“Brother Xiao is probably the first to succeed in defeating all the outstanding talents of the Four Seas Hero Gathering in one move that way since time immemorial.”
Xiao Chen smiled bitterly. “I’m probably also the first to receive the top prize but still get chased out by them, right?”
After that comment, the three burst into laughter. Long Fei glanced at Xiao Chen and said, “Your wounds are fine, right? I believe after you go a little farther, there will definitely be someone with malicious intent coming for you.”
Xiao Chen nodded. “I plan to heal up outside the city first before leaving. Brother Qi Wuxue, are you coming to Heavenly Star Island with me?”
Qi Wuxue smiled and replied, “Not anymore. I can’t continue playing around. In this Four Seas Hero Gathering, I finally got to see what a true expert is. I plan to go around exploring to raise my strength. I cannot continue to be muddleheaded anymore.”
Xiao Chen felt doubtful as he asked, “Where are you planning to go? Have you thought of it yet?”
“I have not decided yet. However, the oceanic world is very vast. The Heavenly Starry Ocean is just one region. I will head in the direction where the sun rises and keep going.” Qi Wuxue did not seem very anxious.
Long Fei performed a cupped-fist salute and said, “We will first bid you farewell here. Brother Xiao, if you need help in the future, just call on me at any time.”
“Naturally, I, Qi Wuxue, will not escape from this duty, either!”
Xiao Chen needed to remain here to recuperate from his wounds. After that, he wanted to head to the Western Sea to go to Heavenly Star Island. Qi Wuxue intended to go out and explore alone. Long Fei needed to return to the Corpse Domain in the Kunlun Continent. They were all headed in different directions. When would they meet again? No one knew.
---
Outside Bright Moon City, Xiao Chen sat cross-legged on the surface of the sea, carrying the heavy, red wooden box. He closed his eyes and circulated his energy to treat his wounds.
Despite his caution, he did not worry too much. This place was not far from Bright Moon City. Even if someone had malicious intents towards him, they would not act so openly here.
Aside from the match with Di Xinhan, Xiao Chen had not incurred any injury in most of the battles. The main thing was that he had expended too much Law Energy.
As for the poison attack of the Five Poison Sect’s Tang Xun, it was already more or less neutralized in Xiao Chen’s Heavenly Seal.
Tang Xun probably would not have expected that the Heavenly Seal that Xiao Chen was forming was so vast with Law Energy more than five times denser than Tang Xun’s.
While Xiao Chen treated his injuries, Yue Bingyun had arrived at some point, quietly waiting not far away for him to finish attending to his wounds.
Four hours later, Xiao Chen opened his eyes, and a light flashed in them. Then, he turned around and looked at Yue Bingyun. He smiled in a teasing fas.h.i.+on and said, “Miss Bingyun, why are you here looking for me? I was chased out by the Lunar Palace and am no longer welcome.”
Yue Bingyun detected a trace of grievance in Xiao Chen’s words. She smiled faintly and said, “Originally, the Lunar Palace did not like you because of the Azure Emperor. Now, you nearly disrupted the Four Seas Hero Gathering. Even so, the Lunar Palace still gave Young Master Xiao the Dragon’s Gate’s mountain tablet. They even invited Young Master Xiao out politely. Young Master Xiao, don’t you dare complain about that.”
Xiao Chen smiled to himself. Prettily spoken, but what Yue Bingyun meant was that he should be grateful to the Lunar Palace. However, he had come and followed all the rules. The Lunar Palace did not have any rules about outsiders joining the Four Seas Hero Gathering.
Nevertheless, he did not hold any grudges towards the Lunar Palace over this matter. He was rather thankful to them for giving him the Dragon’s Gate’s mountain tablet and did not feel any resentment.
“Just speak your mind. Actually, I guessed that you would be coming. The first time I met you, I already felt that you had something to ask of me.”
Xiao Chen did not find Yue Bingyun’s arrival strange.
