Chapter 38 Swift Feather City
After leaving the sect, Su Yang began making his way to the nearest city. In his memories, there was a place called the Swift Feather City; it was only two days away from the Profound Blossom Sect in walking distance, but since Su Yang used his cultivation base, it had taken him only a few hours to arrive at the Swift Feather City.
Once he arrived at the city, Su Yang approached the guards that stood by the entrance of the city.
When the guards noticed Su Yang approaching them, they gave each other a weird gaze, almost as though they were surprised to see him there.
Su Yang noticed the weird gazes he was getting from the guards, and he asked them: "Is there a problem?"
"Eh? Ah, no… It's just that very rarely do we see disciples from Profound Blossom Sect despite our close distance." The guard explained to him.
"What brings you here to the Swift Feather City today?" asked another guard.
"Just making a quick stop before I continue on my journey."
"Is that so? Well, since you are a disciple of the famed Profound Blossom Sect, we will not charge you any fees for the entrance. Normally, you'd have to pay 10 copper coins, alright?"
"Un." Su Yang gave his thanks before quickly making his into the city.
When Su Yang left, the guards sighed, sounding depressed.
"Aiii… the Profound Blossom Sect… how envious. With his superior looks, he probably gets to play with beauties all day. If only I was a disciple..."
"Forget about it. With your ugly looks, you probably wouldn't get accepted even as a pet for the servants, let alone as a servant!"
"What did you say?! You speak as though you have a chance to get in with your dog face! Look in the mirror before you talk!"
The guards then began arguing with each other.
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Su Yang casually strolled around the city. The place was clean and lively with many people entering and leaving the stores that made up the streets.
Everybody there seemed to be minding their own business, but when their eyes suddenly discovered Su Yang's presence, they all stared at him with dazed expressions.
It was as though the moment they saw Su Yang's handsome face, they couldn't look away. Undoubtedly, Su Yang's appearance was very eye-catching, like a sparkling gem surrounded by dirty rocks. Even within the Profound Blossom Sect where everybody was beautiful and handsome, his appearance was considered a rarity.
And naturally, such a handsome young man with an extraordinary background would easily attract the people's attention no matter where he went, especially in a place filled with mortals that are not used to someone like Su Yang, who has such an overwhelming presence.
Su Yang was used to these types of stares since it was also the same in his previous life. No matter where he went, there would be such gazes directed at him.
Suddenly, a young beauty who looked to be 18 years old walked up to him with two rosy circles on her cheeks.
"Umm… are you a disciple of the Profound Blossom Sect?" she asked him in a timid voice.
Su Yang smiled and nodded. "Is there something you need from me?" he asked despite already knowing her motives.
Seeing his handsome smile, the red on her cheeks deepened.
"Do you have any spare time right now? There is something I wish to speak to you about… preferably in private…" she said in a timid voice, her gaze flickering with passion.
When the bystanders heard her request, their jaws nearly dropped to the floor from bewilderment, thinking how sly and shameless this young lady was being in public. Although she wasn't specific in her request, even an idiot could tell what her real motive was.
If it was anyone else, they would, without a single doubt in their right mind, fall for her tactics and follow this young lady. But alas, Su Yang was someone with experience as vast as the galaxy in this type of situation.
Even in his previous life, it was extremely normal for mortals like this young lady to approach cultivators with their body as an offering in exchange for their help, as it was an easy way to gain valuables and connections. Hell, the more fortunate ones may even become cultivators themselves.
"I'm sorry, but I am in a hurry to be somewhere. If you don't mind, why don't you tell me what you have to say here?" said Su Yang, who showed barely any changes in his emotions.
The young lady looked at him with an astonished expression on her face. He was someone who belonged to a sect that does vulgar acts every day as though it was normal, yet he refused her so easily? Why didn't he just nod and follow her with a smile on his face just like she'd imagined?
"Nothing? Then I will excuse myself…"
The young lady stood there like a stone statue as Su Yang gracefully walked away while leaving a trail of flowery fragrance behind in the streets.
When Su Yang completely disappeared from the scene, the bystanders sighed loudly.
"Just a glance at him and you can tell that he's someone with high standards."
"He's from a place where peerless beauties are as common as flies. How could you possibly compete with the disciples at the Profound Blossom Sect, young one?"
When the young lady heard the people's words that were clearly meant to disdain her, her face turned red in embarrassment. No longer wishing to be there, she turned and ran away.
Chapter 39 A Lively Restauran
After walking for some time, Su Yang decided to take a break. He randomly chose a restaurant and walked in, his presence instantly attracting the gazes of everybody inside the building before even stepping inside.
"Y-Young Master, I am the owner of this store, how many will be visiting today?"
Su Yang was greeted by the store owner instead of the usual servants.
"I am alone," he replied as he stepped inside the place.
"I apologize in advance if the place is too crude for someone like the Young Master–"
"Spare me the sweet talk and just give me a table – any table will do." Su Yang interrupted him with a casual glance, causing the store owner to quickly shut his mouth, his palms turning sweaty from nervousness.
"Young Master can sit wherever he wants…" said the store owner a moment later.
Su Yang nodded and picked an empty table by the corner. He sat down and looked through the menu that was covered in dried up sauces and dirty fingerprints, it was almost as though the store couldn't bother to change it out.
When the store owner noticed Su Yang looking very intensively at the dirty menu, his heart nearly jumped out of his throat from fright.
"Y-Young Master… I apologize about the dirty menu… our business is… well… rough…" said the store owner, feeling overwhelmed.
However, Su Yang remained silent. The dirty menu and the rough-looking place did not bother him one bit. Instead, it actually made him feel comfortable.
"I want one pot of your homemade tea and a plate of everything you have on the menu."
The store owner looked at Su Yang with wide eyes filled with astonishment when he heard his order, almost as though he couldn't believe his ears. He actually wanted everything on the menu? There were at least 20 different dishes!
"R-Right away!"
The store owner didn't dare linger around and ran to the kitchen to begin commanding the cooks like a general. Very rarely would his restaurant receive cultivators as customers, let alone a disciple from the respectable Profound Blossom Sect. He couldn't afford to disappoint someone with such a profound presence no matter what, as he was afraid of the consequences.
Meanwhile, Su Yang took his time to organize his mind.
"How long has it been since I last sat in one of these out-of-shape wooden chairs? When was the last time I stepped foot inside such a rundown restaurant?" Su Yang recalled the memories when he was still a mere mortal in his previous life – more precisely, his youth.
When he was still a mortal, he would often times come to these kinds of restaurants with his family. However, ever since he left his family to become a cultivator, the number of times he would visit these sort of places decreased drastically, even stopping permanently once he became an Immortal.
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As Su Yang silently sat there and reminisced his past life, the people in the restaurant whispered to each other while constantly taking peeks at him.
"What a handsome young man! If I could, I would, without a doubt, ravage him on my bed!"
"Are all the men in the Profound Blossom Sect this handsome? If only I was a disciple there…"
The ladies there giggled as they whispered their fantasies to each other whilst the men grumbled in jealousy.
"Fuck! Just because he was born a little bit more handsome than the rest…"
"Aiyaya… why are the heavens so cruel? Isn't it already enough that I am not born handsome? Why did you have to allow me to see someone like him? Are you trying to shatter my confidence as a man?"
Su Yang smiled slightly after listening to the people around him talk. Although they were all whispering, it was so clear in Su Yang's ears that it sounded as though they were speaking directly into his ears.
Soon, the store owner returned with many servants following behind, each carrying dishes with them. And because the table was too small to fit all the dishes, the store owner combined a few empty tables together to make it one large table.
"How much for all of this?" Su Yang asked the store owner.
"Young Master does not have to worry about the price and can–"
Su Yang sighed midway through his sentence and retrieved a gold coin from his robes and handed it to the dumbfounded store owner.
"Keep the change, but do me a favor and replace these dirty menus for new ones as soon as possible. Also, I'd like to treat all of the ladies here to a meal. Give them whatever they want; it'll be on me."
Su Yang's words bewildered not only the store owner but everybody else in the restaurant. How rich was he to give out a gold coin so easily? Even if Su Yang were to order everything on the menu five more times he still wouldn't need half a gold coin! Hell, even the restaurant itself only earns a few gold coins each year!
When the females in the room heard that Su Yang was treating them to anything they want, they had an urge to jump out of their seats to give him a big kiss.
Su Yang then said out loud: "While we are at it, why don't you all sit with me so we can have a little chat? There is plenty of room and I am trying to learn more about this place since this is my first time out of the sect."
The instant Su Yang requested for their presence at his table, nearly every female in that place stood up and scrambled for the best seats, which were the two seats that were directly beside Su Yang.
"Calm down, I won't be going anywhere anytime soon…" Su Yang smiled at their actions, causing them to blush in embarrassment.
Thus, the somewhat dead restaurant suddenly turned into a lively place.
Chapter 40 The Four Great Families
Six women sat around Su Yang with bright expressions. All of them were as old as Lan Liqing if not older, but because none of them were cultivators, they actually looked their age, unlike Lan Liqing who still looked to be a young lady despite her old age.
