I Shall Seal The Heavens

by Srtyi

What I want, the Heavens shall not lack! What I don’t want, had better not exist in the Heavens!” This is a story which originates between the Eighth and Ninth Mountains, the world in which the strong prey upon the weak. “My Name is Meng Hao! The Ninth Generation Demon Sealer, I shall seal the Heavens! “

7. 181

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Chapter 181: Meeting One's Match, the General Meets the Genius

Chen Fan arrived at the same time as his words. He landed in front of Meng Hao, glaring up coldly at the man named Li.

The Li man's expression became somewhat unsightly. He stared at Chen Fan, and his gaze especially seemed to take note of the black flying dagger.

"Do you really think you can protect him forever?" he said with a cold snort. His face filled with disdain as he looked at Meng Hao. "He won't amount to anything if all he can do is hide behind others. It seems mid Foundation Establishment is the end of the line for him!"

"As long as I'm here, I won't let you touch a hair on my little Junior Brother's head!" said Chen Fan, his voice cool, but hard enough to chop nails and slice iron.

Li glared hatefully at Meng Hao, his disdain growing thicker. "If it weren't for your Elder Brother, I would kill you with the wave of a hand. Let's see how long you can keep hiding!" He turned, flicking his sleeve and disappearing into the distance.

Meng Hao sighed as he watched the man leave. He had read the man's expression, of course, but could do nothing about it. Exterminating him would be simple, but twice now, Chen Fan had stood in front of him, making it impossible to proceed with battle.

Chen Fan looked back at Meng Hao, who gave a wry smile.

Chen Fan, of course, misinterpreted Meng Hao's expression. "Don't worry, little Junior Brother," he said comfortingly. "That Li fellow is nothing. With me here, he won't dare to bully you." His expression was one of concern, leaving Meng Hao without a word to say. "Unfortunately, Master went into secluded meditation last month, and it seems he won't emerge for a few more months. I left him a message, though. He'll get it as soon as he comes out.

"After you and I get back from the Song Clan, you can officially join the Solitary Sword Sect. Then that Li guy won't dare to mess with you. Although, in the meantime, you need to be a bit more careful. Well, I'll be here by your side anyway, so it doesn't matter."

Chen Fan's concern made Meng Hao feel warm in his heart. "Many thanks, Elder Brother," he said, clasping hands and bowing.

"What's there to thank? Don't be so polite! Come come. Let's light some candles and chat all night." He laughed heartily as he pulled Meng Hao into the house. Once inside, he slapped his bag of holding to produce two jars of alcohol.

"Your Elder Brother doesn't have much to offer here. But when I went to Master's I grabbed these two jars of Sword Wine. This stuff is pretty good. I've really come to like it over the past few years." He handed one of the jars to Meng Hao, then opened his own and took a swig.

Meng Hao accepted the jar and took a drink. His face immediately grew a bit red, and his entire body suddenly felt hot and dry. Sweat broke out all over. He took a deep breath, and then slowly let it out.

He felt as if his entire body had just been washed out. Sweating, he continued to breathe in and out. His eyes seemed to glisten a bit more brightly. He looked at Chen Fan.

"What alcohol is this?"

"Master brews it himself. Heh heh. Come on, drink up. This alcohol is really good for Cultivators, especially for the Foundation Establishment stage. It's comparable to medicinal pills!" He smiled and took another drink. "I drink this stuff all the time. Oh, by the way, little Junior Brother, I see your Cultivation base is at the mid Foundation Establishment level. Don't forget, we Cultivators are building mountains; you must establish a firm foundation." His words were earnest, causing Meng Hao to put down his jar of alcohol and listen thoughtfully. Occasionally he nodded in agreement. "Don't greedily speed through the various stages and ignore your fundamentals.

"Take me, for example. I could have created my fourth Dao Pillar and entered mid Foundation Establishment last year. But Master wouldn't permit it. He always says that creating Dao Pillars is like turning trees into boats. It can't be undone. The best thing to do is go with the flow, and exercise caution. Creating a fourth Dao Pillar isn't as important as refining the third pillar. Once it is full and complete, then the fourth Dao Pillar can be created properly.

"Another thing," said Chen Fan, sounding extremely serious. "During the course of our Cultivating, we are bound to encounter friction with other Cultivators. But you cannot solve all problems by killing! You need to understand that regardless of whether you're talking about magical techniques or magical items, they are all just ways to protect the Dao! They are protection, not the Dao itself!

"What is the Dao? My Cultivation base isn't high enough, so I probably shouldn't even bring it up. But Master told me that even though he doesn't quite understand it himself, there's something that should never be forgotten; killing and magical techniques are all just for protection!

"Don't let your Dao be overwhelmed by killing. You need to listen to your heart, and follow your principles." Chen Fan looked Meng Hao over. "You know, you seem to have a fairly strong killing aura."

Even as the words came out of his mouth, a voice could be heard from within Meng Hao's bag of the Cosmos.

"That's right! That's right! I said this child's killing aura was too strong. You're right. You make a lot of sense. Your words are extremely accurate!" The suddenness of the voice's appearance left Chen Fan dumbfounded.

Meng Hao's face darkened. Before he could say anything, a flash of colorful light emerged from the bag of the Cosmos which turned into a parrot. It flapped its wings as it flew around the room.

The meat jelly parrot had previously been in the blood-colored mask, preaching to the Li Clan Patriarch. Now, it flew a few circles around the room and then landed on Meng Hao's shoulder.

"What's that…?" said Chen Fan, still in shock.

"I picked this thing up and found that it can't be thrown away…" replied Meng Hao. Before he could finish, the meat jelly parrot interrupted him.

"Son, you couldn't be more correct," it said, eying Chen Fan energetically. "Meng Hao's killing aura is too strong. It's wrong! Immoral! Come come, let's discuss a few things. I think I'm going to like you."

Meng Hao took a deep breath and looked at Chen Fan sympathetically. He could only imagine the torture Chen Fan would be dealing with momentarily.

"So you're my littler Junior Brother's Spirit creature," said Chen Fan, looking curiously at the parrot on Meng Hao's shoulder. "Pleased to meet you, sir. I'm happy to discuss anything with you."

Seeing the gleam in Chen Fan's eye, Meng Hao sighed to himself. There was really nothing he could do to save him…. But Meng Hao couldn't bear to just do nothing.

"Elder brother, this bird…."

"Junior Brother, you misspoke," said Chen Fan in a serious tone. "This isn't a bird, it's a parrot. And it can speak! You can see from the look in its eye that it's intelligent. It's a Spirit! You really need to take good care of it."

The meat jelly seemed to be on the verge of tears after hearing Chen Fan's words. It seemed to have finally met a kindred spirit.

"You are so correct. You make so much sense. Why couldn't I have met you first? Aiiii. There's no need to bring that up. Now, why don't we discuss the meaning of life?"

"The meaning of life? Okay!" said Chen Fan excitedly. "I've always wanted to have a discussion about the meaning of life. But for some reason, my Master is always in secluded meditation. In fact, so are my Junior and Elder brothers. I originally planned to chat with my little Junior Brother tonight, but if you want to join, the please, by all means do."

"A discussion about the meaning of life needs to be built up to, though. For example… why don't we talk about this morning's weather? Only a truly educated person can discuss the weather…."

"Huh? The weather? Well… okay. I think the weather was excellent this morning. But you know, I think it might be more beneficial to discuss the killing aura coming off of my little Junior Brother."

"Eee? I completely agree with you there. You are so correct. You make so much sense. I always say that if the weather is bad, it can have a negative influence on your mood. I mean, I mean, don't you agree about that…?"

"Well that's the first time I've heard of such a thing," said Chen Fan. "But it actually makes a lot of sense. I remember one day a few years ago, it was really overcast outside, and my Cultivation didn't go very well. I was fidgety all day. Yeah, I think what you said just now makes a lot of sense."

"A lot of sense? You think I make a lot of sense?! Heavens! Dear heavens! In this life, and the life before that, and the life before that, I've never met anyone who said such a thing. You think I make sense…." The meat jelly parrot was shaking in excitement. It flew off of Meng Hao's shoulder to stand in front of Chen Fan.

Their talking turned into a buzzing that filled Meng Hao's ears as he watched on in a daze. The eyes of both Chen Fan and the parrot began to shine brightly. They had both met their kindred spirits, and as they talked, it gradually became apparent that a contest of sorts had begun.

Meng Hao suddenly shivered and edged backward.

He moved as far away as possible, to a distant corner of the building, where he sat cross-legged to meditate. He feared that if he continued to listen, he would become far too annoyed. The clamor of the bird by itself was bad enough, but now….

As Meng Hao looked at Chen Fan and the meat jelly parrot, a single thought ran through his mind; "Meeting one's match, the General meets the Genius…."

Time passed by, and Meng Hao did his best to ignore the sound of their conversation. Two hours passed, and he finally opened his eyes. He had assumed their discussion would be nearing an end, but when he peeked over, he discovered that they were engaged in a lively conversation.

"Right? Tell me, am I right, or not…?"

"Absolutely correct. Actually, that makes me think about one day last year when I…."

"Of course! That's what I said earlier! Oh right, weren't we going to talk about the meaning of life? How about this: after we finish talking about this morning's weather, then we can talk about the noon sunshine…."

"Great idea. Let's save the meaning of life for the end of the conversation. The best would be to wait until dusk. The best time to talk about life is under the setting sun…."

The sound droned on in Meng Hao's ears. He stared blankly at Chen Fan's excited face and the equally enthusiastic meat jelly parrot. One man, one bird, their eyes shining with anticipation…. It caused Meng Hao to shiver and close his eyes again to meditate, fearful of getting dragged into the discussion.

Time, slowly passed….

This chapter was sponsored by Tjandra Johannes, Joshua Jacobs, Aldwin Laylo, Khilmu Arif and Josef Apor

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Chapter 182: There's Always a Bird Out There That's Better Than You

Dawn…. Meng Hao opened his eyes, then immediately closed them again.

"What a good friend! In the past several lives, I've only had myself to talk to. I never realized how boring it is to talk to myself… And I could never figure out why everyone hates me so much. They even call me Ultimate Vexation…."

"Yeah! I haven't had a discussion like this the entire time I've been in the Solitary Sword Sect."

"Come come, now that we've finished talking about the noon sunshine, let's talk a bit about the afternoon…."

Late morning…. Sunlight filtered into the house. Meng Hao opened his eyes and stared blankly at Chen Fan and the meat jelly. He sighed and continued to meditate.

"Let me tell you, I'm sick of afternoons. I remember the afternoon of one year when I…."

"You're right! I'm the same way. But the only thing I can do during that time is to grind my teeth…."

More hours passed, and soon it was afternoon. Meng Hao opened his eyes a few times, but all he could do was laugh bitterly and close them again.

Chen Fan and the meat jelly had talked through the entire night, all the way through the morning. One man, one bird, seemingly inexhaustible and, in fact, in high spirits.

Meng Hao couldn't help but admire Elder Brother Chen. It seemed he really was a perfect match for the meat jelly.

Meng Hao sat quietly. He wanted to stand up, but was worried that Chen Fan and the meat jelly would drag him into their conversation. He took a breath and then closed his eyes, pretending that he couldn't hear anything that they were saying.

Eventually, the sun began to set….

"I like sunset the best. Every time I gaze at the setting sun, I think of that time one year when I was just a tiny meat jelly, I…."

"Sunset is immeasurably wonderful. You know, you really don't know how difficult it is to practice Cultivation. Oh, that reminds me, throughout the years, I've actually collected a thousand different stories about the sunset. I really want to tell you all of them. Come come. I'll start with the first one…."

The sun had set, and evening passed. Soon it was night again. One man, one bird, chattering away endlessly for a day and a night. They talked on, seemingly not the least bit tired. When midnight came, it finally seemed that Chen Fan wasn't able to keep going.

"Umm, why don't we rest a bit?"

"No way! I don't get many chances to have such a lovely discussion. We still haven't talked about the meaning of life yet. Ah, the meaning of life. What a beautiful whatchamacallit flower 1. Oh, right. I forgot. Before we talk about the meaning of life, we need to talk about moonlight…."

"Uh… Alright. Actually, I have over three thousand stories about the moonlight…."

"Eee? I have some stories too! Actually, I have ten thousand. You go first, and then me."

Meng Hao was almost on the verge of collapse. His eyes were bloodshot, and he panted as he forced himself to calm down and return to meditation.

The night passed slowly. Outside, everything was quiet. But within the room, one man and one bird had reached the pinnacle of their conversation. Early morning light once again made its way into the house. Chen Fan's face was a bit wan, and his eyes were bloodshot.

"Let's rest a bit… I… I have some plans today…."

"No way! I'm not finished yet. We still haven't talked about the meaning of life. Now that I'm finished with my ten thousand stories about the moonlight, we can continue our discussion."

Morning passed, and soon it was noontime, then another sunset. Chen Fan's expression was dull as he stared at the parrot and its unceasing torrent of words. A look of admiration slowly grew in his eyes.

"Now that we have built up the conversation properly, we can finally discuss the meaning of life. Eee…? It's dark outside. I just realized that when we talked about sunset, there were thirty thousand stories I forgot to mention. That won't do! I don't get chances like this very often. I need to tell you those stories…." The meat jelly cleared its throat a few times, and then began speaking again.

A few hours passed, until finally Chen Fan's patience and long-windedness were run out. "I… I really do have some plans…." said Chen Fan, standing up suddenly.

His body swayed back and forth a bit, and then he took a few steps back, his face drained of blood. Meng Hao opened his eyes and looked admiringly at Chen Fan. He had just chatted nonstop for two days and two nights….

"Little Junior Brother, I actually have some plans, so I'm going to take off. Um… I'll come back for you in a few days…." His face was pale and he looked dizzy. As of now, he didn't look at the meat jelly with admiration, but rather, fear.

He'd always thought of himself as someone who could talk, but now he realized how wrong he was. There existed a bird that could surpass even him! Without waiting for Meng Hao to respond, Chen Fan opened the door and fled.

"Elder Brother," Meng Hao called after him, "I think you have an affinity with this talking Spirit parrot, why don't you take it with you…."

Chen Fan suddenly staggered, and his face twisted. Without an instant of hesitation, his body transformed into a beam of light that disappeared into the distance.

"What a good fellow," said the meat jelly parrot, sighing with emotion. "I really like this Elder Brother Chen of yours. I haven't met someone in years who could carry on such a long conversation with me. Eee? We never discussed the meaning of life!"

Meng Hao's scalp suddenly began to grow numb. To be able to provoke such a reaction from Elder Brother Chen showed how truly powerful this meat jelly was. Such power was rarely seen in the world.

"It's too bad I couldn't finish," said the meat jelly discontentedly. "I was just starting to get excited. Now it's all over?" Chattering away, it flew up onto Meng Hao's shoulder. "Why don't you chat a bit with me, I'm feeling a bit lonely…."

Meng Hao's face went pale, and he took a deep breath. He forced a wry smile onto his face, and his mind spun, trying to come up with an idea.

"I think perhaps you forgot someone," he said.

"Who? Who? Who? Who did I forget? How could I forget somebody?" Given a chance to have a conversation, the meat jelly would definitely seize it immediately.

"You forgot about the old man in the mask!" said Meng Hao hurriedly. "You still haven't turned him back from the path of wickedness."

"Eee? Right! That old man isn't too bad, actually. But you're right. I need to go have a talk with him." Face shining with anticipation, the meat jelly parrot flashed, instantly disappearing into Meng Hao's bag of the Cosmos.

Meng Hao could just barely hear the sound of the Li Clan Patriarch's sad, shrill cry when the meat jelly entered the mask. He had never heard such a cry come from the man before.

Meng Hao let out a long sigh and sat down on the ground, laughing bitterly. He looked at the moonlight outside and sighed again, wondering about what his life would be like in the coming days. Having the meat jelly with him constantly was a frightening thought.

"There must be a way to control it. That damned meat jelly…." Meng Hao gritted his teeth, and his eyes glittered brightly. "Its old enemy… the copper mirror… the parrot…." His eyes glittered even more brightly when he thought about reaching Core Formation. His anticipation soared to new heights.

Three days flashed by, during which time Chen Fan never returned. Obviously, he was so frightened of Meng Hao's meat jelly that he didn't dare to come back. If he did, the meat jelly parrot might draw him into another conversation.

It was on the fourth day that he cautiously made his way back. He opened the door to the room, then immediately retreated several steps. When he saw that there was no parrot on Meng Hao's shoulder, he glanced around the room and then let out a sigh.

Meng Hao could only give him a wry smile. What else could he say?

Chen Fan stood nervously outside the room. "That…. Little Junior Brother, it… it's gone?" He looked very nervous.

"Pretty much…." replied Meng Hao, standing up and walking out.

Chen Fan let out a long sigh and looked at Meng Hao with a forced smile.

"Little Junior Brother, that parrot of yours is… Wow, what a bird. I truly admire it. Well, no need to talk about it, really. There are only a few more days until the Song Clan's banquet. I've already arranged everything. When it comes time, we can teleport directly there. Today, why don't you let me show you around the Solitary Sword Sect? After all, when we come back from the Song Clan, this will be your Sect, so you should get to know it." He grabbed Meng Hao's sleeve and pulled him out to the courtyard.

Meng Hao's expression was the same as ever, but in his mind appeared an image of the map of the Southern Domain. The Song Clan was located relatively close to the Violet Fate Sect. As for the Solitary Sword Sect, Meng Hao thought about it a lot during the past days and had finally reached a conclusion. He decided that he would not take advantage of Chen Fan's offer to join the Solitary Sword Sect.

He still wanted to figure out some way to disguise himself and join the Violet Fate Sect. He would learn Violet Qi from the East as well as alchemy. And he would also figure out a way to get Grandmaster Pill Demon to dispel his poison.

As for the Solitary Sword Sect, Meng Hao didn't believe that Chen Fan's master would be able to help him get rid of the poison. He needed the help of someone, not of the Nascent Soul stage, but the Spirit Severing stage!

Meng Hao was certain of this. However, Chen Fan was so warm and welcoming, he didn't feel it was appropriate to tell him directly. Regarding the Song Clan, Meng Hao very much wanted to go see it; however, because of his concerns regarding the Black Sieve Sect, he was still hesitating.

"I need to figure out a way to get in touch with Han Bei…." he thought. "She should be able to tell me what ended up happening with the Black Sieve Sect." He rubbed his bag of holding, and a cold smile touched his lips. There inside was a piece of jade which he could use to keep Han Bei in her place.

He followed Chen Fan around the Solitary Sword Sect. Buildings lined the meandering paths, and streams flowed here and there. The whole place looked both imposing and tasteful.

The two of them chatted as they walked, and soon it was noontime. Eventually, they reached a large circular structure which was filled with hundreds of energetic Solitary Sword Sect disciples.

"This is the Battle Arena," explained Chen Fan, "where Solitary Sword Sect disciples can fight each other. You can injure, but not kill. There are strict punishments for anyone who breaks the rules."

Meng Hao looked at it and was about to walk away when suddenly, his brow furrowed. A sinister voice suddenly rang out.

"Guests can fight in the Battle Arena to exchange techniques with our Sect disciples. I, Li, shall enter the arena. I would like to invite this outsider guest… to duel with me if he dares!" It was none other the middle-aged man named Li. A hypocritical smile covered his face as he strolled out from the crowd, staring mockingly at Meng Hao.

"Will you hide behind your Elder Brother again? Can you even make a single attack, you good-for-nothing loser? If you don't dare to fight, then you'd better hope you don't have to face me again in the future."

Everyone's eyes came to rest on Meng Hao and Chen Fan.

1. In this passage, he starts to erroneously quote a Chinese expression, but then kind of gives up in the middle

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Chapter 183: How Long Since We Saw That Shy Face?

Meng Hao's expression was the same as usual. He wasn't the least bit moved. He looked calmly at the sneering Li, and Zhou Shanyue, who stood next to him, face grim.

Chen Fan looked angry. He knew that Elder Brother Li and Zhou Shanyue were on good terms, and that neither of them liked him very much. It was only because of his flying dagger that they never did much to him.

However, having Meng Hao at his side had caused innumerable difficulties with this sinister pair.

"If you want a fight, how about you two versus me?" said Chen Fan coldly.

"As fellow Sect members, we have nothing to learn from each other," laughed Li. "I want to see if I can pick up a move or two from this outsider. Junior Brother Chen, you aren't really going to prevent such an exchange, will you?"

Chen Fan gave a cold snort, grabbing Meng Hao to leave. Meng Hao smiled. He found the whole situation quite amusing. However, Chen Fan seemed devoted to keeping Meng Hao safe, and he didn't want to refuse his good will. He was just about to follow along with Chen Fan when Zhou Shanyue's dark voice rang out.

"If you're scared, we understand." The surrounding Solitary Sword Sect disciples all laughed loudly. "How about this: Elder Brother Li will restrict his power to that of the mid Foundation Establishment stage. That would make things fair. We really want to see what magic you outsiders have. Junior Brother Chen, this matter has nothing to do with you. You can't keep him hiding behind you forever."

Solitary Sword Sect Cultivators generally stay away from outsiders. Many of them, although they didn't want to sneer at Elder Brother Chen, were getting excited at the scene which was playing out in front of them.

Chen Fan ignored them, continuing to pull Meng Hao away. However, hearing Zhou Shanyue's words caused Meng Hao to suddenly stop in his tracks. He turned and looked at Li and Zhou Shanyue, forcing an outraged expression to appear on his face.

"Since a battle to the death is out of the question, we need to make a wager," he said, making his voice seem out of control.

Hearing this, the surrounding Solitary Sword Sect Cultivators burst into more laughter. Many of them had Cultivation bases lower than Meng Hao, but they were disciples of the Solitary Sword Sect, the number one Sect in the Southern Domain. It was only natural for them to feel somewhat superior.

Zhou Shanyue laughed, as did middle-aged Li.

"Excellent," said Li. "If you stop hiding behind Junior Brother Chen and dare to fight me, then there's no harm in making a little wager. I have a treasured sword as well as several tens of thousands of Spirit Stones!" Laughing, he slapped his bag of holding to produce an azure-colored sword. The sword aura which swirled around it wasn't spectacular, but wasn't ordinary either.

"Little Junior Brother, you…." said Chen Fan.

He was about to continue when Meng Hao, eyes bloodshot, interrupted him. Glaring, he said, "A handful of Spirit Stones and a sword aren't enough for Meng Hao. Put some more onto the table, sir, and then I'll fight you!" His loud voice rang out. The words he had spoken, and the expression on his face, were something he had long since become accustomed to using. He had faced many situations like this in the State of Zhao. Furthermore, he still had an unused golden spear in his bag of the Cosmos….

The crowd around them laughed loudly. Li looked at Meng Hao, his sneer growing larger.

"Very well," he said. "Whatever you put up as stakes, sir, I will match in value."

Next to him, Zhou Shanyue laughed. "No matter," he said. "Whatever you produce, if Elder Brother Li matches it in value, then so shall I!" He glared at Chen Fan, and deep in his eyes, killing intent swirled.

Meng Hao gasped. His eyes darted around as if he wished to run away. "Are you serious?!" he said, his voice sounding forced.

"You're in the Solitary Sword Sect, now," said Zhou Shanyue haughtily. "Do you really think we would lie?"

Chen Fan grabbed Meng Hao's arm and was about to say something.

Trembling, Meng Hao looked over at him and said, "Elder Brother Chen, can you please loan me your flying dagger?"

Chen Fan looked at Meng Hao for a long moment. Finally, he lifted his hand up, and the black flying dagger appeared, a blade which could unleash the power of the Core Formation stage!

This dagger was extremely important to Chen Fan. If he lost it, his position within the Sect would immediately become unstable. The repercussions would be dire. However, it only took the space of a few breaths for him to make up his mind to place it in Meng Hao's hand.

This display of brotherly affection caused Meng Hao to look deeply at Chen Fan. A warm feeling filled his entire body, creating a memory that would exist for the rest of his life.

"Junior Brother," said Chen Fan, his eyes glowing with encouragement, "if you're really going to fight, then do so with a light heart. If you lose, it won't matter. No big deal. And if you win, then win something good!" Although he didn't have much faith that Meng Hao could win, this was his style.

Everything was quiet around them as the crowd stared at the black flying dagger in Meng Hao's hand.

The silence lasted only for a moment before a buzz of conversation filled the air.

"That's Patriarch Zhou's Core Formation flying dagger!!"

"That's the symbol of the Seven Solitary Sword Sons, and Elder Brother Chen is actually giving it to a stranger to put up as stakes for a bet…."

"These stakes are incredible!!"

The surrounding disciple's eyes shone brightly, and more than a few produced transmission jade slips to notify other fellow disciples of what was happening.

"This is what I'm putting up. Now it's your turn. No bet, no fight!" Meng Hao's voice was resolute, and his eyes shone with a do-or-die look. To the onlookers, however, it appeared that his coolness was forced, and that he was simply trying to bluff Zhou and Li into leaving him alone.

Zhou Shanyue's body trembled as he glared at the black dagger in Meng Hao's hand. He panted, as did middle-aged Li. They exchanged an excited, shocked glance.

They had never imagined that Chen Fan would actually take out the flying dagger and give it to his Junior Brother to put up as stakes in the bet.

"If you don't have anything to bet, then you can't blame me for not participating," repeated Meng Hao, preparing to hand the flying dagger back to Elder Brother Chen. Zhou Shanyue obviously couldn't allow this to happen. His hand shot up and he ripped open the top of his robe to reveal a jade pendant hanging around his neck.

"This is a life-saving jade forged by my father himself with blood from his Cultivation base. It has no attack power, but it can stand up against an attack from the Nascent Soul Stage! If you win, then it's yours. I'll even give you some of my Cultivation base blood to use to refine it! I, Zhou, never go back on my word!" His tone of voice could chop nails and slice iron. As they rang out, Chen Fan, along with the rest of the onlookers, gasped. Chen Fan stared at the life-saving jade. It was a treasure his master had bestowed upon his son to protect him. In terms of value, it definitely exceeded his flying dagger.

Meng Hao put on a look of complete shock. He began to breathe heavily, causing Zhou Shanyue to laugh coldly, his eyes shining coldly.

In a seemingly forced voice, Meng Hao said, "That's not enough. You just said that both of you would match the value of whatever I put up!"

Hearing this, middle-aged Li laughed heartily. He glared coldly at Meng Hao, and then gave pale-faced Chen Fan a sinister look. At the moment, he was convinced of what to do. He knew Chen Fan and Chen Fan's personality. He wouldn't do anything devious, so clearly his expression revealed his true feelings.

"I, Li, don't have any precious treasures like Junior Brother Zhou. However, I do have some Spirit Stones saved up. Fellow disciples, if you are able to loan me some Spirit Stones, it will be to your benefit. I will pay them back with an additional one stone for every hundred you give." He laughed again, watching as the hundreds of surrounding Cultivators saluted him respectfully. A few of them flew over to him, and then more and more.

"No problem, Elder Brother Li. Of course we can help you."

"Hahaha! I don't have a lot of Spirit Stones, just a few thousand, my savings from the past few years. If you need them, Elder Brother Li, then they're yours."

"Don't worry, Elder Brother Li. We can definitely help you out."

The voices of hundreds of Cultivators filled the air. All of them produced Spirit Stones, in amounts ranging from hundreds to thousands. Soon, they had been piled together into a group of several tens of thousands of Spirit Stones.

"These Spirit Stones can't compare in value to Junior Brother Zhou's precious treasure. Fine, fine, I won't try to take advantage of you. I have some magical items in my bag of holding that are worth tens of thousands of Spirit Stones. In total, their value is roughly 500,000!" He flicked his sleeve, and then shot into the air, transforming into a beam of light which shot toward the Battle Arena. Amidst the excited cries of the surrounding Cultivators, he landed in the middle of the arena and turned to stare at Meng Hao.

Chen Fan looked at Meng Hao with a forced smile. He was just about to give some advice when Meng Hao put the flying dagger on the ground and then flew up in the air toward the Battle Arena.

No one made a move to stop him.

As he entered, the surrounding Cultivators craned their necks to watch. Middle-aged Li stood there arrogantly. He pressed his finger down onto the space between his eyebrows. Immediately, his Cultivation base sank down from the late Foundation Establishment stage to the mid Foundation Establishment stage, as if he had six Dao Pillars.

"Li is not the sort of person who would bully you," he said, sticking his jaw out, "so I'll only use the power of the mid Foundation Establishment stage. Under no circumstances will I use the power of late Foundation Establishment."

"Actually, there's no need for that," murmured Meng Hao. He stood there in the Battle Arena, his expression very different than before. There was nothing fake about his expression now. He smiled, and within the smile was happiness, as well as a bit of shyness.

The people here weren't familiar with this shyness. But the people from the Violet Fate Sect who had traded with him years before in the State of Zhao would know it well. It would cause their scalps to grow numb if they saw it. They would think themselves to be in some kind of nightmare, and would most likely fly into a violent rage.

"In a bit, you'll have to eat your words…." said Meng Hao shyly. He looked just like the young scholar that had stood there on Mount Daqing years ago. He seemed a little embarrassed as he took a step forward.

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Chapter 184: Seven Exterminations

This man named Li had no way to know how famous Meng Hao was in the State of Zhao, nor about the iron spear which was still located within the Violet Fate Sect….

Meng Hao's body flickered as he shot toward Li. He lifted his right hand and flashed an incantation sign; immediately, a Flame Dragon roared out.

It wasn't very large, only about thirty meters long, and its color was not normal. Instead of being the color of fire, it was dark, and had two flapping wings. This was obviously a Flying Rain-Dragon.

Power from Meng Hao's Cultivation base was congealed inside of it, and not a drop seeped out. Only someone significantly more powerful than Meng Hao, someone of a higher stage, would be able to sense the slight fluctuations of the Cultivation base power within it.

From the look of it, it really did seem to be something that would be produced by the power of mid Foundation Establishment, or perhaps even inferior to that.

Sneers filled the faces of the Cultivators outside the Battle Arena. They were clearly very amused by the whole scene.

Chen Fan groaned inwardly. He didn't say anything, but his eyes were dull as he thought, not about his flying dagger, but the fact that this was a Battle Arena, and there was no way to tell what deadly moves Li might use.

Zhou Shanyue watched on, a smile covering his face. He looked exceedingly pleased. He had never liked Chen Fan, not from the very beginning when his father had brought him back to the Solitary Sword Sect. He felt that his father treated him far too well for the outsider that he was.

As for the flying dagger that had been given to Chen Fan, Zhou Shanyue thought of it as his own. How could it be given to someone else? And how come he wasn't a member of the current generation of the Seven Solitary Sword Sons?

He didn't understand, but also didn't dare to complain to his father. This caused his enmity toward Chen Fan to grow stronger and stronger.

"Finally I have a chance today!" he thought. "Chen Fan, ahh, Chen Fan, the flying dagger will finally belong to me. You trifling nobody. Do you really dare to contend with me?!" A smile broke out on his face, and he laughed.

Back within the Battle Arena, Li also laughed. A haughty look covered his face as he watched Meng Hao's Flame Dragon speeding toward him. He sneered.

"A barbarian Cultivator from a backwater Sect," he said loftily. "You don't deserve to even be here. Your magic is so simple! You really dare to use a trifling Flame Dragon art? Even being restricted to the mid Foundation Establishment stage, I can still kill you with ease." He flicked his sleeve, and the power of his mid Foundation Establishment stage boiled out. He raised his hand and the illusory image of a sun and a moon appeared on either side of his palm.

The images of the sun and moon transformed into two gleaming sword auras. Li waved his hand and they shot screaming into the air, straight toward the incoming Flame Dragon.

A cheer rose up from the surrounding Cultivators when they saw this.

Of course, all of this takes some time to describe, but happened in an instant. The images of the sun and moon swords slammed into the Flame Dragon, and as they did, for some unknown reason, they began to twist and warp.

A bang exploded out as the moon sword pushed up against the Flame Dragon. It seemed like it was trying to move a mountain. The sword instantly collapsed to pieces. Before the pieces could float away, they were transformed into ash by the heat of the Flame Dragon.

At the same time, the sun sword also collapsed. The thirty meter long Flame Dragon didn't even seem to have been scratched. Its momentum increased as it shot toward Li.

As it shot forward, its body expanded. Thirty meters, ninety meters, one hundred and fifty meters… in the blink of an eye, it was three hundred meters long and growing!

A mysterious power emanated out from the Flame Dragon, forming into a monstrous Flame Sea. This was the aura of the Flame Dragon. Its massive wings spread out to cover the sky, causing the Battle Arena to be submerged in flame.

All of this occurred too quickly, and middle-aged Li could not possibly have predicted that it would happen. It was the same with Zhou Shanyue, as well as all the surrounding Solitary Sword Sect disciples, who watched on with stunned faces.

A roaring sound filled the air, and the Battle Arena shook. The shield covering the Battle Arena rippled as it held back the power.

At the same time as the roaring sounded out, Meng Hao suddenly shot forward, attacking as fast as lightning. Li's face went white, and filled with an expression of disbelief. Nine jade slips appeared and floated around him, emanating a protective energy which defended him from the massive power of the Flame Sea.

These nine jade slips were clearly extraordinary in their protective power. However, Meng Hao continued to shoot toward him like an arrow. In an instant, he slammed into the shield generated by the nine jade slips.

Another boom resonated out, along with a miserable shout. The onlookers watched on, dumbstruck as the flames began to die out. Li spun backward like a kite with its string cut, blood shooting out of his mouth, his eyes filled with shock. He cut a sorry figure.

Meng Hao emerged from the Flame Sea, his face calm. He smiled, and still had the shy look on his face.

Zhou Shanyue gasped when this happened, and then stared in shock. Chen Fan blinked his eyes, looking at Meng Hao with disbelief.

Amidst the silence of the shocked audience, middle-aged Li's body stopped moving. A grim expression appeared on his face, and then he pushed down on his forehead.

Suddenly, his body quivered and then filled with the power of the great circle of Foundation Establishment. Pseudo Core stage power immediately exploded out from him.

This power was far, far beyond what he had exhibited moments ago. His eyes radiating killing intent as he watched Meng Hao striding out from within the Flame Sea. A haughty look once again filled his face.

"You seem qualified to be slain by the true power of my Cultivation base!"

Meng Hao's expression was the same as ever. He smiled shyly, but said nothing. Seeing the smile, Li felt a strong feeling of abhorrence. He shot forward, his hand lifting toward his bag of holding and retrieving a sword.

The azure-colored sword spun rapidly above his head, forming the shape of a whale. It sucked in the power of Li's late Foundation Establishment stage power, whereupon a buzzing sound filled the air. Ghost images of the sword suddenly appeared, seven of them!

The buzz of conversation filled the air.

"Seven Exterminations! Elder Brother Li is using a killing move!!"

"That's one of the most powerful stances of Foundation Establishment, a profound magic of the Seven Solitary Sword Sons…."

Chen Fan's expression twisted. "Solitary Sword Seven Exterminations!" He was about to take a step forward when Zhou Shanyue laughed and stretched out his arm to block the way.

"Junior Brother Chen, it's prohibited to interfere with matches in the Battle Arena. You're not going to break Sect rules are you?"

As the observing Solitary Sword Sect disciples discussed the proceedings, within the Battle Arena, Li's hair whipped about wildly. He flashed incantation gestures, causing a cyclone to spring up. The cyclone merged with the azure sword, and a roaring sound filled the air. A vicious expression appeared on his face as he waved a finger.

The azure sword seemed to split the air as it shot with incredible speed toward Meng Hao.

This attack was one of the most powerful moves from a Cultivator of the great circle of Foundation Establishment, as well as one of the most powerful arts of the Solitary Sword Sect. For Li to use it in this situation made it clear that he intended to strike a fatal blow!

"I plan to use this magic to win a place among the Seven Sons. Today… I'll christen it with your head!" His sinister voice echoed out as the sword screamed forward. The sword and its seven ghost images bore down onto the Meng Hao….

A smile appeared in Meng Hao's eyes.

"In terms of magical techniques, I'm still a bit deficient…." he muttered to himself. He suddenly struck his hand forward. Immediately, everything began to shake, and the approaching sword suddenly stopped.

