Chapter 497: You Jinx!
Blaze Lord was actually a Demi-Saint, and the fact that he had single-handedly created Blaze City to shelter the billions of beings from different races was evidence of his might.
Barring the Saints, there was less than a handful of elites capable of killing him... and yet, the Nether River Patriarch was one of them!
That was why he took no offense despite the Nether River Patriarch’s curtness, and instead asked in confusion, “What do you mean, Nether River? Human Grand Luo? What human Grand Luo?”
Nether River snorted coldly, his killing intent bursting then, and the Blaze Lord promptly said, “As you are well aware, Nether River, many cultivators pa.s.s through Blaze City every year, including the rare few Grand Luo. I myself am often in seclusion all year long and would not know about that...”
“Scarlet Flame!” he then barked, and a scarlet light took to the skies from Blaze City.
Scarlet Flame, a Grand Luo of the Blazers, sneaked a look at the Nether River Patriarch, his eyes filled with reverence and shock.
How could he not know the fearsome reputation of the Nether River Patriarch that resounded across worlds?
He was a being who would dare to fight even Saints. Even if the Saint he fought back then was a bottom-feeder, he was not someone a Grand Luo would dare to offend.
“Scarlet Flame here is my personal disciple and a Grand Luo of my clan. I’m usually cultivating under seclusion, so he is in charge of most matters in Blaze City.”
The Nether River Patriarch turned to Scarlet Flame, a b.l.o.o.d.y radiance bursting form his eyes.
Scarlet Flame naturally did not dare to ask since the Nether River Patriarch asked, and said truthfully, “My lord, two Grand Luo humans had arrived at Blaze City nine days ago. Information also suggests that they had spoken two several Suras, but they had headed to the Galactic Empire with our warp portal and are no longer here.
Scarlet Flames waved his hand then, and a projection appeared in the air.
It was a manifestation of his memory where he met Jiang He and w.a.n.g Hou.
Clearly, he directly showed his memories because he was worried that the Nether River Patriarch would try to find fault with him.
The Nether River Patriarch himself was staring tightly at the projection of the handsome, white-clothed human Grand Luo named Jiang He and said, “To the Galactic Empire, you say?”
“Yes, my lord. That human Grand Luo said that he would then use the Galactic Empire’s warp portal to head to the celestial battlefield.”
“What is that human Grand Luo’s name?”
“Jiang He.”
The Nether River Patriarch withdrew his gaze and said somberly, “I’ll be using your warp portal!”
“It’s our greatest pleasure!”
Scarlet Flame breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said, “I’ll lead you there, my lord.”
***
At the Galactic Empire...
Ooom!
With a flicker of warp radiance, the Nether River Patriarch appeared in a grand city within the Galactic Empire.
“Hmmm?”
The instant they stepped out of the Galactic Empire, the Nether River Patriarch’s expression changed and he looked up toward one particular direction and laughed coldly. “Found you!”
Having closed the gap, he was able to track their karmic connection and ascertain the general direction of the Yuan Killer Sword.
***
At Sky City, Swift Star, the Golden Immortal was leading the way ahead, and arrived outside a mansion with Jiang He and w.a.n.g Hou.
An elder wearing Daoist robes quickly came out to greet Jiang He and w.a.n.g Hou, smiling. “Brother Jiang He, Brother w.a.n.g Hou—apologies for not receiving you after your long journey.”
The elderly man was Yu Quan Zi, the eldest disciple of the True Habitant of Yuding.
Legends claimed that the True Habitant of Yuding had only one disciple in Yang Jian, and it was true... since Yu Quan Zi was a worldly spirit and not human.
Worldly spirits were spirits usually born out of Grotto-Heavens, but some were also born after mountain stones or Innate Soul Treasures was nourished with Spirit Qi for a long time.
Yu Quan Zi was a spirit of Mount Yuquan, which was also the location of the Grotto-Heaven belonging to the True Habitant of Yuding.
