everyone''s eyes were filled with worship as they looked at this unrivaled expert! This was the man they revered the most!


    "Stand up, everyone!" Celestial Emperor Lao Gou smiled at everyone. His voice was ancient and full of authority. Just hearing his voice alone could make anyone unconsciously follow his everymand!


    Telu and Valir led the Celestial Emperor inside the golden tower and brought him to the topmost floor.


    The celebration of the entire golden tower continued and everyone was in a joyous mood after seeing their idol!


    Meanwhile, on the topmost floor of the golden tower, Lao Gou stared at Valir and Telu. Both men wore somber expressions as they sat meekly opposite the Celestial Emperor.


    "What happened? Why are the two of you so glum?" Lao Gou asked indifferently.


    Valir and Telu nced at each other. In the end, Telu cleared his throat and said in a shaking voice. "Father, it is about the wine store in Hard Rock City."


    This time, Lao Gou''s expression turned serious as he waited for his son to continue.


    "Father, like what you told us. We observed Jian Wang and the wine store for the past few years. Nothing significant happened. However, when we asked people about the owner... They told us... They told us that the owner''s name is... Jiu Shen."


    Lao Gou''s face darkened upon hearing the name from his son''s mouth. He recalled a distant memory and the face of a youth with a handsome appearance and cold personality.


    Celestial Emperor Lao Gou''s aura fluctuated intensely as he thought about the figure of that man. How could he forget him? It was the man who stole his wife''s heart from him!


    ''Jiu Shen... He has already died inside the God Sealing Tower a few million years ago! And that bitch Theia! After I ced her under house arrest, she actuallymitted suicide! That fucking adulterous pair!'' Lao Gou''s face turned red as his rage boiled.


    The faces of Valir and Telu took a drastic change when they saw the terrifying look of the Celestial Emperor. They didn''t dare make a sound and they could only silently wait for him to calm down.


    Lao Gou nced coldly at Telu and spoke with a frigid tone. "That man is already dead! And didn''t you guys say that Jian Wang owns that store?! What''s the meaning of this?!"


    Telu wiped the sweat on his face and replied immediately. "Father, we are also aware of this. We believe that Jian Wang is merely using someone as a figurehead for his wine store."


    Lao Gou waved his sleeves and snorted angrily. "Enough! This matter ends here!"


    Telu and Valir bowed their heads nervously and left.


    "Jian Wang, why are you using that man''s name?" Lao Gou muttered with a dark look.

 Chapter 526: High Chieftain Wuka

    <h4>Chapter 526: High Chieftain Wuka</h4>


    "Fifty years! It took me fifty years to finally step into the Heavenly God Realm. Although I''m only at the early stage, my current power could already rival my past self! I''m now invincible below the Celestial God Realm!" Jiu Shen muttered to himself with a smile. The difference between his past self''s talent to his current body was too significant, but he also knew that his astonishing progress was only possible because of the cultivation hall!


    Jiu Shen stared at everyone.


    All of them were still cultivating earnestly. No one was foolish enough to waste their chance to cultivate in this kind of environment.


    "Their gains are not small either. If they remain here for another fifty years, their strength would rival the talents of the Celestial Paragon Tower!" Jiu Shen nodded his head contently.


    "I shouldn''t waste time and resume my seclusion, but before that, let me check what''s going on inside the dragon building..." Jiu Shen closed his eyes and scanned the entire wine store using his spiritual perception.


    Hm?!


    "So you''re here?" Jiu Shen''s eyes narrowed when he spotted a strong aura among the customers.


    Meanwhile, Jian Wang who was about to down his cup of wine suddenly froze. ''Someone used their spiritual perception to scan the entire dragon building! It came from the second floor! I still can''t detect his strength...''


    When the spiritual perception scanned the entire dragon building, Jian Wang was the only one who noticed it! ''Only that silver-haired young man is capable of doing this... Jiu Shen... When are you nning toe out?''


    Inside the cultivation hall, Jiu Shen shook his head and sighed. "I''m still too weak topare myself to the three Celestial Emperors. I still don''t have the right to stand in front of you as equals, Jian Wang. We can only meet soon..."


    After muttering those words, Jiu Shen closed his eyes and entered into meditative state.


    ***


    Fifty more yearster, Jiu Shen had finally recovered his past cultivation!


    Cultivation. Peak stage Heavenly God Realm!


    Anma Power. Peak stage Heavenly God Realm!


    Spiritual Power. Peak stage Heavenly God Realm!


    Jiu Shen rose to his feet. A joyful smile can be seen on his face. "It didn''t even take me a thousand years to recover my power! This Seamless Deity Physique is just too overpowered! Even the three Celestial Emperors don''t have this kind of powerful physique! In that case, why do I have it?"


    When he had transmigrated to this new body in Nuar, he didn''t think too much about it, but now, he was intensely curious about how such a thing happened. "Back then, Lao Gou erased my cultivation and repeatedly tortured my physical body and soul inside the God Sealing Tower. I died, but then I miraculously transmigrated to Nuar in this body." Jiu Shen frowned as he thought about it.


    The system, the absurd quantity of Celestial-rank items, and the transmigration of Theia and the others...


    He couldn''t exin any of these things even with the vast experience in his past life.


    Jiu Shen rubbed his aching templed and decided to ignore these things for now. "I should focus on my revenge first! Lao Gou, you darn old man! You tortured me for millions of years! Just clean your neck and wait for me to im your rotten head!" A dense killing intent overflowed from his eyes, but he hurriedly concealed it. There were still people cultivating inside the cultivation hall and they would be affected by his killing intent if he didn''t control it.


    ***


    Inside the sealed world of Hell.


    Asmodeus spat a mouthful of blood. "I can no longer seal the entrance... With the remaining power from the Sealing Array Formations, I can only hold the entrance for another three days..." He muttered helplessly. He had done everything he could for millions of years. He even chose to remain in Hell just to protect this entrance!


    Roaarrr!!!


    Rooarr!!


    "Not good! Those Heavenly God Realm Infernals have finally lost patience! With my current power, I won''t be able to hold them!" Asmodeus bitterly smiled when he heard the enraged roars of the Infernal leaders.


    At the moment, the entire mountain range had already be a territory of the Infernals and only the ten-kilometer radius around Asmodeus'' stone house was unupied.


    Billions of Infernals had already taken residence in this mountain range and there were hundreds of Heavenly God Realm Infernal chieftains leading this huge group! The strongest among them was a giant Infernal who was at the Celestial God Realm!


    "Asmodeus, for millions of years you have stopped my people from entering thends of the Primordial God Realm! I''ve had enough waiting!" A booming voice echoed throughout the entire mountain range. This Infernal was the High Chieftain of the Infernals, Wuka! The only Celestial God Realm expert among the Infernals!


    Asmodeus frowned when he sensed the impatience in that voice. "Wuka can no longer control his impatience. This guy had only be a Celestial God for a few thousand years, so he isn''t as strong as me, but in my current state, I would only end up dead if I fight him and the billions of Infernals under hismand! Dammit!"


    Rooarr!


    Roaarr!!


    Furious roars and deafening howls echoed throughout the vast mountain range. The Infernals could sense the weakening seal and their eyes glowed with bloodlust and excitement.


    They have been trapped inside this forsakennd for many years and they wanted to invade the fertilend behind the entrance!


    Wuka stared at the faraway stone house with his eyebrows furrowed. "The current Asmodeus is no longer my match, but I should wait until the entrance is fully opened. If I rashly take action now, arge part of my Infernal army would be killed by him! There should only be three days left... I can still wait..."


    Wuka was only trying to damage Asmodeus'' psyche earlier, but the other party''s willpower was too strong. He even ignored Wuka''s threats and remained inside his stone house.


    Wuka clenched his fists and sat down. "I''ll deal with you soon!"

 Chapter 527: Impending Disaster

    <h4>Chapter 527: Impending Disaster</h4>


    "It''s time toe out of seclusion." Jiu Shen muttered to himself. He had already recovered his power and by his estimates, he was ten times stronger than he was before! And if he uses his Bale Dragon Sacred Sword, his strength would increase further! He didn''t even know the limit of his current power...


    "Master, is it time for us to leave?" An aged voice echoed behind.


    Jiu Shen turned his head and looked at As who had already risen to his feet. The aura of the old man changed noticeably. He was already ate stage Heavenly God Realm expert, just one realm weaker than Jiu Shen!


    Soon, a few more people stepped forward and looked at him with excited faces. They have been cultivating inside this hall for a hundred years and the thought of finally seeing the sun again made them feel a sense of anticipation.


    Theia. Late stage Heavenly God Realm.


    Ren Shuang. Late stage Heavenly God Realm.


    Hestia. Late stage Heavenly God Realm.


    Ice. Late stage Heavenly God Realm.


    Long Meili. Late stage Heavenly God Realm.


    Aren. Mid stage...


    Balmond...


    Yue Bo...


    Jiu Shen inspected their cultivation one by one. Most of his high-ranking subordinates were now at the Heavenly God Realm and the disciples hovered between the True God Realm and some of the stronger ones among them even reached the Supreme God Realm!


    With his usual calm and indifferent look, Jiu Shen said. "It''s time we go back to the outside world."


    Upon hearing his words, the disciples cheered with excitement, while the higher-ups smiled with joy.


    Jiu Shen knew that it wasn''t good to force them into seclusion as it might hinder their future growth. Their cultivation might still grow, but their power couldn''t bepared to those who had reached their cultivation through hardships and countless life and death battles!


    "As, Theia, Hestia, Ice, Long Meili, and Aren. The six of you will stay here in the dragon building. Ren Shuang, Yin Long, Ka Wayan, and Gu San. The four of you can use the Teleportation Array Formation to bring the rest back to the sword tower..."


    "Yes, Sect Master!"


    "Yes, Sect Master!"


    "Yes..."


    Everyone acknowledged hismand in unison.


    Jiu Shen nced at the six people behind before he walked towards the door. "It''s time to meet you, Jian Wang..." He whispered softly as he pushed the door open.


    ***


    Asmodeus stared at the broken Sealing Array Formations all over his stone house. The entrance leading to the Primordial God Realm was already half-opened and he could even see the bright and dazzling sky from the other side.


    His face was pale and it looks like arge amount of his blood has been drained.


    With tired and weary eyes, Asmodeus used his remaining true essence and spiritual power to create a new Sealing Array Formation.


    He drew an outline of a magic circle on the ground using a brush and imbued it with spiritual power. As he summoned hisst bits of spiritual power, Asmodeus'' body trembled. He even almost copsed during thest phase of inscribing the symbols on the Array Formation, but he gritted his teeth and continued the process through sheer willpower! "N-Not yet!"


    After he drew thest symbol, Asmodeus spat several mouthfuls of dark crimson blood.


    Cough! Cough! Cough!


    Asmodeus gasped as he held his chest in pain. He could feel his dantian churning. He had truly over-exerted himself this time.


    He then turned towards the partially opened entrance as he wheezed with difficulty. "I m-must warn them!"


    Asmodeus activated all the Sealing Array Formation before he jumped towards the entrance!


    He could no longer summon his spiritual power and true essence since he had already drained everything. If he wasn''t a Celestial God Realm expert, he would have already died from that!


    Asmodeus felt the warm rays of sunlight enveloping his body. He looked around and noticed that he was in a vast desert. "So the entrance actually opened to the desert regions, but this is also good. If it had opened in the central parts of the Primordial God Realm, many would lose their lives! I must quickly search for Jian Wang and Lao Gou. Only with their help can we stop the Infernals of Hell!" He propped up his sore body and squinted his eyes. From the distance, he saw a city that was protected by tall walls. He even saw arge number of people going in and out of the city.


    When he saw them, his face fell immediately. "These people will die once those Infernalse out of the entrance!"


    Asmodeus sped towards the city and ignored his protesting body. He could only hope that the city would have someone of notable power who could help him broadcast the danger that was about toe.


    When he reached the city gates, he ignored the stunned guards and leaped through the tall walls.


    "Shit! Capture that man!"


    "Mobilize the city guards to capture that man immediately!"


    Asmodeus had no time to waste on them so he dashed toward the inner parts of the city. When he was confident that he had already shaken off the guards, Asmodeus stopped to take a breather. He could feel that his body was about to copse from extreme exhaustion.


    With a face full of sweat, he slowly raised his head and noticed that a huge crowd was headed in the same direction. "All of them must be going to an important ce. I should follow this crowd and see where they are headed to."


    At this moment, he could no longer muster his true essence and spiritual power, so he could only rely on his physical body and indomitable will to move forward.


    Asmodeus grabbed a piece of cloth from his space ring and covered his face. There was a group of guards stationed ahead, so it was better to be cautious.


    After a few minutes of trailing behind the crowd, Asmodeus saw a majestic dragon building surrounded by golden fences. When he saw the building, a light of astonishment shed in his eyes. "There''s actually such a ce here in the desert region?"


    After a short moment of surprise, he dragged his weary body towards the golden gates and entered. "Hopefully, someone can help me here." He muttered.

 Chapter 528: Jiu Shen Comes Out of Seclusion

    <h4>Chapter 528: Jiu Shen Comes Out of Seclusion</h4>


    It was the same zing sunny day in the desert region and The Immortal''s Wine Store being the most famous resting ce for vagabonds and travelers was densely packed with people. Despite therge number of customers inside the wine store, the temperature inside was cold. It was the perfect ce to rx in the desert region!


    Jian Wang and Furion were among the crowd of customers. They sat before a 2-person table at the far corner of the dragon building.


    "Brother Jian, there have been more and more people going here. There mighte a time when we wouldn''t be able to enter the dragon building because of the sheer number of customers. If not for the steep prices of the wines, more of them would have been here." Furion shook his head as he muttered in a dejected voice. He had already stopped inquiring about the owner of the wine store a few decades ago. The wine store changed their waitresses yearly and it was hard to befriend even one of them.


    Jian Wang remained silent. For some reason, something has been bugging him all this time. He didn''t know where this uneasy feelinge from, but he knew that his instincts would never lie to him.


    When Furion saw that his friend wasn''t listening to him, he pouted in dissatisfaction. "Brother Jian, you''ve be more silent these past few years. Tell me what''s going on." He said in a serious voice.


    Normally, Jian Wang would converse with him about random matters, but he had be strangely quiet in the past few years. It was as if the man was troubled by something, but what kind of thing could possibly trouble a Celestial God Realm expert like him?


    Jian Wang put down his silver cup and stared at the pouting Furion. He put on a serious look as he said. "In thest decade, I''ve been feeling uneasy for some inexplicable reason. I didn''t think too much about it at first, but the uneasiness I''m feeling intensified as the days went by. This time, my instinct is telling me that there would be danger!"


    Furion''s casual look was reced by a solemn expression. "Now that you said it, I also felt kind of jittery in thest few years. I thought it was just me getting old, but from the looks of it, things might be moreplicated..."


    Jian Wang nodded his head.


    Suddenly, the door of the second floor was pushed open. Everyone unconsciously turned their heads when they heard the creaking of the opened door.


    A man with long silver hair tied in a ponytail came out behind the door. His face was expressionless and he had a mysterious aura around him. Six more people trailed behind the man, all of them had overwhelming cultivations that scared the customers. The weakest among those six people was the purple-haired man who was at the mid stage of the Heavenly God Realm. As for the silver-haired young man leading them, they couldn''t discern his power!


    Under the stunned gazes of the patrons, the twenty young waitresses of the dragon building lined up in two rows and bowed at the silver-haired young man as they greeted him in respectful voices. "Greetings, Wine Master Jiu Shen!"


    When the crowd heard the greeting, they became even more surprised. They knew that the mysterious owner of the wine store goes by the name Jiu Shen. However, no one has seen his shadow for thest hundred years. As if he had suddenly disappeared.


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen? Isn''t that the name of the owner? I heard that he entered into seclusion a hundred years ago. It seems like he had juste out of seclusion."


    "The owner looks handsome!"


    "Look at that little girl behind the owner. Isn''t she the littled that caused a ruckus here a long time ago?"


    All sorts of discussions broke out following the arrival of Jiu Shen''s group.


    Many among the patrons sized up the silver-haired young man.


    During thest hundred years, the reputation of the dragon building has spread far and wide that its grand name even reached the central parts of the Primordial God Realm! Countless renowned individuals wanted to see the mysterious owner of the wine store, but he never showed himself for many years.


    Some people took out theirmunication crystals to tell their leaders about the arrival of the wine store''s owner. Meanwhile, a few of them took out a Recording Array Formation to record the owner''s entourage.


    Six high-rank Heavenly God Realm experts following meekly behind a young man. It was rare to see such a shocking sight!


    Jiu Shen calmly waved his hand at the greeting of the young waitresses. "Get back to work." He muttered in an indifferent voice.


    The young waitresses bowed in unison before they went back to attend to the customers.


    Jiu Shen ignored the gazes of everyone and turned his head towards the far corner. There were two people sitting there. One was a red-haired man and the other was a middle-aged man with a sword strapped behind his back. They looked normal among the customers, but Jiu Shen knew that these two were no ordinary people. The other one was a divine beast with a pure Phoenix bloodline. His strength was at the very peak of the Heavenly God Realm, just a breath away from the ranks of the Celestial Emperors!


    Jiu Shen calmly walked towards their spot and stood in front of them with cupped fists as he greeted them. "Furion and Sword God Jian Wang, it''s a pleasure to meet the two of you here in my humble store." His voice was neither servile nor overbearing. He still had the same expressionless look as he greeted the two top experts.


    "Wait! Did he say Sword God Jian Wang?!"


    "That man is actually Sword God Jian Wang?!"


    "No way! I''ve been drinking here for many decades with Sword God Jian Wang?!"


    Astonishment covered everyone''s faces when they heard Jiu Shen''s greeting.

 Chapter 529: Meeting

    <h4>Chapter 529: Meeting</h4>


    Jian Wang remained calm under everyone''s stunned gazes. He sized up the silver-haired young man who stood before him. He even tried to use the best observation technique in his arsenal to see if he could discern the man''s cultivation. However, his spiritual perception stopped before even entering the man''s body. As if there was an invisible energy preventing him from prying on the secrets of this person!


    "So you''re still alive... I thought you have died back then..." Jian Wang transmitted a message to the man. He didn''t others to hear their conversation since there were some people from the Celestial Paragon Tower inside the dragon building.


    Jiu Shen''s eyes shed briefly and returned to normal. "So you were able to uncover my identity..."


    Jian Wang scoffed. "There''s only one Jiu Shen who has the ability to create this wine store. I know that you have some connection with Asmodeus and he even brought you to Hell a couple of times before."


    Jiu Shen nced at him in confusion. What Asmodeus? Oh. Jiu Shen chuckled in his heart. The man must have thought that the Protective Array Formations in the dragon building were created by Asmodeus.


    Jiu Shen shrugged with an imperceptible smile. He then grabbed a chair from his space earring and ced it beside where Jian Wang was seated. "I hope you don''t mind me sitting beside you." He muttered.


    Jian Wang waved his hand calmly. This guy already ced his chair before even getting his answer... "Suit yourself."


    Jiu Shen turned his gaze towards the red-haired Furion and smiled at him. "Furion, one of thest remaining pure-blooded Phoenix. Nice to meet you."


    Furion was surprised by the man''s courtesy, but he was quick to adjust his mood. "Nice to meet you too, Wine Master Jiu Shen! I''ve heard a lot about you from the young waitresses of your store!" He answered with a smile of his own.


    Suddenly, Furion''s eyes widened. He realized that he couldn''t see through the man''s power!


    Jiu Shen saw his amazement, but he merely chuckled. He then moved back his gaze towards Jian Wang. They haven''t seen each other for countless years, but it seems like the man hasn''t changed. He still had this air of confidence around him.


    Just then, Jiu Shen narrowed his eyes and stared in a certain direction. There was a foreboding sensation rising in his heart.


    "So you''ve also noticed it. Seems like there is really something going on in this desert region." The calm voice of Jian Wang echoed beside his ears.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head solemnly. A dark and oppressive aura emerged for a brief second and disappeared. He was very familiar with that aura. "Hell. The entrance of hell has emerged once again." Jiu Shen muttered in a stern voice. He was certain of it. As someone who had been to Hell for a couple of times, he was very familiar with its bleak and treacherous aura. He could not forget it.


    Jian Wang squinted his eyes when he heard Jiu Shen''s words. "So it has emerged again, huh?" He believed Jiu Shen''s words since the man wasn''t known to speak nonsense.


    "What Hell? What entrance?" Furion stared at them in confusion when he heard the conversation between them.


    "The entrance of Hell, it will emerge once again. And the entrance will open in the desert region..." Jiu Shen said in a calm voice.


    "What did you say?!" Furion''s eyebrows shut upwards, but before he could even say anything more, a man dressed in ragged clothes came inside the store, shocking the patrons who were busy chatting among themselves.


    There was a piece of cloth wrapped around his head, probably to hide his face. His shirt and trousers were dirty and full of soil. The man looked like a farmer who had stumbled on his fields. "T-The en...entrance... hell... emerge..." The man muttered weakly before he copsed.


    "What is wrong with this guy? Is he a drunkard?"


    "This guy is crazy. What is he talking about?"


    "I don''t know. I only heard him say entrance..."


    Looking at the man, Jiu Shen swiftlymanded. "Aren, bring him upstairs."


    The purple-haired Aren nodded his head and grabbed the unconscious man before bringing him to the second floor.


    Jiu Shen nced at Jian Wang and Furion and told them. "You two can follow me upstairs." He didn''t mind bringing them inside the cultivation hall. The hall was powered by Array Formations and he could just shut it off.


    Jian Wang and Furion nodded their heads gravely. Before the man copsed, they heard what he said.


    Aren carefully put the man down and turned his head towards Jiu Shen, waiting for hismand.


    "Give this to him." Jiu Shen handed a small pill to Aren.


    Aren took the pill and unwrapped the cloth that covered the man''s face. He then shoved the pill inside the man''s mouth.


    When Jiu Shen and Jian Wang saw the appearance of the man, the frown on their faces deepened.


    Asmodeus! The greatest Array Formation Maker in the Primordial God Realm! One of the three Celestial Emperors!


    This man was Jiu Shen''s friend and also the person who taught him the art of Array Formation Making!


    He couldn''t believe that such an individual actually end up like this.


    "Asmodeus! Isn''t this guy Celestial Emperor Asmodeus?! The man who sealed the entrance of Hell! Now I understand... The entrance will once again emerge!" Furion eximed in surprise as he looked at the man.


    Cough! Cough! Cough!


    A series of dry coughing sounds followed as the man finally awakened. He groaned as he tried to sit upright.


    Aren felt pity for him and helped the man.


    "Thank you." Asmodeus muttered as he slowly lifted his head to look at the people who had saved him.


    The purple-haired man was an unfamiliar face. He checked everyone one by one and suddenly... His eyes widened when he saw Jian Wang.


    "J-Jian Wang! Cough!" He spat a mouthful of blood.

 Chapter 530: We Need More People

    <h4>Chapter 530: We Need More People</h4>


    "Take it easy, man!" Aren whispered as he patted Asmodeus'' shoulder.


    "I can''t believe we met two of the three Celestial Emperors the moment we went out of seclusion. Hehe." Ice smiled widely as she stared at Jian Wang and Asmodeus. She had heard about the stories of the three Celestial Emperors from Jiu Shen.


    The others nodded their heads in agreement. These two were the strongest beings in the Primordial God Realm, but two of them were gathered in the dragon building!


    Asmodeus ignored them and stared at Jian Wang as he slowly rose to his feet. He had already recovered a portion of his true essence and spiritual power after eating the pill given by Aren.


    "Jian Wang, the entrance is about to open! By my estimates, the Sealing Array Formation that I created wouldn''t be able to hold back the Infernals! In two days, billions of Infernals woulde out behind the entrance and destroy the peace of this ce!" Asmodeus was still agitated. The Infernals that he sealed this time were many times stronger than the ones before! There was even Wuka who had risen to the ranks of the Celestial God Realm! The only one who could stop that beast was Jian Wang! Even Lao Gou might have a hard time fighting against it!


    Jian Wang frowned when he saw the state of Asmodeus. "What are the levels of the Infernals behind the entrance?" He asked in a solemn tone.


    Asmodeus'' expression turned grim as he replied. "There are trillions of them currently trapped in Hell. The first wave that woulde out isprised of Supreme God Realm Infernals and True God Realm Infernals, but the bulk of them should be at the Mystic God Realm! However, the most pressing matter is Wuka, the High Chieftain of the Infernals. He had already stepped into the ranks of the Celestial Emperors!"


    Hearing his words, everyone inside the cultivation hall gasped in surprise. Only Jiu Shen and Jian Wang managed to remain calm.


    "An Infernal has stepped into the Celestial God Realm?" Jiu Shen muttered with eyebrows furrowed. Even he failed to step into this realm, so this High Chieftain Wuka must be a terrifying individual!


    Asmodeus stared at the man who had just spoken and when his eyes scanned the man with long silver hair, he revealed a look of surprise, but he hurriedly concealed it.


    "This matter is too dangerous to be ignored. We must inform everyone in the desert region about this immediately and ask for their help in repelling the Infernals." Jian Wang was confident that he could stop the High Chieftain of the Infernals, but he couldn''t stop the whole army on his own. They needed the help of many experts top to prevent the Infernals from wreaking havoc!


    "I have many friends here, so I''ll inform them about this. I believe that they would help us since the safety of the desert region is at stake! I''ll take my leave first." Furion took out hismunication crystal and swiftly called his old buddies.


    "The strength of the desert region''s forces might not be enough to stop those Infernals. We need the help of those major powers from the Central Lands! Jian Wang, can you call some of your old friends toe here?" Asmodeus stared at Jian Wang with an imploring look.


    Jian Wang nodded his head. "Alright, but I only have a few friends, so I can''t promise anything. Among my contacts, four or five of them should be willing to help us."


    The situation wasn''t favorable for them. Jian Wang was the only fighting force that could rival Wuka since Asmodeus was still in the process of healing. The desert region''s forces were also significantly weaker than the Infernals so the fight would be a bitter battle!


    ''If I don''t help them, the desert region would have major casualties and it would severely impact the future of my wine store. I can''t allow this to happen.'' Jiu Shen thought to himself.


    "I can summon my people to aid you guys in repelling the Infernals." The Heavenly Sword Tower now had more than twenty Heavenly God Realm experts after the one-hundred-year seclusion. All of their disciples also had a qualitative increase in their power! They could already rival the forces in the Central Lands!


    "Good!" Asmodeus nodded his head.


    "You should recuperate for now. Leave this matter to us. You''ve already done enough." Jian Wang said as he looked at Asmodeus. The man''s dantian was severely damaged and even his soul had received a significant injury. If he tried to forcefully use his power, his cultivation might regress!


    Asmodeus knew that he was right, so he nodded his head. "Alright. I''ll leave this in your hands."


    "Let''s assemble the army outside Hard Rock City!" Jian Wang turned his gaze towards Jiu Shen. Thetter nodded his head in understanding.


    "Alright. I''ll call my people and tell them to prepare." Jiu Shen took out hismunication crystal and contacted Ren Shuang.


    ***


    The whole desert region was stunned by the news about the re-emergence of the entrance of Hell. A few old beings who had survived the past invasion of the Infernals came out of seclusion to verify the information.


    It was then that Sword God Jian Wang appeared and vouched for the authenticity of this matter.


    This explosive news spread like wildfire throughout the Primordial God Realm. Information about the Infernals was then unearthed and shown to the public, making everyone feel nervous about the iing disaster. The people became uncertain about what could happen in theing days...


    The whole Primordial God Realm was in turmoil. Many weaker sects and families fled from the desert region. They would only be cannon fodder if they stubbornly remained...


    Meanwhile, in the golden tower of the Celestial Paragon Tower, Lao Gou stood on the balcony of his private hall, overlooking the horizon. "Jian Wang, Asmodeus, I''ll leave those Infernals in your hands! Hahaha! I hope that those creatures could at least damage you two! By then, you won''t pose a problem to me anymore! Hahaha!" He grinned wickedly.

 Chapter 531: Gathering of Peak Experts

    <h4>Chapter 531: Gathering of Peak Experts</h4>


    Six major powers responded to the calls of Jian Wang and Furion. All of them came from the Central Lands. The moment they heard about the re-emergence of the entrance of Hell, they immediately dispatched a huge portion of their subordinates and personally led their men to the desert region!


    Chu Nanshen, Family Head of the Chu Family. Peak stage Heavenly God Realm.


    Ouyang Kai, Sect Master of the Bamboo Immortal Mountain. Peak stage Heavenly God Realm expert.


    Thaibul, Leader of the Primordial Mercenary Alliance. Peak stage of the Heavenly God Realm.


    Ai Chen, Pavilion Mistress of the Heavenly Melody Pavilion. Peak stage of the Heavenly God Realm.


    Ri Kushou, Great General of the Armored Wyvern Army. Peak stage of the Heavenly God Realm.


    Shin Kasim, Great Lord of the Immortal Peak Castle. Peak stage of the Heavenly God Realm.


    Each of these six top experts brought one million of their strongest subordinates. With the presence of the six great armies, the anxiety of the desert region''s people was somehow lessened.


    Other than the six of them, many powerhouses also came to show their support and dozens of hidden old beings surfaced one by one. Everyone cheered for their timely appearance.


    With the gathering of so many experts, everyone felt hopeful. It was then that two people appeared, slowly descending in front of the allied forces.


    One was a middle-aged man with ck hair. A sword was strapped behind his back. His sharp gaze swept through the crowd, causing everyone to lower their heads.


    The other one was a young man with long silver hair. He was wearing a white robe with golden embroidery. A huge heavy sword that emanated an aura of darkness and chaos was tied behind him. His handsome facial features and cold demeanor made him look like an unapproachable deity!


    Upon the arrival of these two individuals, the huge crowd of experts quieted down as if to show respect to the higher beings.


    "Hey. Who are those two? I felt a chill when I tried peeking at their faces¡­"


    "I don''t know, but look at the six great leaders. They didn''t even dare lift their heads at the presence of those two men! I think one of them is Sword God Jian Wang!"


    "Sword God Jian Wang? Then that''s understandable. Only someone like him would have this kind of overwhelming dignity and charisma! However, who is the other person?"


    "Who knows?"


    Jian Wang walked toward the six great leaders and smiled at them.


    Seeing this, the six leaders exchanged nces of jubnce and came forward. "Greetings, Sword God Jian Wang! It has been a long time since west saw you!"


    The six of them were among the experts who fought with the Infernals when they first invaded the Primordial God Realm! They were happy to see Jian Wang, the man who led them in defeating the ferocious invaders!


    Jian Wang smiled and waved his hand. "No need for formalities. The six of you are one of the people that I, Jian Wang, consider as friends!"


    Hearing this, the six could hardly contain the smiles on their faces. These were genuine wordsing from the strongest man of the Primordial God Realm! How could they not be moved?


    "Oh, by the way. This man right here is Jiu Shen, the owner of the Immortal''s Wine Store and the Sect Master of the Heavenly Sword Tower. You guys might not have heard of him yet since this guy was in seclusion for a very long time." Jian Wang introduced the quiet young man behind him.


    The eyes of the six great leaders moved towards the silver-haired human behind Jian Wang. This man was incredibly handsome and Ai Chen, the only woman among the six leaders was stunned at the sight of his peerless figure. If not for her strong sense of control and high level of spiritual power, she would have already revealed a smitten expression!


    Jiu Shen turned his gaze at them and nodded his head as a greeting. "It''s a pleasure to meet you." He said in a calm voice.


    The six great leaders sized up the young man and tried to gauge his power. However, no matter how hard they tried, they failed to sense how strong he was!


    The faces of the six experts changed. They would only fail in identifying someone''s power if the other party was so much stronger than them! Could it be that this young man was actually a hidden Celestial God Realm expert?!


    Jian Wang chuckled in his heart when he saw the expression of the six leaders. He knew that they had failed in discerning Jiu Shen''s power. ''Even I failed when I tried to probe him. At least this way, they will recognize Jiu Shen''s power.'' He muttered in his heart.


    In truth, Jian Wang was also unsure about Jiu Shen''s cultivation. He wanted to ask the man, but he knew that it wasn''t right to ask about such a personal matter. If he truly wanted to tell them about his power, he would have already told everyone about it. Jian Wang believed that Jiu Shen wanted to keep this a secret.


    "So it''s Wine Master Jiu Shen! I''ve heard of your great name from one of my subordinates! ording to them, your wine store sells wines with effects simr to godly pills! Truly impressive!"


    The six great leaders warmed up to Jiu Shen when they realized his mysterious power. They also thought that Jian Wang shared a deep friendship with him since they came together. Just these two reasons were enough for them to befriend this man.


    Jiu Shen smiled helplessly at the passionate words of the six leaders. He nced at Jian Wang imploringly, but the man ignored him. ''Is this his revenge for making him wait for a century?''


    After making Jiu Shen suffer for a few minutes, Jian Wang finally spoke. "Alright, that''s enough. We can talk about friendshipter, but we have important matters to settle first. I hope that the six of you will help us in unifying the allied forces. I''m not good at managing armies, so I can only pass this work to you guys."


    "No problem! You can count on us, Sword God Jian Wang!" The six leaders nodded their heads confidently.


    "Good!"

 Chapter 532: Ai Chen’s Distress

    <h4>Chapter 532: Ai Chen¡¯s Distress</h4>


    With the help of the six great leaders, the allied forces that came to the desert region were unified. More than a hundred million soldiers from different factions stood in attention under the stern gazes of their leaders. All of them were prepared for theing of the Infernals!


    "Jiu Shen, our numbers are stillckingpared to the Infernals. It would be a tough battle for our soldiers." Jian Wang said as he stared at the huge army of soldiers.


    Jiu Shen directed his gaze toward the soldiers. They might be strong, but the Infernals numbered in billions! They would be overwhelmed if they fought an army of that size! "We can only use the remaining time to create Array Formations to support our soldiers. I heard that Pavilion Mistress Ai Chen and her Heavenly Melody Pavilion are experts in Array Formation Making. I''ll instruct them to make Array Formations."


    Jian Wang nodded his head. Time was tight, but they didn''t have any other choice. They could only supplement theck of soldiers with Array Formations. Luckily, Heavenly Melody Pavilion answered their call for support.


    Jiu Shen searched for Ai Chen among the crowd and found her talking with a few leaders. She was truly beautiful and even Jiu Shen could not help but praise her beauty in his heart.


    She was crowded by the leaders of multiple factions. Jiu Shen could sense that she was in distress. ''Beauty is a blessing, but also a curse...'' He sighed in his heart.


    He walked toward the group with confident strides. A gentle smile covered his face. "Miss Ai Chen, can I take some of your time?"


    ***


    Ai Chen was feeling slightly troubled. She was forced tomunicate with a bunch of old experts due to their circumstances. She felt a bit annoyed, but she could only hold it in since she was the weakest among the six great leaders. Her Heavenly Melody Pavilion wasn''t known for its fighting prowess. They were skilled in Array Formation Making, Weapon Crafting, and Alchemy. In the fight against the Infernals, they would y the role of support.


    "Sect Mistress Ai Chen, after this war, I hope you would allow me to enter the gates of your Heavenly Melody Pavilion." A middle-aged man said as he looked at Ai Chen''s perfect figure. Her thin white robes stuck closely to her body, exposing a bit of her slim waist and plump bosom.


    Many leaders from strong factions showed great interest in her. There were only a few women who could rival Ai Chen''s beauty and achievements!


    Ai Chen felt ufortable when she sensed the gazes of the leaders, but she could only endure it helplessly. "The doors of my Heavenly Melody Pavilion are always open to our friends!" Her voice was reminiscent of the chiming of divine bells, soothing and filled with allure.


    Suddenly, a calm voice interrupted everyone''s passion. "Miss Ai Chen, can I take some of your time?"


    Everyone turned their gazes in the same direction. Who was daring enough to snatch the prey from multiple peak experts?


    When they saw the face of the man, their eyes narrowed.


    Jiu Shen. They have heard of his name from the mouths of the six great leaders. He was the owner of the Immortal''s Wine Store, a mysterious wine store in the desert region. He also shared a friendship with the strongest man alive!


    Looking at him, the faces of the leaders drastically changed. They couldn''t offend this man for a mere woman, so they chose to step back.


    Ai Chen was relieved when he heard the familiar voice. She couldn''t forget it. They just met some time ago, but she felt as if they had known each other for a long time. ''He shares the same name with my sword teacher...'' She thought to herself as he recalled a peerless figure from her deepest memory. His sword teachings were deeply imprinted in her heart.


    She stared at the handsome face with a smile filled with gratitude. "Wine Master Jiu Shen! Of course!" Ai Chen said as she followed him.


    The leaders could only stare at the pair in jealousy. They shook their heads in regret.


    "Too bad! The enemy is someone we can''t afford to provoke."


    "It doesn''t matter. Maybe he''ll die in theing war..." Someone snickered in a spiteful voice.


    Ai Chen stared at Jiu Shen''s side profile. She wondered why this man was looking for her.


    Jiu Shen abruptly stopped and turned his gaze towards the stunned Ai Chen. "Miss Ai Chen, I won''t beat around the bush, I need the help of your Heavenly Melody Pavilion to set up Array Formations near the entrance."


    Hearing this, Ai Chen felt it was incredulous. He knows where the entrance is?


    The entrance of Hell appears in random locations, so pinpointing the exact coordinates of the entrance was impossible. Unless Asmodeus was present to help them!


    ''Could it be that Celestial Emperor Asmodeus is here?'' Ai Chen felt excited at the thought of it. He was the man she revered the most other than her sword teacher. Asmodeus was the only Celestial-rank Array Formation Maker in the Primordial God Realm!


    Ai Chen cleared her thoughts. It wasn''t the best time to think about other things. She stared at Jiu Shen and answered. "Alright. Just tell me the coordinates of the entrance and I will my people set up the Array Formations immediately."


