Now that reincarnation no longer existed, there was nothing to see here. Xiao Chen accompanied Qing Cheng to look around for a while before turning to leave.
However, the two did not realize that the moment they turned around, the fragments of the broken Human Path whirlpool suddenly merged and formed a complete reincarnation whirlpool.
The light of a treasure condensed, and a mysterious tunnel leading somewhere appeared.
Xiao Chen sensed something change. So he turned his head to look. However, the complete reincarnation whirlpool only lasted for an instant and had already broken once again. Hence, he did not see anything.
Qing Cheng looked back as well, finding his behavior strange. She asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing!” Xiao Chen smiled and thought to himself, The six paths of reincarnation are really broken. Now, there is only this life, no next life.
The two successfully traversed the sea of bitterness and rejoined Xiao Bai and the others at the Bridge of Helplessness. Then, they gave the three a simple description of what they encountered before the group set out on the journey back.
For the trip back, the group followed Qing Cheng’s directions, placing the Specter Boat in the river and going upstream.
After half a day, the river ended, and they pa.s.sed through a foggy area. Unexpectedly, the Specter Boat miraculously appeared on the Underworld River, the place that was isolated from the living and the dead.
Smiling, Qing Cheng explained, “This is not strange. When h.e.l.l broke, it formed several spatial cracks. Some of them are not too dangerous. Instead, they are pa.s.sageways for traveling through the Nine Layers of Purgatory. However, only our Ghost Race knows about them.”
When the group finally returned to land, everyone took deep breaths. They had walked out of the Nine Layers of Purgatory alive.
Qing Cheng returned the Cycle Banner to Xiao Chen and said with a smile, “I’ll be taking my leave, then. There are less than two months to your King conferral ceremony. At that time, if nothing unexpected happens, I will come and join in the excitement.”
After putting down the burden in her heart, Qing Cheng had become much more relaxed. When she said her goodbyes, she left with a light heart.
The Sword School Ranking compet.i.tion was later than the Saber School Ranking by half a month. Judging from the time, they should still be able to make it if they rushed.
Xiao Chen used the Freedom Wings and activated So Close Yet Worlds Apart continually. He managed to bring Xiao Bai to the venue before the compet.i.tion started.
As for himself, Xiao Chen was not that lucky. The Saber School Ranking compet.i.tion already ended seven days ago.
The Saber Sovereign Wu Xiaotian’s first disciple, Wen Ziran, successfully made it into the top ten. This news already spread throughout the entire Profound Domain.
Xiao Chen felt very nervous as he arrived at Sword Forging Peak. He did not know if Situ Leihong would be flexible.
Sword Forging Peak looked exactly the same as before. The swordsmen who came to seek Situ Leihong to forge swords formed a line extending all the way to the bottom of the peak in an orderly manner.
Xiao Chen did not join this queue. Under the gazes of this group, he headed directly for the Sword Forging Peak Manor at the summit.
“It’s him! He is here again!”
“The White Robed King Xiao Chen defeated the Sword Sovereign Liu Xiaoyun’s first disciple in Heavenly Cauldron City four months ago.”
“The auction for Longevity Fruits took place three months ago. He must have earned a lot. I remember that several quasi-Emperors even rushed over and pushed the price sky-high. Many great grandmaster-level Martial Sages did not even manage to buy one.”
“However, this matter is rather strange. The Saber School Ranking happens once every ten years. Given his strength, he should be able to make it into the top ten. Why did he not go?”
In the past, Xiao Chen’s name might not be very familiar to the people in the Profound Domain.
However, he had trounced the Purple Night Sword Sect’s Ouyang Feng on Sword Forging Peak and advertised the auction for the Longevity Fruits in a high-profile manner. Then, he defeated the Sword Sovereign’s first disciple at Heavenly Cauldron City.
The person that was the most famous in the Profound Domain in recent times was, without a doubt, Xiao Chen.
