“Thank you, Mister Jiang!”
Jin Sidao was delighted.
He was not actually worried that Jiang He would embezzle his immortal crystals, but the Golden Immortal and various True Immortals of his sect were doubtful. Now, however, it was not up to them to doubt him.
With this deal complete, his authority at the Ten Thousand Swords Sect would strengthen. Moreover, he could even earn a considerable sum of immortal crystals and use it to ascend up to Heavenly Immortal.
Collecting the additional five hundred thousand immortal crystals, he said, “Don’t worry, Mister Jiang—after I return to my sect, I would head out to visit the other sects and buy all the immortal crystals they have.”
“I wouldn’t be worried with you handling this matter.”
Jiang He thought about it, and instructed, “Anyway, same rule like last time: buy the immortal crystals they have, but don’t collect any immortal crystals you’ve taken off my hands.”
“Don’t worry, Mister Jiang!”
Jin Sidao thumped his chest loudly. Although he had no idea why Jiang He would enforce that rule, he had a general idea…
It was perhaps to prevent any shameless individuals from ‘farming’ immortal crystals without limit.
Soon, Jin Sidao left while Jiang He returned into his farm and planted the ten thousand immortal crystals he had on hand.
Right now, his Farm EXP had already reached its upper limit and he could level it up again, though he did not have the materials required.
“Divine Demon corpse?”
“What the heck is that?”
Jiang He frowned at the level up requirements shown on his System panel.
Aside from a hundred thousand immortal crystals and ten immortal items, improving the Farm from level 6 to level 7 also required three True Immortal Divine Demon Corpse… which stumped Jiang He.
“Innate Divine Demons?”
“No, no… Innate Divine Demons are too powerful, and I can’t take them down with my current abilities even if they can be found.”
“Or perhaps these Divine Demons are actually another race from outer space?”
Jiang He was thoughtful.
The returning immortal should be aware of this stuff, and he could ask them about it.
***
Meanwhile, on a gigantic continental plate floating in outer space, far away from Earth, an ancient warp portal could be found in a lush mountain forest, with several Daemon Foxes standing around it as sentries.
The weakest of these was Sufferance-tier, and there was actually a Heavenly Immortal among them.
Ooom.
Suddenly, a portal radiance flashed, and several ragged figures dropped out of the portal.
The Daemon Foxes guarding it were stunned, and the Heavenly Immortal Fox recognized a few of their clans folk.
Were they not the champions sent back to the homeworld recently?
He promptly went up to greet them, only to notice that the True Immortal Fox in the lead was red-eyed just before he kicked the sentry. Then, with a whoosh, it took to the skies as a streaking immortal light as he flew deep into the mountain.
The Heavenly Immortal Foxes, which were following the True Immortal Fox, took to the skies as well and disappeared over the horizon, leaving the sentry foxes trading confused glances at each other.
Majestic buildings stood deep within the mountain, which was actually the Green Hill Foxes’ domain.
They had emigrated from the homeworld to branch out here, and they had developed prosperously—many foxes dwelled in that mountain, with fox cubs playing around, adult foxes cultivating in the valley, while powerful auras rising from the many buildings.
The Green Hill Foxes were not a weak clan.
Their clan boasted three Grand Luos, a dozen Golden Immortals, and a link to Nüwa’s palace. Indeed, anyone around this galactic sector had to give them face.
Whoosh!
An immortal light streaked through the skies.
Kaboom!
A powerful aura abruptly shot up from one of the buildings below, with one True Immortal Fox rising to the air and barking, “Insolence! Who is this arrogant to fly over our clan… Eh? Ninth Brother?”
That True Immortal Fox recognized the immortal light streaking through the skies.
Within, the other True Immortal Fox who had rushed all the way back to their clan landed, and almost started bawling upon seeing his fellow clans folk.
The rims of his eyes were red and his voice hoarse, and he exclaimed, “They’re gone… they’re all gone…”
“Who’s gone, Ninth Brother?”
That True Immortal Fox’s expression changed as he asked somberly, “What happened? Didn’t you return to the homeworld with Eighth Elder? Why have you come back? And where is Eighth Elder?”
While it was only natural that the foxes had a mechanism similar to the Sky Demons’ Soul Throne, the celestial battlefield was too far away from Earth. A trip back would take half a month even with uninterrupted warping through portals. Therefore, since the Golden Immortal Daemon Fox had fallen near Mars, not even its soul plate at the clan sensed his death.
