Refining the Mountains and Rivers

by Stayrr

While the blue light blossoms, the insignificant struggle at the bottom. He grasps the opportunity to change his fate and embarks on an unprecedented path… I will control my destiny, not Heaven! Perhaps he is naïve, or perhaps, is the start of a new epic journey!

6. 161

Refining the Mountains and Rivers #Chapter 161 – Tyrannical Strength - Read Refining the Mountains and Rivers Chapter 161 – Tyrannical Strength Online - All Page - Novel Bin

Chapter 161 – Tyrannical Strength

No matter the day, the desert seemed to stretch to the ends of the world. The sun hung high above, its terrifying burning heat splashing down unto the coverless world below. The only sight one saw was endless yellow sand without any other color in view, nor was there any life. Howling winds rose and howling winds fell, the sand sweeping into the air to block out the skies, forming towering yellow mountains of sand, one after another. These sand mountains were scattered all over the depths of the desert. No matter how strong the winds blew, from the day they were formed, they never collapsed afterwards. They didn't even move a single inch, as if some invisible strength was holding them all in place.

Until one day, a star fell down from the skies, smashing a horrifying crater deep in the desert. A sand furnace appeared in the world and was broken apart by the meteor to reveal a sand-yellow palm-sized bead. It seemed like jade but wasn't, and it shined with an extraordinary luster. As the round bead was born, all over the desert for thousands of miles around, the giant mountains of sand collapsed as if they couldn't bear their own heavy weight…

Qin Yu opened his eyes, digesting the memories contained in the soul. An earth-attribute bead floated silently within his dantian. The willow branch gently swung, sprinkling down shining verdant light as if it were cheering with joy.

Water, wood, fire, earth, the only one remaining of the five elements was…gold. His soul still had plenty of strength remaining, so it wouldn't be too difficult to refine the metal element spiritual object. Qin Yu swallowed some pills to restore his strength. He wanted to refine the metal element spiritual object in a single go. From then on, he would have all five elements together!

But it was at this time that someone knocked on his workroom door. Qin Yu frowned, a thoughtful look in his eyes. With his current status, if someone dared to disturb him even if they knew he was deep in seclusion, the only one who would do so were those from the royal palace.

The door opened. Chief Manager Wu personally accompanied Old Sea and another person. Old Sea was silent and didn't seem happy at all. A young seafolk bowed, "Greetings, Honorable Ning. Soupman has extended an invitation. If I have disturbed you, I ask you to be open-minded." The tone was courteous and calm, with just the right amount of embarrassment.

Qin Yu nodded and said, "Alright."

Old Sea was here so he obviously knew about it. Since Old Sea hadn't stopped the man, then there was no need to worry too much about it.

"Thank you Honorable Ning. The carriage is outside. I will be waiting there. Please, take your time to tidy up." He bowed and left.

Clearly he wanted to give Qin Yu a chance to ask some questions.

Old Sea directly said, "The situation has changed." He hesitated and said, "Little friend Ning, if possible then I would ask you to give your best effort in this. I cannot speak too much of the secrets involved, but once you enter the royal palace you will naturally know of them.

"But, even if you cannot, then little friend need not be worried. With your current status in the minds of the sea races, no one would think of moving against you."

A helpless feeling flitted across Qin Yu's heart.

So it was like this...

Although he didn't reveal his thoughts, he had already expected this.

At this time, Qin Yu stepped out of Sea Spirit Pavilion. He still wore his black robes, but this time an additional purple jade pendant hung from his waist. This item had the ability to repair itself, so even though it had been broken quite badly that day, it had restored itself.

Several carriages were neatly lined up in an arrangement that represented the emblem of the royal palace. Countless seafolk watched with awe, but as they saw the black-robed figure appear, all of them suddenly understood. No wonder the royal family was being so courteous. If they were willing to wait so calmly here, it could only be for this honored person.

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The surrounding seafolk came to a stop and bowed.

Qin Yu nodded in return. He stepped into a carriage, and with a shout, it started to move.

The royal carriages rode down the street, unimpeded the entire way. When they passed through Prosperity Square, Qin Yu's thoughts stirred and an inexplicable feeling rose up in him. He pushed open the window and looked towards the empty square. The altar was no longer there, but he could still sense the aura that it exuded. It was as if during the process of the sea spirit baptism, without him knowing, an inkling of a connection had formed between him and the altar.

Before the carriage reached the royal palace's main gates, it took a detour to the side, following the palace walls until it drove into a side entrance. Faintly, one could hear the ringing of a bell. Then that inexplicable connection to the altar vanished along with it.

There was one other person in the carriage; he was the one who had spoken to Qin Yu. This person cupped his hands across his chest and said, "Honorable Ning, we are entering the palace, so please forgive me for any disturbances."

Qin Yu nodded. He leaned back in his soft seat and closed his eyes. He could hear the sound of the window closing shut. They paused from time to time; the inspections were quite strict. It was only around an hour later that they came to a full stop.

"Honorable Ning, please."

Stepping down from the carriage, there was a large blue dwelling in front of him, the color so deep that it seemed almost black. The entrance was not wide or obvious and even seemed a bit cramped, but the aura it emitted was imposing.

Qin Yu looked around several times. The style of this dwelling was quite different from the usual preferences of the capital city which tended towards artistic curves and sublime architectural techniques. The dwelling looked normal from the outside, but one could feel a strange surging in their soul. It was silent like a mountain, but once it exploded, it could tear apart all.

Obviously, this place was far more complicated than it seemed.

"Grandmaster Ning, Soupman is awaiting within. I am not allowed to enter so I can only bring you this far." His voice was calm and respectful.

Qin Yu nodded. He walked in front of the dwelling. Then, as if sensing his arrival, the thick and plain front door quietly swung open.

His gaze fell into the courtyard and his eyebrows flew up as astonishment lit up his face. Of course, this was only for an instant before he regained his composure and walked into a completely unexpected…mansion!

That was right, this was a mansion. Only such a word could describe what he was seeing. In Qin Yu's entire life, this was the most extravagant dwelling he had ever seen, bar none.

Gold tiles spread across the floor, creating a road.

Spirit stones were piled up into mountains.

Gold bars were inlaid everywhere and used to decorate the corners.

All that filled his eyes was the color gold. Countless treasures were laid out everywhere, all of them reflecting the golden light, making everything even more brilliant and blinding.

Gold and silver circulated through the common mortal world, and correspondingly spirit stones circulated in the cultivators' world. Because of that, gold and silver rarely entered the eyes of most cultivators. Qin Yu never expected that this Soupman would have such strange and bizarre tastes, but seeing the radiant golden light spilling from all over, he couldn't help but acknowledge that there was a certain heroic and dauntless aura emanating from this, as thick as syrup.

Naturally, this boldness was really bold. Aside from the gold, just the sea spirit treasures used as decoration were all amazingly expensive.

Qin Yu's thoughts raced. During the sea spirit teacher competition, he had stolen away a great deal of wealth from Wu Zetian and numerous seafolk. He thought he was a rich man after that, but it was only now that he understood what the peak of wealth was like.

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He didn't know what kind of person this Soupman was that he could utilize such a horrifying amount of resources. But as he thought about this, the light in his eyes changed to reveal admiration.

"Honorable Ning need not be envious. I look upon all this every day and yet none of it is actually my own." Soupman smiled and walked over. He wore a loose robe, looking the spitting image of a wealthy village landlord. He clasped his hand over the head of a nearby gold beast statue. "Everything here belongs to His Majesty. If there is something here that truly belongs to me, it might only be this gold."

He turned and asked, "Honorable Ning, what do you think about all this gold? I just happened to be born with a preference for this type of thing."

Qin Yu looked around. "It looks great."

Soupman laughed out loud. "Every time a guest comes here, they don't dare to say much at all. I fear they probably all think it's strange. When I ask them this question, all I ever hear is a bunch of useless flattery. In truth, it's just like Honorable Ning says: it looks great!

"It seems that Honorable Ning and I share a bit of fate together. If there is a chance in the future, we should get to know each other some more. However, the reason I asked Honorable Ning here today is because there is a matter I need to trouble you with. I hope that Grandmaster Ning can try his best."

Like this, he changed to the main topic.

Facing his bright eyes, Qin Yu nodded. "Okay."

Soupman waved his hand. The two settled down around a table set beneath a glowing purple coral. Of course, the chairs and table were also carefully forged from gold. He took out a box from his chest and placed it on the table. "Honorable Ning, please take a look first."

He opened the jade box. There was a bit of life-maintaining nutrient fluid within, and what floated on the surface was something similar to a part of a tree root. The surface layer was a bit withered and it seemed extremely common. But, the aura contained within left Qin Yu shocked as a dignified expression crossed his face.

When it came to sea spirits, he naturally didn't understand them. But, after his soul became stronger, his senses also became far sharper. Although this was only a tiny section, Qin Yu could still feel a formidable strength, one that was overbearing and unsurpassed, as if it could look down upon the world with disdain.

It was only a tiny amount – but, he couldn't ignore it.

Qin Yu lifted the jade box and carefully observed it. He thought carefully for some time before placing it back down. He asked, "Soupman, what request do you have?"

When Qin Yu didn't ask any extraneous questions, Soupman nodded in satisfaction. "Honorable Ning likely has some thoughts already. I want to know, does Honorable Ning have any confidence in restoring the vitality of this thing?"

Qin Yu fell silent.

Restoring the vitality wouldn't be difficult, but what was difficult was that this sea spirit seemed to have absorbed too much tyrannical strength. It was quite powerful in itself, and perhaps it might have been able to neutralize this tyrannical strength, but there was simply far too much of it, so much that it surpassed its capacity. Purely restoring its vitality would only be dealing with the effects of the problem, not the root cause. It would soon be ruined once more by that tyrannical strength.

The only solution was to increase the power of the sea spirit, so it became far, far stronger. Then, its ability to withstand this strength would increase, allowing it to transform that tyrannical strength into its own. But, with a sea spirit of this quality, wanting to increase its strength was naturally incomparably difficult.

Soupman lightly smiled. "If Honorable Ning has any needs, I can satisfy all of them. I hope that Honorable Ning can try." These words clearly didn't plan to leave Qin Yu any way to refuse.

Qin Yu slowly said, "I can try my best."

"Thank you, Honorable Ning!" Soupman rose up. "I will accompany you there."

They passed through a shining gold corridor and a transmission array appeared in front of them. Soupman took out a jade card and the array gradually lit up. They stepped into it and fierce fluctuations began to spread out. Space twisted and the two disappeared.

After several breaths of time, their field of vision was restored. Everything was dim and dark, as if they were beneath the earth. Burning torches illuminated the surroundings, but it couldn't disperse the cloying dark.

Across from them was a giant tightly shut stone door, with countless strange runes cut into it. It looked as if stars were twinkling on its surface. Just by glancing at it, one's chest would feel tight and heavy, as if a peerless vicious beast was hiding behind the stone door!

Soupman's smile didn't change. He stepped out from the array formation and pointed a finger. "Honorable Ning, the sea spirit is behind that stone door. Please prepare yourself." He lifted his hands and touched the void. Layers of ripples spread out, falling onto the stone door like a series of knocks. After a time, the runes began to shine and the stone door slowly opened.

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Chapter 162 – Heaven Hiding Seal

Bang –

At this moment, an angry invisible river seemed to rush out from the stone door. Qin Yu took a deep breath. Before his black robes could even flutter they were pasted back against his body. A wild aura tumbled about like a massive grinding pan. It spun constantly, capable of grinding a person to pieces and blowing them up.

Soupman had a tranquil expression. He covered his eyes, a trace of worry flashing through them. Then he turned and smiled, "Honorable Ning, there shouldn't be a problem, right?"

In truth, Qin Yu's initial thought was that he had been exposed in that instant. But, he immediately changed his mind. If this person wanted to kill him he wouldn't need to go through so much trouble. As Qin Yu heard Soupman's casual tone, his lips moved and he wasn't able to prevent himself from 'kindly' asking about Soupman's family.

Just by standing outside the door, the aura was actually so terrifying; it was easy to imagine how terrifying it would be once he stepped it. Qin Yu's cultivation wasn't weak either and his Demon Body was considerably potent. Still, he didn't have any inclination of entering. So, he thought about it and asked in a soft voice, "What do I do if there's a problem?"

Soupman smiled brilliantly. "If there's a problem then you certainly must overcome it. The young should march forwards without fear. Moreover, I believe that Honorable Ning's strength will not leave me disappointed." He slapped his forehead. "I almost forgot. After Honorable Ning enters, you must only use your own strength to resist it. Do not borrow the help of any items, otherwise things will become much more troublesome."

As for what kind of trouble it was, Soupman didn't explain further. Looking at his wide smile, this 'trouble' wouldn't be small at all.

Qin Yu's expression nearly broke. He cursed several times inwardly before he turned and smiled, nodding all the while.

He took a deep breath and stepped towards the stone door. It was like swimming against a flowing river. A powerful strength struck against his body, separating from both sides.

Qin Yu stood at the entrance and calmed himself. Then, he stepped in. Once he did, the feeling suddenly changed. It was like he began in a rapid river but had fallen into a raging sea. The wild churning waves brought with them an annihilating strength, causing Qin Yu to pale.

Behind him, the stone door quietly closed. Only darkness remained.

Outside the stone door, Soupman's smile disappeared. After a long time, he self-deprecatingly laughed. "Hah, I really must apologize to my old mom. Even though she has been gone for so long, she is still mentioned by others. However, I have no other choice. As the saying goes, in the sea, the seafolk cannot help themselves."

He fell silent once more. Then, a dignified look gradually lit up his eyes. He muttered in a quiet voice, "Honorable Ning, no matter how much you may curse at me, from here on out…I really must depend on you…"

…

Royal palace.

No one was within the grand hall.

On the dragon throne, the Sea Sovereign had a serene appearance. He looked out the window, seemingly at peace.

"Your Majesty, Soupman has delivered Honorable Ning in."

"Mm."

"Your Majesty…" The voice sounded out again. It was heavy and helpless and even trembled a little.

The Sea Sovereign looked away. "This Solitude knows that you all are worried, but worrying cannot resolve the issue at hand." He smiled. "If worrying could preserve my life, then it would be fine if you wanted to cry until the heavens fell…but in the end, it is useless."

"This official knows that the situation is incredibly dangerous right now. Has Your Majesty made no arrangements?"

The Sea Sovereign lightly said, "Things have occurred too suddenly. Just like you, this Solitude has made no preparations. But even so, you need not panic. After all, you knew and this Solitude knew that this day would eventually arrive. The necessary arrangements have already been made. If things cannot change, then you will carry them out."

"I obey…Your Majesty!" The voice quieted down.

The Sea Sovereign let out a breath, feeling a bit helpless, feeling a bit moved, but most of all feeling calm at heart. He had lived for a long, long time, far surpassing the lifespan of most living beings in this world. He had reached the peak of authority and had enjoyed all there was to enjoy. In truth, he had no regrets if he were to die.

It was just that in his heart, there was a little bit of unwillingness.

Honorable Ning…

As he thought of the sea spirit baptism that lasted almost 10 hours, a bit of anticipation flashed in his eyes. But, his gaze immediately returned to tranquility.

…

This was a land where the pitch black darkness was so deep you couldn't even see your own hand in front of your face. That darkness was like the world's most viscous ink, and at the same time you had to face a wild barrage of aura coming from all directions. In such an environment, those who lacked willpower and determination wouldn't be able to last long at all. Their spirits would soon break.

Bang –

Bang –

The ringing was incomparably clear. This wasn't a sound that transmitted through the ears, but came from an outside strength bombarding the body, reverberating through one's flesh and blood and bones. Qin Yu coughed and spat out a mouthful of blood. His chest felt much better afterwards.

After passing through the stone door, the wild strength shut off all directional senses. It was hard for him to tell just which way he was going. He could only constantly move forwards towards the source of that wild strength.

The closer he got to the source, the more potent the strength became. At first he was able to resist it, but now he was starting to become injured. The darkness continued up the road without end. If things persisted like this, he had no idea how long he would be able to last.

But thinking about it, Qin Yu wasn't too worried. Old Sea had said that with his status, and before anyone had seen through his disguise, there wouldn't be anyone that would move against him. If he said this, it shouldn't be lies. Thus, if Soupman had brought him here then with his strength he should be safe.

He paused, catching his breath even as the wild barrage continued. Then, he continued forwards.

Two hours.

Four hours.

Six hours.

In the blink of an eye, a day passed.

Within the grand hall, the Sea Sovereign shook his head and sighed. It seemed that he had thought too much about this. The great Dao was truly heartless. He was destined to die and there were no more paths left for him to take.

After determining that his death would come, this ruler that seemed to wield the highest power in the world wasn't afraid or panicked. Instead, a happy smile curved up the corners of his mouth. This was because even facing the world, he had managed to last all these years. When he thought of this, even with his status he couldn't help but feel pride.

Outside the stone door, Soupman's complexion paled. He muttered to himself, "How could this be…how could this be…" His eyes suddenly popped open and he began violently coughing. Without any time to care about these things, he took out a black spirit shell from his chest and made a call.

"Cough cough…your Majesty…the Companion Vine's…strength…cough cough…has there been any changes…?"

Soupman's voice sounded throughout the grand hall. On the dragon throne, the supreme Sea Sovereign suddenly stiffened. But this lasted for only a moment before he composed himself. His voice was dignified as he said, "Mm, it seems a bit stronger than before."

Soupman's round face twisted as if he was about to cry at any moment.

What sort of cultivation did His Majesty possess? Although he had sensed only a slight increase, the actual situation was likely several times worse than expected. According to his judgment of the information he had obtained, Honorable Ning should have been able to arrive safely. But now it seemed that…

The grand hall was deathly silent.

Right now, everyone who had the qualifications to speak to him were frozen in place, horrified expressions covering their faces.

Angry growls suddenly sounded out. "Soupman, you have harmed His Majesty, you have harmed His Majesty!"

The final hope, and also the most likely hope, had been destroyed like this.

Even the high ranking courtiers were unable to withstand such a dramatic contrasting change. They lost their minds and started to roar!

Soupman stared at the ground in a daze. His Majesty's condition wasn't good right now, so an oversight was understandable. But, how had he himself not discovered that the strength of the Companion Vine had increased? He looked up and stared at the shut stone door. He suddenly raised his hand and a rune from the stone door flew out, landing in his palm.

"Heaven Hiding Seal, this is actually the Heaven Hiding Seal…Your Majesty, this servant is sorry, this servant is sorry!" Soupman fell to his knees and cried.

In the eyes of outsiders, this person was a terrifying money-grubbing schemer. But right now he was crying like a heartbroken child, his tears flowing endlessly.

The questioning roars came to an abrupt end.

No one ever imagined that someone had managed to come here first and lay a trap ahead of time, placing His Majesty into a dangerous spot.

This was Soupman's dereliction of duty. But all of them had the authority to come to the stone door, and many of them had come more than once. Yet, none of them had discovered anything.

Strictly speaking, everyone had made a mistake!

"I ask Your Majesty to pass down punishment!"

On the dragon throne, the Sea Sovereign frowned. When he heard the 'Heaven Hiding Seal' mentioned, he seemed to awaken. A faint smile appeared on his face. "Rise. This was not your mistake. After all…who could ever imagine it?"

He looked up straight towards the entrance of the grand hall, his eyes as deep as an abyss. "When the throne changed that year, it was this Solitude who single-handedly protected them. And now, it seems that I only have myself to blame, otherwise how could I suffer such a counterattack. In the end, this Solitude was too arrogant. I didn't expect his arrangements to come this far."

Soupman stood up, tears still streaming down his face. A terrifying aura surged all around him. He turned and walked out along the path of torches. His steps were heavy and fast.

Puff –

Puff –

Heads exploded one after another, blood dying the stone walls and pooling onto the ground. Countless cries of panic and sorrow filled the air as countless people slumped dead in their own pools of blood, some of them lost in horror and confusion. A slaughter was being carried out, and the sounds were clearly reflected through the spirit shell and into the grand hall. But whether it was the Sea Sovereign or the other high ranking courtiers, all of them were calm and unperturbed.

For something like this to occur, there were surely traitors within. In order to avoid spreading the news and to gain as much time as possible to set up arrangements, he could only use this brutal method and kill every possible suspect.

In truth, the saddest one here should be Soupman. After all, the guards here were all direct descendants he had personally raised and trained. After a long time, the last miserable cry sounded out. Soupman fell to his knees and lifted his hand to slam his head.

Bang –

The void suddenly shook and his entire body was sent flying away. He tumbled several times, looking extremely distressed. He wailed, "Your Majesty, why would you rescue me? Let this servant of yours die. Only by dying can my pain be lessened!"

In the grand hall, the Sea Sovereign withdrew his hand. His eyebrows were furrowed together as if he were resisting something. He slowly said, "You old thing, you should know it isn't easy for this Solitude to make a move. If you don't want this Solitude to immediately die, then shut up and wait for orders. This matter is not your mistake, and moreover, it isn't your turn to die. This Solitude needs you. When this Solitude returns to the heavens, this Solitude needs you to assist the new emperor in stabilizing their rule!"

Soupman kneeled. "This servant is willing to offer his life in sacrifice!"

"Please command us, Your Majesty!"

The Sea Sovereign was silent for several breaths of time. Then, a cruel and callous voice echoed through the hall. "Inform all princes and princesses to enter the palace; no one can be absent. Inform the various legion generals to come to the palace to receive orders. Inform the Ministers of Wind and Rain to draft the royal transfer documents. Inform Magnate Turtle to enter the palace and serve!"

A dense and sharp aura flowed from the grand hall. The air suddenly turned cloudy and cold, as if it would soon freeze. It seemed that in the final moments of his life, this Sea Sovereign who had been quiet for so many years was finally about to bare his fangs. He was ready to eliminate all factions that dared to try and shake his dominion.

"Order the Dark Night Division to begin the extermination. This Solitude's time is limited, so there is no need to investigate anyone. Within a day, in the capital city and 36 great cities, this Solitude wants blood to soak the earth red…"

He suddenly stopped.

His Majesty who was overflowing with cold killing intent, whose rising aura seemed to shake the heavens, had frozen where he was, utterly stunned.

"Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty, what is wrong!?"

"Do not frighten this old servant, please, Your Majesty, awaken!"

After a brief moment of silence, Soupman and the others shouted in fear and alarm. The backs of their clothes were instantly drenched in a cold sweat.

If His Majesty really died here, they feared that a terrifying wave would follow right behind!

"This Solitude…is fine." These words seemed to lift them from hell to heaven. All the high ranking courtiers cried with joy.

You almost scared these old servants and officials to death. Your Majesty, please don't do this to us again! This situation doesn't necessarily have no hope for a favorable turn!

All sorts of voices echoed in the grand hall.

The Sea Sovereign's expression was strange. After a long silence, he said, "The orders from before, temporarily halt them…"

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Chapter 163 – The Terrifying Vine

The darkness was like a swamp that wrapped around in endless layers. Caught within, it was so deep that it left one unable to struggle; they could only be eventually swallowed and finally reduced to bones. No, perhaps it would be broken bones, because the overwhelmingly tyrannical strength rolling out from here was enough to tear a corpse to shreds and grind it into countless fragments.

Thinking of such a miserable fate, Qin Yu loudly gasped for breath. He clenched his teeth in the darkness before slumping to the ground. His chest heaved up and down like bellows. The only thoughts in his heart were that the words Old Sea said weren't trustworthy and that Soupman was a bastard. He roared out curses in his heart.

It was only after a long time that he managed to restore some strength. Within the dim rays of light, he looked up.

This huge underground space was covered by crawling vines. Their sturdiness surpassed his imagination. The parts that occasionally stood upright were like ancient towering trees. Countless roots were born from the vines. They drilled into the earth, drawing in nutrients. But, it would be impossible for these vines to grow to such a scale merely by relying on that.

Qin Yu's lips twitched. The root-like section that Soupman had shown him had really been taken from here. It must have been hard for that old bastard to find such a tiny section from this colossal thing.

Bang –

There was a sudden loud noise. In the distance, a thick vine burst apart and an overbearing strength rampaged outwards. It tore the surroundings to shreds with branches and leaves fluttering everywhere. The explosion created a chain reaction and several small-scale explosions followed suit. The vine was like a living creature as it crept up and rapidly grew.

After several breaths of time, all traces of the explosion vanished. The broken leaves and branches were also reabsorbed, making it seem as if everything just now had been an illusion.

But it wasn't an illusion in the end…

Qin Yu's complexion paled. If he were placed there, even with his potent Demon Body he feared he would have been torn to pieces by that explosion…Soupman, you old bastard! Of course, Qin Yu was able to guess that this situation wasn't too related to Soupman to begin with. However, he was simply unable to offend the one who he believed was involved with this, so he could only vent his complaints on Soupman.

Right now, this vine was filled with a tyrannical strength, making it like an unstable volcano. The merest outside stimulation – such as running into it or stepping on it – was likely to cause an explosion. He looked up towards the thick jungle of vines and decided he absolutely could not step within.

But if he didn't do anything, even if he managed to leave here the royal palace wouldn't give up on him. Qin Yu thought it over and finally forced out a smile. Whatever. He might as well give it a try, otherwise that old bastard Soupman really might leave him to fend for himself here.

Divine sense reached out from his body and carefully swept around. When he didn't notice anything strange, he took out the Silence Stone and held it in his palm. Then, he flipped his hand and a foot…no, 1.2 feet of sea blue light blossomed.

The deep blue light shined onto some branches of the vine. It slightly trembled in response, and just as Qin Yu panicked that a dreadful strength would gush out and was about to draw backwards, the vine actually retreated on its own initiative. Then, like currents of water, countless vines gave way, forming a straight channel that led deep within.

Astonishment lit up Qin Yu's eyes. He never imagined that this vine would have a basic level of intelligence and would be able to feel the little blue lamp's strength. Did it open a channel for him so that he could go straight to the root for treatment?

Indecision clouded his face. Qin Yu took deep breaths for a long time and then walked forwards. He had certainly prepared himself. If any problems occurred he would instantly use the Blood Escape Art.

Luckily, the vine seemed to know that this matter concerned its life and death. Occasional sounds of erupting thunder sounded in the distance, but after being covered by layers upon layers of branches and leaves, Qin Yu wasn't affected at all.

He smoothly made his way forwards.

But Qin Yu was still startled. The underground space was larger than he imagined and the size of the vine was even more terrifying than he first thought. Soon, a large black stone appeared in his line of sight. Well, rather than being called large, it was more appropriate to call it a hill. A network of roots wrapped around it in endless layers and all the vines extended out from here; this was clearly the main root.

Qin Yu was silently shocked. It was hard to believe that these vines were formed from a single plant. But, these exposed roots and the dry cracks all over its surface emitted the aura of passing years. This plant must have survived for a long, long time.

Thinking about it, Qin Yu walked over to the black stone. He opened his hand and allowed the light of the little blue lamp to shine on a thick root. He was aware that the little blue lamp possessed an incredible promoting ability towards the growth of sea spirits, but what happened still caused him to jolt up.

He saw that beneath the deep blue light, the root suddenly trembled and began to grow at a speed visible to the naked eye. The withered surface broke off in pieces. After a few breaths of time, the root had swelled into a circle, and even the surrounding roots began to wriggle in growth.

On the black, hill-sized stone, the network of roots began to sway and twist about like a living creature. This scene was particularly macabre and left one feeling a chill in the depths of their heart.

Pa –

Five fingers closed together and the blue light was hidden away.

Qin Yu had a dignified expression.

Rumble rumble –

With a loud rumble, the entire underground space shook. The thick vines seemed to be angrily shouting. But, what happened afterwards was unexpected. A vine as thick as an arm drilled out from the ground and delivered a black fruit to him.

The fruit was about the size of a child's fist. The surface was a hard shell, but after carefully smelling it, there was a faint fragrance. Qin Yu had a strange look in his eyes. What was the meaning behind this? Did it want to make a transaction with him? He reached out a hand and plucked the fruit. Investigating it a little, he was left shaken.

This common black fruit contained a preposterous strength; it could be called a bomb! But, the strength within was stable, as if it had just achieved a suitable balance. As if…it could be absorbed.

Of course, if he were to directly inject magic power, the delicate balance inside would collapse and this black fruit would transform immediately into a truly terrifying bomb.

The vine continued to rage around, as if saying: you have received my thing, so hurry and give me the blue light, otherwise I will be angry!

Qin Yu's eyes flashed. He slowly said, "You should be able to understand me. I can help you, but with such a fruit, just one is not enough."

Whoosh –

Whoosh –

With the sound of breaking air, ten vines shot into the air, each one dangling a fruit.

Indeed…it was quite understanding!

…

A night passed. When the little blue lamp's light vanished, there were now 36 black fruits in Qin Yu's storage ring. This seemed to be everything, or perhaps it was the vine's bottom line. No matter what Qin Yu said, he couldn't obtain any more.

Of course, it hadn't received nothing from that investment. The black stone was no longer visible beneath the endless thick roots wrapping around it. The roots had nearly doubled in size, and as for the roots that had been directly shined upon by the little blue lamp, they were so thick that it would take several people holding hands to wrap around them. The surface of the roots seemed to be cast from metal.

Rumble –

Rumble –

This was the shaking of the vine branches. Although they didn't seem to have changed much on the surface, they actually grew far more tenacious within and became more resilient with a higher bearing capacity.

The tyrannical strength that had flooded out was now thoroughly sealed away. Although this didn't completely fix the problem, at least for a good period of time there wouldn't be any issues.

Qin Yu put away the little blue lamp and lightly said, "I have fulfilled my promise. It's about time I leave."

Bang –

Vines erupted, shooting in from all directions, instantly weaving together into a giant cage around Qin Yu.

Qin Yu frowned. His expression didn't change. "Believe me. If I have a method to save you, I have a method to destroy you as well. Our transaction ends here today. When you have more black fruits you can exchange, I will come back. Of course, you may not believe me, but you will only have one chance to do so."

A long silence followed. The vine seemed to be contemplating his words, or it could be ignoring him. Qin Yu's aura gradually turned icy. He lifted his hand to reveal a pill.

It was a dirty brown color, like the color grass would be after it died.

Qin Yu spoke quietly, a chilling aura floating about him. "This pill originates from a human alchemist cultivator; it is named Hundred Mile Desolace. It doesn't have much use. Its only function is to infect spiritual plants. It needs just a single touch to infect, and once that happens the poison will duplicate without end, until it is completely uncontainable.

"Oh, for example, if I used it here. As long as I crushed this pill and blew it around, you would soon feel uncomfortable. Then, this discomfort would rapidly spread, gradually leaving you unable to breathe. The stabbing pain would be like blades cutting you to pieces. You would gradually decay into nothing, until you eventually fell to the ground. Before you died you might kill me, but believe me, you would die too."

This pill came from Grandmaster Daoist Wuyuan who practiced the dao of poison, and the effect wasn't exaggerated at all. After all, if he didn't have such a card in his hand he wouldn't have dared to take out the little blue lamp to rescue this vine, especially when it clearly had a level of intelligence.

The vine responded. The vines that wove into a giant cage began to rub against each other. A series of low and deep sounds fused together in the air, forming strange syllabic words.

"…You…keep…your…word…"

Beneath his black robe, Qin Yu's eyes were cold. "You may not believe my words if you want."

"…Good…"

The vines retreated, revealing a way out. Qin Yu took several steps out and stopped. "Concerning today's events, I hope that no one else ever finds out. Otherwise, our agreement will become invalid." He spoke without turning his head, as if everything was in his control. He walked further and further away until his figure was swallowed up by the dark.

Whoosh –

There was the sound of breaking air. Qin Yu stopped and clenched the poison pill tight in his palm. When he saved the vine, it had been because he had no other choice, otherwise the royal palace would never have let him go.

Thus, while Qin Yu knew that there would be trouble, he still did it. But, if he was really backed into a corner, he didn't lack the courage to make a final stand with his life on the line.

Whoosh –

The darkness was torn apart. A thick vine stopped in front of him, emitting a faint light. Then, it fell to the ground. Qin Yu thought for a moment and stepped onto the vine. The tyrannical strength that bombarded him from all around seemed to be blocked by a shield, vanishing.

The vine shuttled through the darkness, racing towards the entrance.

Qin Yu's tense heart relaxed a little. The vine had possessed sufficient wisdom to judge its own situation.

Right now it was safe, but it would inevitably absorb more and more of that tyrannical strength. Just like a dam that had been reinforced, if the water it blocked rose higher it would eventually be unable to withstand it.

Qin Yu was the only one who could save it.

Thus, it used this sort of action to compensate for its past behaviour and express its good intentions.

That was enough.

Chapter 164 – Illusion

The vine was extremely fast. The originally difficult and long path here was now reduced to a short time. After a moment, the stone door was in sight. Then, as if it were restricted for some reason, the vine stopped far away. Qin Yu stepped down and glanced at it.

The vine hadn't left; it seemed as if there was something else it wanted. It had delivered him here and it didn't have any dark intentions either, so his gaze was calm. After several breaths of silence, the end of the vine split apart, and a light black chip emerged.

Qin Yu's eyes flashed. He didn't sense anything sinister. So, after a brief hesitation he reached out and took the black chip. At this time his complexion changed, because after that black chip touched his skin, it simply dissolved and drilled into his flesh and blood. His eyes turned cold, but in the next moment he was startled. He looked thoughtfully at the vine and then shut his eyes, sensing the additional memories now circulating through his soul.

These memories were a series of strange, incomplete sounds. Though Qin Yu didn't understand what they meant, he still felt an inexplicable tremor pass through him.

As if some invisible dignity was leaving his soul trembling, awe emerged from his most basic instincts.

But soon, Qin Yu discovered that this trembling wasn't because of awe, but because something was gushing out from his soul.

Shua –

A sea map began to unfold above his head. Islands dotted the billowing waves, and at this time light seemed to pour out from the islands, making this sea map look like the starry skies. Those syllables stirred in his soul, gradually turning into an impulse. So, Qin Yu raised his hand and after a brief hesitation, he pointed to somewhere in the sea.

Hum –

There was a loud shaking. The light above the islands instantly vanished from sight.

It was like it had been extracted out, completely exhausted.

A brief spell of vertigo passed through him, followed by clarity. Then, images began to appear.

In the boundless blue sea, a great sun hung high above the splashing waves, sunlight sprinkling down and reflecting against the clear waters below. This was a rare day of good weather. A giant ship shuttled across the waters. A man who was tanned nearly black by the breeze and sun shouted out to workers to pull up a fishing net from the sea. As the fish fell onto the ship's deck, they all opened their mouths to reveal blinding white grins.

At this time, in the great vault of heaven below the great sun, space suddenly twisted and was broken through from the inside. A beam of light shot straight down, crashing into the sea. It pierced through the seawater, forming an unfathomable hole. The surrounding seawater was pushed aside, unexpectedly unable to fill this empty space. Thus, the opening grew larger and larger until it reached a shocking several thousand feet.

A terrifying shockwave spread outwards, raising up dreadful waves that blotted out the skies. In an instant, the beautiful weather turned into an apocalyptic scene. The fishermen were all thrown off of the ship. Their faces were full of abject horror as they tried to grab onto objects around them.

A man who seemed to be the captain began to shout out commands. He forced himself up and loudly shouted as if guiding everyone to continue dodging. But all of a sudden, another giant wave struck. The boat violently quaked once more. A turtle was sent flying out from the sea and ruthlessly struck the man's head, leaving him bloodied.

Then, the images stopped.

There was another brief bout of vertigo before it scattered. Qin Yu opened his eyes, his gaze darkening. He checked himself and found that everything was normal, without the smallest loss. His thoughts stirred and the sea map appeared once more. However, those illuminated islands were restored to how they were originally. Was everything just now…an illusion?

Mm, it should have been.

Perhaps it was because of those strange syllables…looking at the vine in front of him, it seemed that it wanted to use this thing to impress Qin Yu. But unfortunately, if nothing went wrong, he wouldn't return here again.

He felt no guilt. He cupped his arms across his chest and said, "Goodbye."

Rumble rumble rumble –

The vine quickly retreated, soon vanishing without a trace.

He arrived in front of the stone door. And as he was hesitating, unsure of what to do, the stone door seemed to sense his aura and slowly open.

Soupman was standing on the other side. He seemed surprised but even more excited. He cupped his hands together and said, "Honorable Ning, I owe you a favor today. I will be sure to repay it in the future."

Qin Yu walked out. Listening to the sound of the stone door close, he forced a smile. "Soupman, I hope that you never look for me again."

"I know that today Honorable Ning was wronged. But, please believe that everything you have done will be repaid." Soupman's smile seemed to have another meaning. "It looks like Honorable Ning doesn't have a favorable impression of me. Well, let me lead you out of here."

Qin Yu nodded. When they walked towards the transmission array, he could smell blood in the air; it hadn't yet dispersed. A brief light flashed in his eyes but his expression didn't change, nor did he ask why.

Hum –

The transmission array flashed and the two of them disappeared from sight. When they reappeared they were once again in that magnificent 'golden gilded' mansion. Four beautiful seafolk women were gracefully standing there, each one holding a tray covered with a red cloth. It was unknown what was beneath them.

Soupman's smile widened, but there was a bit of reluctance behind it. He lifted a finger, "Honorable Ning, please choose one; consider it a thank you gift for today."

Qin Yu didn't refuse. He looked around and pointed towards the leftmost woman. "I'll take that one."

The corner of Soupman's eyes twitched. "Ning…Honorable Ning has good eyesight." He waved his hand dismissively and the other three women bowed and drew back. He lifted the red cloth from the tray to reveal a translucent crystal box within a thumb-sized bead inside. There was the phantom of a giant snake roaring within.

"In this crystal box is the inner core of a deep sea snake monster. Because it refused to accept the authority of the royal palace, it was suppressed and killed 30 years ago. This snake monster possessed an extremely high cultivation and touched upon the edge of a flood dragon transformation. If it succeeded, it would have been able to wander freely through the sea region and would have been far more difficult to kill."

Soupman sucked in a deep breath. He tore his eyes away from it and waved his hand, "Take it, take it, it's yours now!"

Qin Yu had a helpless expression. He thought about who could give a gift and do so with such an expression; there probably wasn't anyone that could be so shameless. Of course, he wouldn't refuse. He could tell from Soupman's complexion that this snake monster's inner core was very precious.

It was definitely at the Nascent Soul rank!

While he didn't know how he could use this inner core...well, it was best to just take it first.

Soupman watched with wide, blinking eyes as Qin Yu reached out a hand and then brought it back. The inner core and the crystal box both vanished from sight. Instantly, he felt his heart wrench and found it hard to breathe. His face paled and he weakly waved. "Just leave…" He couldn't say the following words, but Qin Yu could guess them: before I go back on my promise…

This Soupman was indeed like the rumors said he was; he regarded wealth as importantly as his life. Qin Yu suddenly rejoiced that he had casually accepted the gift just now. If he had done anything like modestly declining once or twice, he feared that Soupman would really have kept the inner core. Qin Yu looked at Soupman's pained expression, cupped his hands together, and turned to leave.

He hadn't wanted to stay in the royal palace for too long from the start. Moreover, who knew what would happen in this situation? This old bastard might renege on his promise.

Sure enough, that person knew how to make good use of people. That lofty and untouchable ruler of the sea races had assigned Soupman to guard the treasury, and by doing so it would be difficult for the treasury to not grow richer with every passing day.

While Qin Yu complained, he was also somewhat happy. Although he had suffered some troubles, he did receive a harvest and most importantly he didn't expose his identity. Even now, Qin Yu only considered that terrifying underground vine to be a powerful force hidden below the royal palace; he had never associated it with any person. Otherwise, if he knew the truth, he would have realized he had been too optimistic.

The doors to the mansion opened and Qin Yu stepped out. Before he could even smile, he stiffened. Outside, he encountered the young man who had brought him here. The man respectfully bowed and then turned, quickly walking away. "Grandmaster Ning, I will send you back." This man seemed to faintly understand something. Unconsciously, there was a bit more veneration in his voice.

Qin Yu nodded. Without saying anything he stepped into the carriage. After several breaths of time, it began to slowly move.

…

Outside the mansion stood a noble figure. She was a beautiful young girl with delicate scales shining between her eyebrows. Her name was Sea Lushy: Sea representing the great sea, Lushy representing all the verdant lush growth in the sea.

"Princess, Soupman has invited you in." A young maid came out and informed her in a respectful tone.

The princess nodded, but after taking several steps towards the mansion, she paused again. She looked at the gradually departing carriage and turned towards it, gently frowning.

Thinking a little, she turned and whispered something into the ears of a court lady.

The court lady revealed an embarrassed look.

The princess had a light expression. "I'm not ordering you to do anything, I'm just a bit curious."

The court lady rolled her eyes; she was familiar with the princess's character. If she didn't mean this then she shouldn't have said it, but now that she said it, the court lady could only brace herself and do it. She quietly dismissed herself and hurried away. She thought of waiting for a good time to make arrangements, and she definitely couldn't stir up trouble.

The carriage drove out of the royal palace and into a large street. The sounds of a radio shell transmitted through the air, coming into the carriage through a window that hadn't been fully closed.

"According to news that this station just obtained, the Array Symbol Family's Southern River Office is being investigated for evasion of taxes by the Taxation Department. At this time, the Southern River Office has been sealed away and all related materials confiscated. It is reported that the Southern River Office evaded a tremendous amount of taxes and is facing imminent punishment. This station will continue reporting on this news for you. This spiral station reports the newest and fastest news, make sure to subscribe…"

The young seafolk man in the carriage smiled and explained, "This sort of matter happens every year. There are always rich and powerful families and companies that do this. Though they earn a massive amount of wealth every year, they still want to smuggle goods and avoid taxes. It seems that this time they are really in trouble."

The young man didn't gloat at all and he spoke with a light and unusual calm, perfectly in sync with his bearing. But, the explanation itself was superfluous and thus suspicious, so while no matter how naturally the young man spoke, this could only be a cover up.

Qin Yu thought about the rich smell of blood he encountered when he left the underground space. Although it had been cleaned up, it had still been extremely thick.

Many people should have died.

He nodded, completely expressionless beneath his black robes.

When it came to the internal affairs of the sea races, especially those that concerned the dangerous royal palace, he didn't want to be involved in the least.

Soon, he arrived at Sea Spirit Pavilion.

After stepping off the carriage, the young man didn't say anything more. He cupped his hands and boarded the carriage before leaving. It was just that before the carriage went too far, the young man pushed open the curtains and looked at the black-robed figure, a bit of annoyance in his eyes. He seemed to realize his own overreaction just now. He bitterly smiled and comforted himself. Honorable Ning should be very tired at this time, so he shouldn't have realized anything.

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Chapter 165 – Great Gift

There were already people waiting outside of Sea Spirit Pavilion. The moment Qin Yu stepped down from the carriage, a group rushed forwards to welcome him. The one leading them was Chief Manager Wu, and even Clearwood was there. He didn't know whether it was an illusion or not, but when he glanced at her, he seemed to sense a feeling of relief coming from this icy woman's eyes.

Besides these familiar people, there was also a man and woman. They had an elegant and impressive bearing, and looking at the wary young man and woman behind them, it wasn't hard to guess who they were.

They nodded to each other. Chief Manager Wu seemed to sense that this wasn't a good place for him to speak; he tactfully stepped to the side.

