“Your Master didn’t say why she was leaving with He Feifan?” Huang Xiaolong asked in a solemn voice.
Shi Xiaofei shook her head, “She did not, Master only said she’ll return in two months.”
Huang Xiaolong’s eyebrows raised.
More than three months had passed now. If there was no unexpected incident, it was impossible for Yang Yi not to know what happened in the land of new moon. Then, the biggest possibility was that Yang Yi had yet to return to the land of new moon.
But, Yang Yi did say that she would return two months later, could something have happened to her?!
“Xiaofei, with your Master’s strength, she’s probably fine.” Huang Xiaolong comforted, “I’ll send someone to inquire about news of your Master, once there’s any news, I will let you know.”
Thinking of her Master’s strength, Shi Xiaofei’s worry eased slightly and nodded at Huang Xiaolong.
That was the best they could do at the moment. As Huang Xiaolong said, with her Master’s strength, there shouldn’t be any accidents.
Liu Yun and Qi Wen came to visit Huang Xiaolong on the Golden Dragon Peak the next day. His senior Apprentice-brother Liu Yun came bearing wine, and when he saw Huang Xiaolong, he smiled brightly. “We’ve just returned from outside and have already heard that you brought sister-in-law back, so we came over to visit. This is an excellent wine that I’ve kept for several thousand years, let’s drink our fill.”
Third Apprentice-sister Qi Wen smiled, “Your Eldest Apprentie-brother ran here with this wine after hearing the news that you’ve been promoted to an Elder, wanting to celebrate with you. But, who knew that you’d run off to the land of new moon right after that, your Senior Apprentice-brother could only return with the wine.”
Huang Xiaolong showed an embarrassed smile. Beside him, Shi Xiaofei’s cheeks were red as apple hearing Liu Yun referring to her as sister-in-law.
Huang Xiaolong invited Liu Yun and Qi Wen inside, where the four of them took a seat.
Huang Xiaolong drank with Liu Yun while Qi Wen chatted with Shi Xiaofei.
Both Liu Yun and Qi Wen were happy for Shi Xiaofei when they heard that not only she had reached the mid-third stage of the Moon Summoning Rhyme, she even broke through to mid-First Order God Realm.
After a while, Liu Yun spoke, “I heard that in this trip to the land of new moon you killed the Zhang Family Patriarch’s son, Zhang Han.”
Huang Xiaolong did not conceal the matter, briefly recounting what happened to Liu Yun and Qi Wen.
Liu Yun nodded, “That Zhang Han deserved what he got, but you still need to be vigilant against the Zhang Family. Recently, they’ve been getting very close to the Jiang, Wang, and Gudu Families.”
“Understood, I will pay attention.” Huang Xiaolong nodded, “Where’s Master? How is he these days?”
Qi Wen interjected, “Master has entered death seclusion three months ago to prepare for the upcoming God Ranking List Battle.”
“God Ranking List Battle?” Huang Xiaolong dazed for a second, turning to Liu Yun with a puzzled expression.
Liu Yun explained, “It’s no secret, but the God Ranking List Battle only involves Highgod Realm masters, it is unrelated to us.’
“A battle between Highgod Realm masters?” Huang Xiaolong repeated.
Qi Wen nodded her head, “Only Highgod Realm masters are qualified to participate in this God Ranking List Battle, and is held once every ten thousand years. The next God List Ranking Battle starts after the Highgod Advancement Tournament. In the last God List Ranking Battle, the Azure Dragon Institute Principal won the first place, whereas our Master was in the second place. However, the rankings on the list do not represent everything. Senior Ascending Moon for example, if he participated, would definitely win the first place.”
Huang Xiaolong nodded. Since this God Ranking List Battle only allowed Highgod Realm masters to participate, he didn’t ask further questions.
Subsequently, Huang Xiaolong brought up the matter about Shi Xiaofei’s Master Yang Yi with Liu Yun, asking if he could help investigate if Yang Yi returned to the land of new moon.
For such a small matter, Liu Yun agreed to help without hesitation. Being one of Black Warrior Institute’s Grand Elders for so many years, he still had this much influence. Finding news about Yang Yi wouldn’t be too difficult.
