Host’s note: Hello, your friendly fellow reader and host here, posting with the author’s permission. Just tell me if these reminders are getting annoying and I’ll stop. I’ve just done it so far because there most definitely are people skipping over these notes and thinking I’m the author.
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Standing upright among a pile of fallen bodies, Jin Xia looked like a majestic war god. Those who went against him were only destined to be doomed.
The crowd who were watching from the restaurant’s entrance was speechless when they saw what had transpired.
These two major clans which have reigned over Red Sun City without fear had suddenly met their match today, with two of their arrogant young masters being beaten down almost in an instant by an outsider. Even the large group of their followers had also met the same fate as their master.
Without even glancing at the bodies piled around him, Jin Xia coolly strolled towards the exit. “Now I’ve lost my appetite. Hu Feng, let us be on our way.”
Hu Feng, who was standing dumbfoundedly on the side, gave Jin Xia a strange look before he quickly gathered himself and followed.
It was apparent that what he had initially thought wrong earlier. This fellow’s attitude did not just seem to change when it came to food — it does change, especially when he was disturbed during his meal.
Although Hu Feng found the entire incident weird, he kept his thoughts to himself, and secretly made note to himself not to interrupt Jin Xia when he is eating in the future…
The crowd, when they saw Jin Xia approaching, wordlessly made way for the youth to pass through. Although they were still in disbelief, they did not dare get in the mysterious youth’s way.
To have the guts to beat down two groups of prominent figures could only mean that the white robed youth must not be of a simple identity at all.
He was someone no one in the crowd wanted to offend.
Afterwards, Jin Xia and Hu Feng walked around the city for a while longer.
None of them spoke about what happened at the Flower Bridge restaurant, as if it had never happened at all. Like this, the two wordlessly strolled about the city as the crowd behind continued to buzz with excitement.
Before long, they found a decent inn to stay at for the night.
Renting out two rooms for two nights for 10 Gold coins, the two youths exchanged a brief goodbye before leaving for their respective room.
The room he rented was quite ordinary, with a proper bed, table, and a few nice paintings hanging on the walls. Although it was not extravagant, it was enough for Jin Xia to sleep comfortably in, not that he does sleep much either. Once Jin Xia was alone, he sat down on his bed and entered a meditative state.
Meanwhile, outside an old man with fuzzy white hair was standing on top of a rooftop, directly opposite from the hotel Jin Xia was in. Although the elder’s was not small, his appearance was that of a person who’s in his early thirties, with few visible wrinkles on his face.
Wearing a completely black robe of fine silk, the elder had on a faint frown.
“That’s it? After beating two brats up, he’s going to leave everything as it is?…That kid…” The black robed elder murmured, as a strange light shone in his eyes.
Then, he suddenly burst into laughter. “Wahaha! Interesting! That boy is quite the fresh one!”
As the black robed elder continued to laugh, an aged voice descended from above.
“Brother Zhou He, why are you here laughing by yourself? Almost everyone has left already.”
A white haired elder in dark green robe, laced with leafy patterns, gently floated down and landed beside the black robed elder ‘Zhou He’.
Zhou He stopped his laughter as he turned towards the other elder, grinning: “Oh, so it’s you, Brother Luo Yi! You have not left yet either?”
The dark green robed elder named ‘Luo Yi’ had on a faint smile when he faced the other elder. His appearance was handsome, and his hair was neatly combed backward; his appearance looking to be in his mid-thirties.
Smiling, Luo Yi replied: “Mmn, I just came back from searching a province nearby the Kaitech Mountain. But alas, like the others, I was unable to get a single clue as to where that mysterious pillar of energy had come from…that terrifying power that could sense from nearly several thousands miles away…it truly is not simple.
I heard that this time, even those elders from the Heavenly Ashura Sect, Ancient Sword Hall, and Xiandu Sect, who came, could not discern the phenomenon. And after searching for quite some time with this much people, yet still coming up with no results, I decided take my group and leave…
How about you, Brother Zhou He? What are you going to do now? Ah, and why were you laughing by yourself? Perhaps something caught your interest?”
“Hehe, with so much experts and not finding anything…perhaps we came to the wrong place since the beginning…” Zhou He said.
“Impossible. Several elites living around in this area,whom we investigated, testified they saw a blinding pillar of light coming from the direction of the Kaitech Mountain. They even said they felt the strange Qi energy coming from there as well.”
