*Whoosh*
Silver Specter landed on a planet near the core region of the Alpha Universe. This planet was named Desire, and was where the Unrestricted Sect’s headquarters was located.
Xia Fei and Ulan disembarked from the warship. Ulan pointed to a mountain in the distance and said, “That’s Spirit Mountain, one hundred ninety-nine kilometers in height, and occupies a good half of Desire. Starting at that icy river out there, everything is the exclusive territory of the Unrestricted Sect.”
Ulan had been here many times before, so he knew everything about the Unrestricted Sect and Desire like the back of his hand. It was just that things were a little different from what they were in the past, and Ulan could not help but feel a measure of sorrow about it.
Xia Fei disguised Ulan, and the two headed along that icy river flowing with pieces of broken ice. This river circled the ice formation from the two poles on Desire, like a belt surrounding the Spirit Mountain. It acted sort of like a moat, the broken ice frozen up nine months out of the year.
From far away, they could see the entrance to the Unrestricteds’ Spirit Mountain. There was a long mountain trail up, flanked on both sides with dense coniferous forests. The huge gatehouse was almost five hundred meters tall, with three very imposing words written on it that read: [Unrestricted Soul Spirit] !
“From this point on will be Unrestricted territory. That is the only way up the mountain,” Ulan whispered.
“How many guards will there be on our way up?” Xia Fei asked.
“None. Though the Unrestricteds are very famous, they actually don’t have many men under them.”
Xia Fei was about to nod when Ulan added, “Don’t think of sneaking in. There once was a very powerful ancestor in the sect who turned the entire Spirit Mountain into an array. Risking it means certain death!”
Xia Fei was startled. A mountain that was two hundred kilometers high and took up half the planet; to think it would actually be an entire array!
Just what sort of skill and power did someone have to possess to form such a grand array?!
Everyone knew that arrays were something that became harder to control the bigger they were. The energy needed would scale as well, and would become an even more severe test to the person setting up the array. Not just anyone would be able to achieve such an astounding feat like this!
“They are the Unrestricteds, alright. What breadth of spirit!” Xia Fei muttered in awe.
Ulan crooked his head and stared at the Spirit mountain for a long time before asking, “So, do you plan on walking in openly?”
Xia Fei shook his head, “Let’s head to that city first. I’m waiting for someone.”
…
There was a city not too far away from Spirit Mountain, with a population of around two hundred thousand. It was neither large nor small.
But the four leading firms of the Alpha Universe were all located there in that unassumingly ordinary city, all because this was the nearest city to the Unrestricted Sect.
…
The entrance to the branch of the Heavenly Treasure Firm here was nothing out of the ordinary. Appearing to be quite inconspicuous, they had selected a location that was at the end of a street near the residential area.
Xia Fei lifted his head and glanced at the signboard above before striding in.
The shop itself was devoid of customers. There were just two sales personnel here yawning from the boredom, though both young man perked up the moment they saw Xia Fei enter. Wordlessly, they opened the door that led toward the back yard. No questions were needed.
Xia Fei and Ulan entered the backyard, to find a woman sitting in a pavilion among the flowers. Upon seeing Xia Fei enter, she hurriedly got up and welcomed them politely.
“To think Lady Treasure would personally come out all the way here, how rare,” Xia Fei chuckled after sitting down and having a sip of the tea Suzu Treasure had poured for him.
Suzu was silently measuring up Ulan as she replied, “Your orders are my command. I’m afraid my underlings would not be able to service you sufficiently, so I personally made this trip out here to attend to your needs.”
Though Ulan kept a low profile, he nevertheless exuded an unapproachable Aura about him. Suzu was a lady from a mercantile family, so she obviously had very discerning eyes and could not help but gasp in awe to herself. For Xia Fei to have such a significant character beside him, she felt that she had really lucked out by forging a relationship with Xia Fei. Just the Soul Weapons that he had given her had already given the Heavenly Treasure Firm plenty of face, and it looked like their future prospects would not be lacking, either.
Xia Fei looked around and laughed, “Such a small city, yet merchants of every size have gathered like clouds. Would you guys be able to earn any money by bunching up here together with everyone else?”
Suzu replied, “The problem isn’t if we are able to turn a profit here. Given the proximity to the Spirit Mountain, which is where the Unrestricteds reside, we’d be the ones making a loss if someday a disciple were to descend and needed to trade some Soul Weapons, and could not find a shop with our company’s name here at the foot of the mountain.”
Xia Fei pointed at Suzu’s nose and remarked, “How cunning! Three years without any business, but a single transaction would be enough to finance you for three years. Who doesn’t know that the Soul Weapons from the Unrestricteds are second to none. As long as you have one, it’d be enough to keep you in business for hundreds of years!”
Though this was what Xia Fei said, he could not help but feel that Suzu had eyes but could not recognize Mount Tai. Fuchen was the most powerful figure from the Unrestricted Sect, and she had seen him beside Xia Fei many times, but did not even recognize who he was, essentially wasting a great opportunity to do business.
After some thought, Suzu lowered her voice and asked, “I’ve finished arranging all the things you’ve asked. May I ask the reason for you going to Spirit Mountain?”
*Whoosh…*
Xia Fei swept his sharp gaze over Suzu, and it made Suzu freeze up, her heart palpitating. Her breathing became irregular, because Xia Fei’s gaze gave off killing intent!
“Woman, looks like I need to punish you more often to curb your predilection to cause trouble,” Xia Fei angrily tossed out several Soul Weapons from his spatial ring and told Suzu, “This is your remuneration. From today on, you’re not allowed to ask any further questions!”
