Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
In June of the fifth year of Yongping of the Great Jin, the world’s situation changed once again.
This disturbance occurred in Jin’s Zhuzhao City, which was located in the south. The prescriptions of the two unique elixirs—the Bone-Forging Pill and Pulse-Setting Pill, which had been lost for tens of thousands of years, appeared once again. After a frantic scramble for them, they finally fell into the hands of “Lone Walker” Pei Qitian, a famous thief in the south. After obtaining the prescriptions, Pei Qitian fled toward Qingzhou State and finally disappeared.
Just after all the schools and well-known families had searched for three days in vain for the prescriptions, two 100-feet-long white streamers suddenly appeared on the city gate of Huaining City in Qingzhou State. And they clearly recorded the prescriptions of the Bone-Forging Pill and Pulse-Setting Pill.
This matter made a great stir in the whole world!
The long lost unique prescriptions of the Bone-Forging Pill and Pulse-Setting Pill resurfaced and spread in a very short period of time.
Since then, the scramble for the prescriptions was over, but, a greater chaos had only just begun.
In the following year’s battle for medicinal herbs, the prices of all kinds of medicinal herbs related to these prescriptions rose crazily, and the rising prices of these medicinal herbs drove up the prices of other herbs. In order to compete for medicinal herbs to refine elixirs, the Jianghu fell into a scene of total chaos with saber light and blood shadow intermingled with each other. The killing spree went on non-stop.
Zhou Bao, the reason for all this, was in trouble now. He was facing the emissaries from the five biggest sects and eight well-known families in the Guest-meeting Hall of the Wuyang Region with a cold face.
As a part of the Sea-calming Palace, the Guest-meeting Hall was newly built. It should have been called Immortal-meeting Hall, but obviously, it was not very suitable for the Wuyang Region.
The Guest-meeting Hall was at the hillside of Jilei Mountain. It was a fantastic position because sitting in the hall, you were able to see the panoramic view of the entire Sea-calming Palace clearly through the window.
Although it was known to all that Zhou Bao had built plenty of buildings in the Wuyang Region during the past two years, it was not until they saw the layout and arrangement of the Sea-calming Palace in person that they were really startled.
Putting the work amount aside, the cost of this project was astronomical. After all, it was a project that was dozens of times larger than the Royal Capital in Western Capital. How did he manage to build so many buildings in just a few years?
Although it was not completely finished yet, it could be seen from its outline that it was not a project that could be completed in a year or two. But just the finished part would never pale in comparison to the Royal Capital.
Everyone knew that Zhou Bao had made a fortune from the Cool Breeze Gang, and rumors had it that he had obtained the treasure of the Northern Yuan Black Wolf Tribe. But even though having all that, it still would be extremely difficult for him to afford such a large project. Perhaps he has some unknown wealth?
“The Wuyang Region is really imposing. Enormous palaces such as the Sea-calming Palace have never appeared in Jin!”
Just as the crowd was pondering over the matter and sighed with emotion, a strange and sinister voice rang out. When they saw the source of it, everyone laughed. But why?
It turned out that the speaker was neither from the five biggest sects nor from the eight well-known families. He was a Jin Royalty, the fourth son of Yan Yuntian, Prince Yan Yucheng.
Zhou Bao frowned. He did not know much about Prince Yan Yucheng, nor was he familiar with him. However, Zhou Bao felt very uncomfortable as he heard his sinister voice, thus, he laughed coldly and said, “So what? Today, I’ll help you broaden your horizons, you country bumpkin. How should you thank me?”
“You…!” Yan Yucheng’s handsome face flushed suddenly as he heard these words. No one else had expected that Zhou Bao would sneer at Yan Yucheng so sharply without showing him any respect. But they did not expect that Zhou Bao was not finished with him yet. Before Yan Yucheng could reply, Zhou Bao continued, “I don’t know what your father is thinking by sending such a stupid b*tch here. Why do you still want to fight for the throne? I really cannot figure it out. I think you’d better save your breath and be an idle prince obediently. In that case, you may live a few years longer. If you overrate your strength to vie for the throne, I would pull you down from the throne and give you a good beating even if you succeed in obtaining the throne!”
“You…!”
No one had expected Zhou Bao’s words to be so tart. Prince Yan Yucheng suddenly stood up from his chair and pointed at Zhou Bao exasperatedly. But he was unable to say any other word apart from the word “you”.
“All right, shut up and sit down!” Zhou Bao’s eyes flickered, and then, an immense power immediately swarmed to Prince Yan Yucheng. The latter seemed to be struck by a lightning and was numb with shock. He sat down in the chair. His eyes looked dull and could not recover for a long time.
“I’m sorry, everyone. My brother-in-law is sort of feverish. Don’t mind him!”
After he successfully frightened Yan Yucheng, Zhou Bao wore a big smile on his face and added, “Since I’m caught off guard due to your sudden visit, please forgive me for not being so considerate!”
