Chapter 204: Apparition
What received Lu Li at the Blood Evil Island was another huge scene. All the disciples of the Liu Family were here, looking at Lu Li with ardent eyes. As of this moment, Lu Li had truly earned the name of "Island Owner" and he had become the backbone of everyone.
Xu Yaoyang really was just putting on a show because the all the presents were low grade stuff. All of them put together wouldn’t be worth more than 100,000 Xuan Crystals. Xu Yaoyang had put all the presents in big chests just for people to see.
News about the fight at the Cliff of Purgatory had pa.s.sed around the Blood Evil Island. Though Liu Yi and the others had only a faint idea about what happened in the Tomb of Dragon King, Lu Li didn’t want to elaborate so he merely randomly explained.
After making sure that Yu Lingxu did die in the hands of Lu Li, there was more respect in the ways Liu Yi and the others look at Lu Li.
Lu Li could kill a genius at the middle stage of the Soul Pond Realm and one with Sixth-rank Bloodline. No matter how Lu Li did it, he was no longer the coffin-puller for the Liu Family he used to be. He had grown to a magnificent tree, on which the Liu Family could lean on to leverage some strength.
"Patriarch Seven!"
Lu Li sent all the other patriarchs away, leaving only Patriarch Seven, Liu Yi and Hunchback Tian. Lu Li ordered, "For the next few days, make some frequent trips to the G.o.d-down City. Find whatever reason you can find."
"What will I do in G.o.d-down City?"
Patriarch Seven was confused, and so was Liu Yi. Without giving any explanation, Lu Li just explained, "I ask you to do it, so just do it. You fas.h.i.+on the reasons yourself. You can buy Xuan Beasts, seeds, or Mystical Materials, whatever."
"Okay!"
Patriarch Seven nodded. Lu Li only stated his intentions now, "After you do this for a couple of days, go and send someone to buy some books off the record. All kinds of books you find. You can buy some on introducing Bloodlines, or some cultivation methods of low levels or Xuan Skills. Remember… you must buy books on the introduction of high-level Mystical Materials, Mystical Gra.s.ses and this sort of treasures."
Patriarch Seven’s eyes lit up. Liu Yi also understood after a short moment of confusion. What Lu Li really was after was books of high-level Mystical Materials and Mystical Gra.s.ses. He asked Patriarch Seven to get those books so carefully. Could it be that he had obtained something valuable in the Tomb of Dragon King?
Of course…
Neither Patriarch Seven nor Liu Yi dared to have any improper thought. Previously, when Lu Li took out a treasure to be the collateral to get 20 million Xuan Crystals at the Auction House, they didn’t ask anything, either.
The two were very clear that the old Lu Li was gone. Anything done by them that disliked by Lu Li could be the undoing of the Liu Family.
Therefore, they didn’t ask anything. Lu Li looked at them, satisfied. He told them again, "This thing must be done secretly. Once any information got out, the entire Blood Evil Island would be turned into ashes!"
"So he really got something priceless!"
Patriarch Seven’s mind was shocked. Hunchback Tian’s eyes kindled as well. The greed just flashed through Patriarch Seven’s mind. He dared not to dwell on the greed for any longer. In a moment, a smile climbed onto his face.
The stronger Lu Li was, the better the Liu Family would be together with that. This was good.
Patriarch Seven clasped his fists and answered, "Island Owner, put your mind at ease. This matter will not be learnt by a fifth soul. I will be cautious."
"Okay!"
Looking at Patriarch Seven’s expressions, Lu Li was relieved. He asked for some updates about the Blood Evil Island which was running well. He got up and walked out, "I will go back and tend to my wounds. Hunchback Tian, come with me. You two can go back to your own duties."
"Island Owner…"
Liu Yi suddenly called him but swallowed down her words. Lu Li turned back with a frown and asked, "What is it?"
Liu Yi bit her lips and said, "Thank you."
Lu Li only nodded slightly before he swaggered off with Hunchback Tian. The light on Liu Yi’s face died down soon, as if she had lost her soul.
Patriarch Seven could make out what was on Liu Yi’s mind. He said with a sigh, "Family Patriarch, don’t think about him now. You cannot count on developing relations with Lu Li now. Let’s put our mind on a.s.sisting him. He is a man that values friends.h.i.+p. As long as we are loyal to him, we will rise again when he soar up to the sky. If you have too many improper thoughts and angered him, the Liu Family would be thrown into abyss."
"Yes, I know, Grandpa Seven."
Liu Yi nodded and forced a smile. However, the disappointment on her face could not be concealed. She knew clearly that Lu Li was getting further and further away from her. There would come a day when Lu Li could reach for the skies and she could only look at him from down on the ground…
"Hunchback Tian, translate this for me."
