After not seeing this Immortal Cultivator for so many years, Xiao Chen met him in Despair City as a Yuanying Stage cultivator.
Using the might of a Magic Treasure, this Immortal Cultivator could even kill a Profound Beast equal to a great grandmaster-level Martial Sage.
If not for Xiao Chen improving even faster than this Immortal Cultivator, the situation might not have turned out so well.
“It looks like you still remember me and know that I have questions for you,” Xiao Chen said indifferently.
The blue-robed cultivator smiled bitterly and said, “How can I not remember? In these years, I have always been in the Eternal Heavenly Sword School. The name Azure Dragon King is like thunder piercing the ear.”
“First, tell me your name.”
“Feng Wuqing!”
The blue-robed cultivator answered as he carefully watched his seven life flying swords, which lay to the ground.
“I do know a thing or two about Immortal Cultivation. I am well aware of the importance of a life flying sword to you. If you want your flying swords back, just answer my questions honestly.”
Feng Wuqing knew that Xiao Chen was not lying. Otherwise, Xiao Chen could not have used that Beautiful Mountain and River Painting. He said helplessly, “Whatever you wish. In any case, it would be impossible for me to flee from you.”
“Good. Tell me, what have you been doing at the Eternal Heavenly Sword School?”
Hesitation appeared in Feng Wuqing’s eyes. Then, he looked up and saw Xiao Chen’s cold expression, and his heart trembled. He replied, “I did not do much, just helped to prepare to refine the True Dragon Life Replenishing Pill.”
“Why are you back here? You have finished refining the True Dragon Life Replenishing Pill?”
Feng Wuqing smiled and countered, “How can that be? With my Alchemy skills, I can only do some preparatory work. The True Dragon Life Replenishing Pill is a Medicinal Pill that surpasses King Grade. Only my Master can refine it. Now, I have nothing more to do. Naturally, there was no need for me to remain there.”
“Alright. Next question: who is the True Dragon Life Replenishing Pill for?”
Feng Wuqing shook his heard and replied, “I do not know that. I was only responsible for screening, refining, and collecting True Dragon bones, more like an odd-job worker.”
Xiao Chen smiled and said, “Odd-job worker? Your master is really incredible. Just an odd-job worker managed to reach the Yuanying Stage and use the might of Magic Treasures to kill even a Black Profound Wolf.”
“My master really is incredible. At the very least, if you go to the Eternal Heavenly Sword School now, you would not even know how you died. If you think that I am exaggerating, some of his prized disciples are in Despair City. You will know the truth of my words if you run into them,” Feng Wuqing said indifferently, smiling faintly, apparently trying to provoke Xiao Chen into fighting a few of his senior brothers.
“I will find out for myself whether it is true or not. You should be clear about your current situation first. Another question, how much longer will it take to finish refining the True Dragon Life Replenishing Pill?” Xiao Chen asked coldly.
“At least two years. For such a heaven-defying Medicinal Pill that can change fate, just collecting the True Dragon bones took one hundred years. Refining it is even more problematic. Furthermore, whether it will succeed or not is another story.”
“Can the True Dragon Life Replenishing Pill extend physiological lifespan?”
“Naturally, it cannot. If we consider increasing natural lifespan as heaven-defying and changing fate, extending physiological lifespan is like chopping down the heavens and snatching fate. They seem similar but are entirely different. Don’t overthink it.”
This Feng Wuqing apparently also knew that Xiao Chen only had twenty years left to live. His tone sounded like he was happy with Xiao Chen’s misfortune.
Xiao Chen lost his interest in Feng Wuqing. He waved his hand and said, “Take your flying swords and go!”
“You are letting me go just like that?” Feng Wuqing found this unbelievable.
Xiao Chen smiled coldly and retorted, “Why, you don’t want to go? Or do you want to force me to make you use your trump cards to protect yourself before you are satisfied?”
Feng Wuqing was somewhat stunned. Then, he smiled and said, “It is better to deal with intelligent people. Actually, the Eternal Heavenly Sword School does not have any secrets. It is just that my master owes the founding ancestor of the Eternal Heavenly Sword School a favor. By helping him refine the True Dragon Life Replenishing Pill, he is repaying this favor.
“However, it is best that you not go and cause trouble. I did not exaggerate my master’s strength. It is easy for him to kill you as you are now.”
After saying that, Feng Wuqing picked up his life flying swords and left right away.
Whether he had spoken the truth or not was hard to say.
Feng Wuqing did have some life-saving measures that he could not bear to use. Hence, Xiao Chen was not in a very good position to pressure him too much.
If Xiao Chen overdid it and Feng Wuqing used his life-saving measures, everything would be for naught.
At least Xiao Chen now had some useful information. The founding ancestor of the Eternal Heavenly Sword School was indeed still alive and was struggling on at death’s door, needing the True Dragon Life Replenishing Pill to replenish his lifespan.
As long as the Eternal Heavenly Sword School’s founding ancestor was not dead, it would be fine. This meant that the clues to the Thunder Emperor’s mysterious death would not get cut off.
Xiao Chen, this matter is already several thousand years past. Just leave it, Ao Jiao advised from the Immortal Spirit Ring.
Clearly, she was very worried about the master that Feng Wuqing mentioned. She feared that Xiao Chen would just send himself off to die.
Xiao Chen smiled and said, “Don’t worry. I know my limits. Feng Wuqing’s master might not be easy to deal with. However, I might still stand a chance two years later against a Martial Emperor that is relying on a True Dragon Life Replenishing Pill to survive.”
Ao Jiao tried to continue her advice. Xiao Chen—
Xiao Chen interrupted her, “There is no need to say anything more. You know my character. I will not change my mind on things that I have decided.
