by Feng Yise
"Black flood dragon at the great circle of Tier 8? You're sure that this information isn't wrong?! On what basis does he, a Boundless Realm, have to bring a black flood dragon at the great circle of Tier 8 under his control?" Zhou Yan said in disbelief.
Zhou Yu said, "When this subordinate heard this news, my reaction was exactly the same as Young Master's. But this matter is indeed true. On the day Ye Yuan succeeded the position, he defeated the strongest one of the Seven Holy Sons in one move, then let out the black flood dragon. All of the people in the Crimson Afterglow Holy Land saw this scene. It can't be faked."
Zhou Yan's face was as dark as water and was suddenly incomparably vexed in his heart.
No idea why, his inner-heart actually produced that tiny hint of threat!
When he saw Ye Yuan in the Lower Realms, Ye Yuan was still just a Soul Sea Realm martial artist. Just how much time had passed here, Ye Yuan actually cultivated to Boundless Realm with lightning speed. Furthermore, he even had strength comparable to Heaven Enlightenment Realm!
At this rate, Ye Yuan catching up to him was also not something impossible!
Being surpassed by a bumpkin like Ye Yuan, Zhou Yan absolutely did not allow it! Moreover, Ye Yuan was even his greatest love rival!
These two years time, Zhou Yan often saw that sort of longing and affectionate expression on Yue Mengli's face. This deeply wounded his pride as a man.
Any person in this world could surpass him, Zhou Yan. Only Ye Yuan could not!
Originally, Zhou Yan did not attach any importance to Ye Yuan at all. But hearing this news, he had no choice but to face this aboriginal squarely.
Ye Yuan's improvement speed was too alarming!
"Zhou Yu, take a trip with me to the Crimson Afterglow Holy Land!" Zhou Yan was silent for a long time and suddenly said.
"Yes, Young Master!"
Zhou Yu was very familiar with Zhou Yan. When he heard this news, he knew that Ye Yuan would definitely be unlikely to survive.
Hence, hearing this order of Zhou Yan's, he was not surprised at all either.
...
On a small island somewhere in the Divine Realm, the scenery was delightfully beautiful, giving people a feeling of an otherworldly paradise.
On the island was a small peak. On the small peak was a pavilion. A stone table was placed in the pavilion.
The two ends of the stone table sat a middle-aged man and an old man, currently playing Go.
The old man played black, put down a piece, and said with a loud laugh, "Zhong Zizhen, you lost again! In these 10 days, you didn't win a single match! How did the exalted Soul Martial Divine King become someone weak and then obsessed with Go? This isn't like you!"
That middle-aged man was actually the legendary Soul Martial Divine King, Zhong Zizhen!
Zhong Zizhen said with a smile, "No idea why, I keep feeling uneasy recently, as if something is going to happen."
The old man's expression changed, and he said, "Cultivation reaching yours and my boundary can pry into the Heavenly Dao. You being hit with a sudden inspiration like this, there might really be some major event that's coming!"
Zhong Zizhen nodded his head slightly and said, "These few years, the undercurrents of the Divine Realm are flowing. I fear that before long, something major will really happen. At that time, it will likely be hard for you and me to escape this maelstrom too!"
The old man sighed slightly and said, "At our level, our hearts are no longer filled with distracting thoughts towards these secular matters. Apart from Deity Realm, what else can still move yours and my heart?"
Chapter 824 - You Came Back!
"Can there be unbroken eggs when the nest is totally wrecked? Back then, how glorious were the Deity Realm powerhouses? Didn't they turn to ashes overnight too? How can you and I escape the maelstrom of this era?" Zhong Zizhen said.
"Speaking of which, the Medicine King Hall changed owners overnight back then, which was similarly bewildering. Until now, nobody could figure out the reason why too. Looks like this Divine Realm really has quite a number of things that you and I are unable to control!" the old man said with a sigh.
Zhong Zizhen's expression changed slightly but nodded his head powerlessly as well.
Right then, a ripple spread out in the space in front of the two people. A pale-yellow paper crane pierced through the void and arrived in front of Zhong Zizhen.
