The beautiful palace was constructed at the center of a mountain, at the end of a winding path that led to a secluded spot.
After he walked in it, the scene before his eyes suddenly lit up. The glow of treasures flower and illuminated the area brightly. Surprisingly, it was an extremely large hall. Within the hall was row upon row of crystal counters, and there were piles of various precious treasures placed on the counters.
Immortal Artifacts.
Immortal Herbs.
Secret Techniques.
Formation Diagrams.
…
They simply covered and contained everything, and it was like walking into an immortal treasure vault.
This was the Starpoint Hall!
The Starpoints earned by the students of Dao Emperor Academy could be exchanged here.
This was the first time Chen Xi had come to the Starpoint Hall. As soon as he entered, his eyes were instantly filled by the glow of various treasures. Everywhere that met the eye was glittering and glowing precious immortal treasures. Chen Xi was dazed by this sight, and he was extremely astounded in his heart.
At this moment, many students were already gathered in the Starpoint Hall, so its atmosphere was rather bustling. Most of them were selecting the treasures they took a liking to.
Wang Daolu led Chen Xi into the hall yet didn’t stop and moved through the hall to arrive at the fourth floor.
During this entire process, Chen Xi noticed that along with the increase in floors, the quality of the immortal treasures placed there became more and more precious and rare.
For example, most of the immortal treasures in the first floor were at the Darkspirit Grade, and it was suitable to be chosen by students at the Mysterious Immortal Realm.
The second floor contained Cosmic Grade immortal treasures instead, and it could satisfy the requirements of many Golden Immortals.
The third floor only contained Valiant Grade immortal treasures, and it wasn’t just Golden Immortals, even Saint Immortals could search for treasures they liked here.
On the other hand, the fourth floor…
It contained various precious treasures that Starpoints alone couldn’t obtain!
In other words, if one wanted to exchange their Starpoints for the treasures displayed in the fourth floor, then besides Starpoints, there were some additional conditions. If one wasn’t able to meet these requirements, then even if one possessed sufficient Starpoints, one was unable to obtain it.
This caused Chen Xi to remember the River Diagram fragment that he’d remembered in his heart since a long time ago. It similarly carried an additional condition — it was to obtain the inheritance of the Dao Emperor within the Ancient Dao Emperor Grounds!
…
The fourth floor of the Starpoint Hall was grand and spacious. Once Chen Xi entered it, he was able to clearly sense that the air was filled with layer upon layer of extremely terrifying ancient restrictions.
With Chen Xi’s knowledge of the Dao of Talismans, he still couldn’t help but be terrified because he was very clearly aware that if he acted rashly here, then he would be annihilated in an instant.
The hall was extremely silent, and there was only a young man sitting upright behind a table at the corner. He had a calm and tranquil bearing, and he held an ancient scripture inscribed on jade while reading it carefully. His other hand was playing Go on the table with two fingers, and he was enjoying himself.
He had an ordinary appearance, fair skin, and a composed and elegant bearing, yet the space between his brows carried the aura of age and experience. He seemed to have experienced the passage of countless years. When looked at from afar, Chen Xi felt as if he wasn’t looking at a person but a boundlessly vast and deep starry sky.
This sort of feeling was too unique, and it caused Chen Xi to be unable to help but arouse a trace of reverence.
This is absolutely a senior of the academy that possesses extraordinary might!
Chen Xi’s eyes focused while he instantly determined that even if this person had the appearance of a young man, the boundlessly vast imposing aura that was like a starry sky wasn’t something that a young person could possess.
It was even to the extent that even Wang Daolu who stood by his side seemed to be slightly inferior in comparison!
Who is he? A wisp of wonder arose in Chen Xi’s heart. However, unfortunately, since he entered the hall, this young man hadn’t raised his head and seemed to take no notice of him.
However, Wang Daolu didn’t have even the slightest intention to introduce the young man to Chen Xi, and he directly led Chen Xi to a counter.
“Look, this is the reward you deserve.” Only a single treasure was displayed on the counter, and it was an uneven fragment. The fragment was only the size of a palm and sealed within a jade box, and it was suffused with strands of an obscure aura.
There was a label before the jade box — Chaotic Quintessence Fragment. Requirements: 160,000,000 Starpoints!
Chen Xi was completely stunned. He was too surprised because he’d never imagined that after he seized the position of champion in the Seven Academy Dao Discussion, he would actually be able to obtain such a precious reward!
Most importantly, this was a treasure that he dreamed of obtaining!
Could it be that the academy knew I required this since the beginning? Chen Xi couldn’t help but ponder swiftly.
“This treasure’s effects are unfathomable, and it possesses shocking profound uses. Even I’m rather tempted to obtain it. Unfortunately, according to the rules of the academy, only those that make a major contribution to the academy can obtain this treasure.” At this moment, as he looked at the Chaotic Quintessence Fragment, Wang Daolu’s expression carried a trace of envy that was impossible to conceal. Obviously, it was similarly extremely attractive to an existence at the Half-step Immortal King Realm like him.
Chen Xi took a deep breath and couldn’t help but speak hesitantly. “Senior, if I want to obtain this treasure, then I wouldn’t have to pay 160,000,000 Starpoints, right?”
Wang Daolu couldn’t help but smile. “Of course not.”