"Little brother, how old are you?" One of them asked Su Yang in a charming tone.
"I am 16," he replied in a casual manner.
"So young! I would've never guessed just by the way you handle yourself. You have such a mature demeanor that I thought you'd be much older."
"Are you disappointed?" Su Yang asked with a smile.
"Hehe… of course not. Even if you are only 16 years old, you are still considered an adult."
"What is your name?"
"Xiao Yang," said Su Yang, thinking to himself that it would be for the best if he didn't reveal his true identity outside the sect until he was certain about a few things.
"Where are you from, Xiao Yang?"
"I was born inside the Profound Blossom Sect."
"Whoa… you were given birth to inside a sect?"
Su Yang slightly smiled at her astonishment.
"Enough about me, I'd like to know more about the outside world, as this is my first time outside."
"What would you like to know?"
"Tell me about this Eastern Continent," said Su Yang.
"Well, it's a very large continent for one… I heard that it's impossible to travel from one end to another if you are not a cultivator."
"The Eastern Continent is divided into four separate regions, each ruled by one great family."
Su Yang looked at the woman who mentioned the great families with interest. "Tell me more about the four regions and its great families," he said as he sipped on tea.
"The four great families are giants in both the cultivation and the mortal world. Each of them controls an equal amount of land, and they are known to produce geniuses with abnormal talents for cultivation. Other than their fame and military prowess, there is not much else known about them, especially not in a place like this."
"Do you know the names of these four great families?"
"If I recall correctly… the Fang Family rules the Western Region, the Long Family in the Eastern, the Xiang Family in the Southern Region, and lastly… what was it again?"
"The Su Family," said another woman, "They dominate the Northern Region."
"By the way, we are currently within the Western Region, governed by the Fang Family."
"The Su Family…?" Su Yang lifted an eyebrow once he heard the surname of that family. What a coincidence that they have the same surname as him.
"Yes. And although all four great families supposedly have the same amount of military power, rumors have it that the Su Family may actually be the strongest among the four."
"Is that so…" Su Yang mumbled with a pondering expression. Although he lied about being born in the sect, he actually didn't have a single clue as to where he was originally from.
All of the memories he had received from the previous Su Yang were for the one year after he joined the sect – the rest were seemingly blocked by a wall, almost as though it was forcefully suppressed.
"What's wrong, little brother? You seem interested in this Su Family more than the rest."
"I have heard a few disciples mention their name before…" said Su Yang.
"Do you know where they are located?" he continued.
"All four great families are stationed in the capital of each region."
"Don't tell me little brother is planning on visiting them?" someone said in a joking tone.
"Perhaps…" Su Yang put down his tea and said with a smile, dumbfounding the people around the table.
"Right, what about the other continents?" he suddenly asked them.
When Su Yang mentioned the other continents, they looked at each other with a perplexed expression.
"Well… other than the fact that every continent is separated by a vast sea called the Jade Sea, we really don't know anything about them."
"The Jade Sea?" Su Yang instantly frowned. He has traveled the four worlds in his previous life, yet he was unfamiliar with this name. Perhaps he was no longer under the same heaven as his previous life.
When the people around the table saw the pained expression on Su Yang's face, they knew that something was wrong. They felt like comforting him, but they didn't know why he suddenly turned sorrowful after hearing about the Jade Sea.
The thought of not being able to see his beloved again greatly pained Su Yang, however, he wasn't willing to give up so easily – not until he has definite proof that they no longer exist in this world.
"..."
When Su Yang noticed the awkward silence, he put on a smile and said: "I was lost in my thoughts, I apologize."
"There is no need for you to apologize, we understand."
"Whatever caused you to show such sorrow, I hope it goes away…"
They said to him in gentle voices, sounding like mothers comforting their child after they experienced something painful.
Su Yang nodded, and they continued to eat while laughing and joking, almost as though the awkward moment had never happened.
A few hours quickly passed since Su Yang shared his table and food with the ladies, and he finally said his goodbyes after cleaning all the food off the table.
"It has been forever since I've had such fun sharing tables with strangers." Su Yang left the restaurant with a refreshing feeling in his heart.
Chapter 41 You Heard Me
After leaving the restaurant, Su Yang walked a straight path through the streets until he reached the other end of the city, where the exit gate was stationed.
When he reached the gate, Su Yang noticed a large group of people and a few carriages waiting right outside the gate. They were all equipped with weapons and armors, looking as though they were about to enter a battle. There were even a few people in robes that looked to be disciples of some sect mixed in with the crowd.
By the time Su Yang passed the guards and stepped out of the city, the majority of the crowd was already looking at him with many different kinds of gazes. Some gazes were filled with envy and others looked at him with disdain. But of course, there were also a few females there that looked at him with adoring lights in their eyes.
Under the gazes of over fifty people, Su Yang calmly walked the road, his expression as tranquil as a still lake. He didn't care what they were doing, nor was he interested. However, his ears couldn't help but pick up the whispers of the crowd.
"Isn't that a disciple from the Profound Blossom Sect?"
"The only shameless sect that chooses its disciple by their looks first and talent second?"
"Yeah, that sect."
"All they do is screw each other day and night without proper training, hence why they usually have a high cultivation base but zero experience in combat."
"They only cultivate for their looks, so they wouldn't care even if they only have high cultivation bases and nothing else…"
Su Yang acted as though he didn't hear anything when the disciples from another sect within the crowd spoke badly about his sect, but he was laughing deep inside. While their words were harsh, there was actually some truth behind it.
The Profound Blossom Sect was known for their beautiful people, vulgar practices, and high cultivation base. However, the majority of its disciple had little to no experience when it came to techniques for combat – at least that was true within the Outer Court.
From what Su Yang received from his memories and what he personally witnessed in the Outer Court, the Outer Court disciples are usually so focused on increasing their own cultivation base that they barely bother to train in real techniques used for combat. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that most Outer Court disciples would rather spend their time in bed with their partner than to actually pick up a sword and train until they sweat.
Suddenly, somebody from the front shouted out loud, causing everybody to look at him – it was a bulky man with a bald head.
"Alright! Everybody, we are ready to travel to the Thunder Valley! If you are not ready by now, then you should just go back home!"
Some of the crowd laughed at the bulky man's words.
"If you have any questions, now is the time to ask!"
"How long will the journey to the Thunder Valley take?" asked a skinny man with a bow in his hands.
"Five days, give or take."
"Do you have any idea how many Lightning Cats will be there for us to slay?"
"We are unsure of the exact number, but they are in the hundreds at least," said the bulky man, and he continued: "Listen here! There will be a lot of Lightning Cats running around and it will be a difficult subjugation! However, this just means that there will be more wealth for all of us to share afterward!"
A thundering battle cry suddenly resounded, causing Su Yang's hairs to tremble.
"What a lousy crowd…" Su Yang thought to himself, and he looked at the paper in his hands. "This mission seems to be bigger than expected…"
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It has been some time since Su Yang left the Swift Feather City. He calmly walked down the middle of the wide path with his hands behind his back, looking as though he was taking a stroll in a park. He was looking left and right, seemingly interested in mother nature. Behind him was a large group of fifty people, all of them watching Su Yang in the lead with weird expressions.
"Why does it look like we're all being led by that dog?" Someone from the crowd purposely said out loud.
"Now that you mention it… why are we walking at his pace?"
"We can't go any faster because we are already cramped as it is!"
"This is unacceptable! We won't make it there by next week at this rate! Hey, brat in the white robes! Get out of the way before we run you over!" The bulky man shouted in his obnoxiously loud voice.
Hearing the loud commotion coming from the back, Su Yang turned his head around and glanced at the crowd. However, he didn't stop walking and returned to looking at the front after a single glance.
His simple yet arrogant action instantly angered many in the crowd.
"You fucking brat! Are you picking a fight with all of us by yourself?!"
"Simply courting death!"
Su Yang didn't bother turning around for the second time and continued to walk at a casual pace. Everybody within the crowd was at least at the 7th level of the Elementary Spirit Realm with a few of them at the early Profound Spirit Realm.
Such a large group radiated an overwhelming pressure that would easily scare anyone weak-hearted, yet in Su Yang's eyes, they were only a bunch of fools with loud mouths.
"Hmph! Let's see if you dare ignore me after I start swinging my axe at you!" The bulky man stepped forward and approached Su Yang with a wide steel axe in his grasp.
It was at this moment Su Yang suddenly stopped walking and turned around to face the crowd.
"I won't tell you to not swing that toy at me, but just know that you will not step foot inside the Thunder Valley once you do… ever." Su Yang said in a low and calm voice, his face still as tranquil as ever. However, his low-sounding voice was as loud as a fly buzzing directly in the ears of the bulky man.
"What did you just say to me, you fucking brat?!" The bulky man's forehead began popping with veins the moment he heard Su Yang's threat, his face red from anger.
Su Yang smiled and said: "You heard me." He then turned around and began walking again.