The Qing Family Patriarch spoke in a warm and courteous tone. "Greetings, Honorable Ning."

That wise and virtuous Madame Qing only smiled gently, allowing all attention to be focused on her husband.

Qin Yu cupped his hands across his chest. "Patriarch Qing need not be so polite. I had the intention of paying a visit some time ago, but because there were too many matters I needed to attend to I've been delayed until now."

The Qing Family Patriarch smiled widely. "There is no need to speak so seriously Honorable Ning, since we are the ones who came to visit."

These words weren't too overly excessive.

Noble Court Avenue was a small group of peak powers located in the capital city. Even so, there were 37 families that were housed there, and while the Qing Family was one of them, they had been in decline these past years and didn't possess their former prestige.

As for Honorable Ning, he was the third ranked Purple Card, a legendary Spiritual Bestower, and also someone who had lasted almost an unprecedented 10 hours in the sea spirit baptism. And above all, he had appeared from nowhere with no roots at all. All the masters in Noble Court Avenue were wracking their minds and expending all efforts to establish relations with him. If they could meet him, even if it were only paying a visit, they would even bring their little sisters and daughters and allow him to freely choose from them.

Ever since the conclusion of the sea spirit baptism, the Qing Family had received many secret greetings; all of them wanted to have a chance to talk with Honorable Ning through them. The conditions they set forth were very attractive, but without exception, all of them were rejected. Although the Qing Family didn't have some hero in their family that had great wisdom or great courage, they were still able to stay in the top circles of powerful officials, and thus they did possess some sight and judgment.

After exchanging pleasantries, as the host, Qin Yu invited the Qing Family into Sea Spirit Pavilion. The seventh floor was full of workrooms but was also built for housing and entertaining guests. Qin Yu had come here several times before, but there was a change. While it wasn't too obvious, the style and quality of the surroundings had risen to another level.

It was clear that after the competition ended, Chief Manager Wu had personally come here and quietly redecorated.

Qin Yu didn't care much. He offered his guests a seat and a maid came to deliver tea and snacks. She glanced over at him with excitement, her small ears burning red. Thinking of it, if Honorable Ning had some time off from work and had any interest in her, she definitely wouldn't refuse him.

They chatted a bit before coming to the main subject.

The Qing Family Patriarch coughed. "Honorable Ning, Leon and my little daughter love each other, and me and my wife both approve of them. Now, the two of them aren't young anymore; it's about the age for marriage. I wonder if Honorable Ning has any objections regarding this?"

The two youths sitting in the corner instantly became the focus of everyone. As they noticed everyone looking towards them, they both flushed red.

Qin Yu smiled. "I fear that if I don't approve of this matter, Leon will revolt and abandon me as his teacher." His words left Leon a deep red. Leon seemed to want to say something but couldn't get the words out of his mouth. He was a bit embarrassed, but even more overjoyed. His teacher made a joke about him to show how close they were. Other people likely weren't close enough for his teacher to ever speak to them like this.

The Qing Family Patriarch smiled. "Since it's like this, I wonder whether Honorable Ning can manage their wedding?" While he tried to maintain a calm expression, a bit of worry appeared in his eyes.

To Leon and to the Qing Family, depending on whether or not Qin Yu decided to help manage the wedding, it would have a completely different meaning. One choice meant that they had a backer and the other meant that the situation had changed and their status would be shaken.

Qingqing was already aware of the intricacies behind this event. She gently pulled on Leon's sleeve. He hesitated for a moment before standing up and bowing deeply. "Teacher, if possible, please preside over your disciple's wedding."

Chief Manager Wu and Clearwood both looked on with smiles. But what happened following this surpassed their expectations and left shock flashing in their eyes.

There was a brief silence from beneath the black robe. "I'm afraid that I won't have the chance to preside over your wedding…"

The Qing Family Patriarch and Madame Qing's hearts sank. Their smiles started to falter.

Qingqing's eyes widened and she was slightly flustered.

Leon's lips flapped open. He slowly said, "It…it was this disciple…who was rash…teacher…teacher must have some…important matter…"

Qin Yu smiled and waved his hand. "Leon is my only disciple and I had already noticed his relationship with Qingqing from the start. If the two of them can walk down the same road together, I am of course happy for them. But, it's just that I have an extremely important matter to attend to and I cannot take time out to attend your wedding. However, as your teacher and as your elder, I shouldn't be lacking in gifts."

He turned around. "Chief manager, I remember that during the gambling, Wu Zetian bet a dwelling in the capital city. Have you obtained it yet?"

Chief Manager Wu's heart skipped a beat as he imagined a faint possibility. He couldn't help but stare at Leon, blatant envy thick in his eyes. He respectfully said, "The title deed is in hand. This is a courtyard that was recently built and the decorations and furniture within are nearly unused. It is located on the east side of the capital city near Noble Court Avenue; it is a very good area."

Qin Yu nodded. "That should save some trouble. Leon, teacher will give this dwelling to you and Qingqing as a wedding present."

This hand was more than amazing.

The Qing Family was considered a family with deep coffers, but it was actually impossible for them to casually give away such a large dwelling. It had to be known that Wu Zetian had spent more than ten years constructing that courtyard and both the interior and exterior decorations were all top quality goods. All in all, while it wasn't worth more than 100 million spirit stones, it was almost that amount.

The Qing Family Patriarch and Madame Qing were shocked. They quickly declined, saying that even with these two juniors getting married, it still wasn't worth such a generous gift.

Leon and Qingqing also didn't dare to accept.

Qin Yu smiled and shook his head. "It's just a dwelling. I only fear that I won't live there and letting it idle away would be a waste. Leon, what do you think?"

Leon was just about to refuse, but he suddenly remembered that beneath his teacher's black robes, he was hiding his status as a human. He wasn't an idiot, otherwise he wouldn't possess such great talent as a sea spirit teacher.

Teacher, he…perhaps he was going to leave.

Yes, this had to be it.

As he thought of this, he was inexplicably flustered and also a bit sorrowful. He hesitated again and again before kneeling and pulling Qingqing down too. "I thank teacher for the generous gift."

Qin Yu flicked his sleeves and lifted the two up. "Chief manager, Manager Clearwood, after this period of seclusion I might leave the capital city for some time. I will have to ask you two to take good care of Leon for me."

Chief Manager Wu's heart stirred. He had heard from Old Sea already, but it seemed that Honorable Ning really did have thoughts of leaving the capital city. He nodded with deep veneration. "Rest assured, Honorable Ning."

Clearwood seemed a bit distracted. She only nodded a little, not saying much.

Being startled, the Qing Family Patriarch and Madame Qing hadn't noticed anything amiss at this moment. In their excitement, their earlier worry and unease had vanished. With this generous gift, even if Honorable Ning couldn't attend the wedding for some reason, it was still enough to indicate how valuable Leon was. In the future, as long as they managed this well and maintained a relationship with Grandmaster Ning, then the rise of their Qing Family would only be a matter of time.

After obtaining a satisfactory answer and knowing that Honorable Ning planned to go into seclusion for another period of time, the Qing Family Patriarch and Madame Qing stood up and bid their farewells. Qingqing also left with them. This was one of the traditions of the sea races; just before a young man and woman were married, they wouldn't meet in private again.

Leon stayed behind. He was silent, his head drooping down.

Chief Manager Wu didn't seem too surprised that Qin Yu would be leaving. He took out three storage shells and placed them on the table. "Honorable Ning, the first one is the complete earnings from the earlier gambling. The second is 20 million spirit stones from my master. There are also some soul strengthening treasures on the way, but they haven't yet reached the capital city. The third is Old Sea's gift to you."

He didn't know which day Honorable Ning would leave on, so he certainly needed to clarify everything before then. After handing over these three storage shells, he was visibly relieved. Carrying so much wealth on him had left him anxious and on high alert all the time, and at least with this the four sea mantis swordsmen would also be able to relax.

Qin Yu nodded and received the three storage shells. He casually asked, "Where's Old Sea?"

Clearwood answered, "Teacher's injuries may have stabilized, but in order to make sure there are no lingering damages, he needs to rest for a period of time."

And as everyone thought she had finished speaking, this cold and frigid woman suddenly asked, "Honorable Ning, are you really leaving?"

Chief Manager Wu frowned. Although everyone had guessed this, it wasn't too polite to blurt it out loud. But as he saw Clearwood's eyes, he seemed to realize something. A strange expression came over his face and he castigated her choices in his heart.

Qin Yu was surprised. He nodded; it wasn't like there was anything to hide. Old Sea was a very astute person so he had likely guessed this and told Chief Manager Wu when passing the gift over to him.

"You can't stay here?"

"I can't." Qin Yu smiled. He seriously said, "There are some matters that are waiting for me to resolve. Although the capital city is good, it isn't the home I must return to."

Clearwood's complexion dimmed. She nodded and didn't speak further.

Qin Yu had told her and Chief Manager Wu that he needed to return home; it was likely that only Leon knew just why his teacher had to leave. He was far too dazzling a figure now and an incident could occur at any moment. This was especially true with random invitations from the royal palace.

He had been alright this time, but what about next time? Or the time after that? There would eventually be a day when great mishap would occur. He was cautious about these things, so how could he not understand this point?

So, he needed to leave.

Once Chief Manager Wu and Clearwood left, Qin Yu looked at his depressed disciple. "It's fine, I have to leave sooner or later. Leaving safely is the best possible outcome. You should be overjoyed for me."

Leon's eyes glistened and turned a little red. "Teacher, will we ever see each other again?"

Qin Yu thought for a moment and shook his head. "I don't know. But what I do know is that you, Leon, will surely become a truly great person in the future. Brat, you can do it! Qingqing is a good girl, so don't disappoint her. Go, I have to enter seclusion. Before I leave I will bid you farewell."

Leon straightened himself and bowed. He took several steps back and left.

Qin Yu sighed.

It wasn't that he was too worried, it was just that the situation was forcing him to do this.

When he left Soupman's mansion, he never imagined he would encounter Princess Lushy. He thought this disguise was perfect, but that little girl was already suspicious of him.

That's right. While she had managed to maintain a tranquil demeanor, she couldn't hide the flash of insight in her eyes from Qin Yu.

With her status, wanting to find recordings of him was extremely simple. While those couldn't prove anything, as long as she had just a bit of evidence it would only be a matter of time until he was exposed.

Thus, Qin Yu could not wait. He immediately had to go into seclusion and refine the last of the five-element spiritual objects, and then leave the capital city before his identity was exposed.

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Chapter 166 – Those on the Road

Sea Spirit Pavilion announced that Honorable Ning would be entering seclusion once more. As for the special edition Supreme Books that were signed previously, those would be delayed for an indefinite period of time. Of course, this condition was already written into the agreement when it was signed, so even though there was an indefinite extension period, Sea Spirit Pavilion wouldn't need to compensate their customers.

If any other sea spirit teacher dared to be so capricious in their actions then perhaps all of these agreements would be cancelled in an extremely short period of time. However, in this case, there was actually only a very small number of people who did so.

This was because those people who had unhesitatingly spent a great amount of wealth to sign the special edition Supreme Book had done so to develop relations with Honorable Ning. As for waiting…that didn't matter at all!

…

In the royal palace, within that grand hall, the Sea Sovereign wrinkled his eyebrows. He seemed to be lost deep in thought with a puzzled expression often appearing on his face. After some time, a respectful voice sounded from outside. The Sea Sovereign finally spoke up, lightly saying, "Enter."

The hall doors were pushed open and several high ranking ministers excitedly walked in. The one leading the pack was Soupman.

"Everything is fine, everything is fine!" He fell to his knees. "Your Majesty, this old servant is so glad to see you…"

Before his voice fell, there was a loud bang that sounded out like a bell. Soupman tumbled backwards several times before crashing into the ground. The floor trembled but the hall itself wasn't damaged in the least.

Soupman violently coughed and crawled back up to his feet. His round and smiling face was now a mess. "Your Majesty, are you still angry about what happened before?"

The Sea Sovereign waved his hand. "It was an accident. This Solitude lost control of his strength momentarily." But as he looked down upon alert figures of the officials below, he couldn't help but notice a trace of awkwardness in their eyes.

"Congratulations Your Majesty!"

The awkwardness was only temporary; everyone soon began to smile.

The Sea Sovereign said, "This time, it could be said that misfortune has turned into a blessing."

"What does Your Majesty mean?"

"If there isn't an accident, then this Solitude should be fine for the next 20 years."

These words left several of the ministers overjoyed. Soupman shook with excitement. "This old servant knew that Honorable Ning had the skills. At least the thank you gift I gave him wasn't for nothing."

"Your Majesty, may I ask whether or not you know how Honorable Ning achieved this?"

The Sea Sovereign hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. "Everyone here should already be aware that the Companion Vine is of one body with this Solitude. Even so, it had always rebuffed this Solitude. This is normal, because in the end, this Solitude is the one dragging it to its death. However, even though that is the way things are, this Solitude still has a faint link to it. Honorable Ning used some method to increase the Companion Vine's strength in a single day so that it has a greater capacity to contain power."

Soupman's eyes flashed. "If that's so, then we cannot allow him to leave."

"Of course! If Honorable Ning has the ability to strengthen the Companion Vine, then he cannot take half a step away from the capital city!"

"This might be rude and unreasonable, but for His Majesty's sake, it must be done."

"Immediately assign people to watch him…I hope that Honorable Ning will understand why we do this."

The high ranking officials began to speak one after another, each more and more imposing and daring than the last. In their opinion, as long as they could maintain their Majesty's safety, nothing else mattered.

Honorable Ning…he did have an extraordinary status, but so what?

…

Deep beneath the sea, giant whales shuttled through the waters. Each one was covered in thick and heavy scales, and when their mouths occasionally opened, they would reveal rows of sword-sharp teeth that would slice and crush the mouthfuls of shrimp and fish that entered.

Within the sea region, killer whales were one of the most fierce and dangerous races. They were born with the inherent ability and nature to slaughter. There were few people that dared to provoke a single killer whale, much less these five that moved together. As their giant bodies cast a shadow beneath them, countless seafolk fled in a horrified panic.

On the backs of the killer whales were halos of light. The light was able to push away the water, forming small enchantments similar to the one that surrounded the capital city.

In the center, on the back of the largest killer whale, there were several buildings set up in the enchantment. Their appearance was similar to several Thousandcraft Houses, and for some unknown reason, there wasn't the least bit of shaking.

A girl that looked to be around 11 or 12 years old was sitting there. She had a pair of deep blue eyes and was as beautiful as a calm sea. At this time, she was pursing her lips, looking extremely bored.

"Seventh Aunty, it's really too boring to just hurry along like this. How about we stop for a day and take a look around?" As if she were afraid that she would be instantly refused, she raised her hand and said, "I promise that I will absolutely listen to your words and I won't stir up any trouble at all."

The one called Seventh Aunt was a strong and sturdy woman. Yes, that was right, a woman. Although using the term 'strong and sturdy' might seem rude, it was a truly appropriate description. She had dark skin and a body that was like an iron tower. In fact, she even seemed sturdier and larger than some of the guards that stood in the distance.

As the woman heard this, she smirked. "Little brat, did you forget what happened last time? Just keep yourself from moving about; there are only a few more days of travelling left. Once we reach the capital city, I promise that you can play however you want. How about it?"

Her soft and gentle voice was a shocking contrast to her appearance. If one closed their eyes, they would think of a young lady holding an umbrella beneath the misty rain…in other words, well, it was best to keep one's eyes closed.

The young girl seemed a bit disheartened. She quietly muttered to herself, "Whatever, it was just a little accident; who thought I would have such bad luck?" She blinked her eyes pitifully, seemingly completely like a spoiled child.

However, the woman had already learned from what happened last time. No matter what the young girl said or did, she wouldn't budge in the slightest. The young girl was well known for being an impish devil that had a way with words. Since she couldn't argue, the woman finally decided to change the subject. "Miss, we are going to the capital city for official business this time. You should already have heard of Honorable Ning's reputation. Madame has repeatedly stated that it is not good to be waiting for so long."

The young girl shrunk her head back with a bitter expression. Since this other person was able to even cause her mother to move, there was simply nothing she could do. But what a pity, she had heard that the blue lotus flowers in this part of the sea region were an astonishingly beautiful sight; who knew when she would next be able to come back here?

She couldn't help but feel increasingly disappointed about this, and correspondingly, her dissatisfaction with this Grandmaster Ning began to grow. No matter how she thought about it, he was the reason why she would miss out on this chance. She groaned – she would definitely remember this!

After a brief moment, she started to laugh out loud as she thought about how unreasonable and ridiculous her thoughts were. Moreover, with that Honorable Ning's status, he wouldn't fear her at all. It was exactly the opposite; she would have to carefully flatter him.

But after thinking about it a little bit more, she didn't find it funny anymore. She looked around in a bored daze before suddenly asking, "Seventh Aunty, do you think we will meet that person again?"

This question came from nowhere and without any explanation. But the woman had heard it countless times already, so many times that it seemed that her ears would be grinded to nubs by it, so she knew what the young girl meant. She casually tossed out a few words, saying that the sea region was endlessly vast, and the chances for two random people to meet once more were so low as to be negligible…

The woman's complexion turned serious and she earnestly said, "If you're destined to meet then you will!"

…

At the same time.

If there was a pair of eyes that looked down from the highest heavens, then they would discover that with the capital city as the center, in an almost opposite direction from the five killer whales, there was a worn out troop heading towards that extinguishable sun below the sea.

They clearly didn't have the momentum and valor of the five killer whales. The sea wolves trudging along had dark looks and a weary appearance, but they still struggled to run. Each sea wolf carried a rider on their back, and each rider wore armor and had an indifferent expression.

A massive dark shadow waded in from the depths of the sea, and its malevolent eyes locked onto the group. But at this time, the person riding on the front sea wolf suddenly looked up, and that massive dark shadow stopped in its tracks. It cried out once before fleeing far away.

This wasn't unusual at all, because the eyes of that person were far too dreadful. A cold wind seemed to blow out from them, drifting into the heart like a winter storm, invading the soul and causing one's heartbeat to nearly stop and blood to almost freeze.

The man lifted a hand and the troop stopped. The riders sat up, their sharp eyes sweeping the surroundings. A vicious aura began to spread out from their bodies. Without a doubt, they were the sharpest and most dangerous warriors.

The leader slapped the clearly larger sea wolf he was riding. It turned and ran over to the carriage that the 36 wolf riders were guarding. Then, the leader respectfully said, "Vice Priest, should we rest here for some time or should we hurry along?"

The man was visibly tired but his eyes remained firm and stoic, as if with a single word from the man in the carriage the entire troop would continue on without any complaints.

After several breaths of time, a calm voice sounded out from the carriage. "Rest for two hours."

The leader lifted a hand and made a signal. The 36 wolf riders immediately scattered. Some began to feed their mounts, some hugged themselves and fell asleep, and some remained on high alert.

"Xue Zheng, how long until we arrive?" The Vice Priest asked.

The leader bowed. "According to our current speed, it will be at most four days."

The Voice Priest's voice remained tranquil. "I know that you are all tired, but if it is possible, please be a little quicker."

A bit of worry seemed to cross Xue Zheng's stony face. He shouted out, "Yes!"

Xue Zheng turned and said, "Rest time has been reduced to an hour!"

It was clear that he held a high level of respect amongst the wolf rider troop; no one objected to him.

For an hour, the 36 wolf riders divided themselves into three groups that would take turns resting. This was to ensure that they would remain nearly at full defense for the rest of the time. Besides their leader, no one knew why they had been suddenly transferred to this mission to escort the Vice Priest to the capital city in the most secretive manner possible.

But, it was clear that this was an extremely important mission.

Soon, the troop continued on their way. Within the carriage, besides the Vice Priest, there was also a woman in white robes. Her limpid eyes seemed full of worry.

"Vice Priest, I wonder if something is wrong with grandfather's decision this time. The Saint Flower isn't in too good a condition now, and if we leave the altar I fear that…" She hesitated as she spoke.

The Vice Priest bitterly smiled and the wrinkles on his forehead seemed to increase. "Dongdong, I know you are worried, but the Saint Flower's condition grows increasingly worse with time. If we don't grab hold of this chance, then I fear it will truly wither away before long."

Panic flashed in the eyes of the girl named Dongdong. It was true: the problem with the Saint Flower had reached a crucial point.

The Vice Priest tried to comfort her. "Don't be afraid, I have carefully discussed things with the priests. Honorable Ning's strength can be trusted. If he helps, the Saint Flower can definitely emerge from this danger."

Dongdong's eyes brightened. "Really?"

"Mm." The Vice Priest nodded. "If it weren't for this reason, how could the priests take such a risk?"

He calmly smiled. As he saw the girl clearly relax, he gently sighed inwardly.

Honorable Ning really might be the legendary Spiritual Bestower, however, the Saint Flower was in the end an extraordinary case. No one knew for certain whether or not this was possible.

But the Saint Flower really couldn't wait any longer.

The problem was far more serious than anyone knew!

The wolf riders raced forwards. This troop came from the most wild and unruly tribe of the old dynasty, one that had even contested with the capital city. Now, they continued to move forwards, carrying hope in their hearts.

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Chapter 167 – The Accident After Gathering the Five-element Spiritual Objects

The focus within the capital city suddenly shifted to the dignified and solemn Noble Court Avenue. Today, it was a scene of joyful festivity, as flowers in purple and red covered the streets, scattered all over.

The Qing Family's daughter was being married off today.

There were roomfuls of guests as honored figures gathered from all over. The line of carriages which came to extend congratulations and offer presents stretched from one end of the street to the other. Countless young ladies from other families felt their hearts burn like acid even as they felt deep pangs of envy.

It had to be known that even though the people who lived on Noble Court Avenue were all impressive figures, they still couldn't casually set up such a tremendous scene. At the very least, the Qing Family couldn't. Today's extra celebrations had been a unanimous decision decided by all the households living on Noble Court Avenue.

It wasn't because they respected the Qing Family, but rather because of that high and lofty mysterious figure who stood behind the groom, that mystical great person who stood upon the highest clouds. This was their way of expressing their goodwill and respect towards him.

When the Qing Family first announced that Honorable Ning would be absent from the wedding, this caused the thoughts of countless people to shake, and it even gave some of them a sudden pleasant surprise. But soon, the gift list was revealed to the public, causing all of their thoughts to be grinded to dust.

There was no one on Noble Court Avenue who didn't know about Wu Zetian's dwelling. It had been in construction for over ten years and it was obvious how high the costs had been. Now, that dwelling which had been barely occupied, was now on the top of the gift list.

This sufficiently indicated just how highly Honorable Ning regarded his disciple.

No…in the eyes of the various households of Noble Court Avenue, and even in the opinion of the entire capital city, this had already surpassed the category of being highly regarded. Rather, it was a close intimacy, even considering him as a nephew!

Otherwise, how could he give out such a great present!

Thus, this created the scene of the Qing Family's happy celebrations soaring to the heavens.

The capital city all watched with envy.

"Congratulations, congratulations!"

"For the Qing Family to obtain such a dragon-like son-in-law, that is the envy of all others!"

"A perfect match, a perfect couple!"

The Qing Family Patriarch widely smiled. He was finally able to vent all the grievances that had slowly gathered in his chest in these past years. His appearance seemed much younger as he greeted all the arriving guests.

"The groom has come!"

It was unknown who had shouted this, but countless seafolk turned around. They saw the grand escort caravan arriving. Chief Manager Wu brightly smiled as he cupped his hands together towards everyone around him.

Leon had a worried look. It was only when he arrived at the Qing Family residence that he regained his composure. He quietly knelt and bowed to the Qing Family Patriarch and finally called him father.

The Qing Family Patriarch brushed his beard and laughed, affectionately pulling Leon upwards as they exchanged some words. The bride was soon brought to the front door by her mother.

Madame Qing wiped away her tears. She said in a quiet voice to her daughter. "From now on, it will be the two of you. I hope you live happily ever after."

Leon took hold of Qingqing's hands. As he looked at her red dress and her soft hands, his heart raced with excitement. Gratitude bloomed from the depths of his heart, and in a voice that only he could hear, he whispered to himself, "Teacher, do you see? I finally married Qingqing. Thank you!"

…

High above were clouds, and beyond that lay the starry skies. The starry skies divided the daytime. Countless years ago, on some dark night, a meteor raced past the horizon, dragging a beautiful tail of flame in its wake as it crashed into the earth. The ground collapsed, instantly torn apart to reveal a fathomless canyon. The terrifying impact force exploded outwards, ripping everything to shreds. The wild waves swept out, swallowing all for over a thousand miles. After an unknown period of time, perhaps because rainwater gathered here or perhaps because an underground river had burst open, a current of water gradually appeared. It continued to expand, until one day, this shattered land became a giant lake swamp. Mist gradually rose up, covering the lake swap. As lives were swallowed up one after another, this place slowly became a danger zone that people rarely ever visited. Thus, in the depths of the canyon, where a giant rock was being eroded by endless streams of water, the meteor finally came to a peaceful pause after a long journey through the starry skies. Over time, the eroding water slowly washed away at the giant stone. It became smaller and smaller, until eventually it was the size of a thumb. One day, the earth shook and rumbled and the stone was thrust towards the surface. As it appeared, the sound of splitting air sounded out, clearly audible for hundreds of miles.

Dantian sea –

Lotus seed, willow branch, crystal, round bead – four spiritual objects floated outside the Golden Core, resonating with each. At this time, the four spiritual objects cried out together, cheering in joy. At this time, between the lotus seed and round bead, space suddenly shook. A thumb-sized metal stone suddenly appeared.

Weng –

An endlessly sharp aura erupted. It was like 10,000 swords slashing out together, capable of splitting apart the world!

Whoosh –

The light of black water surged out!

Whoosh –

Blue divine light sparkled!

Whoosh –

Red flames ignited!

Whoosh –

A halo of yellow earth suddenly rose up!

Ever since obtaining the Five Element Sword Diagram, Qin Yu had pursued this path with a fervent obsession. He underwent great hardships, and after experiencing countless twists and turns, perils, and nearly dying numerous times, on this day he was finally able to gather all of the five-element spiritual objects within him.

Qin Yu opened his eyes. Though he remained calm, he still couldn't help but shake with joy. The five-element spiritual objects were not just treasures, but a massive good fortune, an incredible lucky chance. Now everything was ready to go. Once he used the Great Divided Heaven Sutra to split his Golden Core into magic power sources of the five elements, he would finally be able to cultivate the true Five Element Sword Diagram. He could imagine the rise in his strength, and it also represented his limitless potential in the future!

Good fortune lays within disaster, and disaster lurks within good fortune.

This was a very, very old saying, so old that no one knew whether it was some wise sage who had struggled to come up with it, or whether it was some bad luck idiot who had randomly mumbled it.

But today, Qin Yu suddenly thought that this saying…was too bad luck!

Perhaps there was some dark will in the universe that didn't want to see Qin Yu obtain such a good fortune. Thus, it inadvertently began to move, slowly pushing things along a certain direction. Like this, a change would occur without warning. This change would roar out, tearing apart all guises and exposing everything to the world.

Within the dantian sea, outside of the Golden Core, the evenly distributed five-element spiritual objects suddenly lost control. Or, it could be said that this was their instinctual will, something that couldn't be stopped. Thus that white gold, black water, blue wood, red fire, and yellow metal, began to spin around. They were like five isolated islands that were suddenly linked together.

Then….

White metal flowed into black water.

Black water rushed into blue wood.

Blue wood ignited red fire.

Red fire submerged yellow earth.

Yellow earth drilled into white metal.

Qin Yu had no idea just what was occurring. His instincts first told him that this change was a good deed, but for this to occur in the sea race's capital city, this good deed might turn into calamity, one so great it might even push him beyond redemption.

His soul erupted with all its strength as he tried to prevent the five-element spiritual objects from changing. But, reality showed that all his efforts were futile. So, he could only stare helplessly on as the strength of the five elements began to spin faster and faster, recklessly rushing through his body like a great raging river.

This great river gradually released a great strength. From five directions, it tore at the Golden Core atop the Great Dao base, wanting to transform part of its strength into its own. Sweat gushed out, instantly turned the black robes soaking wet. Qin Yu's eyes fiercely flashed open as he repressed a roar in this throat.

Within his dantian sea, the Golden Core trembled!

This was also another change beyond all expectations. In a flash, countless thoughts raced through Qin Yu's mind. He didn't know what would happen if his core was divided, but if he continued to resist, his Golden Core would be torn to shreds. At that time…things would really go beyond control.

He clenched his teeth and decisiveness flashed in his eyes. Qin Yu lifted a hand and slapped a palm against his forehead.

The palm landed between his eyebrows. When it did, a loud sound emerged from his dantian sea.

Like a bead had broken.

Like this, on the Great Dao base, that Golden Core which shined with a radiant golden light broke to pieces. It shattered into five equal fragments, and with a whistle, they flew out and were completely swallowed by the white metal, black water, blue wood, red fire, and yellow earth.

Qin Yu's body turned rigid. As his Golden Core broke apart, all of his aura was suddenly emptied out, completely restrained. Even so, the magic power still in his body began to wildly revolve according to the Great Divide Heaven Sutra's law formula.

Hum –

Hum –

The five-element spiritual objects trembled as they began to fuse together with the pieces of the Golden Core. They were undergoing their most essential transformation at this moment, but, this transformation required a gargantuan amount of heaven and earth strength.

Thus, at this time, Qin Yu's rigid body became like a black hole, crazily swallowing in all of the heaven and earth spiritual energy from all around him.

The capital city had been built here, so it could be understood that the land here was extraordinary. Deep below the earth, seven great spirit veins connected together, providing a source of spiritual strength so abundant that it transcended common sense. It was also because of this that when the amount of heaven and earth spiritual strength became thinner somewhere, it was that much more obvious.

Within Sea Spirit Pavilion, numerous sea spirit teachers look up towards the same direction. Then as the scope of influence began to rapidly expand, countless seafolk frowned, some with faces of surprise, as they looked towards Sea Spirit Pavilion.

Rumble rumble –

The sound of crashing water began to sound out. This was the flow of heaven and earth spiritual energy. If a person could see the revolution of spiritual energy, they would discover that a massive vortex had appeared with Sea Spirit Pavilion at its center. This vortex was pulling the surrounding spiritual strength into a single point where it vanished without a trace.

Whoosh –

Whoosh –

Sea race powerhouses flew to Sea Spirit Pavilion with serious expressions on their faces.

Chief Manager Wu welcomed them. He cupped his hands together, "Everyone, Honorable Ning is currently in seclusion and cannot be disturbed at this moment. I ask for your understanding."

Many seafolk seemed to finally understand. If it was that person, then everything could be explained. After all, Honorable Ning had fierce methods and everyone in the capital city had seen them. While the current scene was excessive, if it was due to Honorable Ning then it wasn't anything too out of the ordinary.

But, just what was Honorable Ning doing?

More and more seafolk began to arrive. They gathered in rows outside of Sea Spirit Pavilion and watched with wide eyes, waiting to see what was about to happen.

And of course, they weren't left disappointed. In the eyes of all present, that incomparably fierce Honorable Ning gave them an expected surprise.

Rumble rumble –

The vortex of spiritual strength became increasingly large. Strong gales blasted through the air and left robes flapping in the wind.

Chief Manager Wu's eyes narrowed. He thought inwardly that Honorable Ning was truly extraordinary; creating such a ruckus was as simple as wiggling his fingers. After today's events, Sea Spirit Pavilion's reputation would become that much more glorious. Hehe, and if this was wrapped into a story and spread out, it would be the best advertising. Moreover, it was the genuine truth that could be verified by all those present today.

Chief Manager Wu chuckled at his own quick wits. But soon, he couldn't maintain his smile any longer, because as more time passed, the wind seemed to…become larger and larger…

Looking at the wild winds and gradually trembling Nine Layer Building, Chief Manager Wu was left utterly dumbfounded.

His only thought was that before there could be any extra limelight, this entire place would be broken apart!

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Chapter 168 – Lousy Luck

A sea spirit teacher commented with a stunned expression, "Chief…Chief Manager Wu…what is going on…?"

Chief Manager Wu paled. He thought, if you ask me, just who the hell am I supposed to ask? If it were anyone that dared to touch his Nine Layer Building then he would have already personally gone and beaten them up into a pulp. But right now, the person doing this was Grandmaster Ning. Even if he were to completely wreck Nine Layer Building, he could still only watch on as it happened. Moreover, he would have to stop anyone from getting close.

But just what was going on!?

"Chief manager, things are beginning to grow out of control. The situation has already affected the several surrounding stores and buildings. If this continues, I fear that…" Someone from Sea Spirit Pavilion rushed over, followed by many others with ugly complexions. They began to argue with each other in a low voice; it was clear they had already experienced some troubles along the way.

Chief Manager Wu waved his hand dismissively. "Tell them as long as their losses can be verified, they will all be recompensed by my Sea Spirit Pavilion!"

After obtaining this guarantee, the crowd suddenly calmed down. Still, there were many people with long faces, especially two shop owners who had stores with long lines of inherited history. Their storefronts had been passed down from generation to generation and maintained this entire time. Although they couldn't compare to the shininess of newly built storefronts, their background history and style weren't something that money could buy.

Now it was all destroyed!

But no one argued back and no one asked anyone to stop what was going on. It was clear that today's events involved Honorable Ning, and judging by the current situation, it was something extremely important. If they managed to offend Honorable Ning then they really wouldn't have anywhere to cry.

Clearwood had gone to invite Old Sea. When he arrived, the crowd calmed down once more. The numerous sea race powerhouses cupped their hands in respect upon seeing him.

Old Sea had a light and pale demeanor. He greeted everyone as he walked to the base of Nine Layer Building. He narrowed his eyes and looked around.

Hua la la –

Several windows were torn out by the howling wind. They came crashing down, eliciting alarmed cries from the crowd. The people parted as they tried to dodge, but there were those unlucky ones who were struck in the head. Blood flowed out as they were all left in a pitiful state.

Old Sea's lips twitched and a look of helplessness flashed in his eyes. Little Friend Ning, you're already dazzling enough, so if you really wanted to leave the capital city you shouldn't have done something so eye-catching.

But as he thought of the news that was just released from the royal palace, a complex look appeared in his eyes.

The sea races had an old saying – dig a pit and jump in and it will only get deeper. In his opinion, Qin Yu's actions were proving this.

…

If one could rank things like loyalty, flattery, and dog-like devotion, then Soupman would be ranked amongst the best, even amidst the giant royal palace. At this moment, he was standing in that grand and opulent hall, conversing with that Sovereign of the Sea. He would often deliver lines of praise so sickly sweet that it left others embarrassed for him, but he still maintained a serious expression the entire time, as if he were having a personal heart-to-heart talk…one couldn't help but admit that if one's flattery skills could reach such a level, it was quite amazing.

The Sea Sovereign smiled in anger. He waved his hand and scolded, "Is this how you show your respect towards this Solitude? Hurry up and screw off! Go and manage this Solitude's money; if a single coin is missing, there will be no forgiveness."

Soupman smiled obsequiously and slapped his chest, his huge meaty body waving around. "Your Majesty need not worry, you should already be aware of my methods. If a single person dares to touch even just one coin of yours, I will make sure they lose everything."

This master and servant relationship had been formed even before the time when the throne had changed. As such their relationship was far closer than others could imagine, and it was also the reason why they could speak so freely to each other.

At this time, the Sea Sovereign's eyebrows drew up. His gaze turned outside the hall.

Several breaths later, Soupman also sensed something. A surprised look came over his face. "It seems that it's coming from the direction of Sea Spirit Pavilion."

The Sea Sovereign nodded. "It is that Honorable Ning."

Soupman was like a cat that had its tail stepped on. He leapt up and cried out, "What, what? It's something related to Honorable Ning? What has happened to him?"

The Sea Sovereign shook his head. "I cannot see the specifics."

Soupman cupped his hands together, turned around, and ran away. "Forgive me Your Majesty, this old servant of yours needs to go and have a look. No matter what it is, nothing can happen to Honorable Ning!"

These words weren't because he cared for Qin Yu.

…

On the edge of the capital city, in a small courtyard, Guard Captain Meng Li had settled his new love interest Xiao Qing here. These past few days he had been enjoying his sweet time with his new lover, every day a day of joy and pleasure. Of course, he couldn't bring Xiao Qing back home to his family because there was a ferocious mother tiger there, thus it was best to keep her hidden here.

Meng Li had just enjoyed a good romp with Xiao Qing. He was lying back on his bed, enjoying the attention she was placing on him. He chuckled and slapped her butt and said, "Go and prepare some washing water for me. I have some official business to deal with in a bit and I smell too much."

Xiao Qing smiled. She stepped off the bed, draped on some robes, and walked out. Guard Captain Meng Li seemed to be enjoying her presence still, but his mind had already switched to other recent events.

Suddenly, there was a sharp scream from outside. Meng Li sat up. His very first thought was that the mother tiger back home had finally found him and he immediately prepared himself to flee. But outside, there was only the voice of Xiao Qing and no one else, nor did he hear the sounds of the courtyard door being pushed open. His eyes began to blaze with anger; was there someone who dared to steal a look at his woman!?

He rushed out. Xiao Qing was slumped on the floor, sobbing with a frightened look. Her legs were splayed apart, making her nudity all the more visible.

Meng Li shouted out, "Baby, what happened? I will take responsibility for you!"

"M-m-m-m-master…a…sword…f-f-flew…away…"

Xiao Qing pointed at a nearby well as she spoke, completely scared.

Meng Li frowned. Could there have been some sort of treasure hidden in the well? If it could fly away…it was clear that it wasn't something simple at all. And most importantly, if it flew away from the well in his residence, no matter how he thought about it, this meant it was his!

As he thought about how a treasure sword had been hidden in the well for such a long time and yet he hadn't known about it, Meng Li wanted to slap himself senseless. But, it was far too late to beat himself up about it. He shouted in breathless anger, "Which way did it fly towards!?"

"Th-th-th-there…" Xiao Qing lifted a hand and pointed.

Whoosh –

Meng Li shot up into the skies. As he adjusted his pants, his eyes glowed with a bloodthirsty light. If anyone dared to take his treasures, he would chop them up!

…

Qin Yu was now extremely worried. His Golden Core had shattered, but because of the Great Divided Heaven Sutra he didn't feel any pain; it was only that his soul consciousness and body were temporarily isolated from each other. It was also because of this that he could clearly feel the chaos being stirred up outside. A foreboding feeling gradually rose within him and yet he wasn't capable of stopping it.

Within his dantian sea, the five-element spiritual objects had fused with his Golden Core. A strange transformation occurred within them, causing their desire for spiritual energy to reach the peak in a short period of time. Even though the vortex of spiritual energy was fierce, it still couldn't satisfy their desire. Thus, in his dantian sea, the five spheres of light that were colored white, black, blue, red, and yellow started to tremble in instability, like five volcanoes that could erupt at any moment.

Qin Yu didn't doubt that the strength of these five volcanoes was more than enough to reduce him to pieces, as well as cause a massive fireworks show for the seafolk casually watching for fun outside.

He had put so much hard work into gathering these five-element spiritual objects, but in an instant his joy had turned to sorrow. Not only were his plans completely turned upside down, but he had been forced into a perilous situation…just what was going on!

He suppressed his chaotic thoughts. His divine sense stirred and a storage shell opened up. The mountain-sized pile of spirit stones began to fly out, filling the entire workroom. The pure spiritual strength contained within seemed to be drawn out by something as it surged outwards. Every spirit stone only contained a limited amount of spiritual strength, but with millions of them gathered together, it was enough to form a raging flow of spiritual strength. This new energy joined together with the vortex of heaven and earth spiritual energy outside and then started to rumble into Qin Yu's body.

This method of absorbing spiritual strength was overly exaggerated. Even though Qin Yu possessed a potent mortal body, he still found it difficult to withstand. Traces of red began to pour out from his pores. But even with this new and crazier flow of energy, the five spheres of light within his dantian sea remained dissatisfied. Their cries were like thunderous roars. Spiritual strength…they needed more spiritual strength!

Qin Yu bitterly smiled. Could it be that in the end he would be blown apart by the five-element spiritual objects he had refined inside his body? This was far too ridiculous.

His thoughts raced and he gnashed his teeth. If he were to really die here, he was sure his death would be ranked amongst the top ten most horrible ways of dying in the cultivating world.

Rumble rumble –

Within the storage shell, over 300 million spirit stones rushed out at once, submerging Qin Yu beneath them.

In the human world, spirit stones were the size of a finger. The sea races were wealthier, so their spirit stones were about 50% larger.

If dozens or hundreds were gathered together, it wasn't much at all. But when hundreds of millions were joined together it was enough to form a real spiritual stone mountain. Right now, what Qin Yu was doing was creating this mountain in his workroom.

A terrifying pressure instantly arrived. The sound of breaking bones rang out from within his body. He didn't feel any pain because his soul consciousness had been separated, but watching his own mortal body suffer such devastating damage wasn't something to be happy about either.

The workroom walls and floor began to emit creaking moans. Qin Yu sighed inwardly. He knew that he had walked by the riverside for too long, and it was finally time to wet his feet.

This was simply…lousy luck!

…

Chief Manager Wu could sense the gloating expressions on many faces. He sensed one pair of eyes flicker to him and in the next moment someone else would glance at him. One didn't need to be a genius to know that these were all well-known figures in the sea spirit community. Sea Spirit Pavilion's reputation had drastically risen in these past days, soaring over and dominating all other competition and influences, so they had long since been jealous!

Humph, envy, this was envy.

You want to see my embarrassed and shamed expression? I, Old Wu, will not let any of you succeed.

Thus, he took a deep breath, and then took another deep breath. He maintained a tranquil demeanor and his lips even curved up a little, as if he were happy.

As if he already knew about today's events.

Yes, this was the sort of image he wanted to project.

The scope of the spiritual strength vortex increased again, forcing the crowd back even further. The wind associated with it became even more terrifying. The normally incomparably magnificent and dignified Nine Layer Building seemed to be completely stripped down. It looked a bit distressed now, even a bit inelegant.

Not too far away, a sea spirit teacher worriedly whispered, "Please don't destroy my workroom, there are still many things I haven't taken out…"

Before he could finish speaking, he was silenced by Chief Manager Wu's fierce gaze. As for his remaining words, he quickly swallowed them back down and lowered his head.

Chief Manager Wu coughed. "Everyone can rest assured! When our Sea Spirit Pavilion was constructed, we already took enough precautions to ensure everyone's safety. The outside fa?ade might be ruined, but the main body of the building will be fine."

This wasn't a false boast at all, thus Chief Manager Wu was naturally calm and fully confident in his words.

But that was the way things were. What happened next occurred without any indication at all.

Kacha –

Kacha –

As if a giant tree was breaking, as if mountains were collapsing, as everyone watched, the seventh floor of the Nine Layer Building suddenly fell apart!

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Chapter 169 – Incredibly Rich

When Chief Manager Wu spoke just now, his voice wasn't too high but it wasn't too low either. His intention was to inform all those looking on that his heart was still and others shouldn't try to take pleasure in any misfortunes that might happen. So, when the seventh floor was destroyed and started to cause the chain collapse of the entire Nine Layer Building, many of those people turned to him with unabashed taunting gazes.

