Chapter 350: Nine Years Later
Translator: Radiant Translations Editor: Radiant Translations
Be it in a material world, the Deity world, or in the Dark Abyss, one could find the Temporal Temple and the Bloodshed Tavern practically anywhere!
The Temporal Temple offered to sell intelligence, help transport goods, and even send someone to some faraway place!
Meanwhile, the Bloodshed Tavern was specifically used to put bounties on the heads of people! Its asking prices were very high; every bounty had to follow a set of rules! As long as the price was suitable, there existed a point when even the chief tavern owner of the Bloodshed Tavern—that is, the grand Bloodshed God Emperor—could even personally act. There were cases of powerful existences of the Deity world against whom the Bloodshed God Emperor would be willing to act and kill.
The only issue was that the prices listed by the Bloodshed Tavern were, in one word, dark!
The businesses of the two organizations spread over countless worlds.
The Great Demonic God, Da Er Hao, was a stage two giant Demonic God of the Dark Abyss, but even inside his enormous territory, there was a Temporal Temple. On the other hand, the Bloodshed Taverns were extremely numerous there; they were so densely packed that they were impossible to count. That was because, on one hand, the Great Demonic God’s territory was large enough, and on the other hand, the Bloodshed Tavern’s business was practically to act against all living things.
They were willing to do business among mortals! Naturally, the cost of such a thing was excessively large, and it allowed the Demons of the Dark Abyss to always be able to easily find a Bloodshed Tavern nearby.
Meanwhile, the Temporal Temple usually only collaborated with Deities! The number of their temples was, naturally, relatively smaller.
The skeletal jaw of the Great Demonic God opened to speak. "I’ve asked them."
"How was it?" the golden-robed man inquired.
"The price of information on the identity of the new Deity is 30,000 Deity crystals. A report on Dong Bo Xue Ying’s current strength costs 100,000 Deity crystals," the Great Demonic God’s replied. "What do you think, Sorcerer God? Do you believe these two articles of information are worth the price?"
"It actually costs only 100,000 Deity crystals to receive information on Dong Bo Xue Ying’s strength?" The golden-gowned man frowned at the words. If a report on the strength of some random world’s genius transcendent costed this much, he would have definitely considered such a price to be excessive! After all, that amount of crystals alone was enough to bankrupt many ordinary World Deities. But Xue Ying was part of the Xia Clan, which had control over Crimson Rock Mountain. On the eve of the battle, Xue Ying’s strength would be considered a very important factor, so much so that it might even prove to be a decisive element! A price as low as 100,000 Deity crystals wasn’t quite in accordance to the Temporal Temple’s character.
Could it be that the Temporal Temple were not that harsh, but rather, they were unexpectedly generous?
"Could this be confirmation that it was not Xue Ying who became a Deity?" The golden-robed man frowned.
"The intelligence report?" the Great Demonic God’s skull asked.
"Buy them! Buy both reports!" the golden-robed man affirmed. "Great Demonic God, you wouldn’t mind covering this little expense, right?"
"A small matter." The Great Demonic God nodded.
Although the Great Demonic God was also a little distressed, this time right before the war was a crucial point for the preparations.
"I just knew there had to be a reason why the Temporal Temple would ask for such a low amount," the Great Demonic God growled. "This intelligence report actually details the strength Xue Ying exposed way back at the Black White Deity Mountain. As for details of after that point, the Temporal Temple only states the following: ‘Xue Ying has yet to come out after entering Crimson Rock Mountain. His strength is impossible to determine.’"
"Then who’s the one who became a Deity?" the golden-robed man asked.
The skull responded, "Some sort of plant organism called a Blood Creeping Flower!"
"A plant organism suddenly entered the Xia Clan world to become a Deity?" The golden-robed man slightly nodded. "This plant organism…I’m afraid Xue Ying obtained it inside Crimson Rock Mountain and sent it out. However, Xue Ying himself hasn’t revealed himself, so nobody knows if he is currently dead or alive!"
"En." The Great Demonic God was also worried.
Blood Creeping Flower?
It made no difference! After all, the Blood Creeper Flower might have had a tyrannical body, but its comprehension of the Laws and Profound Mysteries was not be very high. Once the war broke out, that single Blood Creeper Flower would have no way of stopping their troops!
"What was Xue Ying’s exact strength back at the Black White Deity Mountain?" the golden-robed man asked.
"If the Temporal Temple’s intelligence report is to be trusted, Xue Ying has grasped three grade two True Meanings: of Mirage, of Star, and of Extreme Piercing. In addition to that, he had only reached the pinnacle of the stage two realm at that point," the Great Demonic God reported.
"Other than that, he has grasped a secret skill! It was by relying on that secret skill that he could match Lord You Lan," the skull continued.
"Oh."
The golden-robed man slightly nodded, exhaling in relief. "Very good. Having managed to create a secret skill, this Xue Ying can be considered the most gifted Transcendent in the entire history of the Xia Clan. He is very strong, but his cultivation is still only at the peak of the stage two realm. Cultivation must follow a gradual, steady improvement, and there’s no such thing like skipping steps. It has only been about four years since he’s entered the Crimson Rock Mountain; he might not even be at the stage three realm by now, much less close to becoming a Deity!"
