Half a month pa.s.sed without Chen Xi realizing it.
Besides meditating within his abode, Chen Xi had left the abode to head to the Exchange Hall on two occasions during this time.
He’d respectively traded a fifth-grade Ancestral Dao Root and a sixth-grade Ancestral Dao Root for 600,000 year old Treasurelight Ninespirit Sand and a 500,000 year old Jadestar Snowglow Pearl.
Chen Xi was extremely pleased by this. If this situation continued, then he would be able to gather all the materials in less than three months of time.
However, it only represented an ideal state that even Chen Xi didn’t dare hope would continue forever.
When he returned from the Desolate Manku Ruins, besides the Imperial Sovereign Dao Root, Chen Xi had obtained three eighth-grade Ancestral Dao Roots, nine seventh-grade Ancestral Dao Roots, 16 sixth-grade Ancestral Dao Roots, and 27 fifth-grade Ancestral Dao Roots.
So, besides the fifth-grade, sixth-grade, and eighth-grade Ancestral Dao Roots that he’d traded off earlier, he still had numerous Ancestral Dao Roots in his possession.
Chen Xi naturally didn’t need these Ancestral Dao Roots now, but they were like shocking sums of wealth that were sufficient to deeply influence Chen Xi cultivation in the future.
For example, in the trade with Imperial Monarch Zhen Wu, Chen Xi hadn’t just obtained the Celestial Wingspirit Herb and the Banisher Sword because Imperial Monarch Zhen Wu also owed him a favor, and he might have a need for it in the future.
After this, Chen Xi continued to live in seclusion within the abode. Unless it was necessary, he used all of his time to temper his cultivation in the Dao Heart.
However, in the outside world, the Treasure Exhibition’s atmosphere was heating up.
…
The current atmosphere in Spiritsail City could simply be described as unprecedentedly bustling. Cultivators and living beings from all sorts of ancient races filled the entire city, and there were much more unfamiliar faces when compared to before.
On the other hand, the hottest topic of discussion on the streets was still the commission that Chen Xi had issued.
“I wonder exactly how many Ancestral Dao Roots that fellow possesses. This is too unbelievable.”
“According to my estimations, he has to possess at least 13 Ancestral Dao Roots at the fifth and sixth grade. Unfortunately, the divine materials that fellow’s looking for are too rare, otherwise, I would really want to trade for one.”
“What wishful thinking! Didn’t you notice that numerous great figures from great powers could only feel powerless and frustrated before it because they don’t possess divine materials that fulfill the commission’s request?”
“I wonder which lucky fellows would be able to trade for an Ancestral Dao Root in the next few days….”
Presently, all of the cultivators in Spiritsail City were clearly aware that Imperial Monarch Zhen Wu had arrived at the Exchange Hall, and he’d successfully traded for an Ancestral Dao Root for his grandson, Zhao Jiukun, and left satisfied.
This allowed all the cultivators to firmly believe that the commission was genuine and wasn’t a sham!
This caused them to be stirred once more. All of them started investigating madly with the intention of finding a divine material that fulfilled the conditions.
A few days ago, two more Ancestral Dao Roots had been obtained by fulfilling the commission. As soon as news of this spread, it caused the entire city to fall into a mighty uproar.
Under such circ.u.mstances, the Treasure Exhibition this time was absolutely unprecedented grand in the eyes of all cultivators.
The key was that this commission had caused a mighty uproar that hadn’t just swept through the entirety of Spiritsail City, it had even spread throughout the South Sea Region and to the regions outside it.
…
Within an abode in Spiritsail City.
Many figures were converging here. There was a total of four men and a woman here. All of them possessed formidable auras that were extremely terrifying.
If someone with abundant experience was here, that person would definitely be able to recognize to his shock that these four men and woman were the five leaders of the Nightbird Stellar bandits!
At this moment, a screen of light was floating in s.p.a.ce at the center, and it was actually Chen Xi’s tall figure that was displayed on the screen of light!
“So, you’re already sure that this kid is the owner of that commission?” A middle aged man with three locks of beard, a refined appearance, and wearing a crimson red Daoist robe spoke, and his gaze flickered indeterminately as he gazed at the screen of light.
He was the Second Boss of the Nightbird Stellar Bandits, Daoist Ran Xue.
“It should be accurate. I carried out a careful investigation in the Exchange Hall, and this kid is undoubtedly the greatest suspect.” At the side, Ancestor Green Blood who had sunken eye sockets and a gloomy bearing said, “If all of you don’t believe me, then you should at least believe my Trievil Blood Race’s sense of smell, right? Even if that kid transforms into a pig, the unique smell he carried will never change.”
“If it’s really like that, then this kid’s wealth is extraordinary. Great waves have been surging throughout the entire Treasure Exhibition in the past few days because of this commission. If we’re able to capture him… then he’ll absolutely be able to provide us with a huge pleasant surprise.” A woman who wore multicolored clothes spoke from the other side. She had a charming appearance, eyes that seemed like peach blossoms, and she was playing with a 2 inch long, completely blood red, and savage looking insect in her fair and tender hand. Moreover, her pretty and coquettish bearing faintly emanated a trace of a horrifying aura.
She was ‘the Maiden of Insects’, the fifth boss of the Nightbird Stellar Bandits, and a formidable expert from the Splitsh.e.l.l Worm Race.
“It isn’t just extraordinary. According to what Green Blood said, this kid spent over 46 million divine crystals to purchase divine materials before he issued that commission. Is that something an ordinary person can accomplish? Even if it’s amongst the disciple of the top-rate powers, it can still be said to be rare.” Daoist Ran Xue grinned as he spoke, and his eyes seemed to be burning while he didn’t conceal his greed at all. “So long as we’re able to capture this kid, then we can enjoy ourselves for a very long period of time, and we wouldn’t have to take risks and roam around the world. I’m tired of this sort of days of being pursued all the time.”