    Jiu Shen smiled upon hearing this. "Great! Follow me, Miss Ai Chen. I''ll bring you there personally. The entrance of Hell will open soon, so I will have my Heavenly Sword Tower guard your subordinates."


    Heavenly Sword Tower.


    ''Oh, right! He was also the Sect Master of a hidden sect!'' She wondered how strong Jiu Shen''s subordinates were.


    "Then please lead the way, Wine Master Jiu Shen!" She said with a look of anticipation.


    Jiu Shen nodded and led her to the coordinates mentioned by Asmodeus. The location wasn''t far from Hard Rock City.


    "It should be around here." Jiu Shen said. He could sense a strong disturbance in this area. He believed that this was rted to the emergence of the entrance.

 Chapter 533: Preparation

    <h4>Chapter 533: Preparation</h4>


    Ai Chen had a strong spiritual power, so she was more sensitive to danger. She could sense the bloody aura in this area and it made her feel a bit ufortable.


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen, I''ll call my people immediately and have them make Array Formations in this ce." She said as she took out amunication crystal.


    "Alright." Jiu Shen nodded. He then told his subordinates to make haste towards his location. The Heavenly Melody Pavilion was weak in terms of martial prowess, so he volunteered to guard them.


    Soon, Jiu Shen''s subordinates arrived.


    "Greetings, Sect Master!" They bowed towards Jiu Shen.


    Ai Chen swept her gaze toward the group that arrived. There were only about ten thousand of them, but their strong auras stunned her. She could even sense that the leading figures among this group could take care of her in just a few moves!


    ''So this is the power of his Heavenly Sword Tower! Amazing!'' She was impressed by the individual prowess of Jiu Shen''s subordinates.


    Suddenly, she felt an ominous gaze looking at her. She shivered and moved her gaze towards the figure of a blonde-haired woman wearing dark battle armor. A mixture of coldness and mncholy can be seen on her goddess-like face.


    ''How beautiful!'' Ai Chen eximed in her heart when she spotted Theia. It was the first time she felt that her beauty was inferior to someone, but why is she looking at me like that? She thought to herself in confusion.


    Theia frowned as she red at Ai Chen, but soon, her face turned gentle. ''Sister Ai Chen!''


    Ai Chen was someone who shared a deep rtionship with her. They shared the same sorrow when they were turned down by Jiu Shen when they asked him to take them as his disciples. They shared amon bond and treated each other as sisters. Sadly, they were forced to move apart because Theia was forcibly taken away by Celestial Emperor Lao Gou who desired her beauty.


    Ai Chen suddenly understood something. ''Maybe she is Wine Master Jiu Shen''s lover.''


    To prevent dispute among them, Ai Chen smiled and walked toward Theia. She took her hands and held them gently as she chuckled. "Don''t worry, beautiful sister. Wine Master Jiu Shen only asked for my help to set up Array Formations here."


    Theia almost cried when she heard the gentle voice and her familiar scent.


    Theia wanted to tell Ai Chen about her identity, but she knew that it wasn''t the right time yet. Jiu Shen had just recovered his power and his cultivation was still much weaker than Celestial Emperor Lao Gou. If she disclosed her identity, Jiu Shen might suffer. ''I''m sorry, Sister Ai Chen, but I can''t tell you my identity for now...''


    Theia put on a cold expression and swatted her hand. She put on a distance between them and muttered. "As long as you know your ce." Her tone wasced with anger.


    Ai Chen smiled awkwardly at Theia. It looks like Wine Master Jiu Shen is already a married man. What a pity!


    The atmosphere became weird at that moment, but luckily, Ai Chen''s subordinates arrived in a timely manner to defuse the tense atmosphere.


    "Greetings, Pavilion Mistress!" More than one million people dressed in white robes saluted Ai Chen respectfully.


    Ai Chen put on a stern look in front of her subordinates. She then announced. "The entrance of Hell will emerge in this location!"


    Her words stunned the members of the Heavenly Melody Pavilion.


    "The entrance of Hell?"


    "What?!"


    Ai Chen raised her hand and continued. "Our task is to create Battle Array Formations and Weakening Array Formations in one day! The emergence of the entrance ising closer and we don''t have much time, so we could only create as many as we can! Move in groups of one hundred and start creating the Array Formations!"


    She didn''t give them time to gather their thoughts and swiftly issued hermand. Ai Chen''s stern voice echoed throughout the area, temporarily easing the nervousness of her subordinates.


    "Yes, Pavilion Mistress!" They answered in unison.


    After giving themand to her subordinates, Ai Chen moved toward Jiu Shen and said. "Wine Master Jiu Shen, I will also help my people in creating the Array Formations. I''ll leave our safety in your hands."


    Jiu Shen nodded his head at her. "No problem!"


    After getting his answer, Ai Chen turned her gaze towards Theia before she left. "Strange. She seems familiar..." She muttered silently.


    Looking at her disappearing figure, Theia sighed in her heart. She then felt her body being enveloped in a warm embrace as a gentle voice drifted to her ears. "It wouldn''t be long before you can talk with her like before. Just endure for a bit longer..."


    Theia nodded her head meekly. "I understand."


    Everyone from the Heavenly Sword Tower moved their gazes away from the couple. They knew that Theia would punish them if they carelessly provoke her in this situation.


    Jiu Shen nced at his subordinates and said. "Our duty is to maintain the safety of the Heavenly Melody Pavilion. Go! Move out!"


    Everyone dispersed in different directions and secretly monitored the safety of the area.


    The Heavenly Melody Pavilion was truly a powerhouse in the field of Array Formation Making. In just a few hours, they managed to make thousands of Battle Array Formations and Weakening Array Formations! Even Jiu Shen''s subordinates were impressed by their skills!


    With thebined effort of more than one million Array Formation Makers, one hundred thousand Array Formations were built in just one day! That amount was enough to hold down millions upon millions of Infernals!


    The members of the Heavenly Melody Pavilion were exhausted after one whole day of making Array Formations, but they were happy about their contributions to the allied force. They were also thankful to the Heavenly Sword Tower who prevented others from causing them trouble.


    "Good job, everyone! However, we can''t rest here! Let''s head back to the camp of the allied force!" Ai Chen said in a loud voice.

 Chapter 534: Emergence of the Entrance

    <h4>Chapter 534: Emergence of the Entrance</h4>


    The preparation has been made, but everyone was still nervous as they waited for the emergence of the entrance.


    Tens of millions of experts scattered throughout the desert region stood anxiously as they held their weapons. They were already told that there would be billions upon billions of Infernalsing from Hell!


    Jian Wang saw the nervousness behind the solemn expressions of the soldiers. With his high spiritual power, they couldn''t hide their emotions from him. ''The allied force''s morale is dwindling despite the efforts of the six great leaders. They can''t be med. It is already good that none of them fled.'' He muttered in his heart as he grabbed a few items from his space ring.


    Battle armor, helmet, leg guards, boots, battle cape, and gauntlets. "It has been a long time since Ist use these items. Now is the perfect time to use them again." He smiled as he put on the battle gears.


    Jian Wang''s figure became even more dignified. His crimson battle gear made him look like a war god!


    Jiu Shen who was standing beside him could not help but admire the man''s charisma. After putting on his armor, his overall aura changed considerably! ''It is indeed too much to wear robes against the Infernals.'' Jiu Shen thought to himself as he nced at his exquisite white robes with golden embroidery. It was safe to say that his current clothing wasn''t meant for battle.


    Jiu Shen was also a Weapon Crafter and he had already made a set of battle gear for himself. He took it out from his space earring and changed into it. His battle gear was different from Jian Wang''s.


    Pristine white armor with archaic golden engravings. A golden general''s cape fluttered behind his back.


    Jiu Shen then tied his long silver hair in a ponytail. "Much better." He muttered.


    He looked great in his battle armor. The only issue was the color difference of his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword, but he didn''t take it to heart.


    It was then that the sky above the desert region suddenly darkened!


    Om!


    A huge rift gradually revealed itself under the dark clouds bringing with it a gloomy aura!


    Roaarr!!!


    Roaarr!!!


    Everyone could hear the enraged roars behind the rift and some weaker soldiers shivered upon hearing the creepy cries of the beasts.


    "The entrance! Everyone prepare for battle!"


    "Pavilion Mistress Ai Chen, please activate the Array Formations!"


    Ai Chen nodded her head and instructed her subordinates to activate the Array Formations.


    There were tens of thousands of Array Formations that needed to be activated and the energy required to continuously operate them was enormous! The Heavenly Melody Pavilion might be amongst the wealthiest major powers, but they couldn''t handle the massive expenditure. Luckily, many major powers volunteered to share the expenses with them.


    When the Array Formations were activated, the magic symbols lit up, brightening the pitch-ck sky.


    Everyone was reassured when they sensed the power behind the Array Formations.


    There was no Celestial-rank Array Formation and most of them were at the Heavenly-rank, but it was already enough to slow down the Infernals!


    A huge figure suddenly came out from the rift. It was a creature that looked no different than the typical demonic species, but this being had the aura of brutality and chaos! It had a malevolent facial feature and a strong body covered in armor-like scales!


    The ferocious creature swept its cold gaze towards the army down below. It then revealed a hideous smile before it emitted an ear-piercing cry that shook the heavens!


    ROOOAARR!!!


    More and more creatures abruptly came out of the rift following its sharp roar!


    "Everyone, take out your long-ranged weapons and fire!"


    "Kill them!"


    The experts of the Primordial God Realmunched their attacks towards the skies, causing the battlefield to be illuminated by brilliant rays of multi-colored lights!


    BANG!


    BOOM!


    Destructive explosions rang out following the offensive strikes of the soldiers!


    The Array Formations also did their work in preventing the Infernals from moving closer. It made the beasts turn mad with rage!


    With the fierce offensive attacks from the soldiers, the Infernals failed to breach the formation of the allied force. The exchange continued for several hours, but the Infernals showed no signs of stopping their charge!


    "Shit! Those beasts are not even retreating despite their huge number of casualties! Are they not afraid of death?!"


    "Our soldiers have consumed so much of their true essence. We can''t continue this kind of offense for long!"


    "Melee attackers, prepare yourselves!"


    Everyone held their breaths as they stared at the clouds. More and more Infernals descended and their numbers were slowly increasing!


    This was just the first force sent by the Infernals, but they had already almost consumed their true essence! If not for the support of the Array Formations, their defensive line would have already been breached by those ferocious creatures!


    Rooaarr!!


    Rooaarr!!


    Dozens of Infernal Chieftains appeared and struck the Array Formations!


    Boom!


    Booom!


    Looking at this, Ai Chen''s gaze turned cold as she raised a signal to her subordinates. "Do it!"


    Her subordinates nodded and activated the self-destruct options of the remaining Array Formations near the Infernal Chieftains!


    BAAANNG!!


    A huge cluster of smoke and dust covered the epicenter of the explosion.


    "Great! That should have killed hundreds of those high-level Chieftains!"


    "Impressive work, Pavilion Mistress Ai Chen!"


    However, in the middle of their jubnt cheers, an overwhelming power suddenly descended on the remaining Array Formations, destroying them!


    BAAANG!!


    "What was that?!"


    "What the hell!"


    Everyone was horrified by the strike. That power alone was enough to decimate arge part of their army. It was a good thing that they weren''t the target of the attack, but since the Array Formations have already been destroyed, the battle would only be a lot fiercer from this moment!


    Jian Wang squinted his eyes and stared at the silhouette of a huge creature hidden behind the cloud of dust. "That must be Wuka, the High Chieftain of the Infernals..." He muttered in a solemn voice.

 Chapter 535: Mission

    <h4>Chapter 535: Mission</h4>


    The faces of the members of the Heavenly Melody Pavilion fell when the Array Formations were destroyed. They were the ones controlling the Array Formations so they received a considerable amount of damage when everything was ruined.


    Ai Chen who was in control of about a hundred Array Formations spat a mouthful of blood and staggered weakly before she fell to the ground with a pale face. "T-That power... I-It is at t-the level of the Celestial Emperors!" She eximed as she looked at the sky with horror.


    "What?! There''s a Celestial Emperor among the Infernals?! No way!"


    "This can''t be! How is this possible?!"


    Some leaders lost theirposure when they heard Ai Chen''s words. Even the bravest among them faltered.


    It was at this moment that Jiu Shen suddenly received a notification from the system which had been silent for many decades.


    Ding!


    Mission Objective: Kill the High Chieftain Wuka!


    Mission Details: High Chieftain Wuka''s presence brought a considerable loss of morale among the allied force. Kill him to prevent chaos within the army!


    Mission Rewards: Glimpse of the 4th Heart Realm


    ''This!'' Jiu Shen''s eyes shed when he saw the reward of the mission. "Glimpse of the 4th Heart Realm?" He muttered in disbelief.


    He had been stuck in the 3rd Heart Realm for many years, preventing him from bing a Celestial God Realm expert. He spend millions of years pondering upon the mysteries of the 4th Heart Realm and he even stole a written document rted to the 4th Heart Realm from Celestial Emperor Lao Gou.


    It was also where he learned about the details of Heartless Void. The gateway of the 4th Heart Realm! ording to the document written by Lao Gou, he abandonedpassion to reach the 4th Heart Realm and it was also for this reason that he named it ''Heartless Void''.


    Jiu Shen couldn''t believe that he could acquire the chance of reaching the impossible stage by killing a Celestial God Realm Infernal High Chieftain!


    "I think it''s time for me to make a move." He snapped out of his daze when he heard Jian Wang''s words. Jiu Shen turned his head and saw the man preparing himself to battle High Chieftain Wuka, but before he could step into the air, Jiu Shen grabbed his shoulder and said.


    "Sword God Jian Wang, leave this battle to me. In return, I hope that you can minimize the losses of the allied army."


    Jian Wang narrowed his eyes when he heard the calm voice. ''He wants to fight Wuka by himself? Did he already step into the Celestial God Realm?''


    He looked at Jiu Shen and saw his unchanging expression of indifference. "Alright. I''ll leave him in your hands." Jian Wang nodded his head.


    Jiu Shen thanked him before he soared through the skies. He pulled out his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword and swung it towards the stray Infernals that blocked his path!


    Jian Wang looked at his figure in admiration. He then turned his gaze towards the restless allied army and shouted. "Wine Master Jiu Shen has volunteered to take out the head of the Infernal''s leader! Follow his charge and destroy the Infernals!"


    The dim eyes of the soldiers suddenly lit up. They nced above the clouds and saw a figure dressed in pristine white armor holding a terrifying sword. He was casually brandishing his sword, dicing Infernals as if they were vegetables!


    Looking at this scene, the soldiers of the allied army regained theirposure.


    "Follow Wine Master Jiu Shen!"


    "Kill the Infernals!"


    "Charge!"


    With their morale recovered, the soldiers fearlessly followed Jian Wang and charge toward the ferocious army of Infernals!


    It was a bloodbath!


    Corpses from both sides fell from the sky as the battle raged on.


    Jian Wang did as he promised and prevented major casualties within the allied army. However, despite his efforts, some soldiers still died from the overwhelming barrage of attacks from the Infernals.


    A scene of carnage was witnessed by everyone as they watched the battle above them. Blood from the fallen warriors fell from the skies, causing the desert region to be enveloped with an atmosphere of death!


    ***


    "Hm?" High Chieftain Wuka moved his gaze and saw a man dressed in white armor. His golden cape fluttered along with the wins. The man''s expression was indiscernible because of the helmet that fully covered his face. Only his golden pair of eyes can be seen, emanating a brilliant glow.


    Jiu Shen stared at the towering beast in front of him. He could sense a terrorizing auraing from this creature. He was certain this was Wuka, the High Chieftain of the Infernals!


    "Human, you''re quite brave toe here alone! Do you want to challenge me?!" Wuka''s loud voice echoed in all directions. He red at Jiu Shen with eyes filled with killing intent. He believed that this human is one of the leaders of the Primordial God Realm.


    "I can finally test out the extent of my powers. I''m d that you''ve chosen to invade the Primordial God Realm. Show me the strength of a Celestial!" Jiu Shen pointed his sword tauntingly at Wuka.


    "Arrogant human! Die!" Wuka bellowed in rage as he pounced toward Jiu Shen. He then raised his fist, causing his muscles to expand, and a fearsome amount of power gathered into his fist!


    Jiu Shen didn''t falter and executed his sword techniques to counter the horrifying fist. Dark embers of light covered the body of his sword as he brandished it.


    ROOAARR!!


    A draconic cry resounded as the Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword emitted a dull ck glow. The archaic carvings on the sword lit up, providing Jiu Shen with an endless amount of energy!


    The sword and the fist collided, causing the space around them to copse!


    BOOOOMMM!!!


    A loud, earth-shattering sonic boom erupted above the skies, rattling everyone on the battlefield!


    This was the result of two peak experts battling each other! The Primordial God Realm would have been destroyed if it was an ordinary world...


    Everyone could not help but think.


    Is Wine Master Jiu Shen a Celestial?

 Chapter 536: Phlegm of the Undying Venom Dragon

    <h4>Chapter 536: Phlegm of the Undying Venom Dragon</h4>


    Jian Wang waved his hand and created a force field to prevent the allied army from being affected by the sh of Jiu Shen and Wuka. He wanted to watch their battle, but he still had to ensure the safety of the allied army.


    "Too bad, I can''t watch them..." He muttered in regret.


    The dark gloomy clouds prevented everyone from seeing the battle between Jiu Shen and Wuka. Even those with strong spiritual power couldn''t perceive what was happening behind the clouds.


    Meanwhile, a blonde-haired woman wearing dark battle armor appeared in front of Ai Chen and handed a small pill to her. "Take this. You will recover your spiritual power if you drink this."


    Ai Chen lifted her head in shock. Isn''t this Miss Theia? Ai Chen was a bit confused by her kind gesture, but surprisingly, she didn''t decline the pill given to her.


    "Thank you." She muttered while looking at the face that was even more beautiful than her own.


    Theia put on a cold face as she said. "Stabilize your Heavenly Melody Pavilion. The allied army will copse without their support."


    Ai Chen nodded her head and stood up. "Alright. I''ll leave first."


    Theia stared at her back with aplicated look on her face. She thenmunicated with the others using hermunication crystal. "Protect the people from the Heavenly Melody Pavilion."


    "Roger!"


    Theia moved her gaze towards the battlefield. More and more Infernals came down and battled with the allied army. Their tenacious physique proved to be superior, pushing back the allied army. If not for Jian Wang''s presence, many of them would have already died!


    ***


    Jiu Shen was impressed by Wuka''s physical prowess. From the looks of it, this guy managed to be a Celestial God Realm expert by training his physical body! He couldn''t help but be impressed by Wuka''s natural talent.


    "You are weaker than Asmodeus, but you still managed to withstand my blows with your weak body! Human, I acknowledge your power! Tell me your name before I kill you!" Wuka nced at Jiu Shen with a piercing gaze.


    ''Indeed. I''m still weak since I am not yet a Celestial, but I have better equipment than you. Besides, I''ve already fought someone stronger than you.'' Jiu Shen thought to himself as he red at the High Chieftain.


    "Jiu Shen! Remember that name and bring it with you in your death!" Jiu Shen lifted his sword and executed his strongest sword move.


    ''It has been a long time since Ist used this move.''


    A huge ck dragon surrounded by dark mes suddenly emerged, flying towards Wuka with its mouth wide open.


    ROOAAR!!


    Hm?


    Wuka felt threatened when he saw the ck dragon. He controlled his anma and covered his whole body. He then pounced at the ck dragon.


    "Parlor tricks!" He shouted as he gathered his anma on his fist.


    Boom!


    Looking at this, Jiu Shen let out a smile and took out a vial filled with a strange substance. "I can finally use this."


    This was an item he got in Nuar. The spit of an ancient creature that caused chaos in the Primordial God Realm millions of years ago, the Undying Venom Dragon!


    Jiu Shen uncovered the vial and poured the contents into his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword. He sensed the sword''s unwillingness, but he reassured it.


    His sword was made from Celestial-rank materials so it should be able to handle the corrosive nature of Undying Venom Dragon''s phlegm.


    Its corrosive ability should be enough to weaken the High Chieftain Wuka!


    Jiu Shen brandished his sword once more and aimed at Wuka''s neck. "Temporal Sword Wave." He muttered.


    This was his fastest sword technique!


    A sword wave that carried the poisonous phlegm of the Undying Venom Dragon approached the neck of the towering Wuka.


    Wuka felt a chill and he unconsciously dodged to the side, but his shoulder was hit by a huge impact and bled profusely.


    Wuka nced at the deepceration on his shoulder. He frowned when he discovered that the wound wasn''t closing.


    He prided himself on his superior physical prowess. His recovery ability was the best among the trillions of Infernals! However, the wound that he got from Jiu Shen''s sword didn''t heal.


    "Poison?" Wuka sensed the burning sensation on his shoulder, spreading through his body.


    The angry beast turned his gaze towards Jiu Shen and let out a furious roar.


    ROOAARR!!


    "You filthy human! You poisoned me! Die!!" Wuka lost his cool after being poisoned by Jiu Shen. He exploded with power, causing the surroundings to vibrate.


    He released a powerful strike with great momentum. He was truly incensed this time. He branded Jiu Shen as a coward in his mind. Only cowards like him would poison their opponents in frontalbat!


    ''His movements became sluggish and his speed is slower than before. I have a chance to defeat him!'' Jiu Shen nimbly evaded the punch aiming for his head and did a spinning sword strike.


    Puchi!


    Arrghh!


    Wuka looked down and saw his bleeding torso. Another sword wound can be seen on his chest. The poison from the Undying Venom Dragon was slowly spreading to his body, causing damage to his internal organs. His terrifying face had a pained expression as he spat a mouthful of blood.


    ''Will I be defeated by this cowardly human!? I can''t ept this! Arrghh!!''


    Wuka''s eyes turned red as he entered into a berserk state. His muscles becamerger, emitting an oppressive aura!


    ROOOAAARRR!!


    Jiu Shen sensed the sharp increase in Wuka''s power. It was already on the level of Lao Gou''s cultivation! ''If he had a Celestial-rank weapon, this battle wouldn''t be like this.''


    Jiu Shen knew that he wouldn''t be Wuka''s opponent without his weapon.


    A pair of wrathful eyes red at Jiu Shen, making him feel slightly perturbed.


    Wuka swung his fist with full force, ignoring the poison that was spreading inside his body.


    The punch was so fast that Jiu Shen couldn''t evade it. He lifted his sword and used it as a shield.


    BOOOOM!!


    Jiu Shen was thrown thousands of meters away. His sword almost slipped from his grip. His arms felt numb after blocking the aggressive strike.

 Chapter 537: Lao Gou’s Ambition

    <h4>Chapter 537: Lao Gou¡¯s Ambition</h4>


    Jiu Shen''s face hardened after being knocked away by Wuka who was already suffering from being poisoned.


    This was the second time he was overpowered in a frontal sh against someone after Lao Gou. The feeling of weakness was new to Jiu Shen who was used to defeating his opponents with ease.


    ''The realm of the Celestial Emperors is truly different. When I was in Nuar, I can fight opponents who are several realms higher than me because of my vast experience and advanced sword techniques. However, the power of a Celestial God Realm expert is something that couldn''t be surmounted by normal means...'' Jiu Shen muttered in his heart.


    Wuka who had lost his sense of reason didn''t give Jiu Shen the time to think. He released blows after blows that caused violent explosions.


    The armor that Jiu Shen made was only at the peak of the Heavenly-rank, so it received heavy damage under the barrage of attacks from the enraged High Chieftain Wuka.


    Despite the severe injuries in his body, Jiu Shen remained calm throughout the battle. He evaded and blocked the heavy attacks while also counterattacking asionally.


    More injuries covered Jiu Shen''s battered body, but he never let go of his sword. "ording to Asmodeus, this guy just advanced recently, but his raw power is almostparable to that old fart Lao Gou!"


    Suddenly, Jiu Shen noticed that the wounds on Wuka''s body were slowly healing.


    Wuka regained rity, but the rage in his eyes didn''t diminish. He red at Jiu Shen with a gaze full of hate and spite. "I will peel your skin and make ornaments out of your bones! ROOARR!! He bellowed while madly charging like a bull that had escaped its enclosure.


    Jiu Shen knew that he should finish this battle soon. He would be disadvantaged if Wuka''s wounds would be healed.


    Jiu Shen covered his body with anma and he also gathered his true essence to strengthen the Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword.


    "Now!" He decided to use his full strength to summon a powerful sword movement. He brandished his sword exquisitely, his movements akin to an immortal''s sword dance.


    A beautiful ray of light was emitted at the tip of his sword, producing a sharp keening sound that prated the clouds.


    Puchi!


    A huge hole appeared on Wuka''s chest, but the beast seemed unruffled by the deadly gaping wound. He grabbed Jiu Shen''s left shoulder and tore his arm with a savage expression.


    Rip!


    Jiu Shen gritted his teeth in pain. His left arm was torn down by Wuka and the beast even swallowed it with a ferocious look!


    Wuka licked his bloody lips and looked down at Jiu Shen who only have one arm. Blood gushed out from his left shoulder, making the man''s face dreadfully pale.


    Jiu Shen hurriedly distanced himself from Wuka while sealing the wounds on his body using anma. He managed to stop the bleeding, but the unbearable pain was still there.


    He was enveloped by a feeling of weakness.


    "How can I kill Lao Gou when I can''t even defeat a mere barbarian?!" Jiu Shen''s golden eyes shame. He grabbed a healing pill from his space and swallowed it down.


    The wounds on his body were slowly regenerating and flesh started to grow from his empty left shoulder.


    Soon, Jiu Shen fully regenerated his arm.


    With a face full of sweat, Jiu Shen pounced toward the injured Infernal High Chieftain and resumed his counterattack.


    ***


    "Celestial Emperor, we received news from our subordinates in the desert region. The entrance of hell has emerged and a Celestial God Realm Infernal High Chieftain is leading billions of his brethren to fight against the allied army gathered by Jian Wang." Valir reported in a solemn tone.


    Lao Gou disyed a look of interest upon hearing the report. "Oh? There''s actually a barbarian who managed to reach the realm of Celestials? Interesting..." He smiled as he stroked his beard.


    "Also, it is reported that there''s another man leading the allied army together with Lao Gou... Just that... this guy..." Valir was nervous and he found it hard to utter the name written on the document.


    Lao Gou''s eyes turned dark when he saw Valir''s hesitation. He grabbed the old man''s cor and spat out coldly. "Speak! Who is it!?"


    Valir felt scared when he met the eyes of Lao Gou. It was deep and terrifying! "J-Jiu Shen. It''s Wine Master Jiu Shen, the true owner of the wine store!" He answered right away.


    Lao Gou who had trained his heart realm to the fourth level almost failed to calm his agitation. The rage he felt towards that man was bone-deep. "Jiu Shen!? So you''re still alive?!"


    He released Valir''s cor and nced in the direction of the faraway desert region. He frowned as he muttered in a cold voice. "How did you resurrect? No. Who resurrected you? Jiu Shen... Just who are you?"


    Lao Gou wasn''t the least bit worried about the affairs of the desert region. Initially, he nned not to engage in battle with the Infernals and wait for Jian Wang to weaken himself. He would then kill the weakened Jian Wang and find Asmodeus who had already exhausted himself after sealing the entrance of Hell for millions of years.


    By then, he would be the sole powerhouse of the Primordial God Realm and would be revered by everyone as the strongest being!


    However, an unexpected variable suddenly appeared.


    Jiu Shen. The man he hated the most in this world. It was a name that he would never forget and haunted him for a long time! "I''ve killed you in the past. This time is no different!"


    "Valir, observe the battle in the desert region. If Jiu Shen is still alive after the war, bring Telu and the Celestial Paragon Tower''s army to destroy him! If anyone blocks your way, kill them all!"


    Valir shuddered when he heard themand. They might be hated by everyone if they followed Celestial Emperor Lao Gou''s order. However, he dared not decline when he saw the unreadable expression of Lao Gou. "Yes, Celestial Emperor!"

 Chapter 538: Wuka’s Insanity

    <h4>Chapter 538: Wuka¡¯s Insanity</h4>


    Jiu Shen''s pristine white armor was covered in blood and had multiple cracks and holes. The left part of his armor was destroyed, exposing his bloody arm.


    He had underestimated Wuka''s power. The difference between a Celestial God Realm expert and a Heavenly God Realm expert couldn''t be surmounted. It was already a surprise that he had managed to stand toe to toe against someone at that level.


    Jiu Shen stared at the giant Wuka who was covered in deep cuts and gaping wounds. His beast-like eyes were staring at Jiu Shen with dreadful light.


    They were at a standstill for a short moment and Wuka was the first to make a move. He released a torrent of heavy blows that rendered the skies. Even in his injured state, he still managed to attack with raging momentum.


    Jiu Shen calmly parried the punches and kicks with his sword to reduce the overall damage. However, his arms felt numb at Wuka''s fearless onught.


    Bang!


    Bang!


    They left afterimages in midair and massive explosions echoed whenever their attacks met.


    No one dared to move closer to them, afraid that they would be killed by the after-effects of their shes.


    Jiu Shen intentionally revealed a gap in his defense as he fought with Wuka. Thetter immediately saw this and he didn''t notice that anything was amiss. He thought that the human had finally grown tired after fighting a prolonged battle against him.


    ''Chance!'' Wuka roared in his heart as he unleashed his ws, intending to cut the hateful human''s body into shreds.


    Seeing this, Jiu Shen summoned his remaining true essence and anma to stab his sword at the beast''s chest.


    Light gathered at the tip of Jiu Shen''s sword, emanating a daunting aura.


    Wuka swiped his ws, causing dozens of deep gashes on Jiu Shen''s body, but thetter simply ignored the pain and gritted his teeth as he pushed his sword, stabbing Wuka''s chest as if skewering meat!


    Puchi!


    The devastating blow punctured a hole in the High Chieftain''s chest!


    Jiu Shen summoned his spiritual power, manifesting a huge ck me that covered his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword.


    Aaahhh!!!


    Wuka shrieked loudly as his body was enveloped by a fearsome dark me. He lowered his head and grabbed the sword stabbed at his chest with both hands. He disregarded the sharp excruciating pain and tried to pull put the sword out.


    Seeing this, Jiu Shen swung his sword, slicing the upper portion of Wuka''s gigantic body! His lower body dropped to the ground.


    Roar!!


    Wuka let out a deranged look as he extended his burned hands, grabbing Jiu Shen''s shoulders. He then opened his mouth in an attempt to bite a huge chunk of Jiu Shen''s meat!


    Jiu Shen was agitated when he saw Wuka''s final attack. He wanted to drag Jiu Shen to death with him!


    He lifted his sword and fiercely swung it, but it only managed to cut Wuka''s arms. The frenzied beast still managed to bite down hard on Jiu Shen''s chest!


    Arge portion of Jiu Shen''s torso was torn apart, exposing his bones and internal organs!


    Jiu Shen groaned as he kicked the head of the insane High Chieftain.


    Bang!


    The light in Wuka''s eyes dimmed, but there was a nasty smile on his lips.


    Ding!


    Mission Complete!


    You receive x1 Primal Law Tablet (Glimpse of the 4th Heart Realm)


    Jiu Shen heard the system''s notification ringing inside his head.


    "That bastard is finally dead!" He gritted his teeth as he took out a healing panacea from his space earring. The bleeding stopped, but his body was not regenerating. He had lost too much anma and he even emptied his true essence. It would take time for him to recover his injuries this time.


    ***


    Jian Wang led the allied army in fighting the Infernals. With his timelymands, the allied army managed to push back the billion-strong army of the Infernals. However, if this continued, the soldiers would slowly copse from exhaustion. It was only a matter of time before they would be defeated.


    Suddenly, Jian Wang''s eyes narrowed as he lifted his head. He sensed that Wuka''s powerful aura had disappeared. He then noticed a decapitated lower body plunging towards a tall sand dune.


    From the strong energying from the decapitated lower body, Jian Wang was certain that it was Wuka''s! "He won..." He muttered with a smile.


    He then swept his gaze towards the struggling allied army and shouted with an invigorating voice. "Jiu Shen has in the Celestial Emperor of the Infernals!"


    The allied army was stunned when they heard Jian Wang''s words.


    Jiu Shen killed the High Chieftain of the Infernals? The beast that destroyed tens of thousands of Array Formations in just one blow?


    The morale of the soldiers rose after hearing about the death of the Infernal High Chieftain.


    "Die, filthy barbarians!"


    "Kill!!"


    Jiu Shen''s victory spurred everyone to unleash their greatest power. They were relieved that the strongest threat was finally dead.


    The Infernals also sensed the death of their High Chieftain, but instead of retreating, they charged at their enemies with crazed expressions.


    ROOAR!!


    ROOAR!!


    ***


    "What a mess! To think that those guys actually managed to hold back an army of billions. However, their effort would still be futile even if Jian Wang is with them. They would be overwhelmed by the number of Infernals and die of exhaustion."


    "Indeed. Why did they even choose to protect this ce? This is just a barrennd with no natural resources."


    "In the end, they would still need the help of our Celestial Paragon Tower to clean up the remaining Infernals."


    A huge group of people dressed in shy armors discussed in mocking tones as they spectated the brutal war between the allied army and the Infernals.


    Leading them were Telu and Valir, the highest leaders of the Celestial Paragon Tower.


    Their chattering and contemptuousughter suddenly ceased when they heard a loud voice.


    "Jiu Shen has in the Celestial Emperor of the Infernals!"

 Chapter 539: 4th Heart Realm

    <h4>Chapter 539: 4th Heart Realm</h4>


    "What?!"


    "Jiu Shen killed the High Chieftain? I thought Jian Wang is the one fighting that guy!"


    The members of the Celestial Paragon Tower were shocked when they heard the loud words.


    Telu and Valir furrowed their eyebrows.


    "We can no longer stay still. That Jiu Shen actually has the power to defeat a Celestial Emperor powerhouse! We have to strike him now that he is still recovering!" Telu muttered in a solemn voice. He knew about his father''s rage towards Jiu Shen, but he was unsure whether they were the same individual. After all, he had personally witnessed his father sealing Jiu Shen inside the God Sealing Tower.


    Valir shook his head. "No. We can''t. Jian Wang is still there and he will protect Jiu Shen if we try to assassinate him. It was a mistake to follow the Celestial Emperor''smand to attack Jiu Shen at a time like this. We would be condemned by the world even if we sessfully kill him!"


    Telu angrily grabbed Valir''s shoulder and red at the old man. "Old man, how dare you question the Celestial Emperor''smand?!"


    Valir sighed in disappointment. Celestial Emperor Lao Gou was blinded by his rage that he failed to think about the consequences of his actions. Assassinating the man who heroically led the allied army against the Infernals was tantamount to provoking the whole world! No matter how strong the Celestial Paragon Tower was, they couldn''t fight against thebined might of all the experts of the Primordial God Realm!


    He could already foresee the downfall of the Celestial Paragon Tower as he stared into Telu''s eyes. This guy has been brainwashed by his father and he couldn''t even discern the implications brought by Celestial Emperor Lao Gou''smand.


    "Don''t worry. I won''t go against the Celestial Emperor''s orders. I will faithfully do my task and kill Jiu Shen and his subordinates. This is my job as the Vice Sect Master of the Celestial Paragon Tower!" Valir muttered as he lightly pushed Telu''s hand.


    The old man turned his head towards their confused soldiers and shouted with a cold look. "The Celestial Emperor has given hismands! Our task is to kill Jiu Shen and his people! Charge with me!"


    "Kill!"


    "Kill!"


    Telu''s eyes turned gentle as he followed the old man''s lead.


    It was time to kill Jiu Shen!


    ***


    Jiu Shen slowly descended. He had already aplished the mission given by the system and he was eager to see his reward.


    "I want to get the Primal Law Tablet." He muttered as he went inside the Spirit World. He had no strength to continue fighting, so he might as well check his reward in a safe zone.


    A piece of stone appeared in front of Jiu Shen. It looked ordinary and seemed no different from the rocks found at the side of the road.


    He grabbed the piece of stone and stared at it in confusion. "How do I use this?" He muttered as he released a wave of spiritual power to observe the stone.


    The ordinary-looking stone suddenly cracked and crumbled into pieces, turning into golden specks of dust that shot towards Jiu Shen.


    "This..."


    He was surprised and failed to evade the golden dust. He then lost consciousness...


    "Where is this? This isn''t the Spirit World..." Jiu Shen murmured when he noticed that he was standing in an empty dark world filled with stars.


    The vast universe made Jiu Shen feel its majesty. He thought that he was already strong, but only now did he realize that he was still minusculepared to the limitless universe.


    A torrent of unfamiliar information abruptly invaded his head, making him groan. It felt as if thousands of ants were slowly gnawing his head.


    Amidst the pain, Jiu Shen discovered that his brain activity heightened. He sorted the new ''memories'' inside his head and was stunned by the revtions. "I was wrong the whole time..."


    "I foolishly followed Lao Gou''s path of Heartless Void and strayed from my own path. Foolish. Incredibly foolish." Jiu Shenughed at his stupidity. He finally realized why he had failed to be a Celestial God Realm expert even after millions of years of training and cultivation.


    The 4th Heart Realm was supposed to be different for every individual, but he chose to follow the documents written by Lao Gou. This blocked his only road to reach the realms of the Celestials!


    "Lao Gou, you knew about this and intentionally allowed me to steal those rotten documents! Damnable old bastard!" Jiu Shen cursed under his breath. He learned how foolish his past self was to be actually fooled by Lao Gou.


    Jiu Shen calmed his heart and allowed the new memories to be part of him. He closed his eyes and chose to ept the gnawing pain in his head.


    His torn upper body healed at a discernible speed. The wounds on his body slowly disappeared.