"Right." The image of the Great Demonic God’s skull nodded.
There were, indeed, areas in the Crimson Rock Mountain where time was accelerated.
But they both clearly knew that if one sought to perceive the Laws of Heaven and Earth, time acceleration actually had a negative effect. It was only when time flowed normally that one’s perception of the laws of heaven and earth would be natural and distinct.
How much could he improve in a mere four years?
"We might have had to spend a few Deity crystals, but it was worth clearing up the situation." The golden-robed man exposed a smile.
"Should we ask the Temporal Temple for a full investigation report on the strength of the entire Xia Clan?" the Great Demonic God’s skull asked.
"No! Even if we did want to buy it, it would best be done right before the war breaks out." The golden-robed man shook his head. "From my estimations, however, such a report would be very, very expensive. I’m afraid we might not afford to buy it."
If, in a war, one could know every card their opponent would play in, they would have a much easier time attaining victory.
But the price the Temporal Temple perceived to be accurate would be excessively high.
"It’s fine. We’ve already received the best news in the way that we know Dong Bo Xue Ying has not become a Deity. With the level of his cultivation from four years ago, he should still be very far from becoming a Deity," the golden-robed man said. "We can take our time to gradually prepare and set everything in good order. When the time comes, we will directly crush them with unstoppable strength."
The illusory Great Demonic God’s skull approved. "Just follow the plans we’ve already set. We can take it step by step."
The golden-robed man shivered in anticipation. "Let’s hurry. It won’t be long until it’s time for war."
There were very few things that they were anxious about.
The Great Earth God was one of them. Dong Bo Xue Ying was another.
As for anything else? Even if the Xia Clan gave rise to a Deity, it only signified adding a small obstacle onto their paths.
******
Time passed.
The Xia Clan continued to migrate, as they busily prepared on the eve of war.
In the blink of an eye, nine years had already passed.
...
At Crimson Rock Mountain.
Hu, hu.
Chen Jiu soared into the sky, shoulder-to-shoulder with the green-haired woman, Xi Wei. They eventually broke through the world boundary and entered the higher-leveled space. Upon crossing that boundary, they continued to fly upward.
They crossed the layer of rock and soil, passing through the void and layer after layer of clouds and mist, before finally arriving at Crimson Dust Island.
"Chen Jiu." The Meishan Clan Master smiled at him.
"Brother Meishan." Chen Jiu also smiled.
"You have my congratulations for being the next to successfully make it here." These words came from the Meishan Clan Master’s heart. He was aware how hard the situation was for all of them. In the first place, if even one of five team leaders had succeeded by a fluke, it would have still been not bad. Two of them making it was quite exceptional. In truth, with the addition of Xue Ying as a local Transcendent of the Xia Clan, a full three people made it through.
"It was by a fluke that I broke through the final bottleneck and grasped the Only Me Deity Heart after nearly going crazy," Chen Jiu said.
"Only Me?" The Meishan Clan Master nodded. "Your usage of the True Meaning of Only Me was better than mine from the very start. After all, having been able to research Eight Arms, your comprehension of the True Meaning of Only Me was already extremely high. Having then grasped an Only Me Deity Heart…is nothing strange."
Chen Jiu smiled.
This success really was akin to soaring toward the sky!
"That’s right; what’s the situation with Dong Bo?" Chen Jiu immediately asked. Of all the apex Transcendents who entered this time, his relationship with Xue Ying was the best.
"Ah, I just saw him on the Path of Reflection," the Meishan Clan Master replied.
"I’ll bring you guys over there." Xi Wei smiled from the side.
It wasn’t long before they arrived at the Path of Reflection.
There, the white-clothed Xue Ying was having difficulty in walking forward. He took step after step, despite having walked so far and his silhouette already being very small. Every step he took was even harder than the last.
"Xue Ying is very formidable. He has already passed the first section and stepped onto the second," the Meishan Clan Master exclaimed. "He has already gotten rid of the hex poison, and he has been cultivating under the conditions of Crimson Rock Mountain, which far exceed the mortal world. His Time Immemorial Body also helped nourish his soul, so his progress is indeed extremely fast. While these few years have seen my strength improve by a lot, I was still completely suppressed by him no matter how many times we fought. He simply swept me away time and time again."
Just as he finished talking…
Hu.
Xue Ying collapsed on the distant stope steps and fell down onto the surface of the lake beneath him with a peng sound. His impact sent water from the lake splashing in every direction. He then immediately left the water and flew back toward the sky. As he stepped out, he saw Chen Jiu, the Meishan Clan Master, and Xi Wei in the corner of his eye.
"Hahaha." Xue Ying let out a hearty laugh. He rushed to where Chen Jiu and the others were with a speed so fast, he left behind afterimages in midair.
"Dong Bo." Chen Jiu smiled brilliantly.
"Big Brother Chen Jiu, congratulations." Xue Ying was very happy to see a close friend again. He was very clear of the burden Chen Jiu carried. Now that he became an honorary disciple, be it for the Flying Sword Manor or for Chen Jiu himself, it was a sign that the hard times were over and that the good times were coming.