Zhou He shrugged as he turned away from Luo Yi.
“And you still haven’t told me why you were laughing by yourself here, Brother Zhou He. You seem to be hiding something from me…” Luo Yi slightly narrowed his eyes as he looked at the latter.
Zhou He continued to look off into the distance, as a peculiar light glinted in his eyes. “Ahh, I do not know myself, Brother Luo Yi. But I found an interesting boy today…”
Luo Yi’s eyes widened as he asked: “What? Brother Zhou He, you’re saying a child was able to catch your eyes? Don’t tell me you took a fancy to one of those Heavenly Ashura disciples or those Xiandu disc—”
“Bah! I’m speaking about a child of this city!” Zhou He interrupted Luo Yi.
“Someone from this backwater country? But this kind of place…I reckon Brother Zhou He would be able to find a true young talent here…unless, you want those old men..” Luo Yi said slowly as he gave Zhou He a strange look.
Then, just as Zhou He turned to glare at him, Luo Yi glanced in the distant inn that the Zhou He had been looking at and extended his sixth sense outward.
“Oh? A boy at the 4th stage of Spiritual Dan? Could he be a disciple of one of those large sects that came…no, no, they all left already and there’s no reason to bring along a disciple. But if that young man truly attained his cultivation while being a poor place like this…I’d have to admit that’s quite rare.”
After attaining a certain level of cultivate, one’s senses would peak and sharpen, including one’s sixth sense. It could reach to the point where a cultivator would be able to “see” another person merely through using their sixth sense, and not just only their presence
And if one becomes even more powerful enough, one could even begin using their Divine Sense…
“Isn’t he? Hehe, but it’s not the level of his cultivation that piqued me…that boy gives off a strange aura that I just can’t seem to figure out why…” Zhou He nodded happily as he turned back to face the inn.
“Aura? Hmm, he does indeed give off a feeling that does not match his appearance from what I saw with my sixth sense…but alas, if we compare the boy, his cultivation will barely qualify him as an inner disciple in those big sects. If you want to take him as a disciple, I advise you to think it over and choose someone else with a greater potential. Preferably, one who could compete on the level of those core disciples. I can even introduce you to a few, if you would like…otherwise, for someone of your status, if your first disciple is so weak…” Luo Yi trailed off.
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“Bah! Who said I was getting a disciple? I only said I found the boy a bit ‘interesting’ , that’s all. And who cares if my disciple happens to weak, with the great me around, who would dare bully him/her!
Ahh, whatever, I’m done with this. I’ll be leaving ahead.” Zhou He grunted as he waved his long sleeve.
Promptly, a 6 foot tall hole in the sky opened up in front of him as he walked into the darkness. Then, the hole slowly closed until the air was once again restored.
Luo Yi could only keep silent and smile wryly as Zhou He left, knowing that his words must have brought displeasure for his old pal.
But Luo Yi was only thinking for the best of his friend. He did not want his aged old brother to be laughed by others, should his disciple be weak. After all, if Zhou He did recruit a disciple, it would be his first time doing so.
And for someone with a relatively high status across the Black Moon Continent, such as Zhou He, naturally the expectation for that person’s disciple would be quite high as well.
Letting out a quiet sigh, Luo Yi could only shake his head as he waved his right sleeve. Another tear appeared in the sky, before a dark shadow leaped into it. A short second later, the sky once again regained its calm air.
As the tear had only happened briefly, no one in the city had detected the change. In fact, not a single person was able to detect the two beings who had been standing on a roof, much less even see the ripple in the sky.
It was as if they were ghosts, moving yet unseen.
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In the middle of night, inside a grand looking mansion, supported by big red pillars. A distinct sound rang through the quiet air.
*Pa!*
A red palmprint was left on Fan Lei Yi’s left cheek as the youth endured the scorching pain. An aged, wrinkly faced man, who looked to be about sixty five years old, was currently fuming in front of Fan Lei Yi.
“Useless!” The old man shouted. “You actually let an unknown junior beat you black and blue without even knowing who he was! How dare you still have the face to come back to me like this!”
Fan Lei Yi, who was feeling quite aggrieved inside, did not dare to talk back. That was because this elderly man before him was his father, who was precisely the patriarch of the Fan Clan. He was called Fan Boqin, a cultivator who was at the 9th stage of Spiritual Dan
Not only the Fan Clan, but even across the entire Great Azure Country, a peak Spiritual Dan cultivator such as like himself was highly respected by all. As such, Fan Boqin had rarely suffered any sort of humiliation since he ascended to this level.