…
Leaving the Heavenly Treasure Firm, Xia Fei and Ulan got themselves lodging at a small hotel and focused on cultivating daily.
Recently, Xia Fei had sensed that his soul marks were in fluctuation again. It seemed that he was on the verge breaking through to Level 5. As for his two extremely difficult powers, the Law of Primal Chaos and the Law of Speed, they had not made any rapid progress.
During the fourth night, Ulan fell asleep, sprawled on the table. His mood had been terrible lately, and Xia Fei could hear him sighing repeatedly at night. For one, he was feeling very sad over Fuchen’s departure, and second, he was even more worried about Xia Fei and himself.
Fuchen had made Xia Fei take over the Unrestricteds, letting Ulan as the witness. While it seemed simple, it had practically forced the two of them upon a mountain of swords!
Seeing as how those Unrestricteds had even forced their own sect master out of their sect, even a fool could tell just what would befall Xia Fei and Ulan!
Xia Fei was actually struggling to understand Fuchen’s intentions as well, but because he was also more determined, no amount of thoughts lingering in his mind affected Xia Fei’s cultivation and sleep.
…
*Smack* Xia Fei clapped Ulan on his shoulder. Ulan opened his eyes drowsily and mumbled, “It’s the middle of the night. What’s the matter?”
“We’re leaving. We need to find somewhere with no one and I need you to help guard me,” Xia Fei said.
“Do you mean to say you’re…” Ulan was shocked, losing his grogginess in an instant.
“That’s right, my fifth Soul Mark is about to form!” Xia Fei replied calmly.
…
*Whoosh*
Silver Specter departed in the dead of the night, soon arriving at a desolate region of space and parking itself.
Radix was the one controlling the ship, while Ulan stayed outside Xia Fei’s cultivation room as guard, shaking his head unceasingly.
Furball laid down outside the only window that could see in, staring at Xia Fei in excitement. As people got older, they tended to talk more, and this was especially the case for Ulan, an old man who had continuously suffered setbacks, and was anxious from having no one he could talk to.
As such, Ulan learned from Furball, and simply watched from the window. But how was he to know that Furball had simply no respect for the elderly. The window was already small to begin with, and Furball was blocking more than half the view, making it impossible for Ulan to make out anything.
*Ka Ka! Ka Ka!*
All of a sudden, Furball began dancing in excitement. He could not speak, but he did let out this strange sounding crowing from his throat!
*Thoom!*
A wave of aurora-like light flashed past, and the entire cultivation room exploded in energy! It was completely basked in glaring light!
They could not see Xia Fei himself, but they could make out five distinct Soul Spirit Marks spinning in the air. They surrounded him and formed a five-pointed star. Their speed grew more and more ridiculous, to the point they were nothing more than a single glowing ring. They entered Xia Fei’s seventh brain region, after which Xia Fei exhaled a long and relaxed sigh from inside the room.
“I did it! I finally did it!” Xia Fei was laughing as he opened the door of his cultivation room.
Ulan suddenly said something very untimely, “If Fuchen was here, he would surely explain to you the benefits that come with having five Soul Marks, and even remind you not to let the speed of your advancement get to your head.
“Actually, I already know that Fuchen has been very proud this entire time, as you’re far stronger than those two incompetent disicples of his. It’s been barely a year since he met you until now, and yet you’ve actually managed to surge your way through the levels and reached Level 5 now. While we can’t say for sure if anyone will ever be able to beat your speed, it is at least unprecedented from what we know of our ancestors.”
Ulan sounded as if he was talking to himself as he nagged Xia Fei about this.
Xia Fei had this uncomfortable feeling after hearing it. Though he did not officially share a master and disciple relationship with Fuchen, he at the very least respected him a great deal!
Xia Fei patted Ulan on his shoulder and led him to the command deck, saying, “Fuchen’s not around, so we ought to properly handle the matter he tasked us. I only blame myself for leveling too slowly. If I had already possessed at least eight Soul Marks, and a max Law of Speed, Law of Primal Chaos, we would at least have an easier time.”
Ulan stuck his tongue out and shot back, “Why dwell on this? Anyway, if you’ve really attained such a degree of strength, I reckon Fuchen would never have let you take over the Unrestricteds.”
“Why?” Xia Fei asked, curious.
“What do you mean, why? The Unrestricteds are the sorts that live off somebody while secretly helping people on the outside, and bullying Fuchen to the miserable state he is now in. Given your temper, wouldn’t you end up killing off the entire sect?” Ulan chuckled.
Hearing that, Xia Fei came to a sudden halt with a distant look in his eyes, as if he was lost in thought.
This change in his expression was so abrupt that it could not escape Ulan’s eyes, who could not help but feel his goosebumps rise.
“What crazy idea have you got now?!” Ulan asked nervously.
Xia Fei smiled, as a profound smirk appeared across his lips. Softly, he said, “Nothing much. I was just wondering about the soul that Fuchen has, called Wraith. It seems so evil, and I heard people in the clan say that you and Fuchen were ambushed the other day, and you pulled out a very malicious plant. Is there perhaps any connection between the two?”
Ulan heaved a sigh of relief, “You scared me. So that’s what you’re wondering about. Well, let me tell you, that Bittervine Skyentangler is a treasure of the Botanists that will only be used as a last resort. Unless I die, you better not have any designs on me, forever!”
Xia Fei was not rebuffed by his warning as a mischievous grin widened across his face, “Then may I ask when will you die?”
