True Martial World - Chapter 1374: Wang Mu

Although the elder seemed to treat the matter lightly, Yi Yun could sense his sadness. His breathing was even shaking slightly.

His son was originally treated by the Martial Numinous clan, but they eventually deemed his condition untreatable and sent him home. Clearly, they had given up on him.

Upon coming to this realization, Yi Yun could not help but scan Xiaoxiao's father again. He sensed a tinge of helplessness and pangs of reality.

The Martial Numinous clan had once favored him because of his talent. When he lost his worth, they naturally abandoned him. When that happened, his family could only carry his motionless body back home and take care of him silently. However, what could an old man and a child do? All they could do was tend to him fruitlessly and wait in despair for his death.

"Old Sir, let me see if I can help."

Yi Yun stood up. His alchemical skills weren't entirely suited to treating medical illnesses but it was better than nothing. He was bound to come up with some sort of solution.

The elder shook his head and said, "Sir, thank you for your good intentions. But if he truly was treatable, the Martial Numinous clan would have healed him long ago. However, the Martial Numinous clan's doctors were helpless."

The elder did not believe that Yi Yun had such abilities. But having spent the last couple of years suffering, he still had hope. It was the reason why he brought Yi Yun to his house.

"This is my son. His name is Wang Mu."

The elder wiped Wang Mu's face. The young man on the bed was frail and did not appear like he could last even a few more months.

Yi Yun noticed that Wang Mu's veins slightly protruded along his arteries and the corners of his eyes. It seemed like he was experiencing excruciating pain even in his unconsciousness.

Yi Yun observed Wang Mu's dantian and examined his body for a long while with his perception. Wang Mu's meridians had eroded, and there were certain areas along his meridians that had tiny blue spots. They were hardly detectable without close scrutiny.

"Oh?"

Upon seeing the blue spots, Yi Yun's brows knitted together.

This is…

Yi Yun thought of something. He carefully compared the spots on Wang Mu's meridians to the records in the divine alchemist's notes.

"Blue Shadow Grass…" muttered Yi Yun.

"What?"

"A rare herb that can be used in medicine. As it is hard to find, it is extremely expensive. Blue Shadow Grass can be ground into a liquid and mixed with Deathroot Gravel, forming a lethal poison. After consuming it, a person will be tormented for several years, slowly causing their death…"

"This kind of poison is very unpopular. Very few people would use it. Also it's difficult to diagnose in the beginning. Only when the victim is about to die do the obvious symptoms appear. These symptoms include blue spots on the withered meridians, which is what your son is presently showing…" said Yi Yun with a heavy expression. The records of the Blue Shadow Grass in the divine alchemist's manual mainly described the dosage and effects. It lacked a long or detailed description of its poisonous properties as it was very rarely used.

He never expected that the young man he encountered here would be inflicted with the Blue Shadow Grass and Deathroot Gravel poison.

"Poisoned… you are telling me he was poisoned…"

Upon hearing Yi Yun's words, the elder was instantly stunned. His son had encountered a mishap while out on experiential training, that was what he was told. Although it was possible that he had been stabbed by a weapon infused with poison, that did not appear to be the case according to Yi Yun's description.

Yi Yun said, "This sort of poison is extremely expensive. It has two unique features. One of them is its undetectability. It's very difficult to notice it in the early stages. The second feature is the torment… The victim will experience an unimaginable torture. Most people would not use such a poison unless it were to settle a deep vendetta. And even if it's used, the actual act of poisoning requires time, such as using it as a perfume that is very subtle…"

Yi Yun sighed. Actually, when he discovered that the poison was a mix between Blue Shadow Grass and Deathroot Gravel, he knew immediately that the old man's son had not been injured because of some training accident. Instead, he had succumbed to underhanded means by someone close to him.

"Subtle…"

When the old man heard that word, his heart palpitated. His son had been harmed while in the sect. Why? Why did this happen!?

He recalled the period when Wang Mu practiced martial arts arduously in his youth, striking a column until his fists were bloodied. Wang Mu would risk his life for a mere herb. As he staggered down his path, he eventually made a name for himself and entered the Martial Numinous clan. No one could have guessed that, just as his martial dream was fulfilled, he would be harmed by his fellow disciples.

Upon realizing this, the elder felt his heart wince in pain. Tears streamed down his face.

"Young Master, can… can you save my son…" the old man asked with a trembling voice. He knew that his request was overly demanding. All he could give Yi Yun was an Entry Pass.

"It's very difficult." Yi Yun pondered. "Although I can concoct the medicine, I'm not certain I can find the needed herbs. Besides, he has been poisoned for too long. Even if he was cured of his poison, it would be difficult for him to return to his former self."

Wang Mu's meridians had eroded and he had been bedridden for a long time. Restoring him would require large amounts of treasured herbs and a long recuperative period. Yi Yun did not believe that Wang Mu was able to afford that.

"I know. I was just asking on the off chance. I'm sorry I troubled you, Young Master."

The elder sighed. That was probably fate. His son was suddenly reduced to this state after entering a large sect. But what else could he do? It was not even possible to seek redress. This was the plight of weaklings.

Yi Yun did not know what to say. But at that moment, the young girl beside the old man plopped to the ground on her knees.