This slap back was simply far too loud! Hehe, look, everyone look, Chief Manager Wu's face could actually turn such a color that it's actually greener than green iron! Incredible! Wonderful!

"My sea spirits, my materials!" The sea spirit teacher who fell silent suddenly shouted out loud, his entire face deathly pale before he fainted to the ground. Although the other seafolk around him weren't so fragile, their complexions were actually extremely ugly. To a sea spirit teacher, their workroom was their most important holy ground, a place more valuable than a home in their heart. Now, they could only watch helplessly as their workrooms were utterly ruined; how tragic was this?

Countless bitter eyes looked up. They wanted to speak, hesitated, but then…they simply stopped. It wasn't just that they were speechless, but all their thoughts came to a complete halt and it was difficult for them to think of anything else.

Pika paka –

If there was a series of sounds that echoed out, it was the jaws of all the seafolk dropping together and of all their eyes popping wide open. They were all left in a trance-like daze. It was unknown how long passed before someone suddenly managed to sputter out in a high-pitched voice, "Spirit…spirit stones…"

What nonsense. Of course those were spirit stones!

As countless people cursed inwardly at this person, they also regained their composure. They watched the raging flood of spirit stones gush out from the destroyed seventh floor and groaned in their hearts. One could show off their wealth, but did they have to do so in such a cruel and exaggerated way that no one else could live around it?

Gulp –

The sound of everyone gulping occurred in unison, actually causing a loud resonating sound. Many eyes turned blood red, filled with a blazing heat. Everyone here had seen spirit stones before, but 99.999% of them had never seen so many of them together. It was simply a giant spirit stone mountain!

Chief Manager Wu's lips twitched as he thought about how the Nine Layer Building that had been built with so much effort and that had been kept in great condition by him all this time, had been blown apart by such a giant mountain of spirit stones. He howled in sorrow in his heart: Honorable Ning, Honorable Ning, why do you have to cause such a scene all the time? I have never offended you!

Old Sea had an extraordinary status and had long since left the crowd. In a teahouse that hadn't yet been affected by the chaos, he steeped a pot of tea and looked on from afar. As a great expert, he had to have the demeanor of a great expert. No matter what happened, it was necessary to maintain the aura of restrained control at all times.

Because of this, he couldn't watch the fun from up close. Oh well, saying things like this seemed a bit unfair to Little Friend Ning. But, the situation was caused by him, and that was the truth…cough cough, well, returning to the subject, while he was a bit disappointed that he couldn't enjoy the scene up close, he still maintained a calm and breezy expression.

But at this moment, Old Sea's great expert demeanor was broken apart as he spat out a mouthful of tea. He waved dismissively at a grumbling teahouse owner who he had sprayed with tea, and then rushed over to the teahouse railing and leaned out as far as he could. It took several breaths of time before he finally managed to regain his composure. He muttered to himself, "In the past I was known as Lingdao the Curse God, and I was able to travel freely through the capital city for all those years, arguing with annoying young masters. But compared to Little Friend Ning, the difference is too great, it is far too great!"

Clearwood had an awkward expression. "Teacher…" She didn't want to speak up, but with so many people here, if they heard him it would be far too shameful.

Old Sea straightened his clothing. With his calm and tranquil appearance, it was like nothing had occurred just now. He faintly said, "Little Friend Ning must have a reason for his actions. We'll find out as we look on."

He responded as if Clearwood was asking for advice just now.

This adaptability left Clearwood quietly admiring her teacher. She looked up at the spirit stone mountain and an inexplicable thought appeared in her mind: he is so rich that even if he desperately ate for his entire life, he wouldn't be able to eat too much of it…

As she thought of this her face blushed red and she lowered her head. However, her eyes were a bit darker than before.

The capital city landmark Nine Layer Building was breaking down. The earth shook and shivered and dust rose up everywhere. However, everyone simply narrowed their eyes and stayed, without any intent of leaving. They looked up at the spirit stone mountain and all of them had the same thought in their hearts: fall, fall, fall, fall for me!

But what left everyone disappointed was the fact that the spirit stone mountain was extremely firm. It hung in midair and yet not even a single spirit stone fell down. If they could obtain such a spirit stone mountain, even just a part of it, then they could live the rest of their lives in peace and security.

While some people were disappointed, there were those whose disappointment gave way to greed, and then the eyes of those people started to become dangerous. The capital city was where sea races from all over gathered and there was no lack of ruffians and thieves. Although it was risky to try and steal something in public, if one considered the risk to reward ratio, it seemed…they could also give it a go.

Old Sea's eyes turned icy cold. "Some people are mesmerized by those spirit stones so deeply that they are now seeking their own death."

He waved his hand. Several cultivators turned and departed from below the teahouse.

Chief Manager Wu was stunned momentarily but soon recovered his wits. He rapidly responded and issued a series of orders. The guards of Sea Spirit Pavilion rushed out, forming a wall that blocked the crowd.

Conflict broke out without warning. Three seafolk pushed away the guards and rushed towards the spirit stone mountain, naked greed shining in their eyes.

"Block them!"

Chief Manager Wu roared.

Four sea mantis swordsmen leapt up. Their dazzling sword lights wove into a net that covered the three seafolk.

Puff –

Puff –

There was the sound of flesh and blood being torn apart. Dark red flowers blossomed on the earth and the smell of blood wafted up. But, this was only one part of the crowd; in another area, other people also took action.

Moreover, these were masters!

The four sea mantis swordsmen were extremely strong and when they joined together, their sword light net was incredibly powerful and terrifying. But, when two concealed seafolk joined forces against them, they were actually dragged into a prolonged battle that left the four swordsmen worried.

These two people cooperated with a tacit understanding with each other. But, one could see from the details of the battle that they weren't companions, but rather two strangers that had temporarily decided to join forces and attack together.

For a time, serious casualties and injuries were sustained by the Sea Spirit Pavilion guards!

Chief Manager Wu entered the crowd, his face pale white. With Sea Spirit Pavilion's reputation and Honorable Ning's status, there were actually still so many powerhouses that had decided to attack. If someone told him that this wasn't some hidden plot, he would never believe it.

There were some people that wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to harm Honorable Ning!

Just who was it?

Bluesky Tower and Earthfault Spire might be strong, but they were still business with assets, so they wouldn't do something so obvious. Otherwise, if anyone were to ever find any clues leading back to them, that would lead to their imminent demise.

Chief Manager Wu's heart chilled. Could this be related to the invitation from the royal palace not too long ago? The more he thought about this the more possible it seemed. Sweat began to drip down his forehead. If this really involved matters related to the royal family, then things had become truly troublesome.

"Teacher!" Clearwood said, clearly flustered.

Old Sea sucked in a deep breath. Just as he was about to say something he suddenly looked up towards the end of the street.

A brigade of royal palace guards surged forth like a tide, led by Soupman. At this time, Soupman's complexion was dark and heavy, dreadful enough to make one shiver.

"Go! Capture them alive!"

Whoosh!

The onlookers retreated in startled panic.

The tide of the battle immediately shifted to the other side!

The royal guards were all elites. While their individual strengths might not be too high, they were capable of joining forces and utilizing battle formations that gave them a horrifying killing strength. The fourteen seafolk that were in battle were violently killed one after another. The two masters that were facing off against the four sea mantis swordsmen were immediately surrounded. They seemed to know that escape was hopeless, thus they began to wildly attack the royal guards.

Soupman rode atop a seahorse. He watched the two masters without expression, as if he were looking at two corpses.

Puff –

Puff –

The vicious flood-like surge of royal guards began to draw back together, revealing two torn corpses slumped in pools of blood.

"In the streets of the capital city, there are actually those who are willing to attack someone who holds a Purple Card. It looks like someone desires to overturn the heavens!" Soupman swept his eyes around as he slowly spoke. "I am right here. I want to see just who is willing to make a move."

As a result, no one dared to make even the slightest sound.

Countless seafolk were deathly pale, their eyes filled with fear. No one imagined that things would devolve to such a point. As they thought about how people just tried to harm Honorable Ning in full public view, as well as Soupman's arrival and what he said, they all felt a chill rise from the bottom of their hearts. They quickly suppressed any thoughts they had.

Old Sea quickly walked forwards. He cupped his hands across his chest. "Soupman," He lowered his voice, "Why did you kill them off?" With Soupman's character, if he wanted to take them alive, he could easily do so himself. In the face of his abilities, those two masters weren't anything at all. When he said, 'capture them alive', it was actually a reminder for those two masters that they were to prepare to end their own lives.

Soupman lightly said, "Sea Lingdao, there are some matters that you shouldn't know about, so don't pry any further."

Old Sea frowned but didn't say anything in response. This was because these words were already sufficient warning. Yes, it seemed that Little Friend Ning had been involved in that matter. He looked up at the spirit stone mountain and a trace of helplessness appeared in his eyes. He thought about how Qin Yu had wanted to leave the capital city, and how that hope seemed unlikely now.

And in the environment where the air was filled with the rank smell of blood and where countless seafolk were pacing around in fear and alarm, a short black sword broke through the air.

Soupman's eyes instantly turned cruel and vicious as a terrifying aura revolved around him. When he looked up, the air itself seemed to freeze. But in the next moment, he furrowed his eyebrows. He could feel a faint aura emanating from that black short sword.

So, it was Honorable Ning's treasure.

He immediately restrained his aura and transformed back into a common-looking man. The black short sword drilled into the spirit stone mountain.

Meng Li gasped for breath. As he saw the black short sword enter the spirit stone mountain from afar, he felt as if someone kicked him in the chest. He felt beyond aggrieved. His intuition told him that although he had chased after this treasure sword with so much effort, it was unlikely he would ever retrieve it.

While he didn't recognize Soupman, with so many royal guards around and the smell of blood filling the air, there was definitely some important matter occurring here. He took several deep breaths and fell to the ground. He grabbed the closest person and asked, "What happened here?"

He asked several questions and after understanding what had occurred, the bitterness from Meng Li's eyes completely disappeared.

Honorable Ning, it was actually Honorable Ning. It was over…he had thoroughly lost the treasure!

To the thrifty and hard-working Meng Li, this was an attack that was hard to recover from. He took a deep breath and then took another deep breath.

Strong men don't cry, strong men don't sniffle!

Wu wu wu wu –

You are so rich, so why do you still take my treasure sword!

Wu wu wu wu –

Give me back my sword!

Buried deep beneath the spirit stone mountain, the black short sword drilled through right to Qin Yu's side. It could feel the crazy and urgent desire for spiritual strength coming from its master's body. Although the wild flow of spiritual strength had seriously damaged Qin Yu's mortal body, so much that blood flowed from all over and flesh split apart, if Qin Yu didn't obtain enough spiritual strength to supplement himself, he would surely die.

If Qin Yu died, the black short sword wouldn't die. But it didn't know when it would ever find such a reliable master again. After all, following Qin Yu hadn't been so bad, and had actually been quite good.

Thus, the black short sword floated up between Qin Yu's eyebrows. Then, with a slight poke, it stabbed between Qin Yu's eyebrows.

A dark red bead of blood seeped out.

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Chapter 170 – Light Column Soaring to the Heavens

In truth, no one knew what sort of oil poured on the fire the return of the Hundred Nether Sword today would be, and how it would completely detonate the situation.

Between Qin Yu's eyebrows, the image of a black sword appeared in the blood bead, making the red several degrees darker. Then, this blackness was like ink that slowly spread out.

It turned into a black hole the size of a palm, a connection leading to somewhere unknown. A cold yin aura flowed out, and one could faintly hear the howling of wind and the cries of the dead.

At the edge of the capital city in the small courtyard, Meng Li's little lover Xiao Qing was cleaning herself down. Indeed, this place was as haunted as the rumors said; she absolutely could not live here any longer. Once her master returned, she would beg him to hurry and switch to a different dwelling.

Just as she was imagining what sort of methods she should use to persuade Meng Li and how great her future dwelling would be, she suddenly fell to the ground before the smile could appear on her face. Deep choking sounds came from her throat as if someone was gripping it, and breathing became extremely difficult.

Kacha –

Kacha –

A surface layer of ice appeared in the bucket of hot water she had been using to clean herself, and began to condense at an alarming rate. In the courtyard, within the deep well, the icy cold water started to tumble about as if it were boiling.

Bang –

A black column of light shot towards the skies. It was like a great invisible hand that stabbed into the heavens above the capital city. But, what was strange was that it didn't rip apart the spells above the capital city. Rather, the moment they touched, the beam vanished from sight.

Beneath this black column of light was a bleak and desolate area on the edge of the capital city. A gray mist covered it, making it difficult to see what was occurring within. Now, this mist started to seethe and roil. Phantoms of powerful sea monsters condensed, and they reared their heads back and roared out loud.

The entire capital city was shaken by this sudden change. Countless seafolk looked up towards this dark and bleak place, and their complexions began to gradually pale. There were some older seafolk that started to mutter to themselves in a quiet panic, "Sea Mausoleum…it's the Sea Mausoleum…" They thought back to the calamity that occurred in the capital city that year, where 100,000 seafolk had died a miserable death and the smell of blood had covered the earth.

This wasn't considered a secret. The people that lived in the capital city had some awareness of it. Fear began to spread like a plague, racing through the seafolk like a wildfire.

At the entrance of the royal palace, the copper bell began to ring.

The Sea Sovereign's eyes darkened. His pupils were like profound vortexes spinning around. A boundless aura ascended from his body and the phantom of a flood dragon appeared in the skies above the royal palace. Its body was 10,000 feet long and its golden scales were tinted purple. Winds and clouds were stirred up as the flood dragon phantom danced amongst them. It flashed in and out of sight as the cries of a dragon rang out intermittently. A terrifying dragon's glory spread out like a tide with the royal palace at the center.

From all around the capital city, the panic that gripped the people began to subside. They knelt down where they stood, prostrating themselves towards the royal palace. In the great calamity which occurred that year, it was the Sea Sovereign who had bravely stepped forwards, sacrificing a thousand years of his life to seal away the Sea Mausoleum.

Below the Nine Laye Building, Soupman's complexion was pale. He whispered, "Your Majesty…" His face distorted and he roared out loud, "What is going on, what the hell is going on!?"

Your Majesty! With his condition he could not make a move, otherwise once his true strength was revealed, heavenly tribulation would arrive imminently. He looked up towards the skies above the capital city and as he thought, black clouds had begun to appear. A deep and dignified aura gushed out from them, the glory silencing all life in the world below.

This was the will of the world!

If His Majesty had chosen to cross tribulation during that year, then perhaps he might have had a slim hope of survival. But today…concealing himself from the heavens would surely trigger the anger of the world and there would be no chance of escaping from the heavenly tribulation that would follow.

Soupman wanted to stop him, but he knew that with His Majesty's personality, there was no way he could stop him from taking action.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck…" Soupman jittered with nervousness. As he looked at the black clouds above his head he repeatedly cursed, his gaze fierce and wild.

Without warning, a life and death catastrophe had appeared in front of the eyes of the people of the capital city. They could only watch with wide eyes, filled with panic and completely helpless, and wait for it to descend upon them.

Even in the royal palace, that most powerful ruler in the world had already prepared himself to die and seal away this Sea Mausoleum calamity once more. His gaze was faint without the least bit of fear, because ultimately he was the ruler, and this was his duty and responsibility.

Time slowly flowed on. But, what was strange was that while all this commotion occurred, the apocalyptic tragedy that should follow the appearance of the specters didn't occur. Besides that black column of light impacting into the heavens and the ear-splitting rumbles outside, the capital city remained as calm as it was before.

The Sea Sovereign frowned.

At this time, the doors to the hall were shoved open and two distressed-looking officials rushed in. They waved their arms around, shooting, "Please stop Your Majesty, please stop! We have just investigated the situation and found that the spells around the Sea Mausoleum are still revolving!"

The spirit shell in Soupman's chest rang out. He placed it to his ear and listened for several moments. Then, the suffocating despair that filled his chest completely vanished. He looked up at the anxious Old Sea and nodded, quietly saying, "There are no problems with the Sea Mausoleum's spells." He put away the spirit shell and looked up at the black column of light, somewhat perplexed.

Soon, this news was transmitted to all areas as fast as possible.

Everyone had the same question that Soupman had.

Since the spells around the Sea Mausoleum were fine and intact, just what was going on right now?

The spirit stones were drawn in by an invisible strength and not a single one of them fell down. Slowly, that spirit stone mountain became a ball and no one could see the figure wrapped up inside.

The black hole between Qin Yu's eyebrows suddenly trembled and then…a raging black river surged out!

Outside the Nine Layer Building, Soupman's pupils shrank. He kept his eyes closely glued to that giant sphere of spirit stones. As the vortex of spiritual energy raged and roared, the common people might not notice anything else about it, but to Soupman, it was as dazzling as a star in the dark night.

"The Sea Mausoleum's aura…" He slowly opened his mouth, his eyes as sharp as swords. "Sea Lingdao, just what is Honorable Ning doing?"

As a Purple Card, possessing a formidable soul was necessary, so Old Sea also sensed the arrival of that sudden aura. His complexion changed. There had been a change with the Sea Mausoleum and then the black column of light had shot up into the skies. Now, the aura of the Sea Mausoleum had appeared here. If anyone told him this wasn't related, he wouldn't believe them at all.

Old Sea took a deep breath and shook his head. "Ever since returning from the royal palace, Ning Qin has been in seclusion. I have no idea just what he is doing. But, I firmly believe that he would absolutely never try to break the Sea Mausoleum's spells. I can guarantee that!"

Soupman's complexion darkened. He coldly snorted, his eyes flashing with indecisiveness. If it were anyone else that had been involved with the changes to the Sea Mausoleum he would have already moved to suppress them. Anyone who tried to harm His Majesty must be destroyed!

But it had to be Ning Qin.

As he was considering what to do, the spirit shell in his chest rang out once more. The Sea Sovereign's voice sounded out, "Continue watching."

Old Sea's heart relaxed but his expression remained as serious as before. Looking at that giant sphere of spirit stones, he forced a smile.

Ning Qin, Ning Qin, you really stirred up a mess this time!

From the black hole, the raging black current submerged Qin Yu and then began to fuse into his pores. The potent spiritual strength contained within surpassed the limits of his mortal body, and his skin began to tear, like a ceramic doll that was being broken apart. Fresh blood came out, but before it could flow it was shaken into mist by a powerful strength.

Paka –

Paka –

Flesh and blood started to disintegrate!

The Hundred Nether Sword floated before the black hole. Only when the raging black current flowed through it would it be able to pour this energy into Qin Yu. As the sword saw Qin Yu's battered and horrible appearance, it subconsciously began to shake. In comparison, it would be incomparably nourished. The spectral aura carried by the black current was cleanly devoured by it. It was like the sword was watching Qin Yu being tortured while enjoying a fine dining meal.

Of course, no matter what, the Hundred Nether Sword would never acknowledge this. It only did this in order to help its master pull through this disaster. Otherwise, if it didn't absorb the spectral aura within the black energy, its master would not be able to absorb it. Yes, this was definitely the reason.

The Hundred Nether Sword was instantly filled with a proud righteousness!

Within Qin Yu's dantian sea, the Sea Mausoleum's strength, the spiritual energy vortex, and the spirit stones all gathered together, the three of them superimposing upon each other and finally satisfying the demand for energy that the five elemental magic power sources needed.

White, black, blue, red, yellow – five different colored spheres of lights swallowed up an immense amount of spiritual strength and gradually began to stabilize. But as the fusion continued, the amount of spiritual strength absorbed became increasingly more.

Even with Qin Yu's potent Demon Body, he gradually became unable to withstand this. The collapse of his flesh and blood quickened and even his bones began to shake and groan, with fissures appearing through them. A fog of blood gushed out, slowly covering him. The spirit stones around were dyed red and some of the blood fog even entered the black hole.

Roar –

There was a restrained roar that transmitted from the black hole, carrying with it endless thirst and desire. Then, from that raging black current, a fierce claw reached out, grasping towards Qin Yu as if it wanted to drag him down!

The Hundred Nether Sword cried out and it chopped down like a bolt of black lightning. The claw that extended from the black current was instantly cut off and disintegrated before being reabsorbed into the black hole. A voice of anger and unwillingness roared out. But, with another sharp cry, the Hundred Nether Sword issued a stern warning. The roar gradually died down before vanishing.

The swordpoint swerved towards Qin Yu. The Hundred Nether Sword seemed to be thinking. If the sword could make an expression, it would surely be making a face full of distress and grievances.

If it didn't take action then Qin Yu would surely die here. But if it did take action, it would lose a great portion of the strength it had laboriously saved up, and even the amount it ate today wouldn't be able to cover the losses. This was surely a horrible business deal resulting in losses.

Aiya, why in the world were there always so many troubling dilemmas? Oh whatever. As a sword that knew compassion, that had a conscience, that had a sense of justice and a sense of gratefulness, it simply couldn't watch Qin Yu die and not try to save him. Of course, it would definitely mark this down and would try to slowly get compensation for this in the future.

Buzz –

The Hundred Nether Sword lightly trembled. Black mist gushed out from the surface of the blade, and it tumbled about as if it had a mind of its own. Slowly, then quickly, it condensed into the phantom of an altar. If people saw this pitch black altar, they would realize that it was similar to the altar used to pray to the sea spirit in Prosperity Square, just outside of the royal palace.

Of course, this similarity referred to the aura and other similar characteristics, not just surface appearances.

The blood fog was drawn in and began to quickly settle and precipitate in the depths of the altar. Then, within the black phantom altar, a cross-legged figure appeared. Countless threads shot out from the altar and drilled into the surrounding spirit stones. Like the roots of a great tree, spiritual strength was absorbed and poured into the altar where it was then transformed into a potent life energy. And this life energy was then poured into the figure deep within the altar.

Thus, Qin Yu's ripped skin, torn flesh, and cracked bones, began to crazily grow and regenerate at this moment. But before these wounds could fully regenerate, they were ripped open once more. Still, it was at least enough to maintain his body and prevent him from completely collapsing in on himself.

The demonic path – cruel, vicious, tyrannical, slaughter-mad. As the top body tempering method within the demonic path, the Demon Body naturally followed this spirit. The more it could withstand destruction, the more its potential could be stimulated. So, in the process of breaking down, regenerating, and breaking down again, the Demon Body strengthened itself with every round, becoming increasingly durable.

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Chapter 171 – Crossing Tribulation

The troop of five killer whales stopped far from the capital city. From where they were, they could see the column of black light that shot into the heavens. The woman's face was dignified as she watched this.

"Seventh Aunty, what is this?" The little girl had just woken up and hadn't even had time to wash her face. She seemed a bit sleepy still and her eyes revealed a faint trace of excitement.

The woman seemed a bit helpless and couldn't bear to scold the little girl. She simply sighed and said, "Miss, this is not a laughing matter. If I haven't misread, that black column of light should be related to the Sea Mausoleum."

"Sea Mausoleum?" The little girl blinked her eyes.

"Mm. It is a very sacred place and also a very evil one. If there really has been an accident with it, then there is likely to be a disaster in the capital city." The woman had a solemn complexion. "At that time, I have no idea how many innocent lives will be lost."

Seeing a bit of fear appear in the little girl's face, the woman smiled and patted her hand. "Miss, there is no need to fear. If there is a problem then we will turn back towards Sega City; there won't be any problems."

A scout came rushing back with a flustered look. The woman's heart sank as she prepared herself for bad news, but the truth was actually quite unexpected.

The little girl was stunned. She turned and said, "Seventh Aunty, this Honorable Ning is the person you spoke of? He seems like a bad person, right? He actually ruined our Sea Spirit Pavilion's capital city branch division."

The woman reluctantly smiled. "Miss is right. Once we meet, I will definitely ask him why he decided to make a mess of our Nine Layer Building."

After a few comforting words, the woman sent the little girl away. Then, the woman's face darkened and a cold chill began to flow in her eyes.

The guard captain walked over. He sighed and gently said, "There's something not quite right about this."

The woman sneered. "Honorable Ning shouldn't have any malice towards my Sea Spirit Pavilion. It is likely there is someone who wants to use this accident to move against our Sega City."

The guard captain should his head. "It's too early to assume that. And, since it involves the Sea Mausoleum, I don't think anyone would dare to start something using that."

The woman thought for a moment. "Your words make sense. Very well, we will take a look first. But, if it's as I thought it was, then don't blame me for being impolite!"

The killer whales had massive bodies, and as expected, their speed was astonishing. They soon arrived at the capital city and faced the questioning of the city guards. The guard captain took out a token and the city guards respectfully bowed.

Because the killer whales' bodies were too large, it was a hassle for them to enter the capital city, thus they were left outside. They were placed in a specialized sea pasture for oversized mounts.

The guard captain took out a rose-colored carriage from a spatial shell. The young lady and woman mounted the carriage and drove into the capital city, escorted by the many guards.

At this time, another team of people silently arrived from the opposite direction. The wolf rider warriors were incomparably weary but their eyes were still cold and hard. With a single glance, one could feel a great pressure billowing out from them, as if a real giant wolf was pouncing!

The city guards subconsciously tightened their grip on their weapons. Although they maintained their composure, the capital city guards that were renowned for their calm and stoic demeanor actually paled a bit.

The ones in front of them were definitely warriors with terrifying combat potential who had also undergone hundreds of battles. Though they appeared exhausted, none of the guards doubted that in a battle, they would be completely slaughtered in a few moves.

Xue Zheng stood straight up. His cruel and callous face was without expression, "Moon Praying Shrine's wolf rider warriors are escorting the Vice Priest to safely arrive at the capital city. Please allow us to pass."

As he spoke, the guards across from him began to shiver. Just now, that feeling was like a dark and vicious beast had locked onto them and was ready to rip them apart in the next moment. And, what was terrifying was that they knew this person hadn't intentionally threatened them, but that it was an aura he naturally exuded.

The city guard deputy captain let out a long breath. He braced himself and said, "The capital city does not allow unknown combat troops to enter. I need to confirm your identity…"

Before he could finish, his lips were sealed by Xue Zheng's stare. Xue Zheng slowly said, "The wolf riders are themselves evidence, so why must we prove ourselves?"

He slapped his mount. The giant sea wolf swept a contemptuous glance around, forcing the guards backwards. Then, it marched forwards. Behind the wolf, the other wolf riders and the carriage slowly followed.

To the other tribes, the capital city might possess an unsurpassed authority. But many years ago, Moon Praying Shrine had already come into conflict with the capital city numerous times. For them to still exist today proved just how strong they were and was also the reason why they were able to maintain their lofty pride and confidence.

The city guards were suppressed by the wolf riders' momentum. Although they wanted to stop them, their feet seemed rooted in place. They could only look on helplessly as the troop of people marched into the capital city.

The deputy captain flushed red. He suddenly roared out, "So what if they are Moon Praying Shrine? This is the capital city! Hurry and pass on the news so that the higher ups can decide!"

Xue Zheng glanced at the black column of light and then moved towards the approaching carriage. "Vice Priest, is there any need to rest first?"

"No need. Head directly to Sea Spirit Pavilion."

Moon Praying Shrine had no respect towards the capital city, but they still had no choice but to acknowledge that this place was the center of the sea races. So, they were still somewhat familiar with the map of the capital city. Of course, if one had to ask whether this familiarity involved any dark thoughts or plots towards the royal family, then one could only make their own decision based on their own extrapolations of the situation.

Nine Layer Building could be called a landmark within the capital city, so Xue Zheng knew where it was approximately. The wolf riders changed course and headed straight there. The seafolk they encountered all along the way drew back in abundance, their faces full of surprise. No one knew when such an indomitable combat troop had appeared in the capital city.

But at this time, Nine Layer Building had already completely collapsed into ruins. It was wrapped in a swirl of dust and wind, without the least bit of the landmark-like glory that it possessed before.

Chief Manager Wu had long since been left unable to utter a single word more. At this time he had no more tears to cry, so he could only cry to himself in his heart. But looking at today's situation, it was simply far too unusual. He could only hope that Honorable Ning didn't stir up any trouble for himself. As he looked up towards Soupman, who had a grim expression and was emitting a resentful aura, he couldn't help but curse inwardly.

Suddenly, a remarkable sense of awe came crashing down. It was like dancing on the edge of a sword, standing at the top of a mountain. It caused one's heart to shiver and for one to be instinctually frightened.

Chief Manager Wu's head shot upwards. He discovered that the skies above the capital city had suddenly darkened, and black clouds had appeared from nothingness and were rapidly gathering.

This was…heavenly tribulation!

His eyes popped open. Who was tired of living? They actually dared to cross heavenly tribulation in the capital city!?

Soupman looked up. His saber-sharp gaze locked onto the tribulation clouds for a moment and then his frown slowly relaxed. The capital city didn't allow others to cross tribulation here because firstly, the strength of heavenly tribulation would destroy the spells around the capital city, and secondly, because the interference from the spells would also cause the power of the heavenly tribulation to drastically rise.

Sensing the aura, this should be Nascent Soul tribulation. It wasn't easy to cultivate to this step, but who would be so silly as to cross tribulation here? It was no different from seeking their own death.

As Soupman thought of this, he immediately returned to tranquility. It was just a mere Nascent Soul. There were countless sea race powerhouses, so it didn't matter if one more died.

Right now, the only thing he cared about was this giant sphere of spirit stones. Even if it involved Ning Qin, it was also related to the Sea Mausoleum, so he needed a reasonable explanation for all of this.

But as time passed, the tribulation clouds in the sky became increasingly thick. Gradually…it seemed as if they were coming towards this place. Soupman's eyes violently twitched. He looked up at the tribulation clouds and swept his eyes around. Unless his eyes deceived him, the target of these tribulation clouds was the same as his own.

Ning Qin, Honorable Ning, he was the one crossing tribulation!

Soupman was instantly enraged. He nearly cursed out loud. It doesn't matter if you die, but don't you harm His Majesty's chances of being treated and cured! He clenched his teeth and shot up into the skies, blocking the path between the tribulation clouds and the large sphere of spirit stones. Even if he were wounded in the process, he still needed to block this heavenly tribulation.

As if sensing Soupman's actions, the tribulation clouds began to roll about. There was a thunderous sound as a bolt of ruinous lightning came shooting straight down from the clouds.

Soupman's complexion changed, immediately darkening. There was something wrong with this heavenly tribulation!

But there was no more time to think about it. He stepped on the air and smashed out his fist, welcoming this bolt of thunder.

The explosion was like crashing mountains. The thunder disintegrated and rained down in all directions. Some unlucky ones were struck by the remnants and fell to the ground twitching and foaming at the mouth.

Hualala –

The seafolk began to flee in distress.

The sleeves of Soupman's robe were torn apart and he was burnt black all over. His neatly combed hair now looked as if it had been caught in a hurricane and spun around.

Nascent Soul heavenly tribulation normally had three bolts of thunder. This was only the first yet it possessed such power behind it. Soupman lowered his head, grinding his teeth in anger. The more it was like this the more he couldn't draw back. He swallowed down the blood in his mouth and prepared himself to receive the next strike of heavenly tribulation.

Bang –

The second bolt of thunder fell!

Soupman's entire sleeve was reduced to ashes, revealing fair and beautiful arms that were clearly well-maintained. But, when combined with his fanned out and frizzled hair, he seemed especially strange.

He had always lived a respected life. Even during his youth when he fought and struggled, he had still never been in a situation where he had embarrassed himself in front of everyone like this. If it weren't for his self-control being strong enough and him being able to control his mood, he feared his face would have already turned fire-red.

That damned Ning Qin!

Bang –

The third bolt of thunder.

If the first two bolts of heavenly tribulation were like spectacular blades that were difficult to resist, then this third bolt of heavenly was like a falling mountain, enormous and filled with incredible pressure. It carried with it an amazing destructive presence, and even Soupman couldn't help but feel his heart skip a beat. He cursed out loud and stamped down his feet, soaring into the skies!

It wasn't that he didn't fear the heavenly tribulation, but it was due to the unique characteristics of his cultivation method. It was a cultivation method that focused on bravely advancing forwards with unstoppable force, because only then could he erupt with the greatest possible strength.

Bang –

Lightning splashed out, instantly submerging Soupman's figure. But in the next moment he was blasted away and smashed into the ground. A building that had been upended by the wild winds was thoroughly destroyed and even the ground below was blown apart, crackling lines spreading out like a web!

"My family's inherited shop!" In the distance, a shop owner cried out in sorrow.

Bang –

Random debris was blown away. Soupman walked out from the ruins. If his hair was a mess before, it now looked like it had completely exploded. This was because his hair had indeed exploded, and it seemed like the most fashion-forward and ahead-of-the-times kind of hair.

He spat on the ground as he walked towards the large sphere of spirit stones. His eyes were full of ill intention. Now that the heavenly tribulation has passed, you brat Ning Qin, shouldn't you have come out by now?

For all this time I've lived, it was only me who took advantage of others; it's never me that has eaten such a loss. I will remember this account and slowly calculate it later!

He carefully walked over the mess scattered all over the ground. Suddenly, a web of pain coursed through his body and he stiffened. Though he maintained a calm expression, he could feel his teeth itch with hate more and more!

He took one step, two steps, three steps…Soupman suddenly frowned, sensing something wasn't right. Then, he looked up and saw that the heavenly tribulation in the skies still hadn't dissipated. His mouth unconsciously fell open and he cursed out loud, "You bastard, just how many sinful things have you done!"

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Chapter 172 – The Fireworks Didn't Bloom

The world was cruel and not benevolent; it treated all of creation as nothing but dogs…yes, this was a phrase that had been used so many times until it was ragged. However, there was still a degree of truth to it. Whether one was a noble or a lowly beggar, there was no difference. But, if one used such a description, then there were bound to be some special exceptions.

For instance, cultivators were a particular group that were treated with just a bit more 'loving concern'.

Whether it was those that were righteous, demonic, monstrous, or devils, they all had a common understanding, and it was that the world possessed its own will. But because it was restrained by certain rules, it was unable to interfere with the revolution of the great dao. The restraints of these rules could only be temporarily lifted at certain times, and that was a heavenly tribulation.

For those cultivators that committed heinous sins, those that slaughtered, and those that enjoyed causing suffering to the mortal world, the heavenly tribulation they experienced would be far more powerful. There were few that were capable of overcoming this hurdle and many of them would be reduced to ashes.

This wasn't a baseless rumor, but a truth slowly revealed by previous cultivators who had experienced thunder tribulation thousands of times over. Thus, even the most ferocious and malevolent demons would try to avoid harming mortals lest they were further tainted by the cause and effect of karma, and die to the tribulation thunder as a result.

Today, after experiencing three bolts of tribulation thunder that were far stronger than normal, Soupman fully believed that Qin Yu must have committed some evil deeds that harmed the world, and this was the only reason why he was being punished so harshly. But now, after the three strikes of heavenly tribulation came down, the tribulation clouds had yet to dissipate. Rather, an even fiercer pressure started to gradually gather.

Something wasn't right.

Something definitely wasn't right!

This didn't seem like heavenly tribulation anymore, but appeared as if the world itself had decided to strike down Ning Qin, ending him where he stood.

This was something that was only briefly recorded in some ancient texts, so that was why Soupman had cursed out loud after personally experiencing the tribulation thunder for himself.

Because, he really couldn't imagine how many wicked deeds one had to commit to be so detested and repulsed by the world.

The tribulation clouds above the capital city grew increasingly large. The shadow they left on the ground grew with it, and as people were caught in the shadow, their hearts shivered as if they had fallen into an icy lake.

Old Sea muttered, "Absolute death tribulation…it is actually…absolute death tribulation…" A bitter light flashed in his eyes. "Soupman, this isn't heavenly tribulation that you can block. Otherwise, even if you block another three strikes, there will still be more following it and it will only grow stronger each time! This hurdle is one that only Ning Qin himself can cross!"

Soupman paled. "Do you think I don't know? But didn't you see the power of that heavenly tribulation just now? If I hadn't helped, he would have definitely died!" He didn't say anything after, but his meaning was clear: If Ning Qin died, what would His Majesty do? Of course, this was indeed not the way to speak about it, because if he were to state the reverse, then it would be that as long as His Majesty was fine, he wouldn't care how Ning Qin died!

Old Sea shook his head. "There's no other way. We can only make a bet, because the longer this goes on, the more impossible it will become."

Soupman clenched his jaws.

Rumble rumble –

Tribulation clouds tumbled around like an unleashed flood. A terrifying sound resonated through the heavens and lightning lit up the world. Then, the fourth bolt of heavenly tribulation arrived! With just a glance, Soupman's heart sank. Even if he were to personally take action, he still might not be able to escape this strike unscathed. But, if Ning Qin died, the faint ray of hope that His Majesty had would completely disappear.

"You bastard!" Soupman roared out loud. It was unknown just who he was referring to.

When the heavenly tribulation appeared and Soupman had intervened to resist it, the observing seafolk had quieted down and watched with wide eyes. But, no one imagined that after the third strike of heavenly tribulation, it still wouldn't be finished.

The aura of the fourth heavenly tribulation swept out and countless seafolk paled. They looked towards the giant sphere of spirit stones with pity and shock. They mourned for Honorable Ning. Even a Nascent Soul level existence might not be able to resist this tribulation thunder, so how could he not die? At the same time, there were many seafolk who watched with hateful and bitter expressions as they imagined those millions upon millions of spirit stones being destroyed by heavenly tribulation. It was simply mind-boggling.

Chief Manager Wu froze in place. He looked towards the tribulation thunder with stunned shock. Just how had this escalated to this degree?

Clearwood bit her lips, her face pale and her mind a confused wreck. She couldn't think of anything at all.

...

In a tall building far off in the distance, a mighty figure wrapped in black armor was waiting. Just by standing there, he seemed to completely suppress the area around him. There were seven or eight other seafolk in the building, sitting there in silence. If someone knowledgeable about the capital city were here, they would discover that these were some of the strongest people of the capital city, and one of them was even a key military figure. At this time, they were bowing their heads a little in order to show due deference to this truly mighty person.

"There were definitely problems with the Companion Vine. Although the royal palace kept a tight lockdown on information, we were still able to discover it through various channels." A fair-skinned and beautiful man spoke in a soft voice filled with regret. "Unfortunately, the incident has been solved; otherwise we would have been able to achieve our goal with the lowest possible price."

He looked up towards the mighty figure and then towards the sphere of spirit stones floating far off in the distance. "Although I am angry, I cannot help but acknowledge that this Honorable Ning is truly a skilled individual."

Another seafolk sneered. "So what if he has skills? In the end, he is not one of our people. Everyone from the Southern River Office was taken away by the Taxation Department and we weren't able to inflict any losses at all."

A fat old man gnashed his teeth. "The losses weren't only the Southern River Office, but also all of my subordinate assassins!" This was a familiar face – he was the one who had accompanied Jing Guanjin to the great sea spirit teacher competition. The assassins that were exterminated by the black riders in the street had been painstakingly cultivated by him. Of course, now he also had to add in the two masters that were killed by the royal palace guards during the initial chaotic confusion with the appearance of the spirit stone mountain.

Another person reminded, "That's enough. No matter what happened, he will die soon."

These words caused the atmosphere to ease down and those in the room to relax a little. Like a dark star that had been predestined by fate, ever since Ning Qin appeared, all of their plans had started to go wrong. They had invested a great deal of time, effort, and resources into the sea spirit teacher competition, but that plan had completely failed. Not only that, but they had paid with Jing Guanjin and his master Wu Zetian. There was finally some good news with the plot they had established in the royal palace, but that had also been ruined by Ning Qin. Because of that, the Southern River Office had been exposed. A series of chain reactions followed that, and as time passed more and more people were killed off.

But now, Ning Qin was finally going to die.

But what a pity, the plans they had prepared for all these years had been upended. They had missed out on the chance they had tried to create, and could only watch on helplessly as it occurred. Everyone turned towards the great figure looking out of the window and they felt their hearts calm down. Even though the man hadn't said a single word, he was still able to stabilize their thoughts.

As long as he was here, there would eventually be a chance to succeed.

Coming around a bit, one could clearly see the face of the man reflected in the window. With his black armor serving as contrast, he emitted a powerful god-like aura. This was also another familiar face. If Qin Yu were here, he would recognize this powerful existence from the conflict he had with Princess Lushy a long time ago.

Whale Sovereign!

Standing before the window, this extremely well-polished man, who many seafolk considered the cornerstone of the empire, was now gently frowning. But what was surprising was that Jing Guanjin's defeat, Wu Zetian losing his Purple Card, the Companion Vine's chance being lost, the Southern River Office being exposed…he didn't think about these matters at all.

Because in the opinion of the Whale Sovereign, trying to overturn the heavens and change the skies was a very difficult task, and failures and unexpected accidents were bound to occur.

At this time, what he was thinking about was why this Ning Qin, this Honorable Ning, produced such an inexplicable feeling of loathing and familiarity in him. Perhaps others might ignore such a feeling, but after reaching his cultivation and nearing the Divine Soul realm, he could faintly feel the pull of fate.

Unfortunately, this person was going to die. Under the assault of such powerful heavenly tribulation, even his mortal body would be reduced to ashes, so there wouldn't be anything to investigate.

At this moment within the capital city, everyone gathered thought that Honorable Ning would die. This was because heavenly tribulation didn't care about anything else; it was only a test of absolute strength.

The Whale Sovereign believed this, Soupman believed this, Old Sea believed this, and even the two troops of people who had arrived here almost simultaneously also believed this.

…

The little girl pushed open the carriage window and looked out with wide eyes full of surprise and shock. As she watched the heavenly tribulation fall down from the clouds and sensed the horrifying destructive intent that filled them, she subconsciously shrank back. She asked in a small voice, "Seventh Aunt, is Honorable Ning the one crossing tribulation?"

The woman's face darkened. She squeezed out a smile and nodded. Things were far beyond her initial expectations. Honorable Ning was crossing tribulation and it was also the fabled absolute death tribulation.

Taking advantage of Honorable Ning's skills, Sea Spirit Pavilion had experienced a tremendous rise recently. It was like they had climbed a great mountain, but if something were to happen to Honorable Ning, they would also fall back accordingly. Not only would they suffer heavy losses but they would also have to deal with the counterattack from other sea spirit influences.

The little girl had no idea of the troubles her family would encounter. She only looked at the sphere of spirit stones and sighed. She thought that this Honorable Ning was incredibly rich, but she also felt pity for him. Perhaps the most painful thing in this world was to have almost unlimited wealth but be unable to spend it.

…

Xue Zheng frowned. A cold killing intent rushed out from him like an icy wave, causing everyone around to retreat in panic. They were all frightened. Just where had this person come from? He had such a terrifying aura!

Within the carriage, the Vice Priest had a gloomy expression and his lips were twisted with bitterness. He thought that they had a faint ray of hope, but he never expected that after he decided to make a desperate gamble to come here, there would actually be such a result.

Had good fortune abandoned them or was this the dark tides of fate? Had the destiny of their Moon Praying Shrine come to an end?

The white-robed girl had a sad expression. She opened her mouth, wanting to speak some words of comfort, but she discovered that her heart was in chaos and she had no idea what to say. She looked out of the window towards the great sphere of spirit stones.

The hope of their Moon Praying Shrine was in there. It had been within reach, but in the end they were far too late.

…

The fourth heavenly tribulation brought with it an all-annihilating aura. It crossed the heavens and earth to arrive here, and the moment it touched the spirit stones, it vanished from sight.

