In the bird’s nest, the nestlings were chirping and waiting to be fed. At the riverside, the flower petals drifted along with the wind, and the fragrance of the flowers was carried by the wind. There was a small village full of spiritual energy, that village had the same vibe as Xiao Chen’s hometown. The lively village was similar to that small mountain village beside the Yellow River. Xiao Chen suspected he was in a dream.
Two months had passed in an instant. Xiao Chen’s body was slowly recovering. Although he was in a critical situation, abundant life energy was stored in the nine divinized acupoints. The life energy didn’t rush out all at once, but a little bit would leak out everyday to heal his aging organs. Because of that, Xiao Chen’s condition was maintained at a very subtle equilibrium.
His flame of life was still burning, his power was still the same as before. Xiao Chen’s heart was filled with immense battle intent, he wished he could go back to Celestial City immediately.
However, he knew that he was far from strong enough to survive in Celestial City. After thinking about it calmly, his agitated heart gradually calmed down.
Standing on the stone bridge, he looked at his white-haired self reflected in the water. Xiao Chen remained silent. This time, he was completely and thoroughly defeated…… He had lost too much in Celestial City, too much. His felt completely empty.
He had lost faith in humanity. People would fight for fame, profit, romance, love, hate, and enmity, but what for?
He lost a friend, Fairsky had betrayed their friendship, he pulled out a sword and attacked him with no regards. He lost Keke, its body and soul were destroyed.
He lost two hundred years of his lifespan. That was equivalent to two lifetimes of a normal person. However, he didn’t manage to fill the gaps in his heart. He would never forget about the crushing defeat that night.
He ran away from Celestial City!
Xiao Chen had lost too much, he felt a heart ripping pain. He didn’t want to make a childish vow nor shout out his goal. He kept this pain to himself as he was thinking back to those events in silence. He was reflecting upon it calmly.
He was too frivolous and flamboyant. His recognition of human nature was too little. Fame, benefits, power, romance, love, hate, enmity…… interweaved to form one huge net that nobody in this world could hide from. He must sharpen himself.
Does that mean he has to endure patiently and continue to escape?
No! Youthfulness wouldn’t last that long. It was needless to repress his natural instincts. He was a free and spontaneous person, restraining himself would only have negative effect on his life.
What he needed was to reflect upon it. He needed to be even more experienced, to the point that he could be called shrewd and ruthless. He had to become more mature, and polish himself from the craggy corner.
It was not a compromise. He was not discouraged. Rather, this was a transformation for the purpose of enriching his life.
He had to learn from this crushing defeat. Being seasoned did not mean to lose the drive, or even one’s prime. The passion would never stop burning, those feelings would build up his confidence even more.
The only thing that should be changed was his methods, his heart would remain the same forever!
Xiao Chen stood quietly on the stone bridge, thinking deeply.
Qing Qing’s grandfather was taking a stroll and walked towards the stone bridge. The old man was beaming with smiles all day long. He seemed very kind and benevolent.
“Thinking about something?”
“Just reflecting.”
The old man chuckled and said, “Experiencing defeat is not scary at all, the most important thing is how you look upon the defeat. If those outstanding individuals never experienced defeat, they would always remain at the level of just ‘outstanding’. We need to go through constant hardships before we come to understand its true meaning. I was also a frivolous youngster during my years. I had stirred up too much trouble because of my arrogance. I truly had too many bitter experiences. Having power is one thing, but how you use that power is the most important point. Don’t be like those who are easily swayed from left to right, but you also must have a superior means to face the storm.”
Xiao Chen smiled and heeded the advice.
“Elder, how about I treat you to some drinks.”
“Let’s go then! I almost forgot, the one Qing Qing saved is a millionaire who carries a few hundred thousand gold plates! Even if you buy all the best wine from Granny Phoebe, there will be enough to last for several years.”
Six hundred thousand gold plates, that was the award money given when Keke won the title of the Southern Wasteland Beast King. Every time he saw these gold plates, he would recall the little thing and experience a heart ripping pain.
Thinking about it, he really was a millionaire. He hadn’t spent the eight hundred thousand gold coins from selling Pasteur. It’s just that… the money were still with the Zhuge fatty.
“It’s not that I am stingy, but these few hundred thousand gold coins, I really don’t want to touch them. That will only make me feel bad. However, you don’t have to worry. I went to the deep forest and picked up a Nonafrond Grass. I already delivered it to Granny Phoebe. It should be enough to trade for a dozen bottles of the best wine.”