"Young Master, please save my father. We just need him to wake up. There's no need to restore him to his former self. All I want is for him to wake up and be able to take care of me. All I have is my grandfather and father. Besides, we can't live like this any longer. This house and the tea shop are about to be repossessed. We… We…"

As the girl spoke, her eyes were filled with tears. Her voice also changed from her sniffling. "Young Master, as long as you are willing to save my dad, I'm willing to do anything to repay you."

"Your house is going to be repossessed?" Yi Yun frowned. "Isn't this house your father's private property?"

The girl weeped and said, "It was… But ever since my father fell ill, they claimed that it wasn't. They said that the Martial Numinous clan had only leased it out to Father. Besides, when my father was cultivating in the past, he had spent a lot of the clan's resources. He had also used a sizable amount of medicine while he was ill. They said that even the house is completely insufficient to make up for what we owe them."

"This is truly the superficiality of human relationships…"

Yi Yun shook his head. He refused to believe that the upper echelons of the Martial Numinous clan would be eyeing this house. It was impossible they would concern themselves with Wang Mu's properties.

However, there were many thieves in the Martial Numinous clan. To them, bullying an orphan and elder was extremely easy. And without Wang Mu, the upper echelons of the Martial Numinous clan would definitely ignore their outcome.

Yi Yun sighed and helped the girl up. He asked, "I'll attempt to awaken your father. However, I cannot guarantee anything. By the way, what happened to your mother?"

According to what the elder had said, the girl's mother was also a disciple of the Martial Numinous clan. Why wasn't she taking care of the two of them?

"My mother… She… seems to have… abandoned me."

When the girl said that, she could no longer stop the flood of tears. Her body trembled as she cried silently.

"She has abandoned you?"

Yi Yun was alarmed. Could there be such a heartless mother? She didn't even want her own daughter and even allowed her to be bullied?

"Young Master Lian, my daughter-in-law, has not appeared ever since my son fell ill. If I had to say, she's a fine lady and still rather young. It's only right for her to marry again. I can't criticize her choices there. But for her to not even come and shown any concern… She has even ignored Xiaoxiao. I was originally worried that she had matters that she could not extricate herself from so I asked around. But a few months ago, people from the Martial Numinous clan came to me and demanded we give up the house. I asked them about her and was mocked. Only then did I discover that my daughter-in-law is about to have a grand wedding. Her wedding will be in about two weeks. Now that I think of it, calling her my daughter-in-law at this point is quite laughable…"

The elder's words made one's heart wince in pain.

"Wedding…"

Yi Yun frowned when he heard that word. She was having her wedding before Wang Mu was even dead?

From the instant the Martial Numinous clan abandoned Wang Mu, allowing the elder to bring him home, she had not visited him at all. She didn't even care for her daughter. She allowed the duo to be bullied. It was not something even a person with a steel heart would do.

On further thought, Yi Yun thought of something that appalled him. Wang Mu's wife slept beside him. If she had been the one who poisoned him…

However, why would Wang Mu's wife kill her husband? If she did not like him, why did she marry him in the first place? Also, why did she bear his child after their marriage? When it came to warriors, they could seal their meridians if they did not wish to become pregnant.

Yi Yun found many aspects of the matter puzzling. Yi Yun even felt that Wang Mu's predicament likely had something to do with the woman.

If he could awaken Wang Mu, perhaps he could obtain some explanations…

Yi Yun looked at Wang Mu and found his situation extremely challenging. It was not easy to awaken him considering the lack of herbs.

All he could do was give it a try…

True Martial World - Chapter 1373: Entry Pass

Yi Yun was slightly taken aback when he heard the elder's voice. Although he had been nervous, he did not show it on his face. He never expected the elder to guess that he had hid in the tea shop because he had encountered an enemy. This was probably the reason why he did not come forward to welcome him right away.

Yi Yun did not reply to his question and instead said, "Old Sir, I am indeed thirsty. Please bring me some tea and food.

"Sir, it's just ordinary, bland tea and food. I hope you will not despise it."

With that said, the elder went to prepare a pot of tea and some dried fruits.

The tea was ordinary spirit tea but it took on a different fragrance when brewed by the elder. Yi Yun swirled the tea leaves within his bowl and drank a mouthful. He nodded and said, "Good tea."

The elder shook his head and said, "Sir, don't embarrass me. To someone of your status, how can this tea be enjoyable?"

Yi Yun put down the bowl of tea and looked at the elder. Although he was advanced in age, his flames of vitality were not to the point of being snuffed out yet. He still had a few more centuries left in him.

Yi Yun said, "Drinking tea is all about one's state of mind. Taking that into account, the tea itself isn't of great importance. Just like you, Old Sir. You are able to keep a tea shop in Martial City, where each square inch is worth its weight in gold. However, the tea and food you sell here don't cost much. Such a business model should not be able to pay the rent. If you did not have a good state of mind, I'm afraid you would not still be in business."

Upon hearing Yi Yun's words, the elder gave a wry laugh. "Sir, this tea shop is mine. I do not need to pay rent…"

Yi Yun was somewhat shocked when he heard that. There was no need to ask further. Shops in Martial City were sold for very high prices. The old man was only at the Yuan foundation realm; yet, he owned such a shop?

"My son left it for me to run." The elder waved his hand before bringing some jerky to Yi Yun.

Yi Yun did not press further when he noticed that the elder was not willing to elaborate. He instead asked, "Old Sir, do you know where in Martial City I might be able to buy top-grade treasured herbs?"

