by Gore, A. P.
This was . . .
Wasn’t this the Blood Earth Force divine ability he’d obtained after completing his Earth Constellation? No, it had only formed a shield around his blood. This strange shield enveloped his whole body, and he had no clue how it had happened. The only thing he could think of was his Intent of Earth. After activating the Gravity Field, his Intent of Earth had improved and merged with his Blood Earth Force divine ability. There was no other explanation.
His brows shot for his hairline. This Blood Essence Body was like a treasure vault. Now he wondered if completing his Earth Constellation allowed him to further comprehend his Intent of Earth.
Smiling, he assessed his dantian. After reaching the Foundation Realm, it had become easy to sense his own dantian. Of course, it was far away from what he could do with his divine sense. With his divine sense, he could see everything in his mind, while without it he could only feel it vaguely, and right now he sensed a new entity in his dantian. What he sensed made his brow furrow. A big thick furrow.
A tiny wooden stem had grown inside his dantian. It was so tiny that he would have missed it if it wasn’t his own dantian. It grew in the puddle of pure white qi. In the Refinement Realm, his pure qi was like a cloud in the sky, scattered and tiny. But now it had changed into a small puddle, and a brown stem had grown out of it.
But he wasn’t supposed to have pure qi left after reaching layer one of the qi Foundation Realm. Once a cultivator stepped into the Foundation Realm, they converted all their pure qi into their own attributed qi.
Anyway, he cared little about it and let a smile occupy his face. Finally, he had stepped into the qi Foundation Realm and he felt awesome.
Then he met two cold eyes staring at him from afar.
Damn! The White Soul Panther had been waiting for him to leave the spear’s area of effect, and Wei had no thought of fighting with it. But suddenly a white sphere floated out of him and the White Soul Panther kneeled in front of it.
What was going on?
Sun Nuan shuddered when the white panther kneeled in front of the white sphere that came out of Wei Lin’s body. Not only that, but the Mother Fox also pushed herself to get up and kneel in front of the white sphere.
What was that thing? How could these unfathomable experts that had nearly reached the legendary Houtian Realm kneel in front of a talking sphere?
This was insane. Her head throbbed. Ever since meeting Wei Lin again, her life had been turned upside down. Now she believed nothing was impossible in this world.
“Chamelon and Juan. You guys have grown up.”
“Lord Fei, please forgive us for not welcoming you properly.” Both beasts replied in humble tones.
“Juan, are you trying to sneak your daughter out of this place?” the white sphere asked sternly.
The Mother Fox bent down to the lowest possible position; her nose was already hitting the rocky ground. “Lord Fei, please punish this lowly one for being reckless. My Jiya was born a Spirit Beast, so I wanted to give her a chance to grow in the real world.”
A chuckle came out of the white sphere. “I see you’ve grown wings to go against your lord’s order. You ought to die for this crime, but I’m curious. Why did you choose this man?”
“He has devour bloodline.”
The white panther raised his head to glance at Wei Lin who had been recuperating in a corner.
The white sphere went silent for a moment. She had no eyes, but Sun Nuan felt she was looking at Wei Lin. What was this devour bloodline?
Sun Nuan observed Wei Lin for a few breaths, but there was nothing particular about him other than she knew he had handsome features before.
Red rushed to her cheeks when that thought came to her mind. Why would she suddenly think of him like this?
“Lord Fei, we should kill that human and his companion before things get out of hand,” the white panther said sternly.
Chapter 70
Shocking Revelation
System: Power source absorption is 30% complete. Current absorption rate is 2% per 10 days. Effect of Purple Soul Spear has unlocked divine sense.
Li Wei’s lips curled in a smile, and like an explosion spreading in all directions, his divine sense spread around his body. Everything in a hundred-foot area around him became crystal clear. Every crease on the rocky surface became visible to his eyes. With his qi cultivation reaching the Foundation Realm, his senses had improved again, letting him hear things he couldn’t before.