Chapter 42 Golden Carriage
When Su Yang turned around and walked, the bulky man exploded in anger, his eyes red.
The bulky man was a cultivator at the 3rd level of the Profound Spirit Realm, and he has never been so deeply disrespected by anyone, let alone a disciple from the shameless Profound Blossom Sect.
"You fucking brat! Who do you think you are?!" The bulky man suddenly pounced at Su Yang from a distance like a tiger with his steel axe raised high into the air.
The steel axe quickly dropped towards Su Yang's head. However, just inches before the axe could touch even a strand of hair on his head, Su Yang made a swift turn and unsheathed the sword by his side.
A flicker of light flashed, followed by a tyrannical pressure that was filled with killing intent.
Once the crowd behind the bulky man felt the killing intent, their legs stopped working and their bodies trembled as though it was freezing cold. Although the pressure only lasted for a brief second before it disappeared, it was enough to halt the movements of everybody there, even the horses pulling the carriages.
Instantly after the killing intent passed, the bulky man's frozen body in the air began moving again – it began falling backward like a stone statue.
The body fell slowly and felt like it took forever in the witnesses' eyes, but when it finally touched the ground, everybody there was shocked to find the head missing from the bulky man's body.
A few people from the crowd suddenly looked up into the sky after they saw a shadow spinning in the air. When they noticed that it was actually the bulky man's head that was spinning in the air they screamed in horror, not to mention the flying head still had the angry expression of the bulky man before his death!
Su Yang retrieved his sword at the same moment the flying head touched the ground. He then looked at the bewildered crowd calmly with a bright smile and said: "Since we are all going to the same place with the same objective, why don't we stop this foolishness before I start littering this road with corpses? Though I wouldn't mind warming up before I start hunting at the Thunder Valley..."
The crowd slowly nodded to his suggestion while swallowing hard. They have never met someone as menacing as this young man from the Profound Blossom Sect before; it felt to them as though they were standing in front of the devil himself.
"Good." Su Yang also nodded. "Then let's make this journey worthwhile…" He turned around and began walking again.
Su Yang's figure quickly disappeared from the crowd's view. When they confirmed that Su Yang was truly gone, the group of people fell to their butts, their body covered in sweat.
"W-Who the hell was that?! I have never heard of such a frightening existence belonging to the Profound Blossom Sect!"
"Who was it that said he was just an Outer Court disciple?! He's clearly powerful enough to become an Inner Court disciple even in my sect… no, even becoming a core disciple is possible!"
The group soon continued their journey despite their leader's sudden death. It was not as though they can just go home after coming all the way out here, not to mention the wealth they could obtain from slaying Lightning Cats.
This is a world where the strong eats the weak. It isn't uncommon for a powerful individual like the bulky man to die from defeat, as there would always be someone stronger.
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Four days quickly passed.
Su Yang has been walking for four days without rest, yet he seemed perfectly fine, almost as if he was full of energy.
"Hm?" He suddenly noticed an expensive-looking carriage in the distance. It was surrounded by many armored men on horses.
The carriage was entirely made out of gold and expensive jade, giving it an exquisite aura, as though it belonged to royalty. Above the carriage was an old man in a grey robe, who was sitting there cross-legged, seemingly in cultivation.
Although Su Yang was unable to detect the old man's cultivation base, he was able to guess it just from his experience alone.
"Heavenly Spirit Realm… what could someone at his level be doing here, sitting on top of a carrier like some kind of guard?" He wondered.
What about the person sitting inside the carriage? Who could possibly have enough status to keep a Heavenly Spirit Realm expert as a guard in this mortal world when they are considered masters at the apex?
Su Yang was intrigued by the golden carriage and its heavy guard, but he wasn't someone who'd stick his nose into places it doesn't belong, so he only ignored it and silently walked behind it.
After some time, the guards finally noticed Su Yang following them.
"Senior, should we do something about that kid? He's been following us for quite some time now," said one of the armored guards.
The old man slowly opened his eyes, and he turned his gaze to look at Su Yang. However, when he tried to probe him, the old man was surprised to find out that he was unable to see his real cultivation, feeling like he was looking at a cloud of human-figured smoke. However, despite Su Yang's mysterious presence, the old man did not feel any threat or malicious feeling towards him.
"Ignore him…" he said a moment later.
The guards nodded and no longer thought about approaching Su Yang. However, they were still paying attention to him just in case he starts acting suspiciously.
"What an interesting young man…" The old man smiled to himself before closing his eyes again.
Chapter 43 Shadowy Figure
After walking for a few more hours without any hurdles, the golden carriage suddenly came to a stop. The guard narrowed their gazes at the shadowy figure in the front, and the old man slowly stood up.
Seeing this sudden development, Su Yang also halted his steps. The shadowy figure was clad in full black robes with only his two black eyeballs exposed, looking like an assassin. However, a real assassin wouldn't reveal himself this openly and obviously.
"Is this some kind of joke?" The old man opened his mouth to ask the shadowy figure. "The Moonlight Blades had sent you, a single Earth Spirit Realm expert here, despite being aware of my presence?"
The shadowy figure chuckled and said in a hoarse-sounding voice: "I am only here to pass on a message to the young lady inside that carriage on the behalf of my king."
"If you do not obediently hand over the Hundred Poisons Body by the time the next full moon is present, then we will have no choice but to take it by force," said the shadowy figure.
When the soldiers on the horses heard the message, their eyes radiated with anger.
"How imprudent! Have you forgotten who we are?! Even if the Moonlight Blades were to attack us with full force, you wouldn't even get past the front gate!" One of the guards shouted loudly.
"How dare you threaten the young lady! It will only be a matter of time before we find your hideout and wipe you out!" said another guard.
"Hahaha!" The shadowy figure burst out laughing. "Of course, if we were to fight you head-on, our Moonlight Blades would stand no chance. However, who do you think we are? You should know better than anyone else that we will never fight fists with fists!"
Su Yang silently listened to the conversation being held by the two parties, both of them with a seemingly profound background. Although he has never heard of the Moonlight Blades before, they seemed to be some sort of faction that lives in the shadow.
"The Hundred Poisons Body, huh…" Su Yang pondered the name.
"Is that all you have to say?" said the old man, who has been silent this whole time. "If that's all, then you may die now…"
The old man suddenly retrieved a paper fan from inside his robe and gently waved it at the direction of the shadowy figure.
A powerful ripple appeared from the paper fan the moment the old man waved it, causing it to fly towards the shadowy figure. However, before the ripple could touch him, the shadowy figure disappeared from where he stood like a ghost, and where he just stood exploded an instant later.
The old man suddenly turned to look at Su Yang and shouted: "Watch out!"
"Knowing that I would die today, I had planned to take a few of your guards with me before I die. However, this kid's face is very annoying to look at, so be gracious that I will take his life instead!"
The shadowy figure suddenly appeared behind Su Yang with a black dagger in his grasp raised and ready to strike.
However, unfortunately for the shadowy figure, Su Yang's grasp was already on the sword handle by his side before the shadowy figure even disappeared.
A profound and fierce light flashed within Su Yang's eyes, and an overwhelming amount of sword intent exploded from within his body, causing the shadowy figure to freeze for an instant from the sudden pressure.
The instant the shadowy figure was frozen from shock, Su Yang swiftly turned around and unsheathed his sword, sending a powerful wave of sword intent towards the shadowy figure.
The shadowy figure couldn't even scream in pain before the sword intent effortlessly sliced his body in half like a sword cutting a piece of paper.
After cutting the shadowy figure in half, Su Yang coldly snorted at the corpse on the floor: "Did you think that I wouldn't notice your obnoxious gaze staring at me? This is not the first time something like this has happened before."
"..."
The guards and the old man watched Su Yang return his sword into its scabbard with shocked expressions. What just happened? At one moment the shadowy figure disappeared from their views and an instant later he became a corpse with his body cleanly sliced in half, laying beside that young man who has been suspiciously following them?
"Sword intent!" When the guards finally returned from their astonishment, they realized that it was sword intent that the young man had used to kill the shadowy figure.
"What terrifying sword intent!" Even the Heavenly Spirit Realm old man was shocked by the destructive power and pressure shown by the sword intent! It was something even a Heavenly Spirit Realm expert like him would not be able to replicate!
The old man jumped off the carriage and approached Su Yang. "Young man, what is your name?" he asked.
"Xiao Yang."
"If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"
Su Yang did not instantly answer and instead silently looked at the old man, seemingly in deep thoughts.
When the old man saw his calm expression, he smiled and said: "I was immensely impressed by your sword intent, but your appearance makes it difficult for me to see you as a mere junior."
"What does my age matter? The only thing that matters in a fight is one's strength and wisdom. Anything else is irrelevant."
Su Yang's words left the old man speechless.
"Senior Zhong… is everything fine out there?" A sweet feminine voice resounded from inside the golden carriage, causing the old man to turn around.
"Young lady, the threat is no longer here," said the old man named Senior Zhong.