The paper crane flapped its wings like it was telling Zhong Zizhen something.
"Looks like you have a guest here. This old self will take his leave right now," the old man said.
Zhong Zizhen waved his hand and said, "Sip some tea for a moment, I'll be right back. Losing so many days in a row, I got to at least win back one round."
Finished talking, Zhong Zizhen strode out and directly vanished on the spot.
Outside the island, an old man stood with his hands by the side, appearing very respectful.
If outsiders knew, it would definitely make their jaws hit the ground.
This old man was precisely the Heaven's Destiny Trading Company's First Elder who gave Ye Yuan the gold token; he was also an Eighth Level Dao Profound expert!
But facing the Soul Martial King, he did not even dare to breathe loudly.
All of a sudden, a series of distortions emitted from the space. A middle-aged man slowly walked out from the void.
"Heaven's Destiny Trading Company's Li Yao pays respect to Soul Martial Divine King!" First Elder bowed down low and said.
Zhong Zizhen had both hands behind his back as he said coolly, "Speak then, these few days, my mood isn't very good. If you don't give me a proper reason, don't blame me for going to find Zhuo Yuhai to get an account."
Although Zhong Zizhen's Alchemy Path means were exceptionally skilled, people finding him to refine pills were extremely few.
His temperament was very eccentric, and he rarely made a move too. Annoying him, he would even make a move to kill people. Furthermore, he would not need to give a reason at all.
At that time, the medicinal pill did not get refined, and the person lost his little life instead.
The Zhuo Yuhai Zhong Zizhen talked about was naturally the Heaven's Destiny Trading Company's head chairman. Li Yao knew that for Zhong Zizhen to show himself and meet in person was most likely on account of Head Chairman's face.
But Li Yao's heart pounded when he heard Zhong Zizhen's words.
What luck, why did he just happened to pick the time when this malefic star was in a bad mood?
"Actually, the one who requested our Heaven's Destiny Trading Company to bring this news is a White Valiant Region's Rank Nine Holy Land's Young Lord, named Ye Yuan. He says that he's Your Excellency's old acquaintance and that as long as we bring the news, Milord will definitely agree to refine medicinal pills for him," Li Yao said deferentially.
Li Yao's words directly sold Ye Yuan out.
Facing a powerhouse like the Soul Martial Divine King, Li Yao had no choice but to respond carefully. Therefore, the meaning in his words was that the Heaven's Destiny Trading Company was actually just responsible for passing the words. The others, they were completely not responsible.
If not for the allure of Ye Yuan's two kinds of pill formulas being too great, and also wanting to make friends with this future Alchemy Path genius, how could Li Yao, this First Elder, possibly come to pay a formal visit to Zhong Zizhen personally?
Hearing Li Yao's words, Zhong Zizhen's brows knitted together once more: "Do you all feel that this Seat is very free and will become old acquaintances with the Young Lord of a Rank Nine Holy Land? But I'm quite curious though, what kind of benefits that whatever Young Lord gave you, to actually be able to invite you to come to find me personally."
A feeling of immense danger welled up from the bottom of his heart. Very clearly, Zhong Zizhen was really enraged.
Li Yao's expression changed, and he secretly cursed Ye Yuan in his heart.
Really got possessed by a ghost, to actually believe that
Ye Yuan would be on familiar terms with the Soul Martial Divine King! When Zhong Zizhen heard Ye Yuan's name, he did not have any reaction at all but flew into a great rage instead.
But him agreeing to make this trip clearly harbored some hopes of a fluke too.
Ye Yuan's Alchemy Path talent was too freakish. It was on an entirely different level from ordinary young geniuses.
Just based on this, he might really know the Soul Martial Divine King!
Perhaps, Ye Yuan was even Zhong Zizhen's successor.
It appears now that it was completely bull!
The entire Heaven's Destiny Trading Company was cheated by Ye Yuan.
How could the lofty Soul Martial Divine King possibly refine pills for an unimportant Rank Nine Holy Land's Young Lord?