“Eighth Elder… has fallen!”
“What?!”
An exclamation of disbelief echoed.
***
Moments later…
The many Golden Immortal Daemon Fox had gathered in a grand chamber.
On one corner was the Immortal Foxes who just rushed home, and they were on their knees as they described everything they encountered.
“Eighth Elder and I journeyed back to the homeworld without breaks, only to find that… the planet Mars, which was near Earth, was gone. The portals on it were therefore destroyed, which was why we had to fly across outer space physically back to the Earth from the area near Mars.”
“Eighth Elder happened to felt a little anxious to return, which was why he flew the quickest… and he had fallen by the time we caught up.”
The chamber became silent.
An elderly, white-haired Golden Immortal Daemon Fox who was leaning on a crutch spoke with quivering voice, “How could this be?”
“Eighth Brother is not weak and could be considered to stand among the ranks of stronger Golden Immortals. Moreover, with the Primordial Bell’s protection, only the best of Golden Immortals who wield spiritual attacks could kill him. There is no way such elites exist in the homeworld!”
“Could it be…”
Another Golden Immortal Daemon Fox straightened and asked somberly, “The champions of the Hundred Races had laid an ambush?”
His expression changed again when he finished, his voice turning hoarse. “If that’s so, doesn’t that mean that the Hundred Races have invaded the homeworld ahead of time?”
“If that was the case, the destruction of Mars is understandable.”
That Golden Immortal Fox’s gaze flickered with a glint of wisdom. “It makes sense that the Hundred Races would not desire our return after conquering our homeworld. Their destruction of Mars could well be a move to delay the immortals’ return.”
The many Golden Immortals had a change in their expressions then.
“If that’s so, and if the Hundred Races have secured a foothold on our homeworld… retaking it would be very difficult!”
“No. We must report his matter to the Throne of Six Holies and have them decide!
Huh?
Over at a corner…
The True Immortal Fox who had remained kowtowed and shivering on the floor drew a blank right then.
Was… was that what happened?
Each of the clan elders were deducing with extreme detail as if it was the truth— the True Immortal Fox might have believed them as well if had not witnessed what actually happened firsthand.
Then, seeing that one of the Golden Immortal Elder Fox had taken out their jade charm and was about to contact their clan’s Grand Luo and the Throne of Six Holies, that True Immortal Fox promptly spoke out, “Venerable Elders… that was not what happened!”
“The one who slayed Eighth Elder and many members of our clan was not someone from the Hundred Races… but a human elite.”
“What?!”
The air in the chamber turned weird immediately.
Bang!
Suddenly, there was a dull crash.
A burly Golden Immortal Fox had slammed his hand on the table and roared, “How dare those humans slay one of the Green Hill Foxes’ champions! Who did it? Which sect did they belong to? We must not leave this matter untended!”
Ninth Brother Fox replied, “To answer your question, Fourth Elder… the culprit was a human Heavenly Immortal from the homeworld.”
“…”
The chamber became silent abruptly.
Then, seconds later…
Slap!
A huge palm slammed onto Ninth Brother Fox’s body.
Splat!
Sent flying while coughing blood, Ninth Brother Fox slammed heavily on a wall of the chamber and actually caused it to quake. Then, the burly Golden Immortal Fox strode out and stood before him and coldly asked, “Wretch, do you even know what you’re saying?”
“A human Heavenly Immortal… a human Heavenly Immortal, killing Eighth Brother?”
“Argh!”
Ninth Brother Fox screamed desperately as the other fox’s Golden Immortal Might left his very soul shuddering. Bawling, he shrieked, “Mercy, mercy, Third Elder! Every word I say is true, and let me be struck down by heavenly thunderbolts if there is any deceit! The fellow clan people who returned with me can testify: the one who killed Eighty Elder really was a human Heavenly Immortal!”
***
Far away in distance space, within a colossal blazing star, stood many palaces.
Built out of an unknown material, those palaces were completely immune to the heat of the star, and there were actually people alive dwelling within.
To be precise…
They would not count as human, though they resembled humans in appearance.
All of them stood more than two and a half meters tall, and their eyes were a devilish purple. There were two wings growing on their backs as well, and some were black while others were white.
Whoosh.
A wind gusted.
Space rippled.