"Then let's continue our journey. We don't have much time to spare here…"
Senior Zhong looked at Su Yang with a bitter smile. "Although I wish to talk more to you about your sword intent, we are in a hurry. I am Senior Zhong from the Divine Sword Temple. If you ever happen to have the chance to visit, you can show anyone there this and they will bring you to me."
Senior Zhong handed Su Yang a yellow jade slip.
"If I get the chance…" Su Yang casually accepted the jade slip.
When Su Yang showed no reactions after he mentioned the Divine Sword Temple, Senior Zhong was slightly surprised. Was it ignorance, or was the name 'Divine Sword Temple' not enough to even lift his brows?
Senior Zhong became more interested in Su Yang's background, but alas, he did not have the time to stay around to learn more about him.
After their short interaction, Senior Zhong went into the carriage before they began moving again.
Chapter 44 Heavenly Constitution
Inside the carriage, Senior Zhong sat in front of a female figure, her face covered by a veil.
"The Moonlight Blades are really relentless…" sighed the veiled figure.
The sigh was so heartfelt that Senior Zhong could feel the exhaustion in her heart.
"The Young Lady does not have to worry. We will find their hideout soon and wipe them from this earth," said Senior Zhong.
His voice was clear and filled with confidence, yet his eyes were dim. The Moonlight Blades could be considered the most secretive and deadly underground organization to have ever existed in this world, they are so well-hidden that even after 100 years of active operations, nobody has been able to unveil their main hideout, only minor branches.
"I'm sure you will…" said the young lady in a tender voice, and she continued: "Thank you, Senior Zhong."
"I did not do anything to be deserving of your praises…" he shook his head, refusing her gratitude.
"But you protected me just now."
Senior Zhong chuckled slightly and said: "I would naturally protect the young lady, however, I really did not do anything just now. The one who dealt with the assassin was a young man."
"A young man?"
The young lady sounded intrigued, and Senior Zhong began recalling to her what had happened.
"The assassin came here to deliver the message knowing that he will die afterward, and he had intended to deal some damage to us. But at the last second, he decided to surprise attack this young man instead."
"Why was he attacked? Is he okay?"
When Senior Zhong recalled what the assassin had said, he couldn't help but smile bitterly. "Because his face was annoying…"
The young lady covered her mouth from surprise after hearing his words. A bystander was attacked solely for the reason that he had an annoying face? What kind of development was this?
"As for his well-being… Not only did he manage to escape unharmed, but he also turned the situation around and killed the assassin with sword intent."
"Sword intent? That terrifying sword intent I felt just now didn't belong to Senior Zhong?" she asked in a puzzled tone.
Senior Zhong shook his head in regret and said: "I wouldn't be able to emit such powerful sword intent even if I tried."
The young lady was truly in shock now. She knew Senior Zhong's demeanor very well, and his capabilities as a swordmaster could be considered top-notch even amongst masters. But for him to sound so disheartened and inferior when speaking about himself was a first.
"This young man, who is he?"
"I don't know his background, only his name – Xiao Yang. Although he looks like a teenager, his demeanor says otherwise. If I had to guess, then he must be some revered swordmaster in disguise."
"Xiao Yang… is he still out there right now? Why don't you invite him inside to have a talk?"
The young lady's words surprised Senior Zhong. "But we don't know his background. While I can't sense any threat from him, I don't think it would be a good idea to have him so close to the young lady!"
"I am interested in this swordmaster who even our esteemed Senior Zhong cannot comprehend. And since he's strong enough to kill someone from the Moonlight Blades, I'd like to at least create some kind of connection between us."
"..." After a moment of silence, Senior Zhong nodded and left the carriage.
–
–
–
Outside the carriage, Su Yang was still trying to recall the name 'Hundred Poisons Body' mentioned by the assassin.
"Ah! I remember now. It is a Royal-grade Heavenly Constitution! Anyone with the Hundred Poisons Body would be immune to all poisons at the mortal rank." Su Yang finally recalled why he found the name so familiar.
Heavenly Constitutions are special bodies that grant the person with it unique and sometimes heaven-defying talents, such as the Hundred Poison Body that allows the person to be immune to all poison and even cultivate with it.
Those with Heavenly Constitutions are all considered heaven-sent prodigies and are usually cultivated at a young age with all sorts of valuable resources and miracle medicines.
Heavenly Constitutions, like techniques and weapons, have their own levels of rarity and quality. The Hundred Poisons Body, for example, was at the Royal-grade, the lowest grade in the Heavenly Constitution rankings, whilst the superior Thousand Poisons Body, would be an Imperial-grade Heavenly Constitution.
"A Royal-grade Heavenly Constitution, huh…" Su Yang gaze narrowed at the carriage.
Suddenly, Senior Zhong came out of the carriage and approached Su Yang again.
"Young man, my young lady would like to invite you into the carriage for a little talk. She wants to personally thank you for dealing with the assassin." Senior Zhong said to him in a different tone than previously.
Su Yang looked at Senor Zhong's serious face and took another quick glance at the carriage.
"Very well." He accepted their offer.
When the guards noticed Su Yang follow Senior Zhong into the carriage, their jaws dropped from shock. How could Senior Zhong let some stranger into the carriage when their young lady was also inside?!
However, as much as they wanted to complain and block Su Yang, none of them dared to open their mouth when they recalled the prowess he showed, not to mention Senior Zhong being beside him.
Once Su Yang entered the carriage, he was greeted by a elegant figure clad in red robes sitting on one side of the carriage. Although he couldn't see her face, his vast experience told him that she was definitely a great beauty.
On the other hand, when the young lady saw Su Yang's handsome face for the first time, she was greatly surprised by his appearance, even fascinated.
When Senior Zhong talked about him, he didn't mention anything about Su Yang being this handsome of a young man, which dumbfounded the young lady for a second when she saw him, as she wasn't expecting someone this handsome.
Su Yang sat on the other side of the carriage beside Senior Zhong with a nonchalant expression on his face, seemingly unfazed by the situation.
"You must be the great swordmaster, Xiao Yang. My surname is Xie, Xie Xingfang. I have heard about you from Senior Zhong, and I'd like to personally thank you for dealing with that assassin from the Moonlight Blades," said the young lady with her fair hand extended for a handshake.
Su Yang chuckled inside when she called him a swordmaster. "You don't have to thank me. I did what I did only to protect myself," he said as he shook her hands that were soft and smooth.
"?!" Senior Zhong was secretly shocked when he saw Xie Xingfang extend her hands out for a handshake, as it was something unthinkable for someone of her status. He wanted to say something, but alas, Su Yang's quick movements allowed him to touch her hands before he could even open his mouth.
Chapter 45 Hundred Poisons Body
Xie Xingfang looked at their handshake with a somewhat dazed expression. She didn't know why she willingly extended her arms for a handshake; it was almost as though her body moved without thinking.
"It's my first time feeling the skin of a male that's not in my family…" she thought to herself as the feeling of Su Yang's warm hand gently held her hand.
Perhaps it was because of Su Yang's natural charm and presence, but Xie Xingfang didn't know why she reached out her hands to him. Even Senior Zhong was surprised to see his young lady, who has a tendency to stay away from others, willingly offer her skin for another to feel.
"Umm… my hand…" Su Yang said a moment later when Xie Xingfang didn't release her grasp after some time.
"Ah! Where are my manners? I apologize for that…" Xie Xingfang quickly retrieved her hand with a blushing face when she realized that she had been holding his hands for an extended amount of time.
Her actions caused Senior Zhong to widen his eyes from shock. What on earth is going on in here? Where did all her elegance go? It all seemed to have disappeared the moment she saw Su Yang.
"Ahem." Xie Xingfang cleared her throat.
"Senior brother Xiao, if you don't mind me asking, where are you from?" she then asked.
Ignoring the way she addressed him with intimacy, Su Yang casually lifted his arm into the air to show her the blossom arts on his sleeves.
"I am from the Profound Blossom Sect," he said.
"The Profound Blossom Sect…?" Xie Xingfang showed a puzzled expression behind her veil. She has never heard of such a place before.
Senior Zhong also showed a questioning expression. Not even he has heard of such a place. However, for them to have such a profound swordmaster within their ranks, how could he not have heard of them before?
"We are not from around here, so I do not know of such a place… unfortunately…" said Xie Xingfang in a regrettable tone. "However, for them to have someone as powerful as you, it must surely be a special place."
Su Yang smiled and shook his head. "It really isn't as impressive as you'd think. In fact, if I could leave, I would."
Senior Zhong's eyes shone with a bright and sharp light when he heard Su Yang's words, and he said: "Then how about joining my Divine Sword Sect? We would greatly appreciate a talented swordmaster such as yourself to join our ranks. I am sure that the disciples there would also appreciate having a new master who could teach them about sword intents."
"I appreciate the offer, but there are still things I have to do there. Once I am done, perhaps I could travel to this Divine Sword Sect." Su Yang kindly refused his offer without refusing it entirely.
Senior Zhong was a bit surprised. For someone to refuse the Divine Sword Sect so quickly, this was a first even for him. Could this Profound Blossom Sect really be this profound?