Meng Hao then took a step forward and struck his hand out a second time, then a third and a fourth time. Each time he did, he took another step. By the time he reached the fifth strike, he was upon the sword. The ground quaked as the massive image of an illusory hand appeared in front of Meng Hao. It shot toward the sword. 1

At the same time, Meng Hao's Spiritual Sense burst out. When he was in the early Foundation Establishment stage, his Spiritual Sense could shock late Foundation Establishment Cultivators. But now he had an additional Dao Pillar, which made him even more powerful. The Spiritual Sense merged into the giant illusory hand. When the hand slammed into the azure sword, a massive bang rang out.

The azure sword shook. One by one, the ghost images surrounding it popped and disappeared. All of this takes some time to describe, but happened in an instant. The ghost images of the swords disintegrated, and then cracks began to cover the surface of the sword itself.

The illusory hand passed through the sword and then continued on toward Li. There was no way for him to dodge it, so it slammed directly into his body.

Blood sprayed from his mouth, and he staggered backward, his face pale. Meng Hao's fifth step placed him directly next to the azure sword. He reached up and pushed against it.

A cracking noise sounded out and the sword… split completely in half.

"You lose… Now pay up," said Meng Hao. He flicked his sleeve, sending the two pieces of the azure sword flying away to land at the feet of Li. Li's face was deathly pale, and he coughed up another mouthful of blood. His aura seemed to have weakened. He looked at Meng Hao, a look of disbelief and bitter anguish covering his face.

He… had lost!

This chapter was sponsored by Hein Haugeberg

1. In case you forgot the origin of the technique Meng Hao is using, you can check out Chapter 149: Killing Intent!, as well as the chapter after that.

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Chapter 185: Gathering at the Song Clan

Silence reigned outside of the Battle Arena. Hundreds of Solitary Sword Sect disciples stared at Meng Hao in shock and disbelief. As the seconds ticked by, their eyes filled with intense fear.

In the Cultivation world, respect is delivered to the powerful. Meng Hao was only at the mid Foundation Establishment stage, but the efficiency with which he had vanquished the great circle of late Foundation Establishment left a deep impression on everyone. Their fear transformed into respect. Respect for Meng Hao.

No one said anything. They watched him as he left the Battle Arena, the shy look still on his face as he walked back to Chen Fan.

Chen Fan gaped at him for a long moment. And then, a smile broke out on his face and he started to laugh. His laughter shattered the silence, and a hubbub immediately broke out.

"Who is that guy?!"

"He's at the mid Foundation Establishment stage but actually defeated the great circle of Foundation Establishment! This type of Cultivation base… this type of power… he can't be a nobody!"

"He… seems almost like a Dao Child! The magic he just used seemed somewhat familiar. It was like the Black Sieve Sect's 19 Black Cloud Strikes…."

The sound of discussion echoed about. Zhou Shanyue's face was pale as he staggered back a few steps. He tilted his head and stared closely at Meng Hao, the first time he had done so. Previously, he had thought Chen Fan was the one he needed to pay most attention to. His eyes filled with an intense, venomous hatred and rage.

"You despicable, shameless bastard! You're a swindler!! You obviously know the power of your Cultivation base and pretended to be weak! You avoided battle before with the sole purpose of picking this fight!! Your depravity knows no bounds!!" Zhou Shanyue was gnashing his teeth and cursing as middle-aged Li exited the Battle Arena, his face pale. He chuckled bitterly, looking at Meng Hao with complex expression that included hatred and other emotions.

He still didn't understand. Clearly, he had been played. He'd thought he had the situation completely under control, and yet it turned out that his opponent had effortlessly tricked him.

Then he thought of the Spirit Stones he had wagered, which weren't even his. He had borrowed them from surrounding fellow Sect members and had to pay back everything with interest. His face grew even more ashen.

Meng Hao gave a light cough. His expression bashful, he said, "You were the ones who insisted on the match." Zhou Shanyue trembled. With the flick of a sleeve, he turned to leave, clearly intending to go back on his word and not hand over the jade pendant.

Chen Fan gave a cold snort. "Junior Brother Zhou," he said coolly, "The stakes of a bet mean nothing, but the prestige of the Solitary Sword Sect is everything. Don't tell me you intend to break your word!?" Instantly, the eyes of all the surrounding Cultivators came to rest on Zhou Shanyue.

They were all Solitary Sword Sect disciples. They might not always be able to measure up to others in terms of skill, but the importance of upright conduct had been drilled into them from the moment they joined the Sect. One's word could not be broken.

Zhou Shanyue felt the eyes of hundreds of his fellow disciples upon him, and his expression flickered. He stamped his foot angrily on the ground. Heart aching, he took off his life-saving jade pendant and threw it toward Meng Hao. He also tossed out a drop of his own blood.

He glared at Meng Hao, his eyes filled with fury and disgrace. If he could, he would kill Meng Hao hundreds of times over. Finally, his body turned into a colorful beam that shot off into the distance.

Meng Hao coughed lightly again. Such gazes were not unfamiliar to him, and he was actually used to them. His eager gaze next fell upon Li's bag of holding. Inside were the tens upon tens of thousands of Spirit Stones which he had put up as stakes in the bet.

Pale faced, Li couldn't help but wonder how he would possibly pay back his fellow Sect members. Then he thought about how he owed literally hundreds of people, and his vision grew dim.

Without the slightest trace of politeness, Chen Fan walked up and grabbed the bag of holding. Li did nothing to stop him. He could only smile sadly. Chen Fan was just about to turn and walk back, when Meng Hao coughed again.

"Elder Brother, there's also a sword worth tens of thousands of Spirit Stones." Could Meng Hao really forget that? Considering how much he cared about Spirit Stones, as well as desire to join a Sect, he might be able to forget about other things. But he could never forget matters related to Spirit Stones.

"The sword?" Chen Fan said to pale-faced Li, holding his hand out.

Face bitter, Li produced the sword. His heart trembled, and felt as if it would tear in half. He handed it over to Chen Fan, and from his expression, it looked like he was handing over the love of his life.

He glared murderously at Meng Hao, the venom in his eyes growing stronger and stronger.

"No shame whatsoever!" he said, clenching his jaw. He flicked his sleeve, turned and left.

Chen Fan gave a cold snort, and then hurried away with Meng Hao and all the winnings. They returned to his house, their faces covered with smiles.

"Little Junior Brother, we won out this time. But next time," he exhorted earnestly, "you can't do something like that. That was extremely dangerous, and also, you now have to worry about those two trying to get back at you."

Meng Hao nodded, knowing that Chen Fan was simply concerned for him. With a smile, he said, "Elder Brother, how about I take the Spirit Stones, and you keep the jade pendant?"

Chen Fan thought for a moment, and then replied, "No, I don't need it. You take it. Listen to your Elder Brother. You take everything. This is my Sect, so I have everything I need. As for the jade pendant… consider this: You take it, but when Master emerges from secluded meditation, return it. After all, you will eventually be a member of the Sect."

Meng Hao tried to convince him to take the piece of jade, but Chen Fan, although he didn't directly refuse, declined to take it. Finally, Meng Hao collected together all his winnings, whereupon Chen Fan produced some more alcohol. The two Brothers sat down to drink, and chatted about the Reliance Sect.

A few days passed, and Chen Fan's master continued to remain in secluded meditation. The date of the banquet at the Song Clan drew closer. Finally, one morning at dawn, the sound of bells filled the Solitary Sword Sect.

At the bottom of the mountain was a stretch of ground normally covered with restrictive spells. Currently, people were flying from all directions toward this very area.

Meng Hao was among them, flying alongside Chen Fan.

As he approached, the first thing Meng Hao noticed was an enormous teleportation portal, surrounded by nine stone pillars. Not far away from it, a gray-robed old man sat cross-legged and motionless.

"That's the portal keeper," said Chen Fan quietly. "His only job is to keep watch over the teleportation portal." Meng Hao nodded, shifting his gaze to look at the portal itself as well as the surrounding area.

Other than Chen Fan and himself, there were three others present. They all wore the Daoist robes of the Solitary Sword Sect, and had large swords strapped to their backs. When he looked at them, they looked back and gave him slight nods.

With a smile, Meng Hao clasped hands and saluted them. They smiled back.

Despite the lack of any words being exchanged, Meng Hao could tell that they knew who he was. Obviously, his match with Li had gained him no small amount of prestige in the Solitary Sword Sect over the past few days.

Time passed, and more people arrived. After the time it takes half an incense stick to burn, there were about eighteen people present. None of them were very old; most were around thirty, and some seemed to be as young as twenty.

They seemed to brim with vitality, and were all extraordinarily good looking. Furthermore, all of them were in the Foundation Establishment stage, two of the group being at the late Foundation Establishment stage.

As they arrived, each one would look at Meng Hao. Some would then nod, others simply ignored him.

"Soon Elder Fan will arrive," whispered Chen Fan. "He'll lead us through the teleportation portal to the Song Clan. Your Elder Brother is going to work hard to get you a beloved!" He chuckled, but his expression was very serious.

Meng Hao gaped. This was the second time Chen Fan had brought up the matter. Meng Hao had a strange feeling about this trip to the Song Clan.

Time passed, and soon a beam of light appeared in the sky, a few dozen meters wide. In an instant, it had reached them, and an old man appeared, wearing a voluminous Daoist robe. His face was ruddy, and he had a full head of long, white hair. He carried a gourd of alcohol in his hand, and strapped to his back was a huge pitch-black sword.

He had a brandy nose, and his entire body emanated the smell of alcohol. His robe was wrinkled and messy. He burped.

"Greetings, Elder Fan!" said Chen Fan and the others, immediately clasping hands in salute. Meng Hao also bowed his head and clasped hands in greeting.

"Alright, you little brats. Let's see if any of you are lucky enough to take that Song girl in marriage and bring honor to the ancestors of the Solitary Sword Sect…." The old man's sonorous voice echoed out, shaking Meng Hao, and even the very ground, it seemed.

When he said the words "bring honor to the ancestors," his voice grew especially loud, causing the gray-robed man to open his eyes and then slowly shake his head. He seemed to find the wording somewhat inappropriate. However, he said nothing.

"He's definitely not a Core Formation Cultivator," thought Meng Hao, taking a deep breath. He had seen Nascent Soul eccentrics before, and it seemed… that's exactly what this man was! Nascent Soul stage!

Chen Fan stepped forward. Raising hands again in a respectful salute, he said, "Elder Fan, this is a disciple from my former Sect, my Junior Brother who…."

"Got it. No problem! Don't forget to bring me a few jugs of your master's alcohol when we get back." The old man clapped Chen Fan on the shoulder. He glanced at Meng Hao, and then strode forward toward the teleportation portal.

Meng Hao hesitated for a moment and then said, "Elder Brother, this trip to the Song Clan…."

Chen Fan hurriedly replied. "The Song Clan has an urgent need for a son-in-law, so they've invited the five Sects and two Clans to visit. Little Junior Brother, if you play your cards right, you might have a chance. Whether you join the Solitary Sword Sect, or become a member of the Song Clan, you will soon have a proper foundation upon which to practice Cultivation." He grabbed Meng Hao's sleeve and dragged him toward the teleportation portal.

Meng Hao was hesitant for a moment, and then made his decision. "The people from the Solitary Sword Sect are here, so I can't try to get the meat jelly to help me change my appearance. This isn't really working out how I want it to. Oh well, once we get to the Song Clan, I'll think of an excuse to get away."

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Chapter 186: Another Encounter with Wang Tengfei

The Song Clan was one of the three great Clans of the Southern Domain, and was somewhat isolated in its position. It had a history stretching back tens of thousands of years, and was deeply rooted in the society of the Southern Domain. It existed on the edge of a wide plain which contained some rolling hills, but few mountains.

In the southeast of the plain, however, was a mountain range called Neck of Heaven, under which flowed a river. Look down on it from the sky, and it had the appearance of a woman resting her head on her arm. It was quite pretty and charming.

The Song Clan was situated atop the chain of mountains. It was different from other Clans. Its main gate was actually an ancient castle, connected to which was an enormous wall that snaked throughout the various surrounding mountains, creating a very spectacular sight.

As for the castle of the capital city, it was pitch black and had the appearance of an enormous wild beast, filled with indescribable ferocity. Anyone who saw it for the first time would be left with the impression that the Song Clan was not to be provoked.

The capital city was surrounded by eighty-one smaller cities, which were constructed according to the rise and fall of the mountains. Each city was densely populated by Clan members.

In the sky above the Song Clan was an enormous rotating Sun and Moon. When it was pitch black in the outside world, the sun blazed in the Song Clan. When it was bright and sunny outside, the moon shone in the Song Clan.

This Sun and Moon was a precious treasure of the Song Clan.

Every great Sect and Clan possessed some valuable treasure. Only in this way could their continued status and glory be maintained.

For example, the Black Sieve Sect had their incense burner, and the Solitary Sword Sect its enormous sword. They were all precious treasures. As for the Song Clan, the sun and moon which hung in their sky enveloped the entire Clan, transforming it into a different world than what existed outside.

It was likely because of this treasure that for so many years, the Song Clan had not experienced any friction with outside Sects and Clans, and held such a lofty position. They did not provoke others, and others did not dare to provoke them.

The Song Clan was not as powerful as the Solitary Sword Sect, nor as mysterious of the Blood Demon Sect. It was not as extravagant as the Violet Fate Sect, nor did they have a vast array of magics like the Golden Frost Sect. They were not as erudite as the Black Sieve Sect, either.

Amongst the three great Clans, the Song Clan maintained the lowest profile. Their Dao Children did not perform sensational acts, nor did the Clan struggle for glory. They were relatively quiet. What they did have, though, was information, collected over many, many years.

They did not provoke others, and others did not dare to provoke them!

The mountains they occupied left others with a profound impression. If incredible change rocked the Southern Domain in the future, other Sects and Clans might very well collapse. The one organization that was most likely to remain was the Song Clan.

The degree of their inconspicuousness was such that people knew almost nothing about them. This in turn created a sense of fear and terror.

In the past few hundred years, the only person to venture out of the Song Clan was Eccentric Song 1, who everyone in the Southern Domain knew about. He had an odd personality, and enjoyed the collection of wild beasts. His occasional excursions gave him plenty of opportunities to interact with other Sects and Clans.

At this moment within the Song Clan capital city, dazzling lights flickered and people bustled about preparing for an ancient tradition of the Song Clan.

Women of the Song Clan were not permitted to marry outsiders. Instead, a husband would be sought from the outside, who would then marry into the family. Upon marriage, the new son-in-law would then become a Conclave Cultivator of the Song Clan.

Throughout the years, many Sects had desired to infiltrate the Song Clan. However, because of their strange and ancient marriage custom, those Sects had long since vanished. The Song Clan, however… still remained.

Of course, there were problems with the arrangement….

Song Jia 2 stood quietly at the window, looking out. The outside world was awash with sunlight, but inside the Song Clan, the sky was dark. Wind blew against her face, lifting up her hair and revealing her spectacular beauty. Right now, she wore a sad look and seemed to be apprehensive.

Her apprehension was because of her fate as a woman of the Song Clan. She felt melancholy for the same reason. There was nothing she could do to resist; it was useless to struggle. The Song Clan's rules had been laid down by the ancestors, and could not be changed.

The soft voice of a woman could be heard from behind her. "We're different from the other Sects and Clans. As a girl of the Song Clan, it's impossible to maintain your purity forever. You can't change that, nor can I." The voice belonged to a middle-aged woman who gazed affectionately at Song Jia.

Song Jia didn't reply.

After a while, though, she nodded. In her mind, images appeared from the Blood Immortal Legacy tournament. She remembered looking on helplessly as her Blood Phoenix died. She could only watch through tear-filled eyes as it faded away.

"Perhaps it's just my fate." Her face filled with exhaustion. The exhaustion did not mar her good looks; in fact, it seemed to give birth to a tender beauty.

The woman behind her could sense what Song Jia was feeling. She stepped forward and stroked Song Jia's long, beautiful hair. "It is fate," she said. "But it's not destiny, it's a mission. A mission from the Song Clan of the Southern Domain. 3"

"The destruction of the Southern Domain. Gather a hundred Clans. Fuse their bloodlines. Evade the palace of the Heavens…." Song Jia murmured the words which she had heard people recite ever since she was young. "But father said that no power within the entire Southern Domain could bring about its complete destruction. Nothing in the Eastern Lands could do so either." She looked back at the middle-aged woman.

"That's a legend which has existed since ancient times. Mother doesn't know what it means either."

Mother and daughter were silent for a while after that.

Meanwhile, outside of the Song Clan, the sun blazed brightly in the sky. On the plains below the Song Clan, a glittering light shined out, which grew in intensity over the space of about ten breaths. Then, it gradually disappeared, revealing a dozen or more people.

Meng Hao sucked in a deep breath and rubbed the bridge of his nose. It seemed his body wasn't really suited for teleportation. He looked around and immediately noticed that up ahead existed a world of darkness.There was a huge mountain range, hanging over which was… a moon.

He gaped at the bizarre sight.

Next to him, Chen Fan sighed with emotion. "We're in Song Clan territory now. It's my first time here, but I've heard people talk of how astonishing the Song Clan is."

The old man lifted his gourd of alcohol and took a drink. Then he let out a loud burp and laughed heartily. His laughter filled the air, after which several beams of light shot out from the darkness of the Song Clan.

"Brandy Nose!" said a voice from within the approaching beams of light. It didn't sound pleased. "How come the Solitary Sword Sect sent you? I can smell the stench of alcohol coming off of you from here!"

"Eccentric Song! How could I not come? This old Daoist is going to drink his fill before he leaves!" The old man suddenly shot up into the air.

Meng Hao took a deep breath. The words 'Eccentric Song' filled him with fear. He looked up into the sky and could just make out the image of Song Clan members within the beams of light. One of them was an old man who, although Meng Hao had never seen before, he immediately knew was the same Eccentric Song from that time in the State of Zhao.

"I just arrived and already ran into him," thought Meng Hao. "I can't stay here long… if Eccentric Song finds out I'm here, the consequences will be terrible…." Meng Hao was just about to try to sneak off when Chen Fan grabbed him.

"Little Junior Brother, did you see? I'm not sure of the name of that member of the elder generation, but I heard everyone calls him Eccentric Song. They say he has a very bizarre personality, and that he owns tons of wild beasts. He also likes to make bets with other Sects all the time…."

Meng Hao interrupted him with a forced smile, "Elder Brother, I really can't proceed any further, I have to…." Before Meng Hao could finish speaking, the old man from the Solitary Sword Sect and Eccentric Song suddenly started yelling at each other.

"Your Song Clan is entirely too stingy! Ten Thousand Trees Mountain only has a single pearl as the reward? What good is a crappy pearl!? That's the prize that my Solitary Sword Sect kids are supposed to fight for? No way!"

"It's a Cubic Pearl that can dispel even the strangest poisons in the world," replied Eccentric Song. "It's a treasure refined by the Sun and Moon of the Song Clan. It can only be given as a gift to a son-in-law of the Song Clan. Even if you wanted it, you couldn't have it. Besides, what treasures could possibly compare to a girl of the Song Clan? Your granny! Are you Solitary Sword Sect people here because of the search for a son-in-law, or just to grab treasures?!"

Hearing this exchange, Meng Hao's eyes flickered. Next to him, Chen Fan frowned.

"Little Junior Brother, you should really think things through," he said earnestly. "You'll be able to make a lot of friends here. Li Fugui will be here too, and you haven't seen him for years. However, if you truly must leave, then Elder Brother won't stop you."

Meng Hao lowered his head thoughtfully for a moment, then looked up and smiled.

"Fine, since I'm here, I might as well check things out."

Chen Fan smiled in return. He clapped Meng Hao on the shoulder and was just about to continue speaking when another blinding light appeared. It spread out, attracting the attention of everyone, including Eccentric Song and the old man from the Solitary Sword Sect.

The glowing light spread out, and within, the figures of dozens of people gradually grew distinct. Meng Hao's eyes glittered, and Chen Fan frowned.

These were people from the Wang Clan.

The group was comprised of both men and women. They looked around after they appeared, and their eyes were especially drawn to the mountain chain in the distance, upon which the Song Clan was situated.

At the front of this group of people was an old man whose face was covered with a tranquil expression. He strode forward, looking up at Eccentric Song and the old man from the Solitary Sword Sect.

"Fellow Daoist Fan," he said, "you arrived quickly. Could it be that you caught a whiff of the Song Clan's alcohol, causing you to arrive faster than everyone else?"

Elder Fan laughed and took a swig of alcohol. "I'm not that fast. At least, I'm not as fast as Fellow Daoist Wang was that time back at the Rebirth Cave. The speed and beauty of your retreat were incredible."

The old man from the Wang Clan smiled. He didn't respond, but clasped his hands and gave a slight bow to Eccentric Song.

Behind him were various members of the Wang Clan, including Wang Tengfei 4 He wore a white robe, along with a cold expression and a slight, grim frown. It seemed as if he were thinking about something important. His features were handsome, his disposition perfect. Everything melded together to give him an air of flawlessness.

Standing next to him was Wang Xifan 5. His expression was proud and aloof as he gazed at the Song Clan mountains. Then his gaze shifted to the group from the Solitary Sword Sect. He frowned when he caught sight of Meng Hao.

"He looks a bit familiar…" His gaze passed by before he could recall who Meng Hao was. However, it was at this moment that Wang Tengfei's surprised eyes fell onto Meng Hao. A look of disbelief appeared.

Meng Hao looked back at him. They were in different groups of people, hundreds of meters away from each other, and yet their gazes locked.

Just like they had years ago in the Reliance Sect!

1. Eccentric Song was the guy with the treasure mountain which Meng Hao looted to death. If you want a refresher on that, check out Chapter 48: Eccentric Song and Wu Dingqiu and subsequent chapters

2. Song Jia was one of the other competitors in the Blood Immortal Legacy tournament. Her last appearance was in Chapter 130: The Perfect Foundation!!

3. This part contains a play on words of sorts in Chinese. The characters for fate, destiny, and mission are 命, 命运, and 使命 respectively. As you can see, they all share the same component, the character 命, which can have different meanings depending on the context or the other characters it's paired with.

4. If you want a quick refresher on some key events regarding Wang Tengfei, you can check out Chapter 24: Who was it?!, Chapter 32: This Finger Brought me Humiliation, Today, I Cripple it!, Chapter 33: Is This Sword Yours Too?

5. Wang Xifan is Wang Tengfei's Dao Protector, who almost killed Meng Hao. He was introduced in Chapter 35: I'm Not Willing! and also appeared in Chapter 119: The Legacy Shocks the Southern Domain

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Chapter 187: Good Old Fatty

"Meng Hao!" thought Wang Tengfei, his eyes instantly shining with a mysterious glow. He felt a sudden stab of pain from the index finger of his right hand. The finger was pitch black, and inside, a pulsating black aura could be seen.

Seeing Meng Hao here was not something Wang Tengfei had ever imagined would happen. Many years had passed, but he recognized him immediately. This was that damned Cultivator from the State of Zhao who had stolen away his legacy and wrecked all of his meticulously laid plans!

As soon as he saw Meng Hao, Wang Tengfei's breath quickened. He had assumed that Meng Hao disappeared along with the State of Zhao. How could he have predicted that he would suddenly appear here? Furthermore, he was in a group from the Solitary Sword Sect. Many thoughts ran through his head during the space of a few breaths. Then he recovered his composure and looked away.

"Since he's here," thought Wang Tengfei, "I'll have to find an opportunity to sacrifice him to my poison finger." His expression calm, he slowly began to exhibit the same disregard for Meng Hao that he had years ago. It was as if he would eternally be above Meng Hao. It didn't matter if they were in the State of Zhao or the Southern Domain. He didn't care at all about Meng Hao. He was a member of the Wang Clan. He was Chosen. He was superior, and as for Meng Hao, it didn't matter what relationship he had with the Solitary Sword Sect. To him, Meng Hao was nothing more than an insect.

He had perfect good looks and a flawless temperament. He stood there, slowly becoming the center of attention. He smiled lightly, his expression indifferent. The disregard for Meng Hao which existed in his heart slowly transformed in to scorn and arrogance. He tilted his head up, and it appeared, for all intents and purposes, that Meng Hao was nothing to him and could be crushed on a whim.

At the same time, Wang Xifan frowned slightly. He looked at Meng Hao again, and a mysterious look appeared in his eyes. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. It was a smile similar to Wang Tengfei's, filled with scorn in disregard.

Now he remembered the scene from years ago. He remembered this ant that he almost crushed on the top of the East Mountain of the Reliance Sect, only to be stopped by He Luohua.

"Interesting," he said with a chuckle. His words did not echo out, and could only be heard by Wang Tengfei. "So, we once again run into this insolent kid. Tengfei, now is your chance to conclude matters from all those years ago. Kill him, and prove that everything I've told you is true. You are Chosen, and he is nothing more than an insect."

Wang Tengfei smiled. "I've long since stopped thinking about the things that happened that year," he said coolly. "However, I really should take his head." He looked at Meng Hao once again, and his eyes brimmed with confidence in his ability to kill him. It would be as easy as turning over his hand. He looked away, ignoring Meng Hao and staring off into the distance. He appeared thoughtful once again, as if he were wrestling with some matter in his heart.

"Don't overthink things," said Wang Xifan, his voice low. "You need to trust Chu Yuyan."

Wang Tengfei was quiet for a long moment, then growled, "If I ever find out who it was, I'll tear him into a thousand pieces!!" His eyes were filled with cold, callous hatred, as well as humiliation. Killing intent roiled out of him, much more intense than when he had seen Meng Hao. This matter was something he could not ignore, something he could not cool down from.

Meng Hao's expression was the same as ever. Seeing Wang Tengfei here wasn't completely unexpected. However, it naturally caused various emotions to bubble up within him.

The enmity between him and Wang Tengfei was not something he cared much about any more. Years had passed, and as of now, Meng Hao actually felt that he had been a bit too hot-blooded in his youth. There were definitely some areas in which he was in the wrong.

Now, Meng Hao's Cultivation base was at the mid Foundation Establishment stage, and his battle prowess put him in the same league as Dao Children, although few people knew that. In Meng Hao's estimation, if he could defeat Wang Tengfei when in the Qi Condensation stage, then nowadays it wasn't even worth thinking about.

What concerned him most was the Song Clan's search for a husband, and the Cubic Pearl that Eccentric Song had mentioned moments ago. It could dispel the strangest poisons in the world, and that made Meng Hao's heart palpitate with eagerness.

He wasn't sure if the Cubic Pearl could dispel the poison of the Resurrection Lily, but considering the Song Clan was offering it up as a prize, it was surely no ordinary object.

"I wonder if it really can dispel the poison…. If it can, then maybe I won't need to infiltrate the Violet Fate Sect after all. Staying in the Solitary Sword Sect wouldn't be bad." His heart pounded in anticipation. As he traveled the path of Cultivation, his next big hurdle would be Core Formation. That was a difficult bridge to cross, and joining a powerful Sect would surely help.

After a long moment of thought, his eyes filled with determination.

Up above, Eccentric Song, Elder Fan, and the Nascent Soul Cultivator from the Wang Clan turned into beams of prismatic light that shot toward the darkness which surrounded the Song Clan.

Two other Song Clan members had come out with Eccentric Song. They split, one walking toward the Solitary Sword Sect's group, the other to the Wang Clan's group.

They clasped hands and bowed. Smiling, they said, "Fellow Daoists of the Solitary Sword Sect and Wang Clan, please follow us. We will enter the mountains of the Song Clan together."

Everyone flew up into the air. Various members of the Solitary Sword Sect and the Wang Clan were obviously acquainted. The two groups merged into a larger group. Talking and laughing could be heard as they transformed into beams of light and shot toward the Song Clan.

Meng Hao and Chen Fan were on the edge of the group, some distance away from the Wang Clan Cultivators. Wang Tengfei flew along, expression cold. He frowned, apparently too busy being lost in thought to pay any attention to Meng Hao.

They flew at high speed, and very soon reached the area where the brightness of the outside world gave way to the darkness of the Song Clan. The instant they entered, Meng Hao's heart leaped. He had just discovered a major difference between the outside world, and the Song Clan. The spiritual energy here… could be felt and absorbed!!

This unexpected turn of events shook Meng Hao's mind and heart. Of course, after all his years of practicing Cultivation, he was able to prevent his feelings from showing on his face. His expression was the same as ever.

"So it turns out… I can absorb spiritual energy in this place! This is the perfect location for me to practice Cultivation!" This discovery exceeded the entirety of Meng Hao's imagination. He was just preparing to rotate his Cultivation base and begin to absorb spiritual energy when a thought flashed through his mind, and he stopped.

One of the tools which Meng Hao had developed after escaping all the various snares and traps throughout the years, was caution. Therefore, he would be cautious here, too.

He looked around and soon began to pick up on some clues. As the Solitary Sword Sect disciples flew forward, frowns appeared on their faces.

"So, we can't absorb the spiritual energy here…" Chen Fan whispered to him. "I heard before that the Song Clan is strange, and that certainly seems true. Apparently, only members of the Song Clan can do breathing exercises here to absorb spiritual energy. Other Sects and Clans are unable to. It's not that spiritual energy is forbidden here, it's that we can't absorb it."

A bit more time passed. Seeing all the mountains and cities filled with Cultivators pass by beneath him, Meng Hao was filled with a sense of mystery. After passing scores of mountains, they reached the Song Clan's capital city.

Within the capital city was an enormous square. Already, many Cultivators from outside the Song Clan had arrived there. Present were members of the Golden Frost Sect and the Blood Demon Sect.

The place was alive with activity, and the hubbub of conversations filled the air.

Even before the Solitary Sword Sect and Wang Clan Cultivators could land, a loud voice drifted up into the air. "It's absolutely, one hundred percent true. I, Zhou Daya 1, saw everything with my own eyes. That day, Chu Yuyan wasn't wearing proper clothing. She was wearing a man's garment! Furthermore, she seemed to be on very intimate terms with the male Cultivator. You all don't believe me? I, Zhou Daya, swear an oath that if my words are in any way false, you can gouge my eyes out!"

The person talking was a young Cultivator. He was speaking so passionately that spit flew out of his mouth. He gazed at the surrounding Song Clan members with exuberant, shining eyes. As he spoke, he gesticulated wildly and jumped up and down. The dozens of surrounded Song Clan members watched on in astonishment.

The Cultivators from the Blood Demon Sect were situated off to the side. They sat there quietly, cross-legged, and in their midst was a Li Shiqi 2, dressed in a white robe!

Sitting cross-legged next to Li Shiqi were two people. One was Sang Luo's brother, and the other was none other than Wang Youcai 3!

Wang Youcai was looking quietly at the group of people from the Golden Frost Sect. In their midst was a rather fat fellow whose face had a few pimples on it. He wasn't very tall, and at the moment he was smiling complacently at Zhou Daya. This was none other than Li Fugui.

When the two of them had run into each other earlier, Fatty found, to his surprise, that Wang Youcai responded coldly to his attempts to start a conversation and even pretended not to know him. At the moment, he wasn't sure what to think, and could only sigh inwardly.

"You simply can't imagine the expression on Chu Yuyan's face," continued Zhou Daya. "I guess you can only say that it was wonderful. And that male Cultivator, well, he was extraordinarily handsome, a dragon amongst men. Really. They embraced each other and exchanged some sweet words. As their hands groped each other frantically, they began to pant…." As he spoke, Zhou Daya got more excited.

Li Fugui suddenly cleared his throat and spoke out in a loud and clear voice. "I can bear witness to this," he said, "as I was also present. Ai, at first I planned to go give them a piece of my mind. As all of you Fellow Daoists are well aware, Fellow Daoist Chu Yuyan is the beloved of Fellow Daoist Wang Tengfei. And of course, Fellow Daoist Wang Tengfei and I are the closest of friends.

"Therefore, when I saw what was happening, I wanted to speak my mind. However…. Ai, you have no way to know how the two of them looked. It was clear that the feelings between them, were true love." As his voice rang out, the faces of the Song Clan members all filled with strange expressions.

They knew Fatty, of course. He was a member of the Golden Frost Sect that no one dared to provoke. He was a treasure of the Sect, and as such, his level of seniority was extremely high. Anyone who offended him would arouse the wrath of the entire Golden Frost Sect. To do so would be similar to rubbing a cat's hair backward.

This was because the Golden Frost Sect had eighteen bloodline legacies. By combining their power, the Sect could wield the power of a great Dao Reserve spell. According to the rumors, the power of this spell was so incredible that it could slay Immortals!

However, for many years, the Sect only possessed seventeen of the bloodlines. The last one had disappeared, and no matter how hard the Golden Frost Sect searched, it could not be found. There was no one who the legacy could be passed onto. Therefore, for many years, the ultimate power of the Golden Frost Sect's spell could not be unleashed. However, it turned out Li Fugui was perfectly suited to accept the legacy. Therefore, he was treated as a treasure of the Sect. Usually, the Sect Priest would treat him very amiably and was very protective of him. You could essentially say that the entire Sect was at his beck and call.

Furthermore… Fatty didn't like to practice Cultivation, nor did he want an assigned Dao Protector. So to protect him….

Whenever he went out, a large group of Golden Frost Sect disciples would accompany him. The Sect was extremely worried that something might happen to him. The most extreme thing that had happened was that once after someone provoked Li Fugui, the Sect Priest personally slaughtered an entire Sect. Afterwards, he issued a proclamation in the Southern Domain that anyone who dared to even touch Li Fugui would provoke the unbridled fury of the entire Golden Frost Sect.

1. Zhou Daya, of course, is the guy who saw Meng Hao and Chu Yuyan together, which happened in Chapter 136: Zhou Daya!

2. Li Shiqi is the Blood Demon Sect Dao Child who appeared in Chapter 175: Li Shiqi

3. Wang Youcai was one of the group of four young people brought to the Reliance Sect in Chapter 1. The others in the group were Meng Hao, 'Fatty' Li Fugui, and 'Little Tiger' Dong Hu. Wang Youcai's last appearance was in Chapter 130: The Perfect Foundation!!

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Chapter 188: True Love is Priceless

Actually, Li Fugui was diametrically opposed to Wang Tengfei, and wouldn't let him off the hook for anything. Normally, whether he was inside the Sect or outside, he constantly said sarcastic things about him.

This, of course, made Wang Tengfei furious. However, there was nothing he could do about it. Offending Li Fugui was not an option. Their feud was a trifling matter of the junior generation. Furthermore, Li Fugui was too important to the Golden Frost Sect. The difference between Li Fugui's importance to the Golden Frost Sect and Wang Teng Fei's importance to the Wang clan, was immeasurable.

Fatty suddenly leaped up onto the table, to the embarrassment of his fellow Golden Frost Sect members. They could do little more than cough lightly and watch as he cried out, "Ah, true love. Fellow Daoists, could I really not see such a thing? It was definitely true love. How could I, Li Fugui, do anything to split apart such an affectionate couple? Would I really do that, just for my good-for-nothing friend Wang Tengfei? Would I really disturb a scene of true love? Never! I could never do such a thing!

"There's a saying which speaks of a love that can transcend something-or-other, I forgot. Anyway, someone told me something once. Actually, it was the best friend I've ever had, the person I admire most in the world. He told me that love is the most valuable thing in the world, worth more than even millions of Spirit Stones!" As he spoke, his mouthful of extraordinarily large teeth became visible. In the end, he began to choke up and started to cry aloud.

Seeing this caused the Song Clan members to smile wryly. The Blood Demon Sect Cultivators eyed Fatty with strange expressions.

Li Shiqi frowned, but didn't say anything. Wang Youcai also maintained his silence, although a slight smile appeared on his face.

"Therefore," continued Fatty, growing more and more excited, "I pretended that I didn't even see them. However, it left me with the feeling that Wang Tengfei is really a useless nobody. Furthermore, he's completely shameless. Anyone could see that it was true love. Were I in Wang Tengfei's place, I would simply smile, and hand over the beauty.

"That unknown Cultivator, in terms of appearance, of Cultivation base, of everything, is clearly above and beyond Wang Tengfei. Sadly…"

Suddenly, an infuriated shout could be heard from mid-air.

"LI FUGUI!!!" Killing intent roiled out from Wang Tengfei as he shot out from the group floating in the air. His entire body was like a sharpened sword slicing toward Li Fugui.