He licked his lips, feeling the sweet taste of this unique feeling. Only after getting it locked away had he realized how much he’d relied on his divine sense. It had become an irreplaceable tool in his arsenal.
Images formed inside his mind, and without opening his eyes he noticed Sun Nuan’s alluring figure sitting in a corner with her chin resting on her palm, lost in thought. She looked cute.
Then he noticed two beasts and one white sphere, aka Xue Qi, whispering among themselves.
They were talking about killing him.
Wei frowned but didn’t let any expression slip on his face. If Xue Qi was speaking openly, that meant she didn’t want to hide it. With their cultivation, they should have something at their disposal that could be used for sound concealing. Especially Xue Qi. He didn’t understand the extent of her capabilities, but she had unfathomable knowledge and power. The extent of the memories he’d received from her about alchemy was frightening.
“Chamelon, it’s not your place to make a decision for me,” Xue Qi replied in a harsh tone at the white panther’s suggestion of killing Wei.
“But Lord Fei, humans are not allowed in Ten Beast Valley. It’s mentioned in the edicts written by Lord Mayhem,” the white panther said, pushing his agenda.
Wei almost opened his eyes when he heard the white panther speak of Lord Mayhem. It was the same person the little fox had told him about, the cultivator who had sealed this whole valley from the outside. And these beasts keep calling Xue Qi “Lord Fei.” What kind of relationship did Xue Qi have with Lord Mayhem?
“I brought him in, so don’t fret over it.”
“But if he has devour bloodline, we must kill him.” That bastard white panther seemed hell bent on killing Wei.
“Shut up, Chamelon. If you dare to lay a fang on any one of them, I’ll feed your blood to Snake Devil with my hands.”
“Lord Fei, this lowly one dare not to disobey your orders,” the White Soul Panther replied in a grim tone. He seemed to be afraid of Xue Qi.
“Go back to Snake Devil and ask him to prepare a pathway to outside.”
“Lord Fei . . .” The white panther clearly wanted to say something, but he quieted and then took off.
Wei pondered the whole situation. One thing was clear: Xue Qi was his only chance to get out of here, and he had to get out as soon as possible. It had been sixteen days since he’d left Old Martial City. He only had fourteen days left before the Du Clan’s Devil Cicada Challenge, and he had to get back to Old Martial Town before that and get himself recruited by the Divine Fragrance Palace. Only that would loosen the unease that had gripped his heart. With the pill formulas he’d obtained from Xue Qi’s inheritance, getting into the Divine Fragrance Palace would be easier.
He hoped Old Man Wu had done his part of the job, or Wei would find it difficult to save his clan.
Wei’s fingers clenched in a tight fist. If only he had been stronger. If he’d been in the Bone Baptization Realm of either body or qi cultivation, he could have wiped the floor clean with the Du clan by himself.
“Brother Wei . . . Can I call you that?” A soft voice followed by the fragrance of lilies invaded his senses. This was new. He had spent quite a bit of time with Sun Nuan, but he’d never smelled this scent from her. Every human had a unique scent associated with their bodies, especially women. Like Fei’er who smelled like a heavenly orchid, but he had never noticed Sun Nuan’s scent.
Strange.
Opening his eyes, Wei smiled. “You can.”
“Congratulations on reaching the Foundation Realm.” She smiled, looking like a fairy despite the deep red mark between her brows. “Are you feeling well? Do you need a healing pill?”
Warmth spread through his heart. This girl was a good sapling.
“No. I’m fine.” Wei shook his head. The Seven-Tailed Fox’s Blood Essence still lingered in his blood, and it had healed all of his injuries. He estimated he could do this a couple more times, and then it would be fully used.
“Princess Sun Nuan, can you tell me why you saved me?” This question had plagued his mind since he’d first opened his eyes in Ten Beast Valley, but everything had happened so fast that he hadn’t had a chance to ask.
“Call me sister Nuan.” Pink rushed to her face, and she looked away. “Brother Wei, you might not even remember, but we’ve met before. Do you remember saving a little girl a few years back from a giant bear?”