    Profound archaic golden light enveloped Jiu Shen''s body, providing him with endless mysterious power!


    The heavenly punishment didn''t even dare to reveal itself as if afraid of the power revolving around Jiu Shen.


    A gentle holy aura spread throughout Jiu Shen''s body, cleansing him from the filth of mortality. His skin glistened like a wless gem, and the golden energy in his body was burned, reced by a sublime divine power!


    Early stage Celestial God Realm.


    Mid stage Celestial God Realm.


    Late stage Celestial God Realm.


    Jiu Shen''s eyshes fluttered as he gently opened his eyes. His beautiful golden pupils shone with an ancient primal glow.


    "So Celestial Emperors are also subdivided into small realms. The enlightenment this time made me jump straight into thete stage of the Celestial God Realm..." Jiu Shen whispered as he observed the tremendous changes in his body and soul.


    "The Celestial God Realm is truly different than the lower realms. The High Chieftain Wuka should be an early stage Celestial God Realm expert. He is very weakpared to the present me. If we fought again, I can kill him in a single move..."


    "My Fourth Heart Realm... I''ll call it... Rebirth."

 Chapter 540: Search

    <h4>Chapter 540: Search</h4>


    While Jiu Shen was assimting his newfound power, the war between the allied army and the Infernals became much fiercer.


    With the loss of their High Chieftain, the Infernals became even more vicious in their strikes and they even disregarded their injured bodies.


    The allied army could barely hold back the crazed Infernals. Luckily for them, the Celestial Paragon Tower''s army led by Sect Master Telu and Vice Sect Master Valir arrived.


    Their timely arrival somehow alleviated the fatigue of the soldiers.


    "Sect Master, Vice Sect Master, we can''t find the whereabouts of Wine Master Jiu Shen. We moved around the battlefield to search for him, but we failed to even see his shadow. Many of our soldiers died during the process of searching for him." A high-ranking Elder of the Celestial Paragon Tower reported in a grave tone.


    Telu frowned as he looked at the battlefield. They have been here for a few hours, but no one had seen Jiu Shen after he killed the High Chieftain of the Infernals. "Maybe he perished alongside the leader of these beasts..." He muttered with uncertainty.


    After hearing his words, Valir shook his head in disagreement. "If this Wine Master Jiu Shen is the same Jiu Shen we knew before, I don''t think someone like him would die just like that. Don''t forget that even thebined might of the entire Celestial Paragon Tower wasn''t enough to stop that man. If Celestial Emperor Lao Gou didn''t intervene, he would still be alive by now."


    Surprisingly, Telu didn''t rebuke the old man''s words. He had personally witnessed Jiu Shen''s power at that time. He had even mistakenly believed that Jiu Shen was the fourth Celestial Emperor back then because of his unrivaled power. The man who had effortlessly in the high-ranking Elders and elite disciples of the Celestial Paragon Tower.


    "Continue your search, but make sure to move inrge groups to prevent more casualties. If you encounter Chieftain-level Infernals, retreat immediately." Telu instructed the Elder who was still kneeling respectfully.


    The Elder acknowledged themand with a salute. "Yes, Sect Master!"


    After the Elder left, Telu stared at Valir and said. "Old man, we should search Jiu Shen separately. Once you encounter him, report to me first before you make a move. Even if he is severely injured right now, a person who can kill a Celestial must not be taken lightly."


    Valir nodded his head. "Take care, Sect Master." The old man left after saying those words.


    Telu stared at the old man''s deste figure and sighed.


    Meanwhile, Theia and Ren Shuang led the Heavenly Sword Tower in dealing with the Infernals who tried to hurt the members of the Heavenly Melody Pavilion. Because of their efforts, the Heavenly Melody Pavilion has the least casualties among the six great armies.


    "Division Head Ren Shuang, the Blood Sword Division led by Division Head Yang Zenke has retreated. They encountered arge group of high-level Infernals when they were escorting the injured members of the sword tower. Division Head Yin Long has already moved in their location to cover them." Can Ye, Jiu Shen''s second disciple and also a Division Head of the sword tower reported in a solemn voice. They had also taken a small number of casualties since the beginning of the battle. This is the first time he experienced losing many of his friends and it made him very ufortable and emotional.


    Ren Shuang saw Can Ye''s emotional turmoil and patted the man''s shoulder to reassure him. "Have faith. We will win this war. The Sect Master is with us. He has already in the High Chieftain of the Infernals. It is only a matter of time before the remaining Infernals would be annihted by the allied army."


    Can Ye bowed his head when he met Ren Shuang''s gaze. "I understand."


    "Return to the rear and support Young Miss Ice and the others. There are many high-level Infernals there than in the other locations."


    After Can Ye left, Ren Shuangmanded his subordinates to rush forward. Theia, Lu Sn, Long Meili, and the other elites of the sword tower were at the center of the battlefield supporting the allied army with their might. He had to ensure that none of them would be in danger. "Please hold on!" He muttered.


    ***


    Jiu Shen was still not ustomed to his superior power. He could not control the sacred divine aura from leaking out of his body.


    "If I go out like this, no one would be able to stand normally in my presence. Just my aura alone is already enough to subdue anyone weaker than me..." Jiu Shen smiled wryly.


    Jiu Shen carefully controlled his supreme aura and concealed it with his spiritual power.


    It took him a few more hours before he managed to stabilize his raging limitless power. "Alright. This should be enough." He smiled as he nodded contently.


    True essence. Late stage Celestial God Realm.


    Spiritual Power. Late stage Celestial God Realm.


    Anma. Late stage Celestial God Realm.


    Even now, Jiu Shen was still impressed by his drastic increase in strength. "It''s time to go out. There are still billions of Infernals left. This is a good opportunity to witness the growth of my subordinates." He whispered as he summoned the exit of the Spirit World.


    Om!


    When he came out of the huge wooden door, Jiu Shen saw that a new force hade to support the allied army. However, when he saw the familiar insignia engraved on their armors, Jiu Shen''s calm eyes narrowed into slits.


    "Celestial Paragon Tower. That old bastard must have noticed my return and sent his force to assassinate me!" His voice was filled with hate and loathing. The millions of years of suffering that he had experienced at the hands of Lao Gou. Everything was still fresh in his mind...


    He had waited for a long time for his revenge and now, he could finally begin his ughter!


    Jiu Shen removed his broken white armor and changed into a new set of white robes with golden embroidery. The Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword behind his back turned into specks of light and formed a dragon tattoo on his chest. Using his sword against a bunch of ants was simply an overkill...

 Chapter 541: Benevolent Jiu Shen

    <h4>Chapter 541: Benevolent Jiu Shen</h4>


    Jiu Shen observed the battlefield through his spiritual perception. The arrival of the Celestial Paragon Tower''s people turned the tables of the war. The Infernals were being pushed back despite their overwhelming numbers. The Celestial Paragon Tower showed its superiority in skills and power!


    However, a small group of people dressed in pristine white armor also disyed power that wasn''t any lesspared to them. They were like a group of tigers ughtering a bunch of sheep, reaping lives with every strike of their swords.


    The allied army was amazed by their prowess that they begin to question the identity of these people.


    "They are wearing the same armor as Wine Master Jiu Shen. I think those guys are his subordinates."


    "They only numbered in thousands, but the number of Infernals they''ve killed is almost equivalent to the six great armies! To think that there is actually a hidden force as strong as them! They could even bepared to the high-ranking elites of the Celestial Paragon Tower!"


    In the camp of the allied army, the resting soldiers discussed as they watched the brilliance of the Heavenly Sword Tower''s people.


    A voice grilled with admiration suddenly interrupted their chattering. "They are from the Heavenly Sword Tower. A hidden sect nurtured by Wine Master Jiu Shen. If not for their help, many of my friends would have died."


    The soldiers turned their gazes towards the man who had spoken. It was a tall man with blue hair and long pointy ears. This guy was a member of the Ice Elf Race, a rare noble bloodline in the Elven Race.


    When the Ice Elf noticed everyone''s gazes, he smiled at them and said as he pointed at the insignia on his chest. It was the insignia of the Heavenly Melody Pavilion. "Our Heavenly Melody Pavilion was tasked to give support to the allied army. We were the ones controlling all the Array Formations, but everything was destroyed by the High Chieftain of the Infernals. As the controller of the Array Formations, our soul was damaged, making us vulnerable. It was then that the Heavenly Sword Tower led by one of their Division Heads emerged and protected us as we retreated."


    Everyone felt admiration towards the Heavenly Sword Tower as they listened to the Ice Elf''s story.


    Meanwhile, somewhere on the battlefield, a gigantic Phoenix suddenly emerged, burning the Infernals with its zing crimson mes. Its beastly eyes revealed a look of excitement as it ravaged a huge number of Infernals.


    Screech!


    It pped its wings and summoned a zing twister that burned the Infernals into ashes!


    This Phoenix was none other than Furion, one of the remaining pure-blooded Phoenixes in existence.


    Screeech!!


    Furion cried out in delight as he released a breath of mes that incinerated thousands of Infernals in its path. He then flew back into the allied army''s camp and transformed into a human form. "Bloody hell! What an exhausting day for me!" He spat out in an exasperated tone.


    They have been fighting the Infernals for one day and the allied army had to fight alternately to recover their energies. It was a good thing that they had a huge amount of recovery pills that elerated their healing.


    Furion grabbed a chair and plopped down with an exhausted look. His hair was disheveled, but he didn''t even bother to fix it.


    "Sir Furion, this is a regenerative pill made by our Heavenly Melody Pavilion. Please take it." A pleasant voice drifted beside his ears as a lithe figure stood in front of him. She was Ai Chen, the Pavilion Mistress of the Heavenly Melody Pavilion.


    Furion raised his head and nced at the outstretched hand. She was holding a small pill that glowed with a golden light.


    "Thanks." He grabbed the pill and swallowed it down.


    Ai Chen smiled and bowed her head lightly before she left, leaving behind a fragrant lc scent that lingered in the air.


    The Heavenly Melody Pavilion was filled with talented individuals. They ept people who are proficient in their respective fields of study so they had a diverse amount of talents. The man recognized as the best Alchemist in the Primordial God Realm was even one of their Elders!


    "How lucky! He got a pill from Pavilion Mistress Ai Chen!"


    "Shut up! Do you not know who that man is?"


    "..."


    Furion ignored the whispers of the resting soldiers and controlled his true essence to expedite the refinement of the healing pill. He then swept his gaze towards the camp. "Those guys just retreated earlier, but they already went back to the fight again... Are they battle maniacs?" He muttered with a wry smile when he failed to spot the members of the Heavenly Sword Tower.


    ***


    Jiu Shen held back the urge of killing the Celestial Paragon Tower''s members. If he killed them now, the Infernals would gain momentum and the allied army would be in a disadvantageous position. "I''ll spare your lives for now. This is also a good opportunity for my subordinates to sharpen their skills." He muttered as he hid behind the dark clouds.


    He didn''t mind waiting for a bit longer. "I''ll just treat this aspensation for helping the allied army." Jiu Shen had a strange smile on his face as he said those words.


    Behind the scenes, he also secretly helped the allied army by shooting spiritual attacks on the high-level leaders of the Infernals. He even prevented the death of many soldiers by simply summoning a bit of his power. Of course, he still prioritized the safety of the Heavenly Sword Tower.


    Although Jiu Shen had already be strong enough to single-handedly defeat Lao Gou and the Celestial Paragon Tower, he wanted to see his subordinates grow stronger along with him. He had experienced the deaths of his family and friends in his past life and he didn''t want to experience the same pain.


    Jiu Shen vowed that he would live a happy life with them after he destroys Lao Gou.

 Chapter 542: Support

    <h4>Chapter 542: Support</h4>


    Experts and major powers from all over the Primordial God Realm soon came to reinforce the allied army. Their arrival slowed the momentum of the Infernals and they even showed signs of retreating.


    After five more days, the Infernals lost their courage and returned to Hell. They lost billions of their warriors and their High Chieftain was even killed! It was a disastrous loss for them and it might take them another millions of years before they could stage aeback.


    "We won!"


    "Victory! Hahaha!"


    "YEESS!!!"


    Everyone cheered as they watched the Infernals retreat back inside the entrance. They raised their bloodied weapons and cried out emotionally.


    Jian Wang swept his gaze among the army, but he failed to discover Jiu Shen. He furrowed his eyebrows and used his spiritual perception to observe the entire desert region.


    "Where is he? Was he injured in his fight with Wuka and recuperated somewhere else?" Jian Wang muttered with a perplexed look.


    Swoosh!


    Jian Wang''s eyes narrowed as he swiftly held the handle of his sword and turned his gaze behind him. When he saw the familiar face, his face stiffened. "I thought you''re recuperating somewhere. How did you hide your presence from me?" He could not help but ask.


    Jiu Shen chuckled when he saw the confusion written all over Jian Wang''s face. "Because I''m stronger than you." Jiu Shen replied as he patted the man''s shoulder.


    Jian Wang scoffed when he heard his words, but he still contemted it deeply. It might be possible.


    "Let''s go and meet everyone." Jiu Shen walked toward the cheering army and Jian Wang unconsciously followed behind him.


    ***


    "Vice Sect Master, our subordinates haven''t discovered Jiu Shen yet. Should we begin by killing his people?"


    The old man, Valir, shook his head. "No! Absolutely not! The Heavenly Sword Tower is well respected in the allied army. There might be only thousands of them, but they contributed the most number of kills other than the six great armies and our Celestial Paragon Tower. If we try to kill them now, the allied army would protect them."


    Valir was inwardly surprised by the power of the Heavenly Sword Tower. All of their members were at the level of elitesparable to the best of their Celestial Paragon Tower''s army. The people leading them were also heroes with great power and charisma. It would be difficult to kill them without the allied army noticing.


    Valir nced at his subordinates and issued amand. "Inform the Sect Master that we will abandon the mission. Tell him that I will bear the consequences and ept punishment from the Celestial Emperor!"


    The faces of his subordinates fell when they heard his words. "Vice Sect Master!"


    How could they not understand Valir''s words?


    The Heavenly Sword Tower has gained the acknowledgment of the major powers from all over the world. Making a move against them at a time like this was akin to provoking the entire allied army. Not to mention that there was also the variable called Jian Wang.


    They couldn''t believe that the supreme existence that they revered would actually make such a foolish decision.


    He sent the army of the Celestial Paragon Tower to kill an old enemy without even thinking about the repercussions it would cause to the great reputation of their sect.


    "Vice Sect Master! The Celestial Emperor''s words are absolute! We can''t go against hismands! Even if we die, we have toplete his orders!" One of his subordinates revealed a look of fanaticism.


    "That''s right! Even if we die in the process, it doesn''t matter!"


    "The allied army wouldn''t dare support the Heavenly Sword Tower. Helping them would make them an enemy of our Celestial Paragon Tower!"


    Valir sighed in disappointment upon hearing their words. He nced at his subordinates, but none of them chose to listen to him.


    "Vice Sect Master, please lead us in killing the Heavenly Sword Tower!"


    Valir stared at them with a forlorn expression. These were the people that he had supported for many years, but he felt that they were unfamiliar at this moment. ''It seems like the world truly wants this old man to die...''


    He was wholeheartedly devoted to the Celestial Emperor, but he couldn''t believe that the man he admired the most would actually send him to die.


    Valir calmed himself and raised his head.


    ''In that case, I shall follow your wishes for thest time, Celestial Emperor...'' He muttered in his heart.


    With a solemn look, Valir roared. "Kill the Heavenly Sword Tower! Kill Jiu Shen!"


    "Kill!"


    "Kill!"


    The jubnt looks of the allied army fell when they heard the roars of the Celestial Paragon Tower''s army.


    "Hey! What''s happening? Why is the Celestial Paragon Tower hostile to the Heavenly Sword Tower?"


    "I don''t know, but it seems that they are very determined to destroy them."


    The allied army was hesitant to intervene in their conflict. The Celestial Paragon Tower was controlled by Celestial Emperor Lao Gou. They were reluctant to offend such a figure.


    Among the six great armies, Ri Kushou of the Armored Wyvern Army and Ai Chen of the Heavenly Melody Pavilion chose to stand with the Heavenly Sword Tower. They were recipients of the Heavenly Sword Tower''s help during the war.


    "What is the meaning of this, Vice Sect Master Valir?!" Ri Kushou stepped down from his wyvern and red at Valir. This man was the Great General of the Armored Wyvern Army, a renowned force in the Primordial God Realm.


    Ri Kushou was from the Beastman Race. His bloodline was ordinary, but he grew to be a peak expert because of his effort and willpower.


    He had a buff physique reminiscent of a ferocious lion! His sharp eyes looked at Valir and the Celestial Paragon Tower''s army. Behind him were the elites of the Armored Wyvern Army.


    Ai Chen was silent, but she stealthilymanded the Heavenly Melody Pavilion to support the Heavenly Sword Tower.


    Valir frowned when he saw Ri Kushou and Ai Chen standing up for their enemy. "Do you n to go against the Celestial Paragon Tower?"

 Chapter 543: Furion’s Provocation

    <h4>Chapter 543: Furion¡¯s Provocation</h4>


    The faces of Ai Chen and Ri Kushou stiffened upon hearing the old man''s words.


    The Celestial Paragon Tower was many times stronger than the six great armies. The army that Valir brought with him was only a small part of their forces. They are in control of many subordinate races and elite top experts. Not to mention that Celestial Emperor Lao Gou was supporting them!


    When Valir saw their expressions, he let out a cold smile as he said. "The Heavenly Sword Tower is an enemy of the Celestial Emperor Lao Gou. It is our task to eliminate them including their leader, Jiu Shen!"


    "What?!"


    "No way! We can''t allow that to happen!"


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen killed the High Chieftain of the Infernals, preventing major casualties in the allied army! How could we allow you to do as you please here?!"


    This time, everyone in the allied army became agitated. They admired Jiu Shen who was capable of killing a Celestial God Realm.


    Tsk!


    Valir clicked his tongue. He already expected this scene to happen.


    Just as he was about to retort, a figure suddenly walked beside Valir.


    "Sect Master Telu!"


    "Sect Master Telu is here! That means Celestial Emperor Lao Gou is cing great importance on this matter!"


    Telu arrived at the scene with tens of thousands of subordinates. He had a cold expression on his face as he swept his gaze towards the allied army. "This will be your final warning! Stay out of this or you will be hunted by the entire Celestial Paragon Tower until all of you are killed!"


    Everyone took a step back when they sensed the overwhelming aura of Telu. Despite his cultivation being simr to Valir and the six great leaders, Telu''s strength appeared to be superior to them!


    Ai Chen gritted her teeth, but she didn''t back down. Sweat formed on her forehead as she stared deeply at Telu. This man was many times stronger than her!


    Great General Ri Kushou frowned, but he remained still. The threats from Valir and Telu seemed to be ineffective to him. He was a man who valued favors and camaraderie. ''Brothers, if we die here, I will apologize to you guys in Hell!'' He shouted in his heart.


    p! p! p!


    A series of pping sounds broke the heated atmosphere. Everyone turned their gazes and saw a middle-aged man with red hair looking at Telu with a smile. "Indeed the son of Celestial Emperor Lao Gou! A tiger father wouldn''t have a dog son! Hahaha!" His words were full of hidden meaning.


    ''Furion, a Phoenix that was always seen together with Jian Wang. A difficult opponent...'' Telu muttered to himself. He had to be cautious toward this man.


    "Furion, do you n to stand with those fools?" Telu had to be careful about this guy since the man was Jian Wang''s trusted aide.


    "Hahaha! What do you think?" Furion winked at him with a mocking voice.


    Telu''s mouth twitched when he saw the disdainful look of the Phoenix. He could barely repress his anger at this point. "Do you really think that I''m afraid of you? Even if you join them, I can still handle all of youbined!" He shouted confidently.


    No one denied his words. Telu was indeed among the strongest experts beneath the Celestial God Realm.


    "Is that so? Then prove to everyone that you truly possess such power!" Furion released his true essence and a violent crimson me covered his body.


    The sand beneath his feet issued a ''kaka'' sound as it slowly burned under the immense heat of his me.


    Hm?


    Telu was a bit surprised by the sudden show of power. He thought that Furion wouldn''t make a move, but it seems like the man was nning to fight against him when he saw Furion''s battle intent.


    In truth, Furion didn''t n to provoke Telu. However, he received a message from Jian Wang earlier. The content of the message was like this. (Furion, we must stand with the Heavenly Sword Tower.)


    The message was short, but it was enough to show Jian Wang''s opinion on this matter. Furion was even excited when he heard the message.


    ''He''s finally nning to fight Lao Gou! I''ve been dreaming to see that old man Lao Gou beaten to a pulp! That guy is too arrogant, unting his power as a Celestial Emperor!'' Furionughed in his heart.


    Telu grabbed his weapon and pointed it toward Furion. "Since you want death, I''ll grant your wish!" He roared.


    Telu executed a movement technique to close in towards Furion. He then swung his weapon which was coated with his true essence. Its sharpness was enhanced multiple times and it was capable of cutting the body of divine beasts!


    Furion''s expression turned serious when he faced Telu''s attack. The man was arrogant, but his power wasn''t fake. It would be difficult for him to defeat Telu even if he ignited his divine bloodline.


    Furion quickly summoned a pair of ming wings to protect his body from the attack.


    Bang!


    Crash!


    Sand and raging winds broke loose after that violent strike!


    Everyone shielded their eyes using their spiritual perception.


    They hurriedly retreated to prevent getting caught up in the battle. They couldn''t afford to provoke any of the two sides so they could only watch the fight helplessly.


    Meanwhile, Valirmanded the Celestial Paragon Tower to charge forward.


    "Kill them!" Valir shouted as he pulled out a pair of giant hammers.


    "Kill!"


    "Kill!"


    The desert region was once again filled with sounds of battle and weapons shing.


    A blonde beauty wearing ck armor led the Heavenly Sword Tower. Although she was only ate stage Heavenly God Realm expert, she was able to fight Valir who has a slightly higher cultivation than her evenly!


    Her swift sword strikes were filled with elegance and ferocity. Valir could barely block her sword with his hammers.


    "Dammit! Who is this little girl?!" The old man gritted his teeth as he nervously looked at Theia''s cold expressionless face.

 Chapter 544: The Ancient Fairy and the Eonic Ragarwood Tree of the Southern Region

    <h4>Chapter 544: The Ancient Fairy and the Eonic Ragarwood Tree of the Southern Region</h4>


    Standing on top of the clouds, Jian Wang and Jiu Shen watched the battle using their spiritual perception.


    Jian Wang stared at the indifferent Jiu Shen and asked him. "Are you really not going to help them?"


    The Heavenly Sword Tower might be strong with the help of Ai Chen''s Heavenly Melody Pavilion and Ri Kushou''s Armored Wyvern Army, but the Celestial Paragon Tower led by Valir and Telu was not an easy opponent.


    Jiu Shen was still calmly observing the fight down below as he replied. "No. I trust that they can ovee the Celestial Paragon Tower. Besides, I have an important ce to visit..."


    Jian Wang''s eyes narrowed upon hearing his words. "You mean... You want to fight him alone?!"


    He was shocked when he realized Jiu Shen''s intention. Even Jian Wang didn''t dare underestimate the current Lao Gou. After all, he possesses the Celestial-rank item of Hestia''s race, the God Sealing Tower!


    Jian Wang was unsure if he could escape the sealing power of that item.


    Jiu Shen''s eyes suddenly turned cold as he muttered with overwhelming killing intent. "I have to kill him!"


    Jian Wang almost grabbed his sword when he sensed Jiu Shen''s desire to kill. It was merely a subconscious reaction, but he was stunned that Jiu Shen could make him feel this threatened.


    ''It looks like he wasn''t lying when he told me that he is stronger than me...'' Jian Wang thought to himself.


    Jian Wang rxed his tension and asked. "Are you confident that you can defeat him?"


    Jiu Shen chuckled coldly as he turned his gaze towards him. "You''ll find out soon."


    Jian Wang was at loss for words. Before he could say anything more, Jiu Shen''s figure suddenly vanished.


    Sigh!


    "I wish you luck, my friend..." Jian Wang whispered softly.


    ***


    Lao Gou sat on his throne as he watched the battle between the Celestial Paragon Tower''s army and the Heavenly Sword Tower through a Visual Array Formation. He kept his sights on a cold-faced blonde woman.


    Her sword techniques were familiar to him. Her mannerism, the way she moves, the intense frostiness in her gaze.


    Everything was familiar to him.


    Lao sat up straight as a thought struck him. "Theia..." He muttered a name.


    His eyes revealed a hint of affection, but it soon turned into rage and malice. "That fucking slut has been reborn as well! Good! Good! Good!"


    Lao Gouughed hideously as he watched Theia in the virtual projection. Hate covered his eyes as he recalled the memories of the past. He took out hismunication crystal and said. "Capture the blonde-haired woman leading the Heavenly Sword Tower alive! Make sure that her body isn''t harmed or I''ll kill all of you!"


    "Y-Yes, Celestial Emperor!" A terrified voice sounded through the crystal.


    Lao Gou crushed themunication crystal and smiled eerily. "First, I will incapacitate Jiu Shen and defile that slut in front of him! I wonder what kind of lovely reaction he would show me by then! Hahaha!"


    His perverseughter echoed inside the huge room.


    ***


    Jiu Shen controlled the power of space with great familiarity. The distance between the Central Region and the Desert Region was vast, but it wouldn''t take him long to reach that ce with his current power.


    The space around him cracked as he increased his speed.


    Jiu Shen repressed his killing intent. He might be consumed by a strong Heart''s Devil if he allowed his killing intent to cloud his judgment. The stronger a person was, the stronger their Heart''s Devil would be.


    "Lao Gou''s spear arts has already reached the strongest levels. His fighting prowess might be weakerpared to Jian Wang''s, but with the help of the God Sealing Tower, even Jian Wang would have to retreat." Jiu Shen calmly analyzed Lao Gou''s power using hisst memory of him.


    "Among the four Celestials that I''ve encountered, Wuka is at the early stage. Asmodeus is at the mid stage, but his refined control of Array Formations would make him equal to ate stage Celestial. As for Lao Gou and Jian Wang, they are at thete stage Celestial God Realm just like me."


    While Jiu Shen was thinking about Lao Gou''s power, his field of view changed. He saw a vast mountain range filled with lush greeneries and tall massive trees. He had reached the outskirts of the Southern Region.


    This ce was the territory of many Elven Races and Forest Druids. This area was quite dangerous even for top experts, but it didn''t pose a threat to Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen suddenly frowned as he stared ahead of him. "A member of the Ancient Fairies..." He muttered as he stared at the figure sitting atop a branch of a huge tree that pierced the clouds.


    This tree was the only mature Eonic Ragarwood Tree in existence! (Its branch was the mainponent used in making the door of Jiu Shen''s Spirit World)


    Jiu Shen slowed down his flight speed and stopped before the Eonic Ragarwood Tree. He nced at the blurry silhouette hidden behind the leaves of the gigantic tree.


    A burst of alluringughter suddenly drifted to Jiu Shen''s ears. It was followed by an enchanting voice that could even ensnare the hearts of gods. "The Eonic Ragarwood Tree is apprehensive of your power. It only showed this kind of reaction when Celestial Emperor Lao Gou forced us to give him a seed of the Eonic Ragarwood Tree and a huge amount of Undying God Spring."


    She was silent for a moment before she continued. "You must be a Celestial just like him. You have a murderous sword aura around you, but Jian Wang''s sword aura isn''t simr to yours. Asmodeus also doesn''t use a sword. That means you are a fourth Celestial..."


    For some reason, Jiu Shen could sense that the blurry figure was smiling.


    "I don''t have time to waste on you. Stay out of my way." Jiu Shen muttered calmly, but he was also shocked when he discovered the other party''s power. He had underestimated the hidden powers of the Primordial God Realm. There actually exists an expert who was at the level of the Celestial Emperors hidden in this region!


    The blurry figure didn''t seem to be afraid of him. She moved closer to Jiu Shen and slowly revealed her true form.


    She was a woman in her mid-twenties with long snow-white hair. She had three pairs of transparent golden wings. Thin blue clothing covered her body, but it could barely hide her bewitching figure.


    She smiled and her long white eyshes fluttered as she kept her gaze towards Jiu Shen.

 Chapter 545: Celestial City

    <h4>Chapter 545: Celestial City</h4>


    "My name is Elena, the matriarch of the Ancient Fairies and the guardian of the Eonic Ragarwood Tree. Aren''t you going to at least tell me your name?" She introduced herself briefly with a captivating voice. Her golden wings gently pped as she hovered closer to Jiu Shen. She didn''t even put up any defensive skill as she neared him.


    "Jiu Shen." He muttered calmly as he looked at her face. She was indeed beautiful. She could rival Theia in terms of beauty alone, but this didn''t affect him in the slightest.


    When Elena heard his name, she revealed a look of surprise. "Eh? It seems like we are truly bound by fate..." She giggled as she covered her mouth with her hand. Even her small gestures were full of allure and charm.


    Jiu Shen frowned upon hearing that. "I''m sorry, but I''m in a hurry. Please make way." He said with a hint of impatience. He couldn''t wait to teach that old dog a lesson that he will never forget!


    A look of understanding shed in her eyes when she saw the expression of the man in front of her. She smiled as she nodded her head gently. "Alright. I would be grateful if you manage to defeat him."


    Jiu Shen wasn''t surprised that she knew what he was about to do. His name alone was enough to tell him about his identity.


    The most hated man by Celestial Emperor Lao Gou. A man who was sealed in the God Sealing Tower for millions of years.


    Jiu Shen was going to the path that leads to the Central Region. With her wits, she knew that Jiu Shen was out for revenge.


    "Please don''t destroy the forest with your powers. You''ve been recklessly using the power of space since you came into this forest. That''s why I came out to warn you." Elena grumbled.


    Hearing this, Jiu Shen nodded his head apologetically. "I see. I will be careful." He then flew away. He didn''t rashly use the power of space this time since it would damage the nearby trees.


    When he was out of the forested area of the Southern Region, Jiu Shen''s speed erupted by a dozen times. "Elena... I didn''t think that there is actually a fourth Celestial hidden all this time. That means I''m the fifth person."


    "The power that Elena possessed was a bit stronger than Wuka. She should be at the mid stage Celestial God Realm just like Asmodeus, but with the support of the Eonic Ragarwood Tree, she could rival ate stage Celestial."


    "Even with her power, she was still defeated by Lao Gou. The small sapling of Eonic Ragarwood Tree I saw in his room back then must havee from Elena and also the Undying God Spring..."


    Soon, Jiu Shen could finally see the majestic view of the Central Region. He saw many towering castles and huge fortresses. The buildings and establishments here were also more well-designed. Even the people living here were a lot stronger than in the other regions.


    9th-rank Saints were as numerous as the sand and even Nascent God Realm experts could only be servants to the true powerhouses!


    In the Celestial City of the Central Region. This was the city established by Celestial Emperor Lao Gou many eons ago.


    Millions of people swarmed the streets, but the city still seemed spacious despite therge number of tourists and pedestrians.


    Jiu Shen didn''t stop to admire this beautiful scenery. He went straight into the heart of the city where he saw an enormous golden tower that pierced the skies.


    Trained guards dressed in shy golden armor patrolled the clouds. They looked at the people living in the city with contempt.


    Suddenly, the guards noticed a lone figure flying steadily towards the golden tower. Upon seeing this strange man, the guards immediately surrounded the man and red at him coldly. "No one is allowed to fly in the territory of the Celestial Paragon Tower! Anyone who breaks this rule will be detained for a hundred years in the Cold Ice Prison!"


    Cold Ice Prison.


    A notorious ce where heinous criminals from all over the world were kept. No one wanted to be imprisoned in such a ce.


    Jiu Shen didn''t even bother to nce at the guards. He kept his gaze straight towards the peak of the golden tower. His golden eyes seemed as if they could prate the void.


    The guards felt a chill when they saw his golden eyes.


    "Intruder, go down this instant and I will allow you to leave this ce unharmed." A middle-aged man who seemed to have a higher prestige among the guards said with a cautious tone. He could sense that this silver-haired young man was capable of killing them in just a second. This was what his instincts were telling him!


    Jiu Shen flicked his finger, sending the middle-aged guard flying like a broken ragdoll. His fate was unknown...


    The guards became silent when they witness this absurd scene. That guard was a Supreme God Realm expert, but this man sent him flying with just a flick of his finger!


    Their expressions turned cold as they cautiously backed away. They also took theirmunication crystals and asked for more backup.


    "We need reinforcements here! It seems like this intruder is a Heavenly God Realm expert!"


    Jiu Shen walked in midair as he looked at the golden tower. The dozens of guards around him didn''t even dare to get close to him.


    A huge ck sword with golden archaic carvings suddenly appeared behind his back. It was a stark contrast to his white robes.


    "Intruder, you''ve ignored the warnings of the golden guards! Your imprisonment in the Cold Ice Prison will be extended by a thousand years! Capture him!" An old golden guard roared as he pointed the tip of his sword at Jiu Shen. Behind him were hundreds of golden guards holding their weapons with hostile gazes.


    "Lao Gou, I willmemorate our reunion with the heads of these ants..." Jiu Shen muttered callously.

 Chapter 546: Jiu Shen is Back!

    <h4>Chapter 546: Jiu Shen is Back!</h4>


    The old golden guard together with hundreds of his subordinates surrounded Jiu Shen carefully.


    The silver-haired human still looked unperturbed despite being surrounded by them. This unnerved the golden guards and they couldn''t help but tightly hold their weapons.


    "Attack!" The old golden guard roared as he pounced. A terrifying force was gathering at the tip of his sword.


    The golden guards followed theirmander and leaped towards Jiu Shen. Their faces were grim as if they were facing a prehistoric savage beast.


    All forms of attacks were targeting him, but Jiu Shen remained floating in midair with an expressionless face.


    He calmly swipe his hand at a speed that was indiscernible even to the top experts.


    A rain of blood followed his casual movement as the decapitated heads of the golden guards flew off from their bodies.


    Ayer of formless energy covered his figure that prevented the rain of blood from staining his white robes.


    Jiu Shen took a huge chest and ced all the decapitated heads inside. The bloody heads inside the chest looked horrifying.


    "That''s him! He killed ourrades! Kill him!"


    "Die!"


    Jiu Shen raised his head and saw thousands of golden guards. All of them were strong and there were even a few Heavenly God Realm golden guard generals among them.


    "It looks like I would need more chests..." He smirked.


    The golden guards were incensed when they saw Jiu Shen smiling at them weirdly. They thought that he was mocking them.


    "Kill him! Avenge ourrades!"


    The golden guard generals were also enraged by Jiu Shen''s behavior. They were the golden guards tasked to protect the Celestial Paragon Tower. It was an honorable position coveted by many people, but it seems like this man didn''t think highly of them.


    This time, Jiu Shen used a spell. He snapped his thumb and middle finger as he muttered. "Descent of a thousand swords..."


    The golden guards felt a disturbance above them and they noticed the emergence of more than a few thousand swords. The shocking sight made them abandon their ns of attacking Jiu Shen.


    "What is that?!"


    "Defensive formation! Quick!"


    The golden guards were well-trained and they immediately set up a defensive formation. However, Jiu Shen merely chuckled when he saw this futile attempt. "Release..." He whispered.


    The thousands of swords produced keening sounds as they shot toward the golden guards at breakneck speed.


    This time it was a rain of swordsing from the sky.


    The golden guards revealed looks of despair when they sensed the fearsome power behind each sword.


    Puchi!


    Puchi!


    Puc...


    ...


    "Eh? I destroyed some of their heads. What a pity..." Jiu Shen muttered in regret when he saw that some of the golden guards had their heads prated by the swords.


    Thousands of golden guards fell under the onught of the swords. They couldn''t even scream as they died abruptly.


    A smiling Jiu Shen took their heads and stuffed them inside the chests that he had prepared.


    "That old bastard is still unaware of my arrival. It seems like he is still underestimating me..." He chuckled as he looked at the peak of the golden tower that was hidden behind the clouds.


    He could sense the arrival of more powerful experts. The Elders and elite disciples of the Celestial Paragon Tower have finally made their moves!


    A look of delight can be seen on Jiu Shen''s face when he sensed their presence.


    More than a dozen old men wearing golden robes slowly descended from the sky. Tens of thousands of elite disciples followed them and more than a million golden guards also came into view.


    "What a warm wee..."


    ***


    "Celestial Emperor, an intruder has killed thousands of our golden guards outside the tower. He seems to be strong and he has already killed a few of our Heavenly God Realm experts." An Elder reported to Lao Gou with a grim expression.


    Lao Gou frowned as he nced at the Elder with a displeased look. "You bunch of fools can''t even handle a random intruder!"


    The Elder could only lower his head when he saw the Celestial Emperor''s raging look. "I''ve already dispatched the Elders and the elite disciples to take care of him. A million golden guards are also on standby in case something happens."


    This time, Lao Gou finally took this matter seriously. A man who could force the Celestial Paragon Tower to summon a dozen Elders and a million golden guards was unheard of. Wait. There was one such person before...


    Lao Gou''s expression darkened considerably as he recalled the face of that man. He waved his hand and dismissed the Elder to hide his agitation. "Leave and kill that man immediately!"


    The Elder noticed the coldness in his voice. He bowed his head and said. "Yes, Celestial Emperor!"


    ***


    Familiar faces surrounded Jiu Shen.


    These were the same people that hunted him back then.


    "How nostalgic..." A calm voice drifted from the man with long silver hair. He seemed unaffected despite being surrounded by the top experts of the Celestial Paragon Tower.


    He had a light smile on his face as he swept his gaze toward the Elders.


    "Have you forgotten me, my old friends?" A deep raspy voice drifted into their ears.


    For some reason, everyone felt a chill when they heard his words.