"Top-grade treasured herbs… If you want the best, you'll have to go into the inner city of Martial City. It's also the sixth city district of Martial Numinous Palace. The palace covers a large area of Martial City. However, getting into the inner city requires an Entry Pass…"

"Entry Pass? How do I get one?" Yi Yun had seen special markings around the sixth district on the map. However, the map did not provide any instruction on obtaining access into the inner city.

"Martial Numinous Palace allows warriors to submit applications every year. After a period of examination, they will release Entry Passes to the qualified applicants. However, the examination's criteria are rather strict. Besides, the most recent examination period has ended. You will probably not be able to get one."

Yi Yun was stumped when he heard the elder's explanation. He never expected the Martial Numinous clan to be that particular. An Entry Pass was needed just to enter the inner city. Furthermore, the distribution of the passes was such a tedious process.

The elder seemed to read Yi Yun's mind for he said, "The Martial Numinous clan is an ancient clan. They have a special blood lineage and some excellent talent. In fact, they do not think much of outsiders. There are some outsiders that have become Martial Numinous Elders, but in general they are often ostracized and repressed. More than ninety percent of the people in the sixth district are Martial Numinous clansmen."

The elder said this leisurely, but Yi Yun was shocked hearing this. The elder's cultivation level was very low but he knew so many things.

He glanced at the elder's dantian. He was not a person who had lost his cultivation after being injured. He really was just a warrior with a low cultivation level. He did not have any martial talent either.

"Old Sir, thank you for telling me this much. It looks like I can only seek out other places."

Yi Yun did not wish to waste him time waiting for a few materials. He had considered sneaking into the inner city but there was just too much risk, considering that Myriad God Patriarch was in the city. He decided against it.

Yi Yun was planning to pay and depart when the elder said, "Sir, there's no need for you to leave. I happen to have an Entry Pass. I have no use for it and can give it to you."

"Oh?" Yi Yun gave the elder an odd glance. This old man even had an Entry Pass? Didn't he just say that the the examinations for obtaining one were very stringent?

The elder said, "It was also given to me by my son. I guess you can consider him a member of the Martial Numinous clan…"

So that's how it is…

Yi Yun nodded. He sensed that this man's flames of vitality were a little more vigorous than a typical Yuan foundation realm elder's. Perhaps he had eaten some pills that extended his lifespan. Such pills could very likely be a gift from his son.

The son sure was filial. He gave his father a tea shop, medicinal pills, and an Entry Pass.

"Sir, I can give it to you if you follow me home…"

As the elder said that, he prepared to close his shop.

It was just past noon, so when he saw the elder closing the doors, Yi Yun said sheepishly, "Old Sir, there's no rush. You have only done business for half a day. I can wait till night time."

The elder shook his head. "It's fine. It's not like there are any customers. My son left this tea shop to me, giving me a place to chat with a few old friends. It also lets me provide the warriors with low cultivation levels who frequently come and go from Martial City a place to rest their feet. However, business has suffered recently. There aren't many people so it's alright even if I shut the store…"

As the elder spoke, he slowly pulled the latch on the door.

He brought Yi Yun through a few small alleys and into a yard. The yard wasn't large but there was a towering tree planted in the middle of it. Its lush crown sheltered the entire yard, casting cool shadows and giving off a soft fragrance.

"It's quite a nice place to live," thought Yi Yun sincerely. The cost of such an exquisite residence in Martial City was definitely high. From the looks of it, the elder's son was quite capable.

With the grinding sounds of a wooden spool's spinning, the elder pushed open the yard door. A young lady dressed in a flowery dress was washing a towel in a basin of water she had just drawn.

She looked about fifteen and was filled with a youthful, vibrant energy.

She pursed her lips when she saw the elder enter, as though she was about to say something. However, she stopped the moment she saw Yi Yun standing behind him.

"Grandfather, who is this…"

The young lady looked mentally frail and appeared delicate. However, she turned wary when she saw Yi Yun.

"He's a guest of mine. He's not a bad guy. Xiaoxiao, serve him a bowl of tea," the elder said before he said to Yi Yun, "Sir, please wait in the guest hall. Let me get the Entry Pass."

Yi Yun cupped his fists and bowed. "Thank you, Old Sir. Might I know how much the Entry Pass will be…"

"You don't have to pay. It's not going to any use with me. Since I have no need to enter the inner city, I might as well give it to you."

As the elder spoke, he walked to a side room.

Yi Yun glanced at the elder's back. From the looks of it, the elder had quite a fulfilling life. He had a filial and outstanding son who provided for him. However, he had a nagging feeling that there was something troubling the elder.

Yi Yun focused slightly. Out of curiosity, he watched the young girl enter a room. He sensed breathing, albeit very weak, coming from the room. It implied that there was someone living in there.

Yi Yun could not help but sweep with his perception. Immediately, he saw the scene within the room. He was taken aback by what greeted him.

He saw a pale-looking young man with protruded blood vessels lying on a bed. And the young girl was kneeling by his side, wringing the towel dry after she carefully wiped the young man's body.

The man did not seem aware of it. If not for his weak breathing, Yi Yun would have thought he was already dead.

The young man was extremely sick!

"Father… quickly get up. I beg of you. If you don't get well, what will Grandfather and I do…"

The girl wiped the man's face as her tears could not help but stream down. Yi Yun was stunned as he watched.

Father…

The young man was the elder's son?