Wei rubbed his cheeks as a scene flashed in his mind. Around eight years back, he’d been roaming outside the city, afraid to go back to his home as his stepfather used to beat him every day. Outside of the city, he saw a small girl running away from a giant bear. Frightened, he’d tried to run away, but that bear had charged him and he’d fought with his life on the line.
“That . . .” Shame flooded him. “It was nothing good. I didn’t mean to save that girl, but ended up doing that.”
“You remember?” Nuan cupped her cheeks and turned bright red. “I was so afraid that I couldn’t say thanks to you that day, but then I found you again on the way to the Alchemy Comprehension Tower, and we ended up here.”
Wei smiled, feeling the same warmth once again. This girl had a great heart. “Thanks for saving my life. I’ll definitely pay you back in the future.”
Nuan smiled, her gaze jumping to the trio still discussing some weird stuff. “Brother Wei, how are we going to get out of this place? And what is that white sphere living inside your body?”
Wei sighed a heavy sigh. “Frankly, I don’t know.”
Nuan shook her head. “Please forgive me, brother Wei. I shouldn’t have asked about something you don’t want to talk about.”
Wei rubbed back of his neck. “No. I’m speaking truth. I don’t know what she is.” He stared at Xue Qi. “Anyway, forget it. Let’s get out of here, and then you can go back to capital.”
“Why would I? I vowed to heaven and earth that I’d follow you, and I can’t renege on that vow.”
“I—”
“No, brother Wei. I will follow you with my heart. My heart is steadfast.” Her face turned hard, but her eyes betrayed her. Anxiety leaked from them. “I just have to find out if my mother is doing well, and then I’ll follow you. Is that okay? I’m a Novice Alchemist, so I can assist you in pill concoction.”
Chuckling, Wei patted her head. “Nuan. My name is Li Wei, not Wei Lin. So, the oath you took doesn’t matter.
“What?” she cupped her face again, looking cute. “Then why did you—”
“How can I let a princess follow me? I’d be hated by the whole nation if I dared to do that.” He looked away toward the darkness. “Even if you’d said my real name, I’d have released you from the vow as soon as we got out of here. I don’t want you to follow me.” He certainly didn’t want to get in trouble with the royal family. He hated being a busybody. But she had saved his life, and he would reciprocate in the future.
“Am I that repulsive?” Her voice dimmed like a candle dying down after burning for the entire night.
He turned his head to find her gaze lowered, sorrow occupying her lost gaze. “It’s not that you’re repulsive, but it’s not appropriate for you to follow a commoner like me. And my path is not a flat one, so it would be dangerous for you.”
Xue Qi floated toward him. “Kid, we will leave this place in thirteen days.”
“No, that won’t do. I have to get back to my family.”
“The path will open on the full moon, and that’s thirteen days away.”
Wei’s scalp went numb. This was bad. He couldn’t be late for the Devil Cicada Challenge, or the Li clan might be exterminated in this lifetime as well.
No, that wasn’t acceptable.
Chapter 71
Essence Engulfing Array
Li Wei paced inside a small garden that was part of a humongous palace built from Honey Wood Planks, a very rare wood which exuded a sweet aroma that could calm one’s soul and help them meditate. No one would have thought that Ten Beast Valley had a palace that reached at least ten thousand feet in height and was as wide as a mountain’s base. In fact, this palace was carved out of a mountain range. Ten Beast Valley itself covered a three-thousand-mile-wide area, connecting with the Dark Forest at the other end.
If Xue Qi hadn’t taken them deeper in the valley, they would have thought the valley was all dark caves and gloomy beasts roaming around.
But once they entered the innermost area of the valley, everything changed. The gloomy mountain transformed into a beautiful green forest that hid a wooden palace built at the base of a large mountain. Strangely, Xue Qi had access to the whole palace, and its guardian beasts acted like she owned it. But even though Wei asked many times, she declined to share who this palace belonged to.
