Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“Now, you all sound mighty fierce indeed! It Iooks like you didn’t really exert yourselves last night nor have you reached your limits. Otherwise, how would you have the strength to curse and swear now? Young people are great, possessing an excellent ability to recover quickly. I think I can tune it up some more. Training is only effective when it’s done in it’s most extreme form…” Dong Qitian huffed.
” How could you say we didn’t reach our limits? We gave our all last night. We couldn’t even move in the end.”
“Please judge wisely, chief trainer. We did exert as much as we could last night. Our limbs still feel like jelly now, we feel utterly depleted…”
“Let me ask you then. What enlightenment did you acquire from the battle process? Was there any form of realization?”
“Uh…”
“This… seems like…”
“I didn’t feel much… just pain…”
“Other than pure agony, what… else… is there to be felt?”
“None…”
Dong Qitian nodded and said, “Very well. No realizations, excellent. Since you have not come to any enlightenment, we shall continue training tonight, until you gain some insights!”
He walked away as he spoke, but his words came from afar, “I need to see a few of you with broken bones tomorrow morning.”
Moans came from the room.
“No…”
“Today’s horrible enough. Why are we continuing…”
“Oh my God… Is this training? This is outright murder…”
“Is this the Residence of Nine Supremes or hell…”
“Have mercy…”
“Help me…”
It was too bad that Dong Qitian had already wandered off quite a distance, but even if he had heard them, he would have ignored them anyway.
…
“The chief instructor’s cultivation base is striking.”
Gu Jiuxiao clicked his tongue and commented, “He’s already level four of Saint from what we could see, about the capability of an ordinary sect’s leader… I wonder where the child found him.”
“Not bad indeed but he doesn’t look familiar – probably a recently ascended ace cultivator,” Xiao Yushu said reservedly, stroking his beard.
“Fourth level Saint is indeed a noteworthy expert, especially precious for the current Residence of Nine Supremes,” Feng Guohai looked comforted by the fact, nodding patronizingly.
…
Dong Qitian passed from afar, scoffing internally.
‘You fools, of course you only see a level four Saint on the surface.’
‘With my cultivation base, of course you can only see what I want you to see!’
‘As for more…’
…
The General Commerce League acted notably quickly.
It was only the third night when an unusual wind-breaking cry tore through the gloom, deafening in the sky like a dragon’s call or a tiger’s roar.
An earth-shattering voice spoke, “Where is Feng Guohai, from the commerce league?”
A lofty aura preceded the echoing voice.
The Residence of Nine Supremes was protected by its guarding formation, remaining untested by the pressure, so the effect was not significant. In spite of this, all the trees within hundreds of miles around the mountain guarding formation bent uniformly from the power, like officials paying respect to their king.
Being in his room, Dong Qitian only raised his eyes faintly before he rolled them and went back into unconcerned slumber.
Yun Yang was swift to react, unlocking the guarding formation, and saw five silhouettes landing gently.
The leading one was sturdy in build; who else could it be if not Lang Fantian. It was the four elders behind him whom Yun Yang did not know, all strangers to him.
As he ran his eyes across the group, he noticed that two of them were already hunched and bony with silver strands on their head and wrinkles lining their face. Age spots were littered across their faces and their eyes were murky without any light. Their pulses were weak and wilting, a tiny draw of air after some moment. Every aspect was showing how senile they were.
Perhaps their state was worse than what was seen because they came being held by the other two men.
Understandably, if these two had come on their own, the depletion of this journey would have further shortened their counted breaths. Worse, it could cost their lives.
As for the other two elders who held them, they were also very senior in age, well past their prime, despite looking better than the two former men.
Yun Yang rushed out to welcome them personally.
“Brother Yun! Hahaha… Brother Yun, we meet again!” Lang Fantian took a large stride over, spilling warmth as he grabbed and shook Yun Yang’s hand continuously, “Brother, you’ve worked hard, oh you have.”
He acted like they were blood brothers who were separated for years, suddenly meeting in a chaotic, war-torn street. The surprise, the elation…
Yun Yang who was on the receiving end of his tidal friendliness was very much taken aback and eventually managed to respond, “Cough… Vice Chief Lang… you need not be so courteous…”
“I should, I should!”
Another wave of hearty laughter later, Lang Fantian lowered his voice and said, “I’ve never expected the goods you prepared this time to actually be such rare items… It’s really wonderful!”
Yun Yang coughed and answered, “Alright, alright. Please do let go of my hands first!”
He thought, ‘The Qi of vitality is but the lowest grade among what Emmie has… Its Force of the Soul, Qi of Dao, Celestial Amethyst Qi, the spiritual energy of pulse… aren’t even used yet.’
‘Here he is, already beyond elated… I must adjust my plan then… How can I not utilize it further when I have the commodity?’
“Come, come. Let me introduce them first, brother. These two are the General Commerce League’s herald elders, Heaven Sword, and Earth Saber. They’re the league’s elders since the General Commerce League upgraded to middle-class Celestial Luck Banner twenty thousand years ago. Throughout these years, they’ve risked their lives for the league and contributed significantly, basically our meritorious officials.”
Lang Fantian pointed to the two old men who were close to becoming skeletons.
The two old men tried their best to straighten up, their muddy gaze locking onto Yun Yang.
“I’m Heaven Sword, Song Changgong.”
“I’m Earth Saber, Li Yixin.”
The two elders sighed in unison.
“We’re no longer what our nicknames are… We can’t even wield the sword and saber now… The names Heaven Sword and Earth Saber are only for laughs now.”
The other two men intercepted in respect, “Seniors are venerable men. Your effort is incomparable in making the General Commerce League what it is today!”
“These two are our league’s Protectors, Wan Qingliu and Bai Yuxi,” Lang Fantian introduced along.
“Nice to meet you.”
Yun Yang bowed ceaselessly with his palm cupping his fist before his chest.
“I’ve long heard your great names. Now that I get to see all of you in person, it’s my lifetime honor!”
Lang Fantian rolled his eyes.
‘Aren’t your words rolling from your tongue too smoothly? You’re obviously making it up… I’d be a fool to believe you.’