    The Elder who came to report to the Celestial Emperor earlier slowly hovered opposite the silver-haired man. "Who are you? Why are you attacking the golden tower?!" He asked in confusion.


    The man became silent when the Elder asked him that, but he suddenlyughed in a crazy manner.


    When hisughter stopped, he raised his head, showing a handsome face that was warped with fury and madness. "Dogs of Lao Gou, listen carefully! I, Jiu Shen, am back!"


    The faces of everyone took a drastic change when they heard his words.


    Jiu Shen.


    It was a name that they would never forget. Because of him, the Celestial Paragon Tower entered a weakened state for a million years.


    "Jiu Shen!"

 Chapter 547: Scary Jiu Shen

    Chapter 547: Scary Jiu Shen


    "Dogs of Lao Gou! I, Jiu Shen, am back!"


    A powerful voice filled with profound hatred reverberated throughout the entirety of Celestial City.


    Many of the weaker people copsed and the others groaned in pain.


    "W-What was that?"


    "W-Who is that guy?"


    "Jiu Shen? Howe this name is familiar?"


    The stronger experts quickly adjusted themselves after they heard Jiu Shen''s roar.


    They couldn''t believe that someone actually had the guts to provoke the Celestial Paragon Tower. They wondered who this person who called himself Jiu Shen was.


    Meanwhile, outside the golden tower.


    The Elders, elite disciples, and golden guards of the Celestial Paragon Tower stared at Jiu Shen with stunned faces.


    The new members were confused by the sudden turn of events, while the older members revealed looks of surprise and agitation.


    "Jiu Shen!" An aged voice echoed.


    Everyone stared at the Grand Elder. (He was the same Elder who came to report to the Celestial Emperor earlier about the intruder.)


    An old figure with long ash gray hair that reached his waist. He had a pair of eyes that was still clear despite his old age. This was the Grand Elder of the Celestial Paragon Tower, Geralt. A figure whose status was only beneath the Sect Master and the Vice Sect Master.


    Dressed in a set of golden robes with exquisite embroidery, the Grand Elder hovered in front of Jiu Shen like an old specter. His figure was covered in golden true essence as if he was wary of the man in front of him.


    Grand Elder Geralt''s face turned dark as he faced the silver-haired human. He failed to recognize Jiu Shen''s identity earlier since the man''s appearance was way different in the past, but now that he took a clearer look at his golden eyes, the old Grand Elder finally noticed the simrities.


    "It is indeed you, Jiu Shen! To think that you''re still alive even after being trapped in the God Sealing Tower! Your life is as tenacious as a cockroach!" The old man tried to sound domineering, but unconsciously lowered his gaze when he met Jiu Shen''s golden eyes.


    Scary.


    The old man felt nervous in his heart, but he couldn''t show his fear in front of their members.


    "Geralt, it seems like you have regrown your limbs and even your eyes have fully recovered. However, do you really think that you can stop me just because you''ve recovered?" It was a voice that was filled with mockery and derision.


    The eyes of the Grand Elder trembled when he heard Jiu Shen''s words.


    That''s right. When they were tasked to capture Jiu Shen back then, many of their elites were killed. At that time, Jiu Shen was like an invincible war god who killed everyone with his sword. The Grand Elder had his limbs cut off and his eyes were also plucked by Jiu Shen. If not for the arrival of the Celestial Emperor, he would have died right there.


    Grand Elder Geralt concealed the fear in his heart and raised his head to look at Jiu Shen''s face.


    The man''s face was indifferent just like it was before. He hasn''t changed.


    "Jiu Shen, no matter how strong you are, you can''t defeat the entire Celestial Paragon Tower by yourself! And even if you defeat us, the Celestial Emperor will avenge us and seal you once again in the God Sealing Tower!" The Grand Elder shouted back.


    The shoulders of Jiu Shen were visibly trembling.


    Grand Elder Geralt thought that Jiu Shen was scared when he mentioned the Celestial Emperor, but when he squinted his eyes, he saw Jiu Shen smiling weirdly. ''Did he be crazy?''


    "Are you afrai-" Before the Grand Elder could even finish, his head was suddenly detached from his body!


    The figure of Jiu Shen was now behind the headless corpse of the Grand Elder. In his hand was the bloodied decapitated head of the old man.


    Silence...


    Only the light rustling of winds could be heard in the surroundings.


    Jiu Shen stared at the head in his hand and ced it inside a chest. His expression couldn''t be seen since he was looking down at the head.


    Everyone absentmindedly watched as he quietly ced the head of their Grand Elder inside an old wooden chest.


    They were horrified when they saw countless bloody heads inside the chest.


    ''This man is scary.'' They thought.


    ***


    A few minutes earlier.


    Lao Gou was in his room, busy thinking about how he should desecrate the body of Theia. A perverted smile can be seen on his face.


    "Oh, Theia! My love beautiful wife! Your husband will wee your return with a big surprise!" He muttered with his eyes closed.


    Suddenly, a clear knocking sound from the door was heard.


    The Celestial Emperor frowned and suppressed his perverted desires. "Come inside."


    The one who came was Geralt, the Grand Elder of the Celestial Paragon Tower.


    He reported about an intruder who had trespassed the territory of the golden tower.


    Geralt mentioned that the intruder has killed many of their golden guards.


    Lao Gou was angered that his time was wasted on this nonsensical report. He didn''t care about the death of those golden guards at all. It was their fault that they had died at the hands of someone.


    After scolding the Grand Elder, Lao Gou dismissed him with an exasperated look.


    "Yes, Celestial Emperor!" Grand Elder Geralt left and the room regained its silence.


    "Useless bastard! They even had to report such a minor matter to me! A bunch of trash!" Lao Gou mmed the armrest of his throne. Rage was slowly building up on his face.


    He slowly leaned on his throne and massaged his temples, but a loud resonating voice made him jump up in shock.


    "Dogs of Lao Gou! I, Jiu Shen, am back!"


    His soul was in turmoil when he heard the familiar voice.


    The face of Lao Gou changed and it became terrifyingly cold.


    Lao Gou gritted his teeth and balled his hands into fists.


    "JIU SHEN!"

 Chapter 548: Lao Gou Consumed by His Heart Demon

    <h4>Chapter 548: Lao Gou Consumed by His Heart Demon</h4>


    Lao Gou abruptly stood up, apoplectic with rage. His body trembled and his fierce-looking eyes narrowed with killing intent.


    The floor beneath his feet was covered in cracks as the intensity of his aura exploded like a violent storm!


    He could hear the loud explosions outside the golden tower, but with his mind clouded by rage, he ignored what was happening.


    Bang!


    Bang!


    The lofty golden tower shook as the battle outside intensified.


    Lao Gou''s mind was in a mess and even his 4th level Heart Realm couldn''t stop the raging emotions within him.


    Heart Demons...


    Lao Gou was consumed by his Heart Demons in his moment of fury and he wasn''t even aware of this. His consciousness had already merged with the crazed instincts invading his mind.


    Booom!


    Arge hole was blown at the side of the throne room and a lone figure dressed in white robes entered with an expressionless look. He then took out a dozen wooden chests filled with decapitated heads. Blood leaked out from the gaps of the box, filling the throne room with a nauseating scent of death.


    Jiu Shen raised his head and stared at Lao Gou. His golden eyes were covered in a profound glow. Jiu Shen squinted his eyes when he saw the deranged look of Lao Gou. He then let out a mocking smile as he muttered. "A Celestial that allowed himself to be consumed by his Heart Demons. Impressive! Truly impressive!"


    Lao Gou tilted his head towards Jiu Shen. He sent a bone-piercing nce towards the man, but Jiu Shen merely smiled upon seeing this.


    "Did you like my gift, old dog?" His voice was gentle as if he was meeting a friend, but there was a freezing coldness in his gaze.


    GRR!


    ROARR!!


    Lao Gou let out a roar simr to the howls of maddened savage beasts!


    A golden spear appeared in his hand as he lunged forward.


    The golden spear in his hand emitted a sacred golden light that was filled with archaic power.


    Jiu Shen grabbed the sword behind his back and deflected the spear thrust.


    Boom!


    His long silver hair and his white robes fluttered under the violent collision of their weapons.


    The walls of the throne room slowly crumbled, destroying the once majestic image.


    "So you''ve also reached thete stage of the Celestial God Realm. I thought that you would be weaker than Jian Wang, but you didn''t disappoint me, Lao Gou!" Jiu Shen said with a wide smile on his face. He thought that their battle would be a one-sided one, but from the looks of it, Lao Gou who was consumed by his Heart Demon could at least put up a decent fight.


    Lao Gou red at Jiu Shen and twirled his spear before plunging it.


    Swoosh!


    Lao Gou summoned a barrage of spear thrusts that left thousands of afterimages.


    Swoosh!


    Bang!


    Jiu Shen rolled to the side and evaded the de of the spear.


    He was impressed by Lao Gou''s weapon. When he observed it, Jiu Shen realized that the spear was a Celestial-rank weapon!


    With a length of three meters and a slightly curved de, this spear looked simr to an ancient guandao.


    "That spear..." It was a weapon that couldn''t be made by normal means. No Weapon Maker was capable enough to create such a powerful spear. That means his spear was something that was made eons ago.


    Jiu Shen believed that Lao Gou must have found the golden spear in a Spirit World. ''Lucky bastard...''


    Swoosh!


    Jiu Shen carefully deflected the spear strikes while maneuvering himself into a more suitable position for a counterattack.


    ROOARR!


    Lao Gou gathered his true essence into his spear and summoned a fearsome golden dragon spirit.


    The incorporeal golden dragon roared and opened its gaping mouth.


    Several clusters of golden lights converged in the mouth of the dragon spirit. It then fired a golden beam towards Jiu Shen.


    The powerful energy from the golden beam made Jiu Shen feel threatened. He gathered his true essence as he raised his sword.


    BAANG!


    Jiu Shen was thrown outside of the golden tower. He spun in midair to stabilize himself.


    There was no injury in his body and he seemed to be unaffected even after receiving that attack.


    "Not bad!" He muttered with a smile as he watched the imposing golden tower slowly copse.


    An incorporeal golden dragon emerged behind the clouds of dust.


    Lao Gou stood on top of the dragon''s head with the guandao in his hand.


    He looked back at the broken golden tower, and his eyes regained a trace of rity upon seeing the sorry sight. He then turned his gaze towards Jiu Shen who was looking at him.


    "KILL!"


    Lao Gou pointed his spear forward and urged the golden dragon to increase its speed.


    ROAARR!


    Jiu Shen skillfully brandished his sword as he muttered. "Frigid Dragon Sword sh..."


    A distinct draconic cry echoed as an icy blue dragon spirit emerged and shed with Lao Gou''s golden dragon.


    BOOOMM!


    Lao Gou hurriedly retreated and flew off when he sensed the danger.


    Gold and blue fragments of light fell to the ground.


    The figure of two people hovered in midair. Their clothes fluttered along with the wind.


    The one thousand-kilometer area around them had already be a scene of chaos.


    Shattered mountains, broken trees, and dead savage beasts littered the ground.


    Only the fierce blowing of wind can be heard around them.


    Jiu Shen was the one who broke the silence. "Lao Gou, even with your Celestial-rank weapon, you still can''t defeat me! If you don''t use the God Sealing Tower now, you will die in just a few moves!"


    His sharp words reverberated throughout the entire Celestial City.


    The remaining inhabitants who managed to stay conscious during their battle shivered as they stared at the skies.


    They could only see two small dots hovering behind the clouds.


    Everyone couldn''t believe that there was actually someone who could fight evenly against Celestial Emperor Lao Gou other than Jian Wang and Asmodeus.


    "Let''s leave this ce! Quick! We would only die if we remain here!"


    "We''re done for once they begin fighting again! Run!"

 Chapter 549: The Greatest Mystery

    <h4>Chapter 549: The Greatest Mystery</h4>


    Jiu Shen eyed Lao Gou like a wolf staring at its prey.


    He has been holding back his power all this time.


    This was the perfect opportunity to test the extent of his abilities, so he decided to y with Lao Gou for a little while.


    They might have the same level of cultivation, but the difference in their physique and techniques would eventually be revealed as their battle continues.


    Jiu Shen was confident that he could overpower Lao Gou!


    The insanity in Lao Gou''s eyes lessened as he forcefully quelled his Heart Demon using his spiritual power.


    This was only a temporary measure since Heart Demons were very difficult to remove.


    "Jiu Shen, you were only a Heavenly God Realm back then, but I envied you... I have everything that anyone could only dream of, but there was one thing that I couldn''t get..." Lao Gou revealed a look of mncholy as he recalled a beautiful image.


    A woman with perfect facial features and otherworldly grace.


    Jiu Shen went silent when he saw Lao Gou acting like this. He didn''t think that such a man would show a mortal-like expression. Even so, Jiu Shen''s gaze remained cold as he quietly listened.


    "She was perfect... I''ve liked her for a long time, but no matter what I did, she never reciprocated my feelings... It was then that I discovered the reason! It''s because of you! I''ll fucking kill you!"


    ROOARR!!


    Once again consumed by his Heart Demons, Lao Gou swiped his guandao, causing the space around him to tear apart!


    Chaotic energies fluctuated intensely like a raging storm!


    CLAANGG!


    Jiu Shen calmly blocked the golden spear with his sword, the archaic carvings on the Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword''s body were giving off a faint golden glow.


    Lao Gou was thrown away when their weapons shed and he stabilized himself by somersaulting in midair. He nimbly stood on top of the clouds as he stared at Jiu Shen''s figure. The man remained calm and even his white robes was still spotlessly clean.


    On the other hand, Lao Gou lowered his head and saw that his hands were slightly trembling from the violent impact of their strikes.


    He couldn''t ept that Jiu Shen has overtaken his power after a million years of being gone. Lao Gou''s eyes slowly became calm.


    He lifted his head and said. "Jiu Shen, I''ve been wondering all this time... How were you reborn? The God Sealing Tower can even seal a Celestial''s soul, so how could your soul escape from its clutches when you were only a Heavenly God Realm at that time?"


    Facing the sudden question from his rival, Jiu Shen also began to ask himself. How did he escape the God Sealing Tower? "I died at that time. As to how I escape from the God Sealing Tower..." Jiu Shen shook his head, feeling puzzled.


    Lao Gou frowned and stared at the skies. He muttered silently. "It seems like that man has also chosen you... If it''s him... it should be possible."


    Jiu Shen furrowed his eyebrows upon hearing his words. "What are you saying?"


    Lao Gou turned his gaze towards Jiu Shen and gave him a cold smile. "Do you really think Celestial God Realm is the end of cultivation?! Fool! I''ve seen it! I''ve seen the power that goes beyond the realm of the Celestials! A power so strong that he could stop the destruction of a crumbling Spirit World!"


    "This guandao..." Lao Gou nced at his weapon and continued.


    "I received this from him inside that Spirit World... Not even the cksmiths of the old era are capable of making this weapon... If it''s him, your revival isn''t impossible, but why did he revive you?! Why?!"


    Lao Gou screamed like an enraged lion. He pointed the tip of his guandao towards Jiu Shen and summoned a thousand spells.


    Brilliant rays of deadly light shed towards Jiu Shen.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Multiple explosions echoed as the ground was struck by the torrent of lights.


    Hundreds of deep craters littered the once beautiful city.


    Broken buildings and copsed houses can be seen everywhere. Some weaker civilians even died during their battle. Luckily, a few benevolent experts living in the city evacuated the survivors.


    At this moment, there are only a few stranded people that remained in Celestial City. It was only a matter of time before they would die from the aftermath of the ferocious battle...


    BAANG!


    BOOOM!


    CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!


    Above the clouds, Jiu Shen and Lao Gou had already exchanged thousands of moves. Their movements were swift and only their afterimages could be faintly seen.


    Jiu Shen was still thinking about the words that Lao Gou has spoken.


    Celestial God Realm wasn''t the end of cultivation? A person whose power goes beyond the Celestials?


    When he thought deeply about these words, Jiu Shen began to suspect who this person was. Why did he give Lao Gou a Celestial-rank guandao? And is it true that he was revived by this person?


    It was absurd, but Jiu Shen believed that it might be possible. The strange system, the unending number of Celestial-rank items, his mysterious revival...


    He had so many questions, but the only one who could possibly answer him at this moment was the crazy old man in front of him.


    "Wait!" Jiu Shen casually deflected a spear strike and flew a distance away.


    "There is one such ce that three Celestials failed to go..." Jiu Shen said while looking at his rival.


    Lao Gou lowered down his guandao and scoffed in disdain. "Are you talking about the Three Towers of Divine Dao? So you''ve finally realized it, huh? That''s right! I suspect that the one who gave me this weapon lives in that floating city. I tried flying to that ce, but I couldn''t even reach halfway. Perhaps all our questions would be answered after we reach that ce."


    Three Towers of Divine Dao. The floating city that has be the greatest mystery in the Primordial God Realm. Many tried to fly straight into this mysterious floating city, but everyone failed. No one knew what this ce was or who lives in it.

 Chapter 550: The Comet That Destroyed Celestial City

    <h4>Chapter 550: The Comet That Destroyed Celestial City</h4>


    Jiu Shen also tried to ascend towards this mysterious floating city, but he couldn''t even reach the mid part.


    Lao Gou saw that Jiu Shen wasn''t focusing on their battle. He felt that the man was treating him lightly now and this made him furious. "Jiu Shen, don''t think too highly of yourself! That great personage might have felt pity for you back then, but that doesn''t mean anything! You are still nothingpared to him! Don''t even think of reaching that ce! Even Jian Wang and I failed after trying multiple times. Do you think you''re better than us?! Fool!"


    Lao Gou''s aura came crashing down on Jiu Shen, but thetter remained unperturbed as he faced the wild energy that enveloped his body.


    His white robes fluttered along with the turbulent winds. His long silver hair danced wildly.


    Jiu Shen''s expression turned cold as he suppressed the confusion he was feeling. His questions can be answered eventually, so he decided to finish the battle first.


    "Lao Gou, I will never forgive you! You made her suffer a million years of torment! Because of your selfishness, a pure and kind soul lived in agony! Die!" Jiu Shen finally became serious.


    He fired thousands of invisible spiritual arrows toward Lao Gou while summoning a fearsome sword movement. He even strengthened his sword using his anma!


    Triple casting!


    Lao Gou was rmed upon sensing the dreadful spiritual attacks. He sweated bullets as he created a spiritual barrier to block the invisible arrows. He then muttered. "Impregnable Fortress..."


    An incorporeal golden fortress emerged in front of him that blocked the powerful sword strike of Jiu Shen.


    BAANNG!


    This spell was his strongest defensive arts. It could even block a full-powered attack of Jian Wang!


    However, Lao Gou noticed that the golden fortress had cracks slowly forming!


    "What?!" Lao Gou gritted his teeth as he strengthened the fortress by adding his true essence.


    He sighed in relief when the cracks vanished.


    "Second Sword Dance: Swallowing the Sky..." He suddenly heard a calm voice drifting to his ears, followed by a strong power that abruptly rained down on him.


    Lao Gou lifted his head and saw Jiu Shen''s sword sucking the clouds and the sky like a greedy beast. The golden fortress and the spiritual barrier that protected him showed signs of crumbling.


    "No way! That was only the first move?!" He thought that the sword strike earlier was some sort of killing move, but it was actually just the first movement! What kind of scary sword technique was this?!


    Jiu Shen''s face was expressionless as he said. "This is a technique that I made during the time I was tortured inside the God Sealing Tower. A sword technique born for the sake of killing! I didn''t n to use this since the surrounding area might be affected, but it would be a pity not to use this on the very person that gave me the opportunity to create this sword technique!"


    Lao Gou could already feel the rampaging power of the sword technique. "You leave me no choice!" He spat out coldly as he summoned the God Sealing Tower!


    Om!


    A rift in space opened and a huge tower that reached the skies suddenly emerged. Its body was covered in rusty chains.


    The ck tower emitted an overpowering aura!


    This was the God Sealing Tower of the me Angel Race! A Celestial-rank item that was passed down from generation to generation as an heirloom of the me Angel Race! A race of battle angels that was known for their destructive powers. The race of Hestia...


    Jiu Shen recalled her lonely image when she was telling him her story back then.


    The God Sealing Tower! It was also because of this thing that Jiu Shen was sealed for millions of years! He was tortured and repeatedly mocked...


    The strong suppressive power of the God Sealing Tower was felt by the living beings thousands of kilometers away.


    The thick rusty chains around the tower suddenly moved as if they were alive!


    Thousands of chains slithered towards Jiu Shen like serpents!


    When he saw the serpent-like chains, Jiu Shen lifted his sword and calmly whispered. "Third Sword Dance: Descent of the Comet..."


    Hm?


    Lao Gou felt the hairs on his back rising all of a sudden. He lifted his head and saw a hugeet that was sorge that it could cover ten cities ced side by side!


    "Are you insane?! You will destroy arge part of the Central Region with that attack!" Lao Gou felt petrified by the power behind theet. It was impossible to evade it!


    Lao Gou hastily controlled the God Sealing Tower. He threw the tower above the skies and poured his true essence without holding back!


    Seeing this, Jiu Shen grinned. His body was covered in archaic golden symbols.


    Everyone around the Central Region was stunned silly when they saw the hugeet descending with unstoppable momentum.


    "What the hell is that?!"


    "Is this Celestial Emperor Lao Gou''s power?"


    "What is happening?!"


    Everyone immediately scrambled at the terrifying sight. They left their houses without hesitation and looked at the Central Region with worry in their eyes.


    "Who is fighting with Celestial Emperor Lao Gou?"


    "People from Celestial City said that it was a man named Jiu Shen..."


    Millions of spectators watched the scene with apprehension.


    No one dared to move closer to the Central Region.


    They could sense the rampaging power of the sh between the two Celestials and even from where they stood, they still couldn''t feel at ease.


    "So this is a fight between Celestials..."


    Everyone felt their chests tightening as they watched the battle from afar.


    The hugeet was closing in and everyone saw a huge ck tower controlling millions of rusty chains to hold back theet.


    However, the chains slowly melted upon getting closer to theet.


    It couldn''t be stopped!


    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!!!!


    It came crushing towards the ck tower.


    That was thest scene that everyone saw because they were flung away by the huge force caused by the violent collision.

 Chapter 551: Title at the End of the Chapter

    <h4>Chapter 551: Title at the End of the Chapter</h4>


    The ground was still trembling vigorously.


    The destructive impact caused by theet was so tremendous that even the nearby regions were somehow affected.


    As for the Central Region, Celestial City was turned into and of destion, while tens of cities around it also received major damage.


    Millions of civilians died and even some experts perished.


    "L-Look above!" Someone shouted in distress.


    Everyone lifted their heads and saw millions ofrge burning fragments descending from the skies. It was a rain ofva!


    "We''re done for! Run!"


    "Flee!"


    "Why did I even stay here to spectate the battle?!"


    Everyone cried in anguish as they escaped at their fastest speed. However, the rain ofva had already spread in the entirety of the Central Region!


    Just as everyone thought that they would burn to death, an invisible force suddenly prevented the rain ofva from burning the Central Region.


    The zing fragments stopped in midair as if someone had paused time. Everyone''s mouth turned agape at the shocking sight and they had even forgotten to flee.


    A figure dressed in white robes appeared above the clouds, looking down at them. He had an expressionless face as he said with an indifferent tone. "Leave while you still can."


    His voice wasn''t loud, but strangely, everyone heard his words clearly.


    After saying those words, his figure disappeared from their sight.


    "Who was that?"


    "Perhaps he is the man fighting against Celestial Emperor Lao Gou. I think his name is Jiu Shen..."


    "Celestial Emperor Jiu Shen..."


    They etched the name in their hearts as they left the Central Region.


    ***


    Jiu Shen stared at the bedraggled Lao Gou who could barely stand on his feet. He even had to lean on his guandao to prevent himself from falling.


    The imposing ck tower was still standing behind him, but the rusty chains that wrapped around the tower had obviously lessened. Less than half was left after forcefully blocking the hugeet.


    Covered in cuts and burn wounds, Lao Gou red hatefully at Jiu Shen.


    The man recklessly used a ridiculous spell that destroyed a huge part of the Central Region. Lao Gou was certain that millions must have died from the impact alone. He thought that he was cruel, but Jiu Shen was even crazier than him!


    Through his blood-stained eyes, he peeked at Jiu Shen''s face and saw no remorse from the man. As if the act of killing millions was just a simple thing.


    Cough! Cough!


    ''This crazy bastard! I never thought that he would not even hesitate to release such a powerful spell in a highly popted region!'' Lao Gou spat several mouthfuls of blood.


    His spiritual power was almost emptied and the true essence in his dantian was in a mess.


    If not for the God Sealing Tower taking the brunt of the attack, he would have ended up half-dead.


    Lao Gou noticed that Jiu Shen was moving in his direction and this made him unconsciously take a step back. It was then that he realized the true extent of Jiu Shen''s power! It was immeasurable!


    He unconsciously held the handle of his guandao with a tight grip. Every step that Jiu Shen took made his heart almost leap out of his chest. The feeling was foreign to him. It was the first time he showed this kind of reaction to someone. ''What is this?'' He muttered to himself.


    ''Is this fear?'' His pupils dted upon reaching this conclusion. He couldn''t even bring himself to deny this.


    "Lao Gou, to tell you the truth, this sword technique of mine has seven sword dances and a special sword dance, but it seems like you can only take one final sword dance. It''s a pity that I can''t test the remaining sword dances..." A regretful voice drifted in Lao Gou''s ears.


    "S-Seven sword dances? There''s even a final sword dance?" Lao Gou thought that his hearing had gone wrong when he heard Jiu Shen''s words.


    So the terrifyinget earlier was the final movement?


    Lao Gou suddenly let out a dryugh. ''To think that I ended up bing bitter enemies with such a crazy lunatic... Well, this isn''t so bad. As a man recognized by that personage, I don''t mind dying in his hands...''


    Jiu Shen paused his steps when he saw the sudden change in Lao Gou''s expression. He was familiar with that look.


    It was the face of someone that has given up on his life.


    Seeing this, Jiu Shen became enraged. He tapped his foot and lunged toward Lao Gou as he raised his fist.


    PAK!


    Lao Gou''s face was deformed after receiving the punch. He even realized that he had lost control of his lower jaw.


    He didn''t notice that his guandao had already slipped out of his hand.


    Like a broken ragdoll, he crashed to the ground. He felt his vision slowly weaken. The scene in front of him was partially covered by his blood. ''So this is how it looks like to watch the sky as a defeated foe...'' He thought to himself mockingly.


    Then, he saw the expressionless Jiu Shen looking down at him.


    A rain of heavy punches followed.


    Pah! Pah! Pah!


    Lao Gou could no longer feel the weight of the punches. His brain failed to register the pain.


    ''Is this death?''


    Jiu Shen mercilessly punched the face of Lao Gou. "You old bastard! Why are you not resisting?! Do you think I wouldn''t kill you?!"


    Jiu Shen didn''t stop punching the face of his enemy. His white robes and peerless visage were slowly covered in blood.


    Pah! Pah! Pah!


    An hourter...


    Jiu Shen stared at the headless corpse of Lao Gou. Not even a skull remained.


    A huge puddle of blood, mangled pieces of flesh, and broken bones... It was all that remained of his head.


    He is finally dead...


    ''I couldn''t stop myself and ended up killing him right away...'' Jiu Shen sat in front of the corpse with an empty expression.


    Chapter 550: Lao Gou''s Death

 Chapter 552: Heavenly Sword Region

    <h4>Chapter 552: Heavenly Sword Region</h4>


    Jiu Shen nned to thoroughly torture Lao Gou, but when he recalled the old bastard''s vacant look earlier, he became incensed and ended up punching Lao Gou to death.


    He nced at the headless corpse covered in blood and ced it inside his space earring. "I''ll let Theia handle what remained of you..." He muttered as he stood up.


    He looked around and saw that the ck tower was still standing tall. He kept the tower inside his space earring and moved towards the fallen guandao. It was a Celestial-rank weapon, but only a few among his subordinates use the spear. "I''ll give this to that brat Can Ye and let him handle it. This would be a nice thing to disy in the sword tower''s treasury."


    "Now, how do I make things right?" Jiu Shen stared at the broken ruins all over him. This demolishednd was what remained of the bustling capital of the Central Region.


    Jiu Shen thought that he was unfeeling and indifferent about the lives of others, but a wave of guilt overwhelmed him when he saw millions of corpses scattered throughout the Central Region.


    They were killed because of him.


    Jiu Shen closed his eyes and with an earnest voice, he said. "I''m sorry..."


    No one answered him.


    He slowly hovered in midair and announced in a loud resonating voice. "In honor of those who died, I will make thisnd a utopia! A ce free from torment and war! I rename this region, the Heavenly Sword Region!"


    The crowd all over the (Central Region now called Heavenly Sword Region) prostrated when they heard Jiu Shen''s words. His voice was filled with charm that no one voiced out any words ofint.


    "We greet the Celestial Emperor!"


    "We greet the Celestial Emperor!"


    A new Celestial Emperor was born...


    ***


    In the Desert Region, the battle between the Celestial Paragon Tower and the Heavenly Sword Tower''s allied forces was still not over.


    The Celestial Paragon Tower had fewer soldiers left and they were slowly being pushed back.


    Sect Master Telu and Vice Sect Master Valir were doing their best to fight the top experts of the opposing force, but one person disrupted the rhythm of the battle.


    It was a beautiful youngdy with blonde hair that reached her shoulders. She had a pair of ocean blue eyes that emitted a terrifying wave of killing intent. Her every sword strike took the lives of countless soldiers. She was like the reincarnation of a war goddess!


    "Is she the person that father wants us to capture?" Telu asked through gritted teeth.


    Valir nodded his head with a helpless smile. "That''s right. Celestial Emperor Lao Gou wants us to capture her alive and not to harm her in any way."


    Hearing that, Telu almost cursed his father but held himself back. "This youngdy is so ferocious and her every attack is aimed at our vital spots. If we hold back our power, we might end up dying in her hands. Old man, I think we should abandon father''s order and kill this youngdy!"


    Valir was stunned upon hearing the Sect Master''s words. It looks like he had finally realized the absurdity of his father''smands. "Sect Master, you mean..."


    Telu had a dark look as he shook his head. "We can''t defeat them..."


    Valir nodded his head and grabbed Telu''s shoulder with one hand. "Sect Master, bring half of the army and leave this ce. I will hold them back and create an opportunity for you to escape!"


    Telu''s eyes widened at his words. He looked at the old man as if he was insane and said. "What the hell are you talking about, old man?! If we die then we die together! Are you treating me like a child?!"


    Valir shook his head and pushed him away with a cold look. "Telu, we don''t have time to dillydally, so shut the fuck up and leave this ce!"


    Telu''s body shook when he saw the resolute face of the old man. He gritted his teeth and stared at Valir for thest time before he turned around and left.


    Looking at his escaping figure, Valir let out a relieved smile.


    However, a shadow suddenly appeared behind Telu and swiftly decapitated his head.


    A ravishing beauty wearing dark armor that was covered in blood was looking coldly at the headless corpse of Telu.


    "Sect Master!!" Valir''s face fell upon witnessing the abrupt death of Telu.


    "Die, bitch!" He lifted his weapon and struck the cold-faced woman.


    Theia calmly deflected the maddened attacks of the old man. He was violently swinging his weapon, leaving many openings in his stance.


    With a wave of her sword, Theia executed a beautiful sword movement akin to a goddess dancing in the field of flowers.


    Puchi!


    Valir dropped his weapon and held his neck with a nk look. He lowered his gaze and opened his palms.


    It was covered in blood.


    With feeble footsteps, he walked towards the corpse of Telu. The man''s decapitated head was lying beside his corpse.


    Theia watched the scene with a cold look and didn''t stop the old man.


    Valir opened his mouth, but he could only release croaking sounds.


    The wound in his neck was deep and it affected his speech.


    He kneeled and grabbed the head of Telu to his arms.


    ''My child...''


    Because Celestial Emperor Lao Gou rarely showed himself, Valir was the one who raised Telu the moment he was born.


    He treated the child of the Celestial Emperor like his own...


    Slowly, the eyes of Valir lost their radiance. He died while holding the head of Telu...


    Theia let out a sigh and turned around. The battle wasn''t over yet despite the death of the leaders. The soldiers of the Celestial Paragon Tower showed no signs of surrendering even after seeing the death of their Sect Master and Vice Sect Master. In fact, their deaths only served as fuel that strengthened the battle will of these men.

 Chapter 553: The Comet That Stunned Everyone

    <h4>Chapter 553: The Comet That Stunned Everyone</h4>


    Soon, the army of the Celestial Paragon Tower copsed under thebined might of the Heavenly Sword Tower, Heavenly Melody Pavilion, and the Armored Wyvern Army.


    The whole Desert Region became quiet as they witnessed the thrilling battle. However, they were also worried that Celestial Emperor Lao Gou might direct his hatred on them for merely spectating the battle, but if they also joined the conflict, Celestial Emperor Jian Wang might kill them on the spot.


    They were in a conundrum as to how they should respond to this.


    In the end, they did nothing and just watched the fight between the two sides. This was the safest option for them, so the two Celestial Emperors should understand them, right?


    Meanwhile, thest soldier of the Celestial Paragon Tower finally fell. The cheers of the Heavenly Sword Tower and the other two forces were heard throughout the Desert Region.


    "Victory!"


    "We won!"


    The corpses of the Celestial Paragon Tower''s soldiers were all over the ce. The sight made everyone tremble and they were unsure what this event would cause in theing days.


    Everyone could already smell the scent of war...


    They just fought with the Infernals, but another war was underway. It made their insides contort aggressively.


    "Vice Sect Master Theia, we won!" For some strange reason, Ice, who was in her human form spoke with honorifics. It was rare for her to speak in a formal manner since she usually chat with everyone in an informal tone.


    Theia''s cold gaze softened as she patted her head. It was a gesture that she had learned from Jiu Shen and she now enjoyed doing it. Of course, only the little girl, Ice received this kind of treatment.


    Ice didn''t reject her touch. She smiled widely as she stared at Theia''s gentle face.


    Not longter, Ai Chen and Ri Kushou who were both covered in blood appeared in front of Theia.


    They smiled at her as they greeted her warmly with a nod.


    Theia''s face turned cold once again when she directed her gaze at them, but despite theck of emotion on her face, the two weren''t the least bit bothered.


    "Thank you for helping our Heavenly Sword Tower. From this moment on, we will consider you guys as our friends." Theia said in a calm voice.


    Ai Chen immediately shook her head upon hearing this. "I am merely repaying the favor shown by your people and Wine Master Jiu Shen." She replied with a smile.


    Ri Kushou nodded his head in agreement. "Indeed. If not for the help of the Heavenly Sword Tower, many of my brothers would have died under the hands of those Infernals."


    Theia nodded her head at their words. She wouldn''t forget their help.


    She will report this to Jiu Shen.


    "Oh, by the way. I haven''t seen Wine Master Jiu Shen after he killed the High Chieftain of the Infernals. Do you perhaps know where he is, Miss Theia?" Ri Kushou asked the valiant woman in front of him. Her strength came as a shock to him especially after having witnessed it with his own eyes.


    Miss Theia killed the Sect Master and the Vice Sect Master of the Celestial Paragon Tower all by herself! Just this feat alone was enough to make her famous in the entire Primordial God Realm! Not to mention that even the upper echelons of the Heavenly Sword Tower also disyed remarkablebat prowess.


    The rise of this new major power was bound to happen. Ri Kushou was certain of this.


    The Sect Master of this sect was even more monstrous.


    He killed a Celestial God Realm Infernal in a one-on-one matchup! That means that he had already be a Celestial!


    This was also the reason why he decided to help the Heavenly Sword Tower despite the enemy being the Celestial Paragon Tower. He was betting on the man named Jiu Shen!


    Suddenly, everyone sensed an overwhelming energy in the direction of the Central Region. They unconsciously turned their heads and saw a shocking sight that almost made them jump in dread.


    A hugeet.


    It was sorge that it must be enough to engulf ten cities with just its size alone. They wondered who could summon such a formidable spell.


    "I-Is that thing summoned by Celestial Emperor Lao Gou?"


    "Perhaps... Only someone at his level could release such a fearsome power! But I''m more curious about the person who made himunch that kind of monstrouset..."


    Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of them.


    He was a middle-aged man with a sword strapped behind his back.


    The abrupt appearance of the middle-aged man stunned everyone.


    "Greetings, Sword God Jian Wang!" They all greeted respectfully.


    However, Jian Wang merely waved his hand and continued looking at the distantet. His eyebrows knitted into a frown as he muttered. "Lao Gou doesn''t have the ability to summon such destructive power. Maybe it''s him..."


    Jian Wang recalled the image of Jiu Shen''s broad back.


    "Who are you talking about, Brother Jian?" Only one person could speak like this to the Sword God. One of thest Phoenixes, Furion.


    Everyone was also curious. Other than Celestial Emperor Lao Gou, who else could have that kind of power in the Central Region? The only person they could think of was Asmodeus, but the man was severely injured and was still nursing his wounds ording to the rumors they heard. So other than Asmodeus and Lao Gou, who could it be?


    Jian Wang was silent for a moment, but no one dared toin. Luckily, he spoke after a little while.


    "A new Celestial. A Celestial whose power surpasses even mine. I couldn''t even fathom the depths of his power." There was a tinge of surprise in his voice as he muttered these words.


    "What?! A new Celestial?!"


    "Wait... It seems like we''ve forgotten something..."


    "Wine Master Jiu Shen killed a Celestial, right? He''s also not here. Could it be that..."


    Everyone became silent...

 Chapter 554: Marbas

    <h4>Chapter 554: Marbas</h4>


    "That''s right. I think the one who summoned thatet is Jiu Shen." Jian Wang was certain of this. He had seen the extent of Lao Gou''s power and the man wasn''t strong enough to release a technique at this level. The only person he could think of was Jiu Shen.