As Xiao Chen walked, he heard the discussions in the surroundings. Even so, he remained expressionless. As his business weighted heavily on his heart, he wanted to see Situ Leihong as soon as possible. However, he did not know what to say after meeting him.
Suddenly, Xiao Chen felt two gazes filled with hatred and murderous intent. This murderous intent was not covered up at all, staring at him directly.
Xiao Chen turned his head and looked in the direction of the gazes. The corners of his lips could not help but curl up, revealing a faint smile.
The owner of one of those gazes belonged to Ouyang Feng, who wanted to teach Xiao Chen a lesson when Xiao Chen first arrived at Sword Forging Peak. In the end, he got his face slapped by Xiao Chen and then slapped by his own senior off the peak.
An old man stood beside Ouyang Feng. He also wore the robes of the Purple Night Sword Sect and resembled Ouyang Feng.
Based on their looks, it was easy to guess that they were father and son.
The old man was a great grandmaster-level Martial Sage. He was full of energy and had a radiant look in his eyes. He did not appear old at all. His eyebrows looked sharp, and wherever he gazed, it felt like a sharp sword piercing through s.p.a.ce.
Xiao Chen glanced around, disinterested. They had best not provoke him. Otherwise, he would not mind using a great grandmaster-level Martial Sage to test his current strength, to see how strong he was now.
After taking a few steps, Xiao Chen pa.s.sed the two.
Ouyang Feng said a few words into the old man’s ears. Then, that old man’s face became very unsightly before he shouted coldly to stop Xiao Chen.
“Hold there!”
Xiao Chen could not be bothered. He continued to walk forward.
“Whoos.h.!.+”
The purple-clad old man became angry and shot forward, rus.h.i.+ng in front of Xiao Chen. He said, “Little friend, did you not hear this old man’s words? I told you to stop.”
Xiao Chen did not care. He smiled and said, “My feet are on my legs. Whether I stop or not, what does it have to do with you?”
“What a sharp tongue! This old man here wants to know. Four months ago, did you use your strength to bully the weak, sowing dissension and hurting my son?” the purple-clad old man asked with a threatening aura.
Indeed, they are father and son. It looks like I will not be able to enter the mountain manor directly.
However, Xiao Chen did not show any fear. He smiled gently and said, “That is right. However, did I injure your son? I don’t remember that. It seems like it was just a gentle b.u.mp. There were many people around at that time; they can testify. Your old friend Diao Jintao can testify as well.”
When the purple-clad old man heard this, rage appeared in his eyes. For a moment, it looked like he would not able to control himself and would let his fury pour out. He only managed to calm himself after much effort.
Xiao Chen had heavily injured this old man’s son. If this old man had not run around, seeking a miraculous Medicinal Pill and going through a lot of trouble, he would not have been able to help his son recover.
To think that Xiao Chen was not embarra.s.sed to say it was just a gentle b.u.mp! As for that Diao Jintao, that was the most unpleasant name for the purple-clad old man to hear.
For the sake of one Longevity Fruit, Diao Jintao actually forwent their many years of friends.h.i.+p, sending Ouyang Feng rolling down the peak with one slap. This was truly a great humiliation.
“Good! Very good! In that case, this old man shall gently b.u.mp into you as well,” the purple-clad old man said through clenched teeth. Now, he no longer suppressed his rage. He stepped forward and sent a palm strike at Xiao Chen.
In consideration of his status, this purple-clad old man felt that it was too much to draw his sword for a junior, especially when he was a great grandmaster-level Martial Sage.
So, the purple-clad old man used his great advantage in cultivation and sent out a ruthless palm strike.
As the purple-clad old man threw the palm strike, a strong wind howled. At the level of a great grandmaster-level Martial Sage, just a casual palm strike could split mountains. Furthermore, this was a palm strike unleashed in rage.
The surging palm wind combined with the purple-clad old man’s heavy mountain-like aura. Before the palm wind arrived, an enormous pressure bore down.
Several people behind Xiao Chen could not endure it and moved away.
However, Xiao Chen did not move a single step. He had experienced the horrifying aura of the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva. To him, the might of this purple-clad old man was like a kid’s when compared to the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva.