This was normal. Heavenly tribulation could not be avoided, unless an external cause-and-effect were to intervene (for instance, Soupman blocking the heavenly tribulation). Thus, no matter how one tried to hide, heavenly tribulation would always find them, crossing infinite space to strike down upon their head.

What followed should be a brilliant show of fireworks.

Cultivators cultivated to go against the heavens and change their lives. They drew the heaven and earth spiritual strength into their bodies, transforming that into their cultivation as well as a powerful magic power. When a cultivator died to heavenly tribulation, an invisible will would descend, returning all of this to its origin back into the world.

In other words, a cultivator's cultivation and magic power would revert back to spiritual strength. This was an extremely gorgeous and soul-stirring sight, thus others said it seemed like fireworks Of course, each time these fireworks appeared, it represented the death of a cultivator due to failing tribulation.

Perhaps it was more appropriate to call it the most sorrowful fireworks in the world.

A breath of time passed.

Then two breaths.

Three breaths.

Everything remained calm.

The fireworks hadn't blossomed!

Chapter 173 - Human

Soupman frowned. It wasn't because he was unhappy or outraged, but rather because his expectations were far too different from the reality of the situation, thus it naturally spilled over in his emotions. Soon, he responded. It seemed that this heavenly tribulation had been…blocked. Before he could begin to imagine the reasons why, a smile bloomed on his face. Soupman even had a feeling as if he had been saved from imminent death. However, he soon discovered that something wasn't right.

Where was the fourth heavenly tribulation? After it came into contact with the sphere of spirit stones it had vanished from sight, and following that there wasn't a single sound. Just how was that possible? Could Soupman have been too panicked, so certain illusions developed in his mind? But then, he turned his head and saw Old Sea with his jaw dropped open and his eyes popped wide.

It wasn't an illusion!

Whoosh –

The seafolk that surrounded Nine Layer Building all cried out in an uproar, each one with a shocked expression etched on their face. Everyone stared at each other and thought, 'Am I seeing things or is this a dream?'

And after that, they determined that what happened was a fact. It was the cold hard reality that had occurred in front of them. That heavenly tribulation, that heavenly tribulation which was so incredibly powerful that it could cause heavy losses to a Nascent Soul, had vanished in a completely bewildering way.

The seafolk of the capital city believed that they had seen many things, and that in the sea region, they had an extremely wide field of vision. But, they had never heard of anything like this before!

Rumble rumble –

Before the seafolk could continue pondering about what happened, the black clouds high above flashed brilliantly once more and another stroke of heavenly tribulation came crashing down. It seemed as if it had been provoked, or even threatened, but the tribulation thunder was no longer in the form of pure thunder. Rather, it took on the shape of a heaven-splitting axe as it came ruthlessly smashing down!

As soon as this heavenly tribulation cut downwards, even though it was extremely far away from the crowds, countless seafolk still felt their hearts skip a beat and their scalps tingle. Fear gushed out from the very depths of their soul, so fast that they couldn't contain it.

Even the strong Soupman felt dread and apprehension. His eyes widened as he watched the tribulation thunder approach and then vanish into the spirit stone sphere.

Then, nothing happened…

It was a spooky calm!

No one could explain just what had occurred.

Heavenly tribulation! This was the terrifying heavenly tribulation that horrified cultivators the most! Yet, they had vanished one after another. Countless seafolk cried out in their hearts, 'Hey, did you get lost on the way?'

Of course this was just a nonsensical joke, but at this time, the seafolk felt as if their minds were reduced to mush and they really didn't know what to think.

"How fierce!" The young girl cried out in alarm, her deep blue eyes filled with shock.

The woman was stunned. She glanced at the guard captain and they could each feel their heart shake. Compared to what they had heard, this Honorable Ning was…even more unfathomable then they thought!

In Moon Praying Shrine's carriage, the white-dressed woman was sobbing with joy, and the Vice Priest across from her was clenching his fists tightly, his face flushed red with excitement.

The priests had made the correct bet!

This Honorable Ning was truly an unheard of character. If he were to help, the Saint Flower would absolutely have a chance of earning new life.

The fourth and fifth heavenly tribulation vanished. The black clouds above the city suddenly fell silent. Just as many seafolk were thinking that a terrifyingly great power was fermenting within, the black clouds began to chaotically stir. As if sensing a threat, the sixth heavenly tribulation quickly fell. This one was only the thickness of an arm, far inferior to even the first heavenly tribulation; it dissipated in an instant.

Just what was this situation? No matter how they looked at it, it seemed as if the heavenly tribulation had retreated in fear…many seafolk were scared as they thought about this and instantly suppressed this thought. They all believed they were overthinking things. This was heavenly tribulation! How could it possibly run away from a cultivator in fear? Yes, they must have gotten the wrong idea!

Although they all told themselves this, their eyes when they looked at the spirit stone sphere still revealed a deep awe and reverence.

Six bolts of heavenly tribulation….well, yes, while the last strike seemed a bit suspicious and was barely passable, it was still what it was. Six heavenly tribulations had passed. Honorable Ning, Honorable Ning, when are you going to make an appearance?

They waited, waited, and waited some more…until even their necks started to ache. The spirit stone sphere remained the same as before, without any intent of cracking apart.

Soupman furrowed his eyebrows. Right now his mind was full of questions and he wanted explanations. But every time the words came to the tip of his tongue, he swallowed them back down. With things having reached this step, he actually had no idea just what Ning Qin had been trying. If he were to disturb him and mess something up, that would be a disaster.

He took a deep breath and calmed his thoughts. Soupman's eyes narrowed as he watched on without expression. He would wait. He didn't believe that this young fellow would be able to hide inside and sleep away.

Time passed slowly. Just as the seafolk watching began to feel bored, the skies turned a vast and blurry white and winds began to stir up once more.

It was snowing?

The seafolk watching were stunned silly.

This was…completely unrealistic…

Rain, snow, those were things that appeared in the low and humble human world and could only be truly experienced there. Why would such a sight appear in the capital city?

This was the sea floor! The bottom of the sea!

"Spirit…spirit…spirit stones…" It was unknown who cried this out first, but their sharp and keening cry was also filled with endless distress and grief.

Following that, this distress and grief infected all the watching seafolk.

The giant sphere formed of countless spirit stones floating in the air began to collapse from the surface in. It seemed as if it was quickly undergoing the erosion of countless years. White powder blew into the air and sprinkled down to the world. In just a few breaths of time, the streets, buildings, courtyards, everything was covered in this powder.

The shock of this scene rooted the seafolk in place. The white powder dyed their hair white, created white beards for them, and even formed white coats for them all.

Spirit stones were crushed, crushed, and crushed again.

The massive sphere of spirit stones was shrinking at a speed visible to the naked eye. It grew smaller and smaller, diminishing without any mercy.

Many seafolk watched in a daze. Tears quietly spilled from their eyes.

Money, so much money. It was gone, just like this it was all gone.

Although it wasn't their money, they still felt an unbearable pain. At the same time, a burning anger ignited in their chests.

You bastard!

If you don't want it, then you could give it to me. Why did you have to destroy it all!?

My cute and precious spirit stones, my preciouses!

The upper-class citizens of the capital city had seen a great deal of things in their lifetimes, so they awoke from their daze a step ahead of the others. There was a complex light in their eyes but they gradually calmed down. Moreover, a vague thought appeared in their hearts. Was the vanishing of the heavenly tribulation related to the spirit stones?

And, the ones who thought this also included Soupman.

He had dealt with money all his life, so his eyesight was without doubt. With just a glance, he estimated that there were at least 300 million spirit stones that had disintegrated. This was a heaven-shaking amount of spirit stones, and the spiritual energy contained within them was equally boundless and hard to imagine!

Let alone Ning Qin, even His Majesty would find it impossible to absorb and exhaust all of the strength within those spirit stones in such a short period of time.

If so, then there was only one reasonable explanation. Soupman's heart began to race. If his hypothesis was true, then Ning Qin had a method to use spirit stones to counterbalance the effects of heavenly tribulation. Then, could he imitate this method and help His Majesty cross heavenly tribulation too?

He knew that this idea was an overly hopeful assumption, and there was also the difference in cultivation. Moreover, Ning Qin needed 300 million spirit stones to resist that heavenly tribulation, so His Majesty might need 3 billion or even 30 billion. But, as long as there was hope, even if he had to clear out the entire royal treasure and seize all assets from every royal, he still would give it a try.

Soupman took deep breath after deep breath, barely managing to suppress his excitement. Right now his mind was completely filled with this thought. Even the matter of the sudden appearance of the Sea Mausoleum's aura had been cast aside. If this could help His Majesty smoothly cross tribulation, then that was simply…far too wonderful to imagine!

Old Sea could faintly guess Soupman's thoughts from his burning gaze. He sighed inwardly, a bit worried. After all, this matter involved too many factors, and even he didn't dare to guess what sort of result would occur.

But a moment later, as the curtain to this act fell, Old Sea discovered that the worries he had now were completely meaningless.

Spirit stones disintegrated at an increasingly fast pace. The volume of the sphere shrank accordingly. When it was around a hundred feet wide, faint traces of blood fog appeared with the collapsing spirit stones. Then, more and more blood fog gushed out, until it finally wove together in a vast veil that covered the remaining portion.

After several breaths of time, when the last pieces of spirit stone turned to powder and fell down, all that was left over was a mass of fog around 70-80 feet wide. Then, as it contracted and expanded like it was breathing, beating with the rhythm of a heart, the volume shrank each time.

50-60 feet.

40-50 feet.

30-40 feet.

Gradually, a blurry figure appeared in the blood fog. Even though it was only a general outline, it was enough for everyone to recognize that familiar figure.

It was Ning Qin!

Soupman narrowed his eyes. He watched as the blood fog was reabsorbed, and because he thought that this was because of certain cultivation methods, he didn't care too much about it.

But soon, a strange look appeared on his face and grew increasingly deep. Then, his eyes popped up to reveal absolute shock and disbelief.

It wasn't just Soupman, but Old Sea, Chief Manager Wu, Clearwood, and many other seafolk were stunned silent as they stared at the shrinking blood fog.

As the blood fog thinned, the figure within was gradually revealed. The black robes which had always covered that person seemed to have been destroyed by some strength and were now hanging in tattered shreds on his body. Thus, Ning Qin, Honorable Ning's true visage, was revealed for the first time.

Originally, the watching seafolk were only quietly excited that they could see Honorable Ning's true appearance. But as the blood fog disappeared, they revealed expressions of surprise.

Honorable Ning seemed too much like a human…

No matter how one of the seafolk cultivated, or whether they used the manifestation pond to transform into human shape, they still retained some characteristics of their tribe. For instance, Princess Lushy had scales between her eyebrows, or for instance, Committee Member Gudra's astonishing defensive turtle shell.

This was what distinguished humans from the sea races.

But Honorable Ning's body was far too clean, so clean that there wasn't the tiniest trace that belonged to the sea races. Moreover, because his soul and consciousness had been isolated from his mortal body, he hadn't been able to perfectly restrain his aura. Now, as the forces that had been concealing him vanished, that pure human aura which was different from the sea races' appeared in the capital city.

Human…a human…

Honorable Ning, the third ranked Purple Card, the legendary Spiritual Bestower, the powerful existence who had caused the sea spirit baptism to continue for nearly 10 hours…he…was a human!

The shock of this realization was even more incredible than the destruction of the 300 million spirit stones. Thus, everyone within line of sight that saw this had their jaws drop down, all of them in utter chaos.

In that far and distant building, the black-armored Whale Sovereign stood there. As his astonishment passed, a satisfied smile began to pull up the corners of his lips.

No wonder he had felt what he had. 'It was you all along!'

Bang –

The window collapsed. A black bolt of lightning seemed to shoot through the void!

The Whale Sovereign's gaze was faint without any warmth at all. Killing intent soared to the heavens!

It was true that he could accept these defeats and not care about them at all. But, that didn't mean that he wasn't angry, especially when it was a small insect who had once threatened him and caused him a loss before managing to escape.

So, he would kill this human.

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Chapter 174 – Draw Back One Step

At this moment, the regret in Soupman's heart grew into a river. If he knew that something like this would occur he would have long since taken Ning Qin away. Sea race or human race, once his shock was over he really didn't care. As long as this person could help His Majesty, what did it matter to him? But now, Honorable Ning was revealed to be a human, and for the sea races who always felt contempt towards humans, this was an extremely explosive event. If he wanted to bypass this hurdle it would be quite difficult.

His thoughts raced. Then, his complexion suddenly changed. The reflection of a pitch-black armored figure entered his pupils. Its momentum was like a raging tide, a devastating avalanche, the sound of it breaking past the sonic barrier! Although his steps appeared slow, each one seemed to shrink space, making his movements incredibly quick.

His pupils didn't even have time to contract. He shouted out loud, "Take hold of that person and find out where Honorable Ning is!" This statement clearly wasn't enough to convince the public, because as long as one wasn't blind it was easy to see that this human in front of them was Ning Qin. But at this time, Soupman couldn't be bothered with how weak his excuses were. He needed to take Qin Yu in hand to preserve his life.

Soupman turned and stepped out, blocking the way. He smiled and cupped his hands together. "Greetings, Whale Sovereign."

Beneath the black armor, the Whale Sovereign's face was calm. He swept his eyes around, "You want to save him?"

Soupman coughed. "I merely want to capture him to rescue Honorable Ning."

The Whale Sovereign fell silent. Then, his lips curled up. "Soupman, it's been several years since we've seen each other and your skin is thicker than ever. However, he will certainly die today."

Soupman straightened himself. He said, "I thank you for the deep praise. This human will certainly die, but before that I must find out where Honorable Ning is."

The Whale Sovereign didn't bother to respond; he took one step forward.

This step seemed like a comet falling into the sea, creating immense shockwaves that spread out overbearingly, sweeping away all.

Soupman took a deep breath and his chest rose high. Facing the Whale Sovereign, he didn't back off a single step.

He lifted a hand. Heaven and earth spiritual energy boiled and seethed. With a roaring rumble, he pushed forwards.

He chose to attack first!

A flash of appreciation appeared in the depths of the Whale Sovereign's eyes. After all, there were very few people in this world that dared to stand in front of him and attack. It was no wonder why His Majesty held this person in such high regard.

He raised a fist and punched out.

The Whale Sovereign's casual fist didn't gather any potential nor did he use any fancy moves. The fist struck out silently, but when it did strike it was like an erupting volcano, all of that strength bursting out in a moment.

Bang –

There was a deafening thunderclap. Howling winds rushed out and over a dozen vortexes of spiritual energy appeared. The remaining buildings were caught in the blast radius and all of them were instantly razed to the ground.

Soupman seemed to suffer a heavy blow. He drew back step after step. His face was flushed red at first but he immediately paled afterwards. His hand hung to his side, gently shaking. Traces of blood flowed down his arm, gathering in streams and dropping onto the floor.

The Whale Sovereign faintly said, "As a guardian of the capital city, it is my official duty to kill this human who secretly snuck in and tried to destroy it using the Sea Mausoleum. If you try to stop me again, then don't blame me for being heartless. Soupman, I know you are one of His Majesty's people, so I am giving you a chance to get out. Make way."

Beneath that tough and domineering appearance, there was a strong heart that didn't reveal anything. He was well aware of Soupman's character and knew that he wouldn't give in like this. These words were only for him to establish himself on the side of righteousness, and also find himself a reasonable explanation for murdering someone.

Killing Qin Yu was necessary, and killing Soupman was also necessary. In the end, he had long since thought that this overly loyal and devoted dog was an eyesore.

Soupman spit out a mouthful of blood.

The Whale Sovereign lightly said, "Then, let me help you along the way." He flicked his sleeves and a giant blue handprint appeared above his head before it came crashing down like a mountain.

Soupman recklessly laughed. Blood flowed out from his mouth and nose as he forcefully drew upon all his strength, leaving him unable to suppress the injuries in his body any longer. He stepped forwards and shot up into the skies, crashing into that massive blue handprint.

Time seemed to come to a grinding halt. After a brief silence, there was a horrifying sound. Soupman's body came crashing down to the earth, tearing through the ground and forming a giant pit. He lay in the pit, his entire body covered in wounds. Blood flowed out from him, gradually dying his robes red.

The blue handprint gently shivered, then it collapsed and disintegrated, dissipating from sight. The Whale Sovereign frowned, but in the next moment he composed himself and continued onwards.

Since his strike hadn't been able to kill the person, then he disdained attacking a second time…of course, this was only what the Whale Sovereign wanted to be as public perception.

That person in the royal palace was still alive.

So, he was still fettered.

The young girl watched all of this with wide eyes, completely shocked. Panic also flashed in the eyes of the woman beside her.

The guard captain turned to them and smiled. His figure flickered and he appeared before the Whale Sovereign.

"Seventh Uncle!" The young girl cried out in alarm.

The woman pursed her lips together. "Whether he is a human or one of the sea races, Honorable Ning is now one of our Sea Spirit Pavilion's people, so he is also your Seventh Uncle's responsibility."

Almost simultaneously, the Vice Priest sitting in another carriage shouted out, "Block him!"

Xue Zheng straightened himself as he rode a sea wolf. No one could see his movements but his figure suddenly vanished, and when he reappeared, he was standing side-by-side with the guard captain.

They didn't even glance at each other. As long as they both knew that they were here to preserve Ning Qin's life, that was more than enough.

The Whale Sovereign's eyes flashed. "Sea Spirit Pavilion's Seventh Night Sky. I can understand if you intervene, since he is one of Sea Spirit Pavilion's people, but what about you? Moon Praying Shrine's wolf rider, why are you meddling?"

Xue Zheng had a callous complexion. As he faced the Whale Sovereign, even if he didn't have the slightest belief that he could win, he still firmly opposed him. He only frowned at the question and didn't respond.

"You dare to become enemies with me for a mere human? That, is a capital crime." As the Whale Sovereign spoke, his eyes turned sharp.

Space violently twisted, shrouding the three people together. No one could clearly see what was happening within. In three breaths of time, Sea Spirit Pavilion's guard captain, the one called Seventh Night Sky, came flying out. The chest of his robes had been shredded to pieces to reveal a horrifying red and purple-colored palm print. After four more breaths of time, Xue Zheng staggered out from the twisted space. Countless wounds married his body and some injuries were so deep that bone was revealed.

In seven breaths of time, two Nascent Soul powerhouses had been defeated. Whether it was Seventh Night Sky or Moon Praying Shrine's wolf rider, both were synonymous with absolute strength. The Whale Sovereign's formidable powers were made evident to all.

"Your name is Xue Zheng?" The Whale Sovereign had a look of acclaim. "I have heard your name before. You are even more extraordinary that the rumors describe. Submit to me and I will grant you new life."

Xue Zheng had a faint expression, as if horrifying injuries didn't cover every inch of his body. He roared out loud. Blood boiled all around him and a wolf phantom formed from billowing blood fog appeared atop his head. The wolf phantom reared back its head and howled before transforming into a flow of blood-red light.

The Whale Sovereign shook his head. "How impossibly stubborn."

Bang –

The blood red light shattered and the blood wolf howled miserably before its body collapsed. Xue Zheng was sent soaring backwards, the sound of his cracking bones leaving one's scalp tingling.

The Whale Sovereign looked up. When his eyes fell upon Qin Yu's body, he smiled. "Junior, are you called Qin Yu or Ning Qin? Of course, none of this is important. The only thing that matters is that we see each other once again."

Shua –

Qin Yu's eyes opened.

The Whale Sovereign didn't intend to speak any more. Rather than dragging things on for a long time, he would prefer to finish things now.

He lifted a hand, five fingers grasping towards Qin Yu.

Qin Yu had just regained control of his body, but he had been able to keenly sense everything that had happened around him. Facing the Whale Sovereign's hand, his heart fiercely contracted, under so much pressure that it seemed as if it would explode. His face paled but his expression remained as calm as before, like a silent stone. In this desperate and nearly hopeless situation, he maintained his inner tranquility…then, he sent out his own counterattack.

Many years ago, in the deepest depths of a pond, he had obtained the demon blood needed to refine his Demon Body. And at that time, some images had been imprinted into his mind, images that he would never be able to forget.

Now these images flowed through his mind, as if he were seeing them once more. He saw the massive shadow of a demon standing atop the earth, as well as that finger that came crashing down from the highest heavens.

So, Qin Yu lifted a hand, and pointed a finger downwards.

A horrifying amount of energy was drawn from his body. Even with his current cultivation, his field of vision flashed black and a momentary dizziness overtook him. Within his dantian sea, the five different colored Golden Cores dimmed.

A finger appeared. Upon closer inspection, one would find that it was similar to Qin Yu's finger, but also different. The lines of the fingerprint that covered its surface wove together into a disorderly flow. They seemed to emerge from chaos, as if they complied with the rules of the world, but also didn't.

Thus, it could reverse the rules, turning from weak to strong.

Rumble rumble –

A massive amount of heaven and earth spiritual energy wildly poured into the finger. It grew within the wind, becoming ten feet long in the blink of an eye.

Howling winds whipped up. Clouds began to race across the skies.

A single finger to stir up winds and clouds, a single finger to cause changes of Boundless Blue!

The Whale Sovereign's eyes suddenly brightened. His five fingers tightened together into a fist and he ruthlessly smashed out. In the next moment his body shook. From the moment he had broken the window and flown here, even after facing so many opponents with disdain, this was the first time the Whale Sovereign had been forced to step back.

But to accomplish this, Qin Yu had paid a price. The finger he pointed out had ruptured to reveal white bone. He stumbled backwards, and with each step sounds came out from his chest, each one representing breaking bones.

To the seafolk watching, perhaps it appeared that the Whale Sovereign had once again displayed his incomparably powerful abilities. But, even someone as strong as Soupman could only be overwhelmed, while Qin Yu had managed to force the Whale Sovereign backwards. Those who understood this and had seen the supernatural power of that finger were deeply shocked by its might.

But shock was only shock; their eyes were still filled with pity. If the Whale Sovereign wanted to kill someone, who could stop him? A terrifyingly vast amount of killing intent rose up from all around. In just the blink of an eye, Qin Yu would die.

"Humph! Whale Sovereign, you also want to kill my guest? It's as if you don't place me in your eyes!" A cold voice resonated through the capital city. A figure suddenly appeared. Although this person was skinny, their presence was like a mountain, completely blocking out the sinister aura.

The figure had a thick turtle shell on his back, and at this time it didn't seem humorous at all. The face that seemed quite old and funny in the past was now darkened with dignified majesty.

Qin Yu's heart relaxed a bit.

This was the old turtle that had brought him to the capital city. With his strength, he should be able to stand on par with the Whale Sovereign.

His life was temporarily saved.

The Whale Sovereign frowned. "Turtle Origin!"

The old turtle coldly sneered. "Whale Sovereign, what great power and prestige you have."

The Whale Sovereign narrowed his eyes. "I came here today to kill a human spy that has crept into our midst. If you try to stop me then that will be a violation of the oath we both made to protect the capital city. Are you not afraid that you will trigger a backlash from the sea oath you took?"

"Humph! Don't bother trying to use the sea oath to scare me. I've already said that this junior is my guest!" The old turtle swept his eyes around and suddenly lifted a finger. "Little brat Meng Li, when I brought Qin Yu to the capital city I passed him to you to arrange him somewhere. Now, tell the Whale Sovereign that he is my guest."

Meng Li froze where he was, his face deathly pale. In truth, when Qin Yu's real appearance was revealed, he had already paled at that time. It was only when he saw the Whale Sovereign's unstoppable onslaught that he was able to calm down a little. He never imagined that without any preparations at all, he would be grabbed by the old turtle and used as a witness in his confrontation with the Whale Sovereign.

A thought instantly popped up in his mind – 'I should faint.' Throughout the years of navigating various circles, this move had helped him overcome more than one crisis. But today, just upon thinking of this he immediately dismissed the thought. Looking at Mister Turtle's cold expression, he knew that if he dared to faint here, there was a high chance he would never wake up again.

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Chapter 175 – Prisoner

"Re…reporting…to Whale Sovereign…what Mister Turtle said is…true…"

Meng Li stammered as he spoke. When he finished, he nearly cried. It was over, he was done for. He had spent his life utilizing an array of tricks to get ahead, pleasing all of his superiors and flattering them, and now everything was falling through today.

He had offended the Whale Sovereign. While the sea region was vast, Meng Li still found it difficult to breathe.

The Old Turtle nodded in satisfaction. He swept his eyes around and said, "Did everyone hear that? I said that the boy is my guest, so of course he is. What else do you have to say?"

The Whale Sovereign frowned. He was known to be calm like a mountain, and yet ruthless and overbearing in his actions. However, this didn't mean that he didn't know when to step back. His absolute strength might be higher than the old turtle's, but if he really wanted to win then he would need to engage in a life or death battle. The price was too great; he couldn't take the risk.

The thought of retreating grew in his heart. By this time it was determined that Qin Yu was Turtle Origin's guest, so he had lost his reasoning for trying to kill him. At the very least he could toss out some words before he left, so it would make it seem as if he were trying to care for the overall situation.

And it was at this time that his eyes swept over Qin Yu. Qin Yu also happened to be looking at him, and their eyes met each other. The Whale Sovereign suddenly felt his heart shrink, and an inexplicable sense of fear rose within him. He thought: if he didn't promptly kill this Qin Yu now, it would be no different from raising a tiger and creating a future disaster!

It was said that those who nearly reached the Divine Soul realm had a faint sense of the dark flow of fate. Because of this sudden and intense feeling of crisis, killing intent rose within the Whale Sovereign.

Qin Yu was startled. Just as he was about to lower his head, the Whale Sovereign's eyes brightened. His gaze was like two arrows that shot out from the void. Qin Yu coughed and closed his eyes. Blood began to flow out from between his eyes, and what was more terrifying was that his soul really did feel as if it had been pierced through by an arrow as he was wracked with a terrifying pain!

If it weren't for Qin Yu's soul force having risen so drastically recently because he refined the five-element spiritual objects, then this strike would likely have taken his life. As he withstood the agonizing pain, he suddenly thought of something. If the Whale Sovereign possessed such a formidable divine sense attack, then why didn't he use it that day when he captured Princess Lushy? Perhaps there was only a single answer, and that was that he had silently allowed the incident to occur.

The old turtle angrily shouted, "Whale Sovereign!"

Bang –

A heaven-tumbling aura broke out from his body. In the void above him there was a sudden roar. The phantom of a giant turtle appeared, as grand and imposing as a mountain!

The Whale Sovereign looked up. A tyrannical strength erupted and an invisible strength seemed to twist the surrounding space into chaos. Within this chaos, the phantom of a giant whale appeared. The whale phantom flung its tail about, causing tides of spiritual strength to splash around.

One turtle, one whale – two colossal entities faced each other. Although they were only phantoms, they represented their true strength. An invisible collision of auras occurred, and cracking sounds filled the air as crevices started to appear in space itself.

This was the collapse of space. In the legends, this was something that only those figures above the Nascent Soul realm, Divine Souls, could hope to accomplish. With the Whale Sovereign and Turtle Origin revealing the limits of their strength, the collision of it could actually compare to the Divine Soul realm!

Just as a heaven-shaking battle was about to erupt, a light sound echoed out in the skies above the capital city. "Do you two wish to raze this Solitude's city to the ground?"

The voice was calm and peaceful. In this tense situation, it was only natural for one to wield a powerful self-confidence. This was the will of the Sea Sovereign, the ruler of all the sea races.

Even the strong Whale Sovereign and Turtle Origin had to lower their heads and display sufficient respect towards this will. The two of them respectively drew back one step. Although they still had ill intent in their eyes, they left their combative stances.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

The Sea Sovereign's voice continued to ring out. "Concerning this matter, this Solitude will personally investigate it. Whale Sovereign, you need not meddle any further."

The Whale Sovereign courteously nodded, without any intention of arguing the point. He bowed once more to express his respect and then turned and walked away. As for injuring the others, neither he nor the Sea Sovereign mentioned anything about it. With their status, these were minor matters not worth discussing.

"Mister Turtle, I will have to trouble you with cleaning this mess up." The Sea Sovereign's voice faded and the invisible aura that seemed to cover the world disappeared along with it.

A single sentence had forced the Whale Sovereign to retreat. Of course, what the Sea Sovereign relied on wasn't something as simple as words.

The sea races were far more direct than humans. Here, strength decided all!

Soupman was lifted onto a carriage. His injuries were serious, but the old turtle didn't seem worried at all. Thinking about it, since Soupman was the guardian of the royal treasury, he likely had an astonishing amount of heavenly materials stored up. As long as he wasn't immediately killed, he was likely to live on.

Seventh Night Sky was carried off by the guards from Sea Spirit Pavilion. For some unknown reason, their attitude towards the royal guards seemed a bit cold. The old turtle seemed to know something, but he shook his head and didn't say much. However, he didn't discover that from Sea Spirit Pavilion's carriage, a pair of deep blue eyes were peeking out at Qin Yu and staring at him with a slightly vacant expression.

Xue Zheng's injuries were horrifying. Without saying anything, one only had to see his cracked flesh and blood and the bones that punctured his skin to see how dire his situation was. But, the coldness he displayed had left everyone shocked. He rejected the help of his subordinates and pushed himself to his feet as he mounted his sea wolf.

Moon Praying Shrine's carriage turned and rode somewhere into the distance.

The old turtle looked after them, seeming to appreciate Xue Zheng. But, he still frowned, as if confused about why Moon Praying Shrine would choose to intervene in today's events. Well, whatever, if he couldn't think of the reason then he wouldn't bother with it. He was already at the old age where his mind didn't work as well as it used to, and if he could save himself from overthinking things then that was for the best.

The old turtle turned, his gaze falling upon Qin Yu. His lips twitched. If he had known that bringing this brat here would cause so many unknown variables within the capital city, he would have swallowed him up a long time ago as a dessert.

But now, not only could he not eat this boy but he also had to cautiously protect him. Thinking about this, he felt a bit melancholic and his complexion was equally ugly. He waved his hand, "Take him. Bring him to the royal palace for questioning. We must find Honorable Ning and rescue him!"

Soupman had already used this excuse, so he might as well keep on using it. Although it was a bit like burying one's head in the sand, for better or worse it could deceive the general public a little.

Qin Yu was carried up. As he passed by the old turtle, he cupped his hands together and said, "I thank senior for saving my life."

The old turtle's complexion became even uglier. "Bring him away!"

Peh! If it wasn't for His Majesty then who would want to save you? Stop being so sentimental!

It could only be said that the royal palace had experts and so could easily clean up the situation. Soon, spiral shell messages were sent through all the stations, announcing that Honorable Ning had been captured. The surrounding several streets around Sea Spirit Pavilion's Nine Layer Building would also be cordoned off to be cleaned up and renovated.

At the same time, several variations of rumors spread throughout the capital city, all of them stating that Honorable Ning had fallen for a human's trap, and that human had disguised himself to take advantage of Honorable Ning's status. There were also one or two rumors mixed in about how Honorable Ning was a human, but these rumors were rough and filled with inconsistencies, making it seem as if they were definitely fake.

All sorts of methods were used, suppressing this momentous event in the shortest time possible. They had succeeded in muddying the waters so much that no one could conclude that Ning Qin was really a human.

This was enough.

…

In a sentence, after enjoying the benefits of coming out and tricking everyone, eventually one had to pay the price. Qin Yu had enjoyed a dazzling period of time and now he had tragically degenerated into a prisoner. The shackles the seafolk used to imprison him were especially forged for cultivators. They locked onto him tightly, sealing his body, cultivation, and soul.

Luckily, it seemed as if no one in the royal palace had decided just how to deal with him. Or, perhaps they wanted to make some sort of demand of him, thus his storage ring and other personal belongings were left with him and weren't taken away.

Qin Yu thought about it and concluded that it had to be the second situation. If so, then it should be related to that terrifying vine located beneath the royal palace. He relaxed a little.

He had disguised himself as a sea spirit teacher, participated in the great sea spirit teacher competition, and had obtained the sea spirit baptism. He had obtained so many harvests during this time that no one would have thought he would have ended up like this so quickly.

Even if he understood why, there was no way to think about these things anymore. Still, Qin Yu couldn't help but shake his head and force out a smile, sighing about how all he needed was a bit more luck.

…

Seventh Night Sky was extremely strong. However, what he prided himself upon was not his strength, but the methods at his disposal to preserve his own life. He was a mercenary who had wandered through the sea region for many years. Though he had been taken in by Sea Spirit Pavilion as one of their followers, he still relied on his amazing life-preserving skills to live to this point.

So even while his injuries were heavy, after a brief inspection, the woman sighed and relaxed. After giving some orders in a soft voice, she brought the young miss away. In her words, even though they had moved out of the palace a long time ago, they were still of high enough status that they couldn't expose themselves to such an unlucky place with the wounded and sick.

Seventh Night Sky bitterly smiled as he heard this, but he could also sense the unwillingness and perseverance in her heart. He closed his eyes and pretended not to hear anything.

The door closed and her actions became much more relaxed. She turned and saw that the young girl beside her seemed a bit distracted. She asked, "Miss, were you frightened by today's events?"

The young girl smiled. "Seventh Aunty, you look down on me too much, I am not that much of a coward. It's just that…" She bit her lips and said in a quiet voice. "Seventh Aunty, do you think that Honorable Ning seems a bit familiar?"

The woman frowned. She crouched down, "Miss, although Seventh Night Sky helped block the Whale Sovereign, Ning Qin is still a human in the end. Ultimately, our Sea Spirit Pavilion will have to cleanly separate ourselves."

The young girl seemed to understand but also not understand. She mouthed an 'Oh' before lowering her head and not speaking much more. Her eyes swiveled around. He was clearly familiar; she had definitely seen him somewhere before. After the woman left, she placed her hands beneath her chin, and after a long period of thought she clenched her teeth, seeming as if she had made a decision.

…

The group from Moon Praying Shrine settled themselves in the capital city. They didn't try to evade those people that followed them, and walked about honestly and openly. They moved into the rear courtyard inside one of the capital city's gambling establishments.

Which one of the sea region's formidable tribes hadn't placed informants within the capital city? This was a matter that was tacitly approved behind the scenes. For instance, this gambling house belonged to Moon Praying Shrine, although that business was only their outside appearance.

Xue Zheng rested in a room and started to recuperate from his wounds. Although he was strong, it would take a considerable amount of time to recover from his injuries.

The white-robed woman followed behind the Vice Priest. She left the room with him, and as they walked down the hallway, she hesitated several times before finally whispering, "Vice Priest, what do we do now?"

The Vice Priest calmly responded, "We wait."

Moon Praying Shrine stood proud and tall as one of the strongest forces in the sea region, so how could they not have any spies? And they had enough people to utilize within that solemn royal palace.

Since this matter involved the Saint Flower, no amount of news could be leaked out. So even though he burned with impatience, he had no choice but to wait for more information and establish another plan.

…

And as the young girl made her decision, as the group from Moon Praying Shrine had no choice but to wait, at this moment, a raging discussion was occurring within the royal palace to determine how to deal with Qin Yu.

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Chapter 176 – Marriage

Honorable Ning wasn't surnamed Ning. His name was Qin Yu and he was a human. This was a completely absurd revelation that seemed as if it were some inane storybook, but at the same time it was also true. This left the high ranking officials with strange looks. They also couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Since when had humans become so fierce!

After all, in the short period since he entered the capital city and appeared with the identity of a sea spirit teacher, everything he did could be described as a brilliant and wondrous event. This was particularly true for the sea spirit baptism that lasted nearly 10 hours. As they thought of this, their lips twitched and they cried out deep in their hearts. The godly existence that they had followed with fervent belief all these years, had it been blind!?

Of course, whether it was Qin Yu or Ning Qin, whether it was short-sighted or not, there was one point that all the seafolk in this grand hall recognized – he could not die. This order had come down from His Majesty himself. They recalled how this human had deceived the sea races and made the entire capital into a laughingstock, and now not only could they not kill him but they also had to carefully protect him. This left them all feeling a bit saddened within.

"Everyone, the Whale Sovereign personally tried to kill this person, so you should know how deep his killing intent is. With the events of the Companion Vine still fresh in our minds, we must double our efforts to protect Qin Yu!"

"Of course. If you and I protect this person with all our strength and he still dies, then we might as well go buy a block of tofu and smash our heads in with it."

"Keeping Qin Yu alive isn't difficult, but what do we do afterwards? Although the rumors we started spreading have had some effect, we still have to give an explanation for how Honorable Ning was exchanged for a human right in front of everyone's eyes."

"That's easy. While there aren't many humans in the capital city, for better or worse they are still here. Let's choose one with a similar figure and age and destroy his face. We can announce that he tried to escape and failed, killed in the process."

"This…isn't this too crude?"

"I think it's not bad. Who cares if it's a little crude? Do you think there is someone who will try to investigate it later? We should take advantage of this opportunity and use it as an example to inform those who can see things clearly that even if you are a human, as long as you stand on His Majesty's side we will still save you. We need these people to understand just what choice they should make!"

The Sea Sovereign sat on the dragon throne, his back straight and tall as he listened to his officials discuss the situation. His eyes flashed and he asked, "Mister Turtle, what do you think about this matter?"

The old turtle's eyes opened, a bit of a vacant look in his expression. The others quickly lowered their faces. The old turtle continued, "I do have some ideas concerning this matter, but I must personally speak with Your Majesty about them."

The Sea Sovereign was startled. He wasn't sure if this old fellow was trying to look for an opening to dismiss all the officials so he could find a way to sleep earlier, or whether he really had something to say. He waved his hands, "You may all withdraw first."

Mister Turtle had an extremely high status. Although he was different from Soupman and his dog-like devotedness, he still held His Majesty's trust. No one was stupid enough to express dissatisfaction with this command. They all rose up and started to step back.

The Sea Sovereign's lips curled. "Feel free to speak. If mister is tired or hungry, we can take a momentary rest."

The old turtle was legendary for having skin as thick as a mountain. Still, he found it hard to hold up his face as he was teased by the most outstanding disciple he had ever produced, since it was true that this matter had occurred several times before. However, he really did have something in his heart today. He coughed a few times and composed himself, saying, "There is proper business to discuss."

The Sea Sovereign became serious. "Mister, please speak."

The old turtle lightly said, "If Your Majesty remembers, you and I once had a discussion concerning the royal family's bloodline. This here might be a good opportunity."

The Sea Sovereign frowned, "Mister is referring to Qin Yu?"

The old turtle smiled. "That's right! The common seafolk only know that the sea spirit baptism is a special chance allowed to Purple Card sea spirit teachers, but Your Majesty and I both know that as long as one is strong enough, then they can also receive a gift from the sea spirit. And, while the amount of this gift is related to one's cultivation, the more crucial factor is one's bloodline.

"If Qin Yu can galvanize the sea spirit baptism for almost ten hours as a human, then even if I ignore everything else, I can guarantee that a powerful bloodline flows within him. Perhaps, this bloodline might even have diverged from the sea and evolved separately."

Since a long time ago, there was a legend that humans had emerged from the sea and started to multiply on the land. It was just that this fable was not approved by the proud and arrogant sea races. In their opinion, they were the incomparably noble sea races, so how could they have even the smallest relationship to the low and basely humans?

The Sea Sovereign fell silent.

The matter of the royal family bloodline that they spoke of before was the greatest secret of the royal family. Only a scant few people knew about it, and as for those that were thoroughly knowledgeable of the entire situation, that was only him and Turtle Origin.

The royal family bloodline was degenerating.

Perhaps it was because the legacy of their inheritance was too long, or perhaps it was because after becoming the royal family, the upper limits of their power had been restrained by the world, thus leading to their inevitable decline. But no matter what the situation was, in these past new generations, the power that the royal family derived from their bloodline became increasingly thin. There were even those who had completely devolved and lost their intelligence, no longer capable of taking human form.

These special royals were gathered together. Their deaths were announced to the outside while professionals were secretly gathered in an attempt to find out the reason why. A tremendous amount of time and effort had been consumed with no results. On the surface, the royal family remained as strong and full of vital potential as before, but the degradation of their bloodline continued and only grew stronger over time.

Because of this, the Sea Sovereign and Mister Turtle once had a deep conversation related to this matter to seek out a possible solution. The two of them finally came up with a very direct approach, but the effects were definitely worth looking forward to.

That was…marrying into other foreign families.

These foreign families referred to races that existed outside the sea races. This was because throughout the long years of inheritance, the flood dragon race had always maintained a tradition of kinship and alliance with other tribes through marriage. With the great power of the flood dragon bloodline, even after mixing bloodlines, one could still guarantee that the majority of their descendants' bodies would be those of a flood dragon. It was only after several generations of breeding and with the continual thinning of the flood dragon bloodline that the characteristics of the other tribal race would begin to appear.

Thus, more or less every strong tribal race in the sea region contained some amount of the flood dragon bloodline. For instance, the incomparably formidable Whale Sovereign could in a sense be considered a distant cousin of the Sea Sovereign. Because their bloodlines had already been mixed together, they couldn't be used to reactivate the potential of the royal family bloodline.

So, the human race had become the best choice.

But this idea had faced heavy resistance. When the Sea Sovereign once mentioned this in the past, he had nearly been drenched in sputtering saliva by that group of stubborn old fogies. They had even threatened that if His Majesty dared to tarnish the royal family's bloodline, they would smash their heads into the royal palace gates as a means to atone for His Majesty's sins towards his ancestors.

While he did think it would be best for these old fogies to smash their heads and save himself future headaches, in the end, the Sea Sovereign put this matter on hold for an indefinite period of time. To be fair, if there really was to be a marriage with a human, Qin Yu was undoubtedly the best possible choice. But, that stubborn Council of Elders would be difficult to deal with.

The old turtle seemed to guess His Majesty's thoughts. He sneered and said, "Qin Yu's existence is related to Your Majesty's safety, so using this as the reason, who would dare to oppose it? Your Majesty, this is a good chance to intermarry families with a human, and it can also solve Qin Yu's problem. And, there is another piece of news that Your Majesty might not be aware of. This Qin Yu was the cultivator who initially kidnapped Princess Lushy."

The Sea Sovereign came to a sudden realization. "No wonder the Whale Sovereign flew into a rage and couldn't hold himself back from personally trying to kill Qin Yu. This Solitude was just thinking about this matter. With that, everyone can be explained."

The old turtle smiled. "It was a bit shameful at first, but with the Whale Sovereign's strength, this initial matter…hehe, it was hard to mention. Well, it's in the past, definitely in the past. What I want to tell His Majesty is that Princess Lushy has recently sent people to secretly investigate Qin Yu."

The Sea Sovereign's eyes flashed. "Did Soupman discover this?"

"Mm. His injuries are quite serious. Before he went into seclusion he passed these matters to me and had me handle them instead. I inadvertently discovered this."

"Is mister trying to say that Lushy is interested in this person?"

"The only reason that I fought off the Demon Monarch and saved Qin Yu was because I was asked to by Princess Lushy…if she wasn't interested in him, she shouldn't have asked me to help him and then secretly investigate him from the back, right? I admit, there are some things that I have a particularly sharp eye towards. I initially chose not to inform Princess Lushy about Qin Yu because it was impossible for anything to occur between them. But now, that is a matter of the past. I can use this as an excuse now to find out Princess Lushy's intentions."