Lu Li took out the scroll and threw it to Hunchback Tian after they got back to the Dragon Elephant Mountain. The maids had readied brushes and paper. Hunchback Tian took over the scroll and read it carefully. His eyes glared at once.
"This is nice!"
After reading for a while, Hunchback Tian raised his head and said, "Master, this is Heaven Grade Xuan Skill. How did you get your hands on this?"
"Don’t ask so many questions. Translate it and write it down for me."
Lu Li threw him a cold glance. Hunchback Tian quickly picked up the brush pen and start translating and writing one word after another.
Lu Li didn’t bother to supervising him. Hunchback Tian dared not to disobey his orders nor would he inflict any harm. The translation of the scroll would be accurate.
An hour later, Hunchback Tian handed the translated copy to Lu Li. Then he looked at Lu Li with excitement, "Master, can I practice this Xuan Skill?"
"We will talk about it later."
Said Lu Li without even looking up. He carefully read the translated scroll. A word jumped into his eyes—Apparition.
This was a body art Xuan Skill of the Heaven Grade. Lu Li read for the time for three incense sticks to burn before he looked up and said, "I will cultivate this Xuan Skill. Later if I get body art Xuan Skill of a higher level, I will give it to you."
"Yes!"
A glint of disappointment pa.s.sed through Hunchback Tian’s eyes but he was afraid to say anything. The Xuan Skill was complicated and the explanation alone was done in a few thousand words. Even though he had copied the whole thing, he could not remember it all. Without referring to the cultivation method every now and then, did he dare to cultivate?
What was more, Lu Li was his owner and he had given orders. If Lu Li found out he was secretly cultivating, he would be killed.
Lu Li took Hunchback Tian’s disappointment all in but he was not moved.
People were selfish. Hunchback Tian was just his slave, not his brother. Hunchback Tian would serve Lu Li for 100 years in exchange for the Cyan Phoenix Race helping him cast a Fate Wheel. This was a voluntary and fair trade. Lu Li didn’t feel he had owed Hunchback Tian anything.
No family would sell Heaven Grade cultivation methods. These were regarded as the legacy. If the world was filled with these, then the Xuan Skills would be worthless. Of course, Lu Li wouldn’t want anybody else to cultivate it.
"Take a look at this!"
Lu Li then gave Hunchback Tian the parchment, the one Little White got from the peak of the Mountain of Dragon King. On the parchment was also written seal script, only dozens of words together with some strange lines and symbols. Lu Li couldn’t understand.
Hunchback Tian took it over and read it thoroughly. The more he read, the tighter his eyebrows were knitted together. He also shook his head from time to time. After the time for two incense sticks to burn, he looked up and said, "I cannot understand this thing."
Lu Li was surprised. He asked, "Aren’t there words on it? Why can’t you understand?"
"There are words…"
Hunchback Tian smiled wryly and said, "But there is something missing. There should be four of this kind of parchment. This is one of them. But… judging by the more than a dozen words here, I think this is a map, not even one of the Northern Desert."
"Map?"
Lu Li was disappointed. What would he do with a map? He had thought that this was a Xuan Skill or secret skill booklet. He took it over put it aside after a casual browse. Hunchback Tian at once said, "Master, you must take good care of it. It may be a treasure map or a roadmap of a treasured land."
"Treasure map? Roadmap?"
Lu Li was intrigued. Hunchback Tian explained, "Even though there is something missing, but there is a name of a location here, the Forbidden Land of Ancient G.o.ds. Any place that has the word G.o.d in the name must be no trivial place. Also, the name of Central Plains is on it. So the Forbidden Land of Ancient G.o.ds should be in the Central Plains."
"Central Plains?"
Lu Li rolled his eyes. He even dreamed about going to the Central Plains. The thing was, he couldn’t even leave the Thousand-island Lake. The map was missing pieces, so it was not useful to him just as yet.
"Ah…"
On the thought of Central Plains, Lu Li let out a long sigh.
He had completely provoked the Yu Family by killing Yu Lingxu. The Zi Family would not tolerate his existence, either. He even offended Du Ziling. The Thousand-island Lake killing warriors of the Yu Family was practically a slap on the face of the three Royal Families. It was possible that Lu Li was deprived of a chance to join the three Royal Families.
When could he get to the Central Plains and be back at the Lu Family without a super Teleportation Formation?
Lu Li frowned as he thought about his parents suffering under the Ice Abyss and the unclear nature of Lu Ling’s situation. His eyes were filled with haunting sorrow…