A few hours later, after Liu Yun and Qi Wen bid their farewells, Shi Xiaofei followed Huang Xiaolong to his yard.
“Actually, the God Ranking List Battle is not restricted to only Highgod Realm masters,” Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi said.
Huang Xiaolong was surprised, “Not restricted to Highgod Realm masters?”
Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi nodded, “That’s right, it only requires one to have the strength comparable to a Highgod Realm master. Based on your talent, when you’ll reach peak late-Tenth Order God Realm, your strength would not be any weaker than some early First Order Highgod Realm masters. However, I need to warn you, the God Ranking List Battle is extremely dangerous, even a Highgod Realm master could lose their life. Therefore, if you must participate, it is better to have broken through to Highgod Realm.”
“If even a Highgod Realm could fall, why do so many Highgod Realm masters compete? Is a ranking that important?” Huang Xiaolong was baffled.
Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi shook his head, “A ranking is nothing to a Highgod Realm master. What attracts them to compete is not the ranking, as for the real reason, we’ll talk again when you have reached peak late-Tenth Order God Realm, you’ll naturally know at that time.”
Huang Xiaolong was speechless. This old dragon, there was no difference whether he spoke or not. But Huang Xiaolong was very curious what attracted these Highgod Realm masters for them to be willing to risk their lives for it.
“It would be better for you to improve your alchemy refining skills more.” Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi suggested, “In the Alchemist Grandmaster Competition five years later, getting the first place is not as easy as you think. With a rank six godhead as a prize, some thousand year old monsters that have hidden away will compete as well. These alchemy old monsters’ skills are in no way worse than your Master Ascending Moon Old Man.”
Huang Xiaolong took a deep breath: “I understand!”
He absolutely had to win the first place in this term’s Alchemist Grandmaster Competition!
If he had that rank six godhead, he’d be able to breakthrough to Eighth Order God Realm in thirty years. If he missed this chance, it would take at least a hundred years and above before he could reach Eighth Order God Realm.
And the Highgod Advancement Tournament was in less than two hundred years. Time was too tight, therefore he had to use every method possible to advance to Tenth Order God Realm as soon as possible.
Soon, another two months passed by.
In these two months, Huang Xiaolong still practiced his alchemy refining skills during the day, but now, he fully focused his time on improving his alchemy skills, no longer dividing his attention with practicing battle skills. At night, he continued to swallow the Three Revolutions Golden Pills, cultivating to increase his strength.
When Huang Xiaolong was refining pills, Shi Xiaofei and the Huang Family watched quietly at the side while he explained to them as he demonstrated.
Hence, in the last few months, Shi Xiaofei and the Huang Family’s alchemy skills had greatly improved.
There was news regarding the matter Huang Xiaolong asked Liu Yun to investigate. As expected, Yang Yi did not return to the land of new moon. Liu Yun also found out that after Yang Yi departed with the Vermillion Bird Institute’s He Feifan to the Vermillion Bird Galaxy, she had yet to return.
As for what happened after Yang Yi went to the Vermillion Bird Galaxy, Liu Yun was unable to find out.
Huang Xiaolong frowned at this result. Most likely something happened to Yang Yi after going to the Vermillion Bird Galaxy, but he needed to prepare for the Alchemist Grandmaster Competition, he was unable to make a trip to the Vermillion Bird Galaxy to investigate this himself. Not forgetting the fact that, at his current level of strength, he’d be unable to meddle in matters of Highgod Realm masters. In the end, he could only request his Eldest Apprentice-brother Liu Yun to keep an eye out for news about Yang Yi.
When Shi Xiaofei came to know about this, although she was anxious, there was nothing she could do but stay on the Golden Dragon Peak with Huang Xiaolong and wait for news from Liu Yun.
Just like this, Huang Xiaolong stayed inside the Golden Dragon Peak, practicing his alchemy refining skills everyday, day after day. Days turned into months, and in the blink of an eye, four years and three months had passed.
Only three months remained until the Alchemist Grandmaster Competition.