The Sea Sovereign thought for a moment and nodded. "Very well, do as you wish. But, Lushy must agree to this, otherwise think of another plan."

The old turtle smiled and nodded. "Of course. This is my sea race's royal family princess; just what sort of revered and honored status does she have? How could she be wronged and forced to marry someone against her will?"

He stood up. "Your Majesty, I will take my leave now."

Within the sea races, they didn't discriminate between men and women or between the old and the young. Everyone had the same right of inheritance. All that was required was sufficient talent and sufficient tactics. The winner would obtain all qualifications of inheritance.

Thus, while the princess' palace was built outside the royal palace, it still possessed a dignified aura full of overwhelming might. The guards that manned the gates had sharp and fearless auras. They coldly stared at the seafolk who passed by the entrance, their bodies emitting an indifference that didn't allow any strangers to enter.

But when the old turtle arrived, the several guards revealed a flattering expression, their smiles brighter than the spring. They bowed again and again, as if they were dogs leaping in joy.

"Ah, if mister is looking for Her Highness the princess then there is no need for any questioning; you may head directly in. The princess has already been informed of your arrival beforehand." They watched with respect until Mister Turtle vanished from sight. Even then their smiles didn't fade in the least.

Although he hadn't been announced, Mister Turtle didn't need to enter the residence before Princess Lushy came to greet him with her court ladies in tow. "Mister, how come you have so much free time to come visit me today?"

Her voice was calm and her complexion was serene. But, there were some minor tics that didn't escape the old turtle's sight. This little girl was clearly worried and was also concealing a few points of grievance. It was just that she was a smart young lady so she didn't say anything about it.

The old turtle relaxed a bit and his thoughts changed. He pretended to sigh and said, "I just came from the royal palace. I heard so many arguments that I felt as if my head would explode. Since His Majesty didn't wish for my presence anymore, I decided to just walk away."

"Wait a moment! Mister, you…are you saying you were arguing?"

Mister Turtle shook his head. "They were the ones arguing? Just what sort of status do I have? I definitely wouldn't do something so debasing as arguing with them. To be specific, it is about that Qin Yu. He concealed himself as a sea spirit teacher to play tricks on everyone, and you should also be aware of the changes that occurred to the Sea Mausoleum. It is said that this was all a human conspiracy, and now, hah, there are many calling for him to be killed."

Princess Lushy's face froze and a bit of worry appeared in her eyes.

The old turtle found this quite interesting. He blinked his eyes. "I was just playing with you. That boy Qin Yu is safe for now. But, what happens next will depend on what His Majesty decides to do."

Princess Lushy bit her lips. Just as she was about to become angry she managed to restrain herself. "And what do I have to do with it?"

Turtle Mister spoke up, "It didn't have anything to do with you before, but now it does. This is because His Majesty intends to marry you to Qin Yu. If princess agrees, then he will become the royal son-in-law of the sea races, and of course his old debts will be written off. Well, if you don't want to, then I don't know what will happen."

Princess Lushy was both embarrassed and shocked. She flushed red and shouted out, "Mister, just what nonsense are you speaking of!?"

Mister Turtle nodded earnestly. "It looks like princess doesn't wish for this. I will go and report it to His Majesty."

As he spoke, he turned to leave.

Princess Lushy was flustered, "Hold on!"

The old turtle turned around, a teasing look on his face.

She knew she had fallen for his tricks. But after saying it, she could see past it. "Humph! Just what are you smirking about? That's right, this princess here has taken a liking to him! Mister, you can go and tell my father that I agree to this marriage!"

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Chapter 177 – Sang Yueyue

When it came to Princess Lushy having taken a liking towards Qin Yu, that indeed seemed a bit unbelievable. But, as a high and lofty princess of the sea race royal family, she had truly never experienced such perils before. When she had been filled with despair and on the precipice of death, it was Qin Yu's strong and mighty figure which had appeared and saved her. From that point on, not only did his image not fade away in her heart, but it became increasingly clear instead.

This could all be attributed to the princess being too young and inexperienced. If the princess were a few decades older and had seen through the hearts of more people, then perhaps she wouldn't have been moved so easily. One could say that Qin Yu had taken advantage of the moment, stealing away a girl's heart when she hadn't fully gained her senses.

Of course, being a thief that stole a girl's heart was a completely unexpected matter. Thus, when Qin Yu who was being held within the royal palace learned of this matter from a smiling Turtle Origin, his face stiffened.

In the eyes of the old turtle, the expression that Qin Yu made was like a giant meat pie had fallen from the skies and he was too happily surprised to respond. This was an obvious matter. One didn't need to be a genius to know that anyone else would be crying with joy if they were suddenly given the chance to transform from a prisoner into the royal son-in-law.

As for whether or not Qin Yu would refuse…

Heavens, is there something wrong with your head?' One couldn't find such an opportunity if they went out searching for it with a lantern at night, much less in this current situation. Moreover, Princess Lushy was born as beautiful as a flower and was reputed to be the most beautiful pearl of the sea. Even if she was born looking like a haggard old cow, if marrying her would preserve one's life, then anyone would do it!

Humph, this old turtle has lived for so many years so when it comes to understanding a person's heart, how could you other juniors compare?

Turtle Origin coughed, a completely indifferent and helpless expression on his face. "This is something that I and the other high-ranking officials were strongly against, because how could the royal family's bloodline be diluted like that? But, His Majesty has recognized your talent and appreciates your abilities, thus he has decided upon this idea to save you. Qin Yu, your ancestors must have saved the world, right? That has to be it! Are there any other questions you have right now?"

Qin Yu's lips twitched as he watched this old turtle ramble on and on about how his ancestors must have saved the world and stood there as if he expected him to nod and then cry his heart out in surprise. "Senior, perhaps we could discuss this? For instance, if I continue helping to treat the vine below the royal palace, or maybe something else? As for marriage, please consider that as done for. I am only a human, so how could I possibly match someone as noble as Her Highness Princess Lushy."

The old turtle's face froze. He turned and stared vacantly at Qin Yu, as if he had an aural illusion. But, the expression on that young bastard's face was clearly one of refusal.

Refused!

He had actually refused the sea races' princess!

The old turtle's first thought was that this boy must have gone insane. Anger immediately ignited in his chest, and at the same time there was a little panic. This was because he never imagined there was the possibility of Qin Yu refusing, and that was the reason why he had first asked Princess Lushy for her opinion. This was where the problem was. Now that the princess had agreed, did he need to go back and inform her that the other party had refused to marry her? That scene was far too splendid to imagine, so much so that he didn't want to!

Thus, the old turtle was enraged. His eyes popped open and he shouted, "Qin Yu, you have no idea how to tell good from bad! Have you clearly thought about the consequences that would occur upon refusing the princess' hand? Humph, let me warn you. Before you make a decision, make sure you mull over it first, otherwise if you cry from regret in the future, it will already be far too late!"

Qin Yu's complexion turned indecisive. He clenched his teeth and said, "Fine, then I agree!"

The old turtle was overjoyed. He thought that his presence and grandeur were so immense that he had been able to shock this human junior into agreeing with just a few words. But then, he suddenly frowned and a suspicious light came over his eyes. "You agreed, but why do I feel that your words seem a bit shaky? Spill it, just what sort of plan are you forming?"

Qin Yu had a helpless expression. "You were the one that wanted me to agree, and now that I did agree you are doubting me. What should I do now then?"

The old turtle's thoughts changed. "There is something I need to inform you of ahead of time. After getting married, you and the princess will not be allowed to take a single step from the mansion. Of course, this period won't last too long. As soon as the princess gives birth to a child, you will be set free."

Qin Yu froze. He cursed this old turtle in his heart and then shook his head, saying, "This junior believes that this is an incredible insult to me, so about the marriage, we still need to further reconsider it."

The old turtle cursed out loud, but he was also glad that he said this. Luckily he was careful in asking this first, otherwise if this brat were to escape right after the marriage, he would really become a joke!

Qin Yu bowed his head and kept silent, allowing the old turtle to curse however he wanted. But, his heart began to gradually settle. It seemed that the sea races really did have a use for him. As for his marriage with Princess Lushy…who the hell knew just what was going on with that. In any case, it was impossible that he would agree, otherwise he wouldn't be a man at all.

One hour.

Two hours.

Four hours.

The old turtle panted for breath. His lips were red from rubbing and his throat was hoarse. He lifted a shivering hand and pointed at Qin Yu, "You brat! Today, I will tell you something. If you don't agree to this marriage, you can forget ever taking a single step out of here! Think about that clearly!"

He left in a huff.

Qin Yu looked up and forced a smile. What he feared the most was this result, that the sea races would hold him prisoner and wouldn't release him. In this royal palace, he really might not be able to escape. Perhaps he would need to obtain a writ of permission from that underground vine before the sea races would allow him to leave.

As he was wracking his mind for ideas, he suddenly heard the sound of footsteps. Although his cultivation had been sealed away, his five senses still far surpassed those of a normal person. The footsteps were light; it should be a woman. Could it be that Princess Lushy and slaughtered her way here after learning she had been refused? There was no way the old turtle could place him in such a trap!

The sound of footsteps drew closer. Soon, what entered his sight was indeed a woman. No, to be more accurate it was a small loli who looked to be around 12-13 in appearance. She had a beautiful pair of sky blue eyes and her face was beautiful. When she grew up, she would definitely be the type of woman whose beauty brought ruin to nations and people.

The young girl didn't speak. When she arrived next to Qin Yu, she sniffed several times and looked at him. Then, she brightly smiled and said, "It's you, I knew it was you!"

Qin Yu was startled.

This…what was this…?

He had experienced strange events year after year, but there was a higher number than usual this time.

First of all there was an inexplicable marriage that came out of nowhere. He had already refused it, but this time a beautiful little loli appeared, seemingly as she was happy to have found him.

But the key problem here was that he didn't recognize her at all!

As he was stunned, the young girl had already pounced onto Qin Yu and held onto his hands as she jumped up and down. "I knew that I would see you again. Seventh Aunty was always so offhand about it, did she think that I wouldn't be able to tell? What about the sea region being too vast to meet again? Aren't I seeing you again? Once I go back I must make sure to make fun of Seventh Aunty for being an old stick in the mud…well, Seventh Aunty doesn't like it when people call her old, so just forget about it."

Qin Yu still had an utterly dazed expression on his face. Soon, he was also left embarrassed. The young girl was happily jumping around him and her developing chest was rubbing onto his arm. Yes, he did have to admit that it felt good, but really he wasn't that type of person at all!

He hurriedly drew back a step, pulling open some distance between them. He said, "This…young miss, you have mistaken me for someone else. We shouldn't know each other."

The young girl batted her eyes. "No, I'm not mistaken, it's you. Let me tell you, my nose is quite accurate. Once I know the scent of someone, I will absolutely never forget him." As she spoke, she seemed to think of something important. "Ah, I forgot to introduce myself, how disrespectful of me. Big Brother Qin Yu, you can call me Yueyue. My name is Sang Yueyue."

Qin Yu thrust out a hand to push the girl away and stop her from pouncing on him. As he looked at her slightly aggrieved eyes, a sense of guilt grew in him. He hurriedly said, "Yueyue, your name is Sang Yueyue, right? Alright, I'll remember that. But, can you tell me where we've met before?"

Sang Yueyue seriously said, "The last time I went out, I wasn't careful and was accidently captured by some bastard humans. They killed many seafolk and I almost died. But luckily for me, Big Brother Qin Yu arrived and saved me and Seventh Aunty."

The young girl didn't speak clearly, but Qin Yu was quick to find a corresponding memory. He tentatively asked, "The Netherworld Sea Region?"

Looking at Sang Yueyue nod her head, Qin Yu finally realized that she was one of the sea race people he had inadvertently rescued when he stole the demonic path's Saint Furnace.

Well, this was quite unexpected. No wonder this person's attitude was so intimate with him.

Qin Yu relaxed a little. The reason he had displayed such cautious resistance before was because he thought this might be a trap that the sea races had set up for him. For instance, trying to use a beauty and trick him…yes, such a small and beautiful loli could indeed arouse the darkest of desires within the heart, moreover there wasn't anyone around and she acted far too familiar with him.

He coughed and steadied his thoughts. Then, his eyes flashed. "Yueyue, can you help me with a favor?" If this young girl could enter the royal palace at this time to see him, her status was surely extraordinary. At a time like this, he couldn't consider things too much; he had to give it a try.

Sang Yueyue gave an earnest expression. "What does Big Brother Qin Yu want me to do? I will definitely try to help!"

Qin Yu first expressed his thanks. "Yueyue, can you help me check, the one that was originally with Soupman…ah, you can ask someone if you don't recognize who they were, but do you know who was the one who joined with him to save me?"

"Soupman is uncle's servant. I saw him many times when I was younger. Moreover, when Big Brother Qin Yu was caught, I was also on the scene. The ones that rescued you were my Seventh Uncle as well as Moon Praying Shrine's wolf rider leader. I remember he was extremely fierce."

"…Yueyue, just who are you?"

The young girl began to blabber on and on. Although she added many unnecessary details such as how old she was and what she was doing for her birthday, she still gave sufficient information. For instance, she came from Sega City and was the only daughter of that mysterious madam, Sea Spirit Pavilion's true master.

The master of the royal palace was her uncle!

Good, she indeed had a tremendous background.

If it were like this, it could be explained why Seventh Night sky had helped. After all, Qin Yu was considered part of Sea Spirit Pavilion. However, now that his identity as a human had been revealed, he likely wouldn't be able to borrow Sea Spirit Pavilion's strength again.

All that was left for him was Moon Praying Shrine.

Although he didn't care much about matters related to the sea races, he had stayed in the capital city long enough. He had heard some news from the sound spiral networks around the city…

For instance, the various major tribes of the sea region and their dissatisfaction towards the capital city…

Moon Praying Shrine was very strong. But, from the young girl's tone of voice and her praise of them, he knew that they wouldn't try and save him for no reason at all.

There was inevitably a reason.

Then….

Qin Yu thought for a moment and said, "Yueyue, can I trouble you to help me deliver a letter to Moon Praying Shrine?"

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Chapter 178 – Jing Guanjin's Desire

A moment later, the young girl called Sang Yueyue briskly walked out from the hall. Then, she restrained all of the emotions that showed on her beautiful face. Although she was deliberately trying to seem calm and indifferent, a noble aura still emanated from her features, making one give birth to a sense of respect as they saw her.

The royal guards that stood watch outside the palace were carefully selected. Whether it was in strength or loyalty, they stood above the rest. And now, their gazes were directed forwards with an almost stone-like indifference, as if they didn't notice the young girl stepping out of the grand hall. Like this, she threw on a black robe, boarded a carriage, and slowly departed.

She continued forwards unobstructed. It was unknown who was driving the carriage, but the strictly guarded royal palace defenses let it freely go, not even asking any questions or investigating them.

The carriage drove out of the royal palace. As it reached the great streets of the capital city, the young girl suddenly said, "Go to the Great Glory Gambling Hall."

Perhaps it was because they were already aware that they had been eyed by the capital city scouts, but Moon Praying Hall's subordinate gambling den had taken on such a gaudy name. Because their background was deep and they were well known, many gamblers knew that this was one of Moon Praying Shrine's businesses. Even so, they still flocked over to participate. In any case, there were so many people that came here; could the Dark Night Division really investigate each and every one of them? If they tried they would be left as tired dogs walking in the dark!

Of course, if one had to ask the gamblers inside if there were any undercover agents or spies…did one really need to ask this question? It was fine as long as no one was caught.

The carriage drove out from the royal palace and entered the back courtyard of the Great Glory Gambling Hall. They approached an alley near the back. A number of people who secretly dispersed outwards had already neatly combed over the perimeter.

The young girl thought for a moment and decided she needed to personally deliver the letter before she could be relieved. She ordered, "Have someone come out."

The carriage driver nodded. He leapt down and vanished after taking several steps.

Although the carriage had stopped all alone in the alleyway, there was no need to worry about her safety. If there really were any dangers, it would be torn to shreds before it could even dream of approaching.

Soon, the carriage driver leapt back over a wall. A wolf rider followed close behind. As the wolf rider landed on the ground, there was a loud sound as countless cracks spread out like a web, his eyes ice cold.

The carriage window opened and the young girl thrust out a hand. "This is a letter. I'll have to bother you to give it to the Vice Priest."

Although the wolf rider didn't know who the person within the carriage was, their air of nobility was enough to indicate to him that this wasn't some game. The wolf rider hesitated for a moment and received the jade slip.

The young girl drew back her hand. "Let's go."

The carriage driver shook the reins and slowly drove down the alley. It was only after leaving the scope of the Great Glory Gambling Hall that the man started to speak with a bit of dissatisfaction. "Miss, that was too dangerous just now."

"Hehe, it's fine, it's fine. He knew how fierce uncle was so of course he wouldn't do anything to me. And, I was just delivering a letter. It's not as if the wolf riders are some mindless idiots."

"Well, it's best that there isn't a next time after this."

"Mm, I understand uncle."

The young girl sensibly promised. At the same time, she also thought that this was Big Brother Qin Yu's letter, and since it was her first time helping him out with a favor, she certainly had to personally hand deliver it to feel relieved.

As she thought about how perilous his situation was in the royal palace, she wrinkled her nose and mumbled a complaint. "Really, just what is uncle thinking that he would grant such a marriage…and, Big Sister Lushy is just too reckless. To think she would just agree like that…"

It wasn't only on this side that things were occurring. Within the Great Glory Gambling Hall, the group from Moon Praying Shrine had received the letter and had hurried into closed door discussion. In another place within the capital city, some people were scratching their heads over what to do with Qin Yu.

Of course, these people didn't have any good intentions at all.

The Whale Sovereign sat in a great chair. His waist was straight and stiff like a tree, and even though he was silent, a great oppressive aura permeated the entire temple.

So, within the temple, every seafolk spoke much more cautiously. But, they still had to express their thoughts.

"I do not agree that we should try to deal with Qin Yu right now. Since he is being closely guarded by the royal palace at this moment, the chances of success are too low. The losses of a failed attempt would surely be catastrophic."

"I agree. Looking at the present situation, the price to kill Qin Yu is too great. Perhaps we should wait for now and slowly seek out an opportunity."

"There are too many other dangers in this matter. We might possibly enrage the royal palace and trigger a counterattack against us."

In short, the staff analyzing the situation didn't favor this matter. They were mostly opposed to moving against Qin Yu at the moment.

The Whale Sovereign listened in silence. Although he often displayed a tyrannical demeanor, he had always been a superior who listened to the opinions of his underlings. This was why he had gathered a sizable group of his staff here to analyze the situation and judge what the best possible course of action was. It had been proven that a single person's intelligence was always inferior to that of a group. In the past years, his staff had indeed helped him avoid many losses.

But today, the Whale Sovereign wasn't ready to accept their opinions, even if he knew they were right. He lifted a hand and everyone quieted down. The Whale Sovereign said, "I must kill Qin Yu, but we cannot cause too great a stir. I already have a plan to do so. All you need to do is help me design a plan to deal with any possible retaliation from the royal palace."

The staff respectfully nodded in agreement.

They had already fulfilled their duty. Since their lord had chosen to arbitrarily flip everything upside-down, they would follow him unconditionally and begin designing the plan and making preparations.

The Whale Sovereign waved his hand, allowing the staff to leave. He turned and looked towards a figure standing in the corner. "Jing Guanjin, you have already wasted far too much of my time and energy. But, I will give you one more chance. Complete a task for me and I will give you that which you deserve."

Jing Guanjin's face paled, as if he hadn't seen the light of day for a long, long time. He looked up and revealed a queer smile. "Is it to deal with Qin Yu? Then I agree, lord father, no matter what price I must pay."

This human that had ruined his life, how could he not hate him to the bone? As for what the Whale Sovereign meant when he said he would receive what he deserved, Jing Guanjin didn't believe those words at all. He had been sent off as a child and rarely had a chance to get to know his father. Still, there was always a faint instinctual understanding between father and son. His father was a person who paid attention to how the public viewed him and had his own sense of morals. So, even though he plotted so many things during these years, he was still held in extremely high esteem in the world. How could such a person allow a tainted descendant to inherit his everything?

Since he could never regain what he had lost, his most ardent desire now was to kill Qin Yu.

…

Honorable Ning was a human.

If one had to rank the top ten shocking events of this year, then this revelation was unquestionably at the very top, and even cast away every other competitor by a wide margin. Even now, all of the seafolk scrambled to discuss this matter, each one giving their own opinion about it.

Of course, the secret rumors spread out by the royal palace were useful. In addition with some people helping these rumors gain traction, there was now a different voice that emerged.

For instance, that Honorable Ning had been kidnapped by the humans…

But, all of these efforts could only deceive the lower level seafolk. The higher circles of power naturally knew the truth a long time ago.

Honorable Ning was a human. Or, perhaps his name was Qin Yu, but no matter what he was called, he was undoubtedly a human.

Sea Spirit Pavilion suffered the greatest attack of all. Their soaring potential had been completely swept away, and it even seemed as if others were trying to deliberately smear their reputation, muddling events to make it seem as if they might have been involved with the humans. Of course, this was something spread out by public figures related to the sea spirit world. The truly great individuals knew of Sea Spirit Pavilion's secret deep background, so they were left snorting contemptuously at these rumors.

Everyone had a chance to collude with the humans, but not Sea Spirit Pavilion.

Besides them, the ones that were affected the most were likely Noble Court Avenue's Qing Family.

Ever since the day the Nine Layer Building was destroyed, the Qing Family that seemed as if it would soon be restored to its previous prosperity had suddenly fallen into drastic decline. Countless people who had wanted to form deeper relationships with them yesterday now turned a cold shoulder to them. Countless icy eyes gazed at them with indifference, and many people couldn't help but gloat over their misfortune.

Envy, jealousy, hate, such emotions were inevitable within the intelligent races. They had initially been jealous of the Qing Family's connection with Qin Yu, but now they were smug and pleased. Hadn't the Qing Family been strictly guarded in the past, for fear that others would latch onto them?

Hehe, now it seemed that they had to thank them!

The indifference and resistance from the highest echelons caused the Qing Family to immediately fall into a dire situation. They were even worse than how they were at the start, and it seemed as if they would soon be pushed aside.

Violent arguments blew up within the Qing Family several times. Each argument was fierce and violent and everyone soon scattered in unhappiness right after. Many of them wanted to draw a clear line between Qin Yu and them.

The biggest involvement between them was Leon and Qingqing's wedding. Then, it was best to break this marriage apart.

The sea races had thrived in prosperity for a long time, so all sorts of luxurious and hedonistic ways of living existed. In the upper class of society, divorcing and remarrying were not rare at all. Moreover, Qingqing had married not too long ago, so it would be easy for her to withdraw now. As long as the Qing Family could maintain their current status, they would be able to find a properly matched marriage in the future.

It was said that Madame Qing fell deep into thought for several days, and had ended up calling her daughter back home. No one knew what it was that they discussed, but they knew that when Miss Qingqing left, there was a bright red handprint on her face. From that day on, she didn't step back into the Qing Family household.

But this was how things were. While they could avoid things for a moment, they couldn't avoid it forever. In the sea region, making a returning visit to the wife's family after a month was a long-standing tradition amongst the sea races, one that had been established for thousands of years.

In a large dwelling not too far away from Noble Court Avenue, Leon combed his hair, washed his face, and dressed himself. He slapped his face several times and then pushed open the doors.

Qingqing was standing outside. As she saw him, she squeezed out a smile. "Leon, I have been giving this a lot of thought. We don't need to go back today, so how about we don't go at all?"

Leon's heart warmed. He straightened her hair for a moment and said, "There is no need to worry about me. We have to face this sooner or later. As long as you are by my side, I have the courage and confidence to face anything."

Qingqing vigorously nodded. "I will forever be with you!"

Leon smiled. "Then I must thank my wife." He habitually waved his hand. It was only afterwards he recalled that after his teacher's incident, the shrewd and outstanding housekeeper of his had made excuses to call in sick. He shook his head and revealed a helpless expression.

This was the changing thoughts and sentiments of people. He had grown up in the very lowest tiers of society so he had experienced this far too much. Still, the speed at which the upper classes changed moods still left him flabbergasted.

Qingqing held his hand. "Well we're going, so let's go. To leave such undecided things floating around would only be a scourge on us later. Humph, they look down on my husband? They won't even have time to regret it in the future!"

Leon gripped her warm and soft palm. He earnestly said, "Qingqing, I vow to you that I will try my best to make sure you don't suffer in the future."

"I'm doing quite well right now. I'm not suffering at all! The carriage is already prepared; let's go."

"Alright."

Chapter 179 – The Broken Seasky Wings

Although the servants tried to maintain a normal demeanor, when their eyes swept around, they couldn't conceal the panic in them. With things having blown up so much, who knew when they would be affected? After all, Leon was Honorable Ning's only disciple.

Ah…perhaps now, they shouldn't refer to him as Honorable Ning anymore…

Leon had a calm expression as he helped his wife mount the carriage. He lightly ordered, "Drive."

The carriage left towards Noble Court Avenue. After a brief silence, Qingqing hesitated and quietly said, "Leon, what will Mister Ning do next?"

Leon shook his head. "I don't know." He frowned and then seriously said, "Qingqing, I know that you likely have some complaints in your heart, but I want to tell you something, and that is that I knew of teacher's true identity from the very beginning. So, I had already made preparations for this to occur a long time ago. I need you to know that without teacher, we would have never been together, that Lyon wouldn't have been able to undergo his manifestation, and that mother's sickness would never have been cured. I feel nothing but wholehearted gratitude towards teacher. This was the same in the past, it is the same now, and it will be the same in the future. Qingqing, I hope you can understand this, because this was never teacher's original intention."

Qingqing's face blushed red. During these past few days as she wandered around, she did have these thoughts. She thought she had hidden them deep in her heart, but they had been found out by Leon.

Seeing his wife a bit embarrassed, Leon held onto her and said in a comforting voice, "It's only natural for you to have such thoughts. I don't blame you, and even if teacher knew, he would only appreciate Qingqing for not abandoning me even now. To marry you is the greatest fortune of my life."

Qingqing glanced at him and lightly humphed, "All you say are pleasant sounding things!" Still, she subconsciously held onto his arm.

And at this time, the carriage violently shook as if it had been struck. Leon moved to protect his wife even as he shouted out in confusion.

The carriage driver didn't even have a chance to respond. He was immediately pulled to the side and ruthlessly beaten up. These people were extremely cruel and excessive in their actions, and blood flowed out as the driver weakly groaned.

The carriage door was violently torn open. Several drunken faces appeared as the all cursed out together, "Who the hell are you guys? You dare to drive over one of our people? You must be tired of living!"

These people all had an overly arrogant demeanor, each one more prideful than the last, as if nothing in the world could stop them. They had the appearance of typical rich young masters, but looking at their clothes, it wasn't the style that was currently popular in the capital city. Rather, it seemed a bit foreign with the taste of different localities, as if these wealthy juniors had come from other lands. At this time, their eyes were shaky but burning with excitement. In particular, when the eyes of several of these people fell on Qingqing, they began to heat up.

"Look! There's a beautiful young lady here! It's as they say, the people of the capital city are blessed by the land; everyone here is just so beautiful!"

"Beautiful woman, you have struck us. This matter won't end so easily!"

"It's fine, it's fine, as long as this young lady joins us for a round of fun, we can discuss anything!"

As several people spoke, they reached out towards Qingqing.

Leon was enraged. "Just what are you doing!? Stop!"

He pushed several people away and started to strike them. These rich young masters only had an ordinary and sloppy cultivation, and they had also been enjoying wine and women too much, so along with their drunkenness they never imagined that this boy would actually attack them. Several of them were immediately angered.

"Just what are you watching for? Grab him for me!"

"Hit him for me! I don't care if you beat him to death!"

"Bastard! Not even my father hits me! I'll kill you!"

There were loud shouts all over. Guards rushed over and knocked Leon down. The young masters cursed at him, telling him he had no idea of death or danger, and then they began to encircle the screaming Qingqing again.

They had grown up in their respective tribes, and from birth, they had been second generation bastards who had committed evils without any scruples. To seize and harass women in the streets wasn't anything at all to them. Even though this was the capital city, so what? The great figures of the capital city would have to consider the great tribes that stood behind them and would only be able to smile in response.

Jing Guanjin stood within this group of people. It was only with his foreign status and with him also being the son of a powerful tribe that he was able to arrange today's events.

This meeting had been initiated by him. He purposefully lured them into drinking too much, and then started to instigate them with words. He flattered and mocked, until all of them became fierce and aggressive, wanting to fight. What followed after was simple. Once he obtained news that Leon and his wife had come out, he arrived here ahead of time. With that, creating a conflict was far too easy.

Qingqing screamed, her cries filled with despair and panic. Leon's eyes turned blood red. Faintly, he could hear someone say that this person was once Honorable Ning's disciple. Then, he also heard that his teacher could barely defend himself, so what could his disciple do?

The words that followed were filthy beyond belief. Most of them judged Qingqing's looks and there were also some people who said that playing with such a recently married bride was the best, and that it would be better if she struggled a bit more.

Leon's head felt as if it would explode. He didn't know where he summoned the strength from, but he threw off the guards that held him down. He saw a hilt in front of him and tore it out. He clenched his teeth and rushed towards those several young masters.

Jing Guanjin disdained doing something like harassing women in public on the streets. Even though he was the one who instigated it, no one could blame him, because he was only standing on the side smiling and he didn't go in at all.

He could hear the sounds of a sword being drawn from its sheath, followed by rapid footsteps and heavy breaths. He rolled his eyes back and sighed, finding it hard to believe that his lord father would use such low and shameless methods to kill him. But, to his hate-filled heart, this scene was far too wonderful.

As he was thinking this, he remained completely motionless, allowing the sword to chop onto his back. As the blade cut through his flesh and blood, he frowned, thinking that it really was too painful. Then, his complexion suddenly changed as panic filled his features. He screamed out loud and 'accidently' fell into the several people in front of him. They couldn't dodge the saber light and thus the sounds of miserable cries filled the air as blood splashed onto the ground.

The young masters were scared so badly they nearly pissed themselves. Leon rushed over. Qingqing's clothes were a little damaged, but she hadn't really suffered a loss. She cried and threw herself into his arms. At the same time she desperately held onto him so that he wouldn't do anything anymore. This was because just now she had already recognized several of these people and knew that they were the princes of several great tribes that were kept in the capital city. Perhaps they were all in miserable situations themselves, but since they were sent to the capital city, at least on the surface they were considered honored guests. Injuring these people would have serious consequences.

"Kill him! Kill him for me!" Jing Guanjin displayed a perfect performance as a young master playboy who was terrified and panicked after being attacked.

Amongst the guards, a black-armored man looked up, his eyes cold and without the slightest warmth. The guard lifted his palm and thrust forwards.

No one imagined that there would be this sort of genuine master within the guards. A terrifying aura rolled forth like a wave, leaving one's soul frozen in horror.

Qingqing's eyes widened. She shoved Leon away. Then, light bloomed behind her as spiritual strength condensed into two beautiful wings on her back.

Following that, the strength of this palm crashed into the wings.

The formidable defensive power of the Seasky Wings erupted and the wings grew incomparably radiant. But, the strength of a Nascent Soul realm master far surpassed their limits. There was a cracking sound as the two giant wings wrapped around Qingqing shattered.

Fresh blood spurted out as she was sent tumbling backwards. She crashed into Leon and the two of them fell to the ground. The sounds of broken bones filled the air as blood dyed the earth red.

The young masters were dazed. Before any of them could think about whose guard was so powerful, they immediately sobered upon realizing how much of a ruckus had occurred. They glanced at each other and started to walk away, cursing inwardly about their situation. Although they weren't afraid of getting into trouble, if they were too unreasonable they would be punished. It was best to just walk away from this.

Jing Guanjin followed the crowd, each person mounting their own carriage. Just before he left, he turned and glanced at the woman who was slumped over in a pool of her own blood. A complex light flashed in his eyes. He thought that if things were like this, Qin Yu would find it hard to bear, right? The tiny hint of guilt disappeared and he faintly smiled.

Leon held onto Qingqing, gripping her blood-covered hands. He wailed, "Help…help…!"

But the person he held in his chest had already closed her eyes. She could only hold his hand one final time, no longer able to smile.

On the capital city's streets, sadness filled the air, the sorrow and anguish so deep that it left one struggling to breathe!

Within the royal palace, in the hall where he had been placed under arrest, Qin Yu's eyes flashed open. His heart suddenly throbbed, and he could feel an inexplicable pressure in his chest.

What happened?

Qin Yu frowned. When he tried to sense it again, that throbbing had already disappeared. But, the suffocating pressure in his chest became increasingly heavy with every passing second.

He had an ill premonition, one that was confirmed as night fell.

In the hall that no one had visited besides Turtle Origin and Sang Yueyue, a third guest finally arrived. Rather, it was more accurate to say that it was a sea anemone raised by someone. This sort of gorgeous sea life had a vague intelligence of its own. Because it possessed a beautiful appearance and was also rare, its price was correspondingly high. It was a rare spiritual pet raised by the wealthy.

Now, the sea anemone held a jade slip in its mouth. Qin Yu had seen similar things before. This jade slip could store video recordings and was a high-priced consumable object. The person who had arranged all of this seemed to know that Qin Yu's cultivation had been sealed away, thus they had been thoughtful enough to also prepare an energy storage bead. When the jade slip was placed next to the energy storage bead, the strength within would voluntarily flow out and into the jade slip, stimulating the video stored within.

As Qin Yu watched the beautiful sea anemone leave, he picked up the jade sip and energy storage bead.

Then, the scene of what occurred today in the streets of the capital city, presented itself clearly before his eyes.

Jing Guanjin…Qingqing who was slumped in a pool of her own blood…Leon who wept blood…

The video broadcast played to its end and started to replay itself, over and over. Qin Yu gradually frowned.

Crack –

The jade slip was crushed to pieces!

Qin Yu was silent. Half of his body was hidden in the shadows thrown down by the curtains above. His face was like an icy stone, without any expression at all.

His face was cold, but his heart was even colder.

Something had happened to Leon and Qingqing. Someone had taken a video of this incident and had delivered it to him within the royal palace. It was clear that from the very beginning, they had been targeting him.

It was just that this other party couldn't touch him at this moment, thus they made this choice.

Qin Yu took a deep breath, then he took another. He whispered to himself, "How could it be like this…"

He appreciated Leon. Leon was a boy with good character and morals. He was tenacious and hard-working; everything about him stood out. This was why he did everything he could in his limited capacity to help him.

At first, he was faintly satisfied with what he did. This was because with his help. Leon had changed his destiny and gained a brand new life.

Qin Yu was pleased with himself. He told himself that he wasn't just using Leon to help conceal his own identity. This was because what he gave Leon was more than enough to compensate for the risks that Leon had to take.

But now…it seemed that he owed him far, far too much…

If Qin Yu hadn't meddled in Leon's life, then maybe he might have continued living a lowly life. But, the girl he loved wouldn't have died. Many years later, perhaps he would be recalling her beautiful smile instead of drowning in despair as he held onto her corpse as she turned gradually colder.

"How could it be like this…" Qin Yu whispered to himself again. As he spoke, his eyes turned darker and colder.

He was silent, waiting.

Since they had taken action first and even informed him of this, then he naturally wouldn't allow things to end like this.

However, have you really completed preparations for every possibility?

Within the shadows, a cold intent stirred.

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Chapter 180 – Day of Ancestral Worship

The Day of Ancestral Worship.

This was a grand and magnificent ceremony created to honor the royal family's first ancestor, who managed to successfully incarnate into a flood dragon. The royal family's direct lineage, their branch families and all other bloodline descendants were required to appear in full and splendid regalia. Today, all slaughter was forbidden and only an auspicious peace was allowed. The smell of blood was not allowed anywhere within the vicinity of the capital city, otherwise this would be considered a great crime, an affront to the ancestors.

Several days ago, the royal palace had already started cleaning. All of the palace maids bustled endlessly about, all of them trying their best to ensure that the Ancestral Worship Ceremony would be carried out flawlessly. At the same time, guards were dispatched throughout the capital city to maintain stability.

In truth, this was only as a final emergency measure. The sea races didn't have too many strict laws and regulations, thus the Day of Ancestral Worship that occurred once every ten years had already taken root in the hearts of the people. Everybody was well aware of how much importance the royal family placed on this ceremony. In particular, the old bag of bones known as the Council of Elders. If anyone even thought of interfering with the Ancestral Worship Ceremony, they would definitely go insane.

"It's clear why Leon and the Qing Family lady were attacked. If one isn't blind, it's obvious who planned all of this." Turtle Origin coldly sneered. "It seems that someone really desires to kill Qin Yu."

The Sea Sovereign sat back in his dragon throne. He lightly said, "Soon, the Day of Ancestral Worship will arrive."

The old turtle nodded, his face darkening. "Your Majesty has also thought of this. This is exactly what I was worried about."

The Sea Sovereign frowned. "Does mister believe that Qin Yu will do something at this time?"

The old turtle thought back to how he had first taken Qin Yu because he had wanted to go back and check on his friend's situation and sighed. "He's a smart boy. It's not difficult to see that this is a trap. But, that is another matter altogether. Qin Yu that human brat, while his actions are a bit reckless and rascally, he is someone who places a heavy emphasis on friendship."

With a single phrase of heavy friendship, that was enough to indicate his thoughts. And as for whether or not Qin Yu was aware that Leon and Qingqing had been attacked, neither Turtle Origin nor the Sea Sovereign mentioned it.

Since the Whale Sovereign used such shameless methods without any regard for face, how could he not inform Qin Yu as soon as possible? And that person definitely had this strength. Even if Qin Yu was strictly being held captive in the royal palace, they didn't doubt this.

This was a low and basely method, but at the same time it was an honest and open plot. Even if one realized it was a trap, it was difficult to think of a solution.

The Whale Sovereign was surely confident to achieve his goal and have Qin Yu make a move on the Day of Ancestral Worship.

The old turtle stood up. "I will warn him. Even if he wants to take revenge, he cannot do it all at once." He hurried out. However, in his heart, he didn't have much confidence in his words.

After a moment, while under house arrest, Qin Yu had a calm expression. Turtle Origin tentatively asked some questions, but what his watertight questions received in response was something that appeared to be a little happy smile.

This happy expression left the old turtle scared silly. He was too bothered to cover up anything anymore and deeply said, "Qin Yu, you may continue to consider your marriage with Princess Lushy, but I came here to tell you that no matter what it is you know, you cannot be impulsive. In another two days, it will be the royal family's Day of Ancestral Worship. The entire royal family must gather together, and this is the most sacred and dignified of all ceremonies. If someone were to disturb the ceremony, it would be the greatest provocation to them. It is an inexcusable crime!"

This was no longer just a warning. It was openly placing everything on the table.

Qin Yu was silent for several breaths of time. "I thank senior for the good intentions. I understand."

His expression was earnest and his manner was sincere; he clearly seemed to show some gratitude and he also seemed to relax a little. But, once the old turtle left the hall, he was still unsure in his heart. He sighed. Without saying anything else, he gathered all of Soupman's forces.

On the Day of Ancestral Worship, this place would become the most strictly guarded area in the entire royal palace! Not even a single fly could hope to escape!

The passing of time was an eternal truth, one that continued unimpeded by any strength. The Day of Ancestral Worship continued as planned. A giant altar was laid out. It was solemn and respectful, and atop the purple jade plates, countless rare and precious treasures were displayed, each of them a sign of veneration towards their exalted ancestor. The entire royal family bloodline gathered here today. Some had even arrived from hundreds of thousands of miles away. This was because this ceremony was not just to pay tribute to their ancestors, but also as a means to display one's status within the royal family.

Starting from the altar, people were lined up orderly in divisions, each one representing your status within the royal family. The further away one was, the less important they were. If one were absent from this vast Day of Ancestral Worship, that would often represent one's expulsion and fall.

Thus, it was not difficult to understand why several deathly ill royal family members would come here even if they were lifted on stretchers. They all struggled to ensure they came.

Princess Lushy was also here, and her position was at the front. This wasn't because the Sea Sovereign preferred this daughter of his. Rather, it was because she possessed a formidable cultivation talent and an outstanding bloodline. Otherwise, did anyone really think that just because she was born a little bit beautiful, she would be called the most dazzling and beautiful pearl in the sea? It was impossible to be so na?ve.

At this moment, feeling the solemn and dignified atmosphere, her expression was earnest. She silently prayed to her ancestors, hoping that they could bless her life after marriage with joy and happiness.

That was right. Even up until now, Princess Lushy didn't know that she had been refused already. She had already thought about her wedding and marriage more than once.

To join together with a human, that was a completely unprecedented event within the royal family. It could even be said that this would affect her inheriting the power of authority in the future.

But the princess did not regret.

She remembered what her mother had once told her as a child. For a woman, their most important task was to find a husband that they liked in the future, so that they could live a happy and enjoyable life. Otherwise, no matter how much they gained from it, they would only be living in a void of sorrow and despair, fading away bit by bit with every passing day.

Princess Lushy knew that her mother didn't love her father. She had witnessed her mother's loneliness and depressed life, and she didn't want to live like that.

If she was together with Qin Yu, she should be very happy, right? Although this human could be hateful sometimes, and yes his words could be especially exasperating, but once they got married, this princess would definitely use sufficient methods to shut him up and make him learn his lesson!

Women of the flood dragon race not only had a spiritual accepting body, but after marriage, they could transfer this benefit to their husband. And, there were also many other marvelous things she could do. As she thought back to how she had secretly studied up on this, the princess blushed red. But then, she suddenly thought that thinking about such things in this situation might be too disrespectful to her ancestors and immediately restrained herself. She quietly prayed: oh ancestors, please do not lower yourself to the level of this little girl!

The old turtle named Turtle Origin had a pure flood dragon bloodline flowing in his body. According to common sense, he should be a mighty and powerful flood dragon now. But, the black turtle bloodline he inherited underwent a sudden reversion and mutation, unexpectedly suppressing his flood dragon bloodline as a result. One couldn't help but say this was how fate played with people.

At this moment, he was beneath the altar. He looked to the side and could see the Whale Sovereign from the corner of his eyes. He wasn't sure just what this fellow was thinking. Currently, most of the ceremonial offerings had finished. Afterwards His Majesty would order everyone to leave the royal palace, and there wouldn't be any other chances for him to make his move.

Could he have misjudged the situation?

As Turtle Origin was deep in thought, atop the altar, a white-haired and wizened priest suddenly opened his eyes. The priest looked around and met the eyes of several disciples. There was relief, there was reluctance, but most of all there was determination.

In the next moment, there was a surge of light atop the altar. Turtle Origin looked up in consternation and stared blankly on at the flood dragon phantom that appeared in the light. His eyes began to cloud over.

Ceremony…

Today, this was the first variable that appeared.

Princess Lushy had only ever heard about her ancestor's spirit manifesting before. Although she found it a bit unbelievable, she still felt awe in her heart.

She just didn't know what was going on. Why were all the juniors ordered to withdraw, leaving only the most powerful figures within their race here?

However, this shouldn't be something bad.

Princess Lushy paused in her step. Because there had been a sudden change in the ceremony, there was still plenty of time…she looked up towards a corner of the royal palace and bit her lip, hesitating a little.