“Haha… that’s great, that should be enough for the both of us.” The old man laughed heartily.
Xiao Chen sincerely respected this benevolent and optimistic old man. The old man was very amiable, but the depth of his power couldn’t simply be described as unfathomable.
What made Xiao Chen the most shocked was that, in this village, there were more than ten elders about the same age as this old man.
What he learned from the little fatty Oxman was that, this Pure Land was the hiding place of the previously well known practitioners from the Jungle Tribe and the Beastmen. Just what kind of past did they possess, nobody knew. According to Oxman, even his grandmother was respectful towards these people. Using the little fatty’s words, the people at this place were “impressive” figures.
Xiao Chen guessed the elders in this Pure Land must have had extremely glorious past. However, they wanted to live a simple life, thus they gathered in this secluded region.
Not a lot of people would come here to disturb these elders, other than a few special cases. In regards to the Jungle Tribe and the Beastmen, this place was a true paradise.
Beyond this Pure Land were numerous Jungle Tribes and Beastmen Tribes, covering thousands of miles of territory. It was impossible to count just how many ancient tribes were in these territories.
This place was Northwest of the Celestial City, but within the whole picture of the immortal’s mainland, this was located at the Southwest border. It was close neighbor to the Middle Earth.
If one could fly, it would only take one day to get to Middle Earth.
Granny Phoebe’s small pub was out in the open. There were only a few sets of table and chair arranged in front of the small wooden house. Many elders would visit the pub everyday. They could already smell the fascinating aroma of the liquor from very far away. These were not just any normal wines. Xiao Chen had experienced it himself. These could even be said to be godlike wines that directly intoxicated the very bones.
Although these elders were very kind and amiable, Xiao Chen didn’t dare to slight them. He would smile at each and every elder to show his respect.
“Xiao Chen, your body is too weak, your life energy is pathetically low. Today, I will teach you a skill and how to refine your body. I guarantee that your life energy will slowly recover.”
The Elder Turtle was a beastman, because his beast soul was originally that of a turtle, everyone including Xiao Chen addressed him as Elder Turtle. However, at their current level of power, they already looked completely human.
The Elder Turtle’s posture was rather… awkward. He was just like a big turtle crawling in the sky, but his mouth was opening and closing unceasingly as traces of world essence flowed into his mouth like water.
Elder Ye reminded, “Xiao Chen, you should learn this without delay. This is a wonderful technique to maintain good health by seizing the essence of the world. It is a rare ability to maintain long life.”
Xiao Chen thanked them hastily and crawled in the sky awkwardly. He diligently listened the Elder Turtle’s guidance and carefully savour it. He couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration, even their martial arts were, too wonderful for words.
“Hehe… young uncle, what are you doing?” Qing Qing walked over from outside the village as she giggled.
“Plop!”
Xiao Chen was shocked and fell onto the ground.
“Hehe, uncle, don’t get too excited. Actually, your posture just now was very accurate. I couldn’t learn it no matter what.”
Elder Turtle stroked his white heard as he said with a smile, “Little girl, don’t make fun of him. Although the posture is not very good-looking, it is a genuine skill that can save your life. Every time I wanted to teach you, you would run away.”
Just because she was pure, it didn’t mean she was simple-minded. Qing Qing could even be said to be very bright. She had a creative mind. This intelligent girl was the favorite of every elder in this village.
She smiled brilliantly and said, “Oh, that’s right. Qing Qing will seek out Elder Turtle to teach me in the future.” Speaking until here, she turned around to face Xiao Chen and said, “Uncle, are you really going to the sacred mountain with brother fatty? That place is very dangerous. You are still in poor health, you shouldn’t take risks.”
Hearing this, every elder in the pub looked at Xiao Chen. Elder Ye said, “There is only a one out of ten chance to survive, not many people dare to take the risk. It is too dangerous.”
Elder Turtle also said, “It’s too dangerous. If I was not forced into a corner at that time, I definitely wouldn’t go there and take my chances.”
The beastmen’s sacred mountain, that was the most mysterious land. Legends had it that it was a “Cypreus Furnace” successfully refined by ancestor god Suirenshi. The furnace was supposedly capable of smelting anything in the world.
However, for some reason, the Cypreus Furnace transformed into a sacred mountain and became a place where the saintly souls gathered. The souls of many fallen warriors would gather at that place.