However, he wasn't entirely disheartened because Su Yang did not entirely refuse his offer, even hinting that he might join them in the future.
"Then until you finish your business there, we will wait patiently. Just know that our Divine Sword Sect will always have our doors open for anyone talented in the sword," he said a moment later.
"Senior brother Xiao, you seem very young, even younger than me… How old are you, exactly?" Although it was hidden from sight, Xie Xingfang's eyes flashed with an anticipating light.
Su Yang only smiled at her question and did not give her a proper reply. They seemed to be really interested in his age. However, he wasn't willing to reveal that at the moment as it might be too shocking for them. After all, what kind of 16-year-old could use sword intent that was superior to even a Heavenly Spirit Realm expert's sword intent? Not even prodigies could possibly manage such a feat.
Seeing how Su Yang didn't want to reveal his age, Xie Xingfang was disappointed in her heart.
"What about you, senior brother Xiao? Surely you have a lot of questions to ask, especially after experiencing that unfortunate event." Xie Xingfang decided to treat her previous question as though it never happened, as she didn't want the atmosphere to turn awkward.
Senior Zhong felt that it was extremely rude for Su Yang to ignore her question, as it would be considered blasphemy if he knew of her background. But seeing how Xie Xingfang decided to ignore it, he also decided to do the same.
"There has been something on my mind after that minor event…" Su Yang narrowed his eyes at Xie Xingfang's alluring figure, and he continued: "Your Heavenly Constitution, the Hundred Poisons Body—"
"?!?!"
Before Su Yang could even finish his question, Senior Zhong's eyes widened with alert, and his aura radiated with killing intent as his hands instinctively reached for Su Yang's open neck with a clawing gesture, like an eagle grabbing its prey.
However, just before he could touch Su Yang, Xie Xingfang's thundering voice resounded: "Halt!"
Senior Zhong's movements instantly froze, his clawed-hand mere millimeters away from choking Su Yang's pale neck, who didn't even flinch the slightest from his sudden attack.
"..." Su Yang sat there silently, his expression still as calm as ever, looking as though he was not even a bit concerned about the situation.
He suddenly closed his eyes and said in a calm voice: "As rare as your Heavenly Constitution may be in this world, I do not have the slightest interest in your royal-grade Hundred Poisons Body. Even if it grants the person absolute resistance to all poison, its ability is, unfortunately, limited to mortal-grade poisons. It'd be useless once you encounter a spirit-grade poison."
Su Yang's words dumbfounded both Senior Zhong, who was still prepared to continue his attack and Xie Xingfang, who was an expert in the art of poisons.
Chapter 46 I Want to Look at Your Heavenly Constitution
"If you are not interested, then why are you mentioning it?" asked Senior Zhong in a serious voice, sounding as though he was questioning a suspect who was behind bars.
"It's just that it is my first time seeing someone with a Heavenly Constitution here, so I got curious and wanted to ask if I can take a look at it."
When Su Yang said 'here', there was a profound and mysterious feeling to it. Of course, this wasn't his first time seeing someone with a Heavenly Constitution, as every partner he had in his previous life had heaven-defying Heavenly Constitutions. However, as for this world's Heavenly Constitution, this would truly be his first time seeing one, and he wanted to confirm whether or not it was the same as the Heavenly Constitutions from his previous life.
"Y-Y-You want to look at her Heavenly Constitution?! How shameless and bold of you! Do you have any idea what kind of nonsense you are asking?! Are you courting death!?" When Senior Zhong heard Su Yang's insane request, he nearly pounced at him with open a jaw.
Even Xie Xingfang couldn't help but blush behind the veil covering her face, as this was the first time someone has ever dared to be so bold in front of her. For Su Yang to ask her if he could see her Heavenly Constitution, he was basically asking her if he could see her Hundred Poisons Body — In other words, he wanted to see her naked body.
Su Yang looked at Senior Zhong's disgusted expression with a frown. "What are you talking about?"
"Wha— But you clearly just asked to look at her Heavenly Constitution!"
"I sure did." He nodded without a second thought.
Senior Zhong's face turned red from anger. He felt that Su Yang was trying to make him look like a fool.
"To look at her Heavenly Constitution means to look at her bare body! How shameless do you have to be to ask the young lady that?! If the young lady didn't stop me, I would've already killed you!"
Su Yang looked at him with wide eyes. "Her bare body? You must surely be jesting. I am merely asking her to show me her palms so I can take a look at her meridians. Who said anything about looking at her body?" he said in a surprised tone, sounding as though he was truly innocent in this matter.
"Though, I wouldn't mind going through the trouble to use that method..."
Senior Zhong nearly puked up a mouthful of blood after hearing his words. If Xie Xingfang wasn't sitting in front of them, he would've already slapped him a few times by now.
"Young lady! I shall refuse his audacious request for you!" he said in a stern voice.
Su Yang shrugged his shoulders and said: "Then my business here is done. Albeit a bit short, it was nice talking to you, but I will be taking my leave now, as my destination is just ahead."
"You are heading to the Thunder Valley?" Senior Zhong asked him in a surprised tone. The strongest beasts there would be around the Profound Spirit Realm, so why would someone as powerful as Su Yang, who has the capabilities to kill someone at the Earth Spirit Realm with ease, want to go there?
"Just a small mission. Then, if you'll excuse me…"
"Wait!"
Just as Su Yang was about to open the door to leave, Xie Xingfang suddenly called for him. However, Xie Xingfang herself did not know why she stopped him, as she would normally never ask someone who wanted to leave to stay.
"It's just my palm, right? Even if it was to protect yourself, the fact that you assisted us in dealing with the Moonlight Blades does not change," said Xie Xingfang as she extended her fair hands for him again.
"Young lady! That kind of physical contact would be absolutely inappropriate for someone of your standing—"
"We have already shaken hands, this wouldn't be much different."
"But young lady—"
"You heard the young lady, old man." Su Yang suddenly grabbed Xie Xingfang's hands in one smooth motion, which greatly startled her who wasn't fully prepared.
"Old… Old man?!" Senior Zhong almost couldn't believe his ears. Ever since he was young, there had never been anyone who dared to address him in such a tone.
After grabbing Xie Xingfang's hands again, Su Yang closed his eyes and became silent. Suddenly, his body emitted a profound aura, causing the atmosphere to feel somewhat ancient.
The unexpected change caused both Senior Zhong and Xie Xingfang to feel apprehensive.
The carriage suddenly became so quiet that only the sound of the horses and the carriage moving could be heard.
This quiet atmosphere lasted for a few moments. When Su Yang opened his eyes again, he showed a somewhat relieved smile. "It's the same…" he mumbled in low voice.
"What's the same?" asked Xie Xingfang.
"Eh? Ah, it's just as I remembered it. I had thought that it would be different than how I imagined it, but it looks like that was unnecessary worry…" he said after a small pause.
After analyzing Xie Xingfang's Heavenly Constitution, Su Yang confirmed that its structure and functions are the same as the Heavenly Constitution that he was familiar with in his previous life.
Learning this, Su Yang was in a joyous mood, as this discovery meant that there was a chance that he was still in the same universe but in a different world.
"Perhaps this is a world separated from the Four Worlds? A fifth world?" he pondered.
Su Yang looked at Xie Xingfang directly at her veil and smiled: "Thank you for listening to my selfish request," he said in a clear voice.
Xie Xingfang couldn't help but feel that Su Yang was able to see through the veil and straight into her eyes when he looked at her, and she smiled: "It's only a small matter, there is no need to be so humble…"
"Although it may be a small matter to you, it is something of great importance to me. As a show of my gratitude to you, I shall part to you the method to cultivate the Hundred Poisons Body into the Imperial-grade Thousand Poisons Body…"
"..."
The already silent place suddenly turned even quieter, and both Senior Zhong and Xie Xingfang stared at Su Yang with wide eyes filled with shock, especially Xie Xingfang, who was barely able to think properly at this moment.
"What did he just say? That not only does he have the method to cultivate my Hundred Poisons Body into the Thousand Poisons Body but he is also willing to give me such a priceless technique? Why?" Xie Xingfang stared at him with wide eyes behind her veil. She has never been this shocked before in her entire life.
Chapter 47 Priceless Technique
"T-The method to cultivate my Hundred Poisons Body into a Thousand Poisons Body? Could a technique like that really exist under this heaven? If so, then why would you give it to someone like me – someone you've only just met?" Xie Xingfang asked with a trembling voice. Despite her colossal background and her family's enormous wealth, she couldn't help but tremble in excitement at this technique that may or may not even exist.
"There's no point in keeping it for myself since I do not have a Hundred Poisons Body, so I might as well give it to someone that actually has a use for it. I am no saint, but it will always be a personal pleasure of mine to make beautiful ladies, one such as yourself, happy, especially if it only takes a few small gifts." Su Yang replied in a calm voice, sounding as though he really did not care that he was going to share such a priceless technique to some stranger.