He recalled the expression of the elder whenever he mentioned his son. It was not one of pride but that of a heavy heart. Yi Yun instantly understood that the elder's son was already bedridden and unconscious.

Yi Yun could not help but scan the young man's dantian. He was surprised to see a Dao Palace.

A second-storey Dao Palace.

In comparison to the elder's age, the young man was definitely not more than a few centuries old. To reach the second-storey of the Dao Palace at that age made him a rare genius.

It was quite a pity that such a genius would suddenly fall unconscious and be on the brink of death.

Yi Yun felt his heart wince for no clear reason when he saw the young girl weeping as she worked hard at wiping her father's face.

Such a young man was the pillar of support for his family. If he fell, the daughter and father he left behind would probably lead a hard life in Martial City.

Thinking back to the elder who sold low-grade spirit tea and his back when he closed the tea shop, Yi Yun felt a soft spot in his heart stir…

"Sir, here is the Entry Pass."

The elder walked into the guest hall and held a bronze token. The words 'Martial Numinous' were engraved on its front.

"Xiaoxiao, why haven't you brewed the tea?" asked the elder.

"I'm coming."

Xiaoxiao hurriedly wiped her tears and took out some tea leaves and boiling water to bring to the guest hall.

When Yi Yun saw the girl's red puffy eyes, he was at a loss for words. He took the tea the girl handed him and fell silent for a moment. He asked the elder, "Old Sir, can you tell me about your son?"

Upon hearing Yi Yun's inquiry, the elder was stunned. He immediately guessed that Yi Yun had seen his bedridden son. noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

He shook his head and said, "There's nothing much to say. Perhaps fate wasn't on his side and gave him a short life… He had quite extraordinary talent and appeared to have obtained some opportunities. At a young age, he was roped in by the Martial Numinous clan and was simply dazzling. After he gained standing in the Martial Numinous clan, he moved me to Martial City. He even opened a tea shop for me. I could chat with old friends whenever I was bored. Later, he married a gorgeous wife and had a daughter. I thought I was blessed to have such a son but fortune is fickle. While he was out on experiential training, he was heavily injured, reducing him to his present state. In the beginning, the Martial Numinous clan was willing to treat him but two years ago, the Martial Numinous clan announced that he was incurable. I brought him back home and have been taking care of him to this day…"

True Martial World - Chapter 1372: Dwarf

Although Yi Yun was given some idea after seeing the map, he still let out an audible sigh when he actually saw the city. It was far bigger than in his imagination.

The city's name was simply Martial, derived from the Martial Numinous clan's name. In a warrior's world, a city being named Martial City was a projection of its strength. Otherwise, it would have been something to mock.

According to the labels on the map, Martial City was split into six main districts. Yi Yun went straight for the first district because it was uniquely known for its numerous apothecaries. Yi Yun was in search of Fey bones and other herbal materials needed for the Dragon Emperor bloodline. He wanted to continue refining the pills required for the Dragon Emperor Technique.

The herbal materials Yi Yun needed were mostly priceless treasures, but with the White Lunar Divine Empire being so massive, it was not impossible to find them there at all.

Yi Yun entered the city alone. He did not stand out amongst the crowd that was entering the city. Furthermore, he had concealed his cultivation level to appear like that of a third-storey Dao Palace realm person. Even in the White Lunar Divine Empire, Supremacies were not commonly seen. And with Yi Yun being so young, he was bound to attract attention as a Supremacy. Yi Yun did not wish to be noticed while in the Martial Numinous clan's territory.

Yi Yun was planning on shopping around to try his luck when he suddenly sensed a cold and sinister perception sweep through the street he was on. In response, a baffling sense of danger arose in Yi Yun's heart as it left him stifled.

He was momentarily shocked as he immediately converged his energy using the Purple Crystal. Such a dangerous feeling had come so suddenly. Not just that, it was in plain view on the streets of Martial City.

Yi Yun lowered his head and quickly entered a tiny tea shop. He found a corner and sat down. He converged all his aura and did not dare release his perception.

However, Yi Yun possessed the energy vision. Even without releasing his perception, he could still survey his surroundings with the energy vision.

Nothing could hide from the energy vision. Yi Yun saw that most people on the streets were lacking in cultivation levels. None of them were worth his attention.

However, he soon found someone. His body appeared like a black hole. It silently devoured the surrounding energy and laws.

The person was extremely short, like a dwarf. He wore a heavy cloak and his entire body was wrapped within. His face was shielded by the shadows and it was impossible to discern his appearance from where Yi Yun was. He had a thin force field around him that isolated him from the world.

If not for Yi Yun's energy vision, a perception probe alone would find it difficult to detect anything special about the person.

The person was likely a Divine Lord, and an extraordinary one at that.

Yi Yun had now broken through to become a Supremacy. He had a certain gauge of a person's strength too. Furthermore, he sensed something familiar about the aura that was being released by this person…

Who was he?

Yi Yun scoured through his memories and there was only one person that matched the dwarf-like height who came to mind. That person made Yi Yun's heart skip a beat.

Myriad God Patriarch!?

He was not dead after all!?

Yi Yun was inclined to believe that Myriad God Patriarch was already dead. However, there were only a handful of Divine Lords that he was familiar with. As for the dwarf-like body, Myriad God Patriarch was the only person he knew that met that criteria. Back then, Myriad God Patriarch was dressed up like a red-clothed child. However, his body was completely aged.