“There is nothing to pardon. King Wuyang, you’re too courteous. It’s so rude of us to visit you abruptly this time!” said the leader of the people from the five biggest sects, the eight well-known families, and the royal Yan Yucheng—14 people in total.
“Mr. Ren II, shall I call you the master of the School of Five Virtues? Or shall I call you the Eldest Master of Mingyi School?” Zhou Bao glanced at the man who was talking just now. Dressed in a white robe and holding a folding fan in his hand, the man looked gentle and quiet, just like a weak scholar who resembled Zhou Bao a lot.
“Just call me Ren II. The name is just a code and not my real name. As for my real name, haha, no one has ever given me a name!”
“Since such being the case, I’ll call you Mr. Ren II.” Zhou Bao nodded his head in agreement and added, “Why exactly did you all come here so aggressively?”
“King Wuyang, you’re exaggerating. We’re just here to pay you a visit. We’re not aggressive!” Ren II opened his folding fan and continued, “This time, we’re absolutely sincere in this visit!”
“I don’t know the reasons for your visit yet. So don’t you think it’s too early to tell me your sincerity?” Zhou Bao’s eyes narrowed and he smiled coldly, saying, “You guys came here with much fanfare, so I guess that you had come here for a big deal, right?”
“Yes, it truly is a big deal!” Ren II smiled and added, “We came here mainly for King Wuyang this time!”
“For me? Why?”
“Your Royal Highness must know that in this world anyone whose cultivation exceeds Level Nine and reaches the Mysterious Realm will cause an astronomical phenomenon and a strand of his Genuine Spirit will be placed on the Golden Book of Fate. Furthermore, he will be a listed immortal and live forever!”
“Of course I do!” Zhou Bao wore a big smile and continued, “To be honest, I really envy those listed immortals who can live forever. Haha, it’s really desirable. Unfortunately, I’m too weak and my practice also hit a bottleneck. I don’t know when I can reach such a state!”
Upon hearing his words, all the people sitting here rolled their eyes. You were powerful enough to kill Demonic Immortals at the Venerable Realm, and now you said that you envy those Individual Immortals? What a joke!
Although Zhou Bao’s cultivation was at Level Nine, he was able to break through to the Mysterious Realm at any time if he wanted to. It was only because he was too young (only 20 years old). So, with his current cultivation, he could still live for at least a few hundred years even if he did not step into the Mysterious Realm. Coupled with his horrifying combat capability, there were basically no influences or people who could threaten him. Therefore, he was not eager to be a listed immortal, and this was known to all. No one knew whether they could achieve eternity or not after they became listed immortals. But it was true that a bit of their Genuine Spirit would be bound by the Golden Book of Fate if they did become listed immortals. No matter how nice the words said by the five biggest sects were, their fates were no longer in their own hands. After searching through their hearts, everyone here would make the same choice as Zhou Bao did if they had a strength and combat capability like him. They would not be dying to make a breakthrough and become listed immortals.
“If I am right, Your Royal Highness could already enter the Mysterious Realm and became a listed immortal who can live forever. I don’t know what else Your Royal Highness worries about?”
Zhou Bao became alert and glanced at Ren II, saying, “It’s my own business. I’m afraid that Mr. Ren II doesn’t have the right to interfere in it, right?”
“Of course. I certainly don’t care much about such things. But your strength has already gone beyond the limits of the secular world. If you keep butting in worldly affairs, you’re going to cause a lot of trouble. For example, you got the prescriptions of the elixirs out to the public lately and caused an uproar in the world, stirring up terrible and bloody battles. Most important of all, many people already could not afford medical treatment due to the rising prices of the medicinal herbs.
“What a joke! I obtained the two prescriptions and made them public, and thus, spared many people the terrible and bloody battles over them. How dare you slander me venomously! It’s so ridiculous! Ren II, it seems that you came here today to find fault with me!”
“I would not dare!” Ren II stayed calm after he had sensed Zhou Bao’s fury from his words. He continued, “It’s true that the publicity of the prescriptions did solve people’s battle over them, but it has brought a bigger problem as well. Just like what I have said a moment ago, the publication of the prescriptions has set Jin’s medicinal herbs market in such a mess. The battles for medicinal herbs are much more fierce and bloody than that for the prescriptions. Given Your Royal Highness’ intelligence, I guess you should have noticed that!”
“So what? I didn’t ask them to do that!” Zhou Bao smiled coldly and his face darkened. He added, “When does your Heavenly Court begin to take charge of secular slaughters?”
His words made the emissaries of the other four sects look bad. It was known to all that Divine Wind Palace hoped that the majesty of Heavenly Court could reappear. But to be honest, this idea was quite unreliable. Furthermore, it went against the interests of all other sects, and therefore, all the people resisted it. It was just that they always kept this feeling in their hearts. However, due to Zhou Bao’s outspoken remark on this matter, the atmosphere here became weird.
