“You pay for every bit of quality you get. If you want a slightly more inferior one, I have those too.”
Xiao Chen took the map and looked at it. It was as that man said, so he straightforwardly handed over one thousand Black Astral Coins.
Just at this moment, there were exclamations as eight spirited horses with fiery hair appeared above Despair City, pulling a golden war chariot, which descended and flew directly into the city.
“That is the Young Treasure Master Yi Ling’s war chariot. What’s been going on recently? Outstanding talents keep coming to this Despair City.”
“I heard that the Five Poison Sect’s Holy Son is also preparing to head here from the Eastern Sea.”
“There are the Four Gentlemen of the Heavenly Province Academy and the Yinyang Paradise’s Holy Daughter, Tong Susu, rushing over as well.”
“Could some valuable treasure be about to appear in Despair City?”
Loud exclamations came from the town.
A thought occurred to Xiao Chen. Then, he turned to the gray-robed cultivator beside him and asked, “Have there been any changes to Despair City recently? Do you have any news?”
The gray-robed cultivator revealed the smile of an unscrupulous businessman. Then, he replied, “I know some, but not much.”
After Xiao Chen handed over some Astral Coins, the gray-robed cultivator smiled in satisfaction. “According to rumor, a few great Fiends, who have lived for several thousand years and are approaching the end of their lifespans, are going to work together with some major characters to barge into the heart of the ocean. They want to see if they can find an opportunity to change their fate.”
The lifespan mentioned here should be the natural lifespan. They were probably seeking divine medicine to extend theirs.
Xiao Chen thought for a while. He still had plenty of natural lifespan; the problem was with his physiological lifespan. Such divine medicine would be useless to him.
He still possessed Longevity Fruits. Even consuming one had not affected his physical body at all.
“Hehe! These outstanding talents are all probably thinking of tagging along behind these major characters and trying their luck. Without these major characters leading the way to the heart of the ocean, they would not even dare to go to the edges.”
The gray-robed cultivator continued, “However, those major characters are not here yet, so these outstanding talents can only casually search around Despair City, to see if they can gain anything. After all, there are also many good things in Despair City.”
After obtaining the news that he sought, Xiao Chen thought for a moment before heading into the city.
After he turned around, the gray-robed cultivator’s flattering smile vanished, turning into an expression of regret.
This person before the gray-robed Martial Monarch was very liberal with money. He had to come from an extraordinary background. Unfortunately, he was too cautious and not like those people who came out for experiential training for the first time. Hence, the gray-robed cultivator had no opportunities.
If Xiao Chen had agreed to adventure with others, there would be many opportunities. How unfortunate that such a fat lamb escaped his grasp!
As Xiao Chen walked, he looked at the map. Suddenly, the aura of despair turned into miserable shrieks calling out beside his ears. They resounded wildly and generated illusions.
Despair, what was despair? It was being unable to advance or retreat, surrounded by enemies on all sides with all hopes shattered.
This was like Xiao Chen’s current situation. If he did not become a Martial Emperor within five years, he would face a dead end. There did not seem to be hope, his path completely cut off.
In the illusion, an anxious figure appeared before Xiao Chen’s eyes, standing before a huge chasm.
This figure wore fluttering white robes and had delicate features. A treasure saber hung at his waist, and he gave off a strong aura, stirring up winds and clouds.
However, this figure’s eyes were dead, dejected, with no sign of vitality whatsoever, full of despair, pain, and dissatisfaction.
The figure radiated all sorts of despair. Xiao Chen felt it for himself too, like it was real.
Five years already passed, and the chasm is still here. I can see the opposite side, but I cannot form a bridge to cross it. The heavens want to end me, to exterminate me!!
Thousands of saber Qi shot out from the white-robed youth, then pierced many holes in his body, as they turned and stabbed him. After laughing loudly, he jumped down the huge chasm, ending himself.