With this line of thought, the dwarf was very likely Myriad God Patriarch.

Back then, Myriad God Patriarch nearly robbed him of his life. Old Snake pursued Myriad God Patriarch and he entered the spatial chaos to witness the old bastard being pulverized. Yi Yun had even obtained Myriad God Patriarch's interspatial ring but… the old bastard actually managed to escape?

Yi Yun felt a chill when he came to this realization. It was quite ridiculous how many tricks the old bastard had up his sleeve. He even managed to fool Old Snake.

Although Yi Yun was unclear about how strong Old Snake truly was, he knew that he was not inferior to the White Lunar Divine Empire's Imperial Preceptors.

The world at large had underestimated Myriad God Ridge as well as Myriad God Patriarch.

Upon gathering his thoughts, Yi Yun felt extremely vexed. Having just arrived in the White Lunar Divine Empire, Yi Yun was unbothered by the Martial Numinous clan. After all, the clansmen he met back then were not considered strong. It was unlikely they could recognize him. However, Myriad God Patriarch was different. If he was recognized by him, he might be swallowed whole.

"Thankfully, I have used the Star Transference Heaven Changing Book to hide from the Martial Numinous clan. Besides, that old bastard would probably never guess that I would come here. He did not do a careful search or the outcome would be unimaginable."

The Star Transference Heaven Changing Book was an extremely brilliant disguise. Even an enemy an entire realm higher than Yi Yun would find it difficult to see through its disguise. This was the reason he dared to stay in Martial City.

Yi Yun sat in the tea shop while converging his aura, as he watched Myriad God Patriarch leave through the energy vision until his aura was completely gone.

"Unfortunately, Senior Old Snake isn't around…"

Yi Yun shook his head. He had stayed in the Nine Li Magus Empire for too long and Old Snake had already been away for several years. It was unknown where he had gone to.

Although Old Snake treated Yi Yun as though he was his junior, he could not constantly stay by Yi Yun's side as his bodyguard. Ultimately, he needed to heal himself of his injuries. It was an obsession of his.

Yi Yun understood this and did not want to constantly trouble Old Snake anyway. He had to learn to rely on himself eventually.

"Young man, do you want some tea? Or are you here to eat something…"

While Yi Yun was still having his thoughts run wild, he suddenly heard an old voice.

Only then did Yi Yun recall that he had sat down in an obscure tea shop to evade detection. A store manager naturally came to serve him.

Yi Yun sized up the manager. The old man had white hair and had an extremely low cultivation level. He was only at the Yuan foundation realm, the beginning steps of the martial path. That was not considered a very high cultivation level even in the lower realms. In the White Lunar Divine Empire, it was practically a mortal.

Of course, any country in the Sinkhole, even the White Lunar Divine Empire, had many more mortals than warriors. Most people were unsuitable for practicing martial arts.

However, mortals were rarely made manager of a store in Martial City. The rent in the city was extremely expensive. Managers were typically at or higher than the Dao Manifestation realm. Such a weak elder astonished Yi Yun.

Furthermore, the tea shop appeared spartan. The tables and chairs were made from ordinary wood. They were not made of any treasured wood. The shop sold tea leaves and some snacks but they were lacking in spiritual energies. They were only slightly better than what mortals ate.

Yi Yun swept his surroundings with his perception and was astonished. Martial City had such a place?

Such cheap tea leaves and food could not be sold for much. Perhaps few people patronized it.

In fact, Yi Yun was the only customer in the store at the moment. He was sitting alone in the corner, as though he was melting into the shadows.

The old man noticed Yi Yun's expression and chuckled. He said, "Young man, I can tell you aren't here to drink tea. Did you see an enemy? Continue sitting there and have a rest."

True Martial World - Chapter 1371: Onward to the Seven Desolates

As an alchemist, Yi Yun could tell that the quality of the mobile herbal garden the High Priest gave him was extremely high.

At that moment, the High Priest said, "Not only can this River of Forgetfulness's water be used for your cultivation, it can also be used on spirit herbs to accelerate their growth. However, the River of Forgetfulness's water is just too precious. Unless the spirit herb is direly needed, it is not to be used so casually."

Yi Yun nodded. The Nine Li Magus Empire probably did not have much of the River of Forgetfulness's water stored. Yet they were giving him so much. The only reason conclusion he could draw was that the Nine Li Magus Empire was prepared to pay a tremendous price for the Fate Changing Pill.

Now that the pill had yet been refined, the High Priest naturally had to show Yi Yun some good faith.

Besides, the High Priest felt that it would only bring benefits, and no harm, to the Nine Li Magus Empire if it befriended Yi Yun.

Yi Yun knew the High Priest's intent clearly, so he did not stand on ceremony. He immediately took the interspatial ring. "Thank you, Your Excellency."

The High Priest laughed out when he saw Yi Yun accept the gift. He followed up with a question, "My young friend, are you planning on resting after coming out of seclusion? If you intend to cultivate, this palace does have some good cultivation grounds. Heading to the Ancient Ruins world again isn't impossible either. My Nine Li Magus Empire has always appreciated the capable."

The High Priest's intent of recruiting Yi Yun was obvious.

Although Yi Yun was only a Supremacy, it was not a problem for him to be made a guest Elder of the Nine Li Magus Empire.

His future were definitely not limited to that of an average Supremacy.