As he spoke, he’d flicked his sleeve, causing a wisp of clear radiance to effuse out and directly withdraw the Chaotic Quintessence Fragment along with the jade box, and then he passed it to Chen Xi. “You’re going to charge into the Saint Immortal Realm soon. This Chaotic Quintessence Fragment contains the quintessence aura of the Grand Dao, and it’s sufficient to guarantee that you’ll be ranked amongst Natural Saint Immortals upon advancing.”
Chen Xi hurriedly received it with both hands and asked. “The quintessence aura of the Grand Dao?”
“It isn’t so simple.” Wang Daolu shook his head and said, “That’s only one of the profound uses of this fragment, and you’ll understand its benefits after you refine and absorb it.”
Chen Xi nodded as he carefully put the jade box away. He’d already obtained a strand of the Grand Dao’s quintessence energy from the River Diagram fragments, so he naturally didn’t need to rely on this Chaotic Quintessence Fragment to cultivate.
Moreover, he’d never intended to utilize it himself, and it was to be given to the tiny cauldron instead.
“Cultivate properly after you leave because the Ancient Dao Emperor Grounds will be opened in less than three years from now. If you’re able to attain the Saint Immortal Realm in this period of time, then the benefits you obtain there will be greater.” Wang Daolu smiled as he encouraged Chen Xi, and then he led Chen Xi out.
On their way back, Chen Xi couldn’t help but glance at the young man that sat at the corner of the hall because he kept having the feeling that even though the young man seemed like he was reading while playing Go, the young man had actually always been observing him since he entered the hall.
This was an indescribable feeling.
At the point when they left the Starpoint Hall, Chen Xi was finally unable to refrain himself and asked Wang Daolu in a low voice. “Senior, who was that senior on the fourth floor?”
Wang Daolu seemed to have expected that Chen Xi would ask this question, and a grin that carried deep meaning appeared on the corners of his mouth. “You’ll understand who he is in the future.”
Chen Xi was almost unable to restrain himself from rolling his eyes. All of these old fellows really like to keep others in suspense!
Actually, he already had an answer in his heart, and he just didn’t dare confirm it.
…
After Chen Xi and Wang Daolu left, the young man that had been sitting silently at the corner of the fourth floor suddenly grinned and put down the light green jade book in his hand before placing his gaze onto the table.
On the table was a Go board. It was ancient and suffused with piercingly cold starlight.
However, it didn’t seem like a Go board because its surface didn’t carry any horizontal and vertical lines. There was only an expanse of stars that were boundless like the starry sky.
When one’s gaze descended upon it, it was like one could see a pathway that led to the starry sky in the universe.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The young man flicked his sleeve while his right index finger moved about repeatedly on the board like drumming raindrops, and it resounded with a forceful sound that was filled with a murderous tune.
After a short moment, a strange fluctuation droned in the surroundings, and then the figure of a True Phoenix and Green Dragon appeared on the board. They swam about in the starry sky while filled with supreme might.
“Come back.” The young man spoke calmly.
In the next moment, he flicked his sleeve and put the board away.
Right at this moment, a wave of footsteps resounded from the entrance to the fourth floor.
“Dean, we can roughly confirm that Bitter Silence, Grand Desolation, and Vastsky Academy have fallen to become pawns of the Sovereign Sect. Should we…” The person that arrived had a thin and withered figure, disheveled gray hair, wrinkles that covered his face, and was filled with a ruthless aura. He was the Inner Court’s Dean, Chi Cangsheng. However, at this moment, he’d slightly restrained his ruthless expression when facing the young man sitting behind the table.
The reason was very simple, only a single person in Dao Emperor Academy could be called Dean by him. Obviously, the young man behind the table was the Dean of Dao Emperor Academy!
Even though he was said to be a young man, it was only based on his outward appearance. Actually, when one faced him, one would only feel an aura of age and experience.
“Since you know they’re only pawns, then why take their lives? Let them go.” The young man spoke casually before picking up the light green jade scripture and reading it carefully once more.
Chi Cangsheng was stunned, and then he grunted. “It would be too much of a pity if we don’t kill them.”
“If we kill them, then the Immortal Dimension will really undergo an upheaval. Perhaps, that’s the true objective of the Sovereign Sect. Endure it for now and wait for the news from the Prehistoric Ruins.” The young man spoke in a light voice while his gaze was deep and seemed like a river of stars was roiling endlessly within it.
“The Prehistoric Ruins…” Chi Cangsheng’s eyes flickered with bright light, and he seemed to be eager to take action. “Should we interfere as well?”
“Too many tribulations, it’s better not to go.” The young man suddenly put down the jade scripture in his hand, and then he went silent for a long time before he said, “That’s the place where the upheaval of the three dimensions began. It’s very likely for even Immortal Kings to perish upon going there…”
…
Within the Sword Room.
After he returned, Chen Xi couldn’t wait to see the tiny cauldron and give the Chaotic Quintessence Fragment to it. However, he was met with rejection because the tiny cauldron was guiding his clone in the cultivation of the Nethergod Nine Cauldron Form and couldn’t make any time at all.
“How ruthless…” Chen Xi was able to sense the state of his clone’s cultivation at this moment, and it wasn’t just something that could be described with the word horrifying alone!
Presently, I’ve already attained the advanced-stage of the Golden Immortal Realm, and that mysterious woman, Dian Dian, will probably come looking for me in less than half a year. At that time, if I’m able to obtain a River Diagram fragment, then it couldn’t be any better. Chen Xi took a deep breath and fell into deep contemplation.