“Hahaha. That’s what I think as well.” Ancestor Green Blood roared with laughter.
“Big Brother, what do you think?” The Maiden of Insects gazed at an old man that sat at the center.
The others restrained their smiled upon hearing this, and they looked over in unison.
The old man had an extremely aged appearance. He had spa.r.s.e grey hair, a bearing that was still like water, and his left eye was enveloped in darkness. Moreover, his aura was extremely strange, and it caused others to feel terrified from a single glance at it.
He was the Boss of the Nightbird Stellar bandits, Ghosteye Vulture! A peak Universe Enlightened Ancestral G.o.d of extremely mysterious origin.
According to rumor, it was precisely because of Ghosteye Vulture that the Nightbird Stellar bandits were able to escape numerous calamities throughout the years, and he could be considered as a core figure in the entire group.
During the conversation from before, Ghosteye Vulture had been constantly silent. Up until this moment, when everyone placed their attention on him, he finally rubbed his chin in a leisurely manner and said, “I just want to ask all of you a single question. Have you found out his exact ident.i.ty?”
His voice was low, hoa.r.s.e, and seemed like the cry of a Nightbird that came from within an abyss. It was horrifying.
All of them were stunned because they really hadn’t acquired information about that.
“You haven’t even figured out the target’s ident.i.ty, yet you’re anxious to make a move against him? Could it be that all of you are… looking to die?” Ghosteye Vulture raised his head. His sole eye was icy cold like a venomous snake, and it swept past all of them, causing their faces to freeze.
“Then… what does Big Brother think?” The second boss, Daoist Ran Xue, couldn’t help but ask this question.
“Let’s investigate this kid first and see exactly who he is.” Ghosteye Vulture’s face was expressionless as he spoke.
“What if that kid’s origins are extraordinary? Could it be that we’re going to just give up?” Suddenly, a figure that sat at the corner spoke. He had a bulky frame and a robust figure. Even when he sat cross-legged there, he still emanated an oppressive imposing aura like a lofty mountain, and his eyes were even brighter than the sun and moon.
He was the fourth boss of the Nightbird Stellar Bandits, Chang Hen, and he was nicknamed Sin Dragon. He was from the Violet Horned Dragon Race.
“Fourth brother, then what do you think we should do?” Ghosteye Vulture’s sole eye narrowed as he spoke slowly.
“Kill!” Chang Hen lightly spat out a single word, and it was filled with killing intent.
“All of you are of the same opinion?” Ghosteye Vulture looked at the others.
“I think we can give it a try. At any rate, haven’t we already incurred a great deal of enmity in these years, so adding this kid to the list wouldn’t be a big deal.”
“Exactly. Once we’re done with this huge score, we can just go far away. We can hide in the other regions first, enjoy a life of leisure, and lie low.”
The others hesitated briefly before they spoke successively.
Ghosteye Vulture went silent when he heard this.
After a long time, right when everyone was slightly anxious and indeterminate, he said, “Alright, we can make a move against him. But we can’t do it within Spiritsail City.”
The others heaved sighs of relief when they heard this, and they beamed with joy.
However, Ghosteye Vulture sighed in his heart instead. He gazed at the figure in the screen of light and muttered to himself. Why do I have a trace of a bad premonition in my heart…. Could it be that this young man is also a…?
When he thought up to here, he couldn’t help but reveal a dazed expression. He seemed to recollect matters from extremely long ago in the past. It was so far in the past that he’d practically forgotten it, and even his memories of it were extremely blurry.
In the end, he was unable to recall anything, and he couldn’t help but shake his head and mutter with self-ridicule in his heart. Looks like I really am old, and I’ve become more and more careful….
…
One month later.
Chen Xi’s cultivation in Heart Energy had smoothly advanced into the second forging of the True Heart Sutra, and the appearance of his Heart Infant had changed. Its appearance was still young, yet it already faintly carried a lofty aura.
The improvement in his cultivation in Heart Energy caused his cultivation at the first level of the Sword Emperor Realm to loosen, and it merely lacked a critical factor before he would be able to step foot into the second level.
Under such circ.u.mstances, his combat strength attained an obvious increase, and he wasn’t afraid of a battle with any cultivators at the Universe Enlightened Ancestral G.o.d Realm.
On the second month.
Chen Xi had successively utilized six fifth-grade Ancestral Dao Roots and four sixth-grade Ancestral Dao Roots to trade for and obtain 10 different divine materials at the Exchange Hall, and he was only three divine materials away from completely gathering all the divine materials listed on the jade slip.
On the third month.
Chen Xi could hardly sit still because he’d merely obtained a single divine material in this month, whereas, he was still unable to obtain the last two divine materials, Divine Firefall Darkdew and Gold Lined Thorns.
On the fourth month.
Chen Xi finally firmly believed that he was unable to rely on the commission to gather these last two divine materials, so he instructed Qian An to remove the commission.
At this point, all the cultivators in Spiritsail City heaved sighs of relief for no rhyme or reason. Because during these past four months of time, this commission had already caused them to be shocked on too many occasions, and their minds were on the verge of becoming numb to it.
Now, when they saw the commission vanish, all of them were clearly aware that this mighty uproar was finally about to come to an end.
On the other hand, in Chen Xi’s opinion, even though he was only a step away from completing his objective, this last step could decide the success of the entire operation.
In the end, he decided to head to the black market!