Yi Yun shook his head. "I appreciate your good intentions, Your Excellency. However, I plan on leaving the Nine Li Magus Empire to head for the White Lunar Divine Empire. I will naturally return to complete the pill when I am ready."

"The White Lunar Divine Empire? It is extremely massive and it is a powerful faction…" The High Priest was about to advise against it, but one look at Yi Yun's face and he knew there was no way he could convince him to stay.

The High Priest swiped his interspatial ring gently as a thin piece of silk appeared in his hand.

"I went to the White Lunar Divine Empire in my early years. I still have a map of the Seven Desolates. Since you have made up your mind, take this Seven Desolates map. The White Lunar Divine Empire rules over the Seven Desolates and there are some local customs and practices written on the map. It might be of some help to you," said the High Priest.

The Seven Desolates were extensive and had a complicated power structure. Furthermore, it was the White Lunar Divine Empire's territory, making it extremely difficult for an outsider to construct a map of the Seven Desolates. As such, Yi Yun naturally did not reject it.

"Thank you, Your Excellency," said Yi Yun.

After he walked out of the tower, he saw Nine Li Magus Maiden standing outside.

She stood there with her graceful and tall figure, exuding a bearing that was noble and mysterious. As the gentle breeze hit her body, it felt like she would float away in the wind.

"Your Highness," greeted Yi Yun after he went over.

"Young Master Yi, are you planning on leaving now?" asked Nine Li Magus Maiden.

She was very intelligent and could sense that Yi Yun was eager to leave.

"Yes, I am searching for someone."

"Oh? Might the person you are looking for be a woman? I wonder what kind of woman she is. She must be very very happy," said Nine Li Magus Maiden with a faint smile.

She had guessed it from the look in Yi Yun's eyes. It was as if memories were flooding through them. Yi Yun was likely searching for a woman that was very close to him. With Yi Yun's talent, she was curious what sort of woman could match up to him.

"Your Highness, I bid you farewell," said Yi Yun as he cupped his fists.

Under the High Priest's decree, someone specially led Yi Yun to the Nine Li Magus Empire's teleportation array.

The Nine Li Magus Empire and the White Lunar Divine Empire stayed out of each other's businesses but the Nine Li Magus Empire had a teleportation array that led to an area close to the Seven Desolates. It was the closest Yi Yun could get to the White Lunar Divine Empire from the Nine Li Magus Empire.

It was a super long-distance teleportation array. After Yi Yun stood on it, large amounts of Spirit Jade were expended and, with a flash of white light, the scene before Yi Yun's eyes went into a blur. His body rapidly tore through the spatial tunnel.

After an unknown period of time, Yi Yun suddenly felt his feet plant firmly into the ground. Before he came round, he felt the wind from a strike inundate him.

"Boom!" Yi Yun struck out with his palm.

He heard a loud rumbling crash, as if something huge was hitting the ground, before he opened his eyes.

Lying a distance away was a black, ferocious tiger. It was panting in pain as it looked at Yi Yun in horror.

When it saw Yi Yun open his eyes to look at it, the tiger instantly whimpered in fear. It scrambled to climb up in a bid to escape.

"Stay behind." Yi Yun flew up and stepped on the tiger's back.

It whimpered and did not dare move, trembling beneath Yi Yun's feet.

The black tiger was a massive behemoth, but it appeared to have met its match in Yi Yun.

Yi Yun looked at his surroundings, which were a desolate valley. Before he arrived here, the High Priest had informed him that the destination of the teleportation array was a very secretive area. The Nine Li Magus Empire was always an insular country and had no ties with the White Lunar Divine Empire. Therefore, although the other countries and Great Worlds had teleportation arrays that led directly into the Seven Desolates, theirs was located outside the Seven Desolates.

Yi Yun did not mind this at all. The White Lunar Divine Empire was dangerous. He did not wish to immediately bring attention to himself the moment he passed through the teleportation array. According to the High Priest, the White Lunar Divine Empire did not really welcome outsiders.

Now, from the looks of it, although there was no one here, there were beasts. The black tiger must have sensed the Yuan Qi fluctuation and came to sneak an attack on Yi Yun. However, it never expected to fail in its hunt and end up as Yi Yun's prisoner.

"According to the map, I'm still quite a distance away from the closest Seven Desolates continent." Yi Yun glanced at the map before stamping on the black tiger's back. "Big guy, you are quite intelligent, so why don't you be my steed? Let's go."

The black tiger was too depressed even for tears. It was the king of the valley, but now it had been reduced to being a steed.

However, it did have some intelligence. It knew where Yi Yun was headed and knew that the person on its back was not someone it could survive against.

Hence, with a grunt, the black tiger pounced forward while carrying Yi Yun on its back.

The valley was located in a mountain range that spanned half a million kilometers. However, Yi Yun stood on the black tiger's back and leisurely took in the scenery as they went. Soon, they were approaching the Seven Desolates.

Far into the distance, Yi Yun could see that the path ahead seemed to come to a sudden break. All that was left was a cliff, and beside it was a river of stars.

On the other side of the river of stars was a floating continent. At a glance, it did not seem like it had an end. He could not tell how massive it was.

"This river of stars is called the Ruo River. Ordinary beasts and warriors are incapable of flying across it. They would be torn apart by the complicated space-time eddies. Therefore this river of stars is a natural boundary of the Seven Desolates.

Yi Yun recalled the information written on the map.