But once this thought appeared, it was particularly hard for her to hold it back. In short, the less she wanted to think about it the more she thought about it; it was a complex situation.

"I'll just take a look from afar." As if comforting herself with this or perhaps having found a reasonable explanation, she shyly smiled and started walking over there.

Although she had never visited, how could she not be concerned about the man she was about to marry? At the very least she knew where he was being held.

She passed through several gardens and a long corridor. When she saw a familiar figure, she ran over.

This other person was pale and heavily sweating. They bowed as they saw the princess.

"You are one of Soupman's subordinates, right? Why are you so worried?" Princess Lushy's eyes flashed. She realized that those watching Qin Yu right now should be Soupman's people. Just as she was thinking about how to question him, the other person suddenly grabbed onto his grumbling stomach. He hurriedly apologized, bowed, and rushed past her.

That was a corner of the garden; it seemed to be a toilet room or some such place.

Princess Lushy flushed red. She thought that this person really lacked any sense of responsibility. How could they have a stomach ache while they were on duty? She thought back to how he had run past her in distress and laughed. The corners of her lips lifted in a happy smile.

It was only that Her Highness the princess didn't know that this fellow with diarrhea was today's second variable.

She continued for a moment, and soon she could see the hall within sight. As she was thinking whether she should stop here or not, she discovered that something wasn't right with the situation. Right now, in front of the hall, there were several figures standing about. They didn't seem familiar to her, but judging by their clothes, they should be princes from the various large tribes. And there was one amongst them that was actually quite familiar, as if she had seen him from somewhere not too long ago.

Mm…thinking about it, he was Jing Guanjin. She had seen him in a video before.

On the surface, it was said he was a prince from some northern tribe. But, she had heard that his true identity was as a son of the Whale Sovereign.

He seemed to have been held in high regard. A while ago, he had competed against Qin Yu in the great sea spirit competition, but his result hadn't been good and that was the end for him. Thinking of this, a bit of arrogance rose up in the princess' heart.

But immediately after, she was also puzzled. What did they come here for? In these past days, the nervous yet expectant princess hadn't paid attention to what was occurring in the capital city.

A thought rose to the top. Could these people be wanting to harm Qin Yu? From Jing Guanjin's standing, he definitely had the motive to do so. Princess Lushy's heart quickened. At this time, from within the shadows of the hall, she saw a figure walk forwards. The person lightly stretched his waist, glanced at Jing Guanjin, and then walked over.

What did he want to do?

Just as this thought appeared in her mind, she heard a shout explode in her ears. "The criminal has escaped – capture him!"

Guards rushed out from who knew where like a swarm. Princess Lushy's heart skipped a beat as she thought about what day it was today.

"Stop!"

What followed her sharp cry was blood that shot out into the skies. Beneath the warm rays of light that scattered down from the capital city's spells, it actually carried with it an unexpected sense of beauty.

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Chapter 181 – Then, Let's Die

Faintly, that figure seemed to glance over at Princess Lushy and then look back before continuing. Guards began to roll out and scream, each one crying blood. The situation had already spiraled out of control. She paled.

She had no idea just what had happened. But, she knew that a storm had been whipped up into existence, and this storm might tear Qin Yu to shreds.

With a flick of his sleeves, several guards were sent tumbling back. Qin Yu's eyes locked onto Jing Guanjin's. Perhaps because Jing Guanjin was startled by Qin Yu's icy cold aura, he immediately frowned and turned around to leave. But just before he left, there was a faint trace of a smile on his face.

It wasn't much, but he had seen Qin Yu. The pain that stabbed at his heart was relieved a little.

After all, you will die by my hand, even if it is indirectly.

By his side, a black-armored man looked up. His fist thrust straight outwards. The matter had already been completed. All he needed to do was keep this person here and he wouldn't need to care about anything else.

On the other side, Qin Yu also attacked. Crimson flames ignited on the surface of his body and his speed rose up so fast and drastically that he almost became a line of light in everyone's eyes. And what was even more terrifying was that he didn't care about the fist that came crashing towards his chest; one could even say that he was rushing towards it on his own initiative.

This fist strike was extremely heavy. His chest groaned and seemed to hollow in a little. Several bones seemed to break and Qin Yu's complexion whitened.

But with this he could reap the harvest of withstanding this injury. His hand reached out and gripped the black-robed man's neck. Then, he ruthlessly tore it out.

Flesh and blood cracked, revealing the white windpipe below. Blood erupted like a fountain and the black-armored man's eyes widened. He seemed to want to make a sound, but he couldn't in the end. This was because at the same time that his throat was torn out, a short black sword had pierced through his stomach, slashing about and completely cutting off any chance of survival. Afterwards, Qin Yu flourished the black sword and drew back.

Qin Yu grabbed the corpse and continued forwards. The young masters were already crying out in fear. Jing Guanjin turned back around, shock and surprise in his eyes. He never thought that the guard his father had assigned to him would lose his life in a single attack.

What incredible strength!

As he watched Qin Yu rush over, a taunting smile lifted his lips. Did this human really think he would kill him like this?

How na?ve!

Shua –

Shua –

From behind the slaughtered guards, two people flew forth. Their powerful figures erupted with a dreadful momentum that blocked Qin Yu like a mountain range.

Several ruthless exchanges occurred next. After a horrifying series of colliding sounds, Qin Yu was forced backwards. He roared out unwillingly and ruthlessly threw the corpse in his hands forwards.

Bang –

The corpse smashed into the ground, producing a massive hole. Flesh and blood separated as a pool of red appeared.

Jing Guanjin smiled. This was far too perfect.

On this Day of Ancestral Worship, the more blood the better, right?

Qin Yu exchanged several more moves with the two sea race masters. In a situation where he was already wounded, Qin Yu seemed to suffer repeated losses. He was forced back yet again.

In a short ten breaths of time, the ground outside the hall had fallen into chaos. The bodies of the royal guards and the black-armored man that littered the floor were particularly eye-catching.

Princess Lushy's thoughts buzzed in her mind and she found it difficult to think of anything. At this time, she could only stare with wide eyes towards that distant figure.

Ever since the Day of Ancestral Worship had first begun, at least in her memory, such a crisis had never occurred. What could she possibly do to resolve this mess?

"Murder! Save us!" Jing Guanjin cried out in distress and horror. As his eyes locked onto Qin Yu they were filled with sublime joy.

Whoosh –

Whoosh –

There was the sound of breaking air. The first two figures to appear were the Whale Sovereign and Turtle Origin. The former had a calm and expectant look, and the latter had a dark and grim visage.

Then, what followed behind the two was a group of white-haired old men. With their shaky and rickety bodies, it was unknown just how they had run here so quickly.

As they came upon the scene of slaughter and smelled the thick scent of blood all around, their complexions paled and their pointing fingers trembled.

"What a bold criminal!"

"Where did this human come from? He dares to ruin the Day of Ancestral Worship!?"

"Capture him! Dismember him; he must be dismembered!"

If hateful eyes could kill, Qin Yu would have already been torn asunder by this group of old fellows.

The Whale Sovereign faintly said, "Junior Qin Yu, no one will be able to save you today!"

He stepped forwards. His aura seemed to move mountains and drown out the skies.

Turtle Origin's figure flashed as he appeared right in front of the Whale Sovereign.

The Whale Sovereign furrowed his eyebrows. "Do you also want to block me today? Turtle Origin, even if your body is that of a black turtle, do not forget that the bloodline of the flood dragon race also flows within you!"

"Turtle Origin, step down!"

"If you wish to protect this human, that is a great disrespect to the ancestors!"

"Move aside! Even if His Majesty comes today, he will still die!"

Even the formidable old turtle felt his scalp tingle at this moment. This crowd of old geezers had really gone crazy, and it would be difficult for him to deal with them. Even if they were unreasonable they could stir up a mess, much less right now when Qin Yu had given them the perfect excuse.

Just as he was stuck in a hard spot, his eyes swept to the side and caught a look at Qin Yu's calm expression. The old turtle was immediately angered.

Hey, did you guess that we needed help from you? Otherwise how could you be so fearless!?

The old turtle's face darkened and he said in a low voice, "Qin Yu, how do you explain all of this?" Of course, the old turtle was only trying to draw things out. Once more time passed His Majesty would certainly learn what happened here, and only he could suppress this situation.

The old fogies from the Council of Elders all had frosty expressions. What else was there to say? This human captive had blatantly killed people during the royal family's Day of Ancestral Worship. Wasn't this a crime that went beyond any form of forgiveness?

But looking at this human body's stance, it seemed that he really was prepared to say something. The old fogies waited eagerly. They thought that no matter how glib or persuasive this boy was, they would nail him down here and finish him off!

Qin Yu opened his mouth. But, what he said went beyond everyone's expectations. He didn't give any explanation or try to argue back. He only looked forwards and said, "You don't need to shout for your life. No one here can save you."

These words were completely inexplicable and bewildering. It was as if he had taken the Whale Sovereign's words just now and altered them a little. The old fogies flew into a rage. They thought that this boy really needed to be dragged out and killed again and again for a few hours.

Of course, a person only had one life, so it was impossible for someone to be killed so many times. But in contrast to their anger, several other people on the opposite side of them suddenly felt their hearts shrink as a deep foreboding feeling swelled up within them.

Jing Guanjin seemed to fall into an icy lake. Qin Yu's light tone, Qin Yu's faint gaze, all of this was like a horrifying nightmare that covered him in endless fear.

Those words, were those words meant for him?

Jing Guanjin wanted to coldly sneer. His father had already appeared. Even if Qin Yu had a thousand methods, how could he possibly injure him? But he soon discovered that he couldn't smile. His body was numb like a block of wood. Although his consciousness was clear, he wasn't able to control his movements in the least.

What happened?

Fear erupted in his heart. Jing Guanjin wanted to seek out help, but his field of sight began to darken. There was crashing sound after crashing sound all around him, the last sounds he heard before his consciousness fully faded away.

Thus, he fell to the ground, joining all the other young masters. Their bodies were twisted and colored a terrifying and macabre blue and black.

The Whale Sovereign's face froze. His figure flickered and he appeared by Jing Guanjin's side. He placed his hand on the corpse and after several breaths of time, he looked up. In a quiet voice that seemed to come from the nine nether hells, he whispered, "What a fierce poison."

He had already decided to abandon Jing Guanjin. Although the reason was a bit different from what he had thought, there was no longer any significance to discussing this. But in any case, the Whale Sovereign never thought that Jing Guanjin would die, especially like this, right in front of him.

Turtle Origin inspected the other young masters. But, the violent poison had already entered their bodies and thoroughly scattered their souls.

The old turtle looked up at Qin Yu. There was a bit of stunned shock, but even more exasperation. He had thought things were as bad as they could be, and he never imagined that the larger surprise was still waiting behind.

Princess Lushy's field of vision turned black and she nearly fainted. Perhaps there might have been a chance of resolving the situation if just some guards had died, but with the death of Jing Guanjin and all these other captive princes, things had been thrust beyond the point of redemption. At the same time, Qin Yu's hopes of survival were cut off.

She didn't know where the impulse came from, but Princess Lushy ran over to him and shouted, "Why!? Why did you do this!?"

Qin Yu looked at her calmly. "They deserved to die."

Yes, they did deserve death. But what a pity, Daoist Wuyuan's poison was a bit too tyrannical.

These people died too quickly. They likely didn't feel much pain. How unfortunate.

The corpse he threw out had been poisoned and the catalyst was his own blood. Although the effect could only be maintained for several breaths of time, the effects were still quite nice, right?

Qin Yu didn't conceal his disappointment. Because of this, the Whale Sovereign narrowed his eyes and a terrifying aura flooded out from him like a tide.

As for the Council of Elders, several of those old fogies seemed to suffer too great a mental impact from what had happened. Some of them rolled their eyes back and fainted, and several others started to shout out curses. If it wasn't for them fearing that violent poison which could appear at any time, they might have rushed forwards to kill Qin Yu themselves.

The Whale Sovereign took the initiative.

Turtle Origin hesitated, but in the end he didn't move again. With things having come this far, he no longer had the standing to interfere.

He looked deeply towards the royal palace, towards the place where the highest authority in the world was gathered. His heart was filled with anxious worry.

Your Majesty, Your Majesty, have you still not made a decision yet? If you continue to delay, then there won't be enough time!

Qin Yu's face paled. Part of it was because of his injuries, but more of it was because he was being suppressed by this aura. He was well aware that the Whale Sovereign was going to kill him, and he would die even if he used the Boundless Blue Finger.

However, he had already expected this to occur.

Since he had chosen to make his move today, he had already prepared himself for this.

Even if it ended with his death.

Because there were some things that, even if they were the wrong move to make, even if they brought harm to himself, still needed to be done.

After all, what he owed was a life, and only a life could compensate for it.

Whether it was someone else's or his own.

Qin Yu closed his eyes. He gathered the totality of his will and strength together. If he couldn't wait for a final turning point to occur, then right before his death, he would go out in his most fiery glory.

Die with his hands tied behind his back?

Sorry, but that wasn't his style.

The Whale Sovereign's steps weren't quick, as if he were waiting for something. But as he approached with every step, a horrifying pressure arrived like a falling mountain, becoming more and more terrifying.

Qin Yu's black robes were pressed tightly against his body. Perhaps because his injuries had been disturbed, blood started to gush out from his nose, eyes, ears, and mouth.

But he still stood straight and tall. There was no trace of pain or regret in his eyes. Only resolve.

The final wait had failed?

Then, let's die.

Qin Yu lifted a hand. Beneath the terrifying pressure, every movement he made was slow and arduous. He could even hear his bones cracking and breaking. But suddenly, the robes that were pushed against his body were freed. They billowed all around him.

In the skies above the royal palace, winds and clouds surged!

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Chapter 182 – The Grown Sang Yueyue

"Stay your hand!"

Wind and clouds surged, followed by a vast slaughtering intent. From that grand hall deep within the royal palace, that man who wielded the highest authority in the world had finally made his voice heard. It was calm, indifferent, and without any fluctuations of strength, yet there was an invisible charm within that stunned the heart and filled one with endless awe.

A trace of disappointment flashed within the Whale Sovereign's eyes. But beyond that, there was agitation, as if he had already expected this to occur.

He took a deep breath and stopped his steps. He lowered his head to express his respect.

At this moment, the Whale Sovereign's expression was one of indifference. But, the slight wrinkling of his eyebrows carried with it a tinge of anger. With his sublime performance, he fully displayed his attitude of unwillingness and helplessness.

The seafolk really did need to deliver an acting award to the Whale Sovereign, because his performance was perfect. It was so perfect that even those old fogies of the Council of Elders felt a stabbing pain in their hearts.

Look! The great and mighty ruler of the seas had actually disregarded his most important subordinates just so he could save the life of a mere human. Others might fear his unsurpassed royal authority, but they didn't. They were already buried to their necks in the earth, so would they still be fearful over their lives?

His Majesty had been fooled. What they needed to do was awaken him, scold him until he was sober.

"Your Majesty, we acknowledge that you are the wisest and most formidable ruler in the history of the royal family, but now you have changed; you have changed and become unreasonable and incorrigibly obstinate."

"The Council of Elders might possess no real power, but we are the elders of the royal family and have a duty-bound responsibility to help Your Majesty. Look at everything around you. You have already made mistake after mistake. Do you plan on repeating them?"

"Wake up! Has unsurpassed royal authority caused you to lose your judgment? Your Majesty, do you want to become the most disastrous and inadequate ruler in the history of the sea races!?"

The Whale Sovereign remained silent. What he needed to do now was play the role of a good and loyal aide; the rest would be handled by the elders. But in the next moment, his eyes narrowed to reveal a bit of surprise and…praise. Sure enough, His Majesty was still His Majesty. He hadn't changed at all in these past years.

"Fellow elders, has this Solitude been silent for too long, or is it because these hands haven't been stained by blood in recent times that you all think the royal authority has declined to the extent where it can be questioned by the likes of you?" The Sea Sovereign had a light expression, but everyone could feel the terrifying aura accompanying each and every word.

The Council of Elders…yes, perhaps it was disrespectful to call these elders a bunch of old fogies, so maybe it was better to call them old thieves. Yes, the old undying bastards were just old thieves after all. Their complexions stiffened and their bodies shook with anger. They never imagined that His Majesty would actually respond to them like this.

Flames wildly burned in their chests. But no matter how much their lips quivered or their bodies shook, no one dared to open their mouth to speak again.

This caused the old thieves to realize with shame that they still feared death.

Because His Majesty…would really kill people.

In the past, in order to smoothly mount the throne, he had already killed many, many people, and this included those from the royal family.

To be more exact, the most people that His Majesty killed were from the royal family. At that time, many spots had become vacant in the Council of Elders. It was only during the last 200-300 years that these positions had gradually filled back up. Then, who had the confidence to say that His Majesty wouldn't once again clear out the Council of Elders?

The Whale Sovereign might praise His Majesty's forceful momentum and strength, but he couldn't remain silent any longer. He looked and said with a solemn expression, "Your Majesty, today is the Day of Ancestral Worship. For something so wicked to occur today, you must give us an explanation…even if you are the supreme ruler of the sea races. This is because the explanation is not for us, but for the ancestors up above who silently shelter the royal family."

These words were heavy and were extremely well spoken. They completely removed any responsibility from the Whale Sovereign while placing the most pressure on the Sea Sovereign.

"This Solitude will give you all an explanation. Now, draw back." The Sea Sovereign spoke lightly, as if he didn't feel any pressure at all.

The Whale Sovereign bowed and took several steps back. He lifted Jing Guanjin's corpse and departed.

The old thieves from the Council of Elders all had dark and grim faces. Just before they left, their eyes were cold and clouded over, indicating that this matter wouldn't end here.

Since His Majesty needed to give them an explanation, they would wait.

Princess Lushy bit her lips. She didn't know how or when she left the royal palace. It was only when she was escorted onto her carriage that she slumped back in her soft seat. A thought suddenly rose in her heart: perhaps the future life she dreamed of would never be realized.

Qin Yu's wounds were heavy, but thanks to the potency of the Demon Body as well as the existence of the water and wood element spiritual objects within him, he was extremely tough to kill. As long as he didn't receive wounds that would take his life almost immediately, then he could restore himself in a short period of time. So, during this period in the royal palace, Qin Yu sat about peacefully. While his complexion was still pale white, he wasn't wounded any longer.

The old turtle coldly sneered, "What a heroic and powerful human cultivation. During the royal family's Day of Ancestral Worship, you went on a killing spree and finished off almost all your enemies. But, so what? Everyone knows that what happened to your disciple was the handiwork of the Whale Sovereign. How will you get rid of him?"

Qin Yu thought for a moment. He said, "As long as I'm still alive, I will have the chance."

The old turtle nearly turned apoplectic with rage. Is this the key issue you bastard? I was just mocking you for being overly impulsive, stop pretending to be an idiot and play dumb with me!

He clenched his teeth and repressed his impulsive desire to crush this brat into pieces. He lowered his voice and said, "Right now, you only have one road remaining to you, and that is to agree to marry Princess Lushy and voluntarily join the flood dragon race. His Majesty will announce that before you did anything, you were already a part of the royal family, and then he can save your life!"

Qin Yu shook his head without hesitation. "I cannot agree to this marriage. But, perhaps I have a way of making that underground vine even stronger so it can withstand more of that tyrannical strength."

The old turtle's eyes instantly sharpened, as if they became arrows that could stab into the heart. A dreadful aura began to circle around and Qin Yu paled. He bitterly smiled as a trace of blood flowed out from the side of his lips. "Senior, although I am trying to appear as if I'm fine, I'm still injured. Ah, please be gentle with me."

These words…seemed to have a different meaning…

The old turtle's face stiffened and it was hard for him to maintain the icy dread in his gaze. He humphed and said, "Brat, you think far too many things. But, let me tell you, sometimes those that think themselves too smart end up dead! You can consider what choice you want to make. Two days – I will only give you two days."

He left the hall. The air was still thick with the smell of blood. Since Jing Guanjin had appeared here, that meant every guard here needed to die.

Even if some of them were wronged, once His Majesty was angered, no one would be spared.

Ceremony, royal palace…thinking about it, perhaps even His Majesty never imagined that the Whale Sovereign would be able to accomplish all of this.

After clearing out the guards, it was obviously more difficult to get through. But in the dark of night, Sang Yueyue still arrived with a tired look. Her eyes were filled with worry. "Big Brother Qin Yu, I don't know who it is, but someone…publicized everything that happened today. Now, everyone knows."

She pursed her lips and sniffled. From her appearance it seemed as if she would cry.

Qin Yu never thought he would see her again. Seeing her genuinely worried over him, his heart warmed and he smiled. "Don't worry. Since I wasn't killed today, my chances of living on are much higher. Of course, even if I end up dying anyways, I did still gain some time, didn't I?"

The young girl flattened her lips and rolled her eyes. She angrily said, "Big Brother Qin Yu, what time is it that you can still joke around like this? If you die, others…others will be sad!"

She blinked her eyes and shyly looked to the side. She suddenly said, "Big Brother Qin Yu, if you aren't willing to marry Big Sister Lushy, then it's fine if you marry me. As long as there is a reason, uncle will certainly save your life. Marrying me is the same as marrying Big Sister Lushy; you will still obtain the status of a royal family member."

The little girl was excited, as if she had suddenly thought of a genius idea.

Qin Yu couldn't help but laugh.

Good, our young and na?ve Sang Yueyue was born with a thin and beautiful body and a lovely and cute personality. But, she was still just a very tender, very fresh, and very small little loli. How could he do anything to her…cough cough, he was overthinking things. It was an impossibility anyways. Otherwise, he would have rather chosen Princess Lushy. In any case, she was a beautiful woman too….ah, he was thinking about their looks too much.

He hurriedly dispelled these thoughts and kept his expression as neutral as possible to avoid harming this young girl's na?ve heart. "Yueyue is certainly good, but you are far too young, it is not possible for anything to happen between us." He tactfully smiled as he spoke, but he never imagined in the next moment he would be struck with something similar to twelve thousand storms.

Sang Yueyue looked down at her mostly flat chest and was suddenly enlightened. "So it's like that. I have a very good solution. Big Brother Qin Yu, watch this…"

There was a flash of light, and that tender and delicate little loli disappeared. What appeared in her place was a tall and fantastic charming beauty with a thin waist and mind-bogglingly long legs. And, what was most horrifying was that while her body had suddenly grown, her clothes didn't have that ability. Thus, they split open all around her.

Her legs were exposed…her waist was exposed…her chest…she seemed to be a bit uncomfortable about still being bound there, and wanted to reach up and tear off the tight strip of cloth. Then, at some time during his bewildered daze, Qin Yu finally regained his senses. He shouted out, "Don't move!"

"Mm? What is it Big Brother Qin Yu?" It was still Sang Yueyue's voice. But, with her current body combined with this sort of soft loli voice, the lethality of it was far too terrifying.

Qin Yu spun around and looked up. He feared that if he continued to look, blood would spurt out of his nose.

That would be too shameful!

"Big Brother Qin Yu?"

Qin Yu coughed repeatedly. "Yueyue, change back first and put on some clothes. Then we can talk again, okay?"

"Oh…" She was obedient as before. After another flash of light and some rustling sounds, she smiled and said, "I'm good."

Qin Yu tuned back around. He cleared his throat and tried to appear calm. But, as he watched the young girl look over her body for something, his expression stiffened.

"Yueyue, don't do that again in the future."

Sang Yueyue impishly smiled. "People already know. That's why I only reveal my body metamorphosis in front of people I am close with. Big Brother Qin Yu, do you think I was beautiful? That is really what I look like grown up! It's just that mother doesn't want the strength within my body to grow too quickly, so she placed a seal on me."

She waved her hand as if scattering all her worries. Then, she winked her large eyes. "Right now, Big Brother Qin Yu doesn't need to consider those worries anymore. I can grow up so of course I can marry you. How about it? Would you consider it? I am very serious about it."

Qin Yu: %#@!

Really, he had no idea just what to say.

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Chapter 183 – A Perfect Play

It was only with enormous effort that Qin Yu was able to have Sang Yueyue understand that it was impossible for the two of them to ever be together. In order to completely dispel any thoughts she might have, he even made up a story about how he was already married. And sure enough, this fatal blow immediately caused Sang Yueyue to calm down. However, her eyes were still full of grievances, as if she was asking, who in the world was this woman and how had she been so fast? How hateful!

Her bright and watery eyes left one clutching their heart. Qin Yu wryly smiled. This little girl's charm factor was just too high.

After a few comforting sentences, she calmed down. But soon, a look of worry crossed her face. In this current situation, Sang Yueyue suddenly changed the mood, her face nervous as she said, "Big Brother Qin Yu, maybe it would be better if you agreed? Otherwise, they won't ever let you off."

Qin Yu smiled. "I'm already married, so how can I trick others? That's why I can never agree to this wedding. I'll be safe for now. Yueyue, did you pass my letter to those people from Moon Praying Shrine?"

"I delivered it the same day. I've had people keeping tabs on them, but the Great Glory Gambling Hall has been extremely peaceful these past days; there hasn't been anything out of the ordinary." Of course, the little girl couldn't help but give an explanation about Great Glory Gambling Hall's background, and from the way she spoke she clearly disliked this name.

Qin Yu listened to her random thoughts and calmed down a little.

On the day his identity was revealed, the Whale Sovereign had tried to kill him, but Moon Praying Shrine had tried to save his life, even going against public opinion to do so. There had to be a reason for that. Thinking about it, it should be related to his disguised identity as a sea spirit teacher and his subsequent fame. Thus, when he had Sang Yueyue deliver a letter, the words within had been quite simple: As long as it is a sea spirit and as long as it isn't dead, I can save it.

Moon Praying Shrine would certainly have a response. However, there was actually no noise. Something seemed off.

Concerning Moon Praying Shrine's strength, Qin Yu had already asked Sang Yueyue about it. Moon Praying Shrine was the bloodline lineage and tribe of the previous dynasty's queen. They had a strong war division and had once even raised a flag and revolted against the capital city, causing a fierce war to erupt.

In the end, Moon Praying Shrine had been subdued by the capital city and was forced to acknowledge their supreme sovereignty. But, this explanation was only what was told to the common seafolk. According to Sang Yueyue's explanation, Moon Praying Shrine remained the most formidable tribe in the sea region, one that maintained their absolute independence and still had the qualifications to shake the capital city.

Qin Yu could make a vow to the royal palace that he would help the underground vine grow. Although he still didn't know just why or how that was useful, it was undoubtedly a very, very important matter. Under this premise, if Moon Praying Shrine were to also help, then there should be a chance for him to escape from this unscathed.

Qin Yu let out a light breath and gathered his thoughts. He looked up, "Yueyue, can I bother you with one more thing?"

Sang Yueyue nodded, "Just tell me, Big Brother Qin Yu!"

"Thank you Yueyue. You should already be aware of my disciple and what happened to him. No matter what outcome emerges from all this, I likely won't be able to help him again. So, I hope that Yueyue will look after Leon for me." As he spoke to here, Qin Yu paused for a moment before continuing, "Just say that this is a little bit of what I owe him."

Sang Yueyue's eyes brightened. "Big Brother Qin Yu, you've already done as much as you can. After Seventh Aunty and Seventh Uncle found out, while they were shocked, they still admired you. My Seventh Aunty said that Big Brother Qin Yu is someone who values friendship. It's just a pity that…"

"Just a pity that I am not one of the sea races, right?" Qin Yu smiled, his eyes a bit sad and dim. "In truth, no matter who I kill or what I do, I will always owe Leon. This is because it is impossible for those that die to live again. This matter has already given me a profound lesson. I cannot arbitrarily pull people into my troubles, because even if you think that I have already done so much for them, in the end it just might be harming them."

The young girl listened in a stunned daze, but she could still distinguish his general meaning. So, when she looked at Qin Yu her eyes were even brighter. She perked up and blabbered to herself.

"Just why did I run into Big Brother Qin Yu so late? Now I don't have any chance at all. This isn't fair…

"Ugh! What a lucky woman. I hope that she will always be good to Big Brother Qin Yu, or else I will steal you away…

"Ahh, I'm not happy, I'm so envious…"

Sang Yueyue looked up in earnest. "Big Brother Qin Yu, can't you divorce her and marry me? Is she more beautiful than I am?"

Qin Yu shook his head and laughed. "Stop speaking nonsense." He paused for several moments, and when he spoke he seemed wistful, as if he were remembering a fond memory. "Yueyue is beautiful, but she is irreplaceable in my eyes. Moreover, she left several years ago, so even if I want to divorce her, I wouldn't have the chance."

His words were heavy and filled with emotion. The little girl immediately understood what it meant when he said she had 'left'. A guilty look crossed her face and she whispered, "I'm sorry Big Brother Qin Yu, I didn't mean to dig up your painful past."

In her heart, she cried out in sorrow. That woman had already died. How could she possibly compare to the shadow that woman left in her Big Brother Qin Yu's heart?

She feared that no matter what she did, it would be impossible to replace her. But the more she thought of this, the better she thought her Big Brother Qin Yu was.

Oh, what could she do, what could she do?

Qin Yu had no idea what the little girl was thinking right now. Ning Ling's image appeared in his mind, but after several breaths of time he shook his head and sighed helplessly. Perhaps the sudden recent events had affected him and caused him to become sentimental.

After some more words, he urged the little girl to leave sooner. While he didn't know what was happening outside, he could imagine that it took her a considerable amount of effort to enter this place. The longer she stayed, the more chances there were for problems to occur. Right now, he didn't want to owe anyone, anything, anymore.

As if sensing Qin Yu's thoughts, the little girl nodded agreeably. She said that she would try to think of a solution, but when she left, she still seemed a bit reluctant.

She left the hall. The carriage hidden in the shadows had been waiting for her all this time. When she boarded, the driver shook the reins and they quietly drove off. After some time, the carriage driver couldn't help but say, "Miss, what you did just now was…far too dangerous."

He really couldn't think of any words or expressions to convey his thoughts. Could it be that just because you thought your chest wasn't large enough, you also started to lose your mind? He had already rushed in just then!

"Mm? What did you say, uncle?"

"…I said that miss shouldn't…"

"Uncle, Big Brother Qin Yu is really a very good, very good person. I used to hate humans, but from today on I have decided to change my view of them. There are still good people amongst the humans – for instance, Big Brother Qin Yu. Hah, I really envy her, that woman who met Big Brother Qin Yu so much earlier. Although she has died, she has always kept guard over Big Brother Qin Yu's heart."

Hearing this, the carriage driver thought that there was no longer a reason for him to speak.

Of course, the young girl was now holding her chest, sighing and full of longing. She had already forgotten about what he had said earlier.

…

Within that grand hall, the Sea Sovereign turned his eyes. "Mister, do you really think that Qin Yu won't agree to the marriage?"

The old turtle had a repugnant expression. "Your Majesty, although I don't want to admit it, Qin Yu that human bastard is indeed a man of principle. If he said that he won't agree, then I fear that even after two days pass, he will still refuse the offer."

The Sea Sovereign smiled. "It's rare to see someone like that who doesn't fear death. Moreover, this Solitude is quite curious; why does he refuse? Could it really be for a woman?"

He found it hard to believe, but this was what it was.

The old turtle sneered. "I think he knows that we need to use him, otherwise how could he be so unscrupulous in his actions?"

The Sea Sovereign nodded. "Mister's words are reasonable. But, we all saw the situation today. If this Solitude didn't take action, he would have truly risked everything."

The old turtle curled his lips.

The Sea Sovereign shook his head. "It seems that mister has really been left angered breathless by him these past days. This Qin Yu is quite skilled. At the very least, this Solitude has never managed to achieve that in the past."

"Your Majesty, it's about time, no more of this extravagant and useless chatter. What do you really think? For something so disastrous to occur on the Day of Ancestral Worship, although the Whale Sovereign is incomparably vile for doing so, he wasn't wrong. It is impossible for us to not give an explanation for this. If Qin Yu refuses marriage then he won't have a royal title. Just how does Your Majesty plan on saving him?"

The Sea Sovereign turned his eyes. "Could that little girl Yueyue's actions be hidden from mister's eyes? Since this Solitude has allowed them to do as they please, there is a variable that this Solitude has kept buried. This Solitude didn't wish to use it, but now it seems that there is no other choice."

The old turtle lightly coughed. "But doing so might not seem too good."

"Haha, if mister has taught me anything, it is that in comparison to living, any face or shame is meaningless." The Sea Sovereign's eyes lightened. "And, these are concessions made under pressure from Moon Praying Shrine. They can always be explained."

The old turtle cupped his hands together. "Your Majesty is wise."

The Sea Sovereign chuckled. "Mister's flattery is too rare. Then, this Solitude will accept it. It appears you also appreciate this Qin Yu a little. This Solitude is the same. At first he didn't seem like much, but more and more he seems like a rare and talented person. Unfortunately, in the end he isn't one of the sea races."

…

As the Sea Sovereign was sighing, a carriage quietly drove into the rear courtyard of the Great Glory Gambling Hall. The stiff and weary carriage driver leapt down, bowed to the several people around him, and drew back respectfully.

The carriage opened from inside to reveal an old man wearing ordinary moon-colored robes. He had a warm and genial smile. With the Vice Priest in the lead, the other seafolk of Moon Praying Shrine lowered their heads deeply, their words coming from the depths of their heart. "Greetings, Lord Priest."

This humble-looking old man whose eyes seemed just a bit brighter than usual, was actually the Lord Priest of Moon Praying Shrine, someone that overawed a part of the sea region and possessed true power. If one really had to compare him, then besides His Majesty in the royal palace, this old priest could be called the most revered and respected person in the world.

And such a great person had quietly arrived in the capital city during this common and ordinary night.

"Rise."

"Yes."

The white-dressed woman approached. When she supported her father's arm, the Lord Priest's smile immediately brightened and filled with warmth. It appeared as if they were no different than a father and his most favored daughter.

"Lord Priest, you have finally arrived. According to what we know, His Majesty has given Qin Yu a final two days to consider. If we don't make our move now it will be too late." The Vice Priest said with a solemn expression.

The Lord Priest smiled. He looked up towards the royal palace. "You all have underestimated His Majesty too much. When you sent news back to the tribe, it was inevitably because he allowed it. If I'm not wrong, His Majesty has been awaiting the arrival of these old bones. So to express my gratitude towards His Majesty, two days from now, our Moon Praying Shrine must work with him to give the perfect play."

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Chapter 184 – Lie with Open Eyes

For some people, the older they grew the more crooked they became. For instance, those from the Council of Elders. For some people, the older they grew the wiser and wilier they became. For instance, Moon Praying Shrine's Lord Priest. Without any communication, he could rely on just his own extrapolations and experience to completely understand the situation. One had no choice but to acknowledge just how sharp his judgment was.

No one disagreed with the Lord Priest's words; they only expressed their joy and happiness towards the treatment that the Saint Flower would soon receive. Within Moon Praying Shrine, this old priest had a status comparable to that of His Majesty within the capital city. No…it was actually far higher than that. This was because this priest was not only the one who wielded the highest power, but also because he was the spiritual leader and beacon of light who led them forwards.

Two days later, Great Glory Gambling Hall's great doors were pushed open. Because they had announced their closure earlier, the surroundings were in a rare state of quiet. A carriage was waiting, one that had the emblem representing the full might of Moon Praying Shrine. It was an image of a moon hanging high above the seas, the waves below gently moving with the breeze as numerous moons were reflected in the waters below.

Outside the gambling hall, there were still some people gathered. These were gamblers that hadn't yet heard the news, and they were turned away. Some of them were angry but they didn't dare to do anything about it. They cursed and muttered to themselves, but things like this were bound to happen. At this time, they saw the carriage drive out of the gambling hall along with the massive amount of wolf riders that followed on both sides. As long as one wasn't stubbornly blind, it was easy to tell that a great figure had arrived.

Moreover, there were always those with discerning eyesight. The carriage was covered in complicated textures and there was also that magnificent and dazzling image of a moon high above the sea; this was the most honored and distinguished symbol of Moon Praying Shrine. It was like the imperial dragon robes of the mortal world. Not many had the qualifications to use it; perhaps it was only this Lord Priest.

That great figure who had once led Moon Praying Shrine into direct conflict with the capital city had now come here? As the seafolk watching realized this, all of them gushed out with fervid excitement in their hearts. None of them held any malice or enmity towards Moon Praying Shrine; one could even say that they had a faint and hard-to-describe sense of worship towards that legendary Lord Priest. Thus, as the carriage passed, their eyes filled with awe and respect, as well as a bit of curiosity and hope, as they bowed towards it.

As if sensing their thoughts, the carriage windows were pushed open from within to reveal the warm face of the priest. But on this day, he wore his full priestly regalia. It was sewed in ancient patterns, bright colors, and there were even several long feathers on his hat. But, none of this seemed humorous at all, and instead further enhanced his dignity. While the old priest might have been gently smiling, his honorable and lofty aura still exuded a sense of inexplicable power.

After this, news of Moon Praying Shrine's Lord Priest arriving in the capital city spread at the fastest speed possible. Wolf riders looked out, their gazes as sharp as blades as they searched for any sign of trouble in the surroundings. If even a tiny accident were to occur, it would welcome a violent reaction.

Xue Zheng sat on his sea wolf, his complexion still pale. It was clear he had yet to recover from the serious injuries he suffered. Even so, no one dared to mock him. He was a formidable existence who had come face-to-face with the Whale Sovereign and still lived.

The carriage drove down the streets. As more and more eyes looked towards them, they headed towards the royal palace.

And at this time, within the royal palace, a final decision was being made on Qin Yu's fate.

News of Moon Praying Shrine's Head Priest visiting left many people stunned. They couldn't imagine why this old opponent of theirs would be so brave as to step into the capital city.

But there were also those that felt something else from Moon Praying Shrine's actions. Their complexion immediately darkened as their eyes became gloomy.

For instance, the Whale Sovereign.

On that day when Xue Zheng had personally moved to block him, he could determine Moon Praying Shrine's stance from this. But, he never thought that their Lord Priest would personally make a visit.

These damned barbarians, just what sort of wrong medicine did they take today. Could it be that they came here to…save Qin Yu? During the Day of Ancestral Worship, the Whale Sovereign had chosen to step back because he had full faith that Qin Yu would die. So, he took advantage of that moment to weaken His Majesty's prestige. After all, that would be advantageous for him when he seized the throne in the future.

But now, other variables had come into play. It seemed as if the situation was slipping beyond his control.

He couldn't wait any longer. Qin Yu had to die!

His eyes flashed with a severe light. The Whale Sovereign stepped forwards and said, "Your Majesty, it is time that you give us an explanation. I have waited until today, and now we have reached the moment you promised."

Within the grand hall, several people widened their eyes in amazed surprise. They never thought that the Whale Sovereign, who preferred to remain hidden in the background, would actually jump out on his own initiative and make a demand of His Majesty. There were many smart people here. They thought about how the Lord Priest from Moon Praying Shrine had just arrived and how the wolf rider captain had tried to save Qin Yu that day, and their expressions turned heavy.

The first one to stand up was the Council of Elders' Great Elder. He had a long scar that traced down his face. The original injury should have been extremely serious, thus even though it had healed, there was still a deep red and purple scar.

"Your Majesty, the Day of Ancestral Worship is the most important festive day of my royal palace. Anyone that affronts the ancestors should be sternly punished. Much less, I also heard that this person is a human?" The Great Elder who had been awakened from seclusion felt his lips twitch, and the scar that ran down his face seemed even fiercer. "I believe he should have been executed on the scene that day, yet matters have been dragged out this long. I really have no idea what Your Majesty is thinking."

He bowed and lightly said, "I ask Your Majesty to issue an order to execute Qin Yu. Otherwise, please kill me. I only hope that Your Majesty's blade doesn't show any more mercy, otherwise if I gain another scar on my face, I will be far too ugly. Not even my little grandson will allow me to hug him."

In the past when the Council of Elders had been mercilessly cleaned out, while the Great Elder had lived, he had gained a scar on his face. Only a small number of people knew about this, and now that it was publicly revealed in the grand hall, it was no different from a ruthless question. Did His Majesty want to clear out the Council of Elders once more, just for the sake of a single human?

"I ask Your Majesty to issue the order. Execute Qin Yu!"

"I ask Your Majesty to execute Qin Yu!"

"Your Majesty, please pass down the order!"

Within the grand hall, person after person fell to their knees. The air seemed as if it would freeze solid.

In the corners of the grand hall, several figures stood about. Their auras were calm and indifferent. They wore long white robes, and whether it was men or women, they kept their eyes down, as if they didn't see what was happening in front of them.

The Whale Sovereign frowned. According to their previous agreement, these priests should have started speaking up to nail down Qin Yu. After all, these people might not have any authority, but when it came to worshipping the ancestors, they held an enormous amount of power.

On the Day of Ancestral Worship, the priests had already made their move, so they had no reason to be silent now. Just where had the problem come from?

The Whale Sovereign was lost in thought. At this time, as the Sea Sovereign sat on his dragon throne and faced the waves of suppression, he finally spoke up. "You want to kill Qin Yu, and this Solitude is the same. But since he has been kept alive until today, there is naturally a reason for doing so." He turned and nodded. "Mister Turtle, please take out that thing."

The old turtle's face darkened and he took out a bright crescent-shaped jade pendant from his chest. He said, "On the Day of Ancestral Worship, a special envoy from Moon Praying Shrine secretly arrived at the royal palace to deliver this identification token. It clearly states that Qin Yu is a guest priest of Moon Praying Shrine. His Majesty and I have carefully examined it, and we have determined that the jade pendant's aura indeed belongs to Qin Yu." He clenched his teeth, seemingly enraged and peeved. "Otherwise, did you really think that His Majesty would willingly save Qin Yu? To ruin the Day of Ancestral Worship is no different from disturbing the slumber of our ancestors. This is a great crime that cannot be forgiven even with death! But, are you all aware that if he dies, that is the same as the capital city killing off a priest of Moon Praying Shrine? Even if that person is only a guest priest, that is a shame which Moon Praying Shrine will not accept. If that happens, there is bound to be war!"

The old turtle paused. His sharp and fierce eyes swept around the grand hall. "War, this is war! Not those minor quibbles that occur amongst those small regional tribes. Since you all have the qualifications to stand here today, you should all be aware what sort of strength Moon Praying Shine possesses. If there truly is war, then perhaps the capital city may eventually win, but the cost of doing so would be too steep to imagine. You, you, you, and also you, and also me, all of us would have a chance of being buried in this war!"

No one imagined that things would take a sudden turn in this direction. As they saw the frothing-in-anger Turtle Origin and His silent Majesty, countless people groaned inwardly. Hey, with your two statuses, is it really okay to handle things like this?

Moon Praying Shrine's guest priest? Stop messing around!

Qin Yu was a human. In that tribe which cared about tradition and legacies the most, it would be good enough if he wasn't immediately killed, so how could he become a guest priest? This was simply the greatest joke in the world! But, the problem was that even if everyone knew that His Majesty was acting along with Turtle Origin, no one could do anything about it, because that status-identifying jade pendant was sure to be real.

What nonsense. The human was in your hands and Moon Praying Shrine was also echoing you from outside. To prepare these things in secret was ridiculously easy. Yet, who would have thought that in order to save Qin Yu's life, that solemn and dignified ruler of the sea races would actually do something like this and lie with his eyes wide open.

