"Thank you, senior, for all the times that you saved me." Zhuo Fan made a full bow after finding out he was the azure flame person back then.
The man sneered, "Ha-ha-ha, boy, I only saved you that one time from a wolf pack."
"Since the senior has granted me the azure flame, junior has used it many times to save himself. It is the same as senior lending a hand. I will never forget such a favor." Zhuo Fan bowed again.
The man stared Zhuo Fan down, though uncaring if he was sincere or not, "It's fine, I won't be asking for payment. Why don't you take it out for me to see it?"
Zhuo Fan froze, unsure what game he was playing.
But with his immense strength, Zhuo Fan would never win, choosing to play along. He put out his finger and an azure glow burst out.
The man looked stunned at the flame, then sighed, "I thought as much. You refined it. Kid, you sure are lucky."
"What do you mean, senior?" Zhuo Fan probed.
The man sighed, "The azure flame is my innate possession, connected with my mind. When I gave you the azure flame, I could see everything you do."
Zhuo Fan's heart tensed and his eyes darted around, [That's like having constant surveillance!]
The man chuckled at his obvious thoughts, "Kid, you're too cautious. What use would I have of someone as feeble as you? I was only watching out for you in case of misfortune and to send someone to your rescue. Please don't twist my good will."
Zhuo Fan's heart shuddered at his warning.
The man resumed, "Yet not long after you got it, you refined the azure flame, cutting off my connection. It can only mean two things. You either threw it away, something monumentally difficult for someone like you, or you combined it with your body on the deepest level, which is even more unheard of. It has been a problem that's been plaguing me for years but now I see you really have done it. Kid, you are quite lucky to have it. I wonder which grand master you are under?"
Zhuo Fan shuddered.
[The guy hails from the Sacred Domain, no question about it, and is at least a Saint. Better err on the side of caution and be brief and short.]
[He knew about the Blood Infant and Patriarch Blood Demon yet still showed no ill-will. So he has no ties with Patriarch Blood Demon. Saying I am his descendant should be a safe bet.]
Zhuo Fan cupped his hands, "Greetings, senior, I come from Sacred Domain, Patriarch Blood Demon's descendant… "
"Cut the crap!"
The man lashed out, "Patriarch Blood Demon was strong but only a Saint who ever cared about his Blood Infant research. The skills I saw you use nine years ago were too intricate to be from anyone under an Emperor. Speak! Which one of the ancient Emperors is your master?"
Zhuo Fan trembled.
The guy's eyes were sharp and insidious. Just from that array nine years ago he could tell Zhuo Fan's master's level.
[There's no way a pushover knows about the ten ancient Emperors and Patriarch Blood Demon. And since he lives surrounded by beasts, its king even, maybe…]
Zhuo Fan's sweat flowed harder.
In front of this guy, he was less than an ant, of no value whatsoever…
The man saw him silent and sneered, "Kid, I've roamed the world all my life and seen everything. You may not say it but I can still guess it."
"Those pills and arrays you used were as marvelous as they were rare, yet you are also masterful in the heinous Blood Infant. The only Emperor in the world who is so knowledgeable and a secret art hoarder is that old freak Nine Serenities."
Shuddering harder, Zhuo Fan was in a panic.
In just one guess, the man had found out everything, and that too merely from watching him use the arrays.
The guy had to have ample experience that even the Demonic Emperor couldn't compare to.
"I am in awe of the senior's gaze." Zhuo Fan made a deep bow, "I am indeed Nine Serenities Emperor's successor but I never had the chance to meet him."
"Ha-ha-ha, that would be close to impossible. I reckon he already went to the Underworld and became a ghost by now." The man shook his head, "In the times of the ten Emperors, each had his unique skill. Heavenly Emperor's eyes, Tyrant Emperor's divine fist, while only Nine Serenities was a jack-of-all trades. He was a shame to the others, they all took him for a fake. But Nine Serenities sure was persistent, gathering the world's secret arts and cultivation methods. And through all that knowledge, he became one of the strongest three Emperors.
"He compiled all of his knowledge in the Nine Serenities Secret Records, a treasure everyone is thirsting over. I just never thought Patriarch Blood Demon's Blood Infant art would fall into his hands as well. Kid, holding that record is the same as turning you into the world's most brilliant gem, a library of secrets. With all arts beneath the ten emperors in your hands, you have received the greatest blessing in your path to understand Dao."
Zhuo Fan nodded, wiping his brow.
In just a few words, the guy had figured him out as the holder of the Nine Serenities Secret Records. Everyone in the Sacred Domain would go insane over it, ending with his untimely demise, of course.
As luck would have it, this guy thought of himself as better than even the Emperors, mocking their greed for some scribbles. He respected the Nine Serenities Secret Records, but wouldn't steal it from the kid. This was Zhuo Fan's luckiest break yet.
Not like he could stop him anyway.
Zhuo Fan mustered some courage, "Senior, from your tone I assume you're familiar with the ten Emperors. I wonder…"
"You've been to the Lightning Canyon. What did you get?" The man asked coldly.
Licking his lips, Zhuo Fan gave a firm nod, "Senior, I have indeed been there. Senior's azure flame was of much help in fighting Lightning Canyon's purple lightning array. I just don't know if the senior wants the Purple Lightning Gold Eye… or Divine Eye of the Void. "
Zhuo Fan's right eye flashed in three gold halos.
The man's mouth trembled, he smiled and scratched his head, "Ha-ha-ha, you did find it after all. My assistance hasn't been for naught!"
[He wants Heavenly Emperor's ultimate skill, Divine Eye of the Void!]
[All that's left to figure out is if he is after the art or my eyes. He won't be gouging them out, is he?]
The stout man laughed again in his imperial seat, jerking him out of his thoughts, "Kid, didn't you want to know who I am? Feast your eyes!"
A raging fire exploded behind him, azure in color and in the shape of a huge bird with even bigger wings.
Zhuo Fan's eyes widened, "The head of the five sacred beasts, Vaulting Kunpeng!"
He came to the same guess earlier on, but seeing was believing, shaking his tense heart.
The five sacred beasts were equal to the ten Emperors, but rulers of beasts.
Meeting Vaulting Kunpeng was like meeting an Emperor of old. Even if he was back to being the Demonic Emperor, an Emperor level expert, he'd still be nothing more than an ant. (StarReader: funny enough, the character for emperor in Demonic Emperor implies higher power and authority than the emperor in the ten Emperors.)
Now he knew why every beast cowered before the azure flame. How could they rebuke the mighty lord of the animal kingdom?
Even humans would shiver when facing such a mighty beast as the Vaulting Kunpeng.
He saw the Soaring Qilin in the Lightning Canyon, but it was already dead, leaving behind a mere leg. While Vaulting Kunpeng was in the flesh before his very eyes.
Merely the image behind him shone with such power and pressure that it took his breath away.
It was the aura of a sacred beast…
Gulping hard, Zhuo Fan was sweating buckets. Gu Santong had hunkered behind him from the start, eerily quiet for once.
Not even he dared showboating before the Vaulting Kunpeng.
Chuckling, Vaulting Kunpeng withdrew his power and walked down from his throne, watching Zhuo Fan in glee, "You truly are Nine Serenities' successor. I wasn't wrong to put my hopes on you. Now it's time for the next step!"
[Next?]
Zhuo Fan jerked.
[Vaulting Kunpeng helped me for his own reasons like I thought. But what is he after…]