Before he could get very close, the Golden Frost Sect disciples behind Li Fugui leaped up with amazing speed. In the blink of an eye, they shot forward. One of them, a tall, strapping man, let out a cold harrumph and formed a fist, which he lifted into the air. Ripples spread out from it in all directions, and a roaring sound filled the air. Wang Tengfei's facial expression flickered.

Wang Xifan exploded out with incredible speed. In an instant, he was in front of Wang Tengfei, waving both hands out forward.

A boom echoed out. The blood drained from Wang Xifan's face as he grabbed Wang Tengfei and retreated backward. He glanced back murderously at the large man from the Golden Frost Sect.

"Members of the Wang Clan, please conduct yourself with dignity," said the large man coolly. The power of his Core Formation Cultivation base rolled out.

The group of people Meng Hao was a part of descended to the ground. Meng Hao had a strange expression on his face, and he coughed lightly. He looked at Fatty hiding behind the large man. The things Fatty had been saying were somewhat embarrassing, and left Meng Hao feeling a little guilty.

"Do you see?" said Chen Fan quietly. "Li Fugui is no small figure in the Golden Frost Sect. Now that I think about it, Wang Tengfei's current situation really is deserving of sympathy. Little Junior Brother, have you seen Chu Yuyan? Ai, I'm really curious which Sect that Cultivator is from who got entangled with Fellow Daoist Chu Yuyan…."

"Uh… yeah I saw her before…." said Meng Hao hesitantly, not sure of what else to say.

Chen Fan sighed. "I really hope I have a chance to meet that guy one day. He must be brilliant to be able to snatch Chu Yuyan away right out from under Wang Tengfei's nose. Ah, such skill. He must truly be a man of character."

"Such skill, such skill…." Meng Hao felt even more guilty. Lowering his head, he slowly edged backward. At the same time, he looked over the crowd. He suddenly noticed Wang Youcai, and he stared in shock. Wang Youcai sat there taciturnly, avoiding Meng Hao's eyes.

"Wang Tengfei, do you really dare to attack me?" said Fatty, sticking his head out from behind the large man and pointing at Wang Tengfei. "Your granny!" he roared. "You truly dare to attack me? According to the rules of seniority of the five Sects and three Clans, I'm your Master Uncle. Do you actually dare to bully your seniors?!" Fatty slapped his bag of holding to produce a Spirit Stone, which he popped into his mouth. Crunching sounds echoed out as he crushed it into bits. It was quite a ferocious sight.

After crushing the Spirit Stone to pieces, Fatty extended his hand. With a wry smile, the big man produced a jade bottle which he handed over to Fatty. Fatty popped it into his mouth.

"Li Fugui, you are too excessive!" Wang Tengfei ground his teeth. Even as the words left his mouth, Fatty closed his eyes.

"What exists between them is true love," he said. "Do you understand what true love is? True love exists between your wife Chu Yuyan and another man. I've seen it with my own eyes. Why would you possibly interfere with that?!" People around started to laugh, causing Wang Tengfei's face to grow even more enraged. "If only you understood. Ah, true love. It's priceless! I truly admire that Fellow Daoist. He's so skilled. He truly handled things masterfully…." As Fatty went on with his speech, Meng Hao continued to edge backward. However, he wasn't fast enough. He suddenly noticed that Zhou Daya was staring directly at him, a look of disbelief and astonishment covering his face.

Meng Hao's heart began to thump. Although he had intentionally set this thing in motion, he had never imagined he would see a scene such as that playing out today. He wanted to hide, but suddenly, Zhou Daya's raised his voice.

"It's him!!" he shouted, pointing directly at Meng Hao, seemingly afraid people wouldn't recognize him. "It's him! That's the Cultivator who I saw with Chu Yuyan!!"

Zhou Daya really did live up to his name, which means 'big mouth.' Not only did he like to gossip, he also had a very loud voice. His voice rang out clearly, causing everyone's attention to instantly follow the line of his finger to fall onto Meng Hao.

Meng Hao's face flickered. The surrounding Solitary Sword Sect disciples stared at him in shock and unconsciously edged away from him. Soon, he and Chen Fan stood there alone.

Chen Fan was also gaping numbly at Meng Hao. He recovered his composure quickly, however, in the end, also quickly edged away. He didn't want any misunderstandings to result from standing next to Meng Hao. If anyone tried to bully Meng Hao, he would leap to assist in an instant; but what was occurring right now was a romantic love scandal….

As he edged backward, Chen Fan's eyes began to glow brightly. A look of both disbelief and admiration filled them.

As Zhou Daya pointed at Meng Hao, all of the Solitary Sword Sect disciples stared at him, as did the Cultivators from the Wang Clan, the Song Clan and the Blood Demon Sect. Everyone was looking at Meng Hao.

Li Shiqi from the Blood Demon Sect had a strange expression on her face. She had noticed Meng Hao moments ago. At the moment, she snorted, turning her head to ignore him. Wang Youcai stared in shock at Meng Hao.

As for Wang Tengfei, he stood there mutely, glaring at Meng Hao. Veins began to bulge out on his face, and veins of blood appeared in his eyes. He thought back to the Flying Rain-Dragon legacy, to the Reliance Inner Sect training. He thought back to his feelings in the Flying Rain Dragon's cave. His humiliation and rage billowed up to the heavens.

Everything was completely silent. All eyes were on Meng Hao. Of course, in the past days, the rumors about Chu Yuyan being seen with a strange man had been spreading throughout the five great Sects and three great Clans.

It had started in the Golden Frost Sect. Everything about the rumor made sense and was quite vivid. No one knew, and everyone wondered, who the strange man might be. Now here, in front of all these eyes, Meng Hao had been pointed out.

Fatty stared in shock. He stood blankly for a moment, and then rubbed his eyes vigorously. Suddenly, he started to look very excited.

Just as he was about to rush over, a dozen or so colorful beams of light approached from off in the distance. As they whistled down, it was clear that this was the Violet Fate Sect!

Chu Yuyan was not with them, however, there were two people who Meng Hao did recognize. They were none other than Qian Shuihen and Lu Song 1, who were now in the early Foundation Establishment stage.

They flew on either side of a young man with a cool expression. His body radiated the power of late Foundation Establishment, and seemed to occupy a position of great respect amongst the other Violet Fate Sect disciples.

At the same time, ten more beams appeared. This was the Black Sieve Sect. The beautiful Han Bei 2 was among them. She was dressed in men's clothing, but a single glance was enough to see that she was a woman. She was chatting and laughing with a Song Clan member as she flew down to the square.

The arrival of the Violet Fate Sect and Black Sieve Sect would normally cause various members of other Sects to seek out friends and catch up. But a strange atmosphere now filled the air. Most people just glanced momentarily at the new arrivals from the other two Sects.

As soon as Zhou Daya saw more people arriving, he once again cried out, his voice even louder, "It's him! That's the Cultivator I saw with Chu Yuyan. She was putting on his clothes…." In actuality, there is a vast difference between 'wearing his clothes' and 'putting on his clothes.' The Cultivators from the Violet Fate Sect all stopped in their tracks and stared at Meng Hao.

As disciples of the Violet Fate Sect, how could they not be aware of the rumors swirling about regarding Chu Yuyan? As for Qian Shuihen and Lu Song, the instant they caught sight of Meng Hao, their eyes grew wide and they stared in shock. Then their eyes grew hateful.

It had been years since they had seen Meng Hao, but the blow they had received that year was enormous. Even down to this very day, people still talked about what had happened. The events had caused hatred to seep down into their bones. It was the greatest humiliation they had ever experienced in their lives.

Qian Shuihen stared at Meng Hao, and he started breathing heavily. Killing intent began to roil within Lu Song's eyes.

"Dammit, it's you!!"

"So, it's you!!"

The two of them roared, filling the spectators with even more shock. The details of the matter with Chu Yuyan were still not clear, but the intense rage of these two Violet Fate Sect disciples was clearly no joke. They obviously hated Meng Hao down to the marrow of their bones.

This chapter was sponsored by Joseph Apor, Lim Derek, Gary Cosby, Dewi Suryono and Vidya Pati

1. Qian Shuihen and Lu Song were the guys who paid an exorbitant amount of Spirit Stones and treasures to get Meng Hao's ordinary iron spear. It happened in Chapter 55: Overbearing

2。 Han Bei's last appearance was in Chapter 164

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Chapter 189: All the Enemies Arrive

Meng Hao smiled wryly. The spot he occupied in the square had long since grown empty, making him especially conspicuous. His smile grew more bitter, and he sighed inwardly.

"If I had known things would end up like this," he thought, "I wouldn't have let Zhou Daya go…. Ai, are all of my enemies going to appear today…?" He coughed and subconsciously rubbed his nose. He suddenly got the feeling that he'd done a bit too many things over the past few years. Now the moment had arrived in which his crowds of victims were accusing him.

"Damn you, Meng Hao!" howled Qian Shuihen. "I will never forget the matter of the iron spear from that year!" He immediately took a step forward. Next to him, Lu Song's eyes were red. Throughout the years, the two of them were often derided by fellow Sect members because of the incident with the iron spear. They had often wished to go seek Meng Hao to exact revenge. However, the State of Zhao had disappeared, presumably Meng Hao along with it. They had never imagined that they would encounter him this day. Thoughts of vengeance immediately filled their hearts.

Wang Tengfei also took a step forward, his face filled with murder. "Meng Hao, I already loathed you back in the State of Zhao. You had better provide an explanation about what happened with Chu Yuyan…." Wang Tengfei felt as if he were an object of laughter among the entire current generation of Cultivators of the Southern Domain. It was something he couldn't accept. He wanted to slay Meng Hao where he stood.

"What a lively scene, Brother Meng," came a voice from within the Black Sieve Sect disciples. It was Han Bei. "I never imagined I would find you here. So many interesting stories." She sighed. "Don't forget the deal you and I made." She covered her mouth and laughed, winking at Meng Hao. Her words made the audience's eyes glitter even more brightly.

Meng Hao's appearance seemed to be provoking the interest of one person after another. As of now, all the people who had never heard of him before were becoming intensely interested in the proceedings.

A buzz of conversation filled the air. One voice rose up from within the Blood Demon Sect. It was Li Shiqi. "Fellow Daoist Meng Hao, you really do have a lot of interesting stories to tell! However, I'm curious about what happened to that annoying hat of yours?" It was hard to tell what she was thinking, but her eyes shone with interest.

Chen Fen stood gaping. He took a deep breath as he gazed at Meng Hao, an indescribable admiration growing in his eyes. Fatty looked at Meng Hao excitedly. It seemed that no matter where Meng Hao went, he would attract attention.

It was the same back in the Reliance Sect as it was right here and now.

"No wonder he's the Elder Brother!" thought Fatty, taking a deep breath. His admiration for Meng Hao had reached such heights that he wanted to fall to his knees and bow down.

Meng Hao gave a dry cough and continued to smile bitterly. He really did feel a bit guilty. However, before he could respond to anyone, ten beams of light suddenly appeared off in the distance. It was none other than the Li Clan.

As of now, all five great Sects and the two other great Clans had arrived.

In the middle of the Li Clan people was Li Daoyi 1. His arm had long since been replaced by the Li Clan. He was a Dao Child, so he couldn't marry into the Song Clan. He had obviously not come because of the Song Clan's search for a husband, but rather for some other reason. However, as soon as the Li Clan people touched down into the square, his eyes fell upon Meng Hao.

As soon as they did, he gaped. Almost immediately, his Cultivation base rippled with power, and the aura of the great circle of late Foundation Establishment filled the square.

"So, you finally appear!!" he said grimly, taking a step toward Meng Hao. Fierce killing intent emanated from his eyes. It was obvious to everyone that there was some big secret between him and Meng Hao that he wasn't willing to talk about. Of course, their fight in the Blood Immortal Legacy tournament had given birth to enormous enmity that could only be wiped away by death.

To suddenly find Meng Hao here caused Li Daoyi's killing intent to explode outward.

Everyone else in the square who didn't know Meng Hao were now clamoring in excitement and shock at what was happening.

"First it was the matter with Chu Yuyan and then Wang Tengfei's murderous intentions. Then something about the Violet Fate Sect and an iron spear. After that, some agreement between him and Han Bei from the Black Sieve Sect! Next, Li Shiqi from the Blood Demon Sect!! And finally… he's provoked killing intent from the Dao Child of the Li Clan!!"

"How can this guy have gotten involved in so many situations? He seems to have provoked everybody! How come we've never heard of him before?"

"What's going on…? His name is Meng Hao, huh? It seems like he really has the ability to piss people off…."

"Of the five Sects and three Clans, the only ones who aren't involved are the Solitary Sword Sect and the Song Clan. He arrived with the Solitary Sword Sect, so he must not have any issues with them. But what about the Song Clan? He's so good at pissing people off, I wonder if he had any issues with them?"

Amidst the buzz of conversation that filled the square, Fatty let out a roar and charged up to Meng Hao's side, his face filled with excitement.

"Meng Hao, I've missed you to death!" he said. He hugged Meng Hao, tears streaming down his face. Years had passed, and he had grown up quite a bit. He was now much stouter than before.

Meng Hao smiled, although the smile was somewhat bitter. Everything that was happening was actually because of Fatty….

"Meng Hao! You WILL give me an explanation!" Wang Tengfei's face was extremely grim as he stared at Meng Hao. Wang Tengfei felt as if he were wearing an enormous green hat 2, which filled his heart with indescribable humiliation. He took another step toward Meng Hao.

Li Daoyi also took a step forward. "You still haven't provided an explanation for what happened that day. Now that you're here, you have an opportunity to speak."

"Damn you, Meng Hao, we will resolve our enmity this day!" Qian Shuihen and Lu Song both began to walk toward him.

It seemed chaos would break out at any moment. Meng Hao's eyes glittered. Fatty spun and let out a roar.

"Meng Hao is my brother! Who dares to attack him?!" Hearing this, the Golden Frost Sect disciples exchanged glances and then strode over to stand next to Fatty. The big man from before simply shook his head, choosing not to say anything.

Fatty's sudden appearance next to Meng Hao caused Wang Tengfei to frown.

Chen Fan strode forward. "Meng Hao is my little Junior Brother. Fellow Daoists, if you insist on acting this way, then I, Chen Fan, must also take my stand." Suddenly, his flying dagger appeared.

The addition of Chen Fan caused Qian and Lu from the Violet Fate Sect to hesitate.

Han Bei moved forward with a laugh. "Brother Meng, considering our friendship, how could I not join you as well?"

Without a single word, Wang Youcai stood up in the midst of the Blood Demon Sect Cultivators and walked over to stand next to Meng Hao.

Li Shiqi's cold voice rang out next. "Your hat is incredibly annoying. However, for the sake of my Junior Brother Wang Youcai, the Blood Demon Sect will also stand by you. Let's see who dares to touch you this day."

The crowd of people surrounding Meng Hao caused Li Daoyi's brow to furrow. It was a delicate situation. In actuality, there could not be any killing on this day and place, considering they were in the Song Clan.

Also, he had never imagined Meng Hao would have so many powerful connections. The Golden Frost Sect. The Solitary Sword Sect. The Blood Demon Sect. The Black Sieve Sect. People from all of these Sects supported him.

Wang Tengfei's eyes shone with a cold light as he glared murderously at Meng Hao. Shock filled his heart. How could he ever have predicted that this former disciple of the Reliance Sect could have accumulated such influence?

There was Chen Fan and Li Fugui. Add to that Han Bei from the Black Sieve Sect and Li Shiqi from the Blood Demon Sect. Who knew why they all supported him, but without uttering a single word, Meng Hao had suddenly made it impossible for anyone to attack him.

Qian Shuihen and Lu Song were suddenly very nervous. They, too, could never have imagined that after all these years, Meng Hao would reappear in such a fashion, with such connections.

The entire square grew silent, and it was at this moment than an impatient voice suddenly could be heard from off in the distance.

"What are you kids up to? What's riled everyone up? Everybody simmer down! The Song Clan is throwing a feast to search for a husband, why is everyone stirring up trouble?!" The voice belonged to Eccentric Song, who was accompanied by the eccentric members of the other Sects and Clans.

Smiles covered their faces, and they obviously didn't care about what was happening.

The appearance of the old-timers caused the tension in the square to begin to dissipate. Everyone began to return to their original positions. As they did, Meng Hao lowered his head and began to walk away with Chen Fan. Suddenly, Eccentric Song's eyes fell upon Meng Hao.

"Hold on!" he said.

Meng Hao froze, sighing inwardly. With a silent, bitter laugh, he turned to face Eccentric Song. His mind spun as he tried to think of a way out of the situation. He placed his hand on his bag of holding. If necessary, he would try to use the good luck charm to escape.

"Kid, why do you look so familiar…?" Eccentric Song's brow furrowed.

"Elder Song, sir," cried Lu Song, "this is the person from the State of Zhao with the iron spear!!"

As soon as he heard the word, Eccentric Song's eyes went wide. He stared at Meng Hao.

"So, it's you, you little brat!!"

When they heard the words, the surrounding Cultivators gasped. Previously they thought that the Song Clan was the only one Meng Hao hadn't offended. One and all looked at Meng Hao with admiration in their eyes.

Meng Hao hadn't managed to offend someone from the junior generation of the Song Clan, but instead, a Nascent Soul eccentric!

Meng Hao smiled, clasping his hands and bowing toward Eccentric Song.

"Meng Hao of the junior generation extends greetings to Master Song of the elder generation. Senior, your Cultivation Base is extraordinary, your demeanor Heavenly in nature. That year, I of the junior generation, was ignorant and foolish. Senior, you have noble character and sterling integrity, I truly hope that on this joyous occasion for the Song Clan, you will not cause difficulties for the junior generation."

Eccentric Song gave Meng Hao a long, meaningful look. Although he didn't say anything, sometimes, you can speak volumes without saying a single word. Wang Tengfei's eyes glittered, and he took another step toward Meng Hao.

"Elder Song," he said. "There is enmity between I of the junior generation and this person. He humiliated my intended beloved. In the presence of all the various Fellow Daoists, I implore you to permit me to put an end to the enmity this day!"

Meanwhile, in the towering castle in the Song Clan capital city, Song Jia was looking at a glittering screen upon which played out the scene from down below.

A smile covered her face, and it seemed she was paying close attention to Meng Hao's scholarly figure.

"What an interesting person," she said with a laugh. "How could he possibly have offended so many people, even Uncle?"

The middle-aged woman standing next to her also laughed, and a warm expression appeared on her face. "Why, have you taken a fancy to him?"

This chapter was sponsored by TF

1. Li Daoyi's last appearance was in Chapter 134: Eighth Demon Sealing Hex!

2. As I mentioned in a previous footnote, the green hat is a symbol in Chinese culture which implies you're being cheated on. More information here

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Chapter 190: Respected Senior

"No," said Song Jia quickly, her face reddening a bit. She was innately beautiful, and had a tender personality.

The woman next to her laughed, looking at her lovingly. She didn't say anything.

Her voice light, Song Jia continued, "I just think he's interesting. He offended so many people, and yet so many people are willing to stand by his side. Also, he doesn't really look like a Cultivator. He looks more like a scholar."

The middle-aged woman laughed again, and her expression grew even more gentle. She lifted her right hand, and a flaming jade slip appeared. It burned into nothing, and suddenly, a slight tremble ran through all of the mountains in the Song Clan. The tremble was so minor that anyone under the Nascent Soul stage wouldn't notice it. Up in the dark sky, the moon shimmered.

Within the moon, countless magical symbols appeared that seemed to be deducing matters pertaining to both the past and the future. After a long moment, they faded away. It was then that in front of the middle-aged woman, time seemed to move in reverse. The jade slip seemed to un-burn as it reappeared in front of her.

Song Jia watched this happen, not with surprise, but with anticipation.

"Alright," said the woman, pressing her finger onto the jade slip. "Let me take a look at the past of this person you find so interesting."

As soon as she pushed down on the jade slip, it projected a screen into the air. On it could be seen a small county, and a boy sitting next to a window. He was reading a scroll by lamplight.

As he read, he slowly shook his head and fanned himself with a feather fan. It was obviously summer.

The boy was none other than Meng Hao.

The screen flickered, and Meng Hao was now wearing a neat, clean scholar's robe. He walked out of his house and stood up against a nearby wall, looking a bit shifty-eyed. Soon, a sedan emerged from the courtyard opposite him. He craned his neck to look at it, an excited expression on his face. 1

The screen shimmered, and now Meng Hao stood on top of Mount Daqing. He sighed and tossed a gourd bottle down into the river. 2

Next, he was in the Reliance Sect, holding aloft a medicinal pill, face filled with anxiety as he gave the pill away. 3

When Song Jia saw this, she laughed out loud. The middle-aged woman smiled and shook her head.

The next image was of Meng Hao's shop on the plateau, and his shy, bashful smile as he sold medicinal pills at exorbitant rates 4 There were many images from that time, but they suddenly flashed by quickly, making it difficult to make everything out quickly. The middle-aged woman frowned, seemingly lost in thought.

The next image that Song Jia saw was that of Eccentric Song on the mountaintop and Meng Hao running along with the iron spear. She saw Meng Hao in the city of Cultivators and the deal he made with Lu and Song for the spear. After that were all the bloody events that resulted.

Song Jia couldn't stop laughing. "This Meng Hao is awful… he's nothing like a scholar!" She continued to watch, her laughter causing her eyes to look like two crescent moons.

The images again became somewhat blurry. By this time, he was in the Southern Domain. However, in this instant, the jade slip suddenly begun to crumble into pieces. In the blink of an eye, it was covered with cracks. A woman's cold snort could be heard from very far off in the distance. It filled, not only the room, but the entire Song Clan.

The middle-aged woman's face filled with shock, and she coughed up a mouthful of blood. She grabbed the astonished Song Jia and staggered backward several paces, a look of disbelief covering her face.

All of the mountains within the Song Clan began to tremble. As they did, the moon in the sky above the Song Clan suddenly exploded with a blinding light. It was a flash that instantly began to tremble and darken, as if it were being forcefully suppressed by someone.

At this same moment, the seemingly endless mountains of the Song Clan continued to tremble and then… one by one, the mountains suddenly sank down an entire inch, as if they were being pushed down by some incredible force.

That inch seemed to be a warning, some demonstration of power by… someone. This person seemed to be saying that if they wished, they could wipe out the entire Song Clan mountain range.

At the same time, all of the Nascent Soul Cultivators began to tremble and spit up blood. Deep within the Song Clan mountains, near the location of their Dao Reserves, a roaring sound rose up. It didn't disseminate outward, and only certain people could sense it.

In the deepest, most remote location within the Song Clan mountains, was a stone pillar. Atop the pillar was a corpse, or rather, half of a corpse. The bottom half was nowhere to be seen. The corpse's eyes suddenly snapped opened, whereupon the aura of the peak Dao Seeking stage exploded out. The corpse trembled, as if it couldn't stand up to the immense power which was bearing down upon the Song Clan.

"Respected Senior, calm your anger. The Song Clan of the Southern Domain is at fault…."

"If you know you are at fault, then correct it," came the transmitted voice of a woman. She was clearly irritated. "Your Song Clan has the tradition of marrying daughters? I suggest she be a maidservant."

The corpse hesitated. "Respected senior…."

"What was that? You know, the Song Clan of the Eastern Lands desire this honor but are unable to achieve it. Do you truly dare to refuse me?" As the woman's voice transmitted out, the entire Song Clan mountains suddenly shook, and sank down three more inches.

Without hesitation, the corpse said, "Respected senior, we shall do as you bid!"

The woman's voice faded away. At the same moment, back in the capital city, Song Jia's face was pale white. Next to her, her mother panted, and blood oozed out from her mouth.

"Jia'er, this person cannot be provoked. This person is…." Before she could finish speaking, her body began to shake. It seemed as if Divine Sense were transmitting into her mind. She didn't continue speaking, and eventually, looked at pale-faced Song Jia, a complex expression on her face.

Everything that had just happened in the Song Clan did not go unnoticed by Meng Hao and everyone else. The ground shaking caused everyone's faces to flicker, especially the Nascent Soul eccentrics.

Eccentric Song's body trembled, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood. His body continued to tremble, and he coughed up a second mouthful of blood, then a third. In the end, he coughed up a total of seven mouthfuls of blood. He staggered, his face pale and filled with astonishment.

He was the only one in the entire Song Clan who coughed up seven mouthfuls of blood.

It was at this moment that the illusory image of a woman appeared in the square, although no one could see it. She stood there, invisible to everyone except for the Song Clan's most powerful Dao Reserve, the peak Dao Seeking corpse. Only he could sense her rippling aura as she arrived at the Song Clan square.

From the moment she appeared, her eyes were riveted on Meng Hao. They were filled with kindness, tender affection, and love.

After a long moment passed, the situation in the square returned to normal. Everyone was shocked, causing a deathly silence to fill the air. The Nascent Soul Cultivators looked around pale faced.

Eccentric Song's face was deathly white; he was scared nearly witless. He wasn't sure what had just happened, nor did he know that the entirety of the Song Clan had been shaken just now.

Panting, he wiped the blood from his mouth. Suddenly, his body shook as a voice filled his mind. The voice filled him with veneration; it was none other than the Spirit Severing stage Patriarch of the Song Clan.

It was clearly a transmission of Divine Will from the Spirit Severing Patriarch, who was passing along the orders of the Dao Reserve corpse. All of the Nascent Soul Cultivators of the Song Clan received the same message.

"Meng Hao is not to be provoked!"

Amidst the silence that covered the square, Wang Tengfei's voice sounded out. "Meng Hao, you don't have the qualifications to refuse a battle with me today!" He leaped up and began to stride toward Meng Hao, his Cultivation base erupting with power. Power exceeding the early Foundation Establishment stage soared higher and higher. It turned out Wang Tengfei's Dao Pillars hummed with the energy of the mid Foundation Establishment stage.

Meng Hao's eyes flickered as he watched Wang Tengfei approach. Wang Tengfei's right hand lifted up; black tendrils rose up and circulated around his finger. His eyes were calm.

"In the Reliance Sect of the State of Zhao, you stole my belongings and wrested away my position in the Inner Sect. In the Southern Domain, you insulted me. Do you really think you qualify to be the archenemy of Wang Tengfei?" His hair whipped madly around his head and a mysterious black glow began to emanate from his poison finger. You don't deserve to be Wang Tengfei's archenemy. You were an insect back then, and you're still an insect today! Today, you shall be a blood sacrifice to my poison finger!" Wang Tengfei's words echoed throughout the square.

"Are you finished?" said Meng Hao coolly. He strode forward, lifting his right hand and striking it out. The power of his four perfect Dao Pillars congealed into the palm. Not a strand leaked out. A roaring filled the air as he struck toward Wang Tengfei.

As the boom filled the square, the surrounding Cultivators watched, completely focused on what was happening. Only Han Bei and Li Shiqi, as well as Chen Fan, looked with strange expressions toward the blustering Wang Tengfei.

Fatty looked extremely nervous. The large man from the Golden Frost Sect was holding him back, otherwise he would have joined Meng Hao to fight.

Amidst the roaring boom, Wang Tengfei tumbled backward, blood spraying from his mouth. The palm blow just now had actually not been a level strike, but a slap. The sound of the slap rang out as some of Wang Tengfei's teeth shattered. He flopped backward, an expression of shock on his face.

"Impossible…."

Meng Hao strode forward after him, striking with his hand again. A boom sounded out, and more blood sprayed from Wang Tengfei's mouth. This time, the slap struck the other side of his face.

"Impossible!" Wang Tengfei's face was pale, and his eyes filled, not with confusion, but frenzied rage. He was no longer shocked or frightened. His humiliation washed away everything. He stared murderously at Meng Hao and then howled.

At the same time, Wang Xifan began to move forward, as did the frowning old Nascent Soul Cultivator from the Wang Clan.

But then, Eccentric Song's eyes flickered. A look of discomfort and even disbelief covered his face as he reached out to prevent both of them from doing anything.

1. In case you forgot about the sedan scenario, it was eluded to in Chapter 45: A Look Back at the Mortal World after Three Years

2. The scene from Mount Daqing was obviously in Chapter 1: Scholar Meng Hao

3. The scene of giving away the medicinal pill was from Chapter 5: This Kid isn't Bad

4. Meng Hao's business schemes were in Chapter 11: Pill Cultivation Workshop Outlet as well as subsequent chapters

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

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Chapter 191: Defeat after Defeat!

The Wang Clan Nascent Soul Cultivator turned his head and stared at Eccentric Song. Meng Hao continued to stride toward the retreating Wang Tengfei. He lifted his hand and grabbed Wang Tengfei's index finger.

"So, this is the finger I decimated that time," he said coolly. Wang Tengfei's eyes flashed with hatred, as well as pleasant surprise.

He had developed this poison finger at great cost. He could have re-grown a normal finger, but had instead mastered perseverance and endured the pain necessary to grow a poison finger.

In his estimation, it was a metamorphosis. He had reached this conclusion in a flash of enlightenment; he would take his defeat and transform it into brilliant glory.

The pain had caused him no small amount of torment, but he had suffered through it and created a poison finger which was like a personal precious treasure.

Wang Tengfei knew that all people will endure setbacks in their lives. However, to transform a setback into a treasure can make life truly glorious.

Maybe he was right, but sometimes, fate can be cruel. Today… he ran into Meng Hao.

There were some things that Meng Hao didn't do intentionally. Like it or not, though, the three-colored Resurrection Lily not only made him immune to all other poisons, it also made his body hyper-toxic.

When Wang Tengfei saw Meng Hao grab his poison finger, he began to laugh. The laugh contained both hatred and carefree cheer. He could just imagine how Meng Hao, in mere moments, would begin to wither up and then transform into a pool of blood.

However, even as his laughter began to ring out, it screeched to a sudden stop. A look of absolute disbelief appeared on his face. His finger disappeared within Meng Hao's hand, and then after the space of a few breaths, a popping sound could be heard. A black mist appeared that seemed to be sentient, it trembled, as if it didn't dare to near Meng Hao.

Meng Hao loosened his grip. Wang Tengfei's entire body shook, and blood sprayed from his mouth. He staggered backward, gazing numbly at the space his index finger had once occupied. He suddenly thought back to the scene from seven or eight years ago, when he had been defeated. He had always thought that he was Chosen, and his opponent was a mere insect. His defeat before had been an accident, and now he had reached Foundation Establishment. His opponent was far beneath him.

But today….

"You're right, you and I aren't archenemies," said Meng Hao indifferently. He had a bit of that same old bashfulness in his expression as he looked at pale-faced Wang Tengfei. "That term is too meaningful. It doesn't suit our relationship." He made no attempt to kill Wang Tengfei. It's not that killing him wasn't worth it, but rather, to kill him in this situation would cause too many complications.

The most important point in the whole thing was that Meng Hao always seemed to end up with the things that belonged to Wang Tengfei. It left him with a strange feeling that suddenly made him even less willing to kill him.

Everything surrounding them was quiet. The invisible woman was gazing tenderly toward Meng Hao. A smile appeared on her face, and when she saw Meng Hao dissolve the poison finger, it transformed into a look of love.

Seeing Meng Hao's shy smile, the woman laughed and shook her head. The loving look grew even stronger.

"This kid has always been a player…." the woman said quietly. "He just can't help but make girls like him." She glanced at Han Bei and then Li Shiqi, as if she were sizing them up as potential daughters-in-law.

"The Han Clan bloodline… not up to standard. She won't do. As for this other one… she seems interesting. She's powerful enough, at least."

Smiling shyly, Meng Hao returned to his place beside Chen Fan. Fatty ran over, giving Meng Hao a wink.

His face pale, Wang Tengfei wordlessly returned to his spot next to Wang Xifan. He laughed bitterly, seemingly having lost any will to fight. Wang Xifan said nothing. He looked over at Meng Hao, his eyes radiating killing intent.

Meng Hao looked up, his eyes locking onto Wang Xifan. When their gazes met, Meng Hao thought back to that year when he sat on top of the East Mountain in the Reliance Sect. Today, however, he was not someone who Wang Xifan could kill with a single glance.

"I wonder if I'll be able to fight against the Core Formation stage after I form my ninth Perfect Dao Pillar!?" He had been wondering this for some while. After seeing the incredible power of his Perfect Dao Pillars, it caused him to feel even more anticipation for the Perfect Core. In addition, he truly wanted to know if he could battle against the Core Formation stage while he was still in Foundation Establishment!

He wasn't sure. But as of this day, Wang Xifan was someone who Meng Hao decided must be killed.

Seeing the coldness in Meng Hao's eyes, Wang Xifan's killing intent grew more intense. He had the feeling that if he didn't kill Meng Hao soon, he might lose his chance to do so.

"This Meng Hao is progressing too rapidly…." Wang Xifan had to admit he had overlooked Meng Hao.

It was at this time that the sound of bells rang out, filling the capital city. Suddenly, multicolored beams of light filled the sky. The entire Song Clan passed from night into morning.

In the outside world, it was now night. As the change occurred, the spiritual energy within the Song Clan suddenly grew thicker. However, other than the members of the Song Clan, no one was able to absorb it through breathing exercises. Except for… Meng Hao. His eyes glittered. He actually didn't need to do anything to absorb the spiritual energy; it naturally drifted into his body strand by strand, slowly replenishing his four Perfect Dao Pillars. In addition to restoring his nearly empty four Dao Pillars, it was causing the outline of his fifth Dao Pillar to appear.

Of course, it wouldn't be possible to completely solidify the fifth Dao Pillar. That couldn't happen in a short amount of time. Perhaps if he stayed in the Song Clan for a long period of time, it would.

The bells rang out, and the moon and sun alternated their positions. As day and night mixed together, a colorful glow appeared in the air. Suddenly, three figures emerged from the glowing light.

As this happened, numerous members of the Song Clan looked up at the multicolored glow with looks of veneration. This in turn caused the Cultivators from the other Sects and Clans to look up as well.

The three figures gradually grew distinct. They seemed to be solidifying out of nothing. One was an old man who wore white robes. His smiling face did not reveal the slightest bit of panic because of the events which had just occurred in the Song Clan.

Next to the old man were two middle-aged men. They were handsome, and had profound Cultivation bases.

The old man said, "I am so grateful that all of you could join the Song Clan in our search for a son-in-law! Please, let's begin!" He laughed heartily, and then waved his right hand. The entire square trembled, and countless banquet tables appeared out of thin air. Simultaneously, time seemed to swirl about them, and suddenly they were no longer in the square or even the Song Clan, but floating somewhere up in the sky.

They were surrounded by clouds, and everything looked celestial in nature. Maidservants appeared, their features indistinct, but their figures graceful. They danced and flew about as they reverently placed alcohol and Spirit Fruits onto the tables.

The sound of wind, flowing waters, and birdcalls filled the air. It all seemed extremely graceful and elegant. Neither Meng Hao nor any of the other Foundation Establishment Cultivators had ever seen anything like this before. Some people looked around, others stared at the maidservants.

The Nascent Soul Cultivators who led the various Sects and Clans broke out in smiles and words of admiration. "Elder Song Tian's Cultivation base is profound 1. This cosmic time shifting truly is of the highest degree of perfection."

The old man was none other than Patriarch Song Tian of the Song Clan. According to the rumors, he had long since reached the Spirit Severing stage. However, it was really impossible for anyone to tell for sure, or even ascertain any clues.

Song Tian laughed and then sat down cross-legged, followed by the two middle-aged men who accompanied him.

The Wang Clan Nascent Soul Cultivator flicked his sleeve. Grim faced, he sat down next to Song Tian, glaring at Eccentric Song. Obviously, he was still brooding at the fact that he had been obstructed by Eccentric Song earlier.

Meng Hao sat at one of the banquet tables next to Fatty. Now that Meng Hao was here, Fatty refused to sit with the Golden Frost Sect, instead demanding to sit next to Meng Hao. He chatted energetically about his experiences in the Golden Frost Sect. He seemed exactly the same as he had been back in the Reliance Sect. Occasionally he would pull out a Spirit Stone and crunch it to pieces between his teeth.

Suddenly, Fatty pulled out what was clearly an extraordinary flying sword. It glittered brightly as he began to use it to grind his teeth.