Many of those in the hall didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. But at the same time, they sobered up a bit. It seemed that His Majesty had doubled down on his resolve to guarantee Qin Yu's life.

"Your Majesty, I cannot fully believe your explanation. How can a human become Moon Praying Shrine's guest priest?" Cold light surged in the Whale Sovereign's eyes. "And, even if we draw back a step and say that he is Moon Praying Shrine's guest priest, since he dared to insult our ancestors on the Day of Ancestral Worship, he still must die!"

The sound of footsteps transmitted from outside the hall. Everyone turned to see the Lord Priest arrive, dressed in his full priestly garb. From his smile, everyone could feel the lofty aura that emanated from him.

"Replying to the Whale Sovereign's question, who my Moon Praying Shrine chooses as a guest priest is an internal matter; we don't need to give anyone an explanation or ask anyone for permission. As for killing my Moon Praying Shrine's guest priest…" The old priest paused for a moment and then faintly said, "The Whale Sovereign may try."

The Lord Priest looked up and revealed a smile. "Your Majesty, this old man has been disrespectful to you. I greet you."

He slightly bent his waist in greeting.

This sight left all the high ranking officials in the grand hall stunned. For a moment, they even forgot about what they were discussing before and their overbearing arguments to do so. Moon Praying Shrine had never been easy for the capital city to deal with. They always placed this priest's status on par with His Majesty, and no one had been able to do anything about it. But now, this old man actually lowered his head to greet His Majesty…in that flash, a feeling of growing glory and triumph grew in the hearts of many officials within the hall.

The Sea Sovereign lifted his hands. "There is no need for Lord Priest to be so polite. Men, give him a seat." As the smiling old man took a seat, the Sea Sovereign suddenly realized that this bow had been because of Qin Yu and was a way of expressing his gratitude. Although it seemed casual, for someone of his status to do something like that, it was more than enough to show how important Qin Yu was to him.

Just what had occurred within Moon Praying Shrine? Could it be that…a thought suddenly rose up in the Sea Sovereign's heart. He hesitated for a moment and finally pressed it back down. If his guess was true, then perhaps this might be the best chance to fully wipe out Moon Praying Shrine. But, he would inevitably pay the price for doing so.

At that time, even if he managed to subdue Moon Praying Shrine, he feared that the skies above the capital city would change.

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Chapter 185 – Deal Reached

The priest's eyes brightened. He glanced at the Sea Sovereign and smiled. "I thank Your Majesty for your generosity. As a means of expressing our apologies, Moon Praying Shrine is willing to offer a Soaring Sea Mountain. We only ask that Your Majesty show mercy and forgive Priest Qin Yu for his crime."

Everyone in the hall cried out in alarm!

A Soaring Sea Mountain was a treasure born from the heavens and earth. It floated deep within the sea, and after being refined, it could freely float. Coupled with its amazing defensive abilities…it was a treasure that every war division longed for in their dreams! It could be said that after obtaining a Soaring Sea Mountain, the strength of a war division would nearly double. It was a perfect platform on which to transport soldiers!

And war divisions were the most formidable strength in the sea region. In front of them, any powerhouse was considered a joke. Up until now, there were known to be seven Soaring Sea Mountains in the sea region. Moon Praying Shrine monopolized three, while the capital city, which controlled most of the sea region, only possessed two.

"Your Majesty!" A senior general stepped forwards, his face filled with excitement.

The Whale Sovereign sighed inwardly. He looked at the old man not too far away and a bit of admiration filled his eyes. What a smart and crafty old man. In order to achieve his objective, he was willing to place down such a heavy price. He looked around. Even those people who stood with him were beginning to hesitate.

On one hand, if they killed Qin Yu there was the possibility that they would have to wage war with Moon Praying Shrine. If so, then everyone here had a chance of perishing in the flames of war.

On the other hand, if they turned a blind eye or perhaps found a substitute to kill instead, they could harvest a Soaring Sea Mountain instead.

Disregarding anyone else, just those churlish fellows from the army had already gone red in the eyes upon hearing about the Soaring Sea Mountain. And with it being so close to their hands, if anyone were to think of ruining this moment for them, then while they might not say anything now, they would certainly bear a grudge in the future.

If one offended these great military figures, while nothing might happen for now, they might not fight their troubles in the future.

The Sea Sovereign spoke up at just the right time. "Priest, please wait a moment. This Solitude will soon give you an answer."

The priest stood up. "Thank you, Your Majesty." He bowed once more and turned to leave.

The Sea Sovereign lightly said, "Everyone. In this situation, can you all tell this Solitude what the best course of action to take is?"

One hour later, Qin Yu left the hall. He saw an ordinary but imposing old man standing outside, wearing strange-looking robes, waiting for him. He cupped his hands together. "Thank you, Lord Priest."

The priest smiled, thinking that Qin Yu was indeed a smart person. There was no pain at all on his face from having given away a Soaring Sea Mountain. His voice was warm and kind as he said, "Little Friend Qin Yu, there is no need to speak so seriously. Moon Praying Shrine needs your help, so doing all of this is a matter of course."

This was the truth but also a reminder.

If Qin Yu had no means of helping Moon Praying Shrine save the Saint Flower, then perhaps this kind-looking old man would fly into a palpable rage.

"Lord Priest, rest assured that since I made a promise, I can definitely accomplish it." Qin Yu's eyes flashed. "Can I leave now?"

Turtle Origin flew out from somewhere. He coldly sneered. "Stop thinking such beautiful thoughts. Before you leave the royal palace, fulfill your end of the bargain! Remember, if you cannot help…I guarantee that I will immediately tear up the agreement and dismember you alive!"

As a consequence of saving Qin Yu, the internal factions within the royal family were now a giant mess. While he and His Majesty had worked together to suppress the situation, they had also managed to thoroughly offend those old fogies in the Council of Elders. He didn't care too much about it, but when he thought about how facing them in the future was inevitable, and how they would try to whittle away at him endlessly, he couldn't help but feel annoyed.

Qin Yu frowned.

The priest smiled. He lightly said, "Little Friend Qin Yu, there is no need for you to worry. The reason I came here today is to calm your heart. From this day forth, you are Moon Praying Shrine's guest priest. No one will touch you. After you finish helping His Majesty, I will personally lead people here and bring you back."

Of course, one could simplify these words. For instance: rest assured and stay here; no one will dare move against you.

To speak such words in the royal palace was a tremendously brave display. For the old man to be so casual about it, it showed just how formidable Moon Praying Shrine was. After speaking some more words to the old turtle, the priest ignored his repugnant expression and left with his people in tow.

"That old thing!"

Qin Yu thought about it. He seriously said, "Senior, although I'm not too sure about it, if I had to make a guess I would say that the Lord Priest shouldn't be as old as you."

The old turtle was stunned. He thought about the meaning behind these words and then glared at Qin Yu. "You rascally boy, don't think that I won't fly into anger. Hurry up and get to work. You're an eyesore!"

He flicked his sleeves and walked away.

Behind him, Qin Yu's laughter rang out loud.

At this moment, he was truly relaxed. To have things reach this step, perhaps this was the best possible result.

"Please." A royal guard guided the way. Although he didn't reveal any expression, his actions were courteous and the occasional sweep of his eyes revealed a flash of awe.

A human had been able to conceal his identity and shake up the entire sea region. After being exposed, not only did he not die, but the upheaval became even greater. Just what sort of character was the Whale Sovereign? The Whale Sovereign had failed in killing Qin Yu several times already, and in contrast, his own son had been killed in front of him.

This was a person who had started a killing spree on the Day of Ancestral Worship, and every person he killed had been an important figure. Hah, it was incredible just thinking about it.

The supposedly very-fierce-Qin Yu quietly followed close behind. He gradually calmed down and felt a bit of luck and fear in his heart. Ever since his identity had been exposed, he had been dancing on the edge of a knife. If he had made a mistake, he would have surely died without a grave. And the reason he could accomplish all of this was not because he had relied on his strength or his smarts, but because of the little blue lamp.

Without the little blue lamp's strength, would the Sea Sovereign put up with him? Would Moon Praying Shrine help him? He feared he would already be a corpse! His personal strength was far too weak. If he had the strength to directly face the Whale Sovereign, the old turtle, or even the mysterious Sea Sovereign, who cared if his identity was revealed?

In the end, only a powerful cultivation served as the foundation to all.

Thinking of this, Qin Yu revealed a faint happy smile. While there had been all sorts of twists and turns and troubles, he was still alive. Moreover, the five element Golden Cores were now formed within his dantian. Now that he was no longer imprisoned, he could officially begin practicing the Five Element Sword Diagram.

In a short period of time his strength would drastically rise again. He just didn't know what level he would reach. It was truly something to look forwards to.

In order to go underground this time, they didn't go through Soupman's dwelling. Rather, they went to a strictly guarded temple where eight black-clothed seafolk were sat down cross-legged. When Qin Yu and the royal guard arrived, one of these people opened their eyes. Their eyes were ash gray and icy cold, without any fluctuations of feeling.

The guard took out a token. The black-clothed seafolk glanced at it and closed his eyes once more, no longer caring about them. If one looked carefully at these eight people, they would discover that their appearances were similar and their auras seemed to blend together. Their figures were half-hidden in shadows, just like eight wooden dolls, without any life to them. But, with Qin Yu's formidable soul, he could actually feel an inconceivable thick smell of blood coming from their bodies!

It was hard to imagine just what these people had done to obtain such a horrifying smell of blood. But, there was one point that Qin Yu was aware of. If someone tried to rush underground, they would definitely be torn and smashed apart by a terrifying strength.

"I can only bring you this far. From now on, someone else will be responsible for you." As the royal guard spoke, he used the strength within the token to activate a transmission array on the ground.

Qin Yu didn't hesitate. He stepped into it.

Hum –

A light flashed and his figure vanished from sight. In the next moment, his field of vision was restored. He had appeared before that sealed stone door.

There was already someone waiting here; it was an old man with an ill expression. He coldly snorted and waved his hand, causing the stone door to open. "Go! Remember, this is your only chance. If you cannot satisfy His Majesty, your death will be miserable!"

Wonderful. It seemed that a good number of the sea races had an unfavorable impression of him.

Qin Yu cupped his hands together in thanks. There was nothing he could do about it. Since this person's cultivation was more powerful than his, he could only take the abuse. The cultivators' world was one where powerhouses were revered. Regardless of where he was, this couldn't be considered a disgrace, only a basic rule of survival and getting along with others.

Rumble rumble –

The stone door closed behind him.

Soon, there was the sound of breaking air in the darkness. Qin Yu frowned but soon relaxed.

A thick and sturdy cane raced out from the dark. It drew close to Qin Yu, trembling in excitement as it tried to show its familiarity.

The last time he was here, Qin Yu had judged that while this vine was intelligent, it was mostly at the level of a young child. Otherwise, how could it possibly believe that a gift could move him or even think that he would come back? Moreover, even up until now, Qin Yu wasn't sure just what that black chip was.

Qin Yu patted the vine and then gently leapt onto it. With a cheer, it raced back into the darkness at a speed faster than before. It seemed that since the last time they met, the vine had made great progress after completely absorbing the strength of the little blue lamp.

Qin Yu's eyes flashed. He stepped down from the vine. "I said that I would return, so I would definitely return. But, did you abide by your promise and keep the matter between you and me a secret?"

The vine rubbed itself together, forming a series of syllables. "I…told…no…one…"

This voice was still strange, but clearer than before. If one didn't earnestly listen, it was hard to distinguish the differences.

Qin Yu smiled. "Then that's good. Otherwise, I would not have been able to come and see you again. Later, I will help you continue your growth, but you need to help me block out any senses so that no one outside knows what is happening here, okay?"

"O…kay…"

Rumble rumble –

The ground trembled and countless vines shot out, interweaving together in the air and forming a sealed space. Qin Yu tried to penetrate them with his divine sense but found that the vine itself seemed to have the ability to isolate out any probing senses.

His heart relaxed.

The first time he was here, the royal palace only thought of it as an attempt; they didn't place much hope in him. But, they had found out just how potent his work had been afterwards. One didn't need to be a genius to know that they would be curious as to how he had accomplished this.

So, Qin Yu had asked the vine to block out all senses. The little blue lamp was his greatest secret and his only advantage. If that were to be exposed, he would truly be beyond saving.

"Wait for me. I need to make some preparations to activate the treasure. Only then can I help you." Qin Yu sat down cross-legged. The contents of the Five Element Sword Diagram began to appear in his mind, a bit at a time.

He only needed to wait for night to approach for the little blue lamp to activate. As for preparations or whatever, that was only an excuse.

Staying in the royal palace for a few days wasn't a bad idea. With the protection of the vine he could use this opportunity to practice the Five Element Sword Diagram. Afterwards, he would be much better prepared to defend himself.

…

In the grand hall, the Sea Sovereign opened his eyes, revealing a helpless expression. "The Companion Vine has blocked out all external senses. Even this Solitude cannot see what is occurring within."

The old turtle humphed. He had already guessed that the little bastard would be cautious and try to make a deal with the vine. But once this was truly confirmed, he couldn't help but curse inwardly.

"Then…should we try some other method?"

"No. Everyone has secrets they don't wish to be revealed. If we insist on investigating, there will surely be issues. Let Qin Yu do as he wishes." The Sea Sovereign smiled. "If he is smart, then he will surely try his best this time. Otherwise, even with the priest here, this Solitude will still refuse him."

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Chapter 186 – Drastic Rise in Strength

Deep underground, in the sealed space formed by woven vines, a halo of five colored lights illuminated the surroundings. Reflected against the dense curtain of vines all around, the glowing lights actually appeared quite strange.

Qin Yu sat down cross-legged. The source of the five colored lights hung around him; they were five fist-sized spheres of lights that slowly swirled in a haphazard manner.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes. He lifted his hand with his fingers splayed out and the five spheres of light flew towards him, each one falling onto one of his fingertips. Starting from this thumb, they were in turn white, black, blue, red, and yellow. They shrank in size until they were the size of a knuckle. Then, as time passed, the spheres of light twisted and stretched, each one taking on the shape of a sword.

Hum –

Hum –

At this moment, the resounding cry of swords echoed through the underground cave. The vine violently trembled as if it were shivering. Qin Yu revealed a small smile that soon spread across his entire face. His carefree laughs rang against the walls, endlessly bouncing back and forth across the vines.

He had successfully refined the Five Element Sword Diagram!

From the moment he first saw the sword array in Immortal Eclipse Valley, to the time he obtained the sword diagram, to when he again obtained the Great Divided Heaven Sutra, to when he journeyed to the sea region to take the five-element spiritual objects…through all that he had been through, his adventure couldn't be described as just 'difficult'. After numerous twists and turns and several life or death encounters, all his efforts had finally borne fruit today. From here on out, with the Five Element Sword in his hands, while he might not be able to freely wander the heavens and earth, he still had a certain ability to defend himself in this world.

The nine levels of his Golden Core realm had been divided into five separate cores. Generally speaking, his Five Element Golden Cores should have fallen to the third or fourth level. But, the ruckus that Qin Yu had caused when he split his Golden Core had been too great, far outstripping his imagination of what it would be like. There was that vortex of spiritual energy, of the Sea Mausoleum, and also of that mysterious altar phantom that the Hundred Nether Sword had summoned. With all these powers superimposed upon each other, his divided cores were no longer considered normal. Thus, his five Five Element Golden Cores were all maintained at the seventh level.

This wasn't as simple as five seventh level Golden Cores adding onto each other. The five elements both restrained and enhanced each other. If Qin Yu needed, he could take the magic powers of the five element Golden Cores and instantly transform them into a single element. The resulting rise would be far greater than merely adding them together, and with this, he could even face off against an early Nascent Soul in battle.

Now that he had successfully practiced the Five Element Sword Diagram and could utilize the Five Element Sword, while his cultivation hadn't increased, his combat strength had risen drastically. He had yet to experiment with it, but he believed that he was capable of battling with a middle stage Nascent Soul. Moreover, one couldn't forget that there was also Qin Yu's bodily strength to consider. Ever since the Demon Body had swallowed the tumor and had been damaged and regenerated continuously when his Golden Core split apart, the potency of his body had far surpassed what it used to be.

After a long time, his laughter began to slowly die down. He closed his fingers into a fist and the Five Element Swords vanished along with it. Right now, it might seem that refining the Five Element Sword Diagram was meaningless, after all, it couldn't help him change his current predicament. But this was because the people that Qin Yu faced were peerless powerhouses like the Sea Sovereign, Whale Sovereign, and Turtle Origin. These were amongst the most formidable existences in the world. Besides those people, he had the strength to freely run amok across the world.

He paused for a moment. Once his thoughts calmed down, Qin Yu looked up and smiled. "Don't worry, I won't do anything to you."

The branches and leaves of the vine rubbed against each other, producing more syllables. "Very…scary…"

Qin Yu's eyebrows rose up. "Your voice seems to be much clearer than before. It seems you've made a considerable amount of progress during this time."

After thinking about it, he had been in this underground cave for almost half a month. It was about time to leave.

The vine seemed to shake around in the air, appearing very happy. "Yes…my thoughts…are much…clearer…thank you…"

Qin Yu waved his hand. "There's no need to thank me. I've already received your gift, and before I came here I also obtained certain advantages."

The vine continued to swing around. "That…is not…my gift…you had…best not…use it…too…much…in the future…or…bad things…might… happen…"

Qin Yu thought for a moment. Even now he still didn't know what the vine had given to him, so even if he wanted to use it he couldn't. Suddenly, he subconsciously thought back to the day that black chip fused into his body and the illusions he had seen. He wanted to ask about it, but the vine suddenly twisted in pain.

Qin Yu's train of thought was immediately broken. He said in a low voice, "What is it?"

"I am going…to…evolve…"

Qin Yu lifted his hand and put away the little blue lamp. With the vine in so much pain, it could no longer seal away this area. Countless vines fell down from the air and smashed into the ground, sending rocks tumbling about.

He had refined the Five Element Sword Diagram and the vine had also started to evolve; this should be enough to satisfy the royal palace's original request. Qin Yu's eyes flashed. He cupped his hands across his chest and said, "Brother Vine, you and I meeting can also be considered fate. After I leave today, I fear that we will never meet again. Then, this is where I say my farewells."

He turned and left. As his figure vanished into the dark, the anxious voice of the vine followed quickly behind him. "Your name…"

Qin Yu didn't even turn his head. "I am called Qin Yu!"

After a moment, he emerged from the raging tide of strength. Qin Yu stood in front of the stone door, his gaze tranquil. With his current strength, he was able to walk freely back and forth by himself, and he wouldn't be as distressed as he had originally been.

The stone door opened and the old man who sent him in was waiting on the other side. It was unknown whether he had hurried here or whether he had been waiting here all this time. His gaze was faint but his eyes were much friendlier. It seemed that he had already obtained some news. He said, "Come with me."

They stepped into the transmission array. With a flash of light, Qin Yu appeared in the corner of a temple.

The old priest just happened to be sitting there drinking tea. When he looked up, a beautiful brilliance bloomed in his eyes. He smiled and said, "Little Friend Qin Yu, you finally came back up." There seemed to be a sense of relief in his words.

Qin Yu stepped out from the transmission array and cupped his hands across his chest. "I have made Lord Priest wait too long. My apologies."

"It's fine. It's good as long as you come out." The priest put down the teacup and cupped his hands towards the old turtle sitting across from him. "I thank Brother Turtle for the tea; it was wonderful. If you ever have a chance to come and visit my Moon Praying Shrine, I will be sure to entertain you."

The old turtle stood up. He lightly coughed, "There's no need to spout such honeyed words. If I visit Moon Praying Shrine in the future, it will be because I was captured or because you were all destroyed. No matter how it happens, many people will die, so it's best that we never see each other again."

The priest smiled. "Brother Turtle may be overly direct, but the general meaning is correct. However, my Moon Praying Shrine has always obeyed the capital city and have never had any thoughts of rebelling. I hope that the peace may last a long, long time." He cupped his hands together and turned around. "Little Friend Qin, let's leave."

Qin Yu bowed towards the old turtle. "For all this time, I must thank Senior Turtle for taking care of me so well. I apologize here in advance!"

The old turtle dismissively waved his hands again and again. "Go, just go. I don't want to see the priest and I also don't want to see you. Wherever you go, you're just a troublemaking brat that brings disaster with you everywhere!"

These words…there didn't seem to be anything Qin Yu could say to refute them.

Troublemaking brat Qin Yu rubbed his nose and revealed a bit of embarrassment.

At this time, Moon Praying Shrine's luxurious and extremely eye-catching carriage was stopped outside the royal palace. The one driving was Xue Zheng.

Qin Yu glanced at him and nodded, not saying much. On that day, Xue Zheng had blocked the Whale Sovereign to save him. Although this was because Moon Praying Shrine needed his help, he still felt gratitude towards his actions.

The priest led the way with Qin Yu following close behind. After mounting the carriage, Xue Zheng gave a deep shout and the carriage began to slowly drive forwards.

At the entrance of the temple, the old turtle looked away. He took several steps and finally stopped. He frowned, "Something's wrong. That brat Qin Yu, he clearly isn't fatigued, but instead seems to have…become far fiercer."

Within the carriage, the priest's eyes flashed. He had thoughts similar to the old turtle. "Congratulations Little Friend Qin Yu, it seems your cultivation has drastically risen during this period of time."

Qin Yu cupped his hands together. "I must thank Lord Priest for this. If it weren't for you helping at the right time, I would have already died, so how could my cultivation have risen anywhere?"

"Haha, this is because Moon Praying Shrine needs little friend's help, so there is no need to thank us." The priest smiled freely and honestly. There was a bit of appreciation in his eyes.

Of course, Qin Yu acknowledged this because in front of these old fogies whose cultivation seemed to reach the sky, it was just far too difficult to conceal himself. Rather than lying and leaving a poor impression, it was easier to just admit it.

"Priest, I have been in the royal palace for too long, so I fear you have all been waiting anxiously for me. I am not tired right now and can go to work at any moment." Why did Moon Praying Shrine rescue him? Qin Yu had never forgotten his point. Now that he had gained back a little of his freedom, he wanted to figure out the exact details of what they wanted and what was happening, rather than waiting for them to raise the subject for him.

The priest laughed out loud. "Little Friend Qin Yu is an interesting person. Then, I won't be polite either." He turned his hand and a jade box appeared in his palm. The light blue color was common, but with just a glance, Qin Yu could tell that it wasn't ordinary at all!

Essence energy collected on its surface, not revealing even the slightest trace of brilliance. There was not a single sign of it being refined. Rather, it seemed as if it had been born directly from the world. Not only was this not ordinary, this was simply an incomparably precious treasure. To use such a treasure as a container, it could be imagined just how impossibly valuable the contents were.

Qin Yu carefully received it with both hands. After carefully opening it, he discovered that there was another space inside. The interior was far larger than its outside appearance.

Spatial treasure!

Of all the powers in the world, there were none that could not be grasped and mastered. There were common elements like metal, wood, fire, earth, and water, and there were also incredibly deep powers like those of space and time.

Qin Yu didn't know what sort of cultivation one needed to grasp the power of space, but just by glancing at it, he could tell that one needed an extremely profound cultivation realm.

This jade box, it was a truly peerless treasure!

There was over a hundred feet of space within. There was soil, streams of water, and on the inner surface of the jade box's walls, there were even phantoms of the sun and moon scattering down light. This was simply an extremely small and independent world!

It had naturally been born like this from the heavens and earth. If not for this, how could it be called a peerless treasure!

And all of this he noticed with a sweep of his eyes. Then, what completely caught his attention was something growing in the soil…a very beautiful flower.

That's right. Qin Yu couldn't think of any words to describe it, so he only thought of it as beautiful. This was because it was beautiful, so beautiful that anyone would fall in love with it.

This was love, not like. The difference between these two emotions was far too great and needed to be clearly differentiated.

It was 30 feet tall. Every curve possessed its own sublime grace and elegance. The leaves were a verdant jade green, a green so soft and gentle that it seemed like flowing water. Every several leaves, there were flowers in full bloom. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet…there were even more colors, as if every color in the world could be found on these flowers. They were so delicate as if they were made from the most gentle of waters; it made one subconsciously afraid to breathe, for fear that just the slightest breath would harm it.

Boundless vitality emitted from every inch of this beautiful flower. What one smelled was not the fragrance of the flower, but a pure force of life, potent to the extreme. Just a single breath stirred the heart and soul. Anyone would think that this was a perfect, unrivalled, and incomparably vital and vibrant existence.

But, Qin Yu could faintly feel that this aura of life was too much, too rich.

It seemed that something was wrong.

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Chapter 187 – A Silent Choice

The priest's words verified Qin Yu's thoughts. "This is Moon Praying Shrine's Saint Flower. In my long life, even now I haven't been able to master it. Haha, that may sound a bit perplexing. In truth, if I had to simplify it, then even after having lived to such an old age, I still don't understand the flower that I raised.

"Of course, to say it is a flower I raised is also inappropriate, but that's the approximate situation of things. The Saint Flower is like a sun that releases the aura of life. Through some special methods, this aura can be fused into an entire tribe, and this is the reason why Moon Praying Shrine is able to continuously produce powerful warriors and maintain our status. But, in the end it is not a true sun. As it releases more and more vitality, this will only lead to the Saint Flower destroying itself."

The priest continued to speak, rambling on and on. He seemed overly verbose and a bit scatterbrained, but Qin Yu listened with an earnest expression, as if he could sense the seriousness hidden beneath the words.

Moreover, he finally realized why Moon Praying Shrine had disregarded any cost to help him.

Moon Praying Shrine's Saint Flower was an incomparably strange sea spirit. It had been found many, many years ago and had been exalted all this time by the tribe. It was unknown where it obtained the strength from, but the life energy it released was able to be used to help strengthen Moon Praying Shrine. Ideally, this release and absorption rate should be at an equilibrium, or just faintly tilted towards one side, in order to allow the Saint Flower to grow.

But a long time ago, Moon Praying Shrine's Saint Flower stopped growing. However, the life energy it released grew increasingly rich and potent, as if it truly were on fire. And this didn't come without a cost. The priests could feel that the Saint Flower was weakening. If this continued, the only result would be that the Saint Flower would wither away.

"Our tribe has tried numerous ideas to help rebalance the Saint Flower's strength, but unfortunately, we failed at every turn. It was only then that we heard news about Little Friend Qin Yu. Oh, at that time you were called Honorable Ning. Because of you, the Vice Priest and my daughter personally brought the Saint Flower to the capital city and finally all of this occurred." The priest's complexion calmed down. "Now, I want to ask Little Friend Qin Yu – can you save the Saint Flower?"

Qin Yu's eyes nearly twitched. He thought that even though this priest had a faint and serene expression, if he said that he couldn't rescue it then he might immediately turn the tables and go crazy on him. So, he simply pretended to think for a moment and then nodded.

The priest smiled. "I understand. Then, I'll have to bother you with this."

The Saint Flower's greatest problem was that the balance in the strength it absorbed using an unknown method and the strength it released had been broken. To put it in other terms, it was drinking two mouthfuls of water and only spitting out one. There were many reasons for why this could be, but no matter what it was, the solution was actually quite simple. All he needed to do was have the Saint Flower become more powerful.

Its situation was the same as that underground vine's. Just like how the underground vine needed to become more formidable so it could contain more of that tyrannical strength, the Saint Flower also needed to become stronger so that it could absorb more power. Eventually, the absorption rate would catch up with the release rate, and when it returned to equilibrium, there naturally wouldn't be any problems with it.

The carriage returned to the Great Glory Gambling Hall. Qin Yu was escorted into a tightly guarded chamber, where the Vice Priest and old priest from Moon Praying Shrine personally stood guard. Wolf riders surrounded the complex, both inside and out. Throughout the capital city, the various influences seemed to have come to a tacit understanding with each other, and each one of them held back their forces. None of them even approached this region by half a step, lest they create unnecessary misunderstandings.

As for Qin Yu, after obtaining a short period of freedom, he was placed under house arrest once more. Even if this was only Moon Praying Shrine trying to keep him safe, it wasn't much different from before.

Then, time passed, day after day.

Qin Yu believed he placed a bit too much faith in the little blue lamp. There were always exceptions to the rule. For instance, the Soul Mushroom of before, and now Moon Praying Shrine's Saint Flower.

Did the little blue lamp have any effect on it? Of course it did, and he could even feel the Saint Flower's condition changing for the better, although at a slower pace.

From his room, Qin Yu contacted Moon Praying Shrine through a white-dressed young woman. It was only afterwards that he learned she was the old priest's daughter. After careful communication, it was discovered that at this current speed, it would take at least several more years to help the Saint Flower return to balance.

Of course, the premise of this was that the Saint Flower could last that long. Otherwise, if it were to explode in a giant mess one day, Qin Yu worried he would die a miserable death.

But, this result alone was enough to excite Moon Praying Shrine. This was because it was the first time they had ever found a method that could save the Saint Flower. Soon after, the old priest came and personally chatted with Qin Yu. He came to say that there was no need for Qin Yu to worry, and Moon Praying Shrine was more than patient enough to wait it out. Moreover, if the Saint Flower's situation began to spiral out of control, they also had some methods to extend its survival time as long as possible.

In brief, it was like this. Everything's fine as long as you continue to treat the Saint Flower. We can wait.

Qin Yu was originally a bit anxious, but after determining that there was nothing he could do, a sense of calm came over him. He could only force himself to be patient. He comforted himself by saying that he could at least cultivate. With Moon Praying Shrine's protection, he wouldn't need to worry about his own safety.

Thus, time quietly passed.

During this period of time, 'Qin Yu' had already been executed. It was unknown what the royal palace had done, but their actions were more than enough to appease the lower level seafolk. Those that had the qualifications to know the truth could only keep their mouths shut. After all, this wasn't some glorious event of the sea races and there was also His Majesty's invisible suppression.

Ning Qin, Honorable Ning, or perhaps Qin Yu, this name that had caused such a stir in the capital city, soon vanished from sight. People always had short memories. Perhaps there were some that might always remember his name, but for the most part he would disappear in the long memories of the people. At most, years later someone might come and say to a friend, 'oh, I also know of that person! He was a very fierce human!'

This was it.

As for the dwelling that Qin Yu gifted to Leon, some people even had covetous thoughts towards it. After those people were beaten bloody, that large and mostly empty dwelling finally restored itself to peace.

No, perhaps using quiet was much more appropriate.

When news spread from the royal palace that Qin Yu had killed Jing Guanjin and the other captive princes on the Day of Ancestral Worship, the Qing Family had allowed Leon to take away Qingqing's corpse for burial. In that dwelling, from morning until night, there was only Leon now. It seemed that he had also been forgotten. Without incident, he would be like Qin Yu, forever disappearing from the attention of the capital city people.

The capital city returned to calm, just like it normally was through the countless years once the waves passed. Gradually, Qin Yu also adapted to this tranquility. And this was when the accident occurred.

In a way, this was a good thing. Because one day in the deep of night, as the Saint Flower bathed in the light of the little blue lamp, it seemed to quietly undergo some vital change.

Thus, that overbearingly potent life energy, so strong that it shocked the heart, gradually settled down.

The Saint Flower stopped wildly burning. Its strength had returned to balance.

All throughout Moon Praying Shrine, everyone fell into joyous revelry. The entire gambling hall was bathed in festive celebration. And once the old priest's daughter repeatedly determined that the Saint Flower truly was cured, these celebrations reached their peak.

The fragrance of meat and wine drifted out for over ten miles. The normally serene and restrained Vice Priest drank so much that he nearly fainted. He held onto Qin Yu's hand and cried and laughed, smacking his chest repeatedly and guaranteeing that Moon Praying Shrine would always be his good friend. Qin Yu could come at any time and receive the best welcome from him.

After Qin Yu dealt with the Vice Priest for a long time, it was only then that he was able to send him away. But, he was soon replaced by a line of waiting people, each one wailing into his ears. It was only far later into the night once most of the people had left that things quieted down a little. He bitterly smiled several times and shook his head. It was then that he spotted the wolf riders still guarding the perimeter.

They were equally excited, but they coldly maintained their sobriety. They only ate some food and returned to their respective posts. Perhaps it was only because of the utter devotion and loyalty of these wolf riders that the Vice Priest and the others were able to let themselves go to such an extent.

The one leading these wolf riders was Xue Zheng.

Qin Yu walked up with a drink. He smiled. "In truth, I've always been wanting to meet you and thank you."

Xue Zheng nodded. He turned and left.

How incredibly cold and callous.

Qin Yu didn't pay much attention to it. He returned to his room. He didn't rest, nor did he cultivate; he simply sat there. This was because he thought that some people would soon come to visit him.

And as he thought, the old priest came an hour later. As the old man opened the door and found Qin Yu calmly waiting there, he smiled and said with a bit of helplessness. "If possible, I really don't want to let you leave."

Qin Yu reached out a hand, an invitation to sit. "I trust that Lord Priest is someone who abides by his promises."

The old priest's eyes shined a little. "For someone as old as me, things like honoring promises and keeping face don't really matter much anymore. Perhaps I really would renege on my promise."

Qin Yu lightly said, "Then, Lord Priest will discover that the result will not be what you hope for."

"For instance?"

"For instance, if the Saint Flower dies."

The room fell quiet. The priest frowned, as if he was dissatisfied that Qin Yu used the Saint Flower as a threat. Then, his heavy expression lifted as if there had been no tension in the room just now. But it was because of this that one couldn't underestimate him.

After a long time, the old priest smiled. "Of course I was just playing around. I am a priest of Moon Praying Shrine, so naturally I will keep my word."

Qin Yu smiled back. "This junior also believes you will."

However, the old priest's following words were extremely cold and indifferent, even though his expression and tone remained warm. "Moon Praying Shrine saved Little Friend Qin Yu's life; that isn't something you can refute. As repayment, little friend treated our Saint Flower. Then, both of our sides are now equal. Moon Praying Shrine can allow little friend to leave, but when little friend does leave the capital city, I will have to announce that you have lost your status as Moon Praying Shrine's guest priest."

After a pause, he continued, "After all, for the sake of a person that is leaving, I cannot allow Moon Praying Shrine to gain such a formidable enemy."

The old priest didn't say who this enemy was, but it wasn't hard to guess – the Whale Sovereign!

That powerful existence had vanished ever since the day in the temple when deliberations on Qin Yu's fate had finished. But, it was clear he wouldn't give up. The Whale Sovereign had failed to kill Qin Yu several times before and would continue trying until he achieved his goal. The moment that Qin Yu left the capital city and lost the protection of Moon Praying Shrine, he would certainly make his move.

This was a silent choice that the old man had placed in front of Qin Yu.

Join Moon Praying Shrine or face the wrath of the Whale Sovereign.

After all, he didn't want Qin Yu to leave.

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Chapter 188 – Not Funny

Although this was coldly indifferent, realistic, and perhaps even too lacking in any sort of compassion, the old priest's actions weren't wrong. From Moon Praying Shrine's point of view, it could even be called more than fair. So, after a brief moment of stunned surprise, Qin Yu simply sighed inwardly over how thick this old fellow's skin was. He accepted it and nodded, "I understand."

His reply was light, so light that it seemed he was telling the old priest what he had eaten for lunch and dinner. And, the priest nodded similarly in return, as if this wasn't a choice that involved life and death. But while this attitude wasn't a direct reply, it was still a clear answer.

The priest sighed lightly and a trace of helplessness flashed in his eyes. "We will remain in the capital city for another three days. I hope that Little Friend Qin Yu can rethink this. The doors of our Moon Praying Shrine will open wide for you whenever you want."

Qin Yu sat up and escorted the old priest out. When he closed the door and sat back down in his chair, he wryly smiled. How could he never have considered the threat from the Whale Sovereign? While consideration of the underground vine and Moon Praying Shrine's Saint Flower had managed to preserve his life until now, it also pushed him towards a dangerous precipice. No one knew of the little blue lamp's existence, but it would surely arouse suspicion. If Qin Yu were to accept Moon Praying Shrine's invitation, then while he might be able to leave the capital city, no one knew how events would develop after that.

If the existence of the little blue lamp was revealed, he could only wait for his inevitable death. So, after a brief inward struggle, he still refused. Without the protection of Moon Praying Shrine, he still might be able to rely on his own strength to leave. This was where Qin Yu gained the strength to refuse.

If he were pushed to a dead end and had no other means to leave, then he didn't mind temporarily joining Moon Praying Shrine for the time being.

Two days later, a visitor came to the Great Glory Gambling Hall. Even the cold and ruthless wolf riders lowered their heads in respect. After all, she had also played a considerable role in saving the Saint Flower.

Sang Yueyue stepped down from the carriage. As she saw the old priest standing not too far away, she stuck her tongue out at him and then walked over to bow. "Yueyue greets Grandfather Priest."

The old priest smiled and waved his hand. "In terms of age, it's normal for you to call me grandfather. But considering your parents and His Majesty in the palace, that word doesn't sound flattering at all. So, it would be best if you called this old man uncle instead."

The little girl blushed red. Just where had this old thing lived that his skin was so thick? She muttered a few words, unsure of what to say.

The woman behind Yueyue smiled, her expression one of peace. "Lord Priest speaks too seriously. The various sea races all live for different lengths of time so it is already a long established tradition for how to greet others. No matter what young miss here calls you, it has no connection to my family's madam." As for His Majesty, she didn't mention him at all. Those people that came from Sega City, especially old servants of that madam, had no favorable impression towards the ruler of the sea races.

The old priest nodded. "That's also reasonable." The two conversed warmly. The priest sent his regards to that husband and wife in Sega City and asked how she was.

"Are you all here to see Little Friend Qin Yu? If so, then how about helping this old man urge him to join my Moon Praying Shrine? Everyone here should be aware of the situation."

The woman faintly smiled. "I fear I must disappoint Lord Priest. We came here in hopes that we could convince Qin Yu to join Sega City. After all, in the entire sea region, our Sega City is the friendliest towards humans. Moreover, we have some dealings with Qin Yu, so maybe he will agree."

The old priest's eyes flashed. "Is that so? Then I wish you success."

"Thank you, Lord Priest."

Without trace, the two sides completed their first skirmish.

After watching the woman and young girl move towards Qin Yu's room, panic flashed in the white-dressed woman's eyes. "Father, why did you agree? What if they really manage to convince Qin Yu?"

The priest helplessly smiled and patted his daughter's hand. "There's nothing we can do about it. The choice remains with Qin Yu and we are being threatened by him now."

The young woman's complexion changed. "Is father really worried that he has left some trap behind?"

"Perhaps he has, perhaps he hasn't, but what difference is there? As long as he can have us feel a bit of fear, then this Qin Yu has already succeeded. However, unless he wants to face the endless chase and onslaught of our Moon Praying Shrine, there shouldn't be any movements from him once we fulfill our end of the agreement and let him go.

The young woman nodded. She looked over, a bit reluctant. She really, really, really hoped that Qin Yu would stay at Moon Praying Shrine.

…Perhaps they could also learn from the royal palace and try to make an arrangement for Qin Yu that would lend him some peace of mind.

For instance, a marriage.

But if this were to be, the only one in Moon Praying Shrine with the appropriate status would be her. As she thought of this, she felt her face heat up with a bit of shyness, but in the next moment her eyes filled with solid determination. As long as it could be guaranteed that the Saint Flower would be fine from now on, she was willing to pay any price.

The old priest frowned. He said in a low and deep voice. "Don't even think about it. I will never agree!"

The young woman wasn't surprised that her father could see her thoughts. He was the priest of their tribe, the man closest to the sea spirit in the entire world. Of this, she never doubted.

"Father, perhaps he could guarantee the safety of the Saint Flower for a long period of time, ensuring the prosperity of my Moon Praying Shrine forevermore. If possible, that is what I want."

The old priest turned and walked away. "It's not possible. You hold that thought in your head and never speak of it to anyone!"

Even promises from the royal palace had been unable to tempt Qin Yu. Although he believed that his daughter wasn't any worse than the princess, the chances that she would succeed weren't any higher. Taking a step back, even if she did succeed, would she have to stick close to him for the rest of her life and never take a single step away? What if this brat Qin Yu ate his fill of her after marriage and then decided to look for any chance to escape? If that happened, his daughter's entire life would be ruined.

In Qin Yu's room, the old priest never imagined that that madam from Sega City was actually far bolder than he was.

The woman's complexion sank; it was clear she wasn't satisfied with this, but her expression still remained gentle and neutral. She tried to clarify the situation as much as possible. "Mister Qin Yu, my family's madam has taken this stance. If you are willing to be together with our young miss, Sega City will become your strongest supporter, and we will guarantee that no one will harm you. Of course, before our young miss has fully grown up, you cannot truly be together."

Sang Yueyue's face was flushed deep red. She nervously glanced at her toes.

Across from her, Qin Yu smiled helplessly. He felt nothing but deep admiration towards that mysterious madam who could even think of something so ridiculous. He knew that the mysterious madam had made this decision because it was what Sang Yueyue desperately wanted and also because of the response that had come from the royal palace and Moon Praying Shrine.

From Princess Lushy who had once said that she would eviscerate him, to the charming and cute Sang Yueyue standing before him, and even including the beloved daughter of the old priest who had yet to toss her bet into the ring, all of a sudden it seemed as if Qin Yu had obtained a heaven-defying stroke of love-related luck, becoming the person who was highest in demand in the eyes of countless people.

Unfortunately, though it was nice to think about, it was destined that nothing would come from it.

He reached out and rubbed Sang Yueyue's head. Qin Yu smiled. "Just what have you been thinking all these days? I already told you that there is someone in my heart, and I can't hold any more people there."

Then, he seriously spoke to the woman, thanking her for Sega City's good intention and trying to express his own stance as tactfully as possible. Although he had refused the offer, the woman's complexion seemed to improve instead. When she looked at Qin Yu, she appeared much more relaxed.

"Then that is truly a pity."

Qin Yu's lips twitched. Okay, can your words sound any faker? He smiled, telling Sang Yueyue that he would soon leave the capital and thanked her for all the help she gave him. If destiny willed it, they would meet again. But everyone knew there wasn't much sincerity in these words. Of the two people, one remained in the sea region and the other would return to the human world on land. Without accident, it would be extremely difficult for them to ever meet again.

The young girl fell silent for a moment. Her eyes seemed to turn red a little and she even sniffed a bit. She quietly said, "Seventh Aunty, can you leave for a moment? I have some words I want to say to Big Brother Qin Yu alone."

The woman hesitated. She glanced at Qin Yu and nodded. "Alright. I will be waiting outside for miss."

The door opened and closed. The only ones left in the room were the two of them. Seeing the young girl keeping her head hung downwards, he tried to think of a way to liven the atmosphere. He cracked a joke, "It looks like you really made her nervous. She is definitely worried that you will act impulsively and do something you regret. Haha, she looks down on me too much! If…"

Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by the little loli that threw herself into his arms. He stiffened. As he felt the hot and wet feeling coming from his chest, he sighed and held onto her.

"Yueyue be good. Don't cry."

"I…I'm not crying…something…is in my eye…."

Sometimes, the ridiculous words of a little loli could be cute.