A towering figure over eight meters tall appeared in the skies above the palace then.
Even so, the figure, which had twelve pairs of black wings, was incredibly illusory—it was probably a projection.
“My king!”
A burly figure stepped out of the palace just then and kowtowed.
The projection spoke, “I have received word that the humans’ homeworld has been unsealed, and that the humans have sent their elites home. It appears that the Sky Demons had attempted an invasion on the planet as well but failed.”
“Relay my orders to the champions of every race to convene the prospect of an invasion on the humans’ homeworld.”
“A profound providence must exist in the planet for the Six Holies and a multitude of Grand Luo to rise. We must claim it.”
“Yes, your majesty!”
***
Back on Earth, at the agricultural market of Lingzhou City, every Feral within a hundred mile radius from Lingzhou had been wiped out at present. In fact, any straggler would have a hard time escaping the quarterly purges launched by the elites of the local garrison and Martial Arts Department (MAD).
It was now March.
Just as the spring farming season arrived, the government had categorized the hundred miles around Lingzhou City as a center point for agricultural activities. Lingzhou City, which was already famous for being a strategic location and the Grain Silo of Xibei, was now overflowing with Yuan Qi following the Revival of Qi, and the farms hundreds of miles around it was enough to sustain several base cities.
Therefore, the agricultural market was reopening.
Lively crowds were moving here and there within.
Jiang He had brought Dumbo, Trumbo, Hu Mei, and Boa Hancock here.
Naturally… they had put on a disguise, and the reason was none other than Jiang He’s extreme fame.
Honored with the title of Hua Nation’s Guardian God, who in Lingzhou City would not recognize him, be it a toddler or old folks in their eighties?
The last time he came to the city for some skewers with Cheng Dongfeng ended up with the grill shop being utterly mobbed. More people appeared even after he signed autographs and had his picture taken for over an hour, and traffic accidents or even stampedes could have occurred if Jiang He did not escape in a flash.
Right now, Jiang He was wearing a baseball cap, large sunglasses, a face mask. Even Dumbo had the latter two items on his face.
There was no helping it.
The dog was quite famous here in Lingzhou City, and was known for its pompousness.
“Master…”
Dumbo appeared a little unsettled with the face mask, and was trying to rip it off even as it stammered, “I don’t have to wear this, yes? It’s just a piece of rag, and it hardly conceals my imposing aura… I could change forms into a teddy bear, and no one would recognize me that way.”
Jiang He shot Dumbo a look.
Shuddering, Dumbo quickly said, “I could turn into a caterpillar if I have to… I had cultivated the art of morphing recently to novice levels…”
“Shut it!”
Trumbo, who had turned into a little black cat and was standing on Dumbo’s shoulder, scolded, “How am I supposed to stand on your shoulder if I turned into a caterpillar?”
“Bah!”
Dumbo glared and barked, “Silly cat. You could turn into a mosquito.”
Jiang He was dumbstruck.
He cursed inwardly!
Hide, my foot!
Many gazes were being drawn to them as cat and dog quarreled.
To avoid being mobbed again, Jiang He directed his Immortal Yuan Strength to refract the light around him, hiding him from onlookers.
After some time, the cat and dog got tired of it.
Only then did Dumbo asked in confusion, “Master, why are we here?”
“Isn’t it spring soon?”
Jiang He smiled. “Since things have been a little boring lately, let’s buy some seeds home to plant. I heard that there are people selling mutated vegetable seeds in this agricultural market as well, so I personally came to see if it’s true.”
In truth, Jiang He’s immortal will could extend far enough to cover all of Hua Nation.
However…
How was shutting himself at home and working with his beautiful and voluptuous maids interesting?
Wouldn’t it be nice to come out for a stroll?
Soon, Jiang He arrived before a stall at a corner of the market.
An old man around sixty owned that stall.
He had boy just shy of ten with him, and he had placed a plastic mat on the floor, on top of which were several bowls of seeds. A paper label beside the bowl read, “Mutated ginseng seeds. Ten thousand dollars per seed—small business, no refunds.”
“Oh?”
Jiang He dropped to a crouch. Picking up one of the seeds and holding it over his palm to check, he could not help asking, “Old man, is this really ginseng seed?”
Jiang He had always thought of himself as a fellow farmer who was up to standard.
However…
Most farmers didn’t plant ginseng!
This involved a blind spot in his knowledge!