"One of my friends in the Sect gave me this sword to protect myself," he said. "But when I grind my teeth with it, it doesn't feel very good. If you want it, it's yours." He handed the sword toward Meng Hao.

It just so happened to be covered with Fatty's saliva….

Meng Hao hesitated. Next to Fatty, Zhou Daya's eyes went wide. "Little Patriarch," he said, "that sword is a magical Legacy weapon of the Nineteenth Bloodline…."

"So annoying! A magical weapon is a magical weapon. Ah, never mind. I guess I can't give this one to you. But I have some other things." He pulled out another large magical weapon, whose bright glow instantly attracted quite a bit of attention.

"Do you like this one?" said Fatty, looking pleased. His expression caused Meng Hao to smile.

Chen Fan sighed, looking enviously at Fatty. He knew how important Fatty was to the Golden Frost Sect. He could only shake his head.

Han Bei drifted over in her men's clothing. She smiled lightly at Fatty.

"Fellow Daoist Li, would you mind scooting aside? I'd really like to sit here."

Fatty stared at Han Bei and then looked at Meng Hao. Lowering his voice, he said, "Meng Hao, this chick has pretty good skin. Between her and Chu Yuyan, who do you think is better?"

Meng Hao lifted his glass to his lips and took a sip of alcohol, then cleared his throat.

Fatty laughed loudly, then moved over to make room for Han Bei. She sat down, clearly not offended at all by Fatty. She looked at Meng Hao, blinked, and then laughed.

She slid a bit closer to him, and then gently whispered into his ear, "Brother Meng, how exactly are you going to thank me for the matter regarding Xu Qing?"

This chapter was sponsored by Hein Haugeberg

1. Song Tian's name in Chinese is 宋天 sòng tiān – Song is a common family name. Tian means "heaven" or "day"

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Chapter 192: Games with Han Bei

"Fellow Daoist Han, what exactly do you mean?" replied Meng Hao, his expression the same as ever. Despite his calm exterior, his heart trembled. He turned to look at Han Bei, and their eyes met. She was clearly watching him closely, feeling him out.

If Meng Hao's expression changed even the slightest, Han Bei would noticed. That, of course, was why she had moved so close to him.

Han Bei was a schemer, which Meng Hao had come to understand very clearly in the Black Sieve Sect's Blessed Land. In fact, he hadn't encountered anyone among his peers who could come close to her in terms of plotting.

"Brother Meng," she said with a charming smile, "there's no need to ask questions you already know the answer to. Junior Sister Xu was a member of the Reliance Sect in the State of Zhao, and so were you." Coupled with her men's clothing, her sweet tone made her even more alluring.

"Oh?" replied Meng Hao, looking at her with a vague smile.

His expression caused her to start momentarily. Then she frowned, and she suddenly began to feel nervous at heart.

"Brother Meng, it was for your sake that I helped out Junior Sister Xu on multiple occasions. Were it not for my interference, she would have fallen under a lot of suspicion. Thankfully, I have a lot of influence in the Sect, so she wasn't implicated when you took Ultimate Vexation." She smiled. "So, how do you plan to repay me?"

Her smile was beautiful, but her eyes flickered with craftiness. Despite her charming appearance, Meng Hao knew the profound depth of her scheming nature, which was impossible to tell from her expression. He would never forget how she had repeatedly called out to her "Xie, dear" that day, only to then exterminate him in an instant. The scene played out in Meng Hao's mind.

She leaned a bit closer to Meng Hao. From the perspective of anyone looking at them, it would definitely seem they were on quite intimate terms.

"Fellow Daoist Han," he said coolly, "aren't you worried about being seen so close to me? What if the Black Sieve Sect starts to suspect something? I imagine that they're looking for me right now. After today, they'll definitely send people after me." His words seemed casual, but he was in fact attempting to feel her out.

"Brother Meng, you can just directly ask me what you want to know. There's no need to try to feel me out." She chuckled, looking at him. She breathed out slowly, and her breath brushed across him, carrying with it the aroma of orchids. Meng Hao frowned and edged away from her a bit.

Seeing him move away, Han Bei smiled thoughtfully. She moved closer to him yet again. A delicate fragrance wafted off of her.

Meng Hao frowned, and edged away even further. Han Bei let out a soft laugh that carried a bit of derision with it.

"The Black Sieve Sect is indeed looking for you. Don't worry, though. The other Sects don't have any idea. The search for you is being done in secret. You do need to be careful though…." She smiled and, finally seeming to think she was a bit too close, to Meng Hao, moved a bit further away. Suddenly, Meng Hao's hand snaked out and wrapped around her supple waist. He pulled her close to him.

"How exactly did you want me to thank you?" he said. "You tell me." He was so close to her that she could feel him breathing. They looked into each other's eyes, and though their expressions both seemed warm, they were clearly locked in a combat of scheming.

Han Bei suddenly looked a bit flustered. She had never anticipated that Meng Hao would do something like this. She recovered her composure quickly, however, and then her eyes shined with an unruly beauty.

"It's simple," she said gently. "Give me the jade page you took from within the square cauldron. I want the entire thing. That's all." Her body suddenly twisted imperceptibly, and she pulled away from Meng Hao and stood up.

"Brother Meng, think about it carefully," she said with a smile.

Meng Hao looked back at her with a vague smile. He didn't say anything, but after a moment lifted his hand to his bag of holding to produce a jade slip. He tossed it toward her.

She frowned. This was just an ordinary jade slip, not the jade page that she wanted. However, she also knew that Meng Hao was deeply skilled in scheming, and wasn't someone she could easily trifle with. She accepted the jade slip, scanning it with Spiritual Sense. A strange expression flickered across her face before it returned to normal. She gave Meng Hao a deep look, and then a wide smile once again appeared on her face. She nodded, then turned and headed back toward where the Black Sieve Sect was seated.

Meng Hao lifted his glass and took a sip of alcohol. The only thing on the jade slip was an image of her killing Xie Jie, which Meng Hao had secretly recorded that day.

Actually, even if Han Bei hadn't come looking for him, he would have thought of a way to get in touch with her. He had prepared the jade slip as a way to get information, and also as a bit of insurance.

Fatty watched Han Bei leave, then started peppering Meng Hao with questions. Chen Fan looked at Meng Hao admiringly. He suddenly realized that considering his Junior Brothers skills, there was no need to attempt to arrange a marriage for him.

Some time passed. After a while, the sound of bells rang out, and the multicolored glow appeared once again. From within its midst emerged two people, one a man, the other a woman. The man was handsome, tall and slender, with eyes like lightning. He wore a white robe and had long black hair that gave him a sort of demonic beauty. He smiled toward everyone and raised clasped hands in greeting.

"It's the Song Clan Dao Child, Song Yunshu!!" 1

"Song Yunshu has an extraordinary Cultivation base. As the Dao Child of the Song Clan, he is the number one figure amongst their Foundation Establishment experts…."

"The girl next to him is Song Jia. She's the girl the Song Clan is finding a husband for."

Meng Hao looked up, his gaze sweeping across the man and woman as they walked out from the multi-colored glow. Song Jia was petite and delicate. She had long hair and clear, fair skin. She exuded a gentle femininity, and had beautiful, bright eyes. Her eyes shone, not with the scheming of Han Bei, the admonishment of Li Shiqi, or the coldness of Xu Qing. Her eyes shone with gentleness.

Anyone who looked at Song Jia would be able to sense her purity and gentleness. She seemed like the type of girl who would never lose her temper.

She looked out at the crowd. The instant Meng Hao looked in her direction, their gazes locked for a moment.

Song Tian, who sat in the very front, laughed and called out, "The hour has arrived! From generation to generation, the Song Clan has practiced Cultivation without excessive formalities. We prefer simplicity. Heroes and talented individuals of the various Sects and Clans, welcome to the Song Clan. With the exception of those here to observe, all of you are here for the same reason. I won't waste time with further explanations." Even as his voice echoed out, he waved his right hand, and the clouds up ahead began to churn. In the blink of an eye, a massive vortex appeared, beyond which a strange world could be seen.

Within this world was a vast sea, in the middle of which was an enormous tree that rose up into the sky. The colossal tree was taller than even a mountain.

Thick vines wrapped around its trunk, snaking up with it toward the heavens.

The trunk was enormously large. At its top, limbs stretched out to form a shape almost like a mushroom. Vines hung down, some of them even reaching down into the sea. A wild wind whipped across the waters, giving rise to seething waves.

Up above in the sky, black clouds billowed, and lightning crashed. The sound of thunder echoed out.

The banquet of Cultivators was actually located in the clouds above this world.

With a laugh, Song Tian said, "At the top of this tree is the Cubic Pearl. Whoever is the first to acquire the pearl, will be the newest son-in-law of this generation of the Song Clan!" He looked out across the crowd, and then at Song Jia. His eyes glowed with the love of an elder for a junior. Then, his gaze fell upon Meng Hao. Just as quickly, he looked away.

Eccentric Song hadn't spoken during this entire time. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

Han Bei didn't move, but the Black Sieve Sect disciples who surrounded her seemed itching to go. They had come to the Song Clan for the sole purpose of winning a place as a son-in-law of the Song Clan. Success would mean instant benefit, not for the Sect, but for themselves.

It was hard to say who was first. Multiple figures leaped up and flew toward the cloud vortex and the sea below.

Li Daoyi didn't make a move. As a Dao Child, he had come only to observe. He obviously couldn't marry into the Song Clan. The rest of the Li Clansmen around him, though, were different. One by one, they flew toward the vortex.

Wang Tengfei sat there thoughtfully, hesitating. Wang Xifan held out a hand to bar his way. However, he had long since made his decision. He strode forward and then transformed into a colorful beam that shot toward the vortex.

His participation was different from that of the others. Looks of astonishment appeared on the faces of the Violet Fate Sect disciples, especially their Nascent Soul Cultivator. His eyes flickered. Next to him, the Wang Clan Nascent Soul Cultivator frowned.

Fatty gave a dry cough and looked at Meng Hao. Then, he flew up into the air. His Cultivation base wasn't at the Foundation Establishment stage yet, but he had a host of magical items. The rest of the Golden Frost Sect Cultivators flew up with him. Together, they charged toward the vortex.

As for Chen Fan and the others from the Solitary Sword Sect, they flew up one after another. So did the disciples of the Blood Demon Sect, including Wang Youcai. Li Shiqi sat there, her expression cool.

Meng Hao looked through the cloud vortex at the sprawling sea and the massive tree. His eyes narrowed, and he sat there thoughtfully for a moment. Then he stood, strode forward, and shot toward the vortex.

The invisible woman was still there. She watched Meng Hao disappearing into vortex. The tender love in her eyes grew stronger. Finally, she sighed.

"You must walk your path alone. Perhaps one day, you will find your way to us, and then you'll understand everything…. If you can't make it, then mother will wait for you to be reincarnated in the yellow springs of the underworld." Her voice was soft as she looked at Meng Hao. She closed her eyes, turned, and then disappeared. It was as if she had never been there to begin with.

Monstrous waves rolled across the surface of the sea, propelled by the screaming wind. It threatened to blow away all of the approaching Cultivators, making it incredibly difficult to even reach the gigantic tree.

Compared to the tree, they were like crickets or ants, tiny to the extreme.

Meng Hao looked down at the waters and his eyes narrowed. Beneath the massive waves, dark shadows could be seen swimming to and fro. A sense of danger welled up within him.

"The Song Clan's search for a son-in-law is a trial by fire," said the Song Clan Patriarch. "We don't want a bloody spectacle. If anyone feels the danger has become too extreme, you can forfeit with a single word and be instantly teleported out." His words echoed out across the sea. At the sound of his words the wind suddenly lessened, as if it didn't dare to interfere.

1. Song Yunshu's name in Chinese is 宋云书 sòng yún shū – Song, of course, is a family name. Yun means "cloud." Shu means "book"

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Chapter 193: The Flower Blooms at Dawn!

Above the sea and the enormous tree, was the endlessly roiling cloud vortex. Above the cloud vortex was the banquet set by the Song Clan in search of a son-in-law.

Currently the Song Clan Patriarch's voice was ringing out across the sea, and the invisible woman had vanished. Deep within the recesses of the Song Clan mountains was where their Dao Reserves were located.

The corpse, composed of half a body, emitted a mysterious glow from its eyes. Hesitation flickered within the glow.

"Just… just who was she? She seems to have the spirit of an Immortal, but yet is not qualified to be one…. She was looking toward that young man Meng Hao with deep love and affection. However, the object of her gaze was not Meng Hao, but… that Resurrection Lily inside of him!

"She said that he would come before them, and would understand everything. Why did those simple words cause my hair to stand on end…." The old man's eyes emanated an archaic light, and he sank into thoughtfulness. "She said that if he failed, she would wait for him to be reincarnated in the yellow springs of the underworld. How very logical. It seems she's accustomed to such things…. This is not something a Cultivator can do. There is no reincarnation in Cultivation. For a Cultivator to attempt to reincarnate is useless. Otherwise, why would the Rebirth Cave have appeared?

"Rebirth is possible, which means the ability to live another life. However, there is no such thing as reincarnation. In terms of reincarnation, this is only possible for… the legendary Resurrection Lily! The Resurrection Lily merges with a person as a form of reincarnation. This is why it's called a Resurrection Lily! Once the flower merges with a person, the person disappears, but the flower remains. However, things are never so absolute in this world. If the Resurrection Lily were to be tamed and consumed, Seven Colored Immortal Ascension is possible!"

This Song Clan Patriarch who had just recently revealed himself to the rest of the Song Clan suddenly flew up into the air. His eyes glittered as the indistinct image of the lower half of his body appeared. His hair whipped around his head as he kneeled atop the pillar.

"Immortal, your origin is full of mystery. The Song Clan has watched over the Southern Domain for generation after generation. Immortal, I beg you to clear up my confusion!" He bit down on his tongue and spit up some blood from his heart. The blood flew out and instantly disappeared. However, the Sun-Moon treasure in the sky above the Song Clan suddenly flickered, and a glow appeared that no outsider would be able to notice. It shot down through the mountains until it was directly in front of the old man.

It transformed into a partially transparent figure. It was impossible to tell whether it was male or female. It was blurry as if it were both there, and not there….

When the old corpse caught sight of the figure, an expression of veneration appeared on his face. He knew that this was the Spirit of the Clan treasure. This Spirit… was also an ancient Patriarch of the Song Clan. According to legend, after achieving Immortality, he had left behind a fragment of his Spirit here.

The figure lifted its hand and gently tapped the top of the old man's head.

The man's body trembled, and suddenly his eyes shone with disbelief. He looked up and watched as the illusory figure slowly disappeared. It was as if it had never been there.

The old corpse took a deep breath. "The flower blooms at dawn, and achieves Immortality on the day of vicissitude. The mother of the Resurrection Lily… the Dawn Immortal…. 1 This Meng Hao is too dangerous…." He was silent in thought for a moment. However, he gave no orders, nor did he do anything to reverse the words he had been forced to transmit earlier by the woman.

Meanwhile, in the roaring ocean beneath the cloud vortex, the wind screamed. The Cultivators who had entered this place numbered in the dozens. They circled the region of the enormous tree.

Whoever could break through the massive winds and actually reach the tree itself, would snatch the first place position in the race.

To be able to earn a place within the Song Clan would earn the right to practice Cultivation within the profound Clan regions. Almost all of the Cultivators present thirsted for such an opportunity. That was why they were here, and that was what they were fighting for.

Meng Hao, on the other hand, was not here for any supposed chance to marry into the Song Clan. Although this place was incredibly suitable for Cultivation, he wasn't the type to be inclined to depend on others. Unless he had an important purpose, he preferred to be like the sea and the sky, free to roam as he wished, alone.

For a man to roam under the heavens, enjoy the scenery, observe the beauty of the earth and the animals… that was what life meant to Meng Hao. His eyes glittered as he looked up at the massive tree in the distance. At its vast top existed a pearl.

The others didn't value the pearl itself, but rather, what it represented. Only Meng Hao cared about the former! Were it not for the pearl, Meng Hao wouldn't even be here.

"I hope that pearl can dispel my poison. If it can, I won't have to go through all the trouble of infiltrating the Violet Fate Sect."

Meng Hao's eyes flickered, and his heart trembled as he shot forward. He narrowed his eyes and stopped flying for a moment.

"So, I can absorb spiritual energy in this place too. Furthermore, it's even more dense here than outside. What big secret does the Song Clan have? How come the spiritual energy here is like that in the Blood Immortal Legacy zone? Why can I absorb it?" His eyes filled with thought, he once again shot forward at high speed. At the same time, he rotated his Cultivation base. His four Perfect Dao Pillars hummed, and his body became like a black hole. Immediately, the spiritual energy in the area began to rush toward him.

Meng Hao didn't suck it in with unbridled speed, but cautiously, gradually.

Off in the distance, Wang Tengfei's face was grim, his heart filled with bitterness and even a bit of insanity. Ever since he was young, he had been Chosen. Because of the blood of the Flying Rain Dragon which had fallen from the heavens, his path had been set as he grew up. It seemed he always had the same type of good fortune.

However… thanks to his brother Wang Lihai, he hadn't been able to become a Dao Child of the Wang Clan. All the focus gradually drifted further and further away from him. In fact, for his entire childhood, he had lived within the shadow of his brother.

He wanted to resist, to fight back. He wanted to exceed his brother. He wanted to prove that he was worthy to be Dao Child of the Wang Clan. Because of that, he had left the Clan and gone to the State of Zhao in search of the Flawless Foundation.

He knew that if he stayed in the Wang Clan, it would be difficult to rise to prominence.

Filled with idealism and aspiration, he went to the State of Zhao to find the Flawless Foundation and the legacy of the Flying Rain-Dragon. His plan was to return from the State of Zhao and then challenge his brother to battle.

However, everything had been ruined by Meng Hao. He had been defeated. Utterly and thoroughly. But he refused to give up. Thanks to Wang Xifan's encouragement, and the support of Chu Yuyan, he had emerged from the shadows with his poison finger.

In fact, it was only with the help of Chu Yuyan that he had achieved the Cracked Foundation that he had. When he had witnessed his brother die in the Blood Immortal Legacy tournament, it had suddenly felt as if the future were wide open. His extreme misfortune would finally give birth to a meteoric rise.

At that time, he believed that Wang Tengfei's life would finally be restored.

Except… subsequent events caught him completely unawares. To his astonishment, he found that Wang Lihai was not dead. The Wang Lihai that died in the Blood Immortal Legacy tournament was in fact a Dao Clone created by a Wang Clan patriarch.

Subsequently, the rumours of Chu Yuyan and the strange man spread like wildfire. It was something he simply could not tolerate. Yet even more unbelievable was how when he asked Chu Yuyan about it, she wouldn't respond.

It would be bad enough if that were all that he suffered. He could grit his teeth and endure. However, it was here in the Song Clan that he discovered the man who had been seen with Chu Yuyan was actually Meng Hao!

That had driven him crazy. He had gone all out in order to kill Meng Hao. However, that battle became the straw that broke the camel's back. That straw, that crushing defeat at the hands of Meng Hao, caused Wang Tengfei to laugh bitterly. His thinking, his temperament, his everything, all twisted and changed in that moment.

It pushed him toward the edge of insanity.

"I can do without the Wang Clan," he thought, his eyes filled with veins of blood, "and I can also cut off Chu Yuyan. I, Wang Tengfei, will tread my own path. I will take everything away from Meng Hao. I will snatch it all back!!" His body trembled with crazed fervor as he shot through the wind toward the tree.

Fatty plugged his nose against the wind as he floated in mid-air. Seven or eight Golden Frost Sect disciples formed a protective ring around him.

"The Sect Lord prohibited me from marrying into the Song Clan. But, I figured I would give it a shot anyway," he said. He popped a Spirit Stone into his mouth and crunched it to pieces.

The surrounding Golden Frost Sect disciples could only smile bitterly.

"Little Patriarch, you really shouldn't be doing this. Senior, what if you go berserk and then somehow become a son-in-law of the Song Clan? When we returned to the Sect, our punishment would be horrific…."

"That's right, Little Patriarch, think things over again… Think things over again…."

Fatty stared at them with wide-eyed, his expression one of disbelief. "But I'm already here," he said.

"Little Patriarch," said Zhou Daya hurriedly, "don't you know about all those Junior Sisters back in the Sect who have eyes for you? Plus, you have several official beloved assigned to you by the Sect Leader. They're all waiting for you…." He understood Fatty the most, and as soon as the words were out of his mouth, Fatty took a deep breath.

"Alright, forget it. Let's just go along to watch the fun."

At the same time as the Golden Frost Sect disciples were trying to dissuade Fatty from participating, off in the distance, Wang Youcai floated in mid-air looking thoughtful. A strange aura circulated around his body. He appeared to be around seventeen or eighteen years old, but also emanated an extremely anti-social air. He gazed toward the enormous tree, lost in thought.

He looked at Fatty, and then Meng Hao. Whenever Meng Hao looked back at him, however, he would avert his eyes.

Whatever had happened between him and Dong Hu, it seemed would remain a secret that only the two of them could understand. 2

The mournful, screaming wind whipped the sea into madness. The dark shadows which swam back and forth in its depths made this whole place seem incredibly awe-inspiring. Amidst the howling wind, everyone surged forward. The wind blasted against their faces as they shot toward the enormous tree.

This chapter was sponsored by Jeremy Holovacs, Daniel Pennell, Ross Hilton, and Daniel Dean

1. The Dawn Immortal was mentioned before in multiple previous chapters: Chapter 83: Patriarch, What About Disciple's Poison…?, Chapter 88: Lord Revelation's True Self, Chapter 94: You Really Want Me To Come Out?, Chapter 95: A Rain Shower, a Cold Spell, and Chapter 117: A Tiny Little Punishment

2. The relationship between Dong Hu and Wang Youcai is mentioned most recently in Chapter 71: Dong Hu and Chapter 72: A True Man

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Chapter 194: Will of the World Tree 1

It was impossible to fly very high in this place, because the wind speed increased with altitude. Meng Hao saw one Black Sieve Sect disciple who tried to fly up directly toward the top of the tree. Before he got too high, he screamed, and his body disappeared into a haze of blood and flesh.

The wind continued to pick up. It seemed as if it were filled with sharp blades, as well as a hard-to-describe pressure that made the three thousand meter area around the tree seem like a wall.

When Meng Hao entered the area, he felt the intense pressure pushing against him. The closer he got to the tree, the thicker the spiritual energy got. Of course, he could absorb it, and the closer he got, the more quickly he did so. His eyes shone brightly.

"Moving forward must be very difficult for everyone else, but for me, this place is like a holy land of Cultivation!" He looked up at the enormous tree in front of him, which stretched thousands of meters up into the sky. "Just exactly… what kind of tree is this?" He could sense that the spiritual energy in the place was not the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth, but rather, produced by the gigantic tree.

As all the Cultivators struggled their way toward the tree, up above the clouds in the sky, the members of the five Sects and three Clans watched on through the cloud vortex, eyes glittering.

They could see everything quite clearly.

Song Tian smiled. "Of all the heroes and Chosen of the various Sects and Clans that have come today, I wonder who will be the first to reach the tree?" The Nascent Soul eccentrics from the Sects and Clans all smiled.

"I'm afraid it's difficult to say. I never imagined that that Song Clan's search for a son-in-law would involve this treasured painting…."

"This tree must have been summoned by a will shard from the ancient World Tree. It was clearly painted by the ancient Daoist Grandmaster Shui Dongliu 2 when he gained enlightenment at the legendary location in which the World Tree destroyed itself. It is said that with sufficient enlightenment, the tree itself can be summoned. This is truly a precious treasure capable of summoning that which is ancient."

Han Bei sat off to the side, observing the Nascent Soul Cultivators and their discussion. She looked for a moment at Meng Hao in the cloud vortex. Her face was calm, giving not even the slightest clue as to what she was thinking.

Li Shiqi stared at the tree created by the will shard of the World Tree, lost in thought.

The Nascent Soul Cultivator from the Black Sieve Sect was a middle-aged man. "The World Tree's will shard is capable of releasing the legendary ancient Heaven-replacing spiritual energy," he said. "Unfortunately, it is useless to Cultivators, and will only be an obstacle to them. However, with a suitable Cultivation base, and sufficient enlightenment, the World Tree could be placed in that world. What a truly precious treasure! Eventually, it could be possible for this treasure to help these disciples make a breakthrough in their Cultivation base." As he gazed at the cloud vortex, his gaze lingered on Meng Hao.

He had noticed Meng Hao some time ago, of course, but had maintained his silence and done nothing.

"This tree is indeed a will shard of the World Tree. The painting is entitled Ancient Will of the World Tree. It was gifted to me by the Eighth Sea Lord of the Milky Way Sea when I was one thousand years old. I brought it out today for the purpose of helping these members of the younger generation gain enlightenment of ancient times, as well as to benefit all of you. This painting will not belong to me much longer." Song Tian laughed, shaking his head. "I intend to give this painting as a gift to whoever is the next son-in-law of this generation of the Song Clan."

This caused the other Nascent Soul Cultivators to stare wordlessly at the cloud vortex, their eyes shining brightly.

Suddenly, Eccentric Song, who sat several places down, laughed and said, "Patriarch, would it be appropriate for me to have a little wager with these Fellow Daoists in regards to who will reach the tree first?"

Elder Fan from the Solitary Sword Sect laughed heartily. He took a swig of alcohol and jeeringly said, "All of us will naturally bet on our own Sect's disciples. Elder Song, who will you bet on?"

"I bet on HIM!" said Eccentric Song, lifting his arm and pointing toward the cloud vortex at…

Meng Hao!

All of the Nascent Soul Cultivators followed the line created by Eccentric Song's fingers to look at Meng Hao. The eyes of the Nascent Soul Cultivator from the Black Sieve Sect sparkled.

The Wang Clan Nascent Soul Cultivator frowned.

Elder Fan from the Solitary Sword Sect laughed and gave Eccentric Song a meaningful look.

"Excellent, what are the stakes?" said the Nascent Soul Cultivator from the Blood Demon Sect, a withered old woman with a full head of silver hair. Her voice was raspy, like bones rubbing together. She smiled hypocritically.

"I put up this Soul Fruit!" he said. He flicked his sleeve and pressed his fingers down onto his forehead. After the space of a few breaths, the illusory image of a small, cross-legged figure emerged.

In the blink of an eye, the small figure coalesced into an object that looked like a Spirit Fruit. It emitted a delicate fragrance.

This was none other than a Soul Fruit, something that Nascent Soul Cultivators could congeal into being from their Nascent Soul, and could compare to heavenly materials and earthly treasures. Heaven and earth could produce Spirit Fruits, but to Nascent Soul Cultivators, their bodies were their own Heaven and Earth, and could naturally produce such fruits.

Soul Fruits are like good fortune from Heaven and Earth, and are the most precious treasures of Nascent Soul Cultivators.

Soul Fruits from others have replenishing powers, and to Nascent Soul Cultivators, are the most optimal source of healing and restoration.

Hearing Eccentric Song's words caused thoughtful expressions to appear on the faces of the other Nascent Soul Cultivators. Not much time passed before all of them coalesced Soul Fruits of their own. Soon, eight of them hovered together in mid-air.

Eight Soul Fruits. To any Nascent Soul Cultivator, such stakes would be incredibly tempting. All of the Cultivators pretended not to be moved, but inwardly, they shook with excitement. They gazed through the cloud vortex at the various disciples.

Song Tian smiled and did nothing to prevent the proceedings. Of the two men sitting next to him, one was meditating with eyes closed, the other was closely watching the Cultivators in the cloud vortex, his face grim.

The Song Clan Dao Child, Song Yunshu sat calmly near Patriarch Song Tian. He said nothing, just smiled. Within his eyes flickered an intense light.

Eccentric Song seemed enlivened. His eyes shone as he gazed at Meng Hao in the cloud vortex.

"Alright, boy," he thought, "I want to see the same skills you used that day in the State of Zhao. If you win, I'll gift you with one of these Soul Fruits as a reward." Because of what had happened in the State of Zhao, as well as various rumors he had heard in the Song Clan, Eccentric Song keenly anticipated Meng Hao's performance.

As the people above placed their bets, the dozens of Cultivators down by the enormous tree continued to forge ahead. Because of the pressure pushing against them, they couldn't move very quickly. But they continued forward nonetheless.

At the moment, the fastest of the group was Wang Tengfei. His eyes were red, and he moved forward recklessly. To him this was his only chance. If he joined the Song Clan, then he could start everything anew, and begin a new rise to prominence.

"Chu Yuyan, you slut. And you, Meng Hao! Just wait for me!" He ground his teeth as he pushed forward a few dozen meters.

After Wang Tengfei was Wang Youcai, who approached quietly. Behind him was a group of Cultivators including Chen Fan, who had taken the lead among them.

Fatty, with his entourage of protectors, moved along neither quickly nor slowly.

Meng Hao was obviously a bit behind. However, his expression was calm as he proceeded forward. Every so often, he would pause and cautiously suck in a bit of the thick spiritual energy around him.

Soon, an hour had passed. Wang Tengfei was only about thirty meters from the tree. Wang Youcai was roughly sixty meters away. Everyone else was about three hundred meters or closer. Up above in the clouds, Eccentric Song was getting nervous. Around him, the other Nascent Soul Cultivators began to smile.

Three hundred meters away, Meng Hao took a deep breath. He had been carefully absorbing spiritual energy the entire way. The effect was the same as consuming a handful of Sieve Earth Pills. Despite his caution, he was able to absorb more and more spiritual energy. Meng Hao's eyes suddenly glittered.

"This is a rare opportunity," he thought. "I might as well absorb all of it!" Determination filling his eyes he began to move forward. In that instant, a tremor ran through his body as he ceased to repress his four Perfect Dao Pillars. They began to rotate, and a buzzing sound echoed out within him. A massive vortex appeared around him.

The vortex instantly caused the surrounding spiritual energy to shoot toward him.

The water beneath him was whipped into a fury, and Meng Hao's very body seemed to distort and grow blurry. Mysterious spiritual energy screamed into him, and his speed suddenly increased dramatically.

It wasn't that he was aiming to increase his speed. However, as he moved forward, the spiritual energy grew more and more abundant. In the blink of an eye, he was not three hundred meters away from the tree, but two hundred fifty, then two hundred….

Meng Hao's Cultivation base was gradually increasing. The outline of his fifth Dao Pillar was now completely visible and rapidly congealing.

Meng Hao started to get excited. He took a deep breath and moved forward even faster. Considering he had decided to recklessly absorb the spiritual energy, there was no reason not to absorb all of it.

This was Meng Hao's personality. Even when he was a scholar, he had been like this. It was simply how he lived. Normally, he didn't like to cause a scene. But sometimes causing a scene was unavoidable. When it happened, he would go all out.

His fifth Dao Pillar coalesced and his Cultivation base continued to climb. His eyes began to glow brightly, and his aura grew more and more powerful!

In the space of a few breaths, he had rocketed forward until he was only ninety meters from the tree. His sudden blazing speed was too incredible, as was his absorption of the spiritual energy. The surrounding Cultivators noticed immediately.

They saw the fear-inspiring vortex which surrounded him, and could sense him absorbing the thick spiritual energy which had been blocking them. It shot toward him at incredible speed, sending ripples throughout the entire world.

"What's he doing….?"

"He's… he's absorbing the spiritual energy? That's impossible!"

"How… how can he be doing that?"

The surrounding Cultivators looked at him with shock.

It wasn't just them. Up in the clouds, all of the onlookers were watching the scene, their hearts filled with astonishment.

"He's swallowing up the ancient spiritual energy!"

"What is he? What kind of Cultivation technique does he use to be able to do that!"

The eyes of the Nascent Soul Cultivators glittered like lightning as they watched Meng Hao. They were shocked to the core, never having imagined that they would see something like this.

Interestingly, even though they were Nascent Soul Cultivators who should easily be able to see a person's Cultivation base, Meng Hao's Dao Pillars were currently obscured from their vision.

It was as if some bizarre force were interfering, making it impossible for them to pick up even the slightest clue. The middle-aged man from the Black Sieve Sect watched thoughtfully, his eyes narrowed. He had noticed this strange obscuration of Meng Hao's Dao Pillars even before he entered the cloud vortex.

As the alarmed Nascent Soul Cultivators watched Meng Hao's advancement, the Song Clan Patriarch Song Tian looked at him, his eyes glowing brightly. In fact, his eyes hadn't left Meng Hao from the beginning.

He stared wordlessly at Meng Hao in the cloud vortex, eyes flickering with surprise.

Eccentric Song laughed loudly. He also found the scene to be unbelievable, but on the other hand was incredibly happy. As his laughter rang out, Han Bei sucked in a deep breath, thinking about how Meng Hao had been able to enter the square cauldron even though the name Meng did not exist in the Nine Great Families.

Li Shiqi's phoenix-like eyes flashed as she watched Meng Hao thoughtfully.

Down by the enormous tree, the spiritual energy roiled, causing the wild wind to grow in intensity. The wind buffeted Wang Tengfei, causing him to spin backward from thirty meters to about one hundred and twenty-five meters!

The others were blown back as well. With this reversal, Meng Hao was now the closest person to the tree, being only ninety meters away.

Wang Tengfei raised his head up and howled. He couldn't accept such a situation. He pushed forward with all his strength. However, at that same time, Meng Hao took a deep breath and also pushed forward. He moved forward about thirty meters, and then another thirty!

In two short bursts, he was now only thirty meters away from the tree. Compared to the tree, he was like a cricket. The vortex around him swirled, causing the boundless spiritual energy in the area to suck toward him. The full shape of his fifth Dao Pillar was now visible. If he continued at this rate, he would most likely be able to complete it.

When he formed his fifth Perfect Dao Pillar, Meng Hao would definitely be… the most powerful person in the Foundation Establishment stage.

Whether it be Chosen or Dao Children, the entire Foundation Establishment stage would be like dry weeds that could be crushed beneath his feet!

1. The World Tree was mentioned in a few previous chapters, including Chapter 109, Chapter 158, and Chapter 160

2. Shui Dongliu's name in Chinese is 水东流 shuǐ dōng liú – This is a somewhat odd name. Shui is a Chinese surname, which also means "water." Dong means "east." Liu means "flow." So literally his name means "water flows east"

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Chapter 195: Suppressing Everyone

The chance Meng Hao had now was sudden and unexpected. Thanks to this lucky break, his Cultivation base was climbing upward at incredible speed. Furthermore, the closer he got to the tree, the thicker the spiritual energy became.

He took a deep breath, completely ignoring the strange looks everyone was giving him. He was completely focused on the enormous tree and the bizarre spiritual energy it emitted that only he could absorb.

It had been a long time since he had been able to enjoy the refreshing feeling of absorbing spiritual energy. His eyes glistened brightly as his body flashed onward.

The spiritual energy beneath the tree roiled madly. His body was like a whirling black hole, sucking all the spiritual energy in, without exception.

His Cultivation base continued to climb, and the image of his fifth Dao Pillar grew clearer. Soon it would no longer be illusory.

Ten percent, twenty percent, thirty percent….

Meng Hao grew more and more excited as he absorbed the increasingly thick spiritual energy. He leaped forward, heading directly toward the base of the enormous tree.

Next to the towering tree, Meng Hao was little more than an insect, tiny and weak. It was essentially impossible to even compare. They were as different as a firefly and the shining moon.

Meng Hao was the first to step into the tree itself. The other Cultivators closed in. Within the space of about ten breaths, Wang Tengfei and Wang Youcai also stepped onto it.

They, of course, could not absorb the spiritual energy of this place, and therefore had no way to replenish themselves. There is no need to even mention how difficult it was for them to proceed forward. On the other hand, Meng Hao was like a fish in water. In an instant, he was already three hundred meters away from them.

After observing this, the eyes of the spectators shone with a strange glow. This was especially true of the Song Clan Patriarch. His eyes glittered brightly as he watched the cloud vortex, and Meng Hao.

"So he can absorb the spiritual energy there…." he thought. "But that place is merely a painting of the World Tree. It couldn't even be considered a projected image. However, it does contain some of the World Tree's will, as well as dense spiritual energy, although not much…." His eyes glittered, although they contained some amount of hesitation.

Eccentric Song too felt shocked, but was also about to go wild with joy. A wide smile emerged on his face. He looked at the shifting expressions of the other Nascent Soul Cultivators and smiled even wider. He flicked his sleeve to collect the Soul Fruits together.