And it was precisely because of that, that Fan Boqin became angered when he found out that his son was humiliated in public. To shame his son was the same as not giving him, Fan Boqin, any face!
After a while, Fan Lei Yi finally gathered his courage and timidly spoke: “F-father, Lei’er knows he is wrong. But, I never would have expected someone to jump in during the middle of my duel with Meng Bei. I was caught off guard. If not, how could I have suffered such a defeat…”
“Hmph! In the world of cultivation, there are many twists and turns, even in battles. In a life and death duel, it won’t matter what means one has to use to win! Thinking that Meng Bei was your only opponent during battle was simply too naive!” Fan Boqin solemnly said.
Fan Lei Yi lowered his head as he became quiet again. Today, he had simply suffered too much humiliation! First it was that damned Meng Bei, then that mysterious person who sneak attacked him, and now he was getting severely scolded by his father! It was truly hateful.
After ranting on for nearly an hour, Fan Boqin finally eased a bit of the anger that was on his chest. At this time, a male servant came into the room. After bowing respectfully to the clan master and the young master, the servant said:
“Reporting to the clan master! As per your instruction, we have questioned many of the people, who were near the Flower Bridge restaurant, about the culprit who attacked the young master. We were able to gather the details and make a rough sketch of the person’s facial features; he appears to be a male cultivator as well. Some people were saying the youth gives off a distinct aura, and is extremely handsome, so recognizing him should not be a problem!”
Hearing this, Fan Lei Yi’s eyes lit up while Fan Boqin nodded. “Good! Good! To dare touch my son, I must make that person pay the full price!”
Turning to the servant, Fan Boqin ordered: “Go gather a group of people and have them put up wanted posters all over the city tomorrow morning! We must find this person at all cost. Our Fan Clan will not take this shame lying down!”
“Yes!” The male servant replied as he retreated from the room.
“Lei’er.” Fan Boqin said.
“Yes, father.” Lei Yi Fei hurriedly replied.
“When we catch ahold of this person, make sure to teach him a lesson in front of everybody. Show them the price they’ll have to pay for tarnishing our Fan Clan’s reputation!” Fan Boqin coldly said as he turned to his son.
“Lei’er understands, father.” Lei Yi Fei answered, a hint of killing intent was surging in his eyes.
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On this same night, at another nearby large mansion, a similar ordeal was happening within the Meng Clan.
“So you are saying the person is still in this city?” A old man with a hair full of white hair, who was sitting on a large chair, questioned sternly as he looked at Meng Bei.
“Yes, father. What’s more, a few of my followers have even seen this person’s face! If we were to have them draw a rough sketch of this person and spread it through the city tomorrow, I’m sure we’ll be able to find him soon enough.” Meng Bei said. The earlier traces of arrogance he had when he fought with Fan Lei Yi at the restaurant was gone. There was only a strong tone of respect and fear in his voice.
“Mm. Alright, since we have discussed this over an hour of time, I will have you carry out the plans tomorrow. Make sure to find that junior and make them pay the highest price for offending our Meng Clan!” The old man growled as faint traces of coldness flashed through his eyes.
This elder was called Meng Pao Zhan. He was naturally Meng Bei’s father, and the patriarch of the Meng Clan; a 9th stage Spiritual Dan expert.
Similar to Fan Boqin, this Meng Pao Zhan had a strong sense of arrogance with his cultivation being near the top of the Great Azure Country. There was not many people who could match him, fueling his sense of pride. As such, his attitude and mindset could be said to be no different than Fan Boqin. They were both quite narrow minded.
“You do not have to worry, father. I will make sure thoroughly waste that person’s cultivation and have him suffer a life not worth living for!” Meng Bei said fiercely.
After being scolded by his father for so long, Meng Bei was feeling quite depressed and had a belly full of anger for the person who had attacked him and made him suffer a humiliating loss.
The night slowly washed away the evening’s memories as a new day arrived once more.
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Host’s note: Looked at the comment on chapter 3 and the commenter is right, there is a bit of a mismatch between the amount of realms stated and the amount described. So, I contacted the author about it. I’ll leave the mistake as is for now because I don’t know if the author will correct it to saying there are 10 realms or if he’ll cut out 2 realms. Either way, it doesn’t affect the story much as not much is stated about the higher realms so far.