Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio
“Wait.”
Zhang Ruochen shouted and ran over to stop her. He hesitated for a moment, then asked with an embarrassed smile, “I have helped you a favor…could you help me in return?”
Ling Feiyu stood still, her body straight and her eyes sharp as a blade. “Speak.”
Zhang Ruochen was hoping she would help to take care of Mu Lingxi when she was back to the Moon Worship Demonic Sect.
Mu Lingxi was in trouble now. He felt the need to help her using his connection.
Ling Feiyu was the Imperial Empress of the Saintess Palace. If the leader of the demonic sect had spoken for Mu Lingxi, no one else would dare to say anything.
Ling Feiyu’s dark radiant eyes looked at Zhang Ruochen with a wistful expression. “You like her, don’t you? I never knew you had such complicated relationships.”
Zhang Ruochen smiled and did not explain further.
So much for his conscience being clean.
“You have killed two saints from the sect. They will come after you.”
Before Zhang Ruochen could say anything, she added, “I know they deserved to die, and I will report this to the Hierarch. One more thing: the Heir Stamp you took from Ouyang Huan…do you have any intention of returning it to him?”
“How could I return something that has been taken away?” Zhang Ruochen answered.
Ling Feiyu nodded, then said, “Ouyang Huan is the Deity of the Moon Worship Demonic Sect, and he has his influence. Even if the Hierarch has nothing to say about it, Ouyang Huan and his people have seen you as their enemy. You will be in danger with your cultivation strength. As a token of appreciation, can I suggest something?”
“What is it?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
“Return to the Sect with me, and I will support you to take the position of the Deity from Ouyang Huan. Every Deity has the right to pick a saint lady from the Saintess Palace to be his partner. You could pick the Mu Lingxi,” said Ling Feiyu.
Zhang Ruochen shook his head with a smile, rejecting her offer politely.
Ling Feiyu replied, “Are you doubting my ability to go against Ouyang Huan? I am the Imperial Saintess of the Saintess Palace, also the head of the Ling Family. I suppose the influence of the Ling Family should be enough for you to reconsider the offer?”
“The Ling Family are descendants of the Demonic Emperor. I have no question over their influence on the Demonic Sect. It’s just…I have no interest in being the Deity of the Demonic Sect,” Zhang Ruochen explained.
“Alright. I shall not ask further if you have already decided.”
There was a flash of light and then she disappeared.
Chu Siyuan picked up the Seven Lives and Seven Deaths Map from the floor and rolled it up. He seemed unhappy with her departure. “I have given her a great help, but she left without thanking me. Is that the manner a sword saint or the granddaughter of the Demonic Emperor should have?”
Luo Xu chucked, “Ling Saintess never says thank you. She expresses her gratitude with action, not words.”
“You seem to have a lot of faith in her.”
Chu Siyuan added further, “Now that she has recovered, I bet she is on her way to find Lin Suxian and take back what’s hers. Shouldn’t you be worried?”
“It is time to resolve this matter. Ling Saintess has recovered, I should get going too,” said Luo Xu.
Before he left, he asked Zhang Ruochen, “Zhang Ruochen, what about you? What is your plan after?”
“I am heading to the Royal Capital,” Zhang Ruochen answered.
“Hehe.”
Chu Siyuan laughed. “What a coincidence. I am going to the Royal Capital to visit a good friend. Shall we go together?”
“No, thank you. I have my plans already,” Zhang Ruochen rejected.
His plan in the Royal Capital was to visit his mother’s Imperial Mausoleum and meet up with Kong Lanyou. It would be inconvenient for him to be on a trip with Chu Siyuan.
Chu Siyuan’s face darkened. With an angry swing of his arm, he felt embarrassed to have been rejected.
Seeing as he was the head of the Painting Sect, he thought Zhang Ruochen would gladly accept his offer.
In fact, he was being rejected.
“I don’t care what your plan is, I am following you,” said Chu Siyuan, throwing his temper tantrum.
Chu Siyuan’s childlike behavior had rendered Zhang Ruochen speechless. He tried convincing again. “Dear Uncle Chu, you are the head of the Painting Sect and I am a fugitive. Shouldn’t you worry that your reputation will be affected if you are seen travelling with me?”
While Chu Siyuan enjoyed the “Uncle Chu” title, he asked, “Zhang Ruochen, do you have something secretive planned in the Royal Capital? Why won’t you let me follow?”
Chu Siyuan had lived for a hundred years. The change in Zhang Ruochen’s tone had raised his suspicion already.
Luo Xu said, “Zhang Ruochen, you are carrying many precious items that will attract unnecessary attention. Brother Chu may be helpful if you guys are on the trip together.”
Meanwhile, Luo Xu sent a hidden message to Zhang Ruochen asking him to take this opportunity to learn from Chu Siyuan.