“Without the broken sword that the Thunder Emperor left on Seven Horn Mountain, I would have already died. Along the way, you’ve been helping me. I know that there is no way for me to repay this in full. However, I have to do what I can, no matter what.
“The Thunder Emperor’s death is very suspicious. I will not stand by and do nothing.”
Ao Jiao knew what Xiao Chen’s temper was like, so she sighed to herself and held her tongue.
Seeing Ao Jiao remain silent, Xiao Chen consoled her, “You know that I am not an impulsive person and will not be careless. Right now, I am just going to keep looking for snacks for Little Yellow Feather.”
After Ao Jiao heard that, she giggled. Now that she knew the details of this snack, she laughed for a long time.
Feng Wuqing’s appearance was just an intermission; it did not change what Xiao Chen needed to do.
The four small birds formed by the four Astral Pearls looked like they were flying at random. However, there was actually a pattern to their flight. They did not return to areas that they had already visited.
If this went on, Xiao Chen would find the source of despair sooner or later. It was just a matter of time.
If he was lucky, he could find it in one day. If he was extremely unlucky, he might spend even a year and a half.
Xiao Chen was in no rush, casually walking around the city like he was strolling at home. The marks of history in this ancient city were sufficient to occupy one for a long time.
Occasionally, he killed some Profound Beasts that he ran into. His mood was extremely relaxed.
Despite Xiao Chen’s contented attitude, the other cultivators in Despair City clearly felt an undercurrent intensifying with each passing day.
Disciples of the six Immortal Holy Lands, the heir of the Treasure Master, and genius Immortal Cultivators of the Penglai Sea, as well as some famous quasi-Emperor loose cultivators, arrived in Despair City one after another.
Even a fool could guess that something big was going to happen in Despair City.
Intense battles happened at any moment. The various Holy Scions refused to submit to each other or had existing grudges, so when they met, a fight was practically unavoidable.
However, these fights remained within bounds, not extending to the death.
Those quasi-Emperor loose cultivators all held themselves back, silently waiting.
Not many treasures could catch the eye of these loose cultivators. Superior Grade Profound Beasts were not easy to deal with. It was better to wait peacefully for those major characters to make an appearance.
The heart of the ocean, only the treasures found there could attract the attention of these quasi-Emperor loose cultivators.
It was rare for several major characters that were running out of lifespan to work together to explore the heart of the ocean. No one wanted to lose out on this opportunity. Even though they knew that the heart of the ocean was extremely dangerous, they had to take the risk.
Eight spirited horses pulled a golden war chariot, slowly flying in the sky of Despair City.
The driver was an old man, an expert of the Treasure Master’s residence who was a Great Perfection quasi-Emperor.
Aunt Bai sat quietly in the back. However, she kept her perception out at all times, not relaxing for a moment.
An ancient, stern, golden statue emitting a strong killing Qi stood in each of the chariot’s four corners.
The Young Treasure Master, Yi Ling, and Yue Bingyun stood on the war chariot, chatting as they sized up the environment of Despair City.
“This is really unexpected. I did not expect Despair City to attract all the demonic geniuses of the Heavenly Starry Ocean,” Yi Ling murmured.
Yue Bingyun’s tone remained calm as she said, “There is still one more year to the Four Seas Hero Gathering. This is a rare fortuitous encounter, which would definitely attract them unless they were in closed-door cultivation.”
“Haha! That’s true. Aside from a few Remnants, the greatest mystery of Despair City is the location of the source of despair. Miss Bingyun, what do you think?”
Yue Bingyun smiled and replied, “What opinion can I have? This is something that several seniors have spent thousands of years searching for but to no avail.”
“For this treasure to be able to spread the aura of despair throughout the entire city, it is definitely very valuable. If I can obtain it, perhaps I might be able to grasp the state of despair. After researching it for a few years, I could easily comprehend the will of despair,” Yi Ling said with a trace of anticipation.
Despair, massacre, and ruin, these were high-level wills that were very difficult to comprehend. With some assistance from an external force, anyone would be able to become stronger in a short time.
Yue Bingyun did not pursue the topic, only saying that as long as the source of despair could not be found, anything said was pointless.
“There seems to be someone fighting ahead!” Yi Ling suddenly said.
The remains of huge sculptures littered the abandoned plaza in front. A red-clad man and a scholarly man fought intensely.
Behind each of the two was a group of people. All of them were very strong, and some were quasi-Emperors.
However, the group behind the scholarly person all looked righteous, cultured and refined.
As for the group of people behind the red-clad man, they were all people that others would not want to approach. They appeared domineering and vicious, not even attempting a pretense of civility. All sorts of venomous things moved around their feet.
The youth that Xiao Chen had taught a lesson at the city gates was standing in the middle of this group, appearing very excited. He shouted, “Elder Brother, teach this fellow a lesson, show these nerds the might of our Five Poison Sect!”
On the golden war chariot, Yi Ling smiled and said softly, “The scholars of Heavenly Province Academy are not nerds. Tang Xun’s younger brother is still the fool that he was.”
Of the Holy Lands, the Five Poison Sect and Heavenly Province Academy were on opposing sides—evil and righteous, respectively—which never got along well. Now that they met, they would not be able to avoid fighting.
“Roar!”
A dragon roar resounded, and a dragon-shaped war chariot pulled by four flood dragons slowly appeared in the air.
The Young Palace Masters of the Divine Dragon Palaces of the four seas were riding it. The Eastern Sea Divine Dragon Palace’s Young Palace Master, Leng Shaofan, stood out among them, attracting the attention of others.
Yi Ling’s expression changed slightly. “That fellow is actually here as well.”