“Young Master Xiao is rather sharp! I want to ask you to help me refine a Medicinal Pill. As for the details, take a look for yourself.”
Yue Bingyun flung out her hand and tossed an Alchemic Recipe to Xiao Chen.
The Medicinal Pill’s name was Heavenly Source Pill. The Alchemic Recipe recorded all the ingredients in detail as well as the various ratios required. Just based on the ingredients, this Heavenly Source Pill was not a King Grade Medicinal Pill; it was at most a Sage Grade Medicinal Pill.
However, even if it was a Sage Grade Medicinal Pill, Xiao Chen could not refine it. The reason was none other than the fact that the Alchemy that Xiao Chen knew was from the Immortal Epoch, not the Martial Epoch’s Alchemy.
Wait a minute! Xiao Chen realized something, but his expression did not change. He proffered the Alchemic Recipe back and said, “I do know a little about Alchemy. However, it is impossible for me to refine Sage Grade Medicinal Pills. The success rate is too low. You should look for someone else.”
Yue Bingyun smiled and said, “Young Master Xiao, why the need to act dumb? You know it. If this were really just a Sage Grade Medicinal Pill, why would I need to bother you? This is a Medicinal Pill that requires the Alchemy of the Immortal Epoch. Aside from you, no one else alive can refine it.”
Xiao Chen’s face sank. “How did you know?”
“I’ve suspected since the day you took my pulse. After that, I asked around for information about you. I learned that when you were just a Martial Monarch, you bought the Alchemic Recipe for the Breaking Sage Pill in Hunluo City. That is also a Medicinal Pill that can be refined only with the Immortal Epoch’s Alchemy.”
Yue Bingyun was clearly amply prepared. She said, “Don’t deny it. All three information brokers I have been to in the Heavenly Starry Ocean mentioned that you did indeed purchase the Alchemic Recipe for the Breaking Sage Pill.
“Young Master Xiao, why are you so guarded against me? Bingyun never saw you as an enemy.”
Xiao Chen always found this girl before him unfathomable. Whether it was her true cultivation or appearance, it gave a feeling of trying to see flowers through fog.
Given his cautious character, not being wary at all would be impossible.
After thinking for a while, Xiao Chen felt that it should not be a problem to help her refine the Medicinal Pill. He would take it as just doing her a favor. He said, “I can help you refine it. However, you have to keep the matter of the Immortal Epoch’s Alchemy a secret.”
Yue Bingyun smiled faintly and tossed a spatial ring to him. She said, “All the ingredients are there. I prepared a total of one hundred sets. No matter how low the success rate is, Young Master Xiao should be able to succeed at least once. There is no time limit. When you have done it, just send someone to deliver it to the Lunar Palace.”
This was pretty good; the conditions were rather relaxed. There was no pressure on Xiao Chen at all. So, without saying anything more, he agreed.
“Young Master Xiao is really straightforward. Why don’t you ask me why I want this Medicinal Pill?” Without waiting for Xiao Chen’s reply, Yue Bingyun continued, “The answer is rather interesting. There are twelve layers to the Longevity Art. In the tens of thousands of years of inheritance, only my master managed to cultivate to the last layer in the Lunar Palace.
“Aside from talent, the most important reason for her success was that the Azure Emperor refined a Heavenly Source Pill for her ten thousand years ago. This is a supplementary Medicinal Pill that is required for cultivating the twelfth layer of the Longevity Art.
“I am rather curious too. Did your Immortal Epoch Alchemy come from the Azure Emperor? However, given your strength, you should not be able to enter the Azure Dragon Palace. In that case, where did your Alchemy come from?
“Haha! Young Master Xiao, there is no need to answer this question. Thank you for your help this time. I will help you out a little as well and tell you a little secret. An expert of the Eastern Sea Divine Dragon Palace has been following you since you left Bright Moon Plaza. Be careful.”
Xiao Chen was not really too interested in the news that Yue Bingyun revealed. He was more interested in Yue Bingyun herself.