    The crowd was taken aback by this revtion.


    "I recall a certain individual that goes by the name Jiu Shen millions of years ago. He was a man of remarkable talent with exquisite skill in swordsmanship. At that time, the public believed that he was the fourth strongest in the Primordial God Realm. That means his power was only beneath the three Celestial Emperors." An old man dressed in worn-out battle armor suddenly spoke. His words made everyone collectively turn their gazes at him.


    "Now that you mentioned it... There was indeed someone with that name, but I heard that he was killed by Celestial Emperor Lao Gou. Unfortunately, I forgot the reason why the Celestial Emperor killed him back then." Another old expert added.


    The younger experts were confused by their words. They weren''t born yet when that person was alive, so they had no idea what the old experts were talking about.


    Unbeknownst to them, there was a person who revealed a trace of fury when they discussed this.


    Jian Wang sensed this immediately and he sent Theia a perplexed look. ''Why is this girl suddenly emitting killing intent? Wait... Could it be... No way!''


    A moment of realization shed in Jian Wang''s eyes as he stared at Theia''s beautiful face. A goddess-like figure ovepped the image of Theia and this made him click his tongue.


    "If everyone is so curious about it. How about we go and visit the Central Region?" Jian Wang voiced a suggestion.


    Four of the six great armies revealed looks of hesitation upon hearing this.


    They didn''t do anything when the Celestial Paragon Tower was killed during the confrontation earlier, so they felt a bit nervous about going back to the Central Region. After all, that was the territory of Celestial Emperor Lao Gou!


    Meanwhile, Ai Chen, Ri Kushou, and the members of the Heavenly Sword Tower agreed with Jian Wang''s suggestion.


    Jian Wang saw the worry in the eyes of the four major powers. He grinned as he assured them. "Don''t worry. I won''t let Lao Gou do anything to you guys."


    Hearing this, the four major powers heaved a sigh of relief and nodded their heads gratefully.


    "In that case, we shall follow Sword God Jian Wang''s arrangements."


    Jian Wang chuckled upon hearing their words.


    "Wait!"


    Everyone turned their gazes and saw a man with long golden hair and three pairs of wings.


    Seeing him, they immediately cupped their fists respectfully as they greeted him. "Greetings, Celestial Emperor Asmodeus!"


    This man was Asmodeus. The strongest Array Formation Maker in existence!


    Asmodeus'' face was still pale. It seemed that he has yet to fully recover.


    "I''ll go with you guys." He said as he stared at Jian Wang.


    "Alright, but you shouldn''t overdo yourself." Jian Wang patted the man''s shoulder. He then turned his gaze at everyone and said. "Let''s go!"


    Millions of experts departed the Desert Region under the lead of Jian Wang.


    ***


    Jiu Shen nced at the prostrating crowd. He ended up harming many innocent lives to achieve his goal. In order to correct his mistakes, he decided to reconstruct the entire region and make it his territory.


    Anyway, he could just transfer the building of the Heavenly Sword Tower and the dragon building with the help of Asmodeus'' Array Formations.


    Just as he was thinking about his next n, someone caught his attention.


    It was an old man whose beard has reached his knees. He looked feeble with his thin arms and twig-like legs. However, the murky eyes of the old man revealed a trace of brilliance and wisdom.


    "Celestial Emperor, we await yourmands!" The old man raised his head and gazed at the figure hovering in midair like a deity.


    The old man''s strength wasn''t weak either. He was a peak stage Heavenly God Realm, but his clothes seemed shabbypared to what the others wore.


    ''He should be an itinerant cultivator.'' Jiu Shen thought as he slowly descended to the ground.


    He stood before the old man and muttered. "What''s your name?"


    The old man didn''t dare raise his head uponing into close contact with Jiu Shen. He could sense the holy aura emitted by the young man that almost made him believe that he was speaking to a god.


    "T-This one''s name is Marbas. An itinerant cultivator of the Central Region." Marbas didn''t notice that his voice was quivering.


    "Marbas, is it?"


    Marbas nodded his head meekly.


    "Marbas, lead everyone here and search for more survivors. Also, I need you to find a trustable construction firm by the end of this day and bring them to me." Jiu Shen nned to repair the destruction he caused in the region. Since this ce would be his territory, this was a necessary expenditure. Money is not a problem for him since he already has Lao Gou''s wealth.


    Marbas'' eyes shed with a shrewd light upon hearing Jiu Shen''s words. He bowed his head and replied. "As youmand!"


    He decided to step up for this kind of opportunity and he didn''t want to miss it. This was a chance to serve a Celestial! A Celestial that was so strong that he ended up destroying arge portion of the Central Region (now called Heavenly Sword Region).


    Jiu Shen dismissed Marbas and decided to go back to the Southern Region to meet Elena. He wanted to know why she chose to hide from the spotlight despite being a Celestial.


    However, he suddenly noticed a huge fleet of floating ships moving in his direction. He furrowed his eyebrows and used his spiritual perception to observe the group.


    "Ho... Have they finished off the army of the Celestial Paragon Tower?" Jiu Shen grinned when he saw the members of the Heavenly Sword Tower among the people riding the flying ships.

 Chapter 555: The Allied Army Offers Their Assistance

    Chapter 555: The Allied Army Offers Their Assistance


    Jiu Shen felt everyone''s stare boring down on him, but his face remained calm as he grabbed Lao Gou''s guandao from his space earring. "This the weapon that Lao Gou used to fight me."


    The crowd stared at the guandao with fascination. The weapon in itself looked mighty and imposing. There were also high-level inscriptions inscribed on the de of the guandao.


    "That is a Celestial-rank weapon..." Jian Wang muttered as he closely observed the golden guandao.


    Asmodeus nodded his head and pointed at the inscriptions as he added. "Indeed. And the inscriptions here are at the Celestial-rank. That means this weapon is not just amon Celestial-rank guandao. It''s the best of the best!"


    The words of the two Celestials carried a huge weight and everyone could already tell the value of the weapon from their words alone.


    It was priceless!


    Then, the crowd recovered their senses. Since Wine Master Jiu Shen has the weapon of Celestial Emperor Lao Gou, does that mean that he...


    Amazing!


    Jiu Shen kept the guandao inside his space earring. He then sent an apologetic look toward the crowd. "Everyone, most of you here live in the Central Region, but as you can see, the ce isn''t habitable at the moment. I apologize for that."


    "No! It''s fine, Wine Master Jiu Shen! We can just rebuild our territory!" Ri Kushou stepped forward eagerly. His bet has paid off! Jiu Shen won against Lao Gou!


    Jiu Shen turned his gaze towards Ri Kushou. This man was the Great General of the Armored Wyvern Army. A peak expert beneath the Celestials!


    "General Ri Kushou and the Armored Wyvern Army helped us in defeating the Celestial Paragon Tower. Miss Ai Chen and the Heavenly Melody Pavilion also supported us." Theia''s voice wasn''t loud, but everyone here were top experts so they managed to hear her voice clearly.


    Ri Kushou grinned upon hearing her words, while Ai Chen let out a shy smile. On the other hand, the others who chose to stay on the sidelines were regretting their actions. It was a chance to make a Celestial indebted to them, but they failed to grasp the opportunity. Too bad...


    "What are your ns, Jiu Shen?" Jian Wang suddenly asked.


    Jiu Shen nced at him and answered. "The reconstruction of the Central Region is the top priority. I''ve already asked someone to call for a construction firm that would take this job. The search for survivors is also underway so it should be fine for now. Oh, right. I have something to tell you guys."


    Everyone stared at him in confusion. What was he going to say?


    Jiu Shen smiled and announced. "I''ve decided to make this ce my territory. From now on, this region will be renamed Heavenly Sword Region!"


    Heavenly Sword Region.


    "Ho! I see. That''s good. Do you want us to help in reconstructing the Heavenly Sword Region?" Jian Wang smiled as he offered that.


    "That would be great!" Jiu Shan readily agreed. With more people helping him, the reconstruction speed of the Heavenly Sword Region will increase.


    "In that case, we will offer our manpower and resources to help Wine Master Jiu Shen in reconstructing the Heavenly Sword Region!"


    "That''s right! We will help Wine Master Jiu Shen!"


    The allied army immediately offered their assistance. It was a chance for them to befriend the new ruler of the region! They didn''t want to miss this opportunity!


    "Thank you, everyone! After the reconstruction of the Heavenly Sword Region, I will invite all of you for a celebration!" Jiu Shen said with a smile.


    It wasn''t bad to make friends with these people. They might have ulterior motives, but it was fine. Jiu Shen knew how to bind these people with him and make them his own.


    And with that, the allied army immediately divided their workforce to begin the reconstruction process of the Heavenly Sword Region.


    "I have an assistant who works for me. He will be responsible for the overall progress of the reconstruction. His name is Marbas." Jiu Shen informed them.


    The leaders of the allied army ingrained the name in their minds.


    Soon, they left and started their preparations.


    The only ones left were the members of the Heavenly Sword Tower and the three Celestial Emperors.


    "You guys should help Marbas. The others might not listen to him since he is an itinerant cultivator. Theia, we will talk about everything once Ie back. I still have something to do." Jiu Shen held Theia''s hand gently as he looked at her.


    Theia nodded her head. "Alright, I understand."


    Theia led the Heavenly Sword Tower.


    When they left, Jiu Shen nced at Jian Wang and Asmodeus. "Do you guys know about Elena?"


    Jian Wang furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head. "No. Why?"


    Asmodeus was silent as if he was hesitating, but he also shook his head.


    ''It looks like Jian Wang has no idea about her, but Asmodeus is acting suspiciously. What is he hiding?'' Jiu Shen thought to himself.


    "Before I became a Celestial, everyone thought that there are only three Celestials in the Primordial God Realm. Jian Wang, Asmodeus, and Lao Gou. What if I tell you that there is actually a fourth Celestial?"


    "What!?" Jian Wang reacted strongly that he even grabbed Jiu Shen''s shoulder.


    "You heard me right. There is a fourth Celestial hidden in the outskirts of the Southern Region. You guys know about the Eonic Ragarwood Tree, right?"


    Jian Wang and Asmodeus nodded their heads.


    "Elena is an Ancient Fairy and she is also the guardian of the Eonic Ragarwood Tree. I came to know about her existence just recently."


    "So that''s how it is. No wonder I feel my senses are messed up every time I go near that ce. So there is actually a Celestial protecting the Eonic Ragarwood Tree in secret." Jian Wang muttered still reeling in shock.


    "Are you nning to meet her now?" Asmodeus asked.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head. "I''m curious why she chose to hide from the public."

 Chapter 556: Immortal Pearl Dew

    <h4>Chapter 556: Immortal Pearl Dew</h4>


    And just like that, the three of them decided to visit the Southern Region where the Eonic Ragarwood Tree stood.


    The three Celestials soared through the skies and disappeared in a blink of an eye.


    Since it was just the three of them, they didn''t need to slow down their speed.


    Soon, they arrived in the forested area of the Southern Region.


    They could already see the towering tree that pierced the clouds.


    When they arrived near the Eonic Ragarwood Tree, they descended from the skies.


    Jiu Shen swept his spiritual vision around them and discovered Elena who was hiding in one of the Eonic Ragarwood Tree''s branches. Her figure was covered by a translucent fog, making it hard for anyone to get a glimpse of her appearance.


    Suddenly, enchantingughter can be heard above them.


    They turned their gazes and saw a silhouette that was covered by fog. They couldn''t clearly see her face, but the outline of her body was perfect.


    "Oh my! Oh my! To think that three Celestial Emperors would visit me on the same day! How wonderful! It would be rude if I remain hidden in the presence of three great people..." Her melodic voice drifted into their ears.


    The fog that covered her figure slowly receded.


    Elena. A lithe and graceful woman with tantalizing beauty and overwhelming charisma.


    Her snow-white hair was tied in cascading curls, making her look more elegant. Her mischievous eyes revealed a sultry look when her gaze moved towards Jiu Shen. "We meet again, Jiu Shen."


    Even with his sturdy heart, Jiu Shen almost had his soul captivated by this fairy. He chanted a calming sutra in his mind and stared at Elena''s face with an unchanging expression.


    Jian Wang and Asmodeus struggled for a brief moment, but they still managed to regain their bearings.


    Seeing this, Elena smiled at them as if she was amused. She then focused her gaze on Jiu Shen. Earlier, she felt a fearsome power in the Central Region and she knew right away that it was rted to the fight between Lao Gou and Jiu Shen. "It looks like you have managed to defeat him, Jiu Shen. I''m grateful."


    Jiu Shen nodded his head upon hearing her words. He knew why she was grateful to him. After all, Lao Gou forced her to give him a seed of Eonic Ragarwood Tree andrge amounts of Undying God Spring. The old bastard man must havee here often to demand more Undying God Spring for the seed he got from her back then.


    "Now, tell me. What brings the three of you here? I don''t think you''re just here to receive my gratitude, Jiu Shen." Elena was showing a clear interest in this man that she even ignored Jian Wang and Asmodeus.


    Jiu Shen nced at the two people behind him and nodded his head. "You''re right. We came here to know why you''ve chosen to stay hidden after so many years."


    After observing her closely, Jiu Shen was finally able to perceive her power.


    True essence. Late stage Celestial God Realm.


    Anma. Early stage Celestial God Realm.


    Spiritual power. Peak stage Celestial God Realm!


    Her power shocked him. He finally knew the reason why this woman had such an overwhelming level of seduction. It was because of her spiritual power! It was even greater than his own!


    Elena''s yful look suddenly became serious as she answered. "So you came here to know that, huh? You guys know about the Three Towers of Divine Dao, right?" This time, her gaze moved towards Asmodeus.


    The three of them nodded their heads.


    "A long time ago, I also tried to ascend that legendary floating city. And the result was..."


    "Elena, you promised to never speak about the matters rted to that ce!" Asmodeus suddenly cut off her words, making Jiu Shen and Jian Wang surprised. They gazed at him with suspicion, but the man remained silent and just shook his head.


    "Oops." Elena quickly covered her mouth with her hands, acting like a child who said something wrong.


    "Asmodeus, what is happening?" Jian Wang nced coldly at Asmodeus. He even grabbed the man by his shoulder.


    Asmodeus shrugged him off and stared at him apologetically. "I''m sorry, Jian Wang, but I cannot say anything about it. I hope you understand."


    Jian Wang sighed upon seeing him act like this. "Fine! But I hope that you will tell us one day."


    Asmodeus revealed a look of hesitation and sighed. "Give me some time to think about it. I''ll leave you guys for now."


    "Make sure toe after the reconstruction of the Heavenly Sword Region ispleted." Jiu Shen said.


    "Alright. I will be there." Asmodeus left after that.


    "Just what is that guy hiding from us?" Jian Wang muttered to himself with an exasperated voice.


    "Hehe. Enough about that. I''ll bring you guys to my humble abode." Elena giggled as she invited them to her home.


    The two men nodded their heads and followed her.


    As they walked inside the forest, they saw a small pond that glistened with a golden hue. The pond was releasing a sacred and untainted aura that prevented creatures from getting near it. This was the Undying God Spring.


    "To think that the Undying God Spring is actually hidden inside this forest..." Jian Wang muttered as he stared at the golden spring.


    Soon, the trio arrived in front of a huge tree house.


    Elena pushed the door open and led them inside. She brought them to her tea room which was located on the second floor of the tree house.


    "Take your seats."


    Jiu Shen and Jian Wang grabbed a wooden chair for themselves and sat down.


    Elena walked in front of a shelf and took one transparent bottle and two empty sses. "This is a personal creation of mine that I called ''Immortal Pearl Dew''. You guys would be shocked if you knew what this thing is made of." She chuckled softly as she poured the contents of the bottle into their sses.

 Chapter 557: Asgard

    <h4>Chapter 557: Asgard</h4>


    The tea had a vibrant golden color. It was shining resplendently within the ss as if it had a life of its own.


    Jiu Shen grabbed the ss and took a light sniff. He felt that his mind has instantly be clearer when the refreshing aroma entered his nostrils. "Good tea!" He could tell right away that this was a tea of the highest quality. Something that he hasn''t tasted in his life.


    Elena smiled gently upon hearing his words. She cupped her face with the palm of her hands and watched the two silently.


    Jiu Shen gracefully took a sip of the tea with his eyes closed. His actions were refined and filled with elegance, making Elena''s eyes shine in admiration.


    On the other hand, Jian Wang also tried to look like a gentleman, but his actionscked the charm that Jiu Shen had. Even so, he still didn''t lose out in terms of dignity.


    Seeing this, Elena took out two saucers and ced them on the table. It was a mistake on her part to forget this since it was a necessity during tea sessions.


    Jiu Shen smiled as he ced the ss on the saucer. "I can tell that you added a generous amount of Undying God Spring in this tea. There are also a few Heavenly-rank herbs added, but there are two ingredients that I couldn''t identify. Could you please enlighten me about this, Elena?"


    Elena stared at him with a praising look. This guy managed to tell the ingredients used to make the tea after a small sip. "So you''re also a tea lover... That''s right. I used twelve Heavenly-rank herbs as ingredients and three Celestial-rank ingredients. One leaf of Eonic Ragarwood Tree for clearing the mind. I used the Undying God Spring as the base liquid. As for thest ingredient... one Undying Pearl."


    "What?! Did you just say Undying Pearl?!" Jian Wang who was quietly listening became agitated.


    "So that''s the final ingredient, huh? To think that you would use such a thing to make your tea. The Undying Pearl is an item that is ssified as something that exceeds the Celestial-rank and you actually dare say that it''s just a Celestial-rank ingredient..." Jiu Shen''s mouth twitched as he stared at Elena.


    The Undying Pearl is a natural item that can only be produced by a billion-year-old Undying God Spring. It only produces one such pearl every one billion years! It was an item that has never been seen in the Primordial God Realm for many years.


    Jian Wang nced at Jiu Shen with an exasperated look. "You''re both the same. You also used Celestial-rank ingredients to create your wines. The two of you are kindred spirits..."


    Hearing that, Jiu Shen ignored him and just calmly enjoyed the tea.


    "Oh? I want to try Jiu Shen''s tea!" Elena eagerly said.


    "He''s selling his wines cheaply. I don''t know what has gotten in his head. If it was me, I would price those wines excessively." Jian Wang shook his head with a wry smile.


    Jiu Shen ced the ss on the saucer and turned his gaze towards Elena. "I''m nning to move my wine store to the Heavenly Sword Region. I would like to invite you to join us in the celebration."


    Elena pondered deeply upon hearing that. She had a hesitant look on her face as if troubled by something, but in the end, she shed a smile as she asked him. "Are you sure that you want to invite me, Jiu Shen?"


    Her enchanting voice carried deep meaning, but Jiu Shen simply nodded his head at her.


    "Of course." He answered.


    "You might regret it, Jiu Shen." A look of worry shed in her gaze for a moment, but she hurriedly concealed it when Jiu Shen nced at her.


    "It''s just a celebration. If you don''t want toe, then it''s fine as well." Jiu Shen shrugged his shoulders.


    Elena sighed in her heart. ''What should I do?''


    She wanted to see the world beyond this limitless forest, but an ancient promise has bound her in this ce. If she were to break the promise, ''that person'' might be furious...


    "Jiu Shen, if I leave this forest, the people from that ce mighte down to punish me..." She muttered in a helpless voice.


    "Are you talking about the floating city?" Jiu Shen frowned as he looked at her.


    Jian Wang also put his ss down and stared at them with a serious expression.


    Elena summoned a spiritual barrier around her house and nodded her head. "That''s right. The floating city is called Asgard. Don''t ask me anything about it since I also don''t know much about that ce. However, I know a few things about the three towers in Asgard."


    This time, Jiu Shen and Jian Wang remained silent and listened to her.


    "The first one is called the Hall of Life and Death. It is responsible for guiding the souls of those who had died in the Primordial God Realm. The next one is called the Hall of War and thest one is called the Hall of Creation."


    Jiu Shen and Jian Wang were both silent at her words. From the looks of it, the floating city called Asgard had a mysterious history that nobody in the Primordial God Realm knew about.


    "Do you have information about thest two halls?" Jiu Shen asked.


    "I only knew of the Hall of Life and Death since I knew the Hall Master. The Hall of Might is responsible for the safety of Asgard and I have no idea about the Hall of Creation." She answered.


    "Asmodeus... He is a Hall Master of one of those three Halls. Am I right?"


    Elena nced at Jiu Shen and nodded her head.


    She wasn''t surprised that he had reached this conclusion. Asmodeus'' actions were so obvious that even Jian Wang who only had swordsmanship in his mind was already suspicious of him.


    "Asmodeus is the Hall Master of the Hall of Life and Death. He was also the person who told me about this information. Although, he only told me about the superficial details."


    "I see..." Jiu Shen leaned on his chair and closed his eyes.


    ''Asmodeus wasn''t that strong in terms of fighting prowess, but he should be able to fight equally against Jian Wang if he used his Array Formations. A person like this was a Hall Master of Asgard. That means the other two Hall Masters were at least on the same level as him.'' Jiu Shen''s mind began processing the possibilities with the information he got from Elena.

 Chapter 558: Title at the End of the Chapter

    <h4>Chapter 558: Title at the End of the Chapter</h4>


    The information they got from Elena was shocking. However, Jian Wang''s eyes shone with vigorous energy for some reason. As if a fire that was stoked, zing ferociously.


    Seeing this, Elena scoffed. "Jian Wang, you might be ate stage Celestial, but don''t underestimate the two Hall Masters of Asgard. ording to Asmodeus, he is the weakest among the three of them. The Hall Master of the Hall of Might in particr is very domineering. He was also the reason why I didn''t dare toe out of this forest. He told me that if I step foot outside this forest, he would forcefully take me as his bride. I don''t even know his name and I also couldn''t discern his power."


    Jian Wang stared at her. A burning battle intent shed in his eyes. "I''ve been stuck in my swordsmanship for many years and even my cultivation hasn''t progressed much. Now that I have someone to look forward to, I''m more motivated to train my skills!" He said as he clenched his fists.


    "What about the Hall Master of the Hall of Creation? Any information about that guy?" Jiu Shen asked while looking at her.


    Elena shook her head as she answered. "That''s all I know about them. If you guys want to know more, you should try asking Asmodeus. You three seemed to be so close."


    Now that she mentioned it, Jiu Shen thought about his first encounter with Asmodeus. The guy brought him to Hell and even taught him about Array Formation Making and Weapon Crafting. They weren''t even close at that time, but the man offered his knowledge without hesitation.


    "I don''t think that''s possible." Jian Wang shook his head.


    "No. I think it is possible." Jiu Shen''s words shocked the two.


    "What do you mean, Jiu Shen?" Jian Wang gazed at him in confusion.


    "Think about it. He seems to be conflicted internally. Perhaps there is a dispute between him and the two Hall Masters. Although I''m not certain of this." Jiu Shen muttered as he lifted the ss to his lips.


    Sip.


    He ced the empty ss on the saucer. He then took out a handkerchief and wiped his lips.


    The other two could only nce at him with fascination.


    "It''s better if you stay here for now, Elena. We still have no concrete information about the military prowess of the two Hall Masters and even Asmodeus is still a mystery." Jiu Shen said in a calm voice.


    "I know... I wanted to go with you guys, but I can''t..." Elena revealed a look of mncholy.


    "I have a proposal that you might find attractive..."


    Jian Wang and Elena turned their gazes at Jiu Shen, wondering what the man was up to.


    "Oh? Alright. Tell me. If it''s good, I might agree." Elena covered her mouth as she chuckled seductively.


    "You want to see the outside world, right?" Jiu Shen asked her.


    Elena nodded her head gently.


    "Elena, I will help you step out of this forest. In return, you will join my Heavenly Sword Tower."


    The eyes of Elena and Jian Wang turned wide when they heard his words.


    Jian Wang grabbed his shoulder and asked. "Jiu Shen, are you nning to fight against them?"


    To that question, Jiu Shen shook his head. "If they can be reasoned with, then there is no need to fight. However, if they''re stubborn and refuse to answer my questions, then..."


    Jian Wang immediately closed his mouth after getting his reply.


    "What kind of questions are you going to ask them that you''re even willing to fight them if needed?" Elena was curious. She wanted to know why Jiu Shen was suddenly acting like this.


    "You guys know that I died under the hands of Lao Gou millions of years ago, right?"


    The two nodded their heads. They''ve heard about the news of Jiu Shen''s death. Many sword wieldersmented the death of such peerless talent. A great war even erupted at that time to take revenge for his death.


    "I think my reincarnation is rted to Asgard."


    "You''re right. Only those guys are capable of doing that. Even Celestials like us could not revive the dead." Jian Wang was ate stage Celestial, but he wasn''t capable of reviving a dead person.


    "I see... Alright. I''ll join your Heavenly Sword Tower, Jiu Shen." Elena smiled as she extended her hand toward Jiu Shen.


    "Wee aboard." Jiu Shen grabbed her smooth hand with an expressionless face.


    "Wait. What about me? Come on, Jiu Shen! Just give me arge supply of your wines and I''ll join your Heavenly Sword Tower." Jian Wang pointed at himself.


    Jiu Shen''s eyes twitched, but he still agreed. This was Jian Wang! The strongest sword user in the Primordial God Realm other than him!


    And just like that. Jiu Shen managed to hire two powerful Celestials for the Heavenly Sword Tower.


    "I will remove the spiritual barrier now. Those guys might be monitoring me so we should be careful. I will send a kin of mine to join you guys in your celebration. Just send me a formal invitationter." Elena said as she removed the spiritual barrier.


    Jiu Shen and Jian Wang stood up. Now that they hadpleted their objectives here, it was time for them to go.


    "In that case, we will take our leave, Elena. I hope that we will see you soon." Jiu Shen departed with Jian Wang.


    Elena stood atop the branch of the Eonic Ragarwood Tree and stared at their receding figures.


    Swoosh!


    "Can they be trusted, Sister Elena?" An ethereal figure emerged behind Elena. Her smooth snow-white skin was covered by the leaves of the Eonic Ragarwood Tree. She was looking at Elena with a gentle look on her face.


    Elena shook her head. "I don''t know, but they are the only ones that we can depend on."


    The ethereal figure sighed and her body turned into a speck of golden light that merged with the branch of the Eonic Ragarwood Tree.

 Chapter 559: Meeting

    <h4>Chapter 559: Meeting</h4>


    Jiu Shen went back to the Heavenly Sword Region with Jian Wang. The two of them chatted idly and Jian Wang asked Jiu Shen about his fight with Lao Gou.


    To his endless barrage of questions, Jiu Shen merely remained silent.


    Jiu Shen couldn''t believe that the man revered by everyone as the Sword God was actually this chatty. He might have gotten this personality from his buddy, Furion.


    Soon, the two arrived in the Heavenly Sword Region.


    "The reconstruction of the region will bepleted in a few months. What are you gonna do this time?" Jian Wang asked him.


    "Let''s wait for Asmodeus toe here. I need his help to transport my wine store and the sword tower. I don''t think the Heavenly Melody Pavilion is capable of creating an Array Formation that could transport something so huge, but I''ll try to ask Miss Ai Chen about it." Jiu Shen replied right away.


    His wine store and the sword tower were both in the Desert Region. That ce isn''t a good environment for his people. The density of true essence in the Desert Region could not bepared to the huge influx of energy in the Heavenly Sword Region.


    "I see, but do you think that guy wille back here?" Jian Wang was talking about Asmodeus. He thought that they could be friends, but thetter seemed to be hiding a lot from them and his background was a mystery.


    "If I''m right about him, then he will be here within three days." Jiu Shen answered with a smile.


    "But even if hees back, can we trust his words? He might be doing this deliberately to confuse us. Maybe this might even be the n of Asgard." Jian Wang retorted.


    "You''re right to feel suspicious about him. Asmodeus is an individual who''s hard to read. Let''s just wait for three days and we''ll know where he stands by then..." Jiu Shen answered in a calm voice.


    In truth, he wasn''t certain about Asmodeus. The guy might have been sent by Asgard to test them so it was better to remain cautious.


    "I hope you''re right, Jiu Shen." Jian Wang sighed and shook his head.


    ***


    Three dayster.


    The reconstruction of the Heavenly Sword Tower was still underway, but with the support from the six great armies, the process became smoother.


    News about the destruction of the Celestial Paragon Tower also spread like wildfire. Everyone was shocked when they heard that the number one sect in the Primordial God Realm was wiped out. When everyone heard that Celestial Emperor Lao Gou fell in battle, they became even more stupefied. Major powerhouses sent their envoys to investigate the matters and they soon got a piece of shocking news.


    Jiu Shen, a new Celestial killed Lao Gou. He then imed the Central Region as his new territory and renamed it the Heavenly Sword Region!


    After hearing this news, the silent powerhouses immediately sent their people to offer their support to the new Celestial.


    Millions of people were working hand in hand to restore the Heavenly Sword Region.


    Meanwhile, in a luxurious restaurant at the outer fringes of the Heavenly Sword Region, two men covered in hooded long robes sat together. They didn''t stand out since most of the itinerant cultivators were dressed just like them.


    "Are you sure that he will be here?"


    Jiu Shen nodded his head. "He should have seen the note that I''ve left."


    "Fine. Let''s grab ourselves some food and drinks as we wait." Jian Wang shrugged his shoulders and beckoned to a waiter.


    "Can we have the menu, please?" He asked the waiter.


    The waiter smiled at him and said. "Yes, sir! Here it is."


    Jian Wang took the menu in his hands and scanned the array of food and drinks. Everything looked appealing and delicious. Luckily, this restaurant wasn''t destroyed in the battle between Jiu Shen and Lao Gou.


    "I''d like three portions of Earth Dragon Steak. Just medium rare for the meat. And threerge sses of Mesmerizing Juice." Jian Wang didn''t bother to ask for Jiu Shen''s opinion and just randomly chose the ones that looked delicious.


    The waiter gently nodded his head. "Three portions of medium rare Earth Dragon Steak and threerge sses of Mesmerizing Juice. Do you want to add a few side dishes or desserts?"


    "Let''s see... Hmm... This, this, this, this, and this." Jian Wang pointed at a few desserts and side dishes.


    "Alright. Please wait for your orders." The waiter bowed and left.


    "The people here are very professional." Jian Wang nodded his head in praise.


    "That''s not surprising. This restaurant is owned by the Heavenly Melody Pavilion after all." Jiu Shen casually said.


    Suddenly, the two of them felt a strong spiritual power scanning the restaurant.


    "He''s here."


    The two nced at each other. They were inside a private room, but they had already informed the servants that someone woulde to join them.


    "This way, sir." They heard the voice of a servant outside their room.


    Knock! Knock!


    Soon, the servant came inside their private room with a disguised Asmodeus.


    "You came. That''s good!" Jian Wang snorted.


    "Take a seat. We have already ordered food and drinks." Jiu Shen pointed at a seat opposite him.


    Asmodeus greeted the two with a nod of his head. He then sat in front of Jiu Shen.


    "What do you want from me?" Asmodeus didn''t beat around the bush. His presence here was already against the rules of Asgard, but he had already ced an Array Formation that prevented the others from spying on the restaurant.


    Jian Wang was silent and he just stared at Asmodeus.


    "Asmodeus, tell us what you know about Asgard and we will help you in return. I''m sure that there is something going on between you and the other two Hall Masters." Jiu Shen said in a calm voice.


    Asmodeus'' eyes narrowed into slits. "It looks like Elena has told you about a few things."

 Chapter 560: Hecate and Lilith

    <h4>Chapter 560: Hecate and Lilith</h4>


    Jiu Shen smiled when he saw the change in his expression. It looks like he was right about his guesses. Asmodeus was in opposition with the other two Hall Masters! Now, the only problem was how he would manipte the conversation to their advantage.


    "You can''t me her. Elena is just doing her best to regain her freedom. Someone like her would never want to be tied down. You should know more about her since you know her much longer than I do, Asmodeus."


    Sigh.


    Asmodeus sighed and leaned on his chair while rubbing his temple. How the hell did Jiu Shen know about the friction between him and the two Hall Masters? He didn''t recall saying something like this to Elena.


    Knock! Knock! Knock!


    A clear knocking sound made them pause their conversation.


    "Come inside." Jiu Shen said in a low voice.


    The waiter came back, pushing a trolley with threerge portions of medium rare Earth Dragon Steak.


    The distinct meaty aroma spread around their private room, making the umted stress in their minds to be washed away.


    Behind the waiter were two servants who were also pushing a trolley with all sorts of desserts and side dishes. The Mesmerizing Juice that Jian Wang ordered was also there.


    The waiter and the two servant girls smiled as they silently ced the food dishes on their table. They were quick with their work and after moving everything to their table, they bowed and left the private room.


    The room was now filled with different aromas.


    The premium cut medium rare steak was still piping hot.


    "Well, you guys can talk. I''m not good with these kinds of conversations anyway so I''ll just quietly listen here. Go on." Jian Wang grinned as he grabbed a te that was filled to the brim with cut slices of steak.


    He grabbed the knife and fork and began devouring the meat like a gluttonous beast.


    Jiu Shen''s mouth twitched when he saw the Sword God he once admired act in an uncouth manner. He was even wondering if this guy was an impostor.


    "Let''s talk as we eat." Jiu Shen said when he saw that Asmodeus was looking at the dishes with a shining gaze. ''Sigh. These two are foodies...''


    Asmodeus immediately nodded his head.


    "What were you saying again?" Asmodeus nced at Jiu Shen as he wiped the oil stains on his lips using a clean cloth.


    "Jian Wang, I want information about the two Hall Masters." Jiu Shen nced at him with a serious look.


    They had no idea about the strength of the two Hall Masters. They don''t even know anything about their military prowess. Jiu Shen wanted to know more about them before he would decide to do something.


    Asmodeus ced the knife and fork down. He was contemting whether to tell Jiu Shen about it or not. He had a deep grudge against the Hall Master of the Hall of Might. It was because of him that he had to live in Hell for millions of years. The Lord of Asgard also favors the man greatly because of his strength so he couldn''t do anything to him. However, the person that bothered him greatly was the Lord of Asgard.


    Asmodeus couldn''t get a clear picture of what the Lord was nning. He seemed to be enveloped by a thick fog of mystery. After serving him for many years, Asmodeus still could not fathom the mind of the Lord.


    He took a deep breath as he mentally prepared himself and with a solemn look on his face, Asmodeus finally replied. "Hecate, the Hall Master of the Hall of Might is a peak stage body strengthening expert. His physical body is impervious to true essence attacks and even elemental spells could hardly damage him. That man is like a walking fortress, a true expert that could dominate the entire Primordial God Realm with his physical strength alone!"


    Jiu Shen frowned upon hearing this and even Jian Wang who was happily eating his steak suddenly became silent.


    From the way Asmodeus described the man, Hecate was an individual with an unbreakable body. With a physical body that was impervious to elemental spells and true essence, he was indeed worthy of the moniker, Walking Fortress.


    Asmodeus continued. "Hecate has two Celestials under hismand, a fire mage at the early stage Celestial and an archer with the same cultivation base. The army under theirmand numbers in millions and they are roughlyparable to about ten of the great armies'' level who fought with the Infernals recently. However, this is just a rough estimate of their power from what I''ve seen when Ist visited the Hall of Might."


    The faces of Jiu Shen and Jian Wang became somber when they heard this.


    The strength of Hecate and the Hall of Might was beyond their expectations. Even Jiu Shen who was confident of his power felt a bit distracted. He might be able to stand equally against Hecate, but his subordinates might not be able to suppress the army of the Hall of Might. He needed to form a much stronger army and unite the forces of the new Heavenly Sword Region.


    Jiu Shen couldn''t live peacefully after knowing about Asgard.


    The floating city might not be taking action right now, but who knows when they would brandish their ws to the people of the Primordial God Realm?


    With a calm look on his face, Jiu Shen stared at Asmodeus and asked. "How about the Hall of Creation? Are they as strong as the Hall of Might?"


    If the Hall of Creation was as strong as the Hall of Might, Jiu Shen would have to change his ns.


    Luckily, Asmodeus shook his head. "No. The Hall of Creation is much weaker than the Hall of Might in terms of military prowess. However, the Hall Master of the Hall of Creation, Lilith is not an easy opponent. Her spiritual power has reached the very peak of the Celestial God Realm. Her ability is very troublesome, but we don''t have to worry about her. She is not my enemy."

 Chapter 561: 5 Months

    <h4>Chapter 561: 5 Months</h4>


    "Lilith doesn''t involve herself with the dispute in Asgard. She usually remains in her abode to cultivate if she has nothing to do. The only one we should be wary of is Hecate and his minions. Though we still have to be careful with the reaction of the Asgard Lord." Asmodeus muttered solemnly.


    In truth, he was more worried about the Lord. They still have a chance to defeat Hecate and the Hall of Might, but the same thing couldn''t be said if the Lord of Asgard was involved. He was someone whose strength has already exceeded the realms of Celestials!


    Jiu Shen remained silent after hearing everything from Asmodeus. Just the strength of Hecate and the Hall of Might alone was already shocking. It was relieving to hear that the Hall of Creation was not an enemy.


    "What are you nning, Jiu Shen?" Asmodeus eyed him curiously, wondering what Jiu Shen would do after hearing the strength of Asgard.


    Jiu Shen leaned on his chair and closed his eyes as he pondered deeply.


    The only enemy on the surface was Hecate and the Hall of Might, but Lilith and the Hall of Creation might intervene if a war erupts. Although it wasn''t likely to happen based on Asmodeus'' description of Lilith, Jiu Shen had a nagging feeling that they might be facing the two in battle. Not to mention that there was still the mysterious Lord of Asgard.