"Beautiful lady?" The feeling that Su Yang could see through her veil became stronger in Xie Xingfang's heart.
"Only a small gift?" Senior Zhong nearly fell unconscious when Su Yang called a technique that could cultivate one's Heavenly Constitution into a higher grade a mere 'small gift'. In fact, he was so dumbfounded that he missed the obvious flirting that was happening right in front of his wide eyes.
"A-Are you sure? Surely, something this precious, you must–"
"No need to be so humble, I am also doing this for myself. Come, lean your head towards my way."
Although she felt overwhelmed by the sudden development, as though his words were said with magic in it, Xie Xingfang obediently listened to his words and leaned forward.
When she leaned forward, Su Yang also followed. He closed his eyes and gently touched her forehead that was still covered with a veil with his own forehead, not to mention her flowery fragrance that calmed his mind.
Xie Xingfang, on the other hand, could feel her face heating up from embarrassment. This was her first time being so close to another man's face with her own; it was close enough that she might accidentally kiss him if she moved forward even the slightest.
A few seconds after their foreheads connected, a bright yellow glow could be seen in-between their foreheads slowly growing larger and brighter as time passed, and a few minutes felt like a few hours to Xie Xingfang, who was currently trying to absorb all of the information being fed into her head by Su Yang. Her body began sweating, and her breathing quickened.
When Senior Zhong saw the changes to Xie Xingfang, he wanted to interrupt them. However, fearing that he might distract them and cause irreversible damages to her, he decided to sit back and bite his jaw with as much strength as he could muster and patiently wait for the two to finish whatever they were doing.
"Immortal-grade tempering technique – Thousand Poisons Tempering?!?!" she cried inside her heart.
When Xie Xingfang finally learned the name and grade of the technique, she was nearly shocked into a coma.
There are countless techniques in this world that offer countless varieties of skills and different effects, each divided into different grades and categories depending on the technique's power and versatility.
From the weakest and least powerful techniques to the heaven-defying techniques that could destroy mountains, they are ranked: Mortal-grade, Earth-grade, Heaven-grade, and lastly, the Immortal-grade, which was considered the highest attainable rarity for techniques in this mortal world.
To put in perspective how rare and valuable Immortal-grade techniques are in this world, one could use the ten fingers on their two hands to count all of the known Immortal-grade techniques in this world and still have spare fingers to use for counting.
Hell, forget about the unobtainable-by-most Immortal-grade techniques, even Heaven-grade techniques are considered national treasures in powerful sects and are kept secured under strict supervision.
Unless one belonged to a great family that ruled an entire region in the Eastern Continent or some super sect like the Divine Sword Sect, they can forget about ever seeing any Immortal-grade technique up close and personal.
When Su Yang finally finished transferring the technique into Xie Xingfang's mind, he slowly pulled his head away from her forehead.
"I have transferred the technique directly into your mind so you can bring it up and look at it whenever you want. However, keep in mind that you will not be able to share it with anyone no matter how hard you try, so save yourself from pointless sweating," said Su Yang a few moments later.
"Haaa… Haaa...." Xie Xingfang panted heavily, sounding as though she just finished spriting a marathon.
"This…. This gift… how am I suppose to repay you? Even if I give you everything in my possession, it will not amount to even half the value of this technique!"
"Like I'd said. I am doing this not just for you but also for my own selfish reasons. And you can repay me by successfully cultivating your Hundred Poisons Body into the Thousand Poisons Body."
"Something like that is…" Xie Xingfang was speechless. She couldn't understand Su Yang's actions or guess his thoughts no matter how hard she tried. It was as though she was trying to see something deeply shrouded in a thick fog.
"A genius such as yourself, who is at the Earth Spirit Realm at such a young age, will surely be successful when cultivating the technique." Su Yang suddenly turned his head to look at the carriage ceiling, and he continued: "It seems like I have finally arrived at my destination. Although this meeting was short, it was filled with excitement – even a bit of fate's aura."
"..." Xie Xingfang silently stared at Su Yang, seemingly in a daze.
"Open the carriage door!" Senior Zhong suddenly shouted, his voice hasty-sounding, almost as though he wanted Su Yang to leave the carriage as soon as possible.
The door to the carriage opened, and Su Yang quickly stepped out of the carriage.
"Wait! Senior brother Xiao!" Xie Xingfang looked like she was about to leave the carriage to follow him but was quickly stopped by Senior Zhong before she could even reach the door.
"Young lady, his Majesty gave me strict orders to not let you leave this carriage, or else the protection that was bestowed onto it will not be able to protect you from danger!"
"But I still have a lot of things I need to talk to him about!" she insisted on leaving the carriage.
"Young lady, don't forget your standing! Although his swordsmanship is above even mine, he is only a mere commoner from the Eastern Continent! You cannot involve yourself too deeply with someone like that, or it will bring endless trouble – not just to yourself, but also that Xiao Yang! If it is as he said, that this meeting was fate, then you will surely meet him again in the future," said Senior Zhong, who did not know what kind of technique Su Yang gave her.
"..." Xie Xingfang finally gave up on leaving the carriage to chase after Su Yang after hearing those words.
"Start the carriage!" shouted Senior Zhong a few seconds later, and the carriage began moving.
Su Yang took one good look at the golden carriage from the outside before turning to face the valley in front of him that had a sky that was covered in thunderclouds from where he stood to the horizons.
"This is the Thunder Valley, huh."
Chapter 48 Nine Astral Steps
Right outside the Thunder Valley before entering the trees that filled the horizon, dozens of people camped outside. Most had injuries on their body, some even with lost limbs. There were disciples from random sects and the rest being mercenaries.
Everybody there had one goal, which was to hunt Lightning Cats for their monster core, valuable and profound resources cultivators use to cultivate themselves.
Monster cores are what beasts use to cultivate and store their cultivation base. If a beast with a solid cultivation base died, they would have a chance of leaving behind a monster core with their remaining cultivation base inside that cultivators could use to cultivate themselves.
Monster cores could also be used to create powerful weapons that greatly boosts the strength of its wielder, hence its high demand and value.
Su Yang casually walked towards the entrance of the Thunder Valley with the sound of lightning strikes constantly roaring in the background.
When he reached the camps, the people there started at him with odd gazes.
"He's going in there alone? Does he have a death wish?"
"He must be really confident."
"I will give him two hours before he returns with tears in his eyes…"
"I bet you that he won't return… ever."
A few individuals there laughed at Su Yang, who was walking into the Thunder Valley without any alert on his face. They have seen too many overconfident individuals enter with similar faces like Su Yang only to return with grave injuries after being here for many days.
Inside the Thunder Valley, Su Yang was surrounded by mountains, tall grass, and trees. And besides the random thundering in the background, it was relatively quiet in the area.
He walked straight towards the depths for half an hour without stop, yet he has not managed to encounter a single Lightning Cat.
However, Su Yang was already well aware that there were no Lightning Cats in the outer area of the place before stepping into the Thunder Valley, so he wasn't surprised by their absence.
"They sure have perfectly cleaned out the outer perimeter, taking even the corpses with them." He wondered as he reached deeper into the valley.
As Su Yang got closer to the center, the thundering in the background grew louder and fiercer, like the sound of roaring dragons. Listening to the background, Su Yang couldn't help but recall the time he had spent in the Dragon God Valley, where he would often hear similar sounds in the background.
"Dragon God Valley…" The light in his eyes suddenly flashed a mysterious light; it was one filled with melancholy.
Suddenly, the sound of many shrieking resounded in Su Yang's ears. Although it came from somewhere afar, he was able to locate the exact location of where the scream was coming from in an instant.
His figure turned into a blur, quickly followed by a sudden gust of wind.
Using a foot technique from his previous life that significantly boosted his speed, he arrived at the location within seconds, traveling nearly a mile in that short time.
The moment he arrived, he noticed a group of young adults all wearing the same green-colored robes – half of them being on the floor and covered in blood, and surrounding them was five Lightning Cats.
These people were mostly disciples from some sect.
The Lightning Cats had black fur and blue eyes, and they are about as big as an adult walking on their four limbs. Their black fur also constantly flickered with electricity, looking as though they were all covered in an armor made of lightning.
When Su Yang suddenly showed up, the Lightning Cats and the disciples there looked at him. The disciples looked at him with desperation in their gaze, hoping that he could help them escape this situation.
As the for the Lightning Cats, they stared at him with wariness and alert. Although they couldn't see his cultivation base, their beastly instincts warned them that Su Yang's presence was definitely the strongest there and that he wasn't someone to be taken lightly.
When the trembling disciples there noticed the Lightning Cats became defensive upon Su Yang's arrival, their eyes glimmered with hope.
Su Yang retrieved the mission scroll he had received from the sect and confirmed that it did not mention how many he needed to kill before completing the mission.
"Although they are only at the Elementary Spirit Realm, their monster cores should fetch some decent wealth if I sold them to some rich families…" Su Yang unsheathed the sword by his side as he pondered about his need for money in this world.