This girl was not simple. She was far harder to deal with than the other Holy Scions. No matter how powerful those other Holy Scions were, they came at Xiao Chen openly. However, this girl was unfathomable. It felt like she knew a lot of the Azure Emperor’s secrets.
What’s wrong with this woman? You are helping her refine such an important Medicinal Pill, but she does not show any appreciation. She even chose to give you some bad news to worry you. Even if she is not helping, she should do something practical at least, Ao Jiao ranted from the Immortal Spirit Ring. Clearly, she was not happy with Yue Bingyun’s att.i.tude.
Xiao Chen toyed with the Alchemic Recipe in his hand. He replied mentally, There is no need to mind. I have a feeling that matters between her and me will not end so simply. This is a difficult-to-handle woman.
As for the people from the Eastern Sea Divine Dragon Palace, he did not expect Yue Bingyun to interfere unless he was truly in danger. Since she did not make a move, that meant that she believed that he could cope with them.
After putting away the Alchemic Recipe and verifying the direction, Xiao Chen set out for the Western Sea.
---
The Four Seas Hero Gathering continued in Bright Moon City. However, for some reason, most of the audience found the originally exciting battles rather bland, no longer interesting.
However, when Ye Chen and Yan s.h.i.+san—a bladesman of the Ma.s.sacre Dao and a swordsman of the Ma.s.sacre Dao, respectively—started fighting, the crowd’s eyes were opened. This contest gave spectators a pleasant surprise.
Unexpectedly, with just the Ma.s.sacre Dao, there were so many varied uses. This was a great eye-opener for many people.
Xiao Chen would have enjoyed watching the Four Seas Hero Gathering to completion. However, the Lunar Palace no longer welcomed him, so it was not convenient for him to remain. Furthermore, he already obtained the Dragon’s Gate’s mountain tablet. Thus, he did not feel any regrets.
After flying for a long time, Xiao Chen slowly started to feel that the wooden box on his back was very heavy like a mountain.
At first, he did not really mind it, only feeling that it was just a little heavy. However, after a while, it started to strain his endurance.
It was not that Xiao Chen did not think of putting the box in the Universe Ring. However, when he first laid eyes on it, he knew that this item would not be able to fit inside. It might not look big, but the s.p.a.ce within made him feel as insignificant as dust.
If he tried to stuff the Dragon’s Gate’s mountain tablet into the Universe Ring, it would definitely break the s.p.a.ce within. It might even explode and injure him as well as expose the many Holy Spirit Veins in the Universe Ring.
“Hu chi!”
Xiao Chen’s ears twitched. He heard an irregular wind sound. So, he frowned and calmly turned around while standing on the water.
Soon, the soft, untraceable wind sounds intensified. Four figures appeared before Xiao Chen. When he saw the leader of the group, his pupils contracted, and murderous intent flashed in his eyes.
This person was the black-robed old man who pursued Xiao Chen in Despair City, along with the experts from the other Divine Dragon Palaces, reducing him to a miserable state.
“Azure Dragon King, we meet again,” the black-clad old man said indifferently, hiding his murderous intent.
Xiao Chen smiled coldly and said, “How unexpected! Even after being so severely injured, you were still saved.”
“Azure Dragon King, we are not here to seek trouble with you. We just want to negotiate a deal!” one of the old men beside the black-clad old man said quickly. He had noticed Xiao Chen’s murderous intent, so he immediately stated their purpose.
Xiao Chen smiled and glanced at that person, which sent a chill running down that old man’s spine for some reason, prompting that old man to take two steps back involuntarily.
“We can negotiate a deal, but wait for me to kill someone first.”
“Ka ca!” A saber light flashed. Xiao Chen had not drawn his Lunar Shadow Saber at all during the Four Seas Hero Gathering. Now that he did, he drew it in the time it took for a spark to fly. His target was the leader, the black-clad old man.