Qin Yu smiled and patted her shoulders. "Mm, Big Brother Qin Yu knows. Yueyue isn't crying. Yueyue is the strongest in the world."

But as he said this, Sang Yueyue truly did cry. She couldn't even suppress her wails. If someone were to see this, they would immediately curse at Qin Yu and call him a piece of filth even worse than an animal.

"Big Brother Qin Yu, Seventh Aunty didn't tell me, but I know that bastard Whale Sovereign will definitely try to find some way to harm you. You have refused uncle, you have refused Moon Praying Shrine, and you even said you can't agree to being with me. So, who will protect you? Big Brother Qin Yu, I know you love that woman very much, but she is already dead, so why can't you be with me? I will try hard, I will try my hardest to grow up, and I will be very, very good to Big Brother Qin Yu. I don't want anything to happen to you, I don't!"

As she spoke about all her sorrows, the young girl had cried herself into a mess.

Qin Yu was touched. He thought and said, "Yueyue, I understand your thoughts, but I hope you can have some confidence in me. While I might not be able to fight the Whale Sovereign, there is always a chance I can escape."

Sang Yueyue looked up, her pupils red. Her tears almost brought down Qin Yu's determination. "Re…really…?"

Qin Yu nodded earnestly. "Of course! Yueyue, just you wait. Someday, I will become even more formidable. On that day, I will return to kill the Whale Sovereign!"

He smiled as he spoke. Others might think that he was only trying to comfort a young girl's heart, but he knew that what he said was the truth. He had killed Jing Guanjin and those young masters around him. It seemed as if he had completed his revenge, but if the secret mastermind behind all of this hadn't died, how could he ever have peace of heart?

So, the Whale Sovereign had to die.

The only question was when.

As he reflected on this, it really was quite funny that he was considering when to kill the Whale Sovereign even as he thought of ways to escape his pursuit.

But Qin Yu was incredibly serious, so he wasn't trying to be funny at all!

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Chapter 189 – A Late Hunt

Qin Yu comforted Sang Yueyue and said some more words to her. Then, perhaps because the woman on the other side of the door might have been becoming a bit impatient, he smiled and sent Sang Yueyue out. Although it was very discreet, it didn't escape Qin Yu's eyes when the woman glanced at Snag Yueyue and looked over her. Indeed, she hadn't been very reassured at all.

"Miss, we should leave." After discovering there wasn't anything different, the woman's heart calmed down. She nodded towards Qin Yu.

Sang Yueyue's lips moved, as if she wanted to say something.

Qin Yu patted her shoulder. "You can have some confidence in me, okay?"

So the young girl forcibly nodded. It was just that as she boarded the carriage, she continued to look back.

After driving away from the Great Glory Gambling Hall, the woman thought about things seriously. She said, "Miss, I'm beginning to believe your initial judgment. This Mister Qin Yu isn't too bad."

Sang Yueyue curled her lips. "Humph! Seventh Aunty, I think that you know Big Brother Qin Yu would never agree to be with me, so that's why you're saying this."

The woman wasn't surprised that her thoughts were seen through by the young girl. She had already known that her young miss was smart and never doubted this. She simply nodded in acknowledgement. "That's right. No matter how outstanding he is, he is inevitably just a human, so how could he match our young miss? I suppose that madam had already expected this earlier, so that's why she allowed miss to take a trip here. Now, miss, it is time for you to fulfill your end of the bargain. Once you return to Sega City, you won't take a single step out before you grow up."

Sang Yueyue bit her lips. "I will return…after Big Brother Qin Yu leaves."

The woman thought for a moment and nodded, thinking it was impossible to change the stubborn mindset of a young girl. However, she sighed inwardly. Perhaps there was something that the young miss didn't completely understand; it wasn't just the Whale Sovereign that wanted to kill Qin Yu. This was something tacitly consented to by many people. For instance, His Majesty, and for instance, Moon Praying Shrine's old priest.

Qin Yu was a human who had displayed an impossibly dazzling performance. If the sea races couldn't use him, then he should die. This might have been the common thought percolating in the hearts of many people. In the end, humans stood across from the sea races, and perhaps it was only their geographic limitations that made it so war didn't erupt between the two groups. Still, weakening the other side was an instinctual desire.

In other words, no one would help Qin Yu. If so, could he rely on his own strength to escape the pursuit of the Whale Sovereign? If the woman were being honest, she didn't favor his odds. To personally watch someone that you cared for or loved die was an incredibly cruel and brutal matter, but perhaps this might help the young miss mature as soon as possible.

Another day passed.

Today was the deadline that Moon Praying Shrine gave to Qin Yu; they would leave tomorrow. If he stayed here, there would be one more day of calm and peace, but Qin Yu didn't plan on waiting. So, he bid his farewells to the priest. When he stated his decision to leave, he discovered that this old man who changed faces so quickly, actually revealed a bit of pity and helplessness.

Following that, Qin Yu harvested an unanticipated gift.

What appeared in the priest's palm was a blue flower. It seemed as if it were carved from drops of water and emanated a verdant vigor. What it contained was an incomparably pure and boundless life aura.

"This old man had come to an agreement with the Saint Flower. As long as you choose to leave before the deadline, then this will be gifted to you. Otherwise, I would have taken it back. The Saint Flower's strength – that is something which only the brave deserve to be matched with, and now at least, it seems that Little Friend Qin Yu is someone with courage. I hope that you will survive."

With a small flick of his fingers, the blue flower flew over. Qin Yu reached out a hand, and as if it had truly been formed from drops of water, it melted into his skin, fusing into his blood and flesh and vanishing from sight. But, Qin Yu could feel its existence in his body; he gained a quiet and formidable vitality.

"A flower from the Saint Flower – this is something that only the most outstanding tribesman of Moon Praying can obtain. It will follow you for all your life. When you are injured, the vitality of the flower will surge out and autonomously regenerate your wounds. Moreover, its strength will recover on its own."

This was a flower but also a repeat use treasure that could store up a massive amount of vitality. It was no wonder that this old fogy priest had such a pained expression when he handed it over.

Qin Yu solemnly expressed his thanks and accepted the flower.

The priest stood up. "Then, I won't send you off."

"Farewell!"

Qin Yu turned and left. The wolf riders stood guard outside, as if they already knew what happened. Simultaneously, they all cupped their fists together and lowered their heads to express their respect.

This respect was their gratitude for having treated the Saint Flower.

Xue Zheng stood there, not saying anything. He only quietly watched Qin Yu's back as he put on a black robe and stepped out of the gambling hall.

Very soon, all the sound spiral stations around the capital city began to broadcast an urgent piece of news. A tribe's guest priest had their status revoked, and from here on out they were no longer related. The identity of this person wasn't listed, but those who had the qualifications to know were well aware of what it meant, and just what would follow this transmission.

…

At the Council of Elders, the scarred Great Elder smiled. "In truth, I must say I admire this human junior. Just where does his confidence come from and why does he believe he can leave here alive?"

Below him, the group of white-haired old thieves all revealed sneers. Anyone that ruined their Day of Ancestral Worship and offended the ancestors must die.

…

At Sea Spirit Pavilion, the Nine Layer Building was being rebuilt. Old Sea temporarily lived at a dwelling not too far away. As he heard the transmitted news, he waved his hand and left.

Clearwood bit her lips. "Teacher!"

"This Qin Yu, he has always been doing things that others cannot. To me and to you, although it might seem that he will surely die, this doesn't necessarily mean a miracle won't appear. This Qin Yu, he is someone that is always creating his own miracles, right?"

His voice was steady and light, but this steadiness didn't always represent calm; sometimes it represented weakness, an inability to do anything. As a Purple Card sea spirit teacher, he had a revered status and possessed an incredibly formidable influence. But, he had no means to interfere with this.

…

In that quiet dwelling close to Noble Court Avenue, Leon sat before a newly constructed grave. He spoke in a low voice, as if Qingqing was still sitting right beside him.

Not too far away, there was a sound spiral shell station playing some music. This was lively orchestral music, the type that Qingqing always liked to listen to. But suddenly, the music stopped and an urgent emergency broadcast began. The delicate voice of a woman announced, "Bringing to you the latest news. Because of unknown reasons, a guest priest has parted ways with Moon Praying Shrine today. From here on out, they officially sever relations with each other and are no longer related. In the last 10 years, this is the first time that this station has reported on news related to Moon Praying Shrine. According to this station's special judgment, this might be explained by the easing in relations between Moon Praying Shrine and the capital city…"

There was still a great deal of news after that, but Leon didn't hear any of it. He sat there stunned, slowly revealing a pallid face with a disheveled beard. He muttered to himself, "Teacher, is that you…?"

…

At the princess' palace, Princess Lushy was stunned for a long, long time. She slowly lowered her head. She had already learned that she had been refused by Qin Yu, so his life or death shouldn't have anything to do with her. But, why did she feel so empty in her heart? Why did she worry so much?

She clenched her teeth and scolded herself for not being ambitious enough. That unsightly, arrogant, hateful, abominable, bastard of a human that lacked any sense of judgment; if he wanted to die then he should go ahead and die! Why did she need to care about him!?

She used a number of adjectives to describe him, but perhaps lacking in judgment was the most important.

…

He looked at the edge of the capital city and listened to the sound spiral stations that were playing all around. He wryly smiled, sighing over the priest's control of things.

Indeed, it really was time to leave the capital city.

Suddenly, Qin Yu had a feeling in his heart. He turned and looked towards a tall building in the distance. It was so far away that even with his keen senses, he couldn't make it out clearly. But, with that ruthless and powerful aura as well as that arrow-sharp gaze that was pointed his way, he immediately understood that the Whale Sovereign was there.

Perhaps the Whale Sovereign had noticed him the moment he stepped out from the Great Glory Gambling Hall. It was only when Moon Praying Shrine relayed their new stance that he truly revealed his dark intent.

Bang –

Qin Yu stepped up and shot into the skies. The black robes he wore were immediately reduced to powder by the powerful acceleration force. Blood red flames ignited and he howled into the distance like a meteor.

This sudden scene drew the eyes of countless people. There were some that couldn't clearly see him, but there were also some people who did. Those that did all widened their eyes, their faces full of shock.

…

Within the royal palace, in that grand hall, a faintly helpless smile appeared on the edge of the Sea Sovereign's lips. "This Qin Yu, he is deliberately revealing himself to stir things up. It's clear that he's harboring some resentment towards us for allowing this to happen."

The old turtle groaned. "He deserves it. Who made him not know how to separate the good from the bad? He refused the princess and also refused that brat Yueyue. Does he really think he is some indispensable figure?"

The Sea Sovereign smiled. "Does mister believe he can live?"

The old turtle fell silent. He said, "There's a 20% chance."

"There's actually 20%. It seems that mister unexpectedly favors him. But, this Solitude believes that he doesn't even have a 10% chance."

"Why does Your Majesty say this?"

"The Whale Sovereign is even stronger." On the dragon throne, his voice was light and filled with emotion.

His words were simple but the meaning behind them wasn't, especially when spoken by the Sea Sovereign. The old turtle's complexion instantly turned solemn. "Your Majesty, are you saying he made a breakthrough…?"

"Mm. This is something this Solitude discovered not too long ago. This Solitude cannot help but acknowledge that this cousin of mine is a truly fierce character. Unfortunately, he cannot be used."

The old turtle bitterly smiled. "If that's so, then this time Qin Yu is truly dead." He spoke with some regret. After all, if he ignored Qin Yu being a human, then whether it was in cultivation, methods, or character, Qin Yu was the junior he appreciated the most.

There was no one that could compare. At least not now.

…

In the tall building, the Whale Sovereign was wreathed in black armor. His gaze was faint as he looked at the brilliant red beam of light that shot into the skies. His face was as cold and indifferent as stone, without any fluctuations in mood. He peacefully watched Qin Yu run away, seeming as if he didn't care at all. He was like a god observing from the highest heavens, with the grace and poise of everything being in the control of his hands.

Suddenly, from leaning on the railing, the Whale Sovereign's figure swayed slightly and then vanished from sight. Following that, a crack appeared in the place he vanished from. A second crack, third crack…cracks instantly spread out like a dense spider web.

The entire building immediately collapsed in a breath of time. The formidable strength that was released instantly pulverized the remnants into powder. Then, as stone powder sprinkled down, there was a horrifying, earth-shaking sound that rang out – it was the sound of air being torn apart.

The Whale Sovereign had made his move. From where he stepped in the air, his figure flickered in and out of sight. Countless afterimages of the Whale Sovereign appeared in the skies, leading from the interior all the way to the outside, slowly vanishing in turn.

One red, one black, like twin bolts of lightning piercing through the skies, they howled far off into the distance.

Countless seafolk watched on. Some people cried out in alarm, and some people also knew that this was a hunt which had started late.

However, they didn't know whether or not the incomparably formidable Whale Sovereign, who had been defeated several times before, would be able to successfully catch his prey this time.

Because maybe, this might be his last chance.

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Chapter 190 – A Familiar Sound

Qin Yu soon discovered that he had been overly optimistic in his chances; he had far underestimated the Whale Sovereign's strength. The strength that the Whale Sovereign displayed was more formidable than what he expected. To be more exact, it was far, far greater than he had expected. With Qin Yu's current cultivation, if he were to use the Blood Escape Art today, he was at least 10 times faster than before. There shouldn't be anyone capable of catching up to him within the Nascent Soul realm.

But the Whale Sovereign was able to!

Although he couldn't eliminate the distance between them for some time, this was more than enough for the Whale Sovereign. All he needed to do was to latch tightly onto Qin Yu's trail. Sooner or later, Qin Yu would tire and no longer be able to use the Blood Escape Art. At that time, Qin Yu might be too weak to even stand up. The Whale Sovereign would only need to gently wave his hand to take Qin Yu's head.

Qin Yu had already drawn far away from the capital city, so a great deal of time had also passed. He sighed inwardly after determining that the Whale Sovereign truly was capable of chasing after him. In fact, Qin Yu could feel that the Whale Sovereign even had the mindset of a hunter chasing after its prey. After he weakened, then he would easily be killed off.

So, if everything went as expected, he shouldn't be able to escape.

Countless thoughts raced through Qin Yu's mind as innumerable paths were played out over and over. But he found that no matter what he did, he wouldn't be able to preserve his life. And there was no power he could borrow from out here.

If he were to be honest with himself, Qin Yu did feel a trace of regret. Whether it was agreeing with Moon Praying Shrine or Sega City, he would have been safe right now. But as soon as this thought appeared, he crushed it with his formidable willpower. This was because he knew that thinking of these things wouldn't be able to solve any of his problems. It would only soften his resolve.

Since he couldn't escape, then he wouldn't flee anymore. Rather than exhausting all of his strength, then he might as well turn around and struggle one last time. Although there was nearly no chance that he would win, if he were to go all out, he might be able to tear out some meat from the Whale Sovereign's body.

If he were to die, it was better to die with a bit of significance.

Thinking like this, Qin Yu suddenly stopped. The blood red flames that burned along his body had disappeared, revealing his weary and pale face.

No, that was wrong. Even if he died, there was still something he needed to do.

So, in the next moment the blood red flames flickered on his body once more.

He flew up, up, and continued upwards.

With a loud explosion, a massive bubble grew on the surface of the sea before it blew apart. Seawater wildly sprayed out. Qin Yu looked up towards the sun that he hadn't seen for a long time. He took a deep breath and whispered to himself. "Yes, this is it. If I die, it's only right to die beneath the sun."

Bang –

The sea's surface blew open once more. Countless water drops flew in all directions, each one containing a horrifying strength. Perhaps even a mountain would be turned into a sieve if struck by these water drops.

The Whale Sovereign stepped out. With his black armor and his heaven-shocking aura, he was like a demon god that descended upon the world. He looked at Qin Yu and swept his eyes around. After making sure there wasn't anything wrong, he said, "I thought this was also a trap you arranged for me."

Qin Yu smiled. "It's just that I don't want to die on the seabed. In the end, I am a human, so my thoughts and needs are somewhat different from those of the sea races. You know, basking in the sun feels quite good."

The Whale Sovereign shook his head. "I don't like it." He looked up towards the great sun in the skies. "If you wanted to draw support from the sun to suppress my cultivation, then I will have to disappoint you. I am not restrained in any way. After all, when your cultivation has reached my step, leaving the sea region for a short period of time has nearly no effect."

Qin Yu didn't explain anything. The only reason he spoke was because he wanted to live a bit longer. Since the Whale Sovereign wasn't in a hurry to make his move, he naturally wasn't hurried either.

And indeed, the Whale Sovereign had a reason for not hurrying to kill his prey. "Qin Yu, you know that I will kill you and it is impossible that I will let you go. So, let's have an open and honest talk with each other. Tell me, what did you use to treat the vine beneath the royal palace and Moon Praying Shrine's Saint Flower? Tell me and I will give you a happy death. Otherwise, I guarantee that you will regret ever appearing in this world."

This was a threat, but upon hearing it, it actually sounded like a fact, something that possessed a strange truthfulness to it. Perhaps he really could do what he said he would.

This sort of natural revelation wasn't intentional at all. Qin Yu still didn't understand why the Whale Sovereign had this sort of special characteristic to him. Perhaps it was because when one's cultivation reached the limit of Nascent Soul and almost touched the Divine Soul, when one's soul quietly transformed and sublimated, there was a resulting confidence from feeling that one was being accommodated by the world.

But this didn't change anything. Qin Yu knew that the Whale Sovereign could do as he said. After several breaths of silence, he shook his head and said, "I also want to kill you, but I likely won't have the chance. So right now, I just want to live a little longer. I know the method of treatment, but I won't tell you. My apologies, I might be dying soon so I am a bit nervous and my words might stutter a little or sound a bit strange. I hope that you can be a bit broad-minded and overlook this."

The Whale Sovereign's gaze was icy cold. "I will find out." He lifted a hand and grasped forwards.

The world was at peace, without the least bit of sound. There were only the sounds of wind atop the sea, but at this time even that had vanished. Then, without warning, that quiet peace was broken.

A massive hand formed from seawater rose up from the surface. It rose upwards, distorting space wherever it went, grasping towards Qin Yu like an ancient sea demon of legends.

Before it had arrived, an invisible suppression left Qin Yu gasping for breath. His black robes pasted against his body, so tight that they didn't move anymore. This was the Whale Sovereign's true strength, moreover, he should still have been holding back. Right now, the Whale Sovereign only wanted to suppress him and force him into answering his question. If the Whale Sovereign really wanted to kill Qin Yu, then just a single palm would have been enough.

Self-deprecating thoughts filled Qin Yu's mind. Even though he had struggled to reach his current cultivation, he was unexpectedly still only a character that could easily be eliminated by others. Indeed, this was a dragon amongst dragons while he was cannon fodder amongst cannon fodder.

And, there was Pill Crucible, that cheap senior-apprentice brother of his. Qin Yu couldn't conceive why he had trusted him when he said that he had inborn good fortune. That old man was truly a swindler!

With these thoughts in mind, Qin Yu struck back. Facing the Whale Sovereign's skills, there was nothing he could bring out. So, even though it was a bit vulgar and outdated, he still used the Boundless Blue Finger.

Winds and clouds whipped into existence and his black robes began to flap around him once more. The power of heaven and earth spiritual energy howled around him. The power of this finger collided with the giant hand of seawater. There was nothing fancy about this; it was only a confrontation of absolute strength versus absolute strength.

It was obvious that in this struggle, Qin Yu had an absolute disadvantage. Then, the Boundless Blue Finger trembled and collapsed, and with some unknown method, the water hand was also destroyed. Blood gushed out of every single one of Qin Yu's orifices and he was sent tumbling backwards.

The Whale Sovereign knitted his eyebrows together. He had faced this supernatural finger ability before, but it seemed a little different today. He opened his mouth and slowly asked, "This finger of yours, what is it called?"

"Boundless Blue Finger…" He coughed, "It's an awesome move I learned after I nearly died one time." In a manner of speaking, this was the truth. But in the eyes of the Whale Sovereign this seemed like he was being openly mocked. He nodded and said, "This means there is another thing on your body that I wish to obtain. Very good."

Qin Yu hacked out a cough. "Stop being so vague with your words. I really might be scared soon."

"What a sharp mouth!" The Whale Sovereign lifted his hands and pushed them forwards.

A master was like this – he didn't need to use any superfluous and gaudy moves. When he raised his hands, an earth-shaking strength rose up. Torrential waves rose up, roaring forward in waves upon waves, as if they wanted to race towards the ends of the earth.

If one stood in the distance and saw this, it would be a shocking scene that left a deep impression on the heart. Then, there was bound to be some young scholarly and artistic youth that would excitedly spill his emotions and feelings into writing a magnificent poem. For instance: The east river washes out, and the waves roll forth…

Yes, this was a sea and not a river, but it was fine as long as one understood the general meaning behind it. This was how the literary world always worked; it dealt in many, many metaphors.

But as for Qin Yu, who was facing this incredible sight head on, he didn't hold any appreciation towards these dreadful waves that seemed to blot out the skies. He spat a mouthful of blood and cursed out loud, "What the fuck…this is…such a giant wave…"

He struggled to lift a hand. His dantian sea began to cry out. This was the power of his five-element Golden Cores being pushed to its limits. Then, five spheres of light rose above his fingers. White, black, blue, red yellow, each one emitted the sound of a keening sword. The swords cried out together. The Five Element Swords had vanished a long, long time ago. But now, they unexpectedly revealed their dazzling brilliance in the world once more.

But what a pity. This might also be their last appearance.

Bang –

Bang –

The Five Element Swords spun in a circle, quickly revolving and piercing outwards. As the great waves arrived, they were pierced through by this sharp strength. The area that was torn open was just enough to hold Qin Yu. So, even though the vast and rough sea waves swept over him and their shaking strength left him vomiting blood, when they eventually passed over him and continued racing towards the distance, Qin Yu still remained where he was.

Certainly, his appearance was quite miserable. His robes were broken all over and countless wounds marred his body. Blood recklessly flowed down, dripping from a corner of his clothes.

Still, his performance had gone far beyond the Whale Sovereign's expectations. His eyes brightened and he smiled as he looked at Qin Yu. "Impressive. You truly leave one in stunned admiration. So you had grasped such a formidable strength all this time. Is this the power of the five elements?"

Even as he spoke out in praise, his eyes turned icier. In the depths of his heart, he decided that this choice to kill Qin Yu was the best and most correct one he had made. Otherwise, while he might be overwhelming this boy as if he were nothing more than a worm now, who knew to what degree he would grow if several more years passed.

Perhaps there was even a chance that he could be a true threat to him. Of course, there was no longer a chance that this would happen.

"This is the third." The Whale Sovereign's smile vanished. I really hope you can give me another surprise today."

He opened his mouth and formed a special syllable. Then, he lifted a hand and pointed a finger down at Qin Yu.

That's right. This time it was the Whale Sovereign that was giving Qin Yu one finger.

The skies suddenly darkened. A thin black finger appeared just like that, as if a black hole leading to another world was right behind it.

Qin Yu spat out another mouthful of blood and felt his chest be a bit more relieved. At the very least, it didn't feel uncomfortable to take another breath. He looked up at that finger and his eyes widened. If the Whale Sovereign thought he had more tricks up his sleeve, then he might have been overestimating him.

In reality, he didn't have the strength to do anything else.

His magic power was nearly exhausted and his entire body ached from top to bottom. If it wasn't for his firm will, he might have already fallen down.

If there was some other card in his hand, he didn't mind giving it a try.

Just as he was ridiculing himself, after the sound that the Whale Sovereign was making, there were strange, broad and vast sounds that followed, ones that were ancient and filled with majesty.

Why…did he think they were somewhat familiar? As if…he had heard these sounds before.

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Chapter 191 – Made a Fool

His consciousness was originally a bit blurry, but it was at this moment the flower given to him by the Saint Flower started to activate. Strength began to gush out from it. Then, like a warm flow of water, it washed through his body, rapidly containing the serious injuries that nearly caused him to collapse inwards and repairing them at the same time.

This was indeed worthy of being the Moon Praying Shrine's Saint Flower. Just a single flower possessed such incredibly potent abilities. But unfortunately, all of this was useless. The strike from the Whale Sovereign was soon about to descend upon him.

Qin Yu didn't seem to realize this at all. He lightly frowned. Because his injuries had recovered a little and his thoughts had been restored to clarity, his mind began to race.

This sound…this sound…

His eyes brightened. Qin Yu suddenly remembered that when the underground vine gave him a gift, there had been a strange memory that emerged in his mind. This sort of sound was heard within it. Although it wasn't the exact same, it should be of a common language.

For the time being, he could only classify this sort of sound as a mysterious common language.

He looked up toward the thin black finger that was falling down on him and pursed his lips together. This was because no matter how small the chance was, he still wanted to try it.

Otherwise, if he died he would die with regret.

Thus that memory was taken out from his mind. The strange sound rang in his soul, and a vast sea map phantom launched out atop his head, the countless islands releasing light like treasures.

…

Capital City, living quarters of the priests.

Originally, priests were those that served the sea spirit and were called noble holy existences within certain clans and tribes. They should be living in the great and sprawling Sea Spirit Palace. But what a pity, since many years ago when royal power rose in the capital city and the Sea Spirit Palace's plaque was taken over, no one dared to call it by that name anymore.

Of course, there were many reasons for this. In that far off past, the relationship between the priests and the change in royal authority was extremely complex. However, that was another story for another time.

This massive palace had lost its plaque many years ago and could no longer be properly maintained. Within its great and boundless atmosphere, there were also traces of decay and defeat. The mottled murals, the water-stained domes and arches, the dim light, all of this perfectly interwove into such an image.

In the largest hall stood a towering statue of the sea spirit. Large numbers of priests were gathered here. Nearly every high level priest in the capital city had arrived.

If other people were here, they would find to their shocked surprise that these priests who weren't valued much these days, were actually using some unknown method to watch a remote video – it was the battle between the Whale Sovereign and Qin Yu. Although the video was a bit distorted and fuzzy, they could see the general situation of what was occurring. Their gazes were stern and some of them looked nervous. Their voices were quiet as they debated and argued. All of them had solemn expressions, as if what they were discussing was of the highest importance.

"…He is a human…"

"…So what if he is a human? To withstand the baptism for nearly 10 hours is more than enough proof…"

"…I disagree…"

"…Those that agree, I ask you to vote…"

"…In the end, we have no direct evidence that he is the chosen one…"

The priests finally managed to reach a decision. If Qin Yu couldn't produce sufficient evidence, they wouldn't make their move. The price was too great, and once they acted, everything they had hidden in secret would be exposed.

"You will regret this!" The one who roared out was one of the priests who had been responsible for the sea spirit baptism. His eyes burned with anger, "The sea spirit has already clearly communicated their will! But you old, biased, and timid fellows, you are standing here arguing and arguing. After today, the anger of the sea spirit will surely fall down upon us all."

He turned around, almost ready to leave in a huff with the priests that supported him.

But at this moment, a sound rose up in his ears. This shocking, joyous, and unbelievable sound caused several priests to turn around. As they saw what was occurring in the glowing projection, all of them stunned.

….

The sea map had appeared, along with an impulse in Qin Yu's soul. It was so strong and forceful that he couldn't resist it at all.

So, he lifted his hand and locked onto a black glowing dot on the sea map, and pointed his finger towards it.

Qin Yu didn't know what that glowing black dot meant. But, his instincts told him that this was where his finger needed to fall.

Then, Qin Yu finally realized what the black spot was and what sort of gift that underground vine had given him.

In the great skies above, below the sun, space began to twist. A formidable strength started to surge forth. In the next instant, space broke apart and a terrifying beam of light shot out. It seemed to move in a very, very strange line as it smashed into the Whale Sovereign.

It was hard to describe in words just how powerful this beam of light was. It was like a raging river, vast and honest, carrying with it the strength to annihilate all. It was like an arrow shot by a god above, utterly irresistible!

The Whale Sovereign's complexion changed to reveal startled anger for the first time. His pupils widened, as if he were witnessing something completely unbelievable. But, he reacted in the next moment. He roared out loud and raised both hands. Rich black light gushed out from his black armor, forming a black sphere of light that covered him.

Then, this black sphere of light was swallowed up by the beam of light.

Bang –

The sea level violently collapsed, forming a deep hole that went on without end. Endless water tumbled about, roaring into the distance. Like this, without any warning, a tsunami had appeared.

Qin Yu was stunned. A single thought raced through his mind, "So it wasn't an illusion…"

The Whale Sovereign's single finger had arrived!

In that moment, his ears rang as if he had lost his sense of hearing. His body sank down and an intense desire to vomit spread through his chest. It continued proliferating through his body, followed by a horrifying amount of pain. Through his limbs and bones, his flesh and organs, and even into the ground. It felt as if he had been placed beneath a giant grinding pan and then was mercilessly dropped down from up high.

Qin Yu always believed that he had an extremely firm will. While he couldn't ignore having his flesh sheared off or his bones broken, he could still withstand it. But this time, the pain had clearly surpassed his limits. Thus, after just several breaths of time, his consciousness collapsed and he fell into endless darkness.

Seawater roared. The light beam had already disappeared, but the impact it created continued to brew and spread outwards.

Somewhere in the depths of that unfathomably deep pit that had been formed in the sea, the Whale Sovereign emerged. His face was pale white and his black armor was broken all over. Blood flowed out from between the cracks.

It was clear that he had received heavy wounds after withstanding being directly struck by that beam of light. Even so, his aura remained as formidable as it was before, like a long spear that thrust into the skies.

With a flick of his sleeves, endless seawater was pushed back to reveal Qin Yu's unconscious figure. An invisible strength grabbed onto him and pulled him over.

As the Whale Sovereign looked down on him, he furrowed his eyebrows together. There was a bit of caution and fear in his eyes now.

The method to save sea spirits, the Boundless Blue Finger, the power of the five elements, Qin Yu had given him far too many surprises. But, this final surprise was too exaggerated. If it weren't for his cultivation having made a breakthrough so that he reached a level on par with His Majesty, then he might have been smashed to pieces beneath that beam of light.

This was the will of the sea spirit!

A human had actually obtained the legendary will of the sea spirit!

What an unbelievable joke.

But this was the truth, the honest truth. The facts were laid out right in front of him and he had even personally experienced it himself.

How could such a person be allowed to survive?

The Whale Sovereign was extremely anxious. He wanted to obtain everything that Qin Yu possessed, in particular the will of the sea spirit, but his instincts were like an alarm ringing in his mind, telling him that if he didn't kill Qin Yu now, he would never have another chance to do so.

Thus, a rare trace of hesitation appeared on the face of the decisive Whale Sovereign.

…

In the Sea Spirit Palace that had lost its plaque, as the priests were about to leave, there was a short period of silence followed by roars and shouts.

"Evidence! This is the evidence you all want!"

"The messenger chosen by the sea spirit, the savior and hope of all priests, was nearly destroyed by your hands!"

"He is still alive! What are you all waiting around here for? Save him!"

This time, there were no other sounds within the hall. Some priests shrunk down with guilt and fear, but there were even more than were shaking with ecstatic joy and determination.

They had waited countless years for this person. The messenger of the sea spirit had finally appeared!

Then, it was time to make their move.

No matter the price, they must protect him.

"Our supreme faith, with our low and humble lives, we implore the arrival of your strength to punish all evils in the sea." The priests opened their mouths and began to chant in unison. Their voices were heavy and reverent, carrying a powerful oppression within them. Each syllable seemed as if it were galvanized by their lives.

The sea spirit statue was a woman. She stood tall in the air, a blue dress wrapped around her. She was noble, she was majestic, and at this time, her gentle eyes began to emit light, as well as that scepter she grasped in her hands.

A formidable aura suddenly erupted within the capital city. All seafolk could clearly feel this. They looked up and saw that a phantom which looked exactly the same as the sea spirit statue had arrived above the capital city.

She opened her eyes and looked off into the distance.

Within the royal palace, at nearly the same time that the sea spirit phantom appeared, the Sea Sovereign reared his head back. His eyes opened and divine light flashed out, followed by an eruption of a terrifying aura.

Across from him, the old turtle's robes fluttered about. With a cough, he was forced back dozens of feet by this aura.

Though the Sea Sovereign had never truly taken action, from this it could be seen just how strong he was.

"Priests…"

A deep and bass voice rang through the hall. This was because a bit of his cultivation had unconsciously leaked out.

The Sea Sovereign lost his composure. Though he appeared calm, it was clear that his thoughts were racing below the surface.

The old turtle was stunned. In particular, when he sensed what direction the sea spirit phantom was looking towards, this stunned shock became clearer.

After several breaths of time, the eyes of the Sea Sovereign were restored to tranquility. At the very least, there wasn't anything different on the surface. "Mister, what do you think is the reason for the priests' actions today?"

The old turtle hesitated. "Qin Yu?"

The Sea Sovereign nodded. "This Solitude also thinks that. It seems the priests have finally found the person they have been waiting for all this time. Unfortunately, they never imagined that he would be a human." He paused for a moment before continuing, "It appears that this Solitude was mistaken. Qin Yu might not die today. No, he definitely will not die today.

The old turtle thought about it and agreed.

With the tendencies of those lunatic priests, if they took action it meant they had determined it was Qin Yu.

If so, they would certainly ignore all costs and desperately try to save Qin Yu's life. One could see this from their resolve to summon the phantom of the sea spirit to appear in the world.

What a pitiful Whale Sovereign. He thought he had waited for the best chance, but he never imagined he would meet a band of crazy lunatics that didn't care about their lives.

This time, he had made a fool of himself.

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Chapter 192 – So It Was Like This

The Whale Sovereign was a person who possessed extreme self-confidence. Otherwise, how could he have risen to the point where he stood across from that incomparably powerful Majesty? And the facts proved he had the qualifications to be so confident in himself. During these past years, the royal palace had already learned of his thoughts and yet they couldn't do anything to him at all; this was the best proof. Yet, such a confident and powerful Whale Sovereign had hesitated here. This in itself was an incredulous matter, so it lasted for only several breaths of time before he came to a decision.

Even if he couldn't obtain Qin Yu's things, he was still the formidable Whale Sovereign. If he waited, there would be a day when he would become the true transcendent ruler of the sea region. On the other hand if Qin Yu didn't die and other accidents occurred, there was a great possibility that he would encounter more troubles in the future.

After just several breaths of time, the Whale Sovereign decided to follow his instincts. He would suppress his desire to capture Qin Yu and thoroughly eliminate him. To make such a decisive choice in such a situation was enough to prove how formidable his willpower was. But, in the end, he had delayed for too long. Although it might have only been enough to blink a few times, this was simply the way the world worked. Once you missed a chance, sometimes you might never find that chance again.

And the Whale Sovereign would soon learn this.

He lifted his hand and a terrifying aura began to gather. Just when he was about to press forwards, his complexion changed. He looked up above his head. A potent strength arrived without warning in this part of the world. It covered the Whale Sovereign, and in the next instant, his entire being was pushed deep into the sea.

Then, just above the sea, a clear palm print was formed. It was slender and beautiful, and one could see that it originated from a woman. It was noble and magnificent, possessing an unsurpassed aura that made one feel awe from the depths of their heart, as if a divine being was descending from the heavens.

And to the sea races, this was no different from the actions of a god. Within that clear aura, like lights in dark, beneath the five-fingered palm print, the angry roars of the Whale Sovereign sounded out. "Priests, why!?"

This strength was something only the priests were capable of summoning.

On the Day of Ancestral Worship, if it wasn't for the priests coordinating with him then he would not have been able to smoothly implement his plan of murder and blame. They had already decided who to lean on and had made their vow, so of course they would abide by it.

But now, why did they stop him? Why would they save Qin Yu?

Could it be? Those damned and stupid priests, could they really believe that Qin Yu was the one chosen by the sea spirit?

He was a human! He was only a human!

The anger raging in his heart could almost burn down the skies and turn all things to ashes. But facing the power of the sea spirit summoned by the priests, he could only roar out in futility as he was pressed deep into the sea. A wild strength wantonly bombarded all around him, nearing tearing apart his imprisonment several times. But in the next instant, that strong suppression returned at full force, pressing him down once more.

The Whale Sovereign understood that during that short moment of hesitation, he had lost the chance to kill Qin Yu. But, emotions like regret simply didn't appear. With his potent will, he was capable of always remaining calm and confident. He would never question his own decisions.

He looked up, his eyes seeming as if they could pierce through the walls of endless seawater, towards the Qin Yu that was being wrapped in an invisible strength and sent flying into the horizon.

"You will return to kill me, right?" The Whale Sovereign whispered to himself, "Then I will wait for you!"

Rumble rumble –

Seawater continued to tumble around him. He was suppressed, sinking further and further down.

….

Beneath the sea spirit statue, numerous priests collapsed to the ground, many of them with twitching feet and hands and some of them foaming from the mouth. Compared to just moments ago, these priests were visibly older and more haggard than before. In particular, the priests in front who had been responsible for summoning the power of the sea spirit. Their situation was far direr and the layers upon layers of wrinkles that marred their faces were like ravines.

Low-level priests had already been waiting on the side, and now they rushed in to help. But, in contrast to their worried expressions, all of the conscious priests had smiling faces of satisfaction. If they were able to rescue the messenger of the sea spirit, to them, any price they paid was worth it.

"After this, we must give an explanation to the royal palace."

"Cancel some of the arrangements. Inform the relevant people to go into hiding for an indefinite period of time."

"In the end we will have to hand over a sufficient number of people. After all, Our Majesty isn't someone that is easy to satisfy. "

"Since we have made our move, then we have naturally prepared for it. I believe everyone will understand and support us."

The incomparably old and withered priest struggled to stand up. His sagging skin even seemed somewhat horrifying. But, he maintained an expression of calm and serenity. He said, "We will bear all consequences. So, use these old bones of mines to preserve some of the flesh and blood of the priests' legacy in the capital city."

There was a rustling wind.

In the hall, all priests fell to their knees and bowed.

"Thank you for your benevolence."

…

The Whale Sovereign failed.

Although the priests were a group with an incomparably tight sense of unity, no matter what group it was, there were always those whose wills weren't as firm or who didn't have the same mindset. Thus, this news inevitably spread through the high-level circles of the capital city. The retreat and disappearance of the Whale Sovereign since that day was undoubtedly the greatest evidence for this.

The interference of the priests was a completely unexpected variable. Countless seafolk sighed. Qin Yu was truly lucky. Even facing the terrifying Whale Sovereign he was still able to escape alive.

The Qing Family was in a slightly better situation. Though they were still being ignored, no one else continued to try and plunder from them. Of course, those that did earlier had already obtained enough benefits.

Qin Yu hadn't died…then, even if it wasn't likely, it was best to remain prudent and not pass a certain line. Families with a glorious line of inheritance or clans with a deep background were often extra discreet in their actions. They could mercilessly kill countless people without hesitation, but they could also let go of a piece of meat near their lips just because of a bit of uncertainty.

Regardless of where this thought came from, once Madame Qing held a memorial service for Qingqing again, she wiped away her red and teary eyes and explained this to Leon.

"Teacher, you are still alive…I knew that you wouldn't die…" He looked at Qingqing's tombstone. Her beautiful image was engraved on it, and it seemed as if her bright smile and kind eyes never left him.

After a long time, Leon stood up. He said in a soft voice. "Qingqing, I have told you that teacher is a man worthy of praise. He has an incomparably firm will, and it always seems that nothing, no matter how dangerous or perilous it is, can stop him.

"If teacher can accomplish something, then as his disciple, I should also be able to. Following this, I might not be able to continue to accompany you for some time. I will continue to live on. I will live a good life and become a truly great person. I will wait for the day that teacher comes back and then I will help him kill the Whale Sovereign.

"Yes. I know that teacher must be carrying this thought in his heart. Since he hasn't died, he will surely not give up. So Qingqing, please bless me from beyond. Please pray for my success."

Leon combed his hair and washed his face. He cut off his beard and donned a brand new robe. Then, he pushed open the doors of his dwelling. Soon he appeared just outside Sea Spirit Pavilion. After indicating his status and his reason for coming, he was quickly brought in.

Sang Yueyue was the one to receive him. Her lips were curved up in a smile as if she were in a very good mood. "Leon, looking at you, it seems as if you are aware of something. Yes, then it's about time I tell you – your teacher is still alive."

Her voice was calm and her complexion was light. She displayed just the right amount of distance, perfectly displaying her status as someone from a superior class. After all, she was the young daughter of that family from Sega City, and she was someone who would inherit two massive enterprises in the future, so how could she possibly be pure and na?ve?

That aspect of hers was only for a certain person.

Leon bowed. "Miss. I hope that I can obtain your help. I wish to become more powerful."

Sang Yueyue smiled. "Of course. This is something I promised your teacher. Then, you will return to Sega City with me. It is a very beautiful place – you will definitely like it." Her eyes sparkled. "Sometimes, death is not the end. Leon, I hope that you will always remember this."

Leon wanted to continue asking her, but he was shot down. She only smiled and said, "Once you are powerful enough, you will naturally know the secrets you should know."

Soon, a heavily guarded carriage drove out from the capital city. With the cries of killer whales, the group vanished deep into the depths of the sea.

Leon glanced back at the constantly shrinking capital city. He held onto a faintly impossible and unbelievable thought. He mouthed to himself, "Qingqing, wait for me to return."

…

Great Glory Gambling Hall.

Yes, this name was a bit gaudy without any sense of aesthetic. The old priest looked at the plaque and thought about whether he should change the name.

"Lord Priest, we have already made the preparations. We can leave at any moment." The Vice Priest bowed. Though his complexion was solemn, his eyebrows were relaxed. It was different from the anxiousness and tension he felt when he first arrived. Even now, Moon Praying Shrine was still immersed in joy.

This relaxedness caused the Lord Priest to think of Qin Yu. He subconsciously frowned and no longer thought of something as boring as changing the name of the gambling hall.

"We're leaving!"

Sensing the Lord Priest's helplessness, the Vice Priest didn't say anything further. He turned and passed down some commands. Soon wolf riders began to mount their sea wolves and the troop quickly started to head out.

The-white dressed young woman accompanied her father in the carriage. She hesitated for a moment and then asked in a soft voice, "Father, is he really still alive?"

The old priests rubbed his temples. "My colleagues in the capital city have made their move. I must admit that I have belittled them all this time. It seems that they had really made some preparations in secret." His eyes brightened. "But, I just don't know what they discovered that they would make their move without any scruples at all. I really want to know."

When the wolf riders were leaving the capital city, there was a brief commotion in the troop. A young and fair-faced youth rushed in by mistake. Then, in his extreme luck, he was chosen by the priest to become a disciple.

Of course, this was only what was revealed to the general public. In truth, this youth was sent from the lineage of the capital city priests to transmit information to Moon Praying Shrine. As for repayment, the old priest would receive this youth as his disciple. This was a transaction made in secret.

After several warm words, the old priest seemed sufficiently satisfied with the youth. He nodded and waved his hands for the troop to continue. Then, he looked at the jade slip in his hands.

He poured strength within. The jade slip began to reveal its contents. There was the sea map that launched across the skies, the treasure islands, and also the beam of light that fell down from the clouds…

The old priest was silent the entire time. After the video broadcast finished playing and vanished, he gently sighed. "So it was like this." He seemed a bit confused and a bit helpless, as if all these emotions were jumbled together. But within all of that, there was also a bit of relief.

It was very complex.