    ''The Celestials on my side are Jian Wang, Elena, and Asmodeus, but I''m still not sure if I should trust Asmodeus. Including myself, there are four of us against three from the Hall of Might... No! I shouldn''t be hasty... I''ll focus on strengthening our soldiers first.''


    Jiu Shen opened his eyes and turned his gaze towards Asmodeus. The man was waiting for him to speak. "We can''t defeat them now with our current strength. I''m confident that we can hold back the three Celestials of the Hall of Might, but our subordinates might have a hard time. For now, I n to focus on the reconstruction of the Heavenly Sword Tower and the reorganization of our army." He then nced at Jian Wang who was sitting leisurely beside him.


    "Jian Wang, I need your help with this. Among all of us, you have the most resounding reputation and rallying power. You can summon everyone with just a few words."


    Jian Wang turned his gaze at Jiu Shen and nodded his head. His face was serious. "What do you want me to do?"


    He also felt the threat looming over their heads. He wasn''t used to this feeling. He didn''t want to leave his fate in the hands of others.


    "I want you to create an army and shape them into an elite force! I will help you in persuading the leaders of the major powerhouses. With their intelligence, they should realize the threat of Asgard." For some reason, Jiu Shen felt that their future was difficult to predict.


    Asmodeus frowned as he looked at Jiu Shen. ''Why is this guy so adamant about fighting with Asgard?''


    Jiu Shen also didn''t why. However, he had this feeling that Asgard would one day cause chaos to the Primordial God Realm.


    The three Celestials continued discussing their future cooperation.


    ***


    Five monthster, Jiu Shen stared at the new buildings beneath him.


    He was hovering above, Sword City, the new capital of the Heavenly Sword Region.


    Millions upon millions of people crowded the streets of Sword City, providing it with a bustling atmosphere.


    Floatingnterns and fireworks covered the skies as everyone celebrated the emergence of a new powerhouse and the sessful reconstruction of the Heavenly Sword Region.


    At the center of Sword City was a towering skyscraper with the shape of a sword. It looked majestic and imposing with its de pointed at the skies.


    The crowd looked up at the sword tower in awe of its magnificent structure.


    Meanwhile, just opposite the sword tower was a dragon building surrounded by tall golden fences. A huge crowd of people can be seen loitering around this ce. There was also a long queue of customers lining up at the entrance of the dragon building.


    With the help of Asmodeus, Jiu Shen was able to transport the sword tower and the dragon building to the Heavenly Sword Tower. Without that guy''s help, it would have taken him a few years to create an Array Formation that could transport the tworge buildings.


    Five months ago, Jian Wang announced to the whole world that he had joined the Heavenly Sword Tower. He also announced that he would be creating arge army of elites, causing many sword experts to immediately line up at the entrance of the sword tower.


    Many shocking changes happened in the newly reconstructed region, but everyone has be numb to the news by now.


    Jiu Shen slowlynded on the ground under the worshipping gazes of millions of people.


    Dressed in in white robes with golden embroidery and coupled with his handsome face, everyone regarded him as a deity!


    "Greetings, Wine God Jiu Shen!"


    "Greetings, Wine God Jiu Shen!"


    The crowd greeted him in unison. Their sonorous voices traveled throughout the entire Sword City.


    Wine God Jiu Shen. This has be his new title after bing a Celestial. He didn''t know who came up with it, but he was pleased about his new title.


    Jiu Shen smiled at the crowd. "Don''t mind me, everyone! Just enjoy the celebration!" He had learned how to speak to arge crowd within thest five months.


    The crowd bowed at Jiu Shen and dispersed in all directions.


    The celebration continued and the loud cheering of the people echoed in every corner of the city.


    "Wine God, the envoy sent by Miss Elena has arrived." A soldier dressed in ck armor reported while kneeling on one knee.


    "Oh? Bring this person to me." Jiu Shen said with a look of anticipation. He had sent someone to the Southern Region to deliver an invitation letter to Elena. She mentioned that she would be sending one of her people to join the celebration.


    Jiu Shen wanted to see this person.

 Chapter 562: Rose

    <h4>Chapter 562: Rose</h4>


    Inside the Immortal''s Wine Store


    "Greetings, Wine God Jiu Shen." A woman with beautiful facial features and elegant bearing bowed at him with a look of admiration on her face.


    Jiu Shen smiled at her and pointed at a seat in front of him. "No need for formalities. What''s your name?"


    The woman didn''t dare to sit casually and postured herself humbly on her seat. She then adjusted her light blue dress and responded with a smile. "My name is Rose. I''m an adopted daughter of Her Highness Elena."


    Jiu Shen was inwardly surprised when he heard her introduction. Elena actually had an adopted daughter!


    "Oh? Elena didn''t mention that she has a daughter. How surprising." Jiu Shen honestly told her his feelings.


    Rose''s face lit up when she realized that the man in front of her was more amiable than she had thought. "Her Highness Elena didn''t marry someone, but she has the responsibility to train an heir for the Ancient Fairies. I was the most talented in the younger generation of Ancient Fairies despite being an orphan. When Her Highness heard about me from the others, Her Highness looked for me and took me as her adopted daughter."


    This was a woman with a story.


    It was great that she was adopted by Elena and from her expression, she seemed to be happy in her life.


    "Elena is truly a kinddy." Jiu Shen muttered as he leaned on his chair.


    Rose nodded her head exaggeratedly.


    "Young Miss Rose, you can join the others in the celebration."


    Rose stood up after getting the signal to leave. "Thank you for having me, Wine God Jiu Shen." She bowed before leaving the dragon building.


    "Ren Shuang." Jiu Shen called out.


    Swoosh!


    A shadow silently appeared behind him.


    "Make sure that nothing goes wrong in the celebration. You can mobilize the Punishment Division and the Blood Sword Division to monitor the safety of everyone inside the city. Also, tell Marbas toe here." Jiu Shen muttered in a calm voice.


    The former itinerant cultivator, Marbas was very useful during thest five months. He united the itinerant cultivators and the scattered major powers of the Heavenly Sword Region. His talents in management and diplomacy were revealed and even Jiu Shen was pleasantly surprised by the old man''s abilities.


    "I understand." Ren Shuang bowed and left silently.


    ***


    At the center of Sword City, there was a huge tform with bards singing and dancers showing their exquisite moves.


    Delicious food and beverages were being distributed by the members of the Heavenly Sword Tower to the people.


    Everyone wore smiles on their faces as they chatted excitedly with their friends.


    An old man with long white hair was surrounded by a group of nobles. The nobles were ttering the old man with their words and some of them even offered him valuable gifts. This old man was Marbas, the newest Elder of the Heavenly Sword Tower.


    "Thank you, everyone!" Marbas was all smiles as he swept his gaze towards the group of nobles around him. He thought that this scene was impossible for someone of his standing, but everything was already happening in front of him. He knew that this was only possible because of one person and he praised himself for being smart back then.


    "Lord Marbas, I hope that you can put in a good word to the Division Heads of the Heavenly Sword Tower on my behalf. The Alfara Family will be your friends from now on!"


    "Lord Marbas, my son wants to join the Heavenly Sword Tower..."


    "Lord Marbas..."


    Suddenly, he felt a strong presence behind him. Marbas ignored the nobles and turned his gaze.


    There were two individuals looking at him calmly. One was a man with long wavy hair with two swords behind his back. The other one was a young man with sharp facial features. When he saw them, he immediately cupped his hands and greeted them in a respectful voice. "Greetings, Division Head Ren Shuang and Division Head Yang Zenke!"


    When the group of nobles heard this, they paled in fright and they immediately kneeled as they greeted. "Greetings, Division Head Ren Shuang and Division Head Yang Zenke!"


    These two were Division Heads of the Heavenly Sword Tower! Their authority was only beneath Sect Master Jiu Shen, Vice Sect Master Theia, and Grand Elder Jian Wang!


    While facing these two high-ranking Division Heads, the noble family heads didn''t even dare lift their heads.


    The crowd around them also noticed the disturbance and they immediately prostrated when they saw that the two men were wearing the exclusive robes used only by the Division Heads of the Heavenly Sword Tower.


    "Marbas, the Sect Master wants to see you. He is inside the dragon building." The man with long wavy ck hair said in a cold voice.


    Marbas shivered when he sensed the coldness in his tone. He was still a new member of the sword tower so the others didn''t approve of him yet. "I''ll be there immediately!" He answered right away.


    "Don''t make him wait!" The young Division Head spat out before he left with the other Division Head.


    When the two left, Marbas and the others heaved sighs of relief. The pressure that they exuded was fearsome!


    "How strong!"


    "Of course! Those two are Division Head Ren Shuang from the Punishment Division and Division Head Yang Zenke of the Blood Sword Division. The two of them are among the strongest members of the Heavenly Sword Tower!" Marbas wiped the sweat on his forehead as he exined to the crowd.


    "So that''s the case! I heard that Division Head Yang Zenke led the Blood Sword Division in wiping out the bandits and criminals hiding in the Heavenly Sword Region!"


    "What a terrifying individual!"


    Marbas nced at the noble family heads and put on an apologetic look as he said. "Excuse me, everyone. The Sect Master has summoned me. We''ll continue our talk at ater time."


    "No problem, Lord Marbas!"


    "Sure! Go ahead, Lord Marbas!"

 Chapter 563: Growth in Fifty Years

    <h4>Chapter 563: Growth in Fifty Years</h4>


    "Greetings, Sect Master Jiu Shen!" Marbas bowed deeply at the man in front of him.


    "Marbas, it was because of your efforts that the reconstruction of the Heavenly Sword Region waspleted in just a few months. I hope that you will continue to support the Heavenly Sword Region." Jiu Shen stared at the old man with appreciation. This old man looked ordinary and in, but he was a man with great talents.


    "I''ll serve you faithfully, Wine God Jiu Shen." Marbas said with a warm gaze. He couldn''t believe that he would live a meaningful life in his old age. He was thankful to Jiu Shen who made everything happen.


    Jiu Shen chatted with Marbas about the future development of the Heavenly Sword Region. The old man offered a few suggestions that made Jiu Shen contemte deeply. He then dismissed the old man after a little while.


    "I''ll take my leave, Sect Master." Marbas left the dragon building with a shining look.


    "Now, the only thing left to do is the reorganization and training of the soldiers. There should be no problem since Jian Wang is the one monitoring their progress. I should just wait for them toplete their training." Jiu Shen muttered as he stroked the fat white cat in his arms.


    ***


    Fifty yearster, the Heavenly Sword Region has be the most popted region in the Primordial God Realm.


    The Heavenly Sword Tower also became the symbol of glory and strength. All the young elites of the region wish to be a member of the sword tower. However, the assessment of the Heavenly Sword Tower has be more difficult and only a few talented young elites were epted every year. Despite the harsh requirements, many still tried their luck, but most of them could only leave with downcast faces.


    During thest fifty years, the Heavenly Sword Region announced the emergence of their new army, the Heaven Sword Army. With a staggering number of five million soldiers, it was recognized as the strongest army in the Primordial God Realm! The most shocking matter was that this army was led by none other than Sword God Jian Wang!


    Many major powers announced their loyalty to the Heaven Sword Army and they became part of thisrge force. One of them was the Armored Wyvern Army led by Great General Ri Kushou!


    The growth of the Heavenly Sword Tower was unstoppable and everyone could only gasp in amazement as they recalled the glorious path of this sect.


    In the vast training grounds privately owned by the Heavenly Sword Tower, Jiu Shen and Jian Wang stood before arge army that was lining up in perfect rows and columns. Their faces were rigid and stern as they stared at the two Celestials.


    "I didn''t think that you would only need fifty years to create an army this big." Jiu Shen sighed in admiration as he swept his gaze towards the millions of soldiers standing before him.


    All of them were dressed in dark battle armors that covered every part of their bodies. There was a diamond-shaped shield and a long ck sword strapped behind their backs. A ck cape made from the skin of a Heavenly-rank dragon was fluttering behind them.


    "Who do you think I am?" Jian Wang grinned upon hearing his words. He was also proud of the growth of his soldiers.


    "By the way, Miss Hestia should be back by now. She brought a million of our soldiers with her and she even brought the Punishment Division and the Blood Sword Division. It''s a pity that I was too busy to spectate their battle..." Jian Wangmented.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head. He sent Hestia with a huge army to fulfill his promise to her.


    Her mission was to eliminate the Dark Devil Race and the remnant forces that were loyal to the Celestial Paragon Tower.


    It wasn''t long before a bloodied Hestia came to the training ground to report her mission to Jiu Shen. "Sect Master, I''vepleted the mission!" Her voice was cold and filled with ruthlessness, but a trace of gentleness can be seen in her eyes as she stared at Jiu Shen''s face.


    "Good job!" Jiu Shen smiled as he lifted her body. He then patted her shoulder.


    "Mn." Hestia lowered her head when she saw Jiu Shen''s face close to her.


    "Jiu Shen, what''s the n now?" Jian Wang''s voice echoed beside him.


    Jiu Shen''s eyes narrowed as he stared at the floating city above the skies. It looked like a dot from where he stood, but it seemed as if his eyes could prate the distance. "We will bring Elena out of the Southern Region''s Forest and activate the Defensive Array Formations we prepared beforehand. We will stage the battle in the Desert Region!"


    They had already nned this many years ago and it was finally time to show their fangs!


    "Hestia, gather the other soldiers and make them wait here in the training grounds."


    "As youmand!" Hestia bowed deeply at him.


    "Jian Wang, let''s go visit our friend." Jiu Shen smiled at Jian Wang as he soared through the skies with a single leap.


    "This guy..." Jian Wang muttered as he followed behind him.


    ***


    In the Southern Region, Elena was sitting on the branch of the Eonic Ragarwood Tree with her eyes shut tight. An invisible energy was gently revolving around her body.


    Suddenly, an ethereal figure appeared beside Elena and whispered gently. "Sister Elena, I can feel the presence of Wine God Jiu Shen and Sword God Jian Wang flying in our direction. They should be here in about three minutes."


    Elena opened her eyes upon hearing that and stood on top of the branch with a smile on her face. "Oh? I wonder what those two would tell me this time." She muttered while looking at the horizon.


    The beautiful woman who was standing beside her remained silent. Her green pupils were also looking at the skies.

 Chapter 564: The Hall Of Might

    <h4>Chapter 564: The Hall Of Might</h4>


    Jiu Shen and Jian Wang slowly descended beneath the towering Eonic Ragarwood Tree. They could already see the graceful silhouette of Elena waiting for them on the ground.


    "Hello, Elena. It''s nice to see you again!" Jian Wang grinned as he greeted the leader of the Ancient Fairies. He also turned his head to look at the woman who was standing behind her, but he couldn''t remember this person.


    Jiu Shen nodded his head as he looked at Elena. When he moved his gaze towards the woman behind her, Jiu Shen revealed a look of surprise as he muttered. "This youngdy must be the spirit body birthed by the Eonic Ragarwood Tree."


    He could feel the dense spiritual power wrapped around the woman''s body. She also had the refreshing scent of the Eonic Ragarwood Tree''s leaves.


    Elena gasped in surprise after hearing his words. "Nothing can truly escape your eyes, Jiu Shen. This is Elyssier and she is indeed the spirit body of the Eonic Ragarwood Tree."


    Elyssier hid her surprise as she lightly bowed her head in greeting. "It''s a pleasure to meet the two top experts of the Primordial God Realm."


    "Oh?" Jian Wang nced at her with an intrigued look on his face. Only a few spiritual nts would give birth to a spirit body and it rarely happens even to Celestial-rank spiritual nts.


    "What brings the two of you here? Could it be that you are here to personally deliver another batch of wines for me?" Elena coyly stared at Jiu Shen as she grabbed his arms. The wines sent by Jiu Shen were all high-quality products and even Elyssier praised them.


    Jiu Shen could feel the soft bulges that were rubbing his arms. He gently pushed her away and responded in a serious voice. "It is time for you to leave this forest."


    Elena''s face changed when she heard his words and she immediately summoned a spiritual barrier to cover the entire forest. "Jiu Shen, what are you saying?! They might be listening to us right now!"


    Jiu Shen''s expression was still calm as he replied. "It doesn''t matter. All the preparations have been set. Don''t you want to leave this forest?"


    "That... I do..." Elena said meekly.


    "Then go with us and fight for your freedom." Jiu Shen grabbed her shoulder firmly as he looked into her eyes.


    Elena gulped. His golden pupils were the most mesmerizing thing she had ever seen.


    "So it''s finally time, huh?"


    Jiu Shen nodded his head. "Bring your forces and we will set off immediately."


    "Okay. Give me an hour to call my soldiers." Elena nodded her head. Although she had been stuck inside this forest for many years, she was still secretly building up her forces with the help of her adopted daughter, Rose.


    After an hour, Elena came back with millions of Elves and Forest Druids. There were also tens of thousands of giant walking trees among her army. They were more famously known as Treants.


    Looking at the army behind Elena and Elyssier, Jian Wang and Jiu Shen couldn''t help but praise her silently.


    "I''ve been hiding in secret inside this forest, so only Rose is handling the army. I also didn''t know that the army would grow thisrge." Elena whispered awkwardly when she saw the admiring gazes of the two men.


    So that''s how it is. To think that the elegant and kind-hearted Rose actually had the talent to organize arge army!


    "Let''s go!" Jiu Shen took out the flying ships that he had bought from Asmodeus. These vehicles were handy so he didn''t hesitate when he purchased them at arge price.


    "Board the ships!" Rosemanded the army in a loud voice.


    Soon, hundreds of flying ships soared through the clouds.


    The normal civilians of the Southern Region were stunned when they saw the flying ships in the skies.


    Standing on the bow of thergest flying ship, Jiu Shen took out hismunication crystal. "Asmodeus, call your forces and bring them to the Desert Region. Bring the Heaven Sword Army with you since you have the most number of flying ships. We will wait for you there."


    "Huh?! Alright! I''ll mobilize my forces immediately!" A stunned voice can be heard behind the shining crystal.


    Jiu Shen hung up the call and kept the crystal back inside his space earring.


    Meanwhile, inside a luxurious mansion that was on top of the floating city, a two-meter tall man wearing an eye-catching red battle armor abruptly stood up from his seat. He had a dark expression on his face as he muttered with a cold smile. "Elena has finally run out of patience." He then nced at the two men in front of him and said.


    "Troy, Sebastian, prepare the wedding gifts. It''s time to meet my bride."


    "Oh?" Troy, a man with an athletic figure dressed in light silver armor revealed a look of interest. There was a long bow made of adamantine strapped behind his back.


    "Yes, Hall Master Hecate!" A man with fiery red hair dressed in long golden robes responded with a respectful voice.


    Hecate, the Hall Master of the Hall of Might, grinned. "We will depart tomorrow, so have everyone prepare a magnificent entourage! I don''t want my bride to look down on me."


    Hecate''s eyes shed with a passionate look when he recalled the peerless image of Elena. She was the only woman who couldpare to Lilith in terms of appearance. He had been patiently waiting for her toe out of the forest and finally take her as his bride.


    "Hall Master, what if she rejects your proposal?" Troy asked while looking at Hecate.


    Hecate''s face turned cold upon hearing that. He turned his gaze towards Troy and muttered. "Then I will capture her and make her regret it!"


    Troy swallowed down the words he was about to say when he saw the expression of the Hall Master.


    Luckily, the man didn''t swat him to death...

 Chapter 565: Before the War

    <h4>Chapter 565: Before the War</h4>


    In the Desert Region, an army of ten million soldiers stood in attention. The faces of the soldiers were covered in sweat because of the sweltering heat. However, none of themined.


    At the forefront of this huge army, there were four figures seated before a table. The only thing that shielded them from the ring heat was a huge umbre that hovered above them.


    "Hecate should have noticed that Elena had left the forest. That guy is seriously obsessed with her so he might be here in a few hours. Our soldiers should be enough to handle their men and the only one I''m worried about is Lilith. We don''t know for sure if she would allow us to kill Hecate. I''m not even sure if we could kill that man." Asmodeus rubbed his temples.


    Hecate was known in Asgard as the Walking Fortress. That man''s physical body was immune to any form of physical damage and he even has a Celestial-rank armor which enhanced his sturdiness and defense.


    "Jiu Shen and I will take care of Hecate. You two have to finish off Troy and Sebastian as quickly as you can. I don''t believe that we could not kill him if all four of us join hands in fighting him!" Jian Wang muttered under his breath.


    "Elena, where is Elyssier?" Jiu Shen suddenly asked.


    Elena turned her gaze towards Jiu Shen and smiled. "She''s with the treants. That girl is not good at plotting military tactics so just let her be."


    Jiu Shen nodded his head.


    There were five Celestials in their army, including the spirit body of the Eonic Ragarwood Tree, Elyssier. Her strength is at the mid stage of the Celestial God Realm so her help was necessary to achieve victory. It was a good thing that she came with them of her own ord.


    The four of them discussed their battle strategies for several hours, but they still couldn''te up with a way to eliminate Hecate. The man was almost unkible based on Asmodeus'' description.


    In truth, Jiu Shen wasn''t that worried about Hecate. He was confident that he could stop the man all by himself. The one that worries him the most was the mysterious Lord of Asgard. ording to Asmodeus, he had only seen the Lord of Asgard once and he only said a few lines about the Lord.


    He is a god!


    Jiu Shen wasn''t sure about this im, but somehow, there was some truth to his words.


    Suddenly, all four of them stared into the distance.


    "He''s here!" Asmodeus stood up with his eyebrows furrowed. He then grabbed the Array Formations that he had prepared and threw them in all directions.


    Elena hid behind Jiu Shen and peeked over his shoulders.


    Soldiers wearing red armor blotted the skies. A man dressed in fiery crimson armor was leading them. He had a wide smile on his face as he looked down at the huge army in the Desert Region.


    "Elena, I told you that I would take you as my bride the moment you leave that forest. Are you here to wait for my proposal?" He said as he stared at Elena who was hiding behind Jiu Shen.


    Hecate''s face turned cold when he saw Elena in close proximity to someone of the opposite gender. He eyed the young man with long silver hair with palpitating killing intent.


    "You must be Hecate? Unfortunately, Elena is not here for your proposal. You see, she''s more interested in my friend here." Jian Wang chuckled as he winked at Jiu Shen.


    Asmodeus almost copsed when he heard Jian Wang provoking Hecate in such a manner. ''What are you doing, dumbass?! Why are you needlessly angering that war maniac?!''


    Hecate''s face turned dark, but he soon let out a smile. "Is that so? To tell you the truth, I''m not just here to take back Elena. The Lord hasmanded me toe here for a specific matter."


    His loud voice echoed throughout the Desert Region.


    Asmodeus frowned upon hearing this. He also felt his heart tightening as he stepped forward. "What do you mean, Hecate?!"


    If the Lord of Asgard was involved, things might be moreplicated.


    Hecate grinned as he turned his gaze towards Asmodeus. "The Lord hates traitors the most. He told me to punish the traitor, Asmodeus, and to rain terror in the Primordial God Realm to announce the presence of Asgard to everyone! Hahaha!"


    A hideous expression warped on Hecate''s rigid face. He then grabbed a crimson helmet from out of nowhere and wore it. "This is my betrothal gift to you, Elena! The blood of those ants and the heads of your friends!"


    Troy and Sebastian who were both hovering behind Hecate were stunned. That wasn''t what they discussed yesterday at all!


    "This... Hall Master, what about the gifts that we prepared yesterday?" Troy sent a voice transmission to Hecate. They even prepared the most valuable items and brought their army as an entourage.


    Hecate stiffened when he heard the voice transmission. He red at Troy, making the man shut his mouth right away.


    Hecate gritted his teeth, but there was nothing he could do. The Lord of Asgard sent him a sudden mission just a few hours before they left Asgard.


    "Asmodeus, you filthy traitor! I, Hecate, the Hall Master of the Hall of Might will punish you for betraying the Lord!" Hecate bellowed as he took out a huge burning hammer and a sturdy crimson shield.


    Seeing that war was about to break loose, everyone became anxious.


    The Heaven Sword Army grabbed their swords, while the soldiers of Asmodeus and Elena also took out their weapons.


    Asmodeus immediately activated the Array Formations around the Desert Region and put on a defensive talisman that he had made for himself.


    Jiu Shen donned a Celestial-rank in white armor that was made by Asmodeus. He then summoned his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword.


    The tense atmosphere intensified when he red at the towering figure dressed in crimson armor.

 Chapter 566: Battle

    <h4>Chapter 566: Battle</h4>


    Hecate''s presence was like a huge mountain pressing down on the Heaven Sword Army and its allied forces. The man was like the embodiment of a peerless warrior with an unrivaled aura unlike any other they had seen.


    The only one whose aura didn''t lose out to him was Jiu Shen. He stood with his back straight as he red at the giant figure hovering in midair.


    Hm?


    Hecate was surprised when he turned his attention towards Jiu Shen. He couldn''t sense this man''s cultivation! This guy was the second person whose strength he couldn''t discern. Hecate only felt this kind of sensation when he was facing the Lord.


    ''This man''s strength... Who is this guy? To think that such a person remained hidden in this world until now...'' Hecate''s eyes glinted with an imperceptible glow. He had to eliminate this person!


    "Warriors of the Hall of Might, the bastard Asmodeus has betrayed the Lord and is now colluding with the lowly creatures! Kill them all!" Hecate roared, causing the veins on his face to protrude exaggeratedly.


    When the warriors of the Hall of Might heard the rallying call of their Hall Master, they raised their weapons and charged toward the army in the Desert Region.


    "Kill!"


    "Kill!"


    Their loud reverberating battle cries shook the world as they descended with great momentum!


    Seeing this, Jian Wang nced at the Jiu Shen. When he saw thetter nodding his head, Jian Wang raised his sword and pointed at the skies. "Kill them!"


    AAAAAAA!!


    Soon after, the Desert Region was filled with the sounds of weapons shing and the roars of the soldiers. When the two sides collided, it was as if a volcano had suddenly erupted!


    The sky was enveloped by the shing spells. The sandy surface of the Desert Region exploded from time to time as soldiers from both sides fell.


    The battle raged on, but the Celestials of both sides merely red at each other warily.


    Looking at the fierce fighting, the two sides seemed to be at a stalemate.


    The overall battle prowess of the soldiers of the Hall of Might was a notch higher. However, the experts on the Heaven Sword Army''s side were a lot stronger than their counterparts, thus, providing a necessary buffer to their much weaker force.


    The Elves brought by Elena proved to be very useful as most of them skillfully released magical spells. With their naturally endowed talents in controlling true essence, most Elves be top experts when they reached adulthood.


    Meanwhile, the treants were having a hard time adapting to the zing heat of the Desert Region. Luckily for them, the spirit body of the Eonic Ragarwood Tree, Elyssier, was secretly supplementing them with her powers.


    Elyssier was hidden underneath the sands. Her body was covered by an invisible force field that prevented the sand froming in contact with her body. She chanted with her eyes closed as she summoned millions of seeds that grew intorge towering trees in just several breaths.


    The appearance of the trees helped the treants swiftly adjust to the temperature of the dessert. They were beings who loved the cold and refreshing air of the forest. Their powers and abilities were also much stronger in the areas with arge number of trees and nts.


    The huge bodies of treants glowed with green light as they borrowed the vitality of the nearby trees. They then pped their trunk-like hands and congealed long and thick vines that trapped their enemies.


    "What the hell is this? Where did these vinese from?!"


    "Annoying pieces of shit!"


    Some soldiers of the Hall of Might failed to evade the iing vines and immediately became immobilized. They screamed and rained curses when they realized their predicament.


    "Now''s our chance! Kill them quickly!"


    "Die!"


    The Heaven Sword Army''s soldiers didn''t let this opportunity slip by. They immediately pounced on the trapped enemies and swiftly cut off their heads.


    Ahhhhhh!!


    The poor soldiers who didn''t die right away shrieked miserably. They saw theirrades beheaded in front of them and the scene scared them witless. They couldn''t believe that their glorious army was actually being toyed by the soldiers of the lowly creatures they disdained.


    Suddenly, thousands of burning arrows shot toward the vines, creating multiple trails of golden mes in the sky.


    Suu!


    Suuu!


    Suu!


    The ming arrows burned the vines, freeing the soldiers of the Hall of Might.


    When everyone turned their gazes to where the arrows came from, they saw the figure of a man with a long bow in his hands. His eyes gleamed with a cold glow.


    "Regroup immediately! Don''t let these lowly creatures defeat our army!" He shouted in a booming voice.


    "Ho! To think that you would actually intervene in the fight between our soldiers. Troy, you''ve regressed!" A mocking voice soon entered the ears of the man holding a long bow. When he tilted his head, he saw Asmodeus looking at him with a contemptuous smile.


    Asmodeus didn''te alone, the beautiful Elena hovered behind him. She had a seductive smile on her face and her beautiful pair of eyes glowed with a strange color.


    "Troy, don''t let her charm trick you! This woman is skilled in charm skills just like Hall Master Lilith!" A mage wearing long golden robes appeared beside Troy and disrupted the charm skill released by Elena.


    This man was Sebastian, the Fire Mage of the Hall of Might.


    Troy felt his back covered in a cold sweat. He almost fell into the trap of the girl behind Asmodeus. Thinking about this, his face turned incredibly hideous as he red at her.


    If it weren''t for Hecate''s stern order not to kill her, he would have already shot his arrows at this vixen!


    Elena merely giggled when she sensed the coldness in his gaze. "Eh? So scary!"


    Sebastian held him back when he noticed the agitated look of Troy. "Don''t let her provoke you. You must remember themand of Hall Master Hecate."


    Troy calmed himself when he heard the words of Sebastian.

 Chapter 567: Theia’s Might

    <h4>Chapter 567: Theia¡¯s Might</h4>


    While the Celestials of both sides were silently ring at each other, the battle between their soldiers became fiercer.


    Broken limbs and blood littered the sands of the Desert Region. The scent of chaos spread throughout the war zone.


    The Heaven Sword Army still had the slight upper hand in the confrontation between the two armies. With the great battle skill and fighting prowess of their top experts, the generals of the Hall of Might were slowly losing their ground.


    In particr, a woman with blonde hair wearing dark battle armor revealed her splendor on the battlefield. Not one of the experts she faced could even exchange more than fifty moves against her before they end up perishing!


    Theia was already a peak stage Heavenly God Realm expert and her strength exploded by leaps and bounds during thest fifty years of training. She didn''t even rx for a single day and persevered in her training with a firm heart. Because of her relentless efforts, the increase in her power was beyond her expectations. At this moment, she was confident that no one beneath the Celestial God Realm was her opponent!


    The sword in Theia''s hand trembled as she congealed a magical spell using her true essence.


    Her sword was suddenly covered in golden mes and the opponents around her unconsciously backed away when they sensed the temperature of the golden me.


    "Who is this woman?! Why is she so strong?!"


    "We need to hold her down and prevent her from causing more damage to our army!"


    Three experts at the peak stage of the Heavenly God Realm surrounded Theia. Their faces filled with wariness as they swept their gazes towards the beautiful woman. They weren''t confident in facing her alone, but with three of them holding her back, everything should be fine... or so they thought...


    With a cold expression on her face, Theia brandished the sword in her hands, producing golden sword lights that cut through the air!


    Suu!


    Suu!


    Her blonde hair danced recklessly as she swung her sword with quick movements.


    The golden me around her sword also burned intensely, giving off a ''kaka'' sound.


    "C-Crap! Protect yourselves!" One of the three experts immediately warned hisrades when he saw the fearsome power behind her every strike. The difference in their skills became noticeable from this point onwards.


    ng!


    ng!


    ng!


    Their weapons shed with the sword of Theia, but they abruptly felt their arms going numb.


    ''What horrible power!'' One of them shouted in his heart when he sensed Theia''s overwhelming strength.


    With a light twist of her wrist, Theia changed the trajectory of her stroke, taking the three opponents by surprise.


    Puchi!


    One of the experts nced at her in disbelief when he found himself impaled by her sword. He nced at the emotionless face of the woman and smiled bitterly.


    When Theia pulled out her sword, the man clutched his heart as blood gushed out from the gaping hole. He then lost consciousness and dropped down from the skies.


    The remaining two experts fearfully nced at her when they saw the corpse of theirrade falling helplessly to the ground. However, despite the fear they felt, the two of them didn''t retreat or flee. As proud generals of the Hall of Might, that was something that they wouldn''t do no matter the circumstances!


    "Die, woman!"


    One of the two lost himself in his rage and struck Theia with a huge mace.


    Swoosh!


    The air shook at the power behind the mace, but Theia''s expression was still indifferent. She calmly deflected the attack by lifting her sword diagonally to her right.


    Shiiiing!


    Her sword brushed off the mace and slid towards the man''s throat.


    Puchi!


    The man''s eyes widened and the mace in his hand fell from his grip. His vision was covered in golden mes and thest scene he witness was the woman''s indifferent gaze as she pulled out her sword from his throat.


    Theia turned her gaze towards the remaining expert.


    This guy was also a general of the Hall of Might, but under the terrifying woman''s gaze, he could feel his hands slightly shaking.


    Looking at his expression, the corner of Theia''s lips curved upwards to reveal what appeared as a mocking grin. "Burn!"


    A violent cluster of golden me enveloped the body of the general, burning him alive!


    AAAAAA!!!


    His miserable shriek echoed on the battlefield and everyone unconsciously turn their heads only to see the horrifying sight of an expert being burned into ashes by a fearsome golden me!


    The morale of the Hall of Might''s soldiers dropped upon seeing this. The man who was burned into ashes was one of their strongest generals! However, a top expert like him actually died in such a horrific manner!


    "Ahhh!!" The eyes of the Heaven Sword Army''s soldiers lit up when they witnessed this and they emitted loud battle cries that shook the heavens.


    The battle immediately tilted in their favor and the Hall of Might fell into a precarious situation. If the Celestials on their side will not intervene, they would lose this battle!


    Hecate''s eyes glinted with a dangerous glow as he watched the situation. He couldn''t believe that the army that he was so proud of was actually being pushed back by the lowly creatures he disdained.


    Hm?


    Just as he was about to make a move, he narrowed his eyes as he stared in the northerly direction. He sensed a strong auraing towards the Desert Region. Furthermore, he also sensed that there were millions of experts following behind this person.


    When he got a clearer look at the neer, Hecate frowned as he muttered. "Lilith... I can''t believe that this woman would actuallye to aid my army. Did the Lord send her to support me?" If that was the case, the Lord must''ve thought that he was bound to lose this battle and thus decided to send Lilith to support his troops.


    Thinking about this, Hecate felt a bit indignant. Even if many of his soldiers die in the process, as long as he could kill the opposing Celestials, this war was as good as their win!

 Chapter 568: Facing Off Hecate Alone

    <h4>Chapter 568: Facing Off Hecate Alone</h4>


    The arrival of the third army made the two forces on the battlefield feel rmed.


    Looking at the huge number of soldiers that almost covered the skies, there should be around ten million of them!


    "Look! Isn''t that the g of the Hall of Creation?"


    "Indeed! That''s the g of Hall Master Lilith''s army!"


    The soldiers of the Hall of Might felt invigorated at the arrival of theirrade. Their morale almost doubled upon realizing that their reinforcements has arrived.


    With their hopes rekindled, the soldiers of the Hall of Might began a fierce counterattack! They ignored the injuries in their bodies and fought ferociously against the Heaven Sword Army and its allied forces.


    Meanwhile, Hecate frowned when he saw a woman with a stunning body moving in his direction. Her face was partially covered by a veil and her eyes were wrapped by a thin light green cloth. Despite her facial features being partially hidden, everyone could tell that this woman was very beautiful.


    "Hecate, I''vee to support you under themand of the Lord." The woman spoke in a soft and gentle voice.


    The soldiers of the Hall of Creation immediately joined the fray, destroying the bnce of the battle.


    With the addition of ten million opponents, the Heaven Sword Army was pushed back almost instantly. The casualties on their side also increased and the battle was slowly tilting to the opponent''s favor.


    Hecate frowned as he stared at the graceful figure in front of him. He had only seen Lilith''s face once without her veil and the green cloth, but he could never forget that immacte image. There were no words that could describe her beauty and the only one who came close to her in terms of appearance was Elena. Hecate also tried to court her after seeing her appearance, but Lilith rejected him almost immediately. He tried to use his power when he was rejected by Lilith, but her spiritual attacks proved to be lethal to him so he chose to back down.


    "I can handle them even without your help. You may go back to Asgard, Lilith." Hecate said in discontent.


    Lilith ignored his words and turned her attention to the Celestials on the opposing side. Although her eyes were covered by a piece of cloth, she could still clearly ''see'' everything using her spiritual vision. As to why she was hiding her eyes and face, it was rted to her power.


    Lilith was a woman with a limitless charm that just by taking a single nce at her true appearance was enough to make a man enraptured. Even women were not immune to her charms and it was because of this that she had to cover her face with a veil and wrap her eyes with a piece of cloth.


    Seeing that she was ignoring him, Hecate''s face twitched and a look of rage shed in his gaze.


    As if unaware of his deathly stare, Lilith continued to observe the Celestials of the opposing side through her spiritual perception. "Asmodeus, Elena, Jian Wang, and two more unidentified Celestials..."


    Hecate frowned when he heard her words. He thought that there were only four of them, but it seems like he had overlooked one more person. "There''s one more Celestial?"


    Lilith nodded her head lightly and pointed at the artificial forest that was created by Elyssier. "To be more urate, it is a spirit body that has reached thete stage of the Celestial God Realm. From the aura it exudes, it should be the spirit body of the Eonic Ragarwood Tree that Elena is protecting in the Southern Region."


    Despite hiding her aura, Elyssier was actually discovered by Lilith! Such a strong spiritual perception was even beyond Jiu Shen''s power! Perhaps this woman''s spiritual power was even stronger than Elena''s!