"Fellow Daoists, I shall collect my winnings. Do you wish to make another wager? I bet this kid will become the next son-in-law of the Song Clan. What do you say? Wager, or no wager?"

The other Nascent Soul Cultivators ignored him, refusing to be provoked, and instead focused on what was happening in the cloud vortex. They gazed thoughtfully as Meng Hao ascended the gigantic tree.

Eccentric Song continued to prod a few more times, but seeing that the others refused to speak, he simply put away the Soul Fruits and laughed. The ill feelings toward Meng Hao from years ago were now completely gone.

"This Meng Hao kid isn't bad," said Eccentric Song, eyeing the cloud vortex. "Ai, if I had known he was like this, I would have bet on him against Wu Dingqiu all those years ago."

Within the cloud vortex, Wang Tengfei's eyes were red. He was on the tree now, proceeding up. The spiritual energy in the area pushed against him, and he had no way to absorb it whatsoever. The wind whipped about, but he forged on without regard to caution. He knew that if he were knocked off the tree, then he would have to start over from the very bottom.

Making progress was incredibly difficult, but every time he looked up and saw Meng Hao speeding along, it would cause him to ignore the screaming wind and intense pressure. Insanity and intense jealousy filled his heart, and he would proceed onward through the thick pressure.

"How could I possibly lose to him!?!?" he raged inwardly. "I am a Wang Clan Chosen! He stole my legacy and my beloved! Today, I shall wrest away his good fortune. Why are you always so unfair to Wang Tengfei, Heavens?! I refuse! I will not give in!!" Setting his teeth, he shot upward. The wild wind buffeted him, but he held doggedly onto the tree. It felt as if his arms were about to rip off.

To his astonishment, Wang Tengfei suddenly realized that the unabsorbable spiritual energy of this place, which exhibited such strong pressure, was actually lessening around Meng Hao. The closer he got to Meng Hao, the easier it was to progress.

Behind him, Wang Youcai, Qian Shuihen, Lu Song as well as Fatty and the others, had all reached the tree, and were relentlessly pursuing.

All of them noticed Meng Hao's significant increase in speed.

Meng Hao had already sensed that although the spiritual energy in this place seemed thick and abundant, actually, the entire place was divided into different areas. The spiritual energy of the area he was currently in was almost sucked dry. Because of that, Wang Tengfei and the others were able to move more quickly.

However, although the spiritual energy below him was decreasing, he continued moving upward. Soon, he encountered more dense spiritual energy, which he began to absorb immediately. His fifth Dao Pillar was already about forty percent complete.

"The spiritual energy here is organized in layers," he thought, his eyes shining brilliantly. "Each layer can be completely absorbed into my body. Although it looks incredibly dense, there's actually not very much of it. However, if I absorb all of it, I should be able to complete my fifth Dao Pillar." He continued onward, and the spiritual energy continued to pour into him. Whenever it began to grow thin, he would continue on upward to a new layer.

Behind him, Wang Tengfei and the others were continuing to increase their speed. The spiritual energy having dried up, the resisting pressure was gone. The only thing they had to deal with was the raging wind. Their progress now was much easier, so the gap between Meng Hao and them was slowly lessening.

The enormous tree was many dozens of meters in diameter, and from a distance, didn't seem very far away from the cloud layer above, where the Nascent Soul Cultivators watched the proceedings. Seeing what was happening caused them to sit there quietly in contemplation. The Wang Clan Cultivator let out a cold harrumph. "Eccentric Song, let's make another bet. This time, the stakes are two Soul Fruits!"

Eccentric Song hesitated for a moment, his brow furrowed.

The Black Sieve Sect Nascent Soul Cultivator coughed lightly. "I'm in," he said.

The Nascent Soul Cultivator from the Li Clan chimed in. "So, another bet," he said coolly. "Eccentric Song, why don't we all join in? Two Soul Fruits per person. Winner takes all." His words made Eccentric Song even more hesitant.

After a long moment passed, he gritted his teeth. He actually had incredible faith in Meng Hao's ability to perform, so he flicked his sleeve.

"We're on!" he said.

Subsequently, all of the Nascent Soul eccentrics produced Soul Fruits. Seeing so many in one placed caused all of the Cultivators to palpitate with eagerness. The stakes of this wager were significantly greater than the previous bet.

At the same time as all the eccentrics made their bets, Meng Hao shot up at top speed. He had passed through three layers of the enormous tree, and had now progressed roughly thirty percent up. By now, Wang Tengfei and the others were a mere thirty meters behind him. It seemed they might soon pass him.

Meng Hao's face was calm. The good fortune of this place lay in the spiritual energy; as far as he was concerned, it didn't matter who was in first place. Suddenly, Wang Tengfei roared. Employing some unknown magical technique, his body began to glow, and he shot up with incredible, explosive speed. In the space of a few breaths, he had progressed more than thirty meters. This caused him to pass Meng Hao by nearly ten meters.

However, before he even had a chance to rejoice, an enormous force caused his body to tremble. The pressure caused him to cough up blood as it enveloped his body. Just then, Meng Hao passed him, sucking the spiritual energy of the area into his body. The pressure began to subside. If it hadn't, Wang Tengfei felt as if he might have been crushed down into the tree by a giant, invisible hand.

Meng Hao's expression was the same as ever as he proceeded onward, ignoring Wang Tengfei. He passed the area that was covered with the blood Wang Tengfei had coughed up, continuing to absorb the spiritual energy. After absorbing all of it, he moved onto the next layer.

Clearly, anyone who wanted to try to pass Meng Hao could do so by merely charging forward.

However, seeing what happened to Wang Tengfei shook the hearts of all the Cultivators below. They stared at Meng Hao with strange expressions. As for Fatty, he took a deep breath, and looked completely disbelieving.

As of this moment, none of the pursuing Cultivators dared to pass Meng Hao….

Meng Hao continued on slowly, which gave them no other option than to do the same. Looking embarrassed and helpless, they followed Meng Hao. Clearly, many of them had various plans in mind. They would wait until the very top of the tree, whereupon various techniques would explode out as they attempted to pass him!

This chapter was sponsored by Atmasatriani Mannan, Quentin Nivon, Syed Ahmed, Wee Choon Ann Joshua, Ismael Egal, Alvin Shim, Dewi Suryono

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Chapter 196: Followed by All Eyes

Meng Hao was aware of all of this, of course. His expression was the same as ever and he ignored everyone else. He paused at each layer to absorb as much spiritual energy as possible, and then continued to climb upward.

Several meters behind him were all the other Cultivators. They eyed Meng Hao helplessly, waiting for him to move onward before doing so themselves.

Each and every pair of eyes inside this world was watching Meng Hao. He was the focus of all attention.

The Song Clan's competition in search of a son-in-law had turned into Meng Hao's stepping stone. Regardless of whether Meng Hao was the winner or not, he had already left a deep impression on Song Jia. That, coupled with the events which had happened before the banquet began, caused her to ignore everyone else and focus solely on Meng Hao.

Perhaps it was fate; after today, the five Clans and three Sects would know that Meng Hao was also Chosen!

Perhaps it was fate; after today, stories of scholar Meng Hao of the State of Zhao would spread throughout the entire Southern Domain. There was now one more amongst the ranks of the Chosen!

Also fated was that previously unknown Meng Hao would be the complete center of attention. More and more Cultivators would hear of him and especially… the matter of him and Chu Yuyan. Rumors would spread like wildfire throughout the entirety of the Southern Domain.

Meng Hao would become the object of jealousy of countless male Cultivators. Of course he would also attract the notice of many female Cultivators. He was now the subject of a huge scandal involving one of the four most beautiful women in the Southern Domain. Everyone was paying attention to him now.

At the same time, anyone who hadn't heard about Meng Hao's dealings with the Violet Fate Sect back in the State of Zhao, would surely know about it now. Meng Hao's name would only become more and more well known.

In actuality, if people knew about the feud between the Black Sieve Sect and Meng Hao, or how he had taken the Blood Immortal Legacy, then he would instantly become the most famous Cultivator in all of the Southern Domain. After all, he could now sweep across Chosen and push down Dao Children.

Today was only the first sign of what was to come, though. This was Meng Hao cutting into the Southern Domain! 1

Time passed. Meng Hao, his expression the same as always, continued onward slowly. Behind him, many of the Cultivators were growing impatient. A young man from the Violet Fate Sect looked at Meng Hao slowly absorbing spiritual energy, and frowned. Unable to accept the situation any longer, he shot forward.

He slapped his bag of holding, and immediately, eight talismans appeared to circle around him. A bright glow appeared, some sort of protective spell. With a triumphant cry, he charged onward, passing Meng Hao and entering the next layer beyond.

The Violet Fate Sect Nascent Soul Cultivator coolly mentioned, "This is a Chosen of the Violet Fate Sect, Liu Gao. His Cultivation base is beyond ordinary. His eight talismans treasure can reduce any force of pressure by eighty percent." Even as the words left his mouth, his face suddenly grew unsightly.

As soon as Liu Gao passed Meng Hao and entered the next area, his body began to shake. His face tightened, and blood sprayed from his mouth. His body trembled as if it were under attack. Everyone watched as he howled and tried to endure. Meng Hao cleared his throat. He stopped in his tracks for a moment, looking up and waiting.

After the space of a few breaths, the Violet Fate Sect disciple coughed up more blood. One by one, his eight talismans disintegrated. With a miserable scream, he fell down into the sea below. He emerged moments later, pale faced, and began to climb again. It didn't take him long to rejoin the group of people below Meng Hao, where he stared upward with fear and respect.

Everyone looked thoughtfully at Meng Hao, who once again cleared his throat and moved upward, absorbing spiritual energy along the way.

No one dared to attempt to pass him. They could only follow helplessly. Time passed as Meng Hao proceeded through the layers. By now, his fifth Dao Pillar was about seventy percent complete.

The further he progressed, the more spiritual energy he needed. Before long, Meng Hao was roughly three thousand meters from the apex of the enormous tree.

Wang Tengfei's eyes flashed, and though Wang Youcai said nothing, his eyes shined brightly. A look of anticipation covered Fatty's face. He had no thoughts of trying to pass Meng Hao, but was very much looking forward to seeing what happened when Meng Hao reached the top.

It wasn't just the Cultivators whose eyes glittered; up in the cloud layer, the eccentrics from the five Sects and three Clans, as well as all the Song Clan members, were all focused on Meng Hao. Although his participation in the Song Clan search for a son-in-law had been unexpected, a critical moment was approaching. Everyone watched on with keen anticipation.

With a smile, Song Tian said, "At the top of the tree, there is a final test. Of the heroes of the various Sects and Clans, it's hard to say which one… will be able to pass the final test."

One of the Nascent Soul Cultivators laughed and said, "I had heard that part of the tradition of your Song Clan search for a son-in-law involves a difficult test. I'm very curious as to the nature of this test. Elder Song, would you mind explaining a bit about it?"

"That's right," said the Golden Frost Sect's Nascent Soul Cultivator. "I've also heard such things. Elder Song, would you mind telling us some about it? We're all very curious."

Everyone seemed very interested in hearing about the final test.

Song Clan Patriarch Song Tian laughed loudly. Then, he looked at the middle-aged man who sat at his right hand. "Muqiu, we are searching for a husband for your daughter. Why don't you explain the final test?"

The middle-aged man was handsome and dashing. Hearing the words of the Patriarch, he clasped his hands respectfully and then looked at the group of people, eyes flashing like lightning. Then he glanced at Song Jia, and a warm, loving expression filled his face.

His voice cool, Song Muqiu said, "The final test in our search for a son-in-law is a bit different than the tests in previous generations. This is a test of a Cultivator's Dao Heart!"

The Nascent Soul Cultivators frowned.

Elder Fan from the Solitary Sword Sect frowned and took a drink of alcohol. "Matters of Dao Hearts aren't even clear to us, let alone these Foundation Establishment pups."

"That is why this test is special," replied Song Muqiu. "Elder Fan is correct, Dao Hearts are mysterious and unfathomable. Actually, the Song Clan believes that one of the most important aspects of the Dao Heart is determined by personality and behavior. The combination of the two, as well as a person's stubbornness… that is the Dao Heart. Therefore, although today's test is not conclusive, it will give us some inkling of what will be. Actually, as it relates to Dao Hearts, this test is actually a choice!" Having said this much, Song Muqiu closed his mouth and declined to comment further.

Everyone else sank into deep thought. As for Song Jia, she continued to watch Meng Hao within the cloud vortex, very curious as to what choice he would make during the final test….

Song Yunshu's eyes flickered as he calmly watched the cloud vortex. He was Dao Child of the Song Clan, and yet, as he watched Meng Hao, an uneasy feeling welled up in his heart. He was used to concealing his emotions, though. His exterior was calm. But he was extremely curious to see what choice Meng Hao would make.

"As Dao Child of the Song Clan, I was able to take the test myself ahead of time. My choice…." Song Yunshu was lost in thought. He had only succeeded on his second try. Succeeding in such a fashion had earned him the praise of Patriarch Song Tian.

With a smile, Patriarch Song Tian said, "Muqiu makes it sound very complicated. The final test is a choice, and also a test of observation. I should make clear that the Dao Child of our Song Clan succeeded on his second attempt." He glanced at Song Yuncai with a look of praise.

This caused everyone to grow even more curious. They all looked back down, waiting for Meng Hao to break through. They also peered at the group of Cultivators behind him, all of whom were waiting for their chance to spring forward.

Meng Hao began to move faster and faster. His fifth Dao Pillar was now eighty percent complete, and he now needed even more spiritual energy than before. Remembering the horrific scene that had accompanied the completion of his last Dao Pillar, Meng Hao wanted to be certain there was enough spiritual energy in this place before he reached the point of no return.

Otherwise, when the critical juncture arrived, then he would have no choice but to consume the other Cultivators. That was a path that Meng Hao refused to tread.

Cautiously, but quickly, he absorbed the spiritual energy. He proceeded, leaving behind some of the spiritual energy and moving on to the next layer. He was rapidly approaching the top of the tree. Because he had left behind some spiritual energy, the Cultivators behind him suddenly encountered the resisting pressure, and had no choice but to slow down.

They trudged on desperately. However, there was now more and more distance between them and Meng Hao. Wang Tengfei's eyes were completely red. He pursued madly.

Meng Hao was now only fifteen hundred meters from the top of the tree.

One thousand meters. Five hundred meters. Two hundred fifty meters…. One hundred fifty. Fifty…. Meng Hao leaped up, surpassing the final gap to stand on top of the tree.

At this moment, all eyes were upon him!

1. In case you forgot, this is the title of Book 2

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Chapter 197: Sublime Spirit Scripture!

At this moment, the Song Clan Patriarch and Eccentric Song both stared at Meng Hao. In fact, without exception, all of the Song Clan members in the cloud layer were looking at him.

The attention of the Nascent Soul Cultivators of the five Sects and three Clans were all fixed on him as well.

To garner such attention showed how famous Meng Hao now was in the Southern Domain.

Members of the Song Clan such as Song Yunshu, as well as Han Bei, Li Shiqi, Li Daoyi… everyone's attention was focused solely on Meng Hao.

The Chosen from the various Sects and Clans, regardless of their frustration or helplessness, regardless of what thoughts were running through their heads, were looking up at Meng Hao. Wang Tengfei, Fatty, Wang Youcai, Qian Shuihen, Lu Song….

Atop the tree, at the pinnacle of this world, Meng Hao stood alone, the focus of all the heavens.

As soon as he stepped foot on the top of the tree, he felt the boundless spiritual energy in the area sucking toward him. It was definitely enough to complete his fifth Dao Pillar. Far below the top of the tree, the massive sea seemed smaller; now it looked like a mirror.

Beyond the edges of the mirror, was nothingness…. This world was not limitless. In fact, in the midst of the nothingness could be seen what appeared to be handwriting, floating there faintly.

The ancient will of the World Tree; respect its strength, remember its intentions. Painted in the spot where the World Tree destroyed itself.

It was signed with three characters. Shui Dongliu.

"Shui Dongliu… could it be that this entire world is… a painting?" Meng Hao's eyes flickered as he stared at the words. Then he took a deep breath and allowed the spiritual energy to flow into him. The instant his fifth Dao Pillar reached ninety-percent completion, a person suddenly appeared up ahead of him!

It was an old man who had the demeanor of a transcendent being. He wore a long, gray robe, and it was impossible to tell exactly how old he was. He was clearly ancient, although was impossible to tell how many countless ages he had lived.

Meng Hao could sense no ripples emanating from the man's Cultivation base. It seemed as if he were a mortal, not a Cultivator. And yet, considering how ancient he was, how could he possibly be mortal?

The old man looked at Meng Hao, his face calm and filled with unspeakable dignity. It seemed as if even the Heavens would flee from before him.

The old man spoke, his voice cool, "The Heavens are not the Heavens, the Earth is not the Earth. The stars are eternal, and the Dao will always be!" His words floated out gently, much the same as his hair floated gently around his body. "This place does not belong to the Heavens, nor to the Earth. This painting of the World Tree contains endlessly flowing memories. Drink of them, and the great Dao in front of you will lead you to the utmost heights. Select a path upon which to approach me." Suddenly, nine snaking paths appeared among the twisted leaves of the tree's crown. They all led toward the old man, who stood only a few hundred meters up ahead.

Each path led to the same destination: the old man.

The old man lifted his hand. There between his fingers was a thumb-sized pearl. "Select a path upon which to approach me, and then take the pearl. Choose wrong, and you must start over."

The pearl was white, and seemed to contain an entire world within its depths. Looking at it, Meng Hao noticed that it was not round. For some reason, it seemed to be the shape of a cube. It was very bizarre.

Suddenly, Meng Hao could sense the three-colored Resurrection Lily inside of him being suppressed slightly.

"Nine paths. And I have to pick one…." he frowned. By this time, Wang Tengfei and the others were approaching. However, they weren't able to step onto the treetop. It seemed that there was some invisible force that prevented more than one person from being atop the tree.

Meng Hao thought for a while as he looked over the nine paths. He had no clue how to select a path. He looked at the man up ahead, and then his eyes gleamed. The man was holding the pearl with three fingers! After thinking for another moment, Meng Hao took a deep breath and then walked forward onto the third path.

The instant his foot stepped down on the path, the world seemed to turn upside down. A roaring filled his ears, and everything grew blurry for a moment. When everything became clear, he found that he was now at the very bottom of the tree!

He was only a few hundred meters from the surface of the sea, falling downward. His mind reeled, and he forced himself to a stop. Looking up, he saw Wang Tengfei climbing up onto the top of the tree.

"I chose wrong, so I have to start over…." He frowned. Selecting a path seemed to involve little more than random guessing. How could one pick, other than going through the paths one by one?

Meng Hao muttered to himself for a moment. Then, his eyes flashed as he saw Wang Tengfei falling down from the top of the tree like a shooting star. He, too, had failed, and had to start from the beginning, at the sea beneath the tree.

Meng Hao leaped into action, heading up toward the top of the tree at top speed. In the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, he was less than three thousand meters away from the top. During that time, he witnessed over ten Cultivators falling down toward the ocean.

Meanwhile, up in the cloud layer, the Nascent Soul Cultivators watched on with furrowed brows. Having seen everything that happened, they broke into discussions.

"Nine paths. How can one know which path to choose…? It must involve careful observation. The answer doesn't lie in blind luck, but with that old man!"

"He is not emanating any Cultivation base ripples, and yet emanates a profound air. Perhaps the answer to the riddle is hidden in the words he spoke…."

"No wonder this test requires careful observation. There doesn't seem to be any clear solution. For the Song Clan Dao Child to have passed the test in two tries really is worthy of admiration."

Han Bei looked at the scene playing out on the tree. Her eyes shined with interest. After thinking for a moment, she said. "The fourth path from the left!"

Li Daoyi's eyes flashed. Having heard that the Song Clan Dao Child passed the test in two tries, he felt a sense of competition rising within him. He slowly said, "The fourth path from the right. That path doesn't look special. But the leaves there are somewhat thicker. Furthermore, the old man seemed to pause slightly after every fourth word he spoke!"

Li Shiqi's eyes also flickered, but she said nothing. She was lost in thought as she stared at the nine paths.

Song Yunshu's expression was placid, but in his heart, he sighed. He had succeeded in two tries, but in fact, it had all been a matter of luck. He actually had no idea how he had succeeded.

Patriarch Song Tian laughed but said nothing. Hearing the discussions, he shook his head and fixed his attention to the top of the tree. Meng Hao was nearing it again.

Meng Hao moved quickly, and the three thousand meters whizzed by. The only people left at the top of the tree were Fatty and others from the Golden Frost Sect. Seeing Meng Hao approach, Fatty immediately made way for him.

Meng Hao nodded. Another person up above failed, after which Meng Hao's body flashed and appeared for a second time on the treetop. By this time, his fifth Dao Pillar was more than ninety percent complete. There wasn't much spiritual energy left, but Meng Hao was certain it was enough to complete the Dao Pillar.

He took a deep breath as he stood there atop the tree. He gazed at the old man, then recalled his words again as he looked over the paths again. Then, he stepped forward onto the fourth path!

He had made exactly the same choice as Han Bei!

However, the moment he stepped onto it, everything turned upside down, and he was again shooting down toward the sea beneath the tree.

"I'm really starting to dislike this place!" he thought, his eyes filling with both frustration and determination.

All of the Chosen from the various Sects and Clans who had failed once were now making their second attempts. And yet, one after another, they failed, falling downward just like Meng Hao.

Meng Hao went up to try a third time.

By this time, everyone was watching with strange expressions. They were all lost in thought, trying to figure out what they had overlooked. Which path was correct?

More discussions broke out among the Nascent Soul Cultivators.

"This place is very mysterious. These kids have all had two chances each, and between the lot of them, have tried every one of the nine paths."

"Clearly, the correct path changes. The route is not fixed. It seems that luck does have quite a bit of a role."

Han Bei frowned, continuing to look on. She was now starting to form another opinion on which path was the correct one.

"There's no need to get anxious, friends," said Patriarch Song Tian. He laughed. "To find the correct path, each person most observe matters carefully. It will all depend on their Dao Heart."

Atop the massive tree beneath the cloud vortex, Meng Hao shot back upward. He was currently about nine thousand meters from the top of the tree when suddenly his Dao Pillar reached the point where it was only a sliver away from being completed. The same phenomenon that had appeared in the Xiao Clan, once again began to occur.

His body immediately began to wither. Thankfully, there was plenty of spiritual energy in this place. The unbridled gravitational power of the Dao Pillar began to absorb all of the spiritual energy, no matter how far away it was. Each and every bit of it rushed toward Meng Hao.

His face was ruddy as he felt his Cultivation base climbing upward. He shot upward, and was soon only three thousand meters from the top. His mind began to reel.

A booming sound could be heard, and Meng Hao's face flickered as suddenly, a golden light began to collect inside of him. His Cultivation base started rotating, causing the light to shine outward. It seemed as if it wished to eclipse the World Tree!

Amidst the golden glow, streams of magical symbols appeared. They were indistinct, but the instant they appeared, they caused the entire world to be filled with a golden color.

Up above, looks of disbelief appeared on the faces of the Nascent Soul Cultivators. One by one, they stood up. "That's…."

"The Sublime Spirit Scripture!" said one of the other Nascent Soul Cultivators breathlessly.

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Chapter 198: The Number One Person in Foundation Establishment!

The Nascent Soul Cultivators couldn't keep their cool. One by one, they began to speak, their eyes shining with unprecedented brightness.

"That's… that's definitely the power of one of the three great classic scriptures. That golden glow… it's a sign of the Sublime Spirit Scripture!!"

"That kid cultivates with the Sublime Spirit Scripture. That scripture has supposedly been lost for years. There are only fragments left. How did this kid get the whole scripture!?!?"

"From the looks of it, he acquired the Qi Condensation Manual of the Sublime Spirit Scripture. Supposedly, it appeared a few hundred years ago in the State of Zhao, and was used by a man named Patriarch Reliance. His Cultivation base was unfathomable…."

Their eyes were on Meng Hao, but what they were really paying attention to was the Sublime Spirit Scripture!!

Each and every one of them could crush Meng Hao between their fingers like he was nothing; he wouldn't be able to fight back in the least. Whichever one of them got their hands on Meng Hao, would actually be acquiring the Sublime Spirit Scripture.

Such a text would be indescribably useful to any Sect. Whoever acquired it would be in the position to sweep across the Southern Domain with impunity.

That Sect would become incomparable, and would without fail become the overlord of the Southern Domain!

How could these Nascent Soul Cultivators not be excited? Even if Meng Hao succeeded in becoming a son-in-law of the Song Clan, they would still no doubt crazily pursue him regardless of anything!

In any case, Meng Hao currently was not a member of the Song Clan, and was only one participant among many.

It wasn't appropriate to make a move at the moment, but once Meng Hao emerged, all of the Sects and Clans in the Southern Domain would want to grab him. In such an event, his life wouldn't be important. To get the Sublime Spirit Scripture, there wasn't a single Nascent Soul Cultivator who would hesitate to use Soul Search on Meng Hao to drag out the Sublime Spirit Scripture.

The result of such a Soul Search would kill him!

As soon as the Sublime Spirit Scripture appeared, Meng Hao instantly became the prey of all of these super Sects of the Southern Domain!

It was obvious what everyone was thinking. The Nascent Soul Cultivators' eyes glittered. This was the Song Clan, but sooner or later, someone would make a move. They all glanced over at the Song Clan Patriarch.

Meng Hao had openly revealed his secret of possessing the Sublime Spirit Scripture. It would without fail arouse the lust of any Sect or Clan. However, in terms of positioning, the Song Clan currently had the clear advantage.

As the Nascent Soul Cultivators looked over at the Song Clan Patriarch, they discreetly retrieved transmission jade slips and crushed them between their fingers. This instantly sent notifications back to their various Sects and Clans.

Eccentric Song watched the scene in shock. The rest of the Song Clan members all seem to be in shock. Patriarch Song Tian suddenly stood up. His eyes shone mysteriously, and he was breathing heavily. However, he then recalled what had happened within the Clan earlier, along with the warning transmitted by the Dao Reserve Patriarch, and his eyes filled with determination.

"This Meng Hao…" he said, "must not be provoked! Whoever causes problems for him is seeking death!" He flicked his sleeve. "Ladies and gentlemen, you are in the Song Clan!" His words echoed out like thunder, causing the faces of the Nascent Soul Cultivators to tighten. Blood seeped out of the corners of their mouths. Their eyes glistened with fear as they stared at the Song Clan Patriarch.

"Regardless of what objectives you might have, this is the Song Clan's search for a son-in-law," he said, his eyes shining. "Whoever succeeds will become a son-in-law of the Song Clan. Once everyone emerges, there will be time for your greed. However, if Meng Hao becomes the son-in-law of the Song Clan, then it must be viewed as the will of the Heavens."

"Elder Song, we will naturally comply with your words," said the Nascent Soul Cultivator from the Black Sieve Sect, smiling.

The rest of the Nascent Soul Cultivators all agreed slowly, pretending not to pay any attention to Meng Hao. However, in their hearts, they were preparing for the arrival of fellow Sect members.

Patriarch Song Tian was of course well aware of that. He sighed inwardly and said nothing more, continuing to gaze at the golden world within the cloud vortex.

Magical symbols appeared in the golden glow that spread out from Meng Hao. This was none other than the Sublime Spirit Scripture.

Observers would be able to make out the details of the magical symbols, but would be unable to commit them to memory. The only thing they would be able to remember would be a blur.

In the Southern Domain, there are three classic scriptures. Only one of them emits a golden glow… the Sublime Spirit Scripture!

There were no records of the origin of the scripture, or of who created it. There were many legends, though. One stated that it had been created by an eminently powerful Cultivator of the Dao Seeking stage who had walked the path of the Ninth Mountain and Sea.

However, such a matter seemed too monumental. As such, many people refused to believe such a legend.

Regardless, each of the seven manuals of the Sublime Spirit Scripture could be considered precious treasures. In fact, the reason that the Violet Fate Sect became one of the great Sects was because it had acquired a fragment of the Foundation Establishment manual of the Sublime Spirit Scripture.

Just a fragment of one of the manuals could give birth to a great Sect; this alone demonstrates the boundlessness of the Sublime Spirit Scripture!

Practicing the Cultivation of the Sublime Spirit Scripture would eventually cause the body to reach the point where it would emit magical scriptures. This is a special state, and a special sign!

Such a state could only be reached after nine Dao Pillars had been formed. Then it would become visible. However, because Meng Hao had a Perfect Foundation, he was in a unique position with his Five Dao Pillars. That was why the sign made itself visible now.

Of course, this turn of events exceeded Meng Hao's powers of anticipation and caught him completely unawares. His heart instantly filled with vigilance, and he immediately pulled out the good luck charm and prepared it for activation.

As the scripture floated out from his body and the golden glow filled the entire world, the Chosen from the various Sects looked up at him in astonishment and shock.

Fatty gasped and began to mutter to himself. "That's Meng Hao for you. He was awesome in the Reliance Sect. Then he came to the Southern Domain and seduced Chu Yuyan. Now he's showing off even more power…."

Wang Youcai stared wordlessly at the golden light. Inside, similar waves of admiration filled his heart.

As for Wang Tengfei, he felt as if he had been struck by lightning. His body shook. A sense of unwillingness wanted to rise up within him, and yet he was forced to admit that Meng Hao… was no longer someone he could afford to look down upon.

In fact, fear began to well up in Wang Tengfei's heart; not even ten years had passed since they last met. After another ten years, how much further would Meng Hao have surpassed him? Wang Tengfei didn't even dare to think about what would occur if one day, he himself was still in the Foundation Establishment stage, but Meng Hao reached Core Formation. If they met again at that time, what would happen…?

The stir caused by what was happening now far exceeded the recent spectacle created by Meng Hao when he had climbed the tree.

He panted as intense booming sounds filled his body. They far exceeded the roaring he had experienced when he created his fourth Dao Pillar in the Xiao Clan, so much so that Meng Hao's heart shook and his flesh leaped.

He felt his fifth Dao Pillar being completed. After the space of a few breaths passed, his head suddenly resounded with an enormous roar. Finally, his fifth Dao Pillar appeared in full!!

His fifth Perfect Dao Pillar!

With this fifth Dao Pillar, his Cultivation base rocketed to new heights. Blinding golden light shined out from him, and the magical symbols of the Sublime Spirit Scripture revolved around him in circles. They seemed as if they were prostrating themselves toward Meng Hao.

Every breath he took caused the symbols to flutter. Every blink of his eye caused the golden light to shine even more blindingly. His Cultivation base rose higher and his battle prowess soared. Meng Hao was transforming in an unprecedented fashion!!

Suddenly, Tribulation clouds appeared in the mountains of the Song Clan, and they lingered for some time before dissipating.

Meng Hao's long hair floated about him, and his body filled with an indescribable might. As the roaring continued to echo out, his heart began to thump. He took a deep breath as he allowed all the feelings to wash over him. The explosive growth of his Cultivation base caused his battle might to far exceed his previous pinnacle.

Meng Hao was now convinced that at the moment, he could easily sweep across the entire Foundation Establishment stage. Regardless of Chosen or Dao Children, all of them were beneath him. He had a Perfect Foundation and five Dao Pillars; he was invincible within the Foundation Establishment stage!!

In front of him, all Foundations except for Flawless Foundations, could be crushed by his Perfect Foundation.

At the same time, however, a profound sense of danger welled up within him. He knew that everyone outside was watching him. The scripture symbols which were floating around him were obviously from the Sublime Spirit Scripture.

Despite the feeling of danger, determination filled Meng Hao's eyes. Fingering the good luck symbol, he leaped forward. This place was already devoid of spiritual energy, so he shot forward toward the treetop, surrounded by the golden glow.

"So far no one has come down after me. There's definitely not much time left…." Meng Hao was nervous, but also wasn't willing to leave quite yet. His goal, the Cubic Pearl, was still there for the taking. Then he could escape with the good luck charm.

"If the charm could get me out of the ancient Blessed Land, then this place will naturally be no problem either!" The good luck charm needed time to prepare, so at the same time as he poured power from his Cultivation base into it, he shot upward. Utilizing the strength of his five Perfect Dao Pillars, he shot past the final three thousand meters to arrive at the empty treetop.

The gray-robed old man stood there. The nine paths in front of him had been affected by the golden glow, and now appeared to be paths of gold.

This was Meng Hao's third time standing here. His eyes glowed brightly. The time had come to make his final choice. The choice he made… was one that only Meng Hao could make!!

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Chapter 199: The Tenth Path!

Currently, all of the Nascent Soul eccentrics up in the clouds watched on with shining eyes. If they weren't in the Song Clan, they would have long since taken action. They were frightened, but had already made preparations. In their opinion, Meng Hao was like a turtle in a jar. He couldn't escape even if he sprouted wings.

The only thing they needed to worry about was the Song Clan. The importance of the Qi Condensation Manual of the Sublime Spirit Scripture was hard to describe. Actually, many of them couldn't understand how it was possible that their various Sects had permitted the scripture to remain in the Reliance Sect, and had chosen not to go take it….

Their eyes flickered as they watched on. They were simply waiting for Meng Hao to come out, and for backup from their Sects to arrive.

However… the Nascent Soul Eccentric from the Black Sieve Sect's eyes flickered with something else, undetectable to the others. The jade slip which he had crushed contained details different from that of the others. Not only had he passed on the information about the Sublime Spirit Scripture, but also news that he had tracked down Meng Hao.

Orders had already been issued by the Patriarchs of the Black Sieve Sect to search for the person who had snatched away Ultimate Vexation. The news hadn't been broadcast on the outside, of course, and their search could only be conducted secretly. Therefore, the appearance of the Sublime Spirit Scripture was not a good development for the Black Sieve Sect.

"All of the Sects are now paying attention to him," thought the Black Sieve Sect Nascent Soul Cultivator, his eyes flickering. "I need to grab him first, before all his secrets are revealed!" A cold smile appeared on his face. "Ancient Blessed Lands cannot contain this guy. He has a good luck charm from the ancient Good Luck Sect. He can go anywhere in the world." He was the only one among the Nascent Soul Cultivators who knew that this phantom fragment of the World Tree was incapable of keeping Meng Hao trapped within it. He wasn't worried, though. Once the Black Sieve Sect learned that Meng Hao had the good luck charm, they had instituted a slew of contingency plans.

Down beneath the cloud vortex, in the glowing, golden world, Meng Hao took a deep breath. He stared at the old man, who stood only a few hundred meters away on the treetop.

They were separated by nine paths, all of which glowed with golden light. Three of the paths actually seemed to glow a bit brighter than the others.

"How do I pick…?" Meng Hao stood there thoughtfully for a brief moment. Then, a cold light gleamed within his eyes. He had made two choices before and had failed both times. This was his third chance. If he failed again, he knew that he would never get a fourth chance.

In actuality, Meng Hao had already guessed which path was the correct one to take. It was the same path he had walked before. If a person truly wishes to practice Cultivation, they must have persistence, and not easily change their mind. This was the key to treading the nine paths in front of him.

"But that choice… is not a choice born of my will…." Meng Hao's eyes shone with coldness. He moved forward, and as he did, all of the Nascent Soul Cultivators above watched on. Even though the entire world was filled with the blinding golden light, their vision could pierce through it to observe the proceedings.

The instant Meng Hao shot forward, his five Perfect Dao Pillars exploded with power invincible to the rest of the Foundation Establishment stage. The golden glow grew thicker, and his speed increased.

However… he did not pick any of the nine leafy paths. Instead, he flew up into the air and… shot directly toward the gray-robed old man. All of this takes some time to describe, but actually happened in the blink of an eye. Meng Hao completely bypassed the nine paths to appear directly in front of the old man. He lifted his hand, and his Cultivation base rippled out. Instantly, a six hundred meter long Flame Dragon appeared and then slammed down onto the old man.

Meng Hao lowered his hand, causing the Cubic Pearl to fly out of the old man's hand and into his own. The old man didn't do anything whatsoever to stop him. As the Flame Dragon engulfed him and the pearl was snatched away, a mysterious light appeared in his eyes, and a slight smile touched the corners of his mouth.