Although his knowledge and experience were as vast as the sea, his pockets were pitifully empty. And other than the ten gold coins he had traded with his Premium Points, he really has nothing noteworthy in his possession.
"I am extremely poor in this life, to the point where I would not be able to afford anything that could help me at my current level of cultivation…"
In the midst of Su Yang's thoughts, the five Lightning Cats suddenly pounced at him simultaneously with the lightning element on their body glowing brightly, causing dozens of tiny snake-like white lines to fly at him like a lightning storm.
Su Yang's eyes flickered with a profound light, and his legs suddenly blurred, turning nearly invisible.
"Nine Astral Steps!"
Su Yang used one of the best movement techniques he had learned in his previous life. And although he could only utilize a very tiny portion of the technique's full potential due to his insufficient cultivation base, his speed had become so fast that neither the disciples or the Lightning Cats could react to.
He suddenly disappeared from where he stood, and with speed quicker than anyone there could blink, he appeared behind the Lightning Cats like a ghost.
In that instant when he appeared, his arm that held the steel sword danced elegantly and sharply, executing five consecutive casual strikes without any technique.
Blood sprayed and heads flew.
The five Lightning Cats dropped to the ground without any of their heads attached; they had been killed by Su Yang before the dazed disciples could even realize what had happened.
After killing the five Lightning Cats in the blink of an eye and ignoring the baffled disciples there, Su Yang used his sword to cut open the forehead of the two Lightning Cats' head to retrieve the monster core hidden inside.
"Two monster cores already…" Su Yang nodded to himself with satisfaction and threw the monster cores into his pockets.
And just as he was able to turn and leave, one of the disciples there called out to him.
"Excuse me, savior! Although it may be too much to ask after you saved our lives, would you like to group up with us?"
Su Yang turned to look at the pretty girl who had called for him, who was also giving him a seductive look. After a glance at her low cultivation base that was merely at the 4th level at the Elementary Spirit Realm, he replied in a nonchalant voice: "Hunting beasts at the peak of Elementary Spirit Realm while you are not even qualified to step inside this Thunder Valley… What did you expect to achieve here with your cultivation base? I do not have the time to play with you or your stupid games…"
Su Yang turned around and left after refusing to carry dead weights, his silhouette quickly disappearing from their eyes, and the pretty lady stared at the direction where he disappeared with a dumbfounded expression, her face red from embarrassment after listening to his harsh words.
Chapter 49 Have Eyes But...
As Su Yang traveled deeper into the Thunder Valley, fights between Lightning Cats and people became more common.
"None of these have a monster core…" Su Yang scanned the surroundings for Lightning Cats that had monster cores.
Normally, one would not know if the beast they killed would have a monster core in them unless they split open its forehead. However, as for Su Yang, who has knowledge and techniques used by Immortals and Gods, he has the ability to determine whether or not the beast would have a monster core without killing it.
"Oh, there's one…"
Once Su Yang manages to find a Lightning Cat that was guaranteed to leave a monster core behind, he would disappear towards that direction to hunt that Lightning Cat – even if it was already fighting with other people.
"Ah! Hey! Who the fuck are you?! How dare you steal our prey!"
"Your mother! Do you have no shame?!"
The people that were fighting with the Lightning Cat became enraged when Su Yang suddenly appeared out of thin air and stole their kill, even obtaining a monster core out of it.
Su Yang only glanced at them and said in a sneering tone: "Did you really expect others to stand around and watch when there are unclaimed wealth in front of their eyes? This is the wilderness, not your backyard, and I am here to earn my wealth just like everyone else – I did not come here to stand around while everyone takes their time with these beasts."
In the upper realm of the cultivation world, where Immortals and Gods lacked the resources to improve themselves, Su Yang has witnessed and experienced for himself the fierce competitions for resources between these Immortals and Gods.
The higher cultivation cultivators achieve, the more valuable the cultivation resource they would need to strengthen themselves due to their growing standard and hunger. Hence to Su Yang, who was adapted to such struggles, he did not consider his actions as being shameless or stealing.
"Do not take this personally – this is the reality of the 'real' cultivation world," he said to them before leaving like a ghost.
That's right. In the ancient eyes of Su Yang, who has – for many times – fought to the death with Immortals just for the chance to increase his own cultivation slightly, this mortal world has yet to experience the 'real' cultivation world. There was no genuine struggles or fierce competition between cultivators, as there are plenty of resources in this world for the majority to share.
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"What the fuck?! Identify yourself! Do you have any idea which sect we belong to?!"
A group of disciples stared at Su Yang with angry expressions after he appeared out of nowhere and stole their prey, even reaping their reward.
Su Yang glanced at the group of disciples he stole the Lightning Cat from and shrugged. "I don't know, nor do I care," he said to them and disappeared to another location.
Within hours, Su Yang traversed the entire inner area of the Thunder Valley like a gust of wind. And wherever he would appear, another monster core would enter his pocket, followed by enraged reactions from those he stole the kill from.
"Fuck! That shameless bastard! I swear that if I ever see him again, I will beat him into a plump!"
"But… as shameless as he was, he managed to kill the Lightning Cats with seemingly zero effort… Are you sure that you want to fight someone like him?"
"I... Shut up!"
Very quickly, Su Yang became famous within the Thunder Valley as a shameless thief who would steal the preys of others.
"The results are better than I'd expected…" Su Yang said as he felt his pockets that were filled with monster cores. He was pleasantly surprised to find so many Lightning Cats running around in this Thunder Valley. It was as though the only beast that lived in this place was Lightning Cats.
Normally, wildernesses like this Thunder Valley would have many different types of beasts dwelling within. However, from Su Yang's encounters, there were only Lightning Cats.
"What an odd phenomenon…" Su Yang stopped his movements and began pondering.
After a few moments of thinking, he suddenly started running even deeper into the Thunder Valley, even ignoring the surrounding Lightning Cats with monster cores.
However, right before Su Yang reached the center of the Thunder Valley, the Thunder Core, he was greeted by a massive crowd of people blocking his path.
These people were all wearing a pair of white robes with a picture of a golden sword sewed on their right leg, and there was at least a hundred of these people standing around.
"What is going on here?" Su Yang asked one of them.
"This place is currently occupied by the Divine Sword Sect. Turn around and leave right this instant."
When Su Yang heard that they belonged to the Divine Sword Sect, he couldn't help but lift his eyebrows in surprise.
Senior Zhong was clearly heading to another place when he departed with him, so what are these guys doing here in the middle of the Thunder Valley?
The majority of them was at the Profound Spirit Realm except for a few individuals that were at the True Spirit Realm. It was an enormous force to be reckoned with, especially at this Thunder Valley, where the majority of beasts were at the Elementary Spirit Realm — it was an overkill.
However, with so many Profound Spirit Realms experts, the overwhelming amount of Lightning Cats should have been eradicated by now, yet there were still many roaming around, which meant that they were not here for the Lightning Cats but something else.
"If they are not here for the Lightning Cats, then it must be because of 'that'." Su Yang smiled to himself.
When the Divine Sword Sect disciple saw his smile, he frowned. "What the hell are you smiling about? Get lost!" He said in a low and irritated voice.
"Get lost, huh…" Su Yang casually retrieved a yellow jade slip from his robe and showed it to the disciple, who suddenly shrieked in terror after seeing the jade slip, causing everybody there to look at them.
"M-M-My deepest apologies!" The disciple suddenly dropped to his knees and began kowtowing to Su Yang with a pale face. "This unworthy junior have eyes but has failed to recognize Mount Tai!"
The place suddenly became dead silent, to the point where even a falling leaf could be heard.
Chapter 50 Extreme Yin Flower
After Su Yang showed the Divine Sword Sect the yellow jade slip Senior Zhong had given him earlier, everything went silent.
"Move aside, I have business with your seniors..." Su Yang said as he put on a profound and oppressive air, making others believe that he was a profound senior.
"R-Right away!" The disciples quickly cleared a path for Su Yang to walk through.
Su Yang nodded and began walking through the open path, and the disciples looked at the ground as he walked past them, seemingly afraid to look at him.
Once he got past the crowd, Su Yang continued to walk towards the center, the atmosphere growing heavier as he got closer.
"Who's there?!" A voice thundered the moment Su Yang reached the center of the Thunder Valley, the Thunder Core.
Su Yang looked at the situation ahead of him – there were four figures, each emitting the aura of an expert at the Earth Spirit Realm, standing around a small flower that was glowing a dark blue light in a breathing pattern.
This flower was the size of a human thumb, and electricity could be seen coiling around its stem like a small snake.
When Su Yang first saw the flower, he showed a slight smile that went away an instant later.
"I will not ask you again! How did you get past my disciples, and what happened to them?!" asked one of the four figures, an old lady in red robes with killing intent in her gaze.
However, she was not the only one looking at him with hostility, as the three figures beside her also looked prepared to attack him at any given moment.
These four figures knew very well that the Divine Sword Sect's disciples would not let anyone through under any circumstances – unless their hands were forced.