    Hecate weighed the pros and cons after hearing her words. Fighting against five Celestials was difficult for him even if he has Troy and Sebastian. Not to mention that the man holding a weird-looking great heavy sword was giving him a dangerous sensation. "Alright. Since it is the Lord''smand, I am willing to ept your help." He gritted his teeth with a hint of shame.


    Since when did he need someone''s help to eliminate his enemies? He had to make sure that Asmodeus and this bunch of trash would die to wash away this shameful feeling!


    "Okay." Lilith answered calmly as if it was natural. To her, the words of the Lord were absolute!


    After getting her reply, Hecate turned his gaze towards the young man with long silver hair. He could see the fighting intent burning in the man''s eyes. Hecate scoffed in disdain when he saw this.


    He pointed his huge hammer towards Jiu Shen in a provocative manner as he shouted. "Lowly human, since you wish to fight with me so much, I''ll grant you your wish!"


    His voice was filled with arrogance. He didn''t think highly of the humans at all. In fact, he disdained them!


    Jiu Shen chuckled when he saw this. He didn''t think that the Hall Master of the Hall of Might was actually a simple-minded brute. Even Lao Gou was a lot smarter than this guy.


    "Jian Wang, change of ns. You, Elena, and Elyssier will face that woman wearing a veil. She seems to be more dangerous than Hecate. Try to hold her back as long as possible. Asmodeus, you take care of Troy and Sebastian." Jiu Shen sent a message to hisrades.


    Jian Wang was surprised when he heard the voice transmission. He turned his head at Jiu Shen and asked with a reproachful voice. "You n to fight Hecate alone?! Are you out of your mind?!"


    Jiu Shen ignored him and hovered in front of Hecate. "You think too highly of yourself, Hecate. Asmodeus may fear you, but I don''t!" He muttered with a smile on his handsome face.


    Hecate''s face changed and he immediately raised his hammer and swung it down hard as he bellowed. "You damn bastard! Die!"

 Chapter 569: The Clash Between Two Top Celestials

    <h4>Chapter 569: The sh Between Two Top Celestials</h4>


    As soon as Hecate moved in his direction, every fiber of Jiu Shen''s body screamed danger! He knew right away that this simple-minded brute was someone who could threaten his life!


    Jiu Shen saw a huge crimson hammer threatening to smash him into smithereens. Violent crimson mes covered the hammer''s body giving off the impression simr to that of a Fire Dragon!


    The sheer power behind the hammer was enough to tten an entire region and this dangerous weapon was now aiming to take his life.


    Facing this situation, Jiu Shen''s expression was calm. He summoned his true essence and gathered it around his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword.


    Golden threads of energy wrapped around his sword and the dragon engravings on the sword''s body seemed to have be alive.


    CLAAANGG!!!


    A violent explosion rang out as their weapons collided. The muscles on Jiu Shen''s arms bulged to an abnormal degree. His golden eyes shed with a hint of coldness as he stared at Hecate''s eyes, the only thing visible since his face was covered by a helmet.


    The soldiers who were fighting one thousand meters near them were immediately thrown away by the resulting shockwave of their sh!


    Even the Celestials had to summon their spiritual force and true essence to create a barrier to prevent themselves from being swept away because of their attacks!


    "Those two would destroy the entire Desert Region with their battle! It''s a good thing that we had already evacuated all the inhabitants beforehand or billions of innocent people would be killed." Jian Wang muttered with a dumbfounded look as he watched the two Celestials fighting tooth and nail. He clenched his fists when he realized the difference in their powers. He didn''t know that even Jiu Shen was already a lot stronger than he was.


    Elena and Asmodeus nodded their heads in agreement. The power shown by the two was so destructive that they wouldn''t be surprised if the entire Desert Region would be overturned after the battle.


    Lilith who was observing their fight was also feeling shocked in her heart. She couldn''t believe that there was actually someone who could contend against Hecate in a sh of pure strength!


    Hecate was someone with a physique that exceeded the norms. Even the Lord praised him once about this. Hecate''s anma power had already reached the peak of the Celestial God Realm and he even had the chance to step into the rank simr to the Lord! The only issue about Hecate was hiscking intelligence. If not for that, he would have been a terrifying expert!


    With an indestructible physical body and the Celestial-rank crimson armor bestowed by the Lord, there was no way to defeat this guy through physical means. Only spiritual attacks and magical attacks could somehow threaten him.


    Hecate was stunned when he noticed that Jiu Shen wasn''t thrown away after blocking his hammer. This hammer was also a Celestial-rank weapon and its power was among the top! However, this silver-haired young human was actually able to block his attack by only using a sword!


    "Boy, you''ve surprised me! Now, I''ll be more serious!" Hecate distanced himself from Jiu Shen and looked at his opponent in a new light. This man was indeed dangerous!


    Jiu Shen merely smiled when he heard the words of Hecate, but he was also astonished by this brute''s prowess! He could feel his arms shaking almost unnoticeably.


    Almost after his words left his mouth, Hecateunch a more powerful strike that caused the space around them to shake!


    The sky cracked as if it couldn''t handle the power behind Hecate''s hammer!


    Jiu Shen also felt the terrifying force and he immediately performed a beautiful sword dance. "Second Sword Dance: Swallowing the Sky." He whispered silently.


    When the two opposing powers shed, a blinding light appeared followed by an earth-splitting explosion as if the end of the world was about toe.


    BOOOOOOOOOMMM!!!


    Everyone covered their eyes for a few seconds and they also fled in all directions, afraid that they would be caught up in the aftermath of the violent sh between the two top Celestials.


    When they opened their eyes, they saw a huge crater that spanned about a hundred kilometers. They also saw two figures ring at each other. Their battle armors still appeared to be intact and there were no obvious injuries on either of them aside from some minor scratches on Jiu Shen''s handsome face.


    The attack he summoned earlier was the Second Sword Dance of his strongest sword technique, but Hecate didn''t even seem to be affected. He couldn''t help but nce at the brute''s crimson armor with interest. It was a priceless defensive treasure!


    "Human, your power has exceeded my expectations! However, if that was the extent of your strength, then you can forget about defeating me!" Hecate raised his head arrogantly as he stared at Jiu Shen''s bloody face. Although the human only received minor wounds, the difference in their power was clear to everyone.


    Jiu Shen didn''t even bother to wipe off the blood on his face as he grinned. "I''m only starting so you better be prepared!"


    Jiu Shen lifted his sword and pointed it upwards as he muttered. "Third Sword Dance: Descent of the Comet."


    The sky parted and a huge ball of fire suddenly emerged, scaring everyone out of their wits.


    "That thing! Isn''t that the attack used by Wine God Jiu Shen to kill Celestial Emperor Lao Gou back then?! The Heavenly Sword Region was even partially damaged because of that attack!"


    Jian Wang felt a chill in his spine when he saw the gigantic mass of mes. "Shit! What is that guy thinking!? Quick! Make everyone retreat! I''ll create a barrier to protect us! Elena, summon a spiritual barrier! Asmodeus, take out your Defensive Array Formations!"


    Everyone immediately retreated under themands of the three Celestials. Elyssier who was still hidden beneath the sands also retreated with the rest.


    Dread filled the hearts of everyone present as they watched the giantet descend from the skies!

 Chapter 570: Injured Hecate?

    <h4>Chapter 570: Injured Hecate?</h4>


    For the first time since their exchange started, Hecate''s face finally turned solemn. The huge ball of fire threatening to fall from the sky was so powerful that it made his heart beat like crazy.


    Hecate swiftly lifted the crimson shield that was even taller than him. He also wrapped his body with anma, not daring to take this spell lightly. "Come!" He roared without fear behind his shield.


    Looking at theet, Lilith frowned underneath her veil. She hurriedlymanded the soldiers of the Hall of Might and the Hall of Creation to retreat far away. The soldiers of the Hall of Might didn''t even care about who gave themand.


    Lilith summoned a spiritual barrier while Troy and Sebastian also summoned their own protective spells to help their soldiers. Though, they knew that many of their soldiers would still die from this attack. At least this way, they could prevent losing most of their subordinates.


    A crimson aura covered Hecate''s body. As the main target of theet, he was the closest person to the ball of fire. Even if he tried to escape, he would still be hit. Besides, the thought of retreating from someone''s attack didn''t cross his mind. With his pride as the man known as the Walking Fortress, the word ''retreat'' wasn''t in his dictionary!


    With a ring light that almost blinded everyone present, theet finally struck Hecate.


    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMM!!


    Burning fragments of stones flew in all directions and struck the soldiers near theet''s area of explosion.


    Ahhhhhh!!


    Ahhhhhh!!


    Shrieks of pain echoed everywhere as therge burning stones hit their bodies. Some unlucky soldiers even died after having their heads struck by huge zing stone fragments.


    Particles of sand covered the surroundings of the Desert Region and it took more than ten minutes before the cloud of dust receded.


    When everyone turned their gazes above, they noticed the figure of Hecate, still holding his shield and hammer. Some parts of his shield were broken and the sturdy feature of the shield was filled with cracks and burnt marks.


    Hecate groaned lightly as he slowly lowered his shield. His armor had several burnt marks, but aside from that, there was no substantial damage to be seen. "Dammit!" He cursed under his breath as he forcefully swallowed down the blood rising in his throat.


    Hecate could still feel his internal organs protesting in pain and even his left hand that held his shield felt numb.


    He could not help but stare at the silver-haired human in shock. Hecate saw that the man still had his usual look of indifference, but a momentter, the human let out a smile.


    "Oh? You actually survived from that? Not bad! You''re the second person who survived that spell!" Jiu Shen grinned as he looked at Hecate''s ugly expression. This guy was even more tenacious than Lao Gou! Even Lao Gou was left almost half-dead after receiving thiset. He even had the support of the Celestial-rank item, the God Sealing Tower. However, Hecate came out rtively unscathed. Only his shield was damaged and he appeared to be fine.


    Hecate gritted his teeth in anger. How could he not sense the mocking tone of this guy?


    With a series of quick movements, Hecate shed towards Jiu Shen and shouted furiously. "I''ll kill you! Die!"


    He violently swung his hammer, creating a deadly arc of light that tore the skies.


    Swoosh!


    Jiu Shen''s eyes narrowed and he hurriedly brandished his sword as he put up a defensive spell.


    A golden bulwark appeared in front of him, but it instantly broke into pieces aftering in contact with Hecate''s hammer.


    Baaaang!


    Jiu Shen''s face turned serious upon seeing this and he immediately lifted his sword over his head. "Fourth Sword Dance: Rain of Sword Petals..."


    Thousands of blooming scarlet flowers suddenly appeared following Jiu Shen''s exquisite sword dance.


    When Jiu Shenpleted the final movement, the petals of the scarlet flower turned into Celestial-rank des and flew straight at Hecate, producing keening sounds in the air!


    Shiiinng!


    Hecate felt the power behind every petal swords. All of them were at the level of Celestial-rank items! ''How did this guy summon such a dreadful sword skill!?''


    Left with no choice, he could only ce his luck on his battered shield. He also used his hammer to cover his head. As for the other parts of his body, he couldn''t do anything about it.


    Suu! Suu! Suu!


    CLAANG!


    CLAANG!


    Puchi!


    Everyone stared in horror as the mighty Hecate''s lower body was pierced by more than a dozen petal swords!


    Hecate''s eyes turned bloodshot and a trail of blood trickled down the edges of his lips.


    "Hall Master!"


    "Hall Master Hecate!"


    "Hecate!"


    "The Hall Master is injured?" The soldiers of the Hall of Might stared at their mighty leader in disbelief.


    Hecate, the Walking Fortress, was now riddled in wounds!


    Blood leaked out from the gaps of his broken crimson armor.


    Although the lower portion of his crimson armor had multiple cracks, it was still intact.


    Everyone noticed that the crimson armor was also repairing itself, and soon, the damage on the crimson armor can no longer be seen!


    This was a treasure bestowed by the Lord of Asgard. It had saved his life on many asions. This armor was called ''Imprable Crimson God Armor'' and it had the ability to self-repair no matter the amount of damage received!


    ''This guy is so strong! Is he truly a Celestial?!'' Hecate nced at Jiu Shen with his eyes narrowed into slits. The man was still hovering expressionlessly while looking at him.


    "Lilith, kill the rest quickly! I can''t defeat this guy, but I''ll try to hold him off! When you kill the other Celestials, help me finish off this guy!" Hecate sent a voice transmission to Lilith.


    Lilith was stunned when he heard Hecate''s voice in her head. This was the first time that Hecate admitted being inferior to someone. "Alright. I''ll try to kill them as quickly as I can." She answered.

 Chapter 571: Lilith’s Masterful Spiritual Manipulation

    <h4>Chapter 571: Lilith¡¯s Masterful Spiritual Maniption</h4>


    Jian Wang, Asmodeus, and Elena were all surprised when they saw Hecate in a pitiful situation after receiving Jiu Shen''s attacks. They couldn''t believe that a man of such caliber actually ended up injured to such a degree.


    In particr, Asmodeus watched Jiu Shen with an incredulous expression on his face. He had seen for himself the power of Hecate and with the Imprable Crimson God Armor, he was practically an unkible existence! However, this very man was now in a dire situation!


    Suddenly, Asmodeus and Jian Wang clutched their heads as a wave of intense pain struck them abruptly.


    ''Spiritual attack?!'' They both screamed in their hearts as they summoned their protective spells to prevent themselves from being killed.


    Elena immediately noticed their situation and she hurriedly helped them by providing a supporting spell that alleviated the pain they were feeling. "Someone is using spiritual attacks! The two of you should be careful. I think Lilith has finally made her move!" She said in a solemn voice as she searched for the graceful figure of the Hall of Creation''s Hall Master. However, she seemed to have vanished from the face of the earth as she didn''t even see her shadow.


    "Elyssier, help me protect these two from spiritual attacks!" Elena sent a mental message to Elyssier.


    She couldn''t find her position right away since she was using some of her power by protecting Jian Wang and Asmodeus.


    "Yes, Sister Elena." She heard a gentle voice inside her head and a rumbling sound echoed beneath the sand as Elyssier came out from her hiding spot.


    After showing herself, Elyssier summoned a spiritual barrier to herself and the two men before nodding at Elena.


    Seeing this, Elena focused her spiritual power on searching for the traces of Lilith.


    A wave of spiritual energy scanned the Desert Region, but Elena still couldn''t find Lilith. ''Where is she?!''


    Suu! Suu!


    Hm?


    Elena felt a chill above her.


    When she raised her head, she saw hundreds of ming arrows raining down upon her! She almost screamed in panic. Luckily, she saw Jian Wang appearing in front of her, casually destroying the congealed ming arrows.


    "We will protect you so go and search for that damnable woman!" Jian Wang''s voice was filled with anger. The spiritual attack earlier was so painful that he thought his head would explode. If not for Elena''s timely support, his soul might have been severely injured.


    Elena nodded her head gravely when she heard his words. "I''ll leave them to you guys."


    Jian Wang and Asmodeus stared at Troy and Sebastian who were looking at them with gazes filled with wariness.


    Sebastian summoned thousands of incorporeal fire birds that shed towards Jian Wang and Asmodeus at breakneck speed.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Seeing this, Asmodeus threw a few dozen Protective Array Formations and Attack Array Formations.


    The Protective Array Formations lit up and trapped the ming birds, while the Attack Array Formations released powerful spells toward Sebastian.


    Meanwhile, Jian Wang disappeared in his spot and lunged toward the archer, Troy. He could sense that this guy was more dangerous than the Fire Mage so he thought that he should kill him first.


    Jian Wang released a series of sword strikes, summoning dozens of hundred-meter sword waves that shed towards Troy. "Hundred Sword Wave." He muttered.


    The archer felt all the hair on his body rising when he saw Jian Wang''s sword strikes. He gritted his teeth as he evaded the sword waves, but he was still struck twice, leaving two deep cuts on his chest and his right thigh. He groaned in pain as he distanced himself from Jian Wang. "Dammit! How annoying!"


    Elyssier was still protecting Asmodeus and Jian Wang from spiritual attacks, but she didn''t remain idle. She was also providing support to the Heaven Sword Army and their allied troops.


    Elena closed her eyes and focused her spiritual perception throughout the war zone. She could see everyone''s movements and she could even detect the most minute details. Although doing this drained a lot of spiritual power, this was her only option to quickly find Lilith.


    She was using a unique skill that only spiritual practitioners know. It is called irvoyance. A skill that enhances spiritual perception at the expense of spiritual energy.


    "Found you!" Elena opened her eyes and she quickly congealed an invisible arrow, firing it towards her left side.


    Suuu!


    Lilith who was hiding sensed the invisible arrow and immediately put up a defensive barrier around herself. However, her position was alsopromised when she summoned the barrier. "This woman has some skills." She muttered as she looked at Elena who appeared to be exhausted.


    Swoosh!


    The arrow congealed by Elena bounced off from the barrier erected by Lilith.


    Elena didn''t rest and summoned more invisible arrows towards Lilith''s position.


    Suu! Suu! Suu!


    However, Lilith''s barrier effortlessly deflected all the attacks thrown her way.


    "What?!" Elena yelped in surprise. Each arrow she sent was filled with dreadful powerparable to the full strength of a peak stage Celestial! However, her attack didn''t even manage to break the barrier erected by Lilith!


    "Your spiritual power is strong, but the way you manipte it is beneath my level." Lilith shook her head with a voice filled with regret. Her spiritual power was simr to Elena''s, but her ability to control spiritual energy exceeded her level!


    Elena was a bit angered by her words. She could also feel the difference in how they manipte spiritual energy. Lilith had already reached a masterful level whereas she was still below that. "Hmph! You''ve been training for billions of years while I have startedter than you! Your words can''t affect my heart!" She shouted furiously.


    Lilith smiled underneath her veil. "So you noticed? I thought that you would fail to see it." She was using a hypnotizing spell to confuse her, but it seems like Elena noticed it.


    Elena stared at her cautiously. This woman might look gentle on the surface, but her every action was filled with cunningness!

 Chapter 572: Fifth Sword Dance

    <h4>Chapter 572: Fifth Sword Dance</h4>


    Lilith was sent here by the Lord of Asgard to support Hecate. Why did the Lord ask her to provide aid to Hecate? The man was strong enough to handle multiple Celestials on his own. Even Asmodeus wasn''t his opponent.


    However, Lilith would have never thought that a person capable of contending Hecate in terms of firepower actually exists!


    Lilith concentrated on attacking Elena with her spiritual spears. This woman was way more dangerous than the others. ''This girl is quite skilled in spiritual maniption. If she was given another billion years to train, she might even reach my level.'' She thought to herself.


    Wounds started to appear on Elena''s body. Even her spiritual barrier could not block all of the invisible spiritual spears. Pain shed in her gaze as a spiritual spear struck her shoulder, leaving behind a hole the size of a fist.


    Elena gritted her teeth as she quickly closed the wound by wrapping it with her true essence. She then stared at Lilith who still looked pristine with no injuries on her body. There was a vast difference in their power and she finally epted that she couldn''t defeat Lilith all by herself. However, the others were still upied in their own battles so she could only buy some time.


    Meanwhile, Jiu Shen and Hecate moved further from the main war zone. Their battle was so disastrous that every move from them would take the lives of many soldiers, hence, they silently agreed to shift their position far from the rest.


    Hecate''s shield was now in tatters, but it was still usable so he didn''t discard it.


    ''This guy''s strength is already at the precipice of ''that realm''. He might even reach the Lord''s level if he doesn''t die! Is this the reason why the Lord asked me to kill him? Does he feel threatened by this man''s potential?'' Hecate thought deeply in his heart as he looked cautiously at Jiu Shen.


    "Are you not nning to retaliate? Come. I''ll give you the chance to attack me." Jiu Shen taunted with a smile. Although Hecate was much weaker than he thought, the man was still able to give him a great battle.


    "In that case, don''t me me!" Hecate lunged himself at Jiu Shen and swung his hammer with great momentum.


    SWOOOSH!


    Jiu Shen narrowly evaded the hammer by side stepping to his left. He then pierced Hecate''s exposed torso.


    Puchi!


    The Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword prated the defenses of the Crimson God Armor and eventually pierced through Hecate''s tough muscles!


    Jiu Shen''s eyes shed coldly. He then summoned a fearsome ck me that covered his sword.


    AHHHHHHH!!


    A blood-curdling scream came out of Hecate''s mouth as the ck me burned his body and internal organs.


    With a face full of sweat, he gave a mighty kick towards Jiu Shen, making the man pull out his sword from his body.


    Hecate staggered in midair and he almost fell. He stabilized himself with great difficulty and his breathing became ragged. His face contorted in pain as he slowly lowered his gaze. In the lower portion of his right chest was a bloody hole filled with burnt marks and torn flesh. He could see his ribs sticking out and a small part of his right lung was visible. Luckily, Jiu Shen''s sword narrowly missed it or he would have trouble breathing properly.


    ''It looks like I''ve overestimated myself. I think I can onlyst for another five minutes...'' Hecate thought helplessly as he willed his anma to hasten his regeneration.


    "Do you know why we waited fifty years before we decided to fight you guys?" Jiu Shen''s calm voice suddenly drifted to his ears.


    Hecate looked at the man and saw him staring straight at him. There was no emotion on his face. Because of the painful sensation in his chest, he couldn''t even reply.


    "To tell you the truth, I told my subordinates that we would be training to have the strength to fight the people of Asgard. However, my true goal was to have the strength and the ability to stand against the Lord of Asgard whomands you behind the scenes." Jiu Shen grinned when he saw Hecate that Hecate was shivering.


    "Y-You! You never ced us in your eyes from the beginning! All along you''ve been waiting for the sake of fighting against the Lord!" Hecate stared at Jiu Shen''s face with utter disbelief. This guy was merely using them to sharpen his edge for his eventual battle with their Lord!


    Thinking about this, Hecate suddenly let out a sigh filled withplicated emotions.


    "For the sake of peace, I have to end your lives. Your presence is cing a huge burden on my people. I''m sorry, but you have to die..."


    "Fifth Sword Dance: Burning Heaven Bow..."


    A burning golden bow suddenly appeared out of nowhere. It was so huge that it covered an area that was asrge as two citiesbined!


    Looking at the giant golden fire arrow pointing at him, Hecate felt all the blood on his body suddenly draining. He knew at that moment that he couldn''t block this arrow. Even the Crimson God Armor might be destroyed by this attack.


    With a trail of blood leaking out from the edges of his lips, Hecate let out a smile. This was a smile filled with liberation. He had been fighting all his life for the Lord. Perhaps it was about time for him to rest...


    Jiu Shen''s expression remained calm as he uttered. "Release..."


    SWOOOOOSHH!!


    The sky brightened as if a second sun has illuminated the world.


    A huge burning golden arrow streaked towards Hecate with unstoppable force. The man didn''t even bother to put up a defense. He even let go of his hammer and shield!


    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!


    An explosion that was loud enough to crack one''s brain echoed throughout the Desert Region. Even the surrounding regions heard the thunderous explosion. They wondered what was happening in the Desert Region.

 Chapter 573: The Shock Caused by the Burning Arrow

    <h4>Chapter 573: The Shock Caused by the Burning Arrow</h4>


    Jian Wang held the decapitated head of the archer, Troy. This guy was so troublesome and it took him a bit of effort to kill the archer. He nced at the head of Troy. There was a look of regret in his expression right before his death. "You''re a tough one..." Jian Wang said before tossing the head to the ground.


    He then stared at the remaining enemies. The Fire Mage, Sebastian was still alive, but he was about to be killed by Asmodeus'' Killing Array Formations.


    Sebastian''s robes now has multiple holes and his exposed body revealed deep cuts and wounds. His face was also pale and his aura was unstable. It was only a matter of time before he would be killed by Asmodeus.


    Meanwhile, Elyssier has now decided to support Elena in fighting the Hall Master of the Hall of Creation, Lilith. Looking at the bedraggled figure of Elena, Jian Wang was surprised. Luckily for her, Elyssier came in a timely manner to give her support.


    "I should help them." Jian Wang dashed towards Lilith and brandished his sword as he muttered silently.


    "One Point Sword Annihtion..."


    A distinct sharp cry akin to the wailing of ghosts resounded as Jian Wang''s sword suddenly turned into a thin dark de that shed towards Lilith.


    SHIIIING!


    Lilith felt an impending sense of crisis and she immediately put up her strongest defensive barrier in front of her body.


    BAAAANNNG!!


    The barrier that Lilith created exploded into tiny motes of golden light and she was sent flying by the shockwave.


    "Thanks." Elena wiped the blood trickling at the corner of her lips with the back of her right hand. Her aura was shaky and she was wobbling in midair.


    Elyssier held the shaking Elena to her embrace and looked at her with worry. "Are you alright?" She asked while checking the wounds on Elena''s body.


    Elena was severely wounded and even her soul was partially damaged. The injuries on her physical body could be treated in a few months, but the damage to her soul might take more than several years before it could be fully healed.


    "I''m fine. Jiu Shen has a wine that can rejuvenate the body and heal a damaged soul. Don''t worry." Elena replied when she saw the look of concern on Elyssier''s face.


    Hearing this, Elyssier nodded her head and sighed in relief. She then moved her gaze to Jian Wang. "Is she still alive?"


    The attack summoned by Jian Wang earlier was so strong that it almost depleted all his true essence. He might be able to summon the same attack with his remaining true essence, but that was all that was left of him. "I don''t know, but even if she''s still alive, she should be severely injured. Let''s go look for her."


    Ahhhhhh!!


    Suddenly, they heard a blood-curdling scream as the Fire Mage, Sebastian was turned into minced meat under the fierce firepower of Asmodeus'' Killing Array Formations.


    The three turned their gazes and saw Asmodeus waving at them with a wide smile.


    "Took you long enough!" Jian Wang grinned when he saw the man smiling at them.


    His words immediately made Asmodeus upset. "What do you know? That Sebastian guy was so troublesome and he even destroyed many of my Killing Array Formations. Dammit!"


    He only had a limited number of Killing Array Formations, but about sixty percent of them were destroyed by the Fire Mage during their battle.


    Jian Wang chuckled as he patted the man''s shoulder. "Let''s go find Lilith. She might still be alive." He then turned his gaze towards Elena and said. "You should rest for now, Elena. With your current state, you wouldn''t be of help to us. Take some healing pills and recuperate. Leave the rest to us."


    Elena nodded her head with a solemn look. The battle against Lilith destroyed her confidence, but she knew that she would day be as strong as that woman. "Alright. I''ll monitor our soldiers and help them from the shadows." She replied in a soft voice.


    Elyssier released Elena and nodded at her before she went with Jian Wang and Asmodeus to find Lilith.


    However, just as they were about to move further, a blinding golden radiance suddenly illuminated the skies, stunning them in ce. They also saw a burning giant golden arrow flying past them before shooting into the horizon.


    They sensed a dreadful power behind the huge burning arrow.


    "What the hell was that?!" Jian Wang uttered with a dumbfounded look.


    "I have no idea." Asmodeus shook his head with a nk expression on his face.


    "Wait. I think that arrow came from the direction of Jiu Shen and Hecate." Elyssier suddenly said and the group of four soon reached a silent agreement to check what was happening. They wondered who summoned that fearsome burning arrow.


    A trace of worry and expectation covered their faces as they moved together.


    Soon, they saw a lone man hovering in midair like a peerless god of war.


    A handsome man with long silver hair. There was not even an injury in his body. He had an expressionless look on his face as he grasped his sword.


    However, they noticed that he was holding an unconscious woman in her other hand.


    "Jiu Shen!" They all shouted in unison. A look of relief surfaced on their faces when they saw him in great condition. They had so many questions in their heads, but they tacitly decided not to ask anything.


    Jiu Shen unsummoned his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword and turned his gaze to the woman in his arms. Her face was covered by a veil, but it was soon blown away by the fierce wind, showing a beautiful face that was out of this world. He then removed the cloth that covered the woman''s eyes and frowned when he sensed something. "So that''s why you''re covering your face..." He muttered with interest.


    This woman was even more beautiful than Elena and Theia! However, Jiu Shen felt no particr attraction to this woman. She was an enemy and his enemies are bound to be killed!


    He only decided to spare her life since he still had some questions about the Lord of Asgard.

 Chapter 574: Jiu Shen’s Power

    <h4>Chapter 574: Jiu Shen¡¯s Power</h4>


    Asmodeus gasped when he saw the unconscious Lilith in Jiu Shen''s arms. He had never seen her face, but he could tell that it was her based on the figure of her body and the aura she exudes.


    ''How did Jiu Shen capture her? And where is Hecate?'' Asmodeus inspected the area and noticed the mayhem on the surroundingnd. Even the sand which covered the ground was nowhere to be seen. Only a fissured earth remained of what it was before.


    Soon, Asmodeus sensed a weak aura ten thousand meters from their location. He immediately used his spiritual perception to check this aura and what he saw made him dumbstruck. ''Bloody hell...''


    It was Hecate. He was covered in bloody wounds all over his body and his rigid face had also be disfigured. If not for the Crimson God Armor he was wearing, Asmodeus wouldn''t be able to tell that this man was the Hall Master of the Hall of Might!


    The Crimson God Armor which was known as an imprable armor with godly defensive abilities had a huge crack in the chest area. Some parts of the armor were also broken and it had lost most of its former glory. The only silver lining was that it was still regenerating, albeit in a very slow process. From the degree of the damage, it might take years for it to fully regenerate back to its peak condition.


    ''The arrow earlier... Could it be...'' Asmodeus could not help but nce at the silver-haired man who was holding the unconscious Lilith. His face was calm and he doesn''t seem to have an injury on his body. His armor was in pristine condition and even his skin appeared to be wless without even a cut or bruise.


    In truth, it wasn''t just Asmodeus who was observing the wreckage and the aftermath of the battle.


    Jian Wang, Elena, and Elyssier were inspecting the area with their spiritual perceptions. And what they discovered made them renew their view of Jiu Shen. They all thought that Jiu Shen''s strength was just around the same level as their own, if not a bit stronger. However, the evidence of his unparalleled might wasid in front of their very eyes.


    "Elena, bind her spiritual power. I have questions for her when she wakes up so make sure that she doesn''t kill herself." Jiu Shen handed Lilith to Elena.


    "Alright." Elena nced at the unconscious woman in her arms. She was so beautiful that Elena almost felt ashamed of her own beauty. This goddess-like woman was also stronger than her. Lilith''s urate judgment, the precise timing of skills, and deep knowledge about battle were above her own. Lilith was better than her in all aspects!


    Thinking about all this, Elena sighed withplicated emotions.


    "You guys should help the army. The Hall of Might and the Hall of Creation might have lost their leaders, but their overallbat prowess is still above our soldiers'' level. There is no need for unnecessary casualties." Jiu Shen nced at the other three.


    Jian Wang and the others nodded their heads in agreement. They also didn''t want more of their soldiers to die needlessly.


    "We have a lot to talk aboutter..." Jian Wang nced deeply at Jiu Shen. They had grown close after all these years and he wanted to know more about the battle earlier. To be specific, he was curious about Jiu Shen''s current level of strength.


    From his perspective, Jiu Shen''s prowess had already exceeded the level of Celestials. After all, he was able to defeat both Hecate and Lilith whose powers were at the very peak of the Celestial God Realm. Both experts were hanging at the precipice of the next realm, the Boundless God Realm. A level that only one man has reached, the Lord of Asgard.


    ording to Asmodeus, the Lord of Asgard had long since exceeded the constraints of the Celestial God Realm. His power could overturn the skies and render space with a mere flick of his hands! From the perspective of mortals, he could be referred to as the ''One True God.


    The Lord of Asgard was a man of mystery. His very being was veiled in mist and fog and no one even knew his real name.


    From how Asmodeus described him, the Lord of Asgard always wore a mask and even his hair was covered by the mask. He rarely stepped out of his throne since most tasks were carried out by his subordinates.


    Jian Wang wanted to find out if Jiu Shen was now confident enough to confront such a figure.


    Jiu Shen stared back at his friend and nodded his head calmly. "Sure. I''ll answer all of your questionster."


    It was fine to tell them about the extent of his power. Although he was now confident that he could fight the Lord of Asgard, he still needed the help of his friends. It wasn''t a good idea to create friction between them at a time like this. Besides, he already nned to tell them about his power.


    After getting his answer, Jian Wang left with a satisfied look on his face. He led the others to the battlefield of the two armies.


    With the destructive power of Celestials, the Hall of Might and the Hall of Creation were bound to be destroyed. Everyone just couldn''t believe that such major powerhouses would actually end up being annihted so easily... Jiu Shen''s strength was truly beyond their expectations.


    ***


    Meanwhile, inside a huge throne room in a castle erected in Asgard, a masked individual seated on a throne suddenly chuckled. "Ho. As expected of something created by me. It''s actually able to produce a character of unequal caliber. Not bad! Hahaha!"


    "Jiu Shen. Jiu Shen. Jiu Shen. Come up here quickly! I''ve been waiting for you all this time! I even invested a huge fraction of my wealth just to create that system for you! The time youe up here is also the time that I will collect payments! Hahaha!"

 Chapter 575: Eternity Is A Curse

    <h4>Chapter 575: Eternity Is A Curse</h4>


    After losing their leaders, both the Hall of Creation and the Hall of Might were defeated. With Jian Wang and the others joining the battle, it became a one-sided ughter with the soldiers of both halls falling one by one.


    The massacrested for about a few hours before thest enemy soldier was killed. Not even one of them was spared!


    "Victory!"


    "We won!"


    The warriors of the Heavenly Sword Tower cheered with flushed faces. Some of them even cried as they screamed at the top of their lungs.


    The bitter training that they underwent for more than fifty years was not for naught. They managed to defeat two of the strongest forces ever known to exist! Their victory would certainly be written in the annals of history and their names would never be forgotten by the next generation toe!


    Jiu Shen took the Crimson God Armor from Hecate''s corpse. This item was severely damaged but it could still be used once it regenerates back to its peak state. Without this armor, he could have killed Hecate effortlessly. The defensive abilities of the armor were critical during their fight and it proved to be useful inbat. The only issue was its long duration of regeneration.


    "From the looks of it, this armor could not be used for a few years." Jiu Shen muttered as he stowed the Crimson God Armor inside his space earring.


    From his position, he could already hear the excited cheers of his soldiers, but their victory didn''t make him happy. His true enemy was still alive and kicking. Furthermore, this man wasn''t like Hecate who was only proficient in body strengthening. This mysterious Lord of Asgard was said to be an expert in all fields and even Asmodeus couldn''t find one fault in him. Hopefully, Lilith would give him valuable information the moment she wakes up. That was also the reason why he spared her for the time being. If she could not even offer a piece of information, then he would execute her immediately. There was no room for mercy towards their enemies!


    Jiu Shen had no idea why he was so adamant about killing the Lord of Asgard. There was this feeling of profound fear and trepidation inside his heart that he couldn''t exin. He didn''t know where this terror came from, but he knew that this sensation would be washed away once he kills the Lord of Asgard.


    ***


    Inside a castle in Asgard, a man wearing a white wolf mask can be seen sitting on a throne. He gave off azy aura, as if unbothered by worldly affairs. Only his eyes were visible, glowing with a mysterious light.


    "At least the Universal Fragment wasn''t wasted on that clone. Once hees up here, I will devour... no... He is part of me to begin with, so the right term is to recover him and make myselfplete once again. Hahaha!" The masked manughed as he adjusted his posture.


    Billions upon billions of years ago, he took arge portion of his soul by using a self-created forbidden technique. He then ced this partial soul in a newborn child''s body and waited for many years for the child to grow.


    His n was to nurture this soul to the peak of the Celestial God Realm and devour it to extend his own cultivation.


    He had been stuck at the Boundless God Realm and he showed no signs of breakthrough even after many years has passed. He didn''t even know if there were still stages or minor realms in the Boundless God Realm. However, he still tried all kinds of ways to enhance his strength, but to no avail.


    Thest n he came up with was to nurture a part of his soul to the peak stage of the Celestial God Realm and then devour it when the timees. Unfortunately, Jiu Shen was killed by Lao Gou before he even reached the Celestial God Realm so he was forced to use a Universal Fragment to create a system and revive Jiu Shen.


    This Universal Fragment was an item that was only birthed by the Universe after a long period of nurturing. Each universe can only give birth to one Universal Fragment and this item was capable of doing the most impossible things.


    Initially, he nned to swallow this Universal Fragment, but he was afraid that he might not be able to absorb the energy inside the Fragment. Luckily, he also had the Hall of Life and Death, a Boundless-rank item that was responsible for holding the souls of the departed and the newborn. He chanced upon this item a very long time ago. He used this item to revive the dead Jiu Shen and create a body for him using the Universal Fragment. He then used the remainder of the Fragment to create the system for Jiu Shen. He spent years and a lot of resources for this and he could finally reap what he sowed back then.


    "After many years of waiting, I can finally take a glimpse of what is beyond the Boundless God Realm! Jiu Shen, I''ll let you live for now, but the moment you show yourself to me, I will immediately devour you! Hahaha! Don''t make me wait for too long!" The man kept onughing that the entire hall was already trembling from his loudughter.


    When hisughter died down, his gaze turned cold as he sat up straight. His eyes zed like an ever-burning torch. "If there is nothing beyond the Boundless, then I will end this Universe together with me."


    He had grown tired of living at the top after a very long time. If there is nothing else to aim for, then what use is living for?


    As an expert at the Boundless God Realm, his lifespan is eternal. Many would say that having an eternal life was something to celebrate, but only those who experienced the longest years would know that eternity is but a curse...

 Chapter 576: Condition

    <h4>Chapter 576: Condition</h4>


    Lilith slowly opened her eyes and she found herself bound in chains. Her body feels very weak and she also discovered that her spiritual power, anma, and true essence were all sealed. It was then that she realized that they were defeated.


    A sh of fear covered her face when she noticed that the cloth and veil that covered her face were gone. She then remembered the final scene before she lost consciousness.


