Chapter 295: Come See Me, Child
The atmosphere on Mount Dark Dao had turned very, very bizarre. However, it was then that a tranquil voice echoed down from above.
“You’re all coalition senators. There’s no need to offend each other over the affairs of the younger ones.”
All the cultivators present were struck to the core by the voice.
Patriarch Lunisolar was the first to react. Inclining his head, he clasped hands and said, “Well met, President.”
Patriarch Soaring Cloud’s expression was neutral as he also bowed in greeting. Sir Bloodsmelter looked at the two other patriarchs with an unreadable expression, then followed suit. As for Arch-Immortal Plumdark, she frowned slightly, gave a quick bow, and then turned and left, vanishing after taking only a few steps.
As everyone bowed in greeting, the voice spoke again.
“However, rules are rules. If people were allowed to break them at will, how could we maintain order in the coalition? Fellow Daoist Soaring Cloud, for your impulsiveness, you will lose ten years of your coalition profit bonus. Fellow Daoist Lunisolar, when exactly did you start doing things this way? I suppose I can understand given the history between you and Patriarch Soaring Cloud. But the rules can’t be changed. You’ll also lose ten years of your coalition profit bonus. As for you, Fellow Daoist Bloodsmelter, your temper has earned you the same punishment.
“Xu Qing, you performed well. In line with Fellow Daoist Bloodsmelter’s previous suggestion, starting today, you will receive the same remuneration as a dao child, specifically, 8,000,000 spirit stones per year. The mountains of all eight sects will be open to you, and you’ll have the right to visit all of the coalition’s lands of good fortune ten times per year. All sect defenses will offer you safeguard, and your new status will be publicly announced in Emperor-Receiving Prefecture. In addition, you now have the right to use projections of the Eight Sect Coalition’s taboo treasures.
“As for you, Master Shengyun, you’ve always had a lot of potential. Fellow Daoist Soaring Cloud will take you back and see to your recovery. My golden crow can help you rebuild your fleshly body. You should step into Gold Core as quickly as possible. I look forward to seeing that.
“And now, this matter is over. We’re all members of a coalition, so the most important thing is for us to maintain unity.”
With that, the tranquil voice faded away.
Patriarch Lunisolar tossed Master Shengyun like a sack of potatoes to Patriarch Soaring Cloud. Turning to Sir Bloodsmelter, he flashed a meaningful smile, then turned and left.
Patriarch Soaring Cloud looked down at his unconscious grandson, and his eyes seemed to contain pain and regret. After glancing at Sir Bloodsmelter, he left for the Soaring Cloud Sword Sect.
Sir Bloodsmelter said nothing, but he nodded approvingly at Xu Qing before also leaving.
Master Seventh was the only one who stayed behind. Walking up to Xu Qing, he waved his hand, sending out dazzling light that healed all of his wounds. Then he smiled.
“You handled that beautifully. Let’s head back now.” He cast a glare at the Captain. “You’re coming, too.”
The Captain sighed. Since when did you become so openly biased, old man? Aren’t you worried about hurting my precious little feelings? I’m your apprentice too, aren’t I? And I’m the highest ranking one!
Sighing more, he joined the tight-lipped Xu Qing as they headed back to Seven Blood Eyes. Master Seventh led the way, and Xu Qing and the Captain followed side by side. At a certain point, the Captain nudged Xu Qing with his shoulder.
“Why so quiet?”
Xu Qing looked at him but continued to maintain his silence.
“If he opens his mouth,” Master Seventh said coolly, “he’ll cough up blood. The little punk couldn’t bear to lose any of that quintessence blood, so he swallowed it all and still hasn’t finished assimilating it.”
Xu Qing once again forced the blood down his throat and continued to work on assimilating it.
Meanwhile, the Captain’s eyes glittered and rubbed his hands together. “You shouldn’t be so greedy, Little Junior Brother.”
Xu Qing stared incredulously at him.
“It’s fine,” the Captain went on, eyes glittering even more brightly. “Eldest Brother won’t hold it against you. So... you can just part with one mouthful, right?”
Xu Qing sped up, getting closer to Master Seventh and leaving the Captain a few paces behind.
The Captain’s face was full of regret.
Meanwhile, Master Seventh cast a hard glare at his highest-ranking apprentice, then turned to look at Xu Qing.
“Did you pick up on what was happening just now?”
Xu Qing nodded, then shook his head.
“Our president is playing a game of Go, and he just put down another piece.”
Xu Qing’s eyes narrowed.
Master Seventh smiled. “Unfortunately, though he’s skilled at cultivation, he could learn a thing or two when it comes to playing Go. Long story short, you’re safe for the time being. But remember... when it comes to people in the Void Returning level, like the patriarch from the Lunisolar Dao Palace and the other patriarchs, they never have just one goal they’re working toward.
“Their goals change. They come and go. And if you don’t keep tabs on those goals, you can lose out permanently.
“This coalition has a lot of sects, and they all want one thing: profit. Granted, the higher your cultivation level, the less important profit is. But the fact remains that if you stay on the losing end of things, then eventually, you won’t just lose profit, you’ll be swallowed up entirely.
“It’s a dog-eat-dog world, and what I can tell you is that people with high cultivation ‘eat’ things a lot differently than the normal way. In the end, it comes down to this: we’re still too weak.”
Master Seventh shook his head.