Of course, that was only part of the secret that everyone was aware of. Legends have it that the sacred mountain possessed even more secrets that even the prophets and ancestors of various beastmen tribes didn’t know about.
“I really want to go… I want to try and see if I can summon Keke’s soul at that place.”
Xiao Chen did not hide his origin. These elders knew how he managed to make it to this Pure Land.
Granny Phoebe walked out from the small wooden house. Although she had a head full of white hair, her face was very beautiful. If one said she was senile, that was definitely wrong, but it was not appropriate to say she was young either. She smiled towards Xiao Chen and said, “Yesterday, the Nonafrond Grass you procured was very effective. It is enough to brew fifty jar of fairy wine.” After that, she said with slight concern, “Since you want to take your chances, nobody here will stop you. But we must remind you again, that place is truly very dangerous. I will teach you a self-protection skill.”
Speaking until here, Granny Phoebe became very solemn as she chanted, “The universe contain emptiness, the heart harbors the world, grant life to my imagination, shadows produced from my body…”
Granny Phoebe looked very dignified at that moment, she flew up in a whirl and made all kinds of complicated movements. Her hands kept forming one seal after another. A star sign appeared over her head from thin air and let off millions of streaks of light. It was so bright that it blinded everyone!
Elder Ye faced Xiao Chen and said, “Quick, memorize it immediately. That is the highest form of every seal technique known in legends, the Seal of Aquarius!”
Xiao Chen moved his body as his heart desired as he listened to Granny Phoebe’s instructions. While he was savouring all the information, he began to form the Seal of Aquarius.
Granny Phoebe was a clan member of the Jungle Tribe. She was extremely proficient in the laws of nature. She could use her systematic spells to wrest control of nature’s power. The Seal of Aquarius was the supreme technique she perfected by combining it with the Buddhist’s star sign.
Xiao Chen immersed himself in this ethereal state and sensed the Seal of Aquarius’ formidable power. He had a feeling, once this technique reached its peak state, it could swallow up the sun and the moon.
On the other side, Qing Qing also danced like a butterfly. Her slender fingers were forming the seals unceasingly. A crystallized star sign appeared on top of her head, she looked as pure as a goddess. She spoke to herself, “Every time I see Granny Phoebe forming the seals, it gives me a different feeling. I wonder when will I be able to form the seals.”
“Your aptitude is not bad.” After seeing that Xiao Chen had memorized the fundamentals, Granny Phoebe gave her evaluation.
One must know that Xiao Chen was naturally gifted on the path of austerities. However, in the eyes of these people, he had just barely passed. It was enough to indicate how powerful and incomprehensible they were. These elders once had unknown “pasts”. They had seen one too many gifted practitioners, and they were naturally one of those well-known figures.
Qing Qing was very clever, she giggled and told Xiao Chen, “Uncle, why don’t you hurry up and buy some wine. Treat everyone here to their heart’s content, and they might just teach you a skill. Then you will reap endless benefits for a lifetime.”
Xiao Chen knew she was helping him with good intention. Of course, he was not a blockhead and immediately treated these elders to fine liquors.
“Khhhh! This is the stuff!”
The doors of many wooden houses in the village were pushed open. Once they heard someone was going to treat them, many elders turned up without being invited with a chuckle.
In reality, these elders didn’t think closed door training was worth doing. Training on a regular basis was not that important to them. Every time a youngster from the beastmen or Jungle tribe came, they would give them pointers heartily.
Even though Xiao Chen was practicing the profound technique of the ancient monolith himself, he still felt that the techniques occasionally revealed by these elders were top-notch abilities. If he could learn a few of them and compare them, it would be very beneficial for his training.
Life in the Pure Land was a simple one. It was one without prestige and full of livelihood. There’s no fighting and scheming here, nor was there a scramble for power and profit. Compared to Celestial City, this was truly a paradise. It made Xiao Chen feel as if being in the Celestial City was already a thing from the distant past.
In the following month, Xiao Chen learned a few difficult to understand profound arts from the elders. Every time when he truly comprehended these arts, he would always have this one thought; could these elders be gods? How did they manage to create such powerful secret arts? It seemed like they were not one bit weaker than the secret arts of the ancient monolith!
Time passed by quickly, it had already been four months since Xiao Chen arrived at the Pure Land. His bodily functions were mostly recovered. His state was situated at a subtle equilibrium. He decided to take action now. He’s going to the beastmen’s sacred mountain with Oxman in an attempt to summon Keke’s soul.