However, who in this small Eastern Continent could possibly force over a hundred disciples from the Divine Sword Sect to retreat? This was also why the four figures didn't immediately attack Su Yang – they were all wary of his mysterious presence.
"I walked past them, of course. As for their safety… I did not touch anyone." Su Yang said in a nonchalant voice, seemingly unfazed by the combined killing intent of four Earth Spirit Realm cultivators.
"You walked past them? How is that even possible?! I gave them strict orders to not let anyone through!"
"Can you still say that after seeing this?" Su Yang revealed the yellow jade slip again.
Although he did not know the jade slip's purpose when he first obtained it, the reactions from the Divine Sword Sect's disciples made it clear to him that it granted him some sort of special presence within the Divine Sword Sect.
And sure enough, when the four figures saw the yellow jade slip, their eyes nearly popped out from shock.
"Impossible! That's Senior Zhong's command medallion! Why does he have such a thing?!"
"You! How did you obtain that jade slip, and what is your relationship with Senior Zhong?!"
"How do we know that it's the real thing? Senior Zhong had left the sect to go to 'that' place since ten years ago!"
The four figures began throwing questions at Su Yang, who calmly answered them one by one.
"I met Senior Zhong by chance, and after helping him protect Lady Xie, we became best friends and he gave me this jade slip as a show of gratitude…"When Su Yang mentioned the surname 'Xie', the expressions on these four figures changed. They no longer looked at him with killing intent, but they still held their suspicions.
"As for the authenticity of this jade slip, why don't you check it yourself?" Su Yang then threw the jade slip towards their direction.
The one who caught it took a moment to examine the jade slip.
Moments later, he cried out: "It's real! This is really Senior Zhong's command medallion!"
"So what if it's real? What are you doing here? Senior Zhong shouldn't know of this operation since he hasn't been with us for over ten years..." The old lady in red robes continued to question him.
"Are you sure about that? I parted with Senior Zhong only recently at the entrance of this Thunder Valley."
"What? Senior Zhong was here?"
Su Yang nodded and said: "Along with Lady Xie."
He then approached them in a casual manner and continued: "Do you have any idea what that flower is?" he asked them.
The four looked at the flower and then back to Su Yang and shook their heads. Indeed, they have never seen such a flower before. Despite their profound knowledge, none of them have ever seen or heard of such a flower before.
However, they were certain that this flower was the cause of the phenomenon with the Lightning Cats in this Thunder Valley and that it was some sort of priceless treasure, hence why they planned to have this place secured until they figure out the identity of this small flower.
"That flower is called the Extreme Yin Flower, and it has the same effects as the Pure Yin Flower, as well as being ten times greater in its effectiveness."
"Ten times greater?!"
When the four figures learned about the identity of this flower, their jaws dropped from shock. The Pure Yin Flower was already considered an extremely strong medicine that could kill even Earth Spirit Realm cultivators, yet this Extreme Yin Flower was ten times stronger? Then wouldn't this Extreme Yin Flower kill even Heavenly Spirit Realm cultivators?
"If consumed without a special technique, even cultivators above the Heavenly Spirit Realm would die instantly after using it," said Su Yang, increasing the shock in their hearts.
"Even those above the Heavenly Spirit Realm? T-Then what are we supposed to do with this thing? If nobody in this world could use it, then wouldn't that make it useless?" asked the old lady in red robes.
"That is why Lady Xie and Senior Zhong had sent me to this place," he replied.
"Although none of us here could use this Extreme Yin Flower, I'm fairly certain that Lady Xie's family would find some use in it."
Despite knowing nothing about Xie Xingfang's background, Su Yang knew that she was someone with an incomprehensible status in this world, so he used that to his advantage in hopes to convince these four figures.
"That does make sense… if someone has the ability to handle this Extreme Yin Flower, then it would be Lady Xie's family…"
"Then if you will excuse me. I will extract this Extreme Yin Flower and return to Lady Xie's side," said Su Yang as he stood in front of the Extreme Yin Flower.
Chapter 51 Unfortunate
"Let me see your jade box," said Su Yang without needing to ask if they had one.
"Here you go…" The old lady in red robes retrieved a red box and handed it to Su Yang, who was kneeling in front of the blue flower.
The jade box in his hands was similar to the one the White Pearl Treasury handed him his Pure Yang Flower in. When herbs or medicine with Profound Qi are uprooted from where they grew, their quality would degrade as time goes, so cultivators would use these jade box for storage to slow down the decaying process. The more expensive jade boxes could even perfectly preserve medicines and allow their quality to remain the same even after hundreds of years.
"Although I was doubtful at first, this is indeed the Extreme Yin Flower. They normally grow in the coldest of cold places, yet one managed to appear in this Thunder Valley…" Su Yang pondered as he casually reached for Extreme Yin Flower, which greatly shocked the four figures watching.
These four figures had been trying to figure out a way to pluck this flower since many days ago, however, because the Extreme Yin Flower would retaliate with its Profound Qi, none of them have been able to touch it.
Sometimes, when a herb has enough Profound Qi, it could give birth to its own conscious. Albeit rather little, this Extreme Yin Flower has enough awareness to protect itself when it senses danger.
"Wait! That's–"
However, just as the four figures expected to witness the Extreme Yin Flower attack Su Yang with Profound Qi, Su Yang casually plucked the flower as though he was plucking a normal flower; it was effortless and smooth.
"Extreme Yin Flowers emits this profound aura that will easily chase away all beasts, leaving only beasts with a naturally strong Yin body like the Lightning Cats to nourish itself. This Thunder Valley should return to normal within a few weeks." Su Yang explained to them why the Thunder Valley only has Lightning Cats as he placed the Extreme Yin Flower inside the jade box.
"...How? How did you pluck it without it attacking you? When we tried, it would shoot out Profound Qi equivalent to a cultivator at the Heavenly Spirit Realm," asked one of the four figures with a baffled expression on his face.
Su Yang looked at them with a calm expression and said: "It is the same as courting a girl – If she doesn't like you, then she will obviously shoo you away. However, if you approach her properly, then she will obediently follow you home."
Su Yang's explanation nearly caused the four to choke on air from the sheer ridiculousness. How could he compare plucking a divine medicine to courting girls? However, as crazy as his words sounded, it sounded sane when it came out of his mouth.
Perhaps it was his handsome face or his graceful appearance, but the four did not continue to question him.
"Very well. Now I will deliver this to Lady Xie."
"Wait a moment!"
Just as Su Yang began to walk away, one of the four stopped him.
"I will be sure to mention your Divine Sword Sect when I pass this to Lady Xie." Su Yang suddenly said without even turning around.
"..."
"Thank you, senior!"
Although dumbfounded at first, the one who called for him bowed to his disappearing back with respect, and the other three soon followed.
Although Su Yang looked young enough to be their grandchildren, there was a certain feeling he was emitting that made him feel more ancient than his actual appearance, which made the four feel as though they were in the presence of some profound expert.
"Lady Xie's family is profound and unfathomably deep. To think they have an expert who could pluck divine medicines with a Heavenly Spirit Realm cultivation base as though he was plucking weed…" The four sighed with reverence as Su Yang disappeared from the Thunder Core.
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"Senior!"
When the Divine Sword Sect's disciples noticed Su Yang's figure appearing from behind the treelines, they all cleared the way for him without saying a single word.
"I have heard good things about the Divine Sword Sect from Senior Zhong, but I thought he was only patting himself in the back. I'm sure Senior Zhong will be exhilarated once I mention to him how respectful his disciples are." Su Yang laughed as he walked the clear path.
His words caused the disciples there to feel elevated. Senior Zhong was a figure with an extensive background within the sect and was hailed basically as a hero. To have their presence mentioned in front of such a hero was something to be proud of.
However, little did these disciples know that if Senior Zhong really found out what Su Yang did today with his command jade slip, he would surely puke blood due to anger!
While Su Yang was not the type to hold grudges, if he has the chance to return a favor, he will not be humble.
After Su Yang left the place, the Divine Sword Sect also left soon after, and over a hundred figures could be seen standing on swords while soaring across the Thunder Valley into the horizon.
"Flying swords, huh… I should also get myself a flying sword once I sell these monster cores…" Su Yang thought to himself as he returned to hunting Lightning Cats.
As for the Extreme Yin Flower that could be considered a divine medicine in this mortal world, he doesn't have a single clue as to how he should use it.
As a man, Su Yang couldn't use the Extreme Yin Flower for himself, as he would only be courting death. However, he also has very little hope that he could find a female in this mortal world, where the Heavenly Spirit Realm is considered the apex, to be powerful enough to consume this Extreme Yin Flower without exploding into a thousand pieces from the tyrannical Yin Qi within the flower.
"Even if I give someone at the Heavenly Spirit Realm the method to consume this Extreme Yin Flower, their cultivation base would not be enough to fully resist it… Aiyaaa… To think I'd be fortunate enough to come across this Extreme Yin Flower in this lacking world, yet the chances of finding someone worthy and able to consume it is near nonexistent… How unlucky! Truly unfortunate!"