The old man's archaic voice filled the air. "You obviously realized which path was the correct one to take. Why make this choice?" As the voice echoed out, the golden glow that filled the world was suddenly suppressed. Now, all of the Chosen from the various Sects and Clans could clearly see what was happening on top of the tree.

The sight filled them with shock. Expressions of disbelief covered their faces as they saw the gray-robed old man being engulfed in flames. Meng Hao floated in mid-air. It was impossible for them to miss the fact that he had not picked any of the paths on the treetop, but had instead chosen to kill the old man.

"He dared to attack?!"

"This… this… this Meng Hao chose not to walk one of the paths. He chose to attack?! How could this be?"

"That old man is completely unfathomable…. You can tell from a single glance that he's beyond ordinary. This place is just too bizzarre. I can't believe Meng Hao dared to attack! Dammit… how come I didn't think of that!?!?"

Even as the Chosen beneath the treetop expressed their shock, the Nascent Soul eccentrics up above instantly shot to their feet, their eyes fixed upon Meng Hao.

This was especially true of Patriarch Song Tian. He gasped, and a glow of disbelief radiated from his eyes. A serious expression filled his face.

It wasn't just him. Eccentric Song, Han Bei, Li Shiqi, Li Daoyi, as well as Song Clan Dao Child Song Yunshu all stared with completely disbelief.

Panting, Song Yunshu stared fixedly at Meng Hao. He had participated in this test and had succeeded on the second try after picking the same path as the first time. However, he had never imagined that you could actually raise a hand against the gray-robed old man.

"How could he do such a thing?" said Song Yunshu said hoarsely. "That's the Spirit of the tree…."

It was at this moment that everyone heard the old man's question echoing out from within the flames. It was the exact same question that was running through the heads of all the observers.

Why had he chosen such a path?

"Conforming to convention is emptiness," replied Meng Hao. "Yielding to and complying with the Heavens is well and good. Unending persistence is fine, too. However, I cannot choose either of those." Having said this, he shot up into the air!

He would not comply with rules of this place, but would instead create his own path. He was like the Perfect Foundation, not permitted by Heaven and Earth, and the target of extermination by Tribulation Lightning. However, he would continue onward. That was how he differentiated himself from others; his path was not one of inflexible adherence to the rules. As such, why would he follow the rules of this place? Why would he pick the correct path out of the nine?

He had chosen to break through and take the pearl by force, by slaughtering! He knew that he could succeed by persisting in treading the path from before. However, this so-called persistence was actually just a method of following the rules; it was not true persistence!

The old man's laughter rang out from within the flames. His ancient smile was filled with happiness, as well as anticipation. He gave Meng Hao a deep look, allowing the flames to consume him. Soon, his body was gone.

As the old man disappeared and Meng Hao shot up into the air, the Chosen down below in the tree looked up mutely. They stared at Meng Hao in shock, their hearts in turmoil, incapable of calming down. Meng Hao's choice had been simple, but not many people were capable of simplicity such as this.

They lived lives of compliance, lives in which rules must be followed. Perhaps the subconscious desire existed within them to break out of the rules, but they would never be able to imagine how to do so.

Meng Hao, however, was different!

Wang Tengfei's face was pale white, and Wang Youcai was speechless. Fatty's face slowly filled with even deeper admiration. Meng Hao's words just now had left a permanent impression on all of their hearts.

When they heard his words, the Nascent Soul Cultivators in the clouds above all gasped. As they looked at Meng Hao, the same thought filled each and every one of them.

"If this kid lives, he will definitely achieve a high position within the Southern Domain!"

Such a personality, such mentality, such tactics… all of it led the Nascent Soul Cultivators to the same conclusion. Meng Hao might have the Sublime Spirit Scripture, but as of now, they didn't want to capture him and use Soul Search to retrieve it. That would lead to his death.

If they could get Meng Hao to join their Sect, they could help him grow into a truly powerful expert of the Sect!

Li Daoyi's eyes glowed with a powerful light; an intense desire to do battle fermented within him. Li Shiqi's eyes also glowed brightly; looking at Meng Hao down beneath the cloud vortex, she also suddenly desired to have a rematch.

Han Bei looked at Meng Hao thoughtfully. Deep within her eyes flickered a sense of admiration and praise. She couldn't help but think that if she had been in Meng Hao's place, she would have picked to follow the original path. She would never have had the resolve of Meng Hao. In retrospect, it seemed like an easy decision, but in reality, it was something almost no one would ever think of doing.

Song Yunshu sat in thought. Next to him, Song Jia gazed at Meng Hao. Everything that was happening was being burned deeply into her mind.

"Conforming to convention is emptiness," said Patriarch Song Tian. "Well said!" His voice echoed out as he stood up.

The surrounding Nascent Soul Cultivator's hearts began to thump; the situation was not unfolding well for them.

"This kid has managed to take the Cubic Pearl. Whoever he is, whoever he has offended in the past, this daughter of the Song Clan is now his! Who here dares to touch him!?" Hearing his words caused everyone to sit there thoughtfully. And yet, none of them seemed to notice the meaning within Patriarch Song Tian's words. What he had said was strange; he never mentioned anything about marrying into the family. He words seemed to have a deeper meaning.

At this exact moment, the bright glow of multiple spells filled the air outside of the Sun and Moon mountains of the Song Clan. Powerful Qi suddenly appeared, as figure after figure emerged.

The five Sects and two Clans had arrived to investigate!

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Chapter 200: Killing Amidst the Night Rain!

At the same moment that the five Sects and two Clans appeared outside of the Sun and Moon mountains of the Song Clan, Meng Hao was inside the world of the cloud vortex, shooting upward. All eyes were upon him as he pressed down on the good luck charm in his hand, pouring power from his Cultivation base into it.

He had begun to prepare the good luck charm much earlier, so the instant he poured spiritual energy into it, an enormous black hole appeared just in front of him in the sky. All of the Chosen and Nascent Soul eccentrics saw this happen.

The swirling vortex seemed to transform into a gaping mouth that instantly swallowed up Meng Hao. From below, the Chosen of the various Sects watched on in open-mouthed shock. The Nascent Soul Cultivators could only watch as he disappeared right in front of them. How could they ever have predicted that this would happen?

Seeing Meng Hao disappear, the Nascent Soul Cultivators were incapable of maintaining their calm. At almost the exact same time, they shot to their feet and flew toward the cloud vortex. Patriarch Song Tian sighed inwardly. He'd had no choice but to speak the words he had just now. However, even if this was Song Clan territory, it would be difficult to stand up against all the five Sects and two Clans. For Meng Hao to make an escape on his own was actually for the best.

At the moment, Song Tian couldn't really prevent the Nascent Soul Cultivators from attempting to pursue Meng Hao. However, moments later, unsightly expressions appeared on their faces. They could clearly see that Meng Hao had used some sort of powerful magic to teleport away.

"It turns out a trifling Foundation Establishment Cultivator like him has a precious teleportation treasure. What other mysteries is this Meng Hao hiding?!"

"The Sublime Spirit Scripture, a precious teleportation treasure. The Violet Fate Sect will definitely get our hands on him!"

The Nascent Soul Cultivators returned, and the representatives of the five Sects and two Clans approached. Meng Hao's good luck charm teleported him away. Meanwhile…

In the Black Sieve Sect, in the number one mountain which was situated in the very center of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, smoke curled into the air above a massive incense burner. At the moment, dozens of Cultivators began to shoot up and disappear into the smoke.

Down below, Patriarch Violet Sieve and the beautiful, middle-aged woman stood there grimly. They watched as the Cultivators above began to vanish.

Patriarch Violet Sieve frowned and said, "He's using that good luck charm, which makes him difficult to track. If we dispatched Core Formation disciples, or magical items that can employ the power of Core Formation, then it would interfere with the Tri-Black Incense Burner, making it difficult to accurately pinpoint the teleportation ripples. The slightest mistake, and we could be hundreds of kilometers off. Furthermore, the Tri-Black Incense Burner can only be used once per month."

"It doesn't matter," replied the beautiful woman coolly. "We may not be able to use Core Formation disciples, but Zhou Jie 1 is among the Foundation Establishment disciples we sent. Considering his Cultivation base, as well as his status as Dao Child, he'll be able to distract Meng Hao. He only needs to keep him in place for a bit. The others can prepare the spell, and then we can be there in an instant. At that time, Meng Hao wouldn't be able to escape even if he was given wings."

"Don't forget, we don't know how many times he can use the good luck charm. If it was complete, then he would be able to use it seven times in total." He watched thoughtfully as the last of the disciples vanished into the smoke above the Tri-Black Incense Burner.

"Don't worry," replied the beautiful woman, smiling. "Meng Hao is only at the mid Foundation Establishment stage. Based on the information in the ancient records, I did some calculation. Based on his Cultivation base, it should take him the time it takes two incense sticks to burn to be able to activate the good luck charm. As long as Zhou Jie and the others can hold him off for that amount of time, and prepare the spell, then Meng Hao is doomed. He's nothing but a trifling Foundation Establishment Cultivator. Don't worry, Elder Brother Violet Sieve. After that much time passes, we will be there in front of Meng Hao."

As they continued their discussion, somewhere in an unnamed part of the Southern Domain, in the midst of a mountain range filled with hundreds of mountains, dark clouds filled the sky and lightning crashed down. A roaring filled the sky, causing the wild beasts in these desolate mountains to tremble, seemingly awed by the Heavens.

Great, bean-sized drops of rain poured down from the sky in a torrent. It was currently sunset, but the sun was completely covered by the clouds, making everything completely dark and hazy.

A lightning bolt slashed through the sky, and then suddenly ripples expanded out into the air, splitting the sheets of rain. A massive, swirling black hole appeared, and out staggered Meng Hao, his face pale. He immediately looked around.

The black hole disappeared, and rain fell onto Meng Hao. He didn't even seem to notice it as he examined his surroundings. Finally, he let out a sigh of relief.

A cracking sound emanated from his hand. He looked down and could see that another large fissure had appeared on the surface of the good luck charm. It seemed he would only be able to use it a few more times before it shattered.

"This is a life-saving treasure," he thought. "I can't just use it lightly…." He hesitated for a moment, and then took a deep breath. His body suddenly vibrated. The rainwater shot away from him, and his clothes were no longer soaked.

"At the moment, I imagine all the Sects and Clans are looking for me." He frowned. The golden glow of the Sublime Spirit Scripture had not been something he'd anticipated. Of course, he'd had no other choice than to flee.

"Thankfully, I got the Cubic Pearl. I wonder if it will be able to dispel the poison of the three-colored Resurrection Lily…?" His eyes began to glow, and he decided to go search for a quiet place in the mountains to carve out an Immortal's cave and test out whether or not the poison could be dispelled. He had just taken a step when suddenly his expression flickered.

The place where the black hole had appeared moments ago had already returned to normal. And yet suddenly, he could see that another hole was opening up. It was pitch black inside and emanated a rippling power that caused the rain in the area to fly away.

Killing intent flickered within Meng Hao's eyes. He could choose to flee. After all, the sudden appearance of this vortex could not be a coincidence. It must be someone pursuing him by tracking the ripples of his teleportation.

But he did not choose to flee. Rather, a cold light, threatening and determined, appeared in his eyes. He could flee for ten or so breaths worth of time, but instead, he decided that he might as well stay and attack.

As the thought coalesced into his mind, he began to stride forward. He waved his hand, and an enormous Wind Blade and Flame Dragon appeared, which shot toward the black hole and then slammed into it.

As the roaring Flame Dragon slammed into the black hole, a booming sound filled the air. The black hole began to fall apart. As it did, the shadows of dozens of Cultivators appeared. They began to coalesce, as if they were about to emerge.

Without hesitating, Meng Hao lifted his hand and bit down hard on one of his fingers. The Blood Finger technique instantly descended onto the weakened black hole.

Boom!

The massive booming sound drowned out the sound of crashing thunder. The black hole shook and then exploded into pieces. There were no blood-curdling screams. However, of the dozens of Cultivators who had been about to emerge, only half made it out alive!

The other half were wiped out with the destruction of the black hole!

Bloodless killing. It was only possible because of Meng Hao's decisiveness. Had he hesitated or fled, daring not to make a move, then he would now be facing not a dozen or so enemies, but double the current amount.

The dozen or so people who had appeared immediately erupted with the power of late Foundation Establishment. One in their midst was a man with long, dark hair. He was tall, slender and handsome, with thin lips and a strange glow in his eyes. His Cultivation base was at the great circle of Foundation Establishment, the Pseudo Core stage!

"Black Sieve Sect!" Meng Hao's eyes narrowed. He instantly recognized the garments of these Cultivators. His killing intent climbed higher. Now that he knew it was the Black Sieve Sect, everything made sense. He didn't say another word. From this moment forth he would attack with decisiveness, and not the slightest bit of hesitation.

He stepped forward, his five Perfect Dao Pillars rotating. They didn't leak the slightest bit of power. The raindrops around him vibrated as he approached the nearest Black Sieve Sect Cultivator.

The man gave a cold snort. He lifted his hand, and the illusory image of a large hand appeared, which shot toward Meng Hao. Without so much as a word, the other surrounding Cultivators also made beelines for Meng Hao.

Only the Pseudo Core stage Cultivator didn't make a move. Off in the distance, he slapped his bag of holding to produce an incense burner about the size of a hand. He rubbed it, which caused it to ignite.

Smoke rose up into the air, congealing into concentric rings of magical symbols. It looked very much like a teleportation portal.

At the same time that the portal appeared, Meng Hao was closing in on the Black Sieve Sect Cultivator who had summoned the illusory hand. The Cultivator smiled ferociously. As far as he was concerned, this whole mission was really making a mountain out of a mole-hill. Being in the late Foundation Establishment stage, he could easily deal with a mid Foundation Establishment stage Cultivator. Wiping him out would be simple.

"I, Xie, shall get the credit for this one!" he said, laughing. He shot forward, and as he did so, a multitude of glowing spikes suddenly emerged from his shoulders. He clearly planned to slam them directly into Meng Hao.

Meng Hao's expression was the same as ever. He lifted his hand and pressed his finger into the approaching illusory hand. A boom sounded out, and the hand immediately disintegrated into countless shards. The Black Sieve Sect Cultivator named Xie stared in shock as Meng Hao closed in on him.

Meng Hao didn't even look at the man. The power of his Cultivation base, which he had been concealing up to now, suddenly exploded out.

Boom!

Pressure billowed out from Meng Hao, and suddenly he was directly in front of the Cultivator. His hand shot out and clasped around the man's neck. Eyes cold, he squeezed.

A cracking sound could be heard, and the Cultivator's eyes bulged in death!

This was killing amidst the night rain!

1. Zhou Jie's name in Chinese is 周杰 Zhōu jié – Zhou is a common family name. Jie means "outstanding" or "heroic"

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Chapter 201: The Dao Child Fights!

This could also be considered bloodless killing, because any shed blood was instantly cleansed by the pouring rain. The cleansing nature of the rain made Meng Hao more than happy to fight in the downpour. He didn't waste power from his Cultivation base to push the rain away from him.

He slowly released his hand and then turned. Rainwater poured off of his chin and hair, soaking his clothes. Lightning flashed in the darkness of night, and Meng Hao suddenly seemed to emanate a demonic aura.

The surrounding Black Sieve Sect disciples were shocked. They looked at Meng Hao, not with contempt, but with concentration.

The Black Sieve Sect Dao Child Zhou Jie looked at Meng Hao with narrowed eyes. He didn't attack, though, but continued to hold aloft the incense burner. Smoke curled up from it and was rapidly coalescing in mid-air. "Kill this person at any cost," he said, his cold voice ringing out in the dark, stormy night.

There were more than ten Cultivators surrounding Meng Hao. Hearing the words of the Dao Child, they immediately prepared to attack. Magical techniques and treasured weapons of all sorts instantly bore down on Meng Hao. Booming sounds filled the air. This would be the most intense battle Meng Hao had ever faced; each and every one of these Cultivators was of the late Foundation Establishment stage.

As a matter of fact, a small Sect wouldn't even be able to produce so many Cultivators of this level. A medium-sized Sect, even if they had so many, would never dispatch them all simultaneously. To any Sect, disciples of the late Foundation Establishment stage were good fortune from the Heavens. If even one from a group this size could reach Core Formation, he would be crucially important to the Sect.

Only a super Sect like the Black Sieve Sect had such extensive resources to be able to afford to dispatch so many late Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

Meng Hao's eyes flickered. If he had not created his fifth Dao Pillar, then this battle would be extremely difficult, and potentially fatal. But now, with his fifth Dao Pillar, he was invincible to the battle power of the Foundation Establishment stage. Actually, you could say that currently, Meng Hao was the most powerful person under the Core Formation stage in the entire Southern Domain!

He laughed coldly as the Black Sieve Sect disciples approached. His left hand made a grasping motion in the air, and immediately, the Flame Dragon appeared in the form of the Flying Rain-Dragon. It didn't completely appear, however. Meng Hao simply borrowed some of its heat to transform the surrounding sheets of rainwater into a thick mist.

As the mist roiled about, Meng Hao slapped his bag of holding, and the two wooden swords flew out. They circled around him for a moment, and then shot away.

The mist seethed, covering up the entire area so that nothing was visible. The heat in the area continued to turn to the rain into mist. Thunder pealed out, and lightning crashed down. One after another, blood-curdling screams rang out from within the mist.

Meng Hao's shadow flitted about inside, carrying death with it. The two wooden swords swept out in front of him, severing the head of a Black Sieve Sect disciple. The disciple's eyes filled with astonishment in the instant before he died.

The sounds of slaughter drifted out. Meng Hao moved like a specter. Cracking sounds rang out from his right hand as he crushed another Cultivator. He tossed the body up ahead to block an incoming spear. A boom rang out as the corpse exploded to pieces. Meng Hao strode forward.

He waved his right arm, summoning the Wind Blade. It shot out, slicing another body to bits. The pieces of the corpse shot out from the mist and fell onto the ground.

Zhou Jie frowned when he saw this. However, he continued to manipulate the incense burner. The smoke drifting up from it appeared to be about sixty percent congealed.

Suddenly, another miserable shriek sounded out from within the mist. A Black Sieve Sect disciple, his body half destroyed, stumbled out. Just when it seemed he would escape successfully, Meng Hao's hand shot out and grabbed him by the top of the head. He pushed down, and the Cultivator screamed. Meng Hao's face emerged for a moment from the mist. He looked over at Zhou Jie.

Zhou Jie looked back, and as their gazes locked, Meng Hao smiled, and then disappeared back into the mist. He released his hand, and the Black Sieve Sect disciple slumped to the ground dead, his eyes still wide open.

Zhou Jie trembled at the sight of it, and an unsightly expression appeared on his face. The screams from within the mist seemed to be growing further and further apart. The booms grew weaker. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the mist.

"Elder Brother Zhou, save me!" cried one of the Black Sieve Sect disciples. His right arm had been severed, and a horrified expression covered his face. Despite his all-out push to escape, the words were barely out of his mouth when a meter-long phantom hand shot out from the mist. It moved at incredible speed, catching up to the escaping Cultivator in the blink of an eye.

It slammed into him, and a deafening explosion filled the air. The Cultivator's body began to tremble, and he opened his mouth to say something. Before he could, his body exploded.

By this time, the mist surrounding Meng Hao was beginning to dissipate. Meng Hao walked out. From the look of his robe and long hair, he seemed like a weak scholar. But the coldness in his eyes caused Zhou Jie to tremble.

More than ten Cultivators of the late Foundation Establishment stage… and only Meng Hao had emerged alive from the mist.

"Your excellency's methods are a bit too ruthless," said Zhou Jie, slowly lowering his hand. He knew that he had run out of time, and wouldn't be able to continue his work with the incense burner.

The Black Sieve Sect had completely misjudged Meng Hao's Cultivation base.

Actually, Patriarch Violet Sieve had received information regarding Meng Hao's Cultivation base from the their Sect Elder who was currently in the Song Clan. He knew that his power exceeded that of the mid Foundation Establishment stage, and was more akin to the late Foundation Establishment stage.

However, Zhou Jie was now well aware that Meng Hao's battle power was not comparable to the late Foundation Establishment stage. In fact, it could exhibit terrifying pressure that exceeded such power.

After close observation just now, Zhou Jie got the powerful sense that his opponent's spiritual power was completely different from that of others. It looked like spiritual power, but it seemed to somehow be branded specifically to Meng Hao.

Logically speaking, the spiritual power of magical techniques with which Meng Hao attacked, should eventually dissipate back into Heaven and Earth. However, the power left over by Meng Hao's attacks did not dissolve away. Instead, they seemed to be rejected by Heaven and Earth. They just floated there like oil on water.

It seemed that the explosiveness of this rejected power was one of the reasons Meng Hao was so powerful. Zhou Jie reached these conclusions quickly, but couldn't figure out any solution to the problem. Fear filled his heart.

Because of this explosiveness, Meng Hao might be only at the mid Foundation Establishment stage, but decimating the late Foundation Establishment stage was as easy for him as crushing dry weeds and smashing rotten wood. That… was obvious!

Meng Hao's spiritual power was different. It belonged only to him. The spiritual energy of others belonged to Heaven and Earth. By practicing breathing techniques, Cultivators could borrow it. Based on the various stages of Cultivation, the amount of time it could be borrowed varied. However, regardless of anything, all of the spiritual energy would once again return to Heaven and Earth upon death.

It was a cycle. Just like the nine paths in front of the gray-robed old man atop the World Tree, it was a rule of Heaven and Earth.

"I'm actually not ruthless," said Meng Hao indifferently, "you people are. Actually, I'm pretty softhearted. However, your presence here is a bit of a problem." He waved his hand, causing the mist behind him to disperse fully. The rain descended onto the two of them, seemingly dividing them inseparably. However, their gazes locked, and their expressions grew fiercer.

"I am Zhou Jie, Dao Child of the Black Sieve Sect!" Zhou Jie suddenly lifted his hand. In it appeared a one foot long, blue-colored joss stick. The joss stick was lit, and smoke curled up from its end to form the shape of a sword that glowed mysteriously. This was clearly no ordinary joss stick.

"I am Meng Hao from the State of Zhao," said Meng Hao coolly. His right hand flashed an incantation gesture, and the two wooden swords appeared and rotated around him slowly. They emanated glowing sword auras, and emitted a droning buzz that made seem as if they thirsted for blood.

This was not the first time Meng Hao had faced a Dao Child in battle. The first time was when he had fought Li Daoyi, and had forced him to flee, severing his arm in the process. Then he had encountered Li Shiqi, and had competed against her in demonstrations of strength. Now he was up against Zhou Jie.

"I had three Dao Pillars when I fought Li Daoyi," Meng Hao thought. "I had four when I faced Li Shiqi. Now I have five. I will now prove that the power of my five Perfect Dao Pillars is invincible in the Foundation Establishment stage!" An exuberant gleam appeared in his eyes. The two wooden swords seemed as if they could sense Meng Hao's desire for battle. Their droning grew even louder, and their sword auras gleamed even more brightly.

"You look just like a woman I met while traveling a few years ago. I pursued her, but nothing ever came of it. She wasn't named Meng, though." Zhou Jie shook his head. Actually, Meng Hao was a person who he believed deserving of his respect. In truth, among the Foundation Establishment Cultivators of the Southern Domain, he had only ever respected about ten people. Each and every one of them was a Dao Child!

But today, he recognized Meng Hao's existence. Meng Hao was someone who could stand shoulder to shoulder with the current generation of Dao Children.

Even as the words left his mouth, Zhou Jie's body exploded with the power of the great circle of Foundation Establishment. It rippled out, causing his hair to fly about. The rainwater around him shot away from him, as if it didn't dare to touch him. A fierce look filled his eyes as he strode toward Meng Hao.

Meng Hao's eyes flashed, and he too began to stride forward. His Spiritual Sense shot out.

Rain fell around them as this battle of those at the peak of the Foundation Establishment began!

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Chapter 202: Confrontation of the Peaks!

The multiple layers of clouds overhead smashed into each other, and the sound of thunder shook the earth. Down below, Meng Hao and Zhou Jie strode toward each other. Their eyes locked, and the power of their Spiritual Sense rocketed forward.

An attack of Spiritual Sense is formless and invisible. In terms of killing potential, though, its power far exceeds that of magical items!

Mutually caught in each other's gazes, Meng Hao and Zhou Jie both began to tremble. Zhou Jie felt like he was being crushed by innumerable mountains. Blood oozed out from the corners of his mouth. He set his jaw, and a look of ferocity sprang up onto his face.

Meng Hao seemed affected too. He pursed his lips, however, and no blood appeared. He snorted coldly, and then continued to walk forward. As the step descended, both people once again trembled.

Zhou Jie's face was a bit pale. He could tell that he was not superior in terms of Spiritual Sense. Without hesitation, he retreated several paces, flashing an incantation gesture with his left hand. The foot long joss stick in his right hand immediately let off twisting strands of smoke which transformed into a curved blade that shot toward Meng Hao.

As the blade flew through the air, the smoke which comprised it began to spread out. Soon the outline of a figure could be seen. It appeared as if a person were holding the curved blade, chopping it directly toward Meng Hao.

Meng Hao's eyes flickered. His left hand formed an incantation gesture, and the two seemingly eager wooden swords emitted an intense droning sound and then transformed into two beams of light which split the air as they sped toward the curved blade.

They arrived in an instant. There was no evasion, no twirling around. The two attacks seemed to be archenemies. They slammed into each other so powerfully, that it was clear one would be destroyed.

A boom echoed out, and Meng Hao waved both of his hands. It was as if there were invisible strings attaching the wooden swords to him; they immediately began to emit an intense sword aura that rippled out to fill the area. Everything started to shake. Who would possibly dare to approach?

A booming sounded out, and a strange look appeared in Zhou Jie's eyes. He lifted his left hand and waved it in front of him, then pressed down on the joss stick in his right hand. More smoke billowed out; in the blink of an eye, it transformed into more than ten weapons, each of them wielded by a phantom figure. All of them charged toward Meng Hao.

Meng Hao's face was the same as ever as he looked at the approaching smoke phantoms. He lifted his hands, then extended them outward. The two wooden swords emitted explosive screeching sounds. Suddenly, all of the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth seemed to rush toward them. The sword auras surrounding them expanded by thirty meters, and the swords themselves seemed to transform into two flying Sword Dragons which circled around Meng Hao.

A roaring sound echoed out from the approaching smoke phantoms as, one after another, they disintegrated, incapable of approaching Meng Hao.

"So you like defense," said Zhou Jie coolly. "I can help with that." A cold light shone in his eyes as his left hand flashed with another incantation gesture and then pressed up against the joss stick. It burned more furiously, and large quantities of smoke poured out. The smoke formed layers which expanded out in concentric rings.

Each new smoke ring was larger than the one before it. Soon, more than a hundred rings had formed, which then shot toward Meng Hao. They spun around him, as if in an attempt to envelop him.

The smoke rings seemed about to swallow him up, and yet Meng Hao's expression didn't change in the least bit. He opened his mouth, and the lightning mist appeared. In the past, the lightning mist had absorbed Tribulation Lightning, as well as some of the will of the lightning in the square cauldron. At the moment, it seemed to be undergoing another bizarre transformation. As it spread out, thunder crashed up above in the sky.

The lightning mist seemed to be affecting the clouds, causing them to congregate, as if lightning would begin to crash down at any moment. It seemed that the area outside of Meng Hao's lightning mist would soon become a sea of lightning!

The mist expanded, and then the lightning crashed down; roaring filled the sky. The instant the smoke rings were touched by the lightning, they exploded into fragments.

Zhou Jie's eyes narrowed. He had never expected such a tactic. Meng Hao walked forward, surrounded by the lightning mist.

The mist around him roiled, and thunderous booms filled the air. Incited by the lightning, the two wooden swords exploded with the vicious will of extermination. Meng Hao's hair whipped around his head and rain poured down around him. Anyone who saw him would be struck to the heart with a frightening, demonic sensation.

Suddenly, a domineering aura began to emanate from Meng Hao, the first time such an aura had appeared on him!

"Actually," said Meng Hao casually, "what I like best is attacking." He strode forward, seemingly filled with overwhelming power. He was like some sort of ancient wild beast, ready to conquer the world.

Zhou Jie's expression flickered as he suppressed the desire to retreat. Meng Hao now seemed completely different than he had been moments ago when he had been defending himself. He seemed to overflow with ferocity, as if he had previously been a sheathed sword… which had just been drawn!

It was time to display some skill!

One step, two steps, three steps…. With each step that Meng Hao took, thunder boomed even louder. Lightning filled the sky. The complete power of Meng Hao's Cultivation base exploded out, bolstered by his expanding Spiritual Sense. Zhou Jie was shocked, and he knew that he must not allow Meng Hao to gather more momentum. If that happened, he would be very difficult to stop.

Just as Meng Hao's third step landed, Zhou Jie's eyes filled with determination. He loosened his right hand, and the joss stick, which was now little more than half a foot long, suddenly flew up.

Veins of blood shot through Zhou Jie's eyes as both hands flickered with an incantation gesture. He shoved his hands out in front of him.

"Green Smoke Exterminating the East Pass!" He spoke the words in conjunction with the outstretching of his hands. The joss stick ignited, burning a significant amount of its length to create a thick smoke which flew straight toward Meng Hao.

"Burst!" cried Zhou Jie. The thick smoke suddenly exploded outward. Everything in the area shook violently, and the noise from the explosion drowned out the sound of thunder. The smoke even covered up the lightning as it rippled out in greenish waves that carried deadly, exterminating power.

Meng Hao's body shook. The lightning mist around him quivered, and then simply burst apart under the strength of the attack. The two wooden swords fought against the incoming attack, and Meng Hao flew backward four or five paces. Blood seeped out from the corners of his mouth.

"It seems that Dao Children from the great Sects really are pretty badass…." Meng Hao took a deep breath, and his eye flickered. Zhou Jie stood there, his face somewhat pale. However, his eyes gleamed as he extended his hands forward in another incantation.

More of the joss stick burned away. Now, it was barely two inches long. Thick smoke roiled toward Meng Hao.

"Burst!" howled Zhou Jie, more lines of blood appearing in his eyes. Even as the smoke exploded out, Meng Hao lifted his right hand and struck it forward five times.

Black Sieve Five Strikes! 1

The five strikes were executed with extreme speed, and were completed in the blink of an eye. As the exterminating smoke mist expanded out, an enormous hand appeared in front of Meng Hao. It shot directly toward the smoke.

An earth-shaking boom resonated out. All of the raindrops in the area exploded into minuscule drops of water. Meng Hao's eyes narrowed, and he shot backward a pace. His five Perfect Dao Pillars rotated, and made the five-strike attack over and over again.

One giant hand, two giant hands. In the blink of an eye, no less than ten giant hands appeared in front of Meng Hao. It was a frightening sight. All of the hands glowed with a golden light as they whistled through the air toward Zhou Jie.

Zhou Jie's eyes were nearly completely filled with blood. His hands flickered continuously with incantation gestures. The joss stick was now completely burned away. The smoke mist it created shot toward Meng Hao's incoming hand attacks. When they slammed into each other, a huge boom filled the air.

A gale force wind shot outward, and ripples emanated out in the air. The trees swayed backward, and the rainwater was transformed into a mist. Blood sprayed out of Meng Hao's mouth, and yet, his expression grew fiercer.

Zhou Jie staggered backward seven or eight steps, and, unable to control himself, coughed up a huge mouthful of blood. His face was pale, and yet his eyes gleamed brightly.

Neither of them spoke, as they stared at each other. Both of them knew that this battle… was far from over.

Zhou Jie had only used one magical item. He hadn't even employed any of the magical techniques of his Sect, nor any killing moves. Neither had Meng Hao.

They looked at each other for the space of three breaths, whereupon Zhou Jie lifted his head up to the sky and laughed. "The Great Black Clouds Palm! What a familiar magical technique! Brother Meng, since you know this technique, I think today would be a good opportunity to exchange some pointers. Let me show you why the Black Sieve Sect's Great Black Clouds Palm is known by the moniker Black Clouds!" He lifted his right hand, and his breathing suddenly seemed to become strange and ragged. As his hand rose, illusory images appeared.

Each image was the shape of a hand. In total, twenty-six of them appeared. Zhou Jie's eyes narrowed, and he stretched his hand out toward Meng Hao.

"This is the true Great Black Clouds Palm!" As Zhou Jie's voice rang out, he struck forward, and an enormous hand appeared. It emitted a black glow, and as it formed it seemed to be composed of mist. This black mist was none other than the namesake black clouds!

The Black Clouds Palm screamed through the air toward Meng Hao, filling the area with a thunderous roar. Be it in terms of profundity or power, this attack vastly exceeded the incomplete version which Meng Hao had learned.

Meng Hao's eyes gleamed, but he said nothing. This was his personality; when engaged in magical battle, he would rarely speak. Everything he wanted to say was said in attacks. By not speaking, he increased the viciousness of those attacks.

He lifted his right hand and used his index finger to slice open a cut on his thumb. As the blood flowed out, everything in Meng Hao's eyes turned red.

1. This technique was learned by Meng Hao in Chapter 149: Killing Intent! and the following chapter, and was also used in Chapter 184: Seven Exterminations

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Chapter 203: I am Strong! I Shall Take My Stand!

Blood Immortal Legacy!

Without a face, a single word, the flames of war unify

Sundered clouds, a bloody rain, seas that fill the sky

Capture the gods, advance the troops, fire consumes the towers

Forge all spirits and bloodlines into the 9 killing powers! 1

These words contained magical powers. For the power to be unleashed required a sufficient Cultivation base, namely, Core Formation. Meng Hao was well aware that he was incapable of using it.

However, the Blood Finger, the Blood Palm and the Blood Death World, did not have a Cultivation base requirement. With sufficient spiritual energy, they could be unleashed. In addition to the Eighth Demon Sealing Hex, these were his killing moves.

Upon the path he trod to reach this day, Meng Hao had used the Blood Finger technique multiple times. It was clearly uniquely powerful, enough to shock anyone who saw it being used. The world in front of Meng Hao appeared to be red, which was a sign of the Blood Finger. Meng Hao had long since gotten used to this blood-red world. He looked at Zhou Jie, and the massive hand formed by the Black Sieve Sect's magical technique, Great Black Clouds Palm. It screamed through the air toward him.

The hand itself seemed to be formed from black coloured mist, and yet it was also interlaced with a strange Qi. As the hand approached, it seemed to grow larger and larger. Meng Hao could imagine that soon it would fill his entire vision, and blot out the rest of the world.

It made him think back to the time in the State of Zhao when Lord Revelation had floated in the air above the Reliance Sect, and sent a palm strike down into the ground. At that time, he had been too weak to even struggle. The palm destroyed the Reliance Sect, and left a massive hand print in the earth.

But a red blur had appeared in the sky, like a sword that could sever Heaven and Earth. It split the hand in two, saving Meng Hao. In his mind, Meng Hao could see that massive hand descending upon him. 2

Of course, Zhou Jie couldn't even come close to comparing with Lord Revelation. And yet, the scene today was very reminiscent….

Meng Hao suddenly smiled, a wordless, soundless smile. He lifted his hand toward the incoming palm. The incoming palm attack grew closer and larger, kicking up a fierce wind which sent Meng Hao's clothes and hair whipping about….

Meng Hao lifted the thumb of his right hand, and then slashed it toward the incoming Great Black Clouds Palm.

This slash was like a flash of blinding light in the midst of pitch blackness. It was a slash like the brightness seen when opening the eyes for the first time. This slash was just like the one the Demon Lord had used to sever Lord Revelation's palm attack. This slash… was evidence of the enlightenment Meng Hao had experienced underneath that massive palm in the Reliance Sect in State of Zhao!

I am strong! I shall take my stand!

A roaring boom filled the air. Meng Hao stood there, not moving a muscle. The massive incoming palm was a mere seven inches from him when a huge crack appeared, beginning at the top of the middle finger and snaking down all the way down through the gigantic palm. Then it split out, growing wider and wider. Meng Hao stood there calmly, safely, as the palm passed by. Wind screamed, buffeting his hair wildly. However, in the midst of the whipping hair, his eyes shined brightly. They were like sunlight in the dark of night. Anyone who caught sight of it would find the light… blinding!