Zhang Ruochen thought for a while and finally accepted the suggestion.
He knew if he said no again, Chu Siyuan might follow him in secret.
That would cause him more trouble.
After Luo Xu and Luo Shuihan left, Zhang Ruochen was left with Chu Siyuan on the green wooden boat, flowing down the stream towards the direction of the Royal Capital.
Little did they know there were three men watching them from the back, standing on an area that was slightly higher.
The three men were Kong Hongbi, Saint General Gui Gu, and a saint level elder from the Sacred Central Crypt.
Saint General Gui Gu said, “Luo Xu has left, but the painting saint Chu Siyuan is still on the boat. This man can destroy a force of a hundred thousand troops with a single painting. Not an easy target.”
Kong Hongbi crossed his arms at his chest and asked, “Where are they heading to?”
“Going downstream in the Tong Ming River. Should be heading to the Royal Capital.” The elder made his guess.
Kong Hongbi looked pleased. “If he is going to the Royal Capital, he’s asking for it.”
Saint General Gui Gu laughed, “We have been taking the Royal Capital over for so many years. If he is going to the Royal Capital, no one can save him, not even the painting saint.”
Kong Hongbi said, “The painting saint is not related to Zhang Ruochen. He must be doing Luo Xu a favor by taking care of Zhang Ruochen. When they arrive at the Royal Capital, he won’t bother anymore. And that is when we make our move.”
The three of them disappeared into the forest, heading back to the Royal Capital for preparation.
The river was named as the Da Ming River. Its source began at the Savage Barren Territory, and ran for many hundreds of miles, stretching across three states in the Central Region.
The current was always unpredictable. Sometimes, it was as still as a lake; sometimes, it was as rapid as a waterfall.
Zhang Ruochen stood in front of the boat and continued practicing, attempting to link all of his gains obtained from the Seven Lives and Seven Deaths Map.
“Sword Four.”
Zhang Ruochen thrust his sword forward, emitting a brightly lit beam to the front.
Boom.
A hundred miles to the right of the river bay, a canyon of a few thousand meters tall groaned.
The beam that his sword emitted had cut a hole through the valley.
Zhang Ruochen pulled the Abyss Ancient Sword back and looked through the hole, smiling. The penetration power of Sword Four is at least three or four times stronger than Sword Three.
He continued his practice. Other than Sword Four, he had also been practicing the Nine-Life Sword Technique and the True-Thunder Fire Sword Technique.
Zhang Ruochen had completed the training for both of the saint level techniques. What was left was the continuous practice.
Chu Siyuan sat in the cabin, watching Zhang Ruochen while sipping a cup of tea. He was shocked to see how much Zhang Ruochen had improved.
It was remarkable for a half-saint to complete the training of a saint level technique.
However, Zhang Ruochen, a Level Four Half-Saint had completed two saint level sword techniques.
Not including the Water Luo Fists and the Sword Four from the Wordless Sword Manual.
This young boy is incredibly talented. If he could be guided appropriately, the world would have another great warrior to defend against the Immortal Vampires and the dead souls from the Netherworld.
Chu Siyuan never thought of Zhang Ruochen as someone righteous nor evil.
He felt a strong need for Zhang Ruochen to have a mentor, a guide that could lead him to the righteous pathway.
He told himself: The company he has does have an impact on his personality. When we arrive at the Royal Capital, I must introduce him to some of the great warriors or scholars I know to better influence him.
Zhang Ruochen spent the following days refining his fist techniques and sword skills during the day. At night, he would refine the divine blood with the hope of advancing his cultivation level.
As the green wooden boat got closer to the Royal Capital, the stream got busier with the increase in the number of boats and ships.
Some of the ships were huge and majestic. One could see the passengers reciting poems and dancing with their swords through the bright portholes. These fancy ships clearly belonged to the influential families of saints, or some of the famous ancient families.
The Royal Capital had once been the capital to the Sacred Central Empire. It had been the birthplace of many ancient families.
These families continued to grow even after the fall of the Sacred Central Empire.
“Zhang Ruochen, I have a Spiritual Power saint weapon that you may need.”
Chu Siyuan walked out from the cabin with a mask made of gold held in his hand, handing it over to Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen stared at the mask, looking doubtful. “What kind of Spiritual Power saint weapon is this?”
The creases on Chu Siyuan’s forehead deepened, then he snapped, “You are a fugitive! You will be caught even before entering the Royal Capital if you look like yourself.”
“This is the Gold Phantom Mask. It will cover the wearer’s scent while blurring his face and body, making him unrecognizable. It works on the saints of Spiritual Power too.”
Zhang Ruochen murmured to himself: Had you not tagged along, I would have entered the Royal Capital using Gu Linfeng’s appearance.
Nevertheless, he accepted the mask and covered half of his face, giving out a mysterious look.