Further back, the Captain also sighed. “That’s right, we’re just too weak.”
Xu Qing forced the blood back down his throat, then nodded and said, “Yeah. We’re too weak.”
When they finally reached Seven Blood Eyes, they stopped before parting ways. Master Seventh seemed to be hesitating about saying something. Finally, he said, “About Arch-Immortal Plumdark....”
The Captain’s ears twitched, and he took a few steps closer. Xu Qing didn’t say anything.
“Fourth Sib... make sure to get along with her.” Looking a bit melancholy, Master Seventh clasped Xu Qing’s shoulder briefly, then turned and left.
The Captain noticed that melancholy look, and his eyes went wide. All of a sudden, an explosive realization hit him. “Don’t tell me....”
Ignoring the Captain, Xu Qing turned into a beam of light that shot toward his berth in Seven Blood Eyes. As for the Captain, he was so wrapped up in analyzing his explosive new thought that he didn’t follow.
Because of that, Xu Qing’s berth was uncharacteristically quiet when he arrived. After taking out his dharmaskiff, he stepped aboard, entered the cabin, and sat down cross-legged. He had consumed too much quintessence blood, and he felt the same as if he had stuffed himself on too much food. It was an uncomfortable feeling, and for now, he wanted to focus fully on digesting it. The totem tattoo on his back emanated a burning sensation as the golden crow did the same thing.
Terrifying fluctuations rolled out from the tattoo as the golden crow got stronger and stronger. It really emphasized to Xu Qing how imperial-class techniques could benefit by devouring another technique.
Devouring another imperial-class technique leads to really shocking results.
Previously, the golden crow had nine phoenix-like tails, and though it had looked mighty, it had also seemed like a juvenile. But now, the totem tattoo had ten tails, and an eleventh was forming. It was also bulkier than before, and its eyes shone like stars. In addition, its aura seemed slightly more primordial than previously. It emanated more heat than before, to the point where Xu Qing felt like his entire body was affected by it. In fact, as he sat there cross-legged, steam rose off of him. It caused everything around him to ripple and distort, but simultaneously, filled him with anticipation about what was happening with the golden crow.
Time slipped by slowly but surely. Three days passed by in a flash.
Xu Qing had fully assimilated about half of the ravagemist bird’s quintessence blood. No longer did he feel uncomfortably stuffed. Rather, he felt very, very full.
The golden crow now had thirteen tails, and the tattoo had spread beyond just his back, giving him a very bewitching and even demonic air. It was similar with the heat. His fleshly body was now absolutely astonishing.
Having reached this point in his work, he breathed a sigh of relief. With only half of the ravagemist bird’s blood left, all he needed was a bit more time.
Feeling a bit more at ease, he took something out of his bag of holding. It was a black chunk of wood that was none other than Master Shengyun’s magical treasure fragment. Looking at it closely, Xu Qing realized that it definitely looked different from the first time he’d seen it. It was longer overall, as if a bigger piece had been added on to the previous smaller piece. Unlike Xu Qing’s fragment of that taboo treasure with its strong mutagen, this piece of wood, though possessing mutagen, only had it in faint quantities. Clearly, it hadn’t been used very often, and had been well-cared for.
After studying it for a time, Xu Qing branded it to himself and then activated it.
The black, gruish door appeared, like a portal to the Yellow Springs, or the source of all evil. Being very cautious, Xu Qing opened the door. As it creaked open, a frigid iciness rapidly built up in the cabin. The same flash of light appeared, becoming an icy sealing power that landed on Xu Qing. He shivered, and the golden crow on his back stirred, sending out massive heat that melted the ice. And yet, just as before, he felt like his life force was locked in place by the sealing.
I remember Master Shengyun saying that this thing is called the Darkspirit Everwill Door. And he said something about ensorcelling it. What’s ensorcelling...?
After some thought he sent a message to his Master asking for details.
Master Seventh responded quickly, and it caused Xu Qing’s pupil to constrict.
“So, he actually found two pieces of a magical treasure. Putting them together is called ensorcelling. If you put two pieces together, it’s a twofold ensorcelling. Put three pieces together, that’s a threefold ensorcelling. After ensorcelling the item, it transforms. I wonder what the door will produce when opened on another person.”
Xu Qing waved his hand, dispelling the icy sealing power and the door.
One thing was for sure. If Master Shengyun had performed a twofold ensorcelling on this item before their fight in the continent of South Phoenix, Xu Qing would have had a hard time dealing with the icy sealing power.
“It actually seals one’s life force...” he murmured. All of a sudden he was very curious what would happen if the door was used on the Captain.
In the middle of his study of the Darkspirit Everwill Door, a voice message arrived in his transmission jade slip.
“Come see me, child. There’s something I want to ask you.”
Xu Qing inhaled sharply. Arch-Immortal Plumdark was very high on the list of people he didn’t want to see. But considering she had saved him, he knew he had no choice but to comply. Standing, he walked out of the cabin.
However, that was when he realized it was getting dark, so he sent a message in reply. “It’s getting a bit too late at night to visit you, Senior.... Er, I’ll head over there tomorrow.”
He turned to go back in the cabin. However, that was when another message reached his transmission jade slip. Arch-Immortal Plumdark’s voice sounded flirtatious and bewitching, like a whispering stream or the flute of an immortal.
“It’s fine. Just come now.”