"Do you want to keep going?" asked Meng Hao calmly, flicking his sleeve.

Zhou Jie stood there silently, looking at Meng Hao. Bitterness arose in his heart, but a moment later, the will to fight once again sparked to life in his eyes.

"Of course I want to keep going," he replied coolly. "From the moment I became Dao Child until now, I've never been defeated." He took a breath, waving his hand toward the incense burner off to the side. Instantly, the incense burner began to tremble. Cracks appeared on its surface, and popping sounds rang out as it collapsed into pieces. "No one should interfere with our fight now." His words were simple, and so were his actions. However, this simplicity revealed incredible power, the power of a true expert. It was only the seed of power, but even that little bit caused Meng Hao's eyes to narrow.

"He's cut off his own path of retreat," thought Meng Hao. "With nowhere to run to, he can only rely on himself, and will be forced to utilize all of the power he can muster. This Zhou Jie really is an outstanding person.3" He nodded.

Zhou Jie lifted his hand and then pressed down onto his bag of holding. From within, five glittering strands of light emerged. Suddenly, the darkness around them disappeared as brilliant light filled the air. The bright light was emanated from what now hovered in front of Zhou Jie. Five glowing swords!

Five glittering swords, glowing with a variety of colors!

Zhou Jie reached out and extended his fingers. The five swords moved to his fingers, one hovering beneath each.

"Sieve Moon Mother Earth, Heaven Splitting Sword Formation!" Zhou Jie's hand pushed down toward the ground. As it did, the brightly glowing swords also shot down, and then disappeared.

The instant the swords disappeared, Meng Hao's pupils constricted, and he shot backward six paces.

Almost simultaneously, the five swords suddenly reappeared out of thin air. They shot upward, heading directly toward Meng Hao, who was still in the midst of retreating.

The glittering light they emitted was dazzling as they screamed through the air. They were winding beams that were instantly upon Meng Hao, their sword auras billowing up to the sky. The sword Qi seemed to have locked Meng Hao up tightly; death surrounded him in all directions.

"Interesting," said Meng Hao, his eyes narrowing. He lifted the thumb of his right hand and waved it toward the five swords.

A boom filled the air, and suddenly a blood-colored shield surrounded Meng Hao, thirty meters in each direction. The five swords slammed into the shield, causing a massive roar to echo out.

Zhou Jie coughed up some blood and then flickered in an incantation with both hands. The five swords emitted a shrill screaming sound. A flash of light burst out, and the five swords turned into twenty five swords!

The swords filled the air as they shot once again toward Meng Hao. Their intense power caused Meng Hao to be filled with a sense of life-or-death danger.

However, his expression remained the same as ever. As the twenty five swords shot toward him, he flicked his sleeve. The power of his Cultivation base roiled out. He slashed his index finger with his thumb causing blood to pour out. Using the power of two Blood Fingers, he gestured up into the air.

Boom!

The massive explosion was enough to distort one's vision. Everything in the area seemed to twist. The twenty five swords were blocked. Zhou Jie let out a howl. He pushed his hands against his chest, and veins popped out on his face. The twenty five swords flew up into the sky, and in an instant, transformed. One hundred and twenty five swords now filled the sky. From all directions, they descended upon Meng Hao.

They slammed into the glowing blood shield, which distorted and began to retract. In the blink of an eye, it had shrunk by nearly ten meters. Nearly half of the swords passed through it, pressing on toward Meng Hao.

Meng Hao took a deep breath and slashed a third and fourth finger. Four fingers were now filled with the power of the Blood Immortal Legacy. The glow of blood filled the air as Meng Hao slashed the fifth finger!

The five fingers were covered in blood, forming the shape of a bloody handprint. This was the second of the three Legacy techniques, which contained power exceeding the Blood Finger. This was… the Blood Palm!

The Blood Palm appeared, filling the sky with a shocking roar. A massive blood-colored palm magically coalesced above Meng Hao's hand. He waved his hand, and the bright red, bloody glow spread out, sweeping through the sword formation and causing the more than one hundred glittering swords to tremble and fly backward. Meng Hao took a step forward, waving his hand once again.

A roaring sound could be heard as the space three hundred meters surrounding Meng Hao suddenly was filled with the image of an enormous, blood-colored hand. Meng Hao stood at its very center. The massive hand shot into the air, then clenched into a fist.

Zhou Jie's face twisted. He coughed up more blood and rapidly flashed some incantation gestures in an attempt to regather his glittering swords. Instead, his face drained of blood.

The more than one hundred swords were apparently under the control of the massive clenched fist. They struggled as if they wished to free themselves, but were unable to.

Thirty of the swords trembled so violently that they eventually let out plaintive whines and collapsed into pieces.

Meng Hao snorted coldly. Roaring filled the air as thirty more flying swords disintegrated, and then another thirty. Finally, another thirty….

In the space of a few breaths, all of the flying swords were shattered to pieces by the massive clenched fist. The blood-colored hand slowly disappeared. As it did, five glittering, crack-filled swords appeared in front of Meng Hao.

"I have one last technique!" said Zhou Jie through clenched teeth. His eyes were crimson as Meng Hao waved his hand, sending the five glittering swords into his bag of holding.

"Black Sieve, Immortal Subjugation!" howled Zhou Jie. His left hand pushed down on his forehead. At the same time, he waved his right hand. Instantly, dozens of jade slips flew out. Cracking sounds filled the air as each and every one cracked into pieces. A sweet, beautiful aroma filled the air. However, it quickly turned into a disgusting odor which made one wish to vomit out their internal organs.

Suddenly, a Qi filled the entire area, which seemed to belong to Zhou Jie…

Meng Hao's eyes flickered. Suddenly, the archaic voice from the Demon Sealing Jade echoed in his mind.

"A hosts of evil spirits which call themselves Immortals (仙). But why fear a man (人) and a mountain (山)? If you encounter them, seal them immediately!" 4

Meng Hao was used to the sudden appearance of the voice in his mind. He looked over at Zhou Jie, sensing the increasingly powerful Qi which radiated out from him. Zhou Jie's twisted face no longer looked handsome. Instead, it seemed as if countless faces of others were flickering atop his own.

Anguish filled Zhou Jie's face, and it appeared as if he couldn't hold on much longer. Slowly, the life began to drain away, and his face began to grow dark. It turned out this technique could not be used by someone of the Foundation Establishment stage, not even…

A Dao Child!

"Demon Sealing, Eighth Hex!" Meng Hao slowly lifted his hand. A Qi suddenly began to emanate from him that outsiders would not notice, but was absolutely visible to the countless bizarre spirits which were currently pouring into Zhou Jie.

The legion of faces which hovered on top of Zhou Jie's face, one and all, filled with expressions of terror…

This chapter was sponsored by Fan from WA

1.These words first appeared in Chapter: 37: 10th Patriarch of the Wang Clan. Please don't memorize these lines, because I may go back later to adjust them.…

2. The events with Lord Revelation happened in Chapter 93: Sever the Dao, Change Heaven and Earth, Demonic Will!

3. This is a slight play on words, because the "jie" character in Zhou Jie's name means "outstanding"

4. As you should be able to see by looking closely, the character for Immortal is made up of the character for "person" and "mountain." In this passage, the voice is kind of making fun of these spirits which claim the title "Immortal." There was an analysis of the character "Immortal" in Chapter 118: Without Entering Mount Heaven, Immortal Ascension is Impossible

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Chapter 204: The League of Demon Sealers!

Demon Sealing, Eighth Hex!

This was the only technique among the Demon Sealing Sect's magic that Meng Hao had truly mastered. You might even say that it was not a magical technique, but a divine ability!

Every generation of Demon Sealers must create a new hex, and this one was created by the Eighth Generation Demon Sealer. As the Ninth Generation Demon Sealer, Meng Hao should have been prepared to face everything. However, Patriarch Reliance had ruined everything. Had it not been for a host of coincidences, as well as good fortune, Meng Hao would never have been able to learn the Eighth Demon Sealing Hex.

He took a deep breath and lowered his right hand. Ghost images appeared of everything in sight. Meng Hao's body trembled, and the world shook. Everything folded in onto Zhou Jie, causing countless ghost images to appear around him.

All of this takes some time to describe, but in fact happened in an instant. The ghost images began to vanish. Miserable screams echoed out from Zhou Jie; the voices did not belong to him, but rather the spirits which had entered his body.

Zhou Jie's body trembled, and his eyes were filled with confusion. A pulsating black aura drifted out from his body. The aura was extremely dense, and within it could be seen nine phantoms, images of old men with faces twisted in insanity and horror. They glared at Meng Hao.

No observer would be able to see these images… neither could they hear… the blood-curdling shrieks!

Meng Hao was the only one who could see or hear any of it. He was the Ninth Generation Demon Sealer, and despite having not yet fully realized his potential, his drop of blood had already confirmed his identity as the Ninth Generation. That was irrefutable.

Therefore, he could see these things.

The phantom spirits screamed miserably and then began to speak.

"The League of Demon Sealers, you're the Ninth Generation…."

"The day our Dao was realized, you Demon Sealers blocked us, refined us, preventing us from becoming Demons!"

"Who cares about the League of Demon Sealers? They'll become like us eventually, discarnate souls of Heaven and Earth!"

As their words echoed out, their bodies began to tremble, and their screams grew more intense. The black aura around them began to dissipate, and they began to be absorbed into the ground. Their figures grew indistinct and then began to disappear.

Meng Hao watched on thoughtfully. He didn't know much about the League of Demon Sealers; he was gradually learning along the way. Looking at the discarnate souls had caused a coldness to flash through his eyes. He waved his right hand.

As he did, the discarnate souls vanished. Their dying cries echoed into Meng Hao's ears.

"Shatter the League of Demon Sealers! Lord Ji has replaced the Heavens and forged the Immortality Bestowal Dais. We struggled to become Immortal, and then died. What of it? Your League prevented us from achieving our Dao. Just wait until things change, then see which of the countless discarnate souls in Heaven and Earth will devour you!!"

As the sound of the voices continued to echo out, Zhou Jie's pale face began to recover its complexion. His eyes were still filled with confusion.

Meng Hao glanced at him thoughtfully for a moment, then turned with the flick of a sleeve and began to walk off into the rain.

Zhou Jie watched Meng Hao's figure disappearing. He took a deep breath, and then clasped hands and bowed deeply.

"Next time we fight," he said under his breath, "I won't kill you, even if I win. I will repay your kindness, and prove the determination of my Cultivation." Then he turned weakly, disappearing into a beam of light.

Meanwhile, deep in a limestone cave in the Hundred Thousand Mountains of the Black Sieve Sect…. The moment the discarnate souls died, furious howls could be heard. Although they echoed up into the sky, not a single Black Sieve Sect disciple could hear them.

"The League of Demon Sealers! He's of the League of Demon Sealers!!"

"Damn those Demon Sealers, each and every generation! Lord Ji fears them, and cursed the Ninth Generation Demon Sealer to die! This is the Ninth Generation…."

"Death, death, death…. The League of Demon Sealers must die! Every generation!!"

"Immortality Bestowal Dais lacks only the spirit of a Demon Sealer. Find him! Snatch his spirit and drink his blood to gain an Immortal body!!"

As the howls rang out, the entirety of the Hundred Thousand Mountains suddenly shook. The mountains shook, the ground shook, as if the spirit of the mountains was aroused. Pulses of black aura drifted up, causing the sky to grow dark.

However, at the very moment in which the pulses of black aura were about to shoot out, the corpse which had fallen from the sky to land near the Southern Domain's Rebirth Cave, suddenly shook 1. As it shook, and aura emerged from it, an aura not visible to any living person. It instantly spread out throughout the Southern Domain, filling it with terrifying force.

This terrifying force caused the discarnate souls beneath the Hundred Thousand Mountains to tremble. Everything grew silent.

"Who are you!?" Amidst the deathly silence, a powerful aura exploded out from deep beneath the Hundred Thousand Mountains. It seemed powerful enough to cause the corpse to tremble. When the other discarnate souls saw it, they prostrated themselves as if this aura were their sovereign.

The billowing aura filled the sky above the Black Sieve Sect, covering the land for millions of kilometers in every direction. Everything became pitch black. The strangest thing was… no one could actually see this! To any onlooker, the sky was as blue as the deep blue sea!

The voice which responded was deep and archaic. "I came seeking destiny," it said. The sound echoed throughout the Hundred Thousand Mountains of the Black Sieve Sect, filled with the ancientness of countless years. It seemed… somewhat tired.

Within the exhaustion was a barely detectable… killing aura.

It seemed as if this person had lived a life of battle, had killed so many times that it was impossible to describe. The voice seemed to contain a shocking will.

"What do you want?!" said the sovereign-like aura above the Black Sieve Sect.

"Destiny comes and destiny goes. The Dao will always exist. This kid has destiny. If you interfere, I will abandon rebirth, change my plans, and instead slaughter all of you."

The sovereign-like aura said nothing. After some time passed, it faded away. As it did, a haughty voice rang out.

"There's no need to change your plans. We will come for you! Select thirty Chosen from the Black Sieve Sect and send them to our Black Underworld Cave! We will return to the mortal world!"

Meanwhile… deep in the recesses of the Rebirth Cave, was a corpse. It was not the corpse of a human, but rather, a fish. It was a small fish, about the size of a hand.

The place where the fish's eyes once had been suddenly began to burn with a underworldly fire.

Next, deep beneath the Milky Way Sea, the long rope stretched along the seafloor toward the wooden coffin that rested amidst the massive formation of stones 2. A scratching sound could be heard, as if someone was inside the coffin, scratching the lid with their fingernails.

A raspy voice sounded out: "League of Demon Sealers…." The voice was filled with melancholy, and reminiscence. The words drifted slowly up, causing a violent storm to break out on the surface of the Milky Way Sea.

End of Book 2: Cutting Into the Southern Domain

Note from Er Gen: This chapter is about 1000 characters short. However, all the details have been spelled out. You could say that this chapter is sort of a wrap-up. More exciting chapters are coming up! I really need to take some time to plan for Book 3. Book 3 will be the best I've written so far!

Note from Deathblade: He's right. Book 3 is amazing

1. For more information on this see the entry "Immortal's Corpse" in the glossary

2. For more details on the rope and the fisth, see the entry "Roc" in the glossary

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

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Book 3: The Honor of Violet Fate

Chapter 205: Dispelling Poison with the Cubic Pearl!

The rain continued to fall, but the horizon was no longer pitch black. Moonlight could be seen through the clouds, and far in the distance, the glow of the morning sun was just becoming visible. Night was beginning to fade, and sunlight approached.

As the sun replaced the moon, rain fell down, and Meng Hao proceeded onward. His expression was calm, as if nothing had just happened. This rainy day made him think about the snow back in the State of Zhao.

He wasn't sure exactly where he was within the Southern Domain. The only thing he could see was a mountain range that stretched off into the distance. His only company was the falling rain and the cold wind.

His battle with Zhou Jie had confirmed the battle prowess of his five Dao Pillars. He could definitely suppress Dao Children, the most powerful of the Foundation Establishment stage!

"Unfortunately, I'm still lacking in terms of techniques," he thought. "I have a similar problem with magical items, otherwise I could have completely crushed him." He walked along in the rain, lost in thought. The Cultivation world was much different from the life of a scholar. He was gradually learning how to identify his weaknesses. He could not allow his weaknesses to cause his next battle to end with his own death.

"There's not much I can do regarding magical techniques. Joining the Violet Fate Sect would help a lot, if I could somehow figure out a way. However… as for magical items…." Meng Hao frowned.

All of his magical items had been acquired through battle. However, the more powerful his Cultivation base grew, the less effective his magical items became. The wooden swords, the lightning mist and the little black net all grew with him, but as for the fan, the bow and the other items, they were gradually becoming less and less useful.

"I'm not completely stuck in this regard, though. I have two methods which can be used to forge magical items. I could go to the Black Lands to search for the Frigid Snow Larva. If I feed it the Sieve Net Thunder Mulberry Leaf, it will transform into the Eyeless Larva, which can produce indestructible silk threads! 1

"I also have the jade page from Han Bei's ancestor which can be used to forge the Time treasure. Either one of these two could solve my current problem. Unfortunately… both are incredibly difficult, and can't be accomplished quickly. Of course, there's also the flag with three streamers, although I can't even touch it with my current Cultivation base…." He shook his head, looking around at the unceasing rain. It seemed to be growing heavier. Meng Hao's body flickered, and he shot toward the nearby mountain range. He waved his hand, and a flying sword screamed out and carved an Immortal's Cave into the side of the mountain.

With the flick of a sleeve, he flitted like a nightingale into the Immortal's Cave, where he sat down cross-legged to meditate. His Cultivation base rippled with power, and the heat which spread out from him caused all the moisture in the newly carved cave to instantly disappear.

He spat out the lightning mist, which spread out to cover the entire cave, including the entrance. Then he closed his eyes and rotated his Cultivation base. After the time it takes half an incense to burn, he opened his eyes and slapped his bag of holding. When he lifted his hand up, it was holding the Cubic Pearl.

At first look, it appeared to be square, but upon closer examination, it actually wasn't. It was very bizarre. Meng Hao looked at the pearl and took a deep breath. His eyes shone with anticipation.

He took out the copper mirror and made a copy. Unfortunately, he didn't have many Spirit Stones left. After hesitating a moment, he decided not to make any more copies.

"I hope this pearl can dispel the poison of the Resurrection Lily," he said, eyeing the pearl with glittering eyes. He wasn't sure exactly how the pearl worked, but he was not the same Cultivator he used to be. He was as powerful as someone from the late Foundation Establishment stage. Without a moments hesitation, he cast his Spiritual Sense into the pearl.

After a moment, he frowned, then bit the tip of his tongue and spit out some blood onto the pearl. In the blink of an eye, the pearl absorbed the blood, and then suddenly began to melt.

Strands of white light floated up, along with a delicate, purifying fragrance. Meng Hao's eyes began to shine. After a long moment, he waved his hand, and the Immortal's Cave shook. A crack spread out on the ground, and suddenly a vine burrowed up.

Under Meng Hao's direction, the vine stretched out toward the white strands, and then began to absorb them. The white strands instantly shot toward the vine, entering into its body. Meng Hao watched on, eyes glittering.

After the space of about ten breaths, the vine began to change color. Soon, it was no longer dark red, but pure white. A sense of purity radiated out from it.

More time passed. Meng Hao looked thoughtfully at the slowly melting pearl, and the white strands which floated up from it. His eyes filled with determination, and he began to breathe deeply. The strands flew toward him, entering his body through his mouth and nose.

He closed his eyes, and after about ten breaths had passed, his body began to quiver. Veins bulged on his face, and his eyes snapped open. Within his pupils could be seen the crying-laughing demonic faces. On top of the faces suddenly appeared layer after layer of white strands.

It appeared as if the white strands were attempting to purify the Resurrection Lily within Meng Hao.

Time slipped by. Soon, an hour had passed. Sweat poured off of Meng Hao like rain. His face was pale, but his eyes radiated stubbornness. He took a breath, and more white strands floated into his body through his mouth and nose. As they did, the demonic faces in his pupils began to twist and distort.

Faint screams echoed out in Meng Hao's mind, and his body felt as if it were about to be torn to pieces. There seemed to be a battle of life-and-death going on inside of him. The demonic faces in his eyes were even more twisted. Ghost images appeared, and a black aura began to pour out of the top of Meng Hao's head. The aura twisted and coalesced into… a three-colored Resurrection Lily!

The Cubic Pearl seemed about to darken, as if it were going to release the full power of its aura. It was now half of its original size. It seemed that it would soon have used all of its effectiveness, and the white strands would disappear.

Meng Hao's eyes shined brightly. Without hesitation, he reached out and grabbed the pearl. This time, he didn't breath in the strands, but actually consumed the entire pearl.

A roaring sound filled his body that seemed to create a harmony with the crashing thunder on the outside. The Resurrection Lily on his head writhed as if it were being buffeted by a powerful wind. Finally, it showed signs of dissipation.

Shrill shrieks filled his head, and his face distorted. However, without hesitation, he lifted up the second Cubic Pearl and, gritting his teeth at the loss of Spirit Stones, made another copy.

After making the second copy, he was now out of Spirit Stones. Eyes radiating stubbornness, he lifted both Cubic Pearls and put them into his mouth.

A shocking, thunderous roar filled Meng Hao as soon as the Cubic Pearls entered his mouth. The roaring was so incredible that it expanded out to fill the surrounding mountains. White strands spread out from Meng Hao's pores, swirling up and surrounding his body.

The three-colored Resurrection Lily on his head suddenly quivered. It seemed to be fading, as if it would completely dissipate at any moment. As Meng Hao sat there surrounded by the white mist, the demonic faces within his eyes emitted constant ghost images, and slowly began to fade away. It seemed the pearl really was capable of dispelling the poison.

After about an hour passed, the image of the Resurrection Lily on the crown of Meng Hao's head was almost completely invisible. There was no trace whatsoever of the demonic faces in his eyes. But then…

Suddenly, the mist which had been dispelling the Resurrection Lily suddenly diffused outward. Next, the white strands began to seethe, congealing above Meng Hao's head. A red streak appeared in their midst, followed by a bright yellow streak, and finally a streak as blue as the sky.

The four colors mixed together within the churning mist, forming together to make… a four-colored Resurrection Lily!

Apparently, the Resurrection Lily couldn't be destroyed. Even as it died, it would reappear as if it had been reincarnated.

An unsightly expression appeared on Meng Hao's face as he observed the four-colored Resurrection Lily. His eyes glimmered darkly, but then suddenly began to shine.

Upon closer inspection, it seemed the four-colored Resurrection Lily, which resembled a demonic face, had an aura that was not any stronger than the three-colored Resurrection Lily from before. In fact, this new Resurrection Lily was trembling.

"That's not the fourth color!" thought Meng Hao, his eyes narrowing. After thinking back to the four-colored Resurrection Lily he had seen in the Blood Immortal Legacy tournament, he realized that his own Resurrection Lily was different. 2

"If it had actually developed a fourth color, then my consciousness would have been lost, and I would have transformed into a Resurrection Lily. But I don't feel strange at all. Furthermore, the color of this fourth petal…."

Suddenly, the quivering four-colored Resurrection Lily spasmed. Its white petals collapsed into pieces, which then transformed into a white glowing light. The light shot toward the blue petals, and the Resurrection Lily began to tremble even more violently for the space of a few breaths. Meng Hao continued to observe, eyes shining.

He watched as the blue petals began to wither, and then disappear. Now, the Resurrection Lily was composed of only two colors. Upon closer inspection, the blue petals hadn't completely disappeared, but was still barely visible. In fact, it seemed as if they would gradually reappear.

The two-colored Resurrection Lily seemed weaker, yet at the same time emanated a pure aura. Apparently, after absorbing the Cubic Pearl, the Resurrection Lily had lost one of its colors. Other than that, it seemed like the poison-dispelling power of Cubic Pearl didn't affect the Resurrection Lily at all.

The two-colored Resurrection Lily flickered. Meng Hao was powerless to do anything as it slowly sank back down into him through the top of his head. Its aura was much weaker, however. Meng Hao stood up. After a moment's hesitation, his eyes filled with resolve.

"The Cubic Pearl was somewhat effective. However, if I want to completely dispel the poison, I have no other choice than to infiltrate the Violet Fate Sect. There, I can search for a method to completely rid myself of it. This thing is really like a bone stuck in my throat!"

This chapter was sponsored by Fan from WA

1. The Eyeless Larva was last mentioned in Chapter 165

2. Meng Hao encountered the four-colored Resurrection Lily in Chapter 125 and the chapter after that. It didn't mention the specific colors of the petals, though

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

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Chapter 206: The Huang Clan Five Immortals 1

Meng Hao slapped his bag of holding to retrieve the blood-colored mask. He looked at it for a moment. Unless it was absolutely necessary, he didn't want to get tangled up with the meat jelly again.

It had reached a terrifying level in terms of being annoying, which Meng Hao had experienced first hand. After a moment of thought, he reached into the mask with Spiritual Sense.

It was dark inside, and as soon as Meng Hao entered, he sensed the mastiff's aura. It was growing more and more powerful, causing Meng Hao to feel somewhat calm.

The Blood Mastiff was his most powerful and deadly ally. He couldn't wait for it wake to up and stand at his side like it had when it was a puppy. It would lift its head to the sky and roar.

Next, Meng Hao's Spiritual Sense moved on, pausing for a moment on the flag of three streamers. After a moment, he moved on. It was obviously a precious treasure, but he couldn't do anything with it now.

When his Spiritual Sense reached the Li Clan Patriarch, he stared in shock.

The man was more thin and pallid than ever. He was incredibly weak, and it seemed as if his spirit might collapse at any moment. Despair filled his eyes. Meng Hao suddenly got the feeling that he had underestimated the fearsomeness of the meat jelly.

The meat jelly parrot was currently perched on the shoulder of the Li Clan Patriarch, its eyes glowing as it talked. Every few breaths, the Li Clan Patriarch would shudder.

Meng Hao hesitated, then gritted his teeth and slowly approached. The meat jelly suddenly looked up, having sensed Meng Hao's Spiritual Sense. It cried out.

"Eee? You're here! Why don't you join us? The old man and I were just discussing a sunset from seventy thousand years ago. We haven't finished yet, and he promised to listen until the end." The meat jelly seemed very excited at the prospect of Meng Hao joining the discussion.

Meng Hao's heart trembled, but before he could say anything, the Li Clan Patriarch looked over at him. His eyes glistened as if he were looking at a blood relative, and he emitted an excited shout.

It was a shout that seemed to be filled with reckless abandon.

"My name is Li Xuefeng! I'm a Patriarch of the Li Clan from seven thousand years ago. I possessed one of the Divine Watchmen within the Blood Immortal Legacy tournament. I beg you, please take the bird away. I'll tell you everything. Ask me anything, what do you want to know…? I know techniques from the Li Clan, divine abilities. Whatever you want to do, I can help you. I can tell you anything. Please, take it away, I…"

"Shut your mouth!" said the meat jelly indignantly. "You show no respect for your elders! Am I really so annoying? Y-y-you, you're too immoral! You're mine!!" He turned to look solemnly at Meng Hao. "He's mine! I still haven't brought him back from the path of wickedness. I still have seventy thousand years of…."

"He's yours! Yours!" said Meng Hao hurriedly, in a voice which could sever nails and slice iron. Without hesitation he continued, "I guarantee it. He's definitely yours!"

"Very well, then. You seem to be in a lovely mood, so I won't permit you to participate in the current discussion. I need to teach a lesson or two to this old man," it said angrily. "I can't believe he tried to tattle on me. I hate tattling, it's very immoral…." It spoke with fury, but excitement filled its eyes. The sudden introduction of a new conversation topic made it very enthusiastic.

Despair filled the face of the Li Clan Patriarch. He gazed pleadingly at Meng Hao, his eyes filled with regret. Why had he insisted on being so arrogant before? If he had just yielded earlier, he would never have been forced to face the torment of this frightening bird.

His life recently had been a living hell, a nightmare worse than death. His entire body suddenly shook.

Meng Hao cleared his throat.

Paying very close attention to his wording, Meng Hao said, "Senior, I was thinking about your ever-changing forms. Soon, Junior will be infiltrating a Sect. Is there any way Senior could possibly lend me some of your power of ever-changing forms?" Even as he spoke, he slowly edged backward.

The meat jelly turned and looked at Meng Hao in surprise.

"What are you going to do? Are you planning some evil deed!?"

"Of course not!" His voice filled with an air of righteousness, Meng Hao said, "You see, there are some extremely wicked people in this Sect. I want to infiltrate them in an attempt to catch the evildoers. Then, Senior can educate them, and help bring them back from the path of wickedness."

The meat jelly suddenly seemed very excited. "Oh, so that's your plan! Very well, very well. Meng Hao, you are really doing the right thing. Such evildoers really must be educated by me… although…." Suddenly it seemed hesitant.

Meng Hao's next words were spoken in a mesmerizing tone. "Senior, how about this: over the next few days, I will go capture some bullies for you to guide and help."

"Oh?!" The meat jelly seemed even more excited, and its hesitation began to wane.

It was time to strike while the iron was hot! "How about two bullies?" said Meng Hao.

The meat jelly quivered and flapped its wings excitedly. However, it still seemed a bit hesitant.

Gritting his teeth, Meng Hao said, "Five bullies! It will take me a few days, but I can go find five bullies for you."

The meat jelly let out a delighted squawk. Its entire body shook, and its eyes shined red with excitement. It stared at Meng Hao, panting. "Bring me three bullies!!" it cried. It looked at Meng Hao nervously, as if it were worried he would disagree.

"Huh? Three?" Meng Hao stared in shock. At first, he had assumed the meat jelly would try to get even more out of the deal. Instead, it was the opposite.

"Three!" roared the meat jelly. "Bring me three bullies, and I'll help you. Less than three and the deal's off!" It seemed it felt it was risking everything in its request.

Meng Hao felt that the whole situation was very strange, but he nodded nonetheless. "Okay, I'll get you three bullies. Not one less!" With that, he retracted his Spiritual Sense. He took a deep breath as he looked at the blood-colored mask. A strange expression covered his face.

"Could it be that the meat jelly doesn't know how to count? I offered five, and then it demanded three, and looked like it was going all out…." Mumbling to himself, Meng Hao put the mask away, turned, and left the Immortal's Cave. The rain had long since ceased. He turned into a white beam of light which shot off into the distance.

Two days later.

On a mountain path walked a muscular man of about thirty years of age. He wore a yellow gown, had small eyes, and a mustache shaped like the character 八. Next to him walked a young man, toward whom he smiled and said, "Junior Brother Meng, it's not far now. Up ahead is where my older brothers and I reside. Once we're there, you'll have to stay for a while. You and I hit it off immediately, didn't we? We'll definitely have to become sworn brothers. You know, the Huang Clan Five Immortals are very well-known in these parts. We can really be of some help to you!"

The young man had a bashful expression on his face. His Cultivation base seemed to be at the eighth level of Qi Condensation, one level higher than the yellow-robed Man.

"Thanks, big bro Huang," the young man said shyly. "This is the first time I ever left the Sect, so I'm very fortunate to have met you."

"Outside your Sect, you have to rely on friends. It's really no imposition. My older brothers and I are all very hospitable. Little bro, you're so young, and yet have such a high Cultivation base. Your future prospects are limitless! I'm sure that you'll soon be a very famous person in the Southern Domain. You might even be able to outshine Chosen. You know, my older brothers and I think that making friends is very important, and we're happy to do so." The yellow-robed man laughed heartily, then slapped Meng Hao on the shoulder. His eyes, however, glittered with contempt and greed. He glanced conspicuously at Meng Hao's bag of holding.

He had never seen such a bag of holding before; it was obviously something beyond ordinary.

Of course, a man like him would never have a chance to lay eyes on such a bag of holding. This bag was none other than the bag of the Cosmos. And the young man was obviously Meng Hao.

They had run into each other just this morning out in the wild mountains. The instant the man caught sight of the bag of the Cosmos, he had coveted it. But once he saw the level of Meng Hao's Cultivation base, he gave up any ideas of trying to steal it. Instead, he had engaged in lively smalltalk for quite some time.

The man smiled at Meng Hao and thought, "Some disciple from a Sect I've never heard of goes out on his own for the first time. A disciple like that must surely have some life-saving treasures from his Sect. However, someone like this doesn't have any experience. Only a few flattering words, and I've already won him over." In the man's mind, he had already figured everything out about his opponent.

Meng Hao looked more bashful than ever. However, in his heart, he was rejoicing. It had only taken him two days to find some local tyrant Cultivators. Even better, the man was leading him to a place where there would surely be more tyrants of the type that the meat jelly would like.

As they chatted, an Immortal's cave suddenly appeared up ahead of them at the bottom of a mountain. Its sealed main door was enormous, made from solid limestone. From the look of it, the Immortal's cave must take up half the inside of the mountain. On either side of the main door were two stone guardian lions, extremely lifelike in appearance. They didn't seem to fit in with the surroundings, as if they had been transported here from somewhere else.

There were also two towers near the entrance of the Immortal's Cave. These towers were constructed, not from earth and wood, but from bones. There were bones of both humans and animals, all piled up. It all was very gruesome.

"Here we are, little bro!" said the yellow-robed man, laughing loudly.

Meng Hao frowned. "This place…."

"I know what you're thinking," said the man. He continued, his voice firm: "But we're out in the wilderness. Though we don't cause problems for others, we do have to take some precautionary methods. Decorations like this only serve to frighten off the thieves and miscreants."

Meng Hao didn't respond, but a cold light gleamed in his eyes.

The yellow-robed man didn't notice Meng Hao's look. He waved his sleeve, and a flying sword flew out. He jumped on, and transformed into a colorful beam of light which glided through the air toward the Immortal's Cave.

Meng Hao followed suit, his eyes gleaming coldly.

As the two of them approached the main door of the Immortal's cave, the yellow-robed man waved his sleeve. A bright beam of light shot out, landing on the door. It rumbled, and then slowly began to open up.

Almost as soon as the door began to open, three Cultivators emerged from within. They were all about forty years old, with Cultivation bases at the ninth level of Qi Condensation. Two had fierce bearings, while the other was lean and haggard, with treacherous eyes. He held a fan in hand. He smiled as his gaze swept over Meng Hao.

The yellow-robed man laughed as he landed next to the three others. He turned and looked at Meng Hao, smiling. "Older brothers, I ran into friend Meng here on the road this morning. This is his first time outside of his sect. I invited him to spend some time with us. Please, join me in welcoming him!"

1. In this case, Huang is the Chinese character 黄 huáng, which is a common surname, but also means "yellow"

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Chapter 207: This is a Pretty Nice Immortal's Cave

The two large, fierce-looking men eyed Meng Hao for a moment and then smiled. Whichever way you looked at their smiles, they appeared vicious. It was as if they were staring down a helpless little lamb.

The man with the fan seemed to be the most treacherous of the group, and his smile appeared the most sincere. He clasped hands and saluted Meng Hao.

"I, Huang, heard the birds singing earlier, and couldn't help but wonder if a guest would be arriving. Fellow Daoist, a single glance at you and I felt the aura of a hero wash over me. Hearing Fifth brother's words just now, I can tell that you are a dragon among men, venturing out of his Sect for the first time. Fellow Daoist, you are the type of person I revere the most. Please, come into our Immortal's Cave and relax for a moment."

"Well…" said Meng Hao, seemingly unsure of how to respond to such praise. Clasping hands, he bowed back to the man. However, he appeared to be hesitant to enter the cave. Inwardly, he sighed. The man's flattering words were obviously full of lies. Meng Hao could have come up with something much better to say, were he in the other position.

"Little bro," said the yellow-robed man, his eyes flickering, "we're here at the main door. Come come, follow me in. Now that you're here, you're home!" He pulled at Meng Hao's sleeve, dragging him into the Immortal's Cave.

The other men clustered around hesitating Meng Hao as the yellow-robed man graciously led him inside. The limestone door slowly closed behind them. Immediately, the glow of luminescent pearls filled Meng Hao's eyes.

The Immortal's Cave was quite spacious and luxuriously decorated. It was filled with a variety of different rooms, including a pill concocting room and a medicinal plant courtyard.

With a candid laugh, the yellow-robed man made introductions: "Little bro, this is Second Brother, and this is Third Brother. After Fourth Brother, is me the Fifth Brother." As he made the introductions, he gave a meaningful glance to the treacherous looking man who ranked second.

"Greetings, Fellow Daoists," said Meng Hao shyly, clasping hands to them. He glanced around, a pleased expression in his eyes. When his gaze fell upon the luminescent pearls, his eyes shined brightly.

"Fellow Daoist Meng, what do you think of our Immortal's Cave? Not bad, huh?" said Second Brother Huang with a smile, gently fanning himself. His expression was tinged with a disdainful look that he assumed others wouldn't see, an expression that made it clear he was playing some sort of game. He stared at Meng Hao.

"It's pretty good," said Meng Hao, "pretty good. Very complete, with plenty of private rooms. Really, it doesn't seem common in any aspect." His praises sounded very sincere. "These luminescent pearls are especially incredible. It seems the spiritual energy here is quite abundant. Don't tell me you have a Spirit Spring, too?" He asked the question in a very astonished tone.