Since the other party was going big without even drawing his sword, then he did need to draw his sword!
Myriad Heaven Divine Fist, Deities Descending, twenty Dragon Force!
The sound of dragons howling resounded. The twenty huge dragon-shaped clumps of energy appeared behind Xiao Chen. They moved up and down, causing the sky to change colors.
The dragons roared together, and Dragon Might covered the sky. Xiao Chen did not even give the purple-clad old man any chance for regret. Facing this heavy storm-like palm strike, he stepped forward and met it head-on.
“Bang!”
Palm and fist connected. Horrifying sounds rang out. Xiao Chen knocked back the purple-clad old man that attacked him with great momentum with one punch.
The purple-clad old man’s eyes widened in shock. Then, he opened his mouth and vomited blood. When he landed on the ground, he felt incredible pain from his right hand. Small cracks spread out on his bones. His entire right arm was temporarily crippled.
Xiao Chen stood upright with his hands behind his back. He smiled and said, “Sorry, old sir. I have really brittle bones and cannot suffer much impact, unlike your Young Master, who has coa.r.s.e skin and thick flesh.”
Xiao Chen smiled gently and left with his hair swaying in the wind.
The purple-clad old man trembled with anger. However, he had lost out by too large a margin. His right arm was temporarily crippled and could not hold a sword. Even if he wanted to try and regain his pride, he could not battle.
The other swordsmen queueing up on the peak all showed extremely grave expressions. This purple-clad old man was Ouyang Long, a bona fide great grandmaster-level Martial Sage.
However, when such a great grandmaster-level Martial Sage wanted to use his strength to bully Xiao Chen, Xiao Chen beat him into submission with one punch.
When Ouyang Long saw that the other party left, he did not dare to give chase, or even say anything.
“It is really unfortunate that Xiao Chen did not partic.i.p.ate in the Saber School Ranking compet.i.tion, really unfortunate.”
“With such strength, he’s definitely a match for Wen Ziran!”
“In the past few years, the repute of our sword school has been completely suppressed by the saber school. Wen Ziran alone already suppressed the younger-generation swordsmen in the Profound Domain to the point where they can no longer raise their heads. Now, there is one more, this Xiao Chen. Oh dear…!”
“If only Yan s.h.i.+san were here! Given Yan s.h.i.+san’s strength and talent, he would be able to compete with these two people.”
“Yan s.h.i.+san is intoxicated with the sword Dao. He does not have any interest in the Sword School Ranking. He did not even show up. Even the Yan Clan does not know where he is.”
All the swordsmen present showed some face to the purple-clad old man. Even though Xiao Chen sent him flying, not many people ridiculed him.
Ouyang Feng walked over to the purple-clad old man and asked grudgingly, “Father, what’s wrong with you? Why speak so much nonsense? Just attack directly and chop him down with your sword.”
“Pa!”
After being embarra.s.sed like this, Ouyang Long already felt extremely upset, so when he heard Ouyang Feng’s grudging words, he slapped him as well.
“Shut up!”
Ouyang Long’s eyes turned extremely cold. No longer bothering with Ouyang Feng, he immediately sat down and circulated his energy to treat his injuries, quickly healing his crippled right arm.
Now, Ouyang Long waited for when Xiao Chen came out. When that happened, he would not give Xiao Chen any opportunity. He would immediately draw his sword and face Xiao Chen. If he could not defeat Xiao Chen today, he would no longer have the guts to remain in the Profound Domain.
---
Inside Sword Forging Manor:
When Xiao Chen saw Situ Leihong’s calm appearance, he did not know what to say.
After all, Xiao Chen had promised to obtain the ten-thousand-year-old Flame Crystal for him. Now, he had broken his promise but had to ask a favor of him.
After a while, Situ Leihong still did not say anything. Xiao Chen could only probe, saying, “Senior, about the matter of the ten-thousand-year-old Flame Crystal, I’m sorry. I was a step too late.”