The black tiger was constantly growling deeply and fearfully when it reached that spot. It did not dare proceed any further.

Yi Yun threw a hard rock at the Ruo River which turned to smithereens the moment it entered the resplendent river of stars.

The Sinkhole was ancient and mysterious. It spanned an area that was unimaginably huge. It was filled with countless secrets. Unless one saw it with their own eyes, one would never imagine that such a gorgeous river of stars possessed such danger.

"Whine…" The black tiger was still whimpering. It had suffered tremendously while transporting Yi Yun here. It knew that if Yi Yun forced it to enter the Ruo River, it would rather choose to fight it out with the devil than jump in and commit suicide.

"Alright, you may leave." Yi Yun looked down at the tiger speechlessly. Then, he leaped off from the tiger's back.

When the black tiger heard Yi Yun's pardon, it immediately roared twice in excitement. When it saw Yi Yun standing before the Ruo River, it quickly shut up and gave a fearful glance at Yi Yun. It ran away with its tail between its legs.

However, the black tiger hid behind a boulder not far away. It secretly watched Yi Yun. It had been ingrained into its memories, its very instincts, to avoid the river of stars. It wanted to know if the evil and fierce human could pass through it.

Yi Yun obviously knew that the black tiger was watching him but he did not mind. All he did was look at the river before him silently.

"Even before I became a Supremacy, a mere river of stars like this would not have been able to stop me." Yi Yun gave a carefree smile as he strode forward and stepped into the river of stars.

The chaotic laws were flattened with every step of Yi Yun's. There was the endless universe above him, and the boundless desolate continent behind.

With that, Yi Yun stepped through the radiant starlight as he walked towards the Seven Desolates continent…

The Seven Desolates were made up of a total of seven continents. The continent closest to the Heavenly South Great World was in the periphery.

When Yi Yun reached this continent, his facial features had changed. He went from his otherworldly looks to that of a handsome mortal scholar's.

"Martial Numinous continent… I never expected to enter the Martial Numinous clan's territory the moment I arrived in the White Lunar Divine Empire. It's better if I changed my looks so that my enemies here don't recognize me." Yi Yun stroked his chin as this thought came to mind. noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

In the map's introduction, Yi Yun knew that the White Lunar Divine Empire included the Martial Numinous continent. It was unfriendly to outsiders to begin with. In addition, Yi Yun had come into conflict with the Martial Numinous clan back in the Ancient Ruins world. The Nine Transformations Celestial Silkworm he 'stole' from them was happily staying in his God Advent Tower at present.

The White Lunar Divine Empire was just too large. After coming here, Yi Yun did not plan on recklessly searching for Lin Xintong. He planned to use the opportunity to raise his strength.

The stronger he was, the greater confidence he had.

When he planted the Abyssal Red Lotus in the medicinal soil, Yi Yun had also steeled his heart to use a few drops of the River of Forgetfulness's water on it. Yi Yun wanted to refine a supreme-grade pill and was still short of a few herbs. And those things were likely obtainable in the vast Seven Desolates that had abundant resources.

Yi Yun got his bearings after landing. Following that, he flew up and headed into the distance.

A few days later, Yi Yun came before a humongous city.

This was the biggest city in the Martial Numinous continent. It was a bustling city with billions of people living in it. It was something unimaginable to the world of mortals.

From afar, Yi Yun could sense the vibrancy. At the same time, there was a massive array formation that drew the surrounding Yuan Qi over to the city. It worked ceaselessly as it maintained the city's Qi flow.

True Martial World - Chapter 1370: Approaching the Divine Lord Realm

Fifty to sixty million years was already considered a rather long time. The High Priest who had lived that long through his capabilities alone was obviously superior to Patriarch Pillheart who had to rely on medicine and slumbering in Blood Jade to barely survive ten million years. Having a long life was a symbol of strength.

It was unknown how long Old Snake had lived…

Yi Yun suddenly had that thought. However, he would find it strange if Old Snake was truly a Godly Monarch. He refused to believe it.

"Young Master Yi, why did you suddenly ask about the White Lunar Divine Empire?" asked Nine Li Magus Maiden.

"I plan on making a trip there," said Yi Yun honestly.

Nine Li Magus Maiden was astonished when she heard that. "You want to head to the White Lunar Divine Empire?"

"Yes."

She was just about to say something but she refrained from doing so when she saw Yi Yun's look of firm determination.

All she could do was say, "The White Lunar Divine Empire is just too large. Other than the White Lunar Goddess Empress, it has three Imperial Preceptors, seven Desolate Monarchs, and twelve High Officials. These twenty-two people are the cream of the crop and are at the Divine Lord realm.

"My master, the High Priest, once sparred with the White Lunar Divine Empire's Imperial Preceptor Coruscant and failed to gain the upper hand. As for Elder Blackrock's strength, he is slightly weaker than the High Priest. Perhaps he is no match for any of the three Imperial Preceptors of the White Lunar Divine Empire."

"I see…"

Yi Yun nodded. Thanks to the Nine Li Magus Maiden's explanation, Yi Yun had a basic understanding of the White Lunar Divine Empire's strength. Basically, the White Lunar Divine Empire only had Bai Yueyin as its sole Godly Monarch. The other experts were all Divine Lords.

However, there were differences among Divine Lords.

The weakest ones were the low-grade Divine Lords that did not fuse with any Divine Lord Royal Seal. These Divine Lords were forever stuck at that realm, never to improve again.