Jiang He asked about it from the Golden Immortal on the way.
Seeing the elder approaching, w.a.n.g Hou smiled and returned his greeting. “Yu Quan Zi, I believe? It’s an honor.”
Jiang He offered a fist-palm salute as well and made some courteous small talk.
“Brothers, please!”
“I have ordered my people to prepare a light banquet, I hope you would enjoy it!”
The Golden Immortal who had escorted Jinag He and w.a.n.g Hou appeared perplexed.
Who were those two Grand Luo?
It had been ten thousand years since he was taken under Yu Quan Zi’s wing, so he naturally knew how his own master behaved... he had always been discreet, and rarely interacted with his fellow disciples of the Hollow Jade Temple, let alone an unfamiliar Grand Luo.
Indeed, he would not be showing up, let alone lively conversing or going out of his way to greet unfamiliar Grand Luo!
As a matter of fact, Yu Quan Zi had observed w.a.n.g Hou and Jiang He through the drawing scroll outside Swift Star...
“My master had only told me to greet them, but his att.i.tude has changed ma.s.sively now... he doesn’t have to go so far even if these men were acquainted with Martial Uncle Tu Xing Sun, does he?”
There was no way the Golden Immortal would know that Yu Quan Zi had such a great shift in att.i.tude because he learned about Jiang He and w.a.n.g Hou’s ident.i.ties and accomplishments after contacting Tu Xing Sun!
In fact, Jiang He and w.a.n.g Hou’s reputation had spread throughout the Hollow Jade Temple ever since Tu Xing Sun returned from the homeworld, and even the Primeval Lord of Heaven who usually remained unseen was shocked.
The Primeval Lord of Heaven had claimed that a Saint might be born to the homeworld in the current era, and it well could either one of those men!
Even the usually quiet Yu Quan Zi was talking a lot today.
Guiding Jiang He and w.a.n.g Hou into the mansion, he smiled, “Though this is your first time visiting the celestial battlefield, brothers, your names have long since spread throughout the Hollow Jade Temple.”
He invited both men into the temple and ordered for the servants to bring forth various fine and rare delicacies.
“I have already contacted my martial brother Tu Xing Sun as well. He has been well and cultivating at the Hollow Jade Temple, and would make it in the evening.
w.a.n.g Quan Zi said as he poured wine for Jiang He and w.a.n.g Hou, before raising his cup for a toast, saying, “A salute to you brothers—if you had not protected the homeworld in this age of chaos, it would have be conquered by the Hundred Races Alliance!”
They clinked gla.s.ses and finished their drinks at one go.
Yu Quan Zi raised another toast then and said, “And this is to Brother Jiang He, overwhelming the Hundred Races Alliance by your own might and strengthening the reputation of us humans!”
Jiang He beamed and finished his second cup at once as well, saying, “It was nothing. Moreover, I had my own agenda in fighting the Alliance. If we allowed them to reach Earth as they wished... I mean, the homeworld in your wording, life would get difficult in the future.”
Yu Quan Zi raised his cup for another toast then, but just as he was about to speak, Jiang He’s expression changed and he turned toward w.a.n.g Hou.
“What is it?”
w.a.n.g Hou could not help asking, startled by Jiang He’s accusing glare.
“You jinxed it!”
Jiang He barked angrily, putting down his wine cup. “The Nether River Patriarch really came, tracking our karmic connection... to think that I had offered him compensation and written him a letter, considering that he is a senior!”
w.a.n.g Hou was dumbstruck.
Compensation and letter? My foot!
What you did was equal to taking a dump right down the man’s throat, and you thought he wouldn’t come after you?
On the other hand, Yu Quan Zi appeared utterly confused...
What?
The Nether River Patriarch?
That superior being who strutted across worlds is after Jiang He?!
Yu Quanzi’s eyes promptly lit up.
“Since our master has said that either Jiang He or w.a.n.g Hou could become a Saint, and all our fellow disciples and masters want to build ties with them... is this not an opportunity?”