Li Yao hurriedly bend his body low and said, "Calm your anger, Your Excellency! He said to let me bring a sentence for Milord. As long as Milord hears it, you'll definitely agree to help him refine pills!"
Zhong Zizhen said impatiently, "Scram, this seat doesn't have the patience to listen to your rubbish!"
Finished talking, the space become warped once more. Zhong Zizhen turned around and was about to leave.
Li Yao panicked. If Zhong Zizhen were to leave, the Heaven's Destiny Trading Company would screw it up on both ends.
This Ye Yuan could take out two kinds of such heaven-defying pill formulas randomly. Clearly, his stock was not little.
Once he offended Ye Yuan, forget about the transaction this time falling through, it would probably utterly fizzle out in the future too.
"Returning to hang it on the tree before the grave, knowing one's heart eternally! Could it be that the boy was lying to me?"
Li Yao had a clever idea hit in an emergency and grumbled softly. He believed that with the Soul Martial Divine King's hearing abilities, he was bound to be able to hear this sentence.
If he still did not have any reaction, then he could only just leave.
Actually, Li Yao was also harboring the mood of making a hail mary effort. He did not expect that with him grumbling like this, Zhong Zizhen's figure became stiff and space returned to normal.
"What did you say just now? Say it one more time!" Zhong Zizhen furrowed his brows and said.
"Replying Your Excellency, the words that youth made me bring was 'returning to hang it on the tree before the grave, knowing one's heart eternally'!" Li Yao hurriedly said.
Zhong Zizhen's expression fell, an extremely complicated expression showed in his gaze.
After being silent for a moment, Zhong Zizhen suddenly asked, "You're certain that this person who made you pass on the message is a Rank Nine Holy Land's Young Lord?"
Li Yao nodded and said, "Very certain! It's just that this youth seems to be quite different from ordinary geniuses!"
"Oh? Different in what way, let's hear it." Zhong Zizhen's expression already returned to normal. Li Yao could not tell what he was thinking about too.
But seeing Zhong Zizhen inquire, Li Yao did not dare to conceal either, roughly going over Ye Yuan's matters once.
Ye Yuan's information, the Heaven's Destiny Trading Company had been following with interest all along. Therefore, the First Elder was very familiar with him.
Listening until the end, Zhong Zizhen suddenly said, "Leave the spirit medicines behind, you can go already!"
Li Yao was startled and had somewhat yet to recover to his senses.
Zhong Zizhen pulled a long face and said, "Didn't hear it?"
Li Yao shuddered all over, hastily taking out a storage ring, and throwing it to Zhong Zizhen.
Zhong Zizhen received the storage ring, turned around, and left.
"Just what background does this Ye Yuan have, to actually really be able to let the Soul Martial Divine King agree to refine pills for him! Furthermore, the Soul Martial Divine King refining pills is extremely expensive. The price might even be as much as several times of the medicinal pill's. This time, the Soul Martial Divine King actually didn't even open his mouth to charge a price!" Li Yao said in astonishment.
In Li Yao's impression, Ye Yuan became even more enshrouded in mystery.
...
Zhong Zizhen's figure appeared in the pavilion once more.
"So slow! Really didn't think that you would be so long-winded with people," the old man sipped tea as he said with a smile at the same time.
Zhong Zizhen smiled bitterly and said, "Song Qiuyu, not keeping you behind this time. Let's battle again next time!"
The old man was slightly surprised but did not say anything. Nodding his head, he left right away.
After the old man left, Zhong Zizhen looked into the distance and said somewhat absentmindedly, "You came back!"
Chapter 825 - Corpse Tide
On a high ridge at the borders of the Crimson Afterglow Holy Land, several figures gazed into the distance.
"Young Lord, these zombies 1 appeared out of god knows where. Each and every one of their strength is very formidable. Whenever night comes, they will come out in full force and wreak havoc in the nearby cities. In a short half a month's time, they have already destroyed three cities. None of the City Lords of these three cities were lucky to escape. Right now, everyone in this region is in a state of panic!"
The one speaking was a Phaseless Realm elder, called Wang Zan, who was also the person in charge of a large area, with more or less the same status as Yang Sen.