I hate the heavens for being unfair, for cutting off my path to life and ending my hope. Before the white-robed youth died, his hate and despair peaked, lingering on without scattering.
Despair. It was really painful.
Xiao Chen calmly watched the illusion unfold. Then, he narrowed his eyes and strolled out of the illusion. When he looked up, he realized that he had already reached the city gates unawares.
At the city gates, a strong wind carried the shrieks of despair, blowing continuously. This was what created the earlier situation.
“How scary! I’m never coming to Despair City again.”
Not far away, a few Superior Grade Martial Sages, who were preparing to work together to kill Profound Beasts, struggled free of the illusions. Their faces paled, and their bodies trembled repeatedly as they recoiled.
Several more people had not thrown off the illusions. They held their heads, unable to bear the pain, rolling on the ground as if their lives depended on doing so.
The companions of these people quickly dragged them away. When they looked at the pitch-black city gates, their eyes brimmed with horror.
“Bunch of trash! If you are not capable, don’t ape others and enter Despair City. Make way for this young master!”
“Clip-clop! Clip-clop! Clip-clop!”
The sound of horses galloping rang out. Xiao Chen tilted his head and looked. A group of cultivators riding tall horses was shouting as they charged towards the city gates.
Aside from the youth leading the group, the other cultivators on the horses were older. They were actually all great grandmaster-level Martial Sages.
“It’s the people from the Five Poison Sect. Quick, go! Go now!”
The people hanging around the city gates all moved to the side immediately, not daring to block the way.
Of the Immortal Holy Lands, the Five Poison Sect was the one with the worst reputation. They were domineering in the way they did things and frequently used poison. Ordinary people simply did not dare to offend them.
Only an Immortal Holy Land would be able to mobilize so many great grandmaster-level Martial Sages all at once.
Unwilling to incur more problems, Xiao Chen quickly moved aside. However, he was somewhat slow as he was checking out that group of people.
“Pa!”
An angry expression flashed on the face of the youth leading the group. He raised his horsewhip and lashed at Xiao Chen.
“Too slow. You are seeking death!”
The force behind the whip was extremely great. The horsewhip tearing through the air sounded like thunder, buzzing and setting the air atremble.
The youth who attacked was a grandmaster-level Martial Sage, not much weaker than Hai Tian, Gongsun Yan, and the other outstanding talents of the Southern Sea. This person had to have a high status in the Five Poison Sect.
Xiao Chen tilted his body and grabbed the horsewhip. Then, he pulled casually. That youth flew off the horse. Before that youth could react, Xiao Chen smashed him into the wall.
Not even looking at the group of horsemen, Xiao Chen simply moved in a flash, preparing to enter Despair City.
The youth that crashed into the wall groaned painfully before giving instructions in a huff. “Thinking of leaving? Stop him!”
“Whoosh!”
There was a sonic boom. It was Xiao Chen turning back and weaving between two great grandmaster-level Martial Sages in his way. He had returned to deliver a kick in midair to the youth, dealing him a body blow.
“Ka ca! Ka ca!” The youth’s ribs shattered, and he howled in anguish. Then, he went flying back. Before Xiao Chen, he could not block at all.
When the great grandmaster-level Martial Sages saw this, they quickly rushed towards the airborne youth.
When Xiao Chen landed, he turned around and looked at the city gates. Then, he sank into deep thought. Despair. This word really suited him at this moment.
There was no such thing as an absolute dead end. He wondered if he would be able to find a chance to resolve his situation in Despair City.
By displaying merely two moves, Xiao Chen daunted the group of great grandmaster-level Martial Sages from an Immortal Holy Land. They simply looked at him, not daring to take rash action.
These people possessed very good judgment. Naturally, they would not deem Xiao Chen an ordinary great grandmaster-level Martial Sage.
“Do you dare to leave your name? My Five Poison Sect will definitely come to your sect another day to have another exchange,” one of the great grandmaster-level Martial Sages demanded with rage boiling in his eyes.