    "H-Hecate was defeated..." She uttered with a tinge of disbelief.


    Hecate was an unstoppable general under the Lord of Asgard and even she could not beat the man in frontalbat. However, such a fierce warrior actually died and even she was captured by the enemy.


    Thinking about this, she observed her body closely. She then heaved an internal sigh of relief after finding out that nobody touched her.


    After gathering her senses, she adjusted her sitting position.


    The nking of the chains echoed inside the room.


    "That man... is he also at the Boundless God Realm like the Lord? No... That shouldn''t be possible..." She muttered absentmindedly as she recalled the image of the man who had effortlessly captured her. She couldn''t even afford to fight back and the man easily defeated her with just a few casual movements. The sheer ease in how she was captured made her question her own strength.


    "Woman..." A voice suddenly drifted to her ears, making her jolt in surprise.


    Lilith turned her head sideways and saw the familiar face of the man who had defeated her. He looked stunning with his devilishly handsome face and cold expression. His aura was subdued and he seemed no different than a normal person. However, Lilith turned her guard up. This man was dangerous!


    "What do you want from me?" She tried to hide her nervousness and she even forced herself to look straight into Jiu Shen''s golden eyes, but those beautiful gold orbs almost made her enter into a dazed state.


    Jiu Shen smirked coldly in his heart upon seeing the ''calm expression'' of Lilith. Her slightly quivering shoulders and even the hurried beating of her heart didn''t escape his senses. He knew that she was merely feigning calmness.


    "Tell me more about the Lord of Asgard. Anything that you know about him..." Jiu Shen nced deeply at her, closely observing the minute changes in her expression and gestures.


    Lilith furrowed her eyebrows upon hearing his words. Her mind moved at its fastest speed, calcting how she could escape her predicament.


    The man in front of her was so strong that she didn''t even have the slightest chance to escape. Her only way out was his mercy, but would this guy spare her life?


    She didn''t know.


    Lilith immediately shifted her eyes, not daring to look at Jiu Shen. He was too calm that it made her feel unnerved.


    ''Would he spare me if I tell him everything I know about the Lord?'' She didn''t mind telling him everything she knew. In truth, she held no loyalty towards the Lord of Asgard. She only joined his faction to get more resources and also to gain ess to more spiritual techniques.


    She didn''t want to die just yet. Her only hope was for this man to spare her life.


    Suddenly, an idea shed inside her head. She then looked upwards and stared directly into Jiu Shen''s eyes.


    Their gazes met.


    "I can tell you everything I know about the Lord, but I want you to spare my life. In return, I will offer my soul to you and be your ve for eternity." Her voice was soft and mellow like the spring breeze, her eyshes fluttered gently.


    Jiu Shen was a bit surprised in his heart. Is this woman out of her damn mind?


    Offering one''s soul as a ve was quitemon in the cultivation world. However, the ve''s soul would be ced entirely in the other''s hand. They could no longer control their freedom and even their thoughts would be transmitted to their owners.


    This might sound easy, but giving enving someone is actually aplicated process. Both parties must be willing and if one party disagrees, the envement would automatically fail. Failure would also cause a substantial amount of damage to both parties.


    Jiu Shen leaned on his chair and thought for a moment. He wasn''t certain about his chances of winning against the Lord of Asgard. The man was one realm stronger than him and he hold countless artifacts of unequal caliber. Getting the help of one more peak Celestial would increase their chances of winning. The only issue was the envement process. If Lilith does something during the envement process, his soul would be injured and he would be weakened drastically. However, he wasn''t worried about this. With his Seamless Deity Physique, any injuries to his soul and body would be healed in just a few days.


    "You''re quite smart, woman. Alright. If your information satisfies me, then I will ept your condition." Jiu Shen pointed a finger at Lilith and the chains that bound her body dragged her closer to him.


    ng! ng!


    She was slightly startled when the chains started dragging her, but when she sensed no malicious intentions from Jiu Shen, she calmed her heart.


    Truthfully, she didn''t want to be enved. However, this was herst resort for her life to be spared.


    Jiu Shen didn''t look like someone who would spare his enemies so this was her only choice.


    Lilith nced at Jiu Shen''s face and sighed in her heart. At least this man didn''t seem to be a beast and he looked like someone who can still be reasoned with. Furthermore, he was stronger than her. The only worrying thing was that this man might be nning to fight against the Lord.


    Thinking about this, she could only resign herself to fate.


    After a moment of hesitation, Lilith told him everything she knew about the Lord, including the most minor details she noticed. She only stopped talking after more than twenty minutes.


    Jiu Shen pondered upon her words and muttered. "Let''s start the envement process."

 Chapter 577: Dream Angel Race

    <h4>Chapter 577: Dream Angel Race</h4>


    Jiu Shen heightened his senses during the envement process. Lilith might look like she was cooperating right now, but who knew if she had any ulterior motives?


    It was better to remain cautious to minimize his injuries in case something happened.


    The envement took about an hour. During the entire process, Jiu Shen didn''t dare rx. The procedure wasplex and he needed a refined control of his spiritual power. Luckily, Lilith didn''t do something so the entire activity was smooth.


    When the envement waspleted, a purple mark appeared on Lilith''s neck, encircling like a ne of some sort. It then vanished not long afterward.


    Lilith felt an unnatural familiarity towards Jiu Shen as she looked at his face. He didn''t know this man up until this time, but it felt as if she had known him for a very long time. She slightly lowered her head as she muttered in a submissive tone. "Master..."


    Jiu Shen removed the chains that bound her and grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to stand up. With a calm look on his face, he answered. "There is no need to call me master. Just call me Jiu Shen. It is a good thing that you''ve killed no one from our side or it would be a bit difficult to convince the others. As for Elena, you''ve injured her severely so you should apologize to her."


    Now that Lilith has joined their camp, Jiu Shen didn''t want any trouble to arise. With Lilith on their side, there would be six Celestials including him! The Heavenly Sword Tower has gained yet another powerful expert! No one in the entire Primordial God Realm could contend with them other than Asgard.


    "Alright, Jiu Shen." Lilith nodded her head. Although she was now Jiu Shen''s ve, she still retained her consciousness. She found it a bit surprising that Jiu Shen was able to remain calm in the face of her beauty. Other than him, only the Lord of Asgard was able to stay indifferent in her presence. Even Hecate was smitten when he caught a glimpse of her face.


    "You should stay with me for now. The others might attack you as soon as they see you walking around. Wait until I exin everything to them. Don''t worry. I won''t tell them that you''ve be my ve." Jiu Shen nced at her briefly and walked out of the interrogation room.


    Lilith was thankful for his consideration.


    She followed behind him like a loyal servant. "Are you not curious about me? Since you have seen my appearance, I guess that you have already discovered my identity..."


    Jiu Shen didn''t stop walking, but he still replied with an indifferent voice. "I''ve heard about the extinction of the Dream Angel Race. I never thought that one actually survived the mass ughter back then. Sometimes, beauty is truly a liability..."


    Lilith remained silent, but she agreed with his words.


    The Dream Angel Race was a powerful race with about five Heavenly God Realm Elders protecting the entire n. All of them were born with proficiency in controlling spiritual power. Aside from that, they were also known for their unequaled beauty. Even the Elven Race and Fantasy Shell Race who were also known for their beauty couldn''tpare to the Dream Angel Race in terms of looks.


    However, because of their otherworldly beauty, some evil super ns and major powers banded together to capture the entire Dream Angel Race and turn them into ves. The entire race was stubborn and they all refused to be ves, so they were all killed by the allied major powers!


    Many could only shake their heads in pity and regret that such a pure-hearted and beautiful race was massacred. Jiu Shen also felt pity for them when he heard of their story during his travels back then.


    Lilith''s eyes turned a bit misty when she recalled her past, but she soon regained her calmness. "It is all in the past. Besides, I have already avenged my people by killing everyone that joined the massacre. I also killed their family and even their closest friends." Her voice was cold and filled with hatred as she uttered those words.


    Jiu Shen could feel the intense wrath in her tone. He chose to remain silent at this moment and just quietly listened to her as Lilith told him her story.


    Lilith divulged everything about her life to Jiu Shen. She didn''t feel shy about it since she was his ve. By doing this, she would also gain his trust.


    Not longter, the both of them arrived in a big room. There was a round table in the middle with six chairs surrounding it. Four people were already seated and all of them were looking at Jiu Shen and Lilith, their faces filled with confusion andplex emotions as they stared at Lilith who was walking meekly behind Jiu Shen.


    What happened? They wondered why Jiu Shen has spared Lilith. They didn''t think that Jiu Shen fell for her beauty at all. The man was immune to the beauty of women to the point that it was absurd. So why did he spare her?


    After seeing their perplexed expressions, Jiu Shen sat on his chair while Lilith sat on the chair beside him.


    Jiu Shen stared at everyone and told them that Lilith has joined their camp. As promised, he didn''t tell them that Lilith has be his ve. He only told them that they were bound by a contract of some sort which the others could only choose to ept despite it being a bit questionable. They trust Jiu Shen''s judgment since they all treated him as the leader of the group.


    During their discussion, Lilith apologized to everyone, especially to Elena. She even promised to teach Elena some of her techniques just for the other to ept her apology. To this, Elena immediately agreed with a wide smile on her face. She even called Lilith ''Sister Lilith'' as if she was familiar to her.


    After that, they began to n their attack on Asgard.

 Chapter 578: Essence Tranferral Array Formation

    <h4>Chapter 578: Essence Tranferral Array Formation</h4>


    The group discussed their strategy and with Lilith giving them various inside information, they were able toe up with a great n. However, when they reached the point of fighting against the Lord of Asgard, the group became silent.


    "Among all of us, only Jiu Shen might be able tond a blow against the Lord of Asgard." Asmodeus cupped his chin with the palm of his right hand. His other hand tapped on the table as he put on a thoughtful look.


    Lilith nodded her head in agreement. She had already fought the entire group so she knew about their current strength. In her point of view, only Jiu Shen was indeed capable of fighting against the Lord.


    "There is a way for us to ensure the victory of Jiu Shen." Elena voiced out her words in a somber tone.


    Her words immediately made the others nce her way.


    "How?" Jian Wang asked with eyebrows furrowed.


    "Essence Transfer..."


    The eyes of Lilith widened upon hearing this term, while the others stared at each other in confusion. Only Asmodeus had a bit of understanding about it.


    "You''re not serious, are you?" Asmodeus nced at Elena with a serious look.


    Essence Transfer was a Forbidden Type of Magic. With the use of an Essence Transferral Array Formation, one person can transfer all of his powers to another! The issue was that whoever transfers their power would lose all their cultivation. Meanwhile, the person who epts the power would have a temporary boost in strength and when the effect wears off, he/she would eventually die!


    This was used as ast resort by an old sect, but the said sect no longer exists in the Primordial God Realm. The blueprint of the Essence Transferral Array Formation was also gone along with the sect.


    "Do you think I''m joking?" Elena nced at him coldly.


    Asmodeus turned his head away from her and sighed.


    Asgard has be a silent threat to everyone in the Primordial God Realm. It was necessary to destroy it before they could bring harm to the popce.


    "Do you know how to make it, Asmodeus?" Jiu Shen suddenly asked.


    Asmodeus turned his head towards Jiu Shen and looked at him with a frown. "I do know how to make it. In fact, it''s not evenplicated to create. However, the receiver of the power would die from the side effects of this array. Even the donors would be mortals. Are you sure about this?"


    "I''ve already died once. And if you guys be mortals once again, you can use the Cultivation Hall in my store. I will inform Theia about it." Jiu Shen said in a calm voice. He wasn''t afraid of dying. With the Hall of Life and Death, he could just ask Asmodeus and the others to revive him. Though the process might take millions of years...


    Their faces hardened when they heard his words. In the end, they still nodded their heads. Only the destruction of Asgard would give them peace.


    "Alright. It''s decided. We will use the Essence Transferral Array Formation. Asmodeus, what items do you need?"


    "I already have everything. I just need a bit of time." Asmodeus answered sternly.


    "How long?"


    "Probably around two days. The fastest would be fourteen hours." Asmodeus made a rough guess.


    "Alright. Everyone, inform your subordinates about the next attack. We will move in three days. Dismissed!"


    Jiu Shen stood up and left the room. He had to inform Theia about all this. Although he didn''t mind dying, Theia might hold a different opinion about it.


    Soon, Jiu Shen arrived inside the topmost room of the Heavenly Sword Tower.


    A cold-looking blonde beauty was seated behind a desk, signing a bunch of documents. She raised her head when she heard the arrival of someone. When she noticed that it was Jiu Shen, her face lit up with a smile. "How is the meeting with the other Celestials?"


    Jiu Shen could not help but feel guilty when he saw her charming smile. He grabbed her hands and pulled Theia into his embrace. Her warmth gave him a sense of calmness.


    Theia was slightly startled by his actions, but she didn''t stop him. She ced her head on his chest and listened to the beating of his heart.


    "I''m sorry. It seems like I have to leave you again." He muttered.


    "What are you saying?"


    Instead of answering, Jiu Shen caressed her face and gave her a deep kiss.


    Theia pushed him gently and looked at his face. "You have to exin everything to me..."


    Jiu Shen sighed and nodded his head. He then told her what they had discussed earlier during the meeting and when he told Theia about the Essence Transferral Array Formation, she tried to hold back her tears. "Why does it have to be you?" Her voice quivered.


    "The others could notst long if it''s them. With my body, I''m the only one who can control the chaotic energy for a long period of time. We need every second to ensure the defeat of Asgard." Jiu Shen patiently answered her queries.


    ***


    Asmodeus immediately began creating the Essence Transferral Array Formation.


    He took out all the materials he needed and ced them all around him. The process of making the array wasn''tplex, the only issue was that this array needs more diagrams drawn which lengthened the creation time.


    Asmodeus kept on sighing as he made the array. "Well, I''ve be bored living as a Celestial. It''s not too bad to be a mortal. I can just recultivate myself. There''s a Cultivation Hall anyway..."


    "I just hope that Jiu Shen doesn''t fail in killing the Lord or all of our efforts will be in vain. We had already sacrificed a lot just to destroy Asgard. Now that we have reached an endpoint, I hope nothing goes wrong..." Asmodeus sighed once again. He then focused his attention on making the array. Thinking about random thoughts would only increase his worries.

 Chapter 579: Lord of Asgard

    <h4>Chapter 579: Lord of Asgard</h4>


    After two days, Asmodeus managed to create the Essence Transferral Array Formation all by himself. He barely slept and kept his entire focus on the creation of the array.


    "It''s all done!" A smug look covered Asmodeus'' face as he stared at Jiu Shen.


    Jian Wang shed a thumbs up at him, while the others also offered him their praises.


    "Will this thing work?" Jiu Shen patted the Array Formation while looking at Asmodeus.


    "Of course! Who do you think created this thing?" Asmodeus replied with a matter-of-fact look on his face.


    "Good. Jian Wang, prepare the army. We will depart tomorrow morning." Jiu Shen said with a calm expression.


    "Alright."


    Everyone turned serious when they heard this.


    ***


    The next day, the Heavenly Sword Tower''s soldiers boarded the flying ships. They were aware that their destination this time was the infamous ''Asgard'', the ce that no one has ever stepped into!


    "Let''s go!" Jian Wang signaled the departure of the entire fleet.


    Thousands upon thousands of flying ships soared through the clouds and moved towards the famous floating city above the skies.


    Normally, a strong force would have blocked anyone from ascending the floating city, but for some strange reason, nothing was restricting the entire fleet. There wasn''t even an ounce of force preventing them from entering Asgard! It was as if they had been granted ess to fly directly to the floating city!


    "What''s happening?" Jiu Shen frowned when he noticed that they didn''t even have to use force to enter the floating city. Their flying ships managed to bypass the restricted zone of Asgard and they were about to descend the floating city.


    From where he stood, Jiu Shen could already see the three towers that stood erect like monumental beasts. No enemies blocked their path. The entire floating city was empty!


    "Search the entire area!" Jiu Shenmanded as hended with graceful movements.


    Soon, the other Celestials followed behind him.


    "Theia, lead the soldiers in checking every nook and cranny of this ce." Jiu Shen sent a transmission to Theia.


    "Alright. Be careful." She responded right away.


    "Yes. You too." He replied.


    After that, Theia led the soldiers in inspecting the entire floating city.


    When the soldiers left, Jiu Shen nced at Lilith and asked. "Where''s the castle of the Lord?"


    Lilith pointed to a huge building with morous architecture. "That''s where we normally meet the Lord when we are summoned by him. He should be there."


    Jiu Shen nodded his head and immediately led them to the castle.


    The surroundings were strangely quiet and it made them unnaturally anxious. They could feel an invisible pair of eyes watching their every action. It was a diforting feeling.


    Soon, the group arrived in a spacious hall. Tall and massive pirs supported the hall.


    There was a throne made of golden skulls located in front of the hall.


    Seated on the throne was a man wearing a wolf mask. He had a silver armor with a snow-white cape behind his back.


    "It took you long enough, Jiu Shen." A calm voice devoid of any emotions echoed inside the hall.


    His sudden words made the group stop in their tracks.


    Without waiting for them to speak, the masked man continued. "I''ve been waiting for billions of years for you to arrive. Did you know that I spent half of my wealth just for you?"


    Hearing all this, Jiu Shen furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"


    To his question, the man suddenlyughed. His body trembled as he erupted into peals ofughter.


    After about ten seconds, the man grabbed his wolf mask and put it down.


    It was a face that was very familiar to everyone. The face of Jiu Shen!


    The only difference was that his pupils were ck with a shade of crimson. There was also an eerie cut at the corner of his lips and left cheek, probably a sword wound.


    "As you can see, I am you, and you are me." The man smiled at Jiu Shen,pletely ignoring the rest. In his eyes, the others were merely bugs, nothing worthy to be mentioned.


    With these sudden revtions, Jiu Shen and the others were surprised.


    "What the hell?!"


    "Wait... What''s happening?!"


    Jiu Shen''s soul trembled as an influx of foreign memories suddenly streamed inside his head.


    "I am a part of you... I am you..."


    The man nodded his head with an unchanging smile. "That''s right. I took arge portion of my soul and used a Boundless-rank item to create a body and system for you. Now that we''ve met again, it is only right for you to join me once again. Jiu Shen,e here..." His voice was filled with maic force, appallingly alluring and hypnotizing.


    "Don''t let him fool you, Jiu Shen! Snap out of it!" Lilith grabbed him by the shoulders and roared at his face. The others also managed to extricate themselves from the hypnotizing spell when they heard Lilith''s cry.


    Jiu Shen''s eyes widened and he immediately stared at the man seated on the throne with a wary gaze. This man almost made the entire group fall into his traps with just a few words. Luckily, Lilith''s soul was particrly stronger.


    "Jiu Shen, there''s no time to hesitate. Use the array immediately!" Asmodeus took out the Essence Transferral Array Formation and activated it without hesitation.


    "Everyone, ce your hands here! Quick!" Asmodeus shouted as he took out what looked to be a crystal ball. The crystal emanated a pure energy, filled with monstrous power.


    The others didn''t dare linger. They already sensed the abnormality of the Lord or Asgard. Despite their shock at the revtion of his identity, they immediately summoned their powers towards the crystal ball. Everyone''s faces were covered with sweat as they transferred all of their powers.


    Soon, their cultivations started dropping and the energy inside the crystal ball increased.


    With a bloodshot look on his face, Asmodeus grabbed Jiu Shen''s arm and said. "When our powers are depleted, absorb the energy inside this crystal ball!"


    Jiu Shen nodded his head with a somber look.

 Chapter 580: Special Sword Dance

    <h4>Chapter 580: Special Sword Dance</h4>


    The Lord of Asgard didn''t stop them when he saw their actions. He only let out an amused look. "So it seems that you want to resist me. Jiu Shen, I didn''t think that a mere fragment of my soul would actually disobey me. How incredibly amusing..."


    His voice carried no anger nor warmth, but everyone felt coldness for some strange reason.


    The Lord calmly waited for their charade as he sat on his throne with a carefree smile. He wasn''t the least bit worried about them at all. As a Boundless God Realm expert, he had long since exceeded what the likes of Celestials could do.


    Soon, the energy in the crystal ball reached its highest and Jiu Shen immediately started absorbing the energy within.


    "Oh?" The Lord of Asgard had a look of interest as he stared at the glowing crystal ball. The energy inside contained the strength of five peak Celestials!


    "So this is where your confidencees from? Hahaha! Naive!"


    Jiu Shen ignored the mocking remarks of the Lord as he continued to absorb the energy inside the crystal. After absorbing everything, he sent his five weakened friends far away. They no longer held the strength of Celestials. They had lost all their cultivations!


    Jiu Shen''s strength slowly increased as he tried to stabilize the furious energy inside his dantian.


    Peak stage Celestial God Realm.


    Early stage Boundless God Realm!


    He managed to reach the early stage of the Boundless God Realm with the cultivations of his friends!


    It wasn''t surprising since all his friends were elites among the elites. All of them were talented individuals who lorded over everyone in the Primorial God Realm!


    The Lord of Asgard slowly stood up from his throne. He was inwardly surprised that an Array Formation has actually managed to elevate the strength of someone to the Boundless God Realm.


    "Very interesting. However, for how long can you control that borrowed power?" A disdainful smile covered the Lord''s face as he nced at Jiu Shen.


    Jiu Shen took out his Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword and quickly summoned his true essence. His current cultivation level was merely temporary and the consequences would be dire if he couldn''t defeat the Lord before his sudden spike in strength expires.


    "Fifth Sword Dance: Burning Heaven Bow!" Jiu Shen summoned the attack that ended the life of Hecate.


    A huge golden bow emerged inside the spacious hall. The temperature became scorching hot as a monstrous golden arrow appeared.


    Looking at the golden bow, the Lord''s smile remained unchanged. "Quite strong, but not enough..."


    "Release!" Jiu Shen muttered as he pointed at the Lord.


    The arrow shed like a mirage, leaving behind a trail of mes that burned its surroundings.


    Swoosh!


    The Lord lifted his hand and summoned a barrier in front of him.


    BAAANNG!


    The arrow exploded and the barrier that was casually erected by the Lord cracked and broke into pieces.


    Seeing this, Jiu Shen didn''t stop.


    "Sixth Sword Dance: Breath of the Void."


    The space around the Lord suddenly trembled as a huge rift abruptly appeared. The rift started sucking everything in its surroundings. Its suction force was so strong that the huge pirs inside the hall started producing cracking sounds.


    Soon, the suction force of the rift intensified. It was like a beast that wanted to swallow everything in its way! However, the Lord remained unperturbed after all this. He waved his hand and destroyed the rift with his summoned weapon, an unadorned short sword.


    After destroying the broken space, the Lord smiled at Jiu Shen as if mocking his trifling skills.


    "Space is my domain. Why use it against me? Now, it''s my turn to attack." The Lord tapped his foot as he pounced towards Jiu Shen. The sword in his hand trembled as he brandished it with swift movements.


    Booom!


    Jiu Shen was flung away by the strong force when he tried to deflect the short sword. He then quickly chanted the next sword technique.


    "Seventh Sword Dance: Decay of Waning Moon."


    A dark crescent that was filled with death energy shed towards the Lord.


    Whoosh!


    This time, the face of the Lord turned serious. He covered his body with true essence. He then violently swung his sword at the dark crescent, sending a gleaming sword wave that punctured the space around them.


    BAAAAAANNNNNGGG!!


    The hall became a mess as the two attacks collided.


    The pirs copsed and the whole castle trembled as if in the middle of an earthquake.


    When the dust subsided, two people can be seen facing off, but they quickly disappeared when they sensed each other. They then reappeared above the skies and resumed their battle in the clouds.


    BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM!


    The sky was filled with loud explosions as the two contested their strengths. They appeared to be equal in terms ofbat power.


    Up above the skies, the Lord deflected Jiu Shen''s strike and distance himself a few hundred meters away from him. He then stared at Jiu Shen with a solemn look on his face. ''To think that the body I created for him has made him so much stronger... Now, I regret using it on this fragment of mine...'' He thought to himself as he clicked his tongue inwardly.


    The power that Jiu Shen was showing exceeded his expectations. He didn''t think that his fragment would exhibit such skillful sword technique that was equal, if not, surpassed his own! He didn''t know if it was the items he used to create the body and the system or simply just the experiences of Jiu Shen in his life.


    "I don''t know if you were spying on me when I was trapped inside the God Sealing Tower. When I was tortured by Lao Gou inside the tower, I created seven sword dances and one special sword dance..." Jiu Shen muttered as he adjusted his battle stance.


    Hm?


    The Lord revealed a look of shock when he sensed the horrific power behind Jiu Shen''s movements.


    "Special Sword Dance: Annihtion!"

 Chapter 581 Overturning The World With One Sword Strike

    A blinding radiance soon erupted at the tip of Jiu Shen''s sword, making the Lord of Asgard unconsciously close his eyes for a brief moment. However, when he realized this, he forcefully opened his eyes and was met with a scene that he would never forget.


    An immeasurable number of swords hovered around him and Jiu Shen. There were all sorts of swords ranging from the lowest rank up to the highest. There were even a few thousands of Boundless-rank swords.


    He felt his scalp tingle at the sight of this. Just what kind of sword technique did Jiu Shen summon this time? For the first time, there was a tinge of fear in his eyes.


    The Lord of Asgard immediately summoned his strongest defensive techniques and ovepped them in one breath. He also activated his defensive equipment to make sure that nothing goes wrong. However, despite all these preparations, the feeling of anxiousness in his heart didn''t disappear!


    ''What is causing my heart to palpitate?!'' The Lord of Asgard hurriedly scanned the surroundings and he even checked all the swords through his powerful spiritual perception. All these happened in just a blink of an eye, but he didn''t manage to locate the thing that made him worried.


    What is it?


    "Wait! This is an illusion! Before I closed my eyes, I saw the tip of his swording straight towards me!" Upon realizing this, the Lord of Asgard immediately erupted into power. He released the full extent of his cultivation and destroyed the illusion that bound him.


    When he regained consciousness, he found himself stabbed by Jiu Shen''s sword. The Baleful Dragon Sacred Sword was burning intensely and it was only now did he feel the pain slowly spreading through his body.


    He let out a groan as he pushed Jiu Shen off with a kick.


    Pa!


    Jiu Shen was flung away by the strong force of the kick, but there was a faint smile on his face. His smile was filled with ridicule as he stared straight at the Lord of Asgard. "What do you think about my Special Sword Dance? I thought that the day I would use it would nevere, but then here you are..."


    The Lord of Asgard spat a mouthful of blood and the pain intensified when he heard Jiu Shen''s mocking voice. He was infuriated! His clone actually dared to speak to him in such a manner! However, he found out that his body was bing weaker. When he checked his body, he noticed that a small part of his dantian was damaged by Jiu Shen''s sword.


    ''Dammit! If I don''t recuperate from this wound, arge portion of my cultivation would be gone! This damnable Jiu Shen! He will pay for this!'' He shouted angrily in his heart.


    The Lord of Asgard used the power of space and appeared behind Jiu Shen. He then struck out with his sword, making the air freeze.


    Swoosh!


    Jiu Shen felt a sense of danger from behind him and he instinctively dodged to his right. He then backed away thousands of meters in a single leap.


    He narrowed his eyes when he saw the severely injured Lord of Asgard looking at him with malicious intentions. This guy was finally taking him seriously!


    Meanwhile, Jian Wang and the others who were sent far away by Jiu Shen could hear the violent roaring above the skies. From the fierce collisions and explosions, they could already tell the ferocity of the battle. However, they no longer had their previous cultivation bases, making them unable to spectate the match.


    Jian Wang looked up with worry in his eyes. He had be a mortal, but the sharpness in his gaze didn''t weaken. Even without his previous cultivation base, he could kill still 9th-rank Saints with just his sword skills alone! "If Jiu Shen fails, all of the Primordial God Realm might not be able to contain the Lord''s wrath..." His voice was filled with concern.


    Asmodeus and the others became silent at his words. Everything was left in the hands of Jiu Shen. If it was them, they would never be able to face off the Lord of Asgard with certainty. Only Jiu Shen was capable of doing that...


    No matter how confident they were about Jiu Shen''s abilities, the might of the Lord of wasn''t something that could be easily defeated. He was the absolute overlord of the universe and no one was his match since time immemorial. They were hoping that Jiu Shen could somehow turn the tide of the battle and win against this high and mighty legend.


    Back to the fight.


    Jiu Shen and the Lord of Asgard had already exchanged thousands of moves, but neither side seemed to have received any substantial damage. There were only superficial wounds covering their bodies, but it didn''t hinder the two top warriors of the cosmos.


    Jiu Shen shed his sword downwards with great momentum, forcing the Lord of Asgard to deflect it with minimal force. This was to prevent his injuries from worsening.


    CLAAAANG!


    The air trembled and thousands of twisters were formed after their swords collided in midair!


    Their clothes fluttered and the two men red at each other with absolute spite.


    "DIE!!!" Jiu Shen suddenly grabbed the Lord''s arm with his left hand and swung his sword with the other.


    SWOOSH!


    The Lord used his brute force to extricate himself from Jiu Shen''s hold. He then hastily dodge the swording his way, but he was still grazed in his torso, forcing a trail of blood toe out!


    Arghh!


    The Lord groaned inwardly, but he maintained a cold look as he stared at Jiu Shen''s ever-so-calm face. He was unnerved by this man''s unchanging expression.


    "You''ve been sitting on your throne for countless eras making your battle awareness degrade to this degree. To be honest, I''m quite disappointed that you are this weak! Even Hecate managed to excite me with his physical prowess. Despite the difference in your cultivation bases, I think that man deserves to be called my greatest opponent more than you do!" Jiu Shen uttered in a mocking tone.


    The Lord''s eyes turned red in fury. He roared as he lifted his sword and swung it towards Jiu Shen with a raging power that decimated the surroundingnds.


    The mountains were turned upside down and the tall towering trees were uprooted and turned into dust. The sturdy buildings and castles in Asgard were turned into rubble under the overpowering sword strike of the Lord.


    Facing the attack that was filled with hatred and anger, Jiu Shen calmly muttered. "Divine Prajna Diamond Wall..."


    A thin wall emerged in front of Jiu Shen. The wall looked frail and fragile but it managed to withstand the sword strike of the Lord!


    "Impossible!" The Lord''s face fell upon seeing this.


    Without giving him another chance, Jiu Shen countered with an attack of his own. He could no longer afford to waste time. The effects of the Array Formation were weakening and he could already feel a burning sensation in his dantian. The temporary power bestowed by his friends through the Array Formation is about to dissipate!


    Jiu Shen burned his blood essence and forcefully summoned his Special Sword Dance!


    Normally, he wouldn''t be able to summon this for a second time, but by burning almost all of his blood essence, he managed to conjure it again.


    Jiu Shen silver hair turned white in just a blink of an eye. His face also aged, but the peerless demeanor he had cultivated for a long time was still there. Even in his aged state, Jiu Shen still looked unnaturally attractive.


    With a final smile, Jiu Shen struck the Lord with his sword.


    The floating city was in shambles as it slowly disintegrated under the dreadful impact caused by Jiu Shen''s final move.


    RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!


    The Primordial God Realm also experienced a terrible earthquake that shook its entirend. The seas also experienced frightening storms and all the volcanoes erupted, making everyone panic from the chaos.


    The quaking of thested for a few hours before everything returned to normal.


    When the Primordial God Realm regained peace, arge portion of the major cities was destroyed and even the newly risen Heavenly Sword Region was not spared. Everyone was in turmoil. What had caused the great upheaval that overturned the whole world?

 Chapter 582 Immortalized

    One thousand yearster, the Primordial God Realm has already recovered from the battle that shook the entire. Although the process of reparations took a very long time, everyone did their best to rebuild the Primordial God Realm.


    Even until now, the earth-shaking battle that took ce one thousand years ago was still one of the main topics of everyone''s conversations. The ones who experienced the aftermath of that sh would never forget that event.


    The name ''Jiu Shen'' was immortalized as the savior of the entire. Although he died after fighting against the most mysterious expert in Asgard, his glorious deeds were never forgotten and his sagas were written in scrolls, manuscripts, and books by historians.


    The Heavenly Sword Region has be the most prosperous region in the world and it has already be the center of trading andmerce. Many luxurious carriages driven by rich merchants passed by inrge groups. Hidden experts and civilians intermingled within the crowd, but despite the differences in their standing and power, no one dared to cause a ruckus. There was only one reason for such a disciplined crowd, the presence of a behemoth called the ''Heavenly Sword Tower''!


    As the sect of thete Jiu Shen, the Heavenly Sword Tower was glorified along with his great name. Many experts and great talents emerged in the sect throughout the thousand years, making it even more powerful. Their authority was already unshakable!


    There are disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower patrolling the streets, ensuring the safety of the civilians. All of them had strong cultivations, making the crowd feel uneasy staring at them. Although these disciples looked strong, they were merely the outer court disciples of the Heavenly Sword Tower tasked to do the most menial of jobs. However, all of these outer court disciples were willing to do their tasks.


    "Attention! The Vice Sect Master of the Heavenly Sword Tower has arrived with the Heavenly Sword Prince! Everyone, please vacate the main road!" A loud booming sound echoed in everyone''s ears and when they heard the words of the speaker, they immediately scurried away from the main road with respectful looks on their faces. Even the rich merchants and peak experts made their way when they heard the voice.


    Soon, an azure carriage with the crest of the Heavenly Sword Tower emerged in everyone''s sights. The carriage was drawn by five Flightless Fire Dragons, a specie of dragon that couldn''t fly. Their bodies were huge and muscr and were covered with zing crimson mes. They looked majestic and proud as they pulled the azure carriage.


    Following behind the carriage was a battalion of soldiers dressed in ck armor. Each soldier had a dark red sword stapped behind their back. The entire battalion had cold faces as they scanned the crowd, observing for any potential threat that might harm the important people inside the carriage.


    Leading this battalion of soldiers was a young man wearing an indifferent look. His body was covered in scars and even his right eye became blind because of a sword wound. On his right chest, the word ''Blood Sword'' was written in bold. This man was none other than Yang Zenke, the Division Head of the Blood Sword Division. He was now a Celestial with millions of soldiers under hismand! With his strength, he could heal the scars on his body, but he decided to keep them in order to remind himself of the struggles that he''s been through to reach his current height.


    Under Yang Zenke''s leadership, the Blood Sword Division of the Heavenly Sword Tower has already be famous throughout thends. Their reputation was so resounding that even the nearby regions were fearful of their might!


    "Look! Isn''t that General Yang Zenke of the Heavenly Sword Tower? Gosh! He looks so cool and scary!"


    "I heard that he killed a newly emerged savage beast at the Celestial level some time ago. The beast caused great havoc in the Northern Ice ins, forcing the Heavenly Sword Tower to take action. It was General Yang Zenke who killed the savage beast and their battle even caused arge portion of the ciers in the Northern Ice ins to melt!"


    Yang Zenke remained unperturbed under the admiring gazes of the crowd. He was already used to this.


    The whole entourage stopped in front of a statue. The five Flightless Fire Dragons kneeled in unison as they stared at the statue. Yang Zenke jumped down from his mount and also kneeled. The entire battalion of soldiers revealed looks of reverence as they kneeled.


    Soon, the door of the carriage was opened. A valiant-looking beauty with golden hair emerged from the carriage. She was holding a one-year-old child in her arms, smiling at the little guy with affection.


    This peerless youngdy was the Vice Sect Master of the Heavenly Sword Tower, Theia. The child in her arms was her son with thete Sect Master Jiu Shen. The child''s name is Jiu Yonggan, but everyone calls him Heavenly Sword Prince.


    Theia conceived the Heavenly Sword Prince for 999 years in her womb and it was only recently that he was born.


    The entire Primordial God Realm was in an uproar when they heard about this. It was unheard of for a child to stay unborn for 999 years! Everyone kept tabs on this unborn child of thete Sect Master Jiu Shen. They wanted to find out how talented their son would be.


    Finally, after 999 years of waiting, the Heavenly Sword Prince, Jiu Yonggan, was born. When Theia gave birth to him, the sky turned azure and the chiming of heavenly bells resounded throughout the entire. The phenomenonsted for an entire hour before it vanished and this became a major sensation. What kind of child was the Heavenly Sword Prince for him to summon such a heavenly phenomenon in his birth?


    Aside from this shocking phenomenon, the Heavenly Sword Prince was also born as a Void God Realm! He directly skipped many major realms even before he started cultivating! From then on, the legend of the Heavenly Sword Prince circted in the world!


    At this moment, Theia gently held her child as she nced at the statue. She could not help but tear up as she looked at the familiar face. "Jiu Shen... This is our child, Jiu Yonggan." She muttered, her eyes slightly reddening.


    Her voice wasn''t loud, but everyone looking at the scene could hear it. They choked upon hearing the great emotion in her voice. Even the stoic Yang Zenke lowered his head to prevent the others from seeing the tears in his eyes.


    Among the crowd, five individuals draped in long ck robes spectated the scene with heavy emotions.


    Sigh.


    The man leading them sighed as he shook his head. "Jiu Shen... my friend..."


    "Brother Jian Wang, how about we go with the rest of the group?"


    "No. Let the family speak to each other. We will only destroy the atmosphere if we go there." Jian Wang shook his head right away.


    They were the five Celestials that gave their cultivation to Jiu Shen during his final battle with the Lord of Asgard. With the help of the Cultivation Hall, they had already recovered a portion of their powers.


    Everyone nced at the tall statue. It was a peerless image, unmatched even until now. He was holding a terrifying-looking sword as he stared at the horizon with a calm look on his face. There was a diamond que at the foot of the statue with words written by sword strokes.


    In memory of the Wine God Jiu Shen.


    ~~~~~ The End~~~~~


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