"There absolutely is a Spirit Spring," said Second Brother Huang with a laugh. "That's exactly why the five of us decided to build our Immortal's Cave here." The contempt in his eyes grew more obvious. In his mind, Meng Hao was prey trapped in a tiger's lair.

The Third and Fourth Brothers Huang both gazed at Meng Hao, their hideous grins growing wider. They clearly viewed Meng Hao as a sheep in a wolf's den!

As for Fifth Brother Huang, he continued to eye the bag of holding strapped to Meng Hao's waist. His smile grew more brilliant. He obviously thought that today was his lucky day to have snatched up such a cash cow.

Meng Hao also smiled. Although he still looked a bit bashful, his smile was genuine, and quite happy. The Immortal's Cave really seemed to contain some good opportunities, as did this group of men. They continued to herd him along.

"Eldest Brother recently brought in an artist to paint a portrait of him," said Second Brother Huang. "It's not really convenient for him to come out. Fellow Daoist Meng, why don't we go see him?" Without giving Meng Hao a chance to refuse, he pulled him toward the middle of the Immortal's Cave, where there was a vast, open area filled with luminescent pearls. At the far end was an enormous throne.

The throne was constructed from crystals, and upon it sat a large man. He appeared to be about fifty years old. He wore a long violet robe, and had a very dignified countenance. Even though he tried, it was impossible to cover up his fierceness. He radiated an intense killing aura.

His Cultivation base was not at the Qi Condensation stage, but the early Foundation Establishment stage!

In front of the large man sat a stooped, withered old man with long white hair. His body trembled and the paintbrush in his hand quivered. The outline of the large man could be seen on the canvas in front of him.

The man's eyes flashed over the group as they approached. He completely ignored Meng Hao, focusing instead on the yellow-robed man. He gave a cold harrumph.

"If you don't have something important to do, don't leave," he said. "I've been jumpy lately, and have a bad feeling. Now that you're back, sit down. I'll have this painter do a portrait of all of you."

Eyes filled with veneration, the yellow-robed man nodded his head in agreement. He stepped forward and sat down next to the violet-robed man. Second Brother Huang and the others clasped hands in respectful salute. Ignoring Meng Hao altogether, they moved forward to sit down.

No one said anything, and soon Meng Hao was standing there alone, an awkward expression on his face.

The large, violet-robed man looked at the painter and said, "You paint some good portraits of us, you hear? If you do, then I won't cause any trouble for you." Hearing the man's cool words, the stooped, white-haired old man shivered and nodded.

"Second Brother, I've really been feeling uneasy lately. Don't forget to check the teleportation portal. If any problems occur, we can get out of here instantly. Third and Fourth Brothers, you two listen well. No going outside!" Each and every word uttered by the violet-robed man caused the others to nod in agreement. None of them payed any attention whatsoever to Meng Hao. He stood there awkwardly. In his opinion, the man should at least greet him. Finally, he gave out a dry cough.

They ignored the cough and continued talking. The violet-robed man didn't so much as look at him. The others, including the yellow-robed man, didn't look his way either.

Meng Hao sighed, then coughed a little louder, interrupting the dialogue. Finally, the eyes of the five men fell upon him.

"Who's this?" said the violet-robed man with a frown, his voice sinister.

"That's a kid that Fifth Brother picked up when he went out," said Second Brother Huang, waving his fan. He laughed. "Apparently it's his first time out of his Sect."

"This kid is a real idiot," said the yellow-robed man, laughing. "His bag of holding is clearly incredible, so I chatted him up. Who could have imagined that he would be taken in by my rambling!? I led him right here."

Hearing this, the violet-robed man looked Meng Hao over, then coolly said, "Hand over your bag of holding." His expression was one of arrogance; seeing that Meng Hao was at the Qi Condensation stage, he obviously felt that he was virtually beyond notice.

Meng Hao smiled and glanced around. The look in his eye made it seem as if he were looking at his own house. "This is a pretty nice Immortal's Cave. Why don't you give it to me? Oh, your throne looks pretty good too, if a bit extravagant. I'll take that as well."

The violet-robe man gaped at Meng Hao. The Third and Fourth Huang Brothers, as well as the yellow-robed man, all burst out into arrogant laughter. As it echoed throughout the Immortal's Cave, Second Brother Huang's eyes narrowed and filled with a look of concentration.

"Actually, I'll take all of you along with the Immortal's Cave," said Meng Hao. With a chuckle, he began to walk forward. Before he could even take a step, the Third and Fourth Brothers Huang leaped up. They were tall and stalwart, with fierce expressions. Laughing contemptuously, they rushed toward Meng Hao.

"You brat, you dare to speak such nonsense in your Elders' Immortal's Cave!? Aren't you scared!?" They weren't very far away from Meng Hao, and it took only a moment for them to near him. They were just about to employ some magical techniques when Meng Hao again cleared his throat.

As he did, he completely ignored the two, and took another step forward. When they ran into him, it was like they had slammed into some immovable force. Blood sprayed from their mouths, and their trembling bodies tumbled backward, slamming up against the wall. They coughed up more blood and looked in shock at Meng Hao. Their Cultivation bases were suddenly suppressed, making them little more than mortals.

Everything happened too quickly. Before the others could even react, Meng Hao had reached the crystal throne.

"Are you looking to die!?" cried the yellow-robed man. His body shot forward. Next to him, Second Brother Huang's eyes flickered, and he waved his hand. A Flame Bird magically appeared, which shot toward Meng Hao. Second Brother Huang himself, however, shot backward in retreat.

All of this takes some time to describe, but actually happened in an instant. Meng Hao didn't even need to lift his hand. He glanced indifferently at the incoming yellow-robed man. The man's mind suddenly reeled, and he felt a stabbing pain as some incredible power pulsed in his heart. His vision grew dim, and he began to tremble in despair. The incredible pressure inundated him, and he was powerless to resist it.

Blood shot from his mouth, and he tumbled backward, slamming into the wall. Fear and intense astonishment filled his eyes. His body trembled. The only thing he could think of was the weak, shy expression on Meng Hao's face when he had met him, that made him look like a helpless animal.

"Who… who are you…?" he said, his heart filling with indescribable dread. How could he possibly have imagined that what he brought into his home was not a helpless lamb, but a vicious wild beast!?

As for Second Brother Huang's Flame Bird, before it could even near Meng Hao, it shook, and then disintegrated. To Meng Hao, a Flame Bird technique such as this was like a child's toy sword.

In the space of an instant, four of the Huang Clan Five Immortals were reduced to a state of shock. The large, violet-robed man still sat on the crystal throne, his face draining of blood. He watched Meng Hao approaching, and his face distorted. With a cry of rage, he leaped up. The instant he did, Meng Hao's gaze fell upon him.

When the gaze entered the violet-robed man's eyes, it hit him like a world-shaking thunderclap. An incredible roaring filled his mind, causing his body to spasm. A feeling of imminent life-or-death crisis washed over him. It was as if this gaze could pierce the world itself, and instantly exterminate him.

"The great circle of Foundation Establishment…." gasped the large man, his voice faint. Disbelief filled his eyes.

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Chapter 208: Ask Not The Heavens Regarding Slaying the Flower

Despair and bitterness welled up within the heart of the large, violet-robed man. He immediately lost all will to fight back. Being at early Foundation Establishment, he simply didn't have the courage to attempt to fight with someone of the great circle of Foundation Establishment.

As Meng Hao calmly approached him, he retreated backward several paces. Without hesitation, he clasped hands and saluted.

"Greetings, senior," he said. Then to the others, "Hey you, why haven't you paid respects to the Elder?!" Mumbling and trembling, the Second Brother Huang hurried over and bowed deeply to Meng Hao.

His heart quivered with fear. How could he ever have imagined that what he previously believed to be a weak little lamb could instantly transform into a devilish fiend that could slaughter him hundreds of times over?

Third and Fourth Brothers, as well as the yellow-robed man, immediately joined the violet-robed man. Trembling, the five brothers all bowed repeatedly to Meng Hao.

The most bitter and regretful of all, of course, was the yellow-robed man….

He glanced over at the violet-robed man to find him staring over with an expression of deep, venomous hatred. The yellow-robed man's eyes darkened, and he very nearly fell into a coma out of fright.

Coughing lightly, Meng Hao sat down onto the crystal throne. The five men were now standing where he had been just moments ago….

The old painter stared in frightened awe.

The violet-robed man's heart was filled with anxiety and his scalp was numb. "Sir…." he said. He was just now wrapping his mind around what had happened. His body trembled.

Meng Hao looked at him and said, "I can see that you have some problems with your Cultivation base. You've been stuck with only one Dao Pillar for years. How about this: I have a medicinal pill that would be very beneficial." He lifted up his hand, in the middle of which was a medicinal pill.

It was a very common pill for the Foundation Establishment stage. However, its effectiveness was a bit….

"How many Spirit Stones are you willing to pay for it?" asked Meng Hao coolly.

"Uh…." The violet-robed man gritted his teeth, then pulled out his bag of holding and handed it over to Meng Hao. Meng Hao frowned slightly, causing the trembling violet-robed man to turn and glare ferociously at the four men other behind him. Each and every one was shaking in their boots. One by one, they pulled out all of their belongings. In the end, the violet-robed man procured all of the items and wealth they had saved up over the years in their Immortal's Cave, as well as the cave itself, and offered it to Meng Hao. All in exchange for one medicinal pill.

His expression the same as ever, Meng Hao collected up the various valuables. Then he glanced at the yellow-robed man, who looked back sullenly, and then the Second Brother Huang.

"I heard you mention there's a teleportation portal here?"

"Yes, yes there is," replied Second Brother Huang. Not daring to leave out any information, he quickly gave a full description: "Actually, we didn't bring the portal here; it's a natural function of the Immortal's Cave, which we accidentally discovered. It works, but it will only teleport to one fixed location." His heart was filled with virtual agony, as well as complete enmity for the yellow-robed man. "Dammit, Fifth Brother," he thought, "who is this that you brought back with you? He's some kind of Patriarch!!"

Meng Hao nodded. He had already used his Spiritual Sense to confirm the location of the teleportation portal. Looking back at the five men, he suddenly waved his arm. Unable to resist, the five of them were instantly swept up. All they could see was a blur as they entered the world of the blood-colored mask which lay inside Meng Hao's bag of the Cosmos.

Everything was the color of blood. The meat jelly was in the midst of educating the Li Clan Patriarch, who sat there, emaciated, a blank, agonized look in his eyes. He looked more dead than alive, his body slack.

The meat jelly immediately noticed Meng Hao appear with the five Huang Clan men. Its eyes filled with excitement, and he instantly cast aside the Li Clan Patriarch.

"Bullies!" he cried, flying over. "I smell bullies! They're all bullies, all immoral!!" It flew a few circles around the five Huang Clansmen, who were clearly disoriented and terrified. The meat jelly was getting more excited.

Meng Hao cleared his throat and said, "Senior, these are the bullies I promised to bring you a few days ago. They need education from you to bring them back from the path of wickedness."

"Excellent, excellent," said the meat jelly with a nod. "You kept your word, as shall I. First, let me count." It flapped its wings as it settled onto the shoulder of the large, violet-robed man.

"One… two… three…" The meat jelly began to count, starting with the violet-robed man and the proceeding onto the Second and Third Brothers. When its eyes fell upon the Fourth Brother, it suddenly stared in shock. "One… two?" It flapped its wings as it reached the yellow-robed man. Suddenly, an angry, humiliated expression appeared on its face. It spun and glared at Meng Hao. "Liar!!"

Meng Hao gaped at the meat jelly.

"Look!" roared the meat jelly furiously. "One, two, three, one, two!! You've brought me two bullies, and I asked for three! I wanted three bullies!!" It clearly believed itself to have been swindled.

Meng Hao stared with wide eyes. Suddenly, everything became clear. This damned meat jelly really could only count the numbers one, two and three?

Without hesitation, Meng Hao quickly swept up the yellow-robed man as well as the Fourth Brother. Instantly, they disappeared.

"That was just a little mistake," said Meng Hao quickly. "Why don't you count again?"

The meat jelly carefully began to count again. "One, two, three… Haha! There are three! Three bullies. Excellent, excellent." Excited once again, it beat its wings and flew around in a few more circles. Suddenly, a glow like lightning shot out from it toward Meng Hao.

Meng Hao didn't evade. The lightning glow slammed into him, melding with his Spiritual Sense.

"This is my will of lightning," said the meat jelly, which had already landed on the shoulder of the violet-robed man. "You can use it to change forms one time. Make sure to bring back some more bullies!" It looked at the violet-robed man with a friendly expression. "Hey. Hello. My name is Ultimate Vexation. What's your name?"

The large, violet-robed man stared in shock. Not waiting for him to reply, Meng Hao quickly left the blood-colored mask. He could only imagine what would happen after the man responded. A sea of suffering awaited him….

Back in the Immortal's Cave, Meng Hao sat there, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"The meat jelly can only count from one to three…. Very useful." After a moment, he looked over at the old painter, who sat there with a dull expression on his face.

"Senior," he said softly, "what village are you from? I can take you back home."

The man looked scared. He hesitated for a moment, then said in a trembling voice, "But… my painting isn't finished yet. Do you mind if I paint you?" His eyes shined with anticipation.

Meng Hao was shocked for a moment. Then his eyes narrowed, and he looked closely at the old man. No matter which way he looked at him, the man seemed mortal. After a while, Meng Hao nodded. "Thank you so much, sir," he said, continuing to sit there on the crystal throne.

The old man took a deep breath, and then lifted the paintbrush, hand trembling. Looking at Meng Hao, he began to paint.

Time passed slowly. It took about four hours, during which time Meng Hao waited patiently. The man painted earnestly, and Meng Hao sat without moving.

After a while, the old man put down his paintbrush. He eyed the painting in front of him, and a satisfied expression filled his eyes. He looked up at Meng Hao and smiled.

"Finished," he said. "Why don't you take a look? Does it look like you?" His face was filled with anticipation.

Meng Hao smiled. He stood up and walked over to stand next to the old man. What he saw on the canvas was a young man sitting upright in a chair, surrounded by mountains. You couldn't say that the painting wasn't good, but there was something about it that just didn't seem right. It only bore a thirty percent resemblance to Meng Hao.

"Very good," said Meng Hao, smiling and nodding his head. "What are these two marks here?" He lifted his hand to point at the painting, where two long, thick marks could be seen. Meng Hao wasn't sure what they meant.

"What's above all of us?" asked the old man, smiling.

Meng Hao looked at him in surprise. Then, he smiled. "The sky," he said quietly.

"Think about it for a moment," said the old man, gazing at Meng Hao. His smile seems to contain some sort of hidden meaning. He looked completely different than he had just moments ago. Meng Hao thought for a moment, and then looked up. His eyes glittered as his vision passed through the Immortal's Cave to look up at the sky outside.

After some time passed, Meng Hao lowered his head. The instant he did, his pupils constricted. The old man… was nowhere to be seen!

An archaic voiced suddenly filled the Immortal's Cave, causing Meng Hao's body to quiver. His Spiritual Sense suddenly scattered. "Because of the ten thousand year old will of the World Tree, my residual self is here today. It is fate that I came here today to paint for you. I have sealed the true form of the Resurrection Lily, refined its nature talent and fused it with your spirit. While it is sealed, it cannot harm you. Furthermore, you will be able to draw upon the Resurrection Lily's nature talent of plants and vegetation. When enough time passes, you can cast away my residual will which seals the flower. Every ten thousand years, I commit one person to memory. Furthermore, a person who exists in my memory cannot be exterminated by the Karmic Severing of those surnamed Ji."

A long moment passed before Meng Hao took a deep breath. His eyes shone brightly as he turned once again to look at the painting. He gasped and stared in shock.

The image on the painting was not that of Meng Hao, but of a… Resurrection Lily!

It looked savage, unwilling, and even insane. It appeared to be sealed inside the painting! The image was incredibly lifelike!

There were also some words written on the painting.

The day the Resurrection Lily blooms with seven colors, the flower falls, Immortal Ascension, one thousand years. Karma is hidden in the Immortal Mountain. Ask not the Heavens regarding the path to slaying the flower.

Painted in the Southern Domain, Planet South Heaven, for my young friend.

Shui Dongliu. 1

1. Shui Dongliu was previously mentioned in Chapter 194 and Chapter 197

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Chapter 209: Opportunity for a Secret Meeting

Meng Hao took a deep breath. He lifted his head and was lost in thought for some time. Within his mind swirled images from that day within the cloud vortex in the Song Clan. When he'd stood on the enormous tree looking out into the emptiness, he'd seen words written and signed by Shui Dongliu!

A long moment passed. Finally, Meng Hao sat down cross-legged on the ground to examine himself. After enough time passed for an incense stick to burn, he opened his eyes, which shone brightly. It was clear to him that the Resurrection Lily had been completely repressed by some intangible force. It seemed to be asleep, sealed.

This effect was much more powerful than that of the Spring and Autumn tree, and would give him much more time to completely dispel the poison. Taking a deep breath he carefully rolled up the painting, and then clasped hands and bowed deeply for the old man.

"Many thanks for your assistance, Elder," he said, holding his bow for the space of ten breaths before straightening. He had no idea why this old man had appeared, or why he had been waiting, seemingly for Meng Hao himself.

"Shui Dongliu…." After another moment, Meng Hao turned and headed to examine all of the secret rooms in the Immortal's Cave. Everything that he could take with him, he packed away. Afterward, he went to the teleportation portal. Although he hadn't studied teleportation portals very much in the past, he had used them several times. He pulled out a spirit stone and placed it into the middle of the portal. Gleaming light shined out, and soon, the glow of teleportation surrounded Meng Hao.

A droning sound filled the air, shaking the entire mountain. The light flashed blindingly, and then disappeared. Meng Hao also disappeared without a trace.

Southern Domain. State of Eastern Emergence, Violet Fate Sect territory. In the middle of the remote mountains was a towering peak, carved into which was an Immortal's Cave. A radiant, glittering light appeared and then slowly vanished. Meng Hao immediately walked out.

He looked back at the abandoned Immortal's cave and the run-down teleportation portal. Not sure whether he would need to use it again one day, he committed its location to memory, then disappeared into a beam of prismatic light.

As he flew along, a rippling glow suddenly spread out in layers over his body. When it faded, his appearance had completely changed. His skin was no longer dark, but rather fair and clear. He looked much younger, perhaps sixteen or seventeen years old, and emanated a completely scholarly and refined air. He looked completely different, even somewhat soft and immature.

"I bet all the Sects and Clans in the Southern Domain are looking for me, thanks to the Sublime Spirit Scripture incident. But now, I can infiltrate the Violet Fate Sect. Be it with the goal of dispelling my poison, learning alchemy, or to master Violet Qi from the East… I absolutely must join this great Sect." His eyes filled with resolve.

Several days later, outside the Violet Fate Sect, in a city of Cultivators.

Violet Moon was a flourishing, bustling city, a hub of activity for Cultivators in the State of Eastern Emergence. This was especially true in the seventh month of the year, when the Violet Fate Sect held its yearly Pill Auction. During that time, the city usually was filled with even more Cultivators than usual. It wasn't just the Sects of the State of Eastern Emergence that would come, but Sects from throughout the Southern Domain. Many would teleport here just to attend the Pill Auction.

The so-called Pill Auction was a massive convention hosted by the Violet Fate Sect to auction off medicinal pills. Master alchemists from the Violet Fate Sect would offer up their best medicinal pills. Not only would they make tidy profits, but it allowed them to show off their pill concocting talent to the rest of the world.

During the Pill Auction, even the Furnace Lords of the Violet Fate Sect would sometimes participate. When that happened, it would always cause quite a stir, and attract the attention of other great Sects.

After all, Furnace Lords from the Violet Fate Sect were different than normal master alchemists. Other Sects wouldn't be able to raise up a single one, no matter how high of a price they paid. In the entire Southern Domain, only the Violet Fate Sect could train Furnace Lords.

Half the reason the Violet Fate Sect could become one of the great Sects of the Southern Domain, was because of its alchemists. The other reason was the fragment of the Sublime Spirit Scripture which gave them the Violet Qi from the East technique.

Because of this, the Violet Fate Sect was structured into two divisions. One part of the Sect was made up by the Violet Qi Division, the other part of the Sect was made up of the East Pill Division!

The Violet Qi Division practiced Cultivation related to the Dao of magical techniques. The East Pill Division was devoted to the Dao of alchemy. The two divisions both complemented and respected each other. Because of this relationship, the Violet Fate Sect occupied its current position.

This year's Violet Fate Sect Pill Auction would take place in only a few days, within Violet Moon City. Currently, a young scholar of about sixteen to seventeen years old stood in the public square in the city center, gazing off into the distance at a mountain. The mountain glowed with a violet light that rose up to the heavens. It turned the entire sky a violet color, and from a distance, it didn't appear to be a mountain but actually… a colossal mountain-sized statue!

The statue depicted an old man. In front of the old man was a pill furnace shaped somewhat like a mountain, as well as an enormous scroll, both of which emanated violet-colored light. With a mere glance, anyone could tell that this place was anything but ordinary.

This was the main gate of the Violet Fate Sect!

Next to the young scholar was a skinny, middle-aged man of about thirty years of age, with shifty eyes. He sighed emotionally and said, "That's the Founder of the Violet Fate Sect. His Daoist name was Reverend Violet East. He's long since achieved Immortality. However, the Daoist doctrines he left behind have been built upon down until this very day. They became the foundation upon which was built one of the five great Sects of the Southern Domain, the Violet Fate Sect."

His eyes filled with veneration, he continued, "Later generations remembered his countenance and, using a mountain as the base, carved out that statue. The pill furnace in front of him represents the East Pill Division of the Violet Fate Sect. The scroll represents the Violet Qi Division. Together, they form the majestic main gate of the Violet Fate Sect. Beyond that gate are endless mountains, all connected with suspension bridges. It forms an amazing sight that outsiders aren't able to gaze upon. That, is the Violet Fate Sect."

The young scholar seemed to be completely wrapped up in the man's words. However, deep in his eyes existed a cold light.

Naturally, this young scholar was none other than Meng Hao, with his new appearance. The skinny man next to him was a guide he'd found who helped strangers familiarize themselves with the city.

"If only I could join a great Sect like this, then I would be able to live without regrets," Meng Hao said softly, gazing at the majestic main gate. His words were filled with longing.

"That's pretty much impossible," laughed the skinny man. "The Violet Fate Sect rarely recruits new disciples. Even when they do, it's usually only from the Sects and Cultivator Clans within the State of Eastern Emergence. They almost never accept outsiders. If they did, the State of Eastern Emergence would be filled with people dreaming of joining. Young friend, it's still early. What sort of things are you interested in buying, I can take you to find them?"

"There's no need, I already found what I was looking for." Meng Hao laughed, then took out a Spirit Stone and handed it to the skinny man. He gave him a slight bow and then walked out of the square.

The skinny man stared at him in surprise for a moment, and then pocketed the Spirit Stone. He had led the young man around all morning, showing him all around the city but not taking him to any markets whatsoever. Putting the matter aside, he walked off. There was still a whole afternoon in which to find other customers.

Meng Hao traversed the streets surrounding the public square. Halfway down one block, he suddenly stopped and glanced over at a nearby store. It was a medicinal pill shop. On the wall inside the shop, he could see some old, dried up medicinal pills, arranged to form the outline of a pill furnace. In the middle of the image of the pill furnace was an elliptical symbol.

Within the symbol were four dried up medicinal pills.

Nothing about it looked out of the ordinary or unique. However, after catching sight of it, a smile broke out on Meng Hao's face. He walked around the corner into an alley. When he emerged, he was wearing a wide, bamboo hat and a long robe. He strode directly into the medicinal pill shop.

The shop wasn't large. Other than the shopkeeper, there was no one else inside.

"I want one of these pills," said Meng Hao, pointing to one of the low-priced pills on the shelf.

The shopkeeper opened his eyes and glanced at Meng Hao, then pulled out one of the pills Meng Hao had pointed to.

"This pill is useful during the fifth level of Qi Condensation. It costs seventeen Spirit Stones."

Meng Hao grabbed the pill without even looking at it, and with the flick of a sleeve, sent it shooting toward the image on the wall. It immediately smashed into the middle of the elliptical symbol. Now, instead of four pills, there were five.

With that, he tossed some Spirit Stones to the shopkeeper and then left.

The shopkeeper watched all of this in surprise. Then his eyes began to glitter, and he clasped hands and bowed toward Meng Hao's back as he walked off.

Time passed. Meng Hao had been staying in Violet Moon City for two days. On the same day that the Violet Fate Sect Pill auction started, he was sitting there cross-legged in the night when suddenly he opened his eyes and retrieved a jade slip from his bag of holding. It was glowing brightly.

This particular jade slip was an invitation medallion to a secret meeting! Recorded in the jade slip was a map, marked with the same symbol that was on the wall of the shop he'd visited earlier.

Outside, the moon was rising. Meng Hao put away the jade slip, and then left.

Soon, he appeared outside the same shop as before, wearing a wide bamboo hat, and voluminous robes. Without hesitation, he walked up and knocked on the wooden door.

After three knocks, the door slowly swung open. Inside was a nothing but pitch black.

His eyes flickered. After a moment's examination, he walked in. Ripples flowed out across the surface of the blackness, as if it were water. Meng Hao saw a bright glow, and then he was in a different place. Up ahead of him was a princely palace.

This palace looked exactly the same as the place he had visited the first time he went to one of these secret meetings 1. An old man, hands crossed and folded up within his sleeves, stood outside the palace. He looked Meng Hao over wordlessly.

Meng Hao approached, pulling out the secret meeting invitation medallion. The old man lowered his head, and Meng Hao walked past him into the palace.

He could hear the sounds of singing and dancing coming from further inside, just like the last time. Beyond some ornamental rock displays was a pavilion, within which sat four Cultivators. All of them wore masks covering their faces, making it impossible to see who they were.

This chapter was sponsored by Fan from WA, Melvin Smith, Anonymous, Quentin Niven, Atmasatriani Mannan, and Cole Hausner

1. The first secret meeting Meng Hao attended was in chapter 140

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Chapter 210: Joining the Violet Fate Sect

Meng Hao stepped into the pavilion calmly. He didn't look at the four others, nor did they look at him. He sat down off to the side.

Not much time passed before three more people arrived. They were surrounded by the sound of singing, and yet no dancers could be seen. It created a truly bizarre air. Suddenly, contented laughter rang out as a ruddy-faced old man appeared and strode toward them. He sat down in the seat of honor.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, let today's secret meeting begin. I won't go into all the rules. I'm sure this is not your first time participating as guests in a secret meeting, Fellow Daoists, so let's get going." He flicked his sleeve, and a Nine Dragons Furnace appeared in the middle of all the participants. Mist began to spread out, and Meng Hao glanced at the old man.

This man was clearly not the same old man Meng Hao had seen at his first secret meeting. However, Meng Hao's Cultivation base was not the same as it had been at that time. With his Spiritual Sense, he could tell that the old man wasn't even real.

He was actually a projection!

"These secret meetings are really mysterious," Meng Hao thought. "There must be some powerful forces behind the scenes that organize them. The meeting back in the Black Sieve Sect territory was exactly the same as this one." He pulled out a jade slip, which he sent into the furnace.

All the other participants did the same, and soon the mist from the dragon furnace filled the area, enveloping everyone.

Glowing lights began to appear, which Meng Hao started to browse through. His eyes began to flicker. The vast majority of the offerings were for pill formulas and medicinal plants.

"There must be at least one person from the East Pill Division here today, and not just a master alchemist, but a Furnace Lord." In the past few days, Meng Hao had made a few inquiries about the East Pill Division, and now knew much more about it.

For example, disciples of the East Pill Division started out as apprentice alchemists. Eventually, they could become master alchemists, then Furnace Lords. Higher than the Furnace Lords were the Violet Furnace Lords, who were very important figures within the Southern Domain.

Violet Furnace Lords were automatically novitiates of Grandmaster Pill Demon, and thus could receive direct instruction from him. The only other way to become a novitiate of Grandmaster Pill Demon was to have special backing, and thus reach heaven in a single bound, so to speak.

For example, Ding Xin from all those years ago, had been a disciple of the Violet Qi Division. However, his gift for pill concoction impressed Grandmaster Pill Demon, and he eventually was selected to become a novitiate. Sadly, before he could even begin his studies, he had been sent to the State of Zhao and had fallen at the hands of Meng Hao. 1

After that, the only disciple Grandmaster Pill Demon had accepted to be a novitiate was Chu Yuyan. However, her skill in pill concocting was actually only at the level of a Furnace Lord. She was still quite a distance from Violet Furnace Lord.

Meng Hao sat there thoughtfully, looking over the various twinkling dots of light. After a while, he reached out to grab the glowing dot that contained his information. He quickly imprinted it with some more details and then threw it back out to wait.

Not too much time passed before a streak of light appeared in front of him.

"You have a friend who wants to join the Violet Fate Sect's East Pill Division and become an apprentice alchemist? You'll need a recommendation for that. What do you have to trade?"

Meng Hao's eyes glittered. This was the exact purpose for which he had chosen to attend the Violet Moon City secret meeting.

According to the rules of the Violet Fate Sect, it was impossible to just randomly join the Sect. However, the larger a Sect is, the more dragons and snakes will be jumbled together 2. Of course there would be some people who would break the rules out of self-interest. And apparently this secret meeting had a Furnace Lord in attendance, most likely because of the recent Pill Auction.

If medicinal herbs could be sold for profit, then why not a spot in the Sect for an apprentice alchemist? After all, in the Violet Fate Sect, there were roughly one hundred thousand apprentice alchemists. One spot didn't really count for anything.

Meng Hao didn't respond immediately. He waited for about the time it takes two incense sticks to burn. No more responses to his request came in, so he began to negotiate with the person who had just messaged him. They felt each other out to confirm each other's legitimacy. Meng Hao was familiar with this process.

It didn't take long for the two of them to reach an agreement. Meng Hao traded some of the medicinal plants he had acquired in Patriarch Reliance's Immortal's Cave in exchange for a spot as an apprentice alchemist. When the deal was completed, Meng Hao had a new jade slip in his hand.

It was dark green, and the image of a pill furnace was carved on its surface.

Soon, the secret meeting came to an end. The mist dissipated, and one by one, the various participants disappeared into beams of light. When Meng Hao passed through the glowing exit, he found himself in a remote corner of Violet Moon City. He lowered his head and promptly disappeared into the night.

Three days later, at the foot of the Violet Fate Sect, Meng Hao appeared, still looking like the sixteen or seventeen year old scholar. He had a nervous expression on his face as he respectfully handed the dark green jade slip over to a stout middle-aged man.

The man wore a Daoist robe and had a thin beard. He appeared to be at the eighth level of Qi Condensation. He glanced at Meng Hao and then looked over the jade slip.

"Since you have this jade slip of recommendation, you may join the Violet Fate Sect as an apprentice alchemist. However, all apprentice alchemists must cross the Pass of Truth. Including yourself, there are three people here today who wish to join the Sect. If any of you harbor sinister intentions, then you will meet your death on the Bridge of Truth." He flicked his sleeve and began to walk.

Meng Hao followed him along the foot of the mountain, the one that was shaped like a pill furnace. Up above was the imposing statue of Reverend Violet East. Meng Hao and the middle-aged man walked for some time, until they were about halfway up the mountain. Up ahead was a chain bridge, which swayed lightly back and forth. Clouds drifted about above and below, making the image of Reverend Violet East just barely visible. Behind the giant statue was the peak of a mountain, surrounded by curling mists and clouds.

Beneath the bridge was a deep abyss. Falling into the abyss meant sure death for anyone who couldn't use their Cultivation base.

Not far from the chain bridge stood a Cultivator of about thirty years of age, with a blank expression on his face. Behind him were two youths, one boy and one girl, who cast nervous glances at the chain bridge. Clearly, they were so frightened that their scalps had gone numb.

The stout Cultivator led Meng Hao up to them and then yawned.

"The three of you must cross the bridge," he said. "If no duplicity exists in your heart, then you will reach the other side safely. With that, you will be a Violet Fate Sect apprentice alchemist. However, if you do harbor duplicity, then you will die. Throughout the years, many youths have perished before reaching the other side." Having finished his speech, the man completely ignored Meng Hao and the others.

The expressionless Cultivator closed his eyes.

Meng Hao looked over at the chain bridge. Without hesitation, he walked forward toward it. Behind him, the young man gritted his teeth and followed.

As soon as Meng Hao stepped foot onto the bridge, it began to sway back and forth. He took a deep breath as he walked away from the pill furnace mountain. About half way, a strong wind picked up, whistling past and causing the bridge to sway even harder. At the same time, a soft sigh could be heard. The sound of it pierced into Meng Hao's ears and sent his mind reeling.

Distracting thoughts suddenly filled his head. They contained information about the various reasons he wanted to join the Violet Fate Sect. They bubbled up, beyond his control, as if at the moment anyone could read his thoughts.

At this exact moment, however, the aura which powered the meat jelly's transformation ability suddenly rose up. It immediately pushed down the distracting thoughts. Suddenly, Meng Hao felt an invisible gaze descending upon him from the statue of Reverend Violet East, inspecting him.

His heart trembled. As the other distracting thoughts were pushed down, he tried hard to continue thinking about his desire to study pill concocting as well as his yearning to join the Violet Fate Sect.

The invisible gaze swept over Meng Hao for the space of about ten breaths. Then, it moved on to the two young people behind him.

Meng Hao continued on, his face pale. Behind him, a scream rang out. Nothing had happened to the young woman, but the young man suddenly fell off of the chain bridge, plummeting down.

Suddenly, the power of early Foundation Establishment erupted out from the young man. As soon as it did, though, his body suddenly trembled. A look of fear shone in his eyes as his Cultivation base suddenly vanished. Like nothing more than a mortal, he fell down into the abyss.

Meng Hao sucked in a deep breath. With an expression of both determination and fear, he continued on, clenching his jaw. The gaze swept over him a total of nine times. Each time, it stayed on him longer and longer. Finally, he reached the statue of Reverend Violet East. He stepped onto the mountain that formed the main gate of the Violet Fate Sect. He had succeeded.

There in front of him was an old man wearing a black gown. A thick aroma of medicinal plants wafted off of him.

He looked coolly at Meng Hao for a moment, and then nodded. Generally speaking, people could not cross the Bridge of Truth if they harbored secret motives. The chain bridge seemed ordinary in nature. However, it was a method that the East Pill Division had used for years to test disciples. If they passed the test, then they could join the Sect.

"State your name."

"Fang Mu," replied Meng Hao, nervously clasping his hands. 3

"I am the honor guard of the East Pill Division's herb district, Xu Chen," said the old man coolly. "I also supervise new apprentice alchemists. You're lucky to be able to join the Violet Fate Sect's East Pill Division. Apprentice alchemists are the foundation of the East Pill Division. Every single Furnace Lord was promoted from the ranks of the master alchemists, who of course all start out as apprentice alchemists. In the future, perhaps you will become an esteemed Furnace Lord. That will depend on your good fortune and latent talent."

The young woman finally approached from the bridge. She trembled as she stood next to Meng Hao. Her face was pale white.

"Let's go. Having reached this point, you can now call this Sect your home." The old man smiled kindly, and then flicked his sleeve. A gentle wind picked up Meng Hao and the young woman as the old man flew off with them to another location.

Winding paths snaked through the surrounding mountains as they flew along. Looking around, Meng Hao could only see endless chains of mountains, as well as countless valleys filled with richly ornamented buildings. The whole scene looked celestial in nature.

"This place…" thought Meng Hao, "Is the Sect where Fang Mu will reside for a very long time…." His eyes shined brightly as he looked at all the sights.

Then suddenly, a strange expression filled his eyes. He had just noticed that in one valley was an empty space between the buildings. Stabbed into the side of the mountain there was an iron spear.

That iron spear looked very familiar….

1. Ding Xin made his appearance in chapter 64, and was eventually killed in chapter 67

2. This expression means that good and bad people will be mixed up together

3.Fang Mu in Chinese is 方木 fāng mù – Fang is a surname, although the character has multiple meanings, some of which are "square" and "direction." Mu means "wood" or "tree"

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