In this half a month, a zombie uprising suddenly erupted outside the borders of the Crimson Afterglow Holy Land's north-west position.
Every time night came, tens of thousands of zombies would engage in wanton massacre everywhere, killing people on sight.
Wang Zan organized a large group of martial artists to come and kill these zombies. The result was that they returned in utter defeat with heavy casualties. That was why they had no choice but to seek help from the holy land.
Hearing Wang Zan's plea for help, Ye Yuan also felt that the zombie uprising this time was rather unusual too. Therefore, he brought Wu Siyuan and Blackwind together and came here to investigate the situation.
Speaking of which, ever since after Wu Siyuan saw Blackwind, he no longer had any disloyalty towards Ye Yuan.
He knew that even if he exhausted the Wu Family's power, it was also not possible to be Blackwind's match. Ye Yuan could subdue a powerful demonic beast like this, what else was there that he was unconvinced by?
Standing on top of this hill could scan far into the distance at the situation nearby.
But it was broad daylight currently. Those zombies went to hide at God knows where; not even a trace of them could be seen.
But Ye Yuan could sense that the evil yin qi in the large stretch of the area around was extremely heavy. What Wang Zan said was clearly not false.
Ye Yuan even went to the three cities that were destroyed prior to this. Over there was simply purgatory on earth. Even Ye Yuan, this kind of person who had very rich experiences, could not help being visibly moved because of it as well.
He also secretly made up his mind to definitely eliminate these zombies!
"According to observations during these two days, these zombies seem to be intentionally expanding their territory. If it carries on developing according to this sort of trend, the entire Crimson Afterglow Holy Land will likely be plunged into an abyss of suffering!" Ye Yuan said with a frown.
Wang Zan was startled. Carefully recalling the process of the corpse tide happening, seems like it really was the case.
"This … Young Lord, what should we do now? Even though we haven't seen yet, but in this corpse tide, there is definitely a Tier 8 earth corpse!" Wang Zan could not quite make the decision.
Ye Yuan was silent for a moment, then slowly opened his mouth and said, "The corpse tide erupted very suddenly. Furthermore, it's very controlled. I feel that … there is someone manipulating these zombies at the back!"
Wang Zan's expression changed, and he said, "Young Lord, such a scale of corpse tide, how formid
able a strength does one require to be able to manipulate it? This sort of conjecture, isn't it …"
Very clearly, he felt that Ye Yuan's conjecture was somewhat nonsensical.
Wang Zan was certain that there absolutely existed a Tier 8 zombie in this corpse tide. Moreover, the scale of this corpse tide was completely not what ordinary martial artists could manipulate.
Ye Yuan actually suspected that someone was manipulating behind. This kind of possibility was too low.
Regarding Wang Zan's questioning, Ye Yuan paid no attention to it and said with a smile, "Manipulating these zombies doesn't necessarily need to have cultivation realm corresponding to them! As long as the method is apt, martial artists can even cross realms to control the zombies."
Suddenly, several small black dots in the sky approached close from far away. Several silhouettes landed on this hill as well.
A martial artist who looked like a youth swept a glance over Ye Yuan trio and said disdainfully, "Heh, your Crimson Afterglow Holy Land is really incompetent, to actually have such a large-scale corpse tide erupt, causing our Cloud Watchtower Holy Land to suffer along with it too. Truly preposterous!"
This youth's age was not old and actually had peak Heaven Enlightenment Realm strength!
When Wang Zan saw this youth, his expression could not help changing.
"Young Lord Wei Cheng, your words are a little prejudiced! This area is at the borders of our four great holy lands. How is it caused by our Crimson Afterglow Holy Land?" Wang Zan said indignantly.
This youth in front of them was precisely the Young Lord of the adjacent Cloud Watchtower Holy Land called Wei Cheng.
After Ye Yuan assumed this position of young lord, although he had not seen before the other Holy Lands' Young Lords, he had heard before this Wei Cheng's name.
Even though the Cloud Watchtower Holy Land was a Rank Nine Holy Land too, its overall strength was quite a bit stronger compared to the Crimson Afterglow Holy Land.