“Xiao Chen.”
After saying those two words, Xiao Chen walked calmly into Despair City.
Xiao Chen, the Azure Dragon King Xiao Chen!
At these two simple words, the Five Poison Sect inner sect elder that had spoken immediately became much less arrogant.
Everyone knew that Xiao Chen was already a quasi-Emperor. Even if they attacked together, they would not be a match for him.
As for accumulations, the Martial God Palace’s accumulations were much more than the Five Poison Sect’s. Furthermore, the Thunder Sovereign, a Prime Martial Sovereign, backed Xiao Chen.
Without sufficient gain or profits, even if the Five Poison Sect’s Martial Emperors came, they would not really dare to do anything to Xiao Chen.
Furthermore, how could the Martial Emperors of the Five Poison Sect care about such a small matter like this?
“You bunch of trash, didn’t my Elder Brother say to protect me?” The youth lying on the ground started scolding when he saw Xiao Chen leaving.
The few old men looked like they were placed in a difficult position. One of them whispered, “Second Young Master, that person is the Azure Dragon King Xiao Chen. Even added together, we are not a match for him. Why seek trouble for ourselves?”
“Right, right, right. Furthermore, he now has only twenty more years to live. If he is unlucky, he might die even faster. Second Young Master, there is no need to be angry with him.”
After a long time, that youth slowly calmed down.
When the crowd outside the city gates saw the youth miserably humiliated, many showed happy expressions.
Five Poison Sect disciples normally behaved in an extremely domineering fashion. Only the Azure Dragon King could handle them.
If it were another person, even a Holy Scion of the other Immortal Holy Lands, they would feel fear in their hearts. They would not dare to act without restraint in such a casual fashion the way the Azure Dragon King had.
The Azure Dragon King kicked the Five Poison Sect’s Second Young Master into submission. After he gave his name, the Five Poison Sect’s group did not even dare to say anything more.
This was true dominance. Unfortunately, such a character was destined to die early. It was simply impossible to advance to Martial Emperor in five years.
—
After Xiao Chen entered the city, he kept his guard over his consciousness up. The aura of despair that spread in the air did not affect him at all.
In reality, if he had not wanted to see it at the city gates, that illusion of despair would not have appeared.
He looked around. Most of the buildings in the city were broken down. Intact structures were rare. With one glance, he found many tall pavilions with broken walls. The surroundings looked extremely complex.
The aura of despair spread everywhere in the air. It was like every brick and tile naturally emanated despair.
This ambiance made it very difficult for Xiao Chen to start searching for the Despair Throne. He needed to find the source of the city’s despair.
However, the aura of despair seemed constant in every part of the city; there was no clear difference.
Xiao Chen was definitely not the only person to search for the source of the city’s despair in the past few millennia. However, the name despair still remained with the city, which showed that all of them failed.
It was really not a simple thing to find the throne in such a large city.
Xiao Chen took out the map of Despair City and studied it. Although the city was mostly in ruin, there were still a few well-preserved Remnants.
Sword Mound, drill ground, City Lord’s Residence, Sage Plaza…
Xiao Chen ran his finger over the marks on the map. There were really many famous Remnants.
After thinking for a while, he waved, and the Cycle Banner flew out of the Universe Ring. The Astral Pearls for Massacre, Death, Ruin, and Grief flew out.
“Life Bestowal Spell!” Xiao Chen shouted, forming hand seals.
With the Life Bestowal Spell, the four Astral Pearls turned into four small different-colored birds that took flight.
The seven thrones should have some resonance between them. These four small birds flew out. They did not need a destination, so it was fine for them to flutter around at random. If Xiao Chen was lucky, he would come across the Despair Throne quickly.
“Roar!”
The little birds had just flown off when a Profound Beast that looked like a lion with wings and a snake for a tail appeared in Xiao Chen’s vision.