He and Sun Nuan were supposed to sit peacefully and enjoy tranquil moments in the garden lush with beautiful flowers and birds that sang a harmonious tone. Add to that the fragrant tea made from Nether Rector Tea Leaves they were served, and this was the perfect location to spend their lives.
But Wei was pissed off. Being stuck here for the next thirteen days wasn’t part of his plan, and now he was worried about the Li family. If anything happened to them because he was stuck here, he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself.
“Senior Fei, there has to be a way to get out of this place. You let us in, can’t you just let us out?” he asked, halting his rapid pacing, and gulped down a jar filled with fresh spring water. He had resumed calling her senior, as his escape depended on her.
“No,” Xue Qi replied in the same emotionless tone
Wei slammed his palm on the redwood table and startled Sun Nuan, who had been sipping the fragrant tea with an ecstatic look on her face. How could she be so tranquil? Rage built inside his stomach.
But there was no point in getting angry with her. It was his family on the line, and she didn’t even know about their predicament.
“Don’t waste your time,” Xue Qi said. “Use the Comprehension Acceleration Chamber to learn some alchemy. If you want to save me, you must walk the path of alchemy with your whole heart.”
Wei glared at the globe of light, unable to hide his frustration. “Why can’t you understand that my family is in trouble, and I must go back to Old Martial City.”
“Brother Wei.” Sun Nuan set down the white ceramic cup and stood. “You should use the Martial Comprehension Chamber to stabilize your foundation. That Dantian Strengthening Fruit must have left some hidden wounds in your body, so take this time to heal them properly.”
Righting a chair, he had kicked over earlier, he sat on it and pondered his options. They both had a point. This palace had a few specialized chambers with array formations. One was a Comprehension Acceleration Chamber that used some unknown array formation built by ancient array masters, and it helped one comprehend things quicker than they normally would. He had seen one in his previous life, and people had reduced the time needed to comprehend alchemy, talismans, or even arrays. Any other time, he would have loved to use one to deepen his comprehension.
But that wouldn’t help him in the short term. If he couldn’t reach Old Martial City in time, he wouldn’t have time to join the Divine Fragrance Palace. If he could join the Divine Fragrance Palace, he could save his family from this Devil Cicada Challenge. A city lord like Dan Kuang wouldn’t dare to plot against a disciple from the Divine Fragrance Palace.
That was the laziest plan. Of course, he had other plans like helping his grandfather break through to the Bone Baptization Realm, then use
the forbidden technique to push him to the Marrow Cleansing Realm and wipe out the Du clan once for all.
But without his help, that would be impossible. Even if everything failed, he could carve some arrays on every Li clan member’s weapons and give them a fighting chance. With his increased cultivation, he could do many things to help his Li clan.
With him stuck here, his entire plan was derailed and his only hope was that Old Man Wu could get a few Bone Barrier Hitting Pills and help his grandfather break through.
There remained only one option. He had to break through to the qi Bone Baptization Realm. With his body cultivation locked, that was his only option. He also needed to work on some weapon arrays and make some preparations to win. He had many good arrays in his arsenal that could turn the tide of a battle.
“Nuan, can you make Foundation Refirming Pills?” he asked. On the way to the palace, he had seen a medicinal garden, and he had spotted the herbs required for Foundation Refirming Pills present in the garden. Even if he only got a few sets of the needed herbs, he could use his Yin Yang Liquid to age and replicate them.
“No, I can only concoct Essence Gathering Pills, and my success rate is quite low.” Her head lowered.
“Can you try concocting them in the Comprehension Acceleration Chamber? I need at least a hundred such pills in the next seven days.” He clenched his fist. He was going to use a forbidden technique to leap through the layers, but that required him to consume a huge number of medicinal pills to extract their essence and absorb it. He turned toward Xue Qi. “Senior, you have unfathomable knowledge of alchemy. Can you help her concoct some low-grade pills? I also need some blood from Chamelon, the White Soul Panther. Can you help me gather some?”
“I can’t concoct that many.” Sun Nuan’s head nearly dropped to the ground, and her voice turned low. “I don’t know if I can concoct a single one in seven days.”