As for the Divine Lords that did fuse with Divine Lord Royal Seals, their strength would be highly disparate based on the strength and quantity of Divine Lord Royal Seals they had fused with.

For instance, Felicitous Rain Lord and Azure Yang Lord had fused with Divine Lord Royal Seals that were born naturally in the world. That was no trifling matter. As for Myriad God Patriarch, he had fused with more than one Divine Lord Royal Seal. It made him even more powerful.

Upon coming to this conclusion, Yi Yun drew in a deep breath. If he were to head to the White Lunar Divine Empire, he would be coming into contact with a world more vast and wide than he had ever experienced. He would also acquaint himself with these powerful Divine Lords.

The difference now was that Divine Lords were no longer an unreachable goal.

Now, Yi Yun had already broken through and become a Supremacy, one realm short of the Divine Lord realm. And in terms of strength, Yi Yun was already approaching the power of a Divine Lord.

Yi Yun had cultivated for less than three hundred years at present. It was an impressive feat for typical geniuses from large sects, such as Myriad God Ridge's Cang Wu, to reach the Supremacy realm by their millennia birthday. But compared to Yi Yun, they were far inferior.

Furthermore, Yi Yun's actual age was even younger due to his consumption of the River of Forgetfulness. He could be considered a rare genius not seen in the Sinkhole for a hundred million years. As long as he was not killed before his time, he had a high chance of becoming a Godly Monarch.

"Young Master Yi, are you determined to leave?" asked Nine Li Magus Maiden. She was a little unwilling to part with such a powerful expert as Yi Yun.

"Yes, the Herb Nurturing Array is already stabilized. I had underestimated its difficulty before I broke through to the Supremacy realm. But looking at the array again, I'm afraid without sufficient time and support of my cultivation level, it will be difficult to complete. I will return to the Nine Li Magus Empire to complete the array once I'm confident enough."

If Yi Yun were to attempt to complete the Herb Nurturing Array now, it would require a tremendous amount of time, not to mention the delay it would impose on his cultivation. And most important of all, he was not confident that success was a given.

He planned on traveling around to raise his strength before returning to complete the array. It would be much easier at that point.

"Alright then. Might I ask if Young Master Yi is willing to meet the High Priest with me?"

Nine Li Magus Maiden felt apologetic for the High Priest's actions, despite knowing that his intentions were only to ensure the wellbeing of her and the Nine Li Magus Empire.

"Of course. I plan on bidding Senior Blackrock and the High Priest farewell," said Yi Yun with a nod.

Although he did not have a good impression on the High Priest, he did not have a bad one either.

He had remained in the array for years so the High Priest was definitely meeting him once he came out.

…

The Nine Li Magus Empire's palace compound was extremely silent. The High Priest stayed in a lofty tower deep in the palace compound.

The tower had nine stories and nine sides. It was covered in ancient runes and emitted a stern and oppressive might.

Yi Yun even sensed that what could be seen of the tower was just the tip of the iceberg. There was probably a massive space within the tower with powerful array formations.

The Nine Li Magus Empire was mysterious to begin with. It was no surprise that an important structure in the palace grounds would contain hidden secrets.

"Young Master Yi, please come on in." When they arrived in front of the tower, an elderly voice was heard.

Other than the High Priest, there were quite a number of people in the tower's hall. They had rushed there when they heard the news.

Among these people, Yi Yun saw someone familiar—Aged Blackrock.

The rest were unfamiliar faces but for them to be there, they naturally held high positions in the Nine Li Magus Empire.

After seeing Yi Yun, these people had slight changes in expression. They had never seen Yi Yun but they had heard of his feats. They never expected him to be so young.

At that moment, the High Priest said, "My young friend Yi Yun, I thank you on behalf of my Nine Li Magus Empire for all that you have done."

Yi Yun shook his head and said, "The Herb Nurturing Array went into disarray because of my switching of the fire seed. What I did, I did to resolve the trouble I caused in the array. I was just offsetting my faults."

The High Priest smiled when he saw that Yi Yun did not claim credit or remain proud. "My young friend, you are overly modest. Although I'm a layperson when it comes to alchemy, even I can tell that the Herb Nurturing Array has experienced a metamorphic change. It is one step closer to completion. However, this meeting is nothing of importance. I just wanted to give you a few items."

As the High Priest said that, he gently waved his hand. A female attendant beside him carried forward a salver with an interspatial ring sitting atop it.

Yi Yun faltered slightly. When he injected his perception into the ring, he saw a tiny jug of black liquid. The liquid seemed bottomless, like it led to another world.

Yi Yun instantly recognized the black liquid to be the River of Forgetfulness's water. The High Priest had given him that much more of it!

Yi Yun was naturally enticed by it.

Other than the River of Forgetfulness's water, Yi Yun also saw a tiny abode in the ring. When he probed it, he realized that it was a herbal garden.

A mobile herbal garden?

Yi Yun's heart stirred. For alchemists, there was always the need to nurture many herbs. It made things a lot more convenient if one had a mobile herbal garden.

However, typical mobile abodes could hardly guarantee a sufficient amount of Heaven Earth Yuan Qi for spirit herbs' growth. One needed to tune an array formation to do that. And once that was accomplished, it would become a mobile herbal garden.

True Martial World - Chapter 1369: Above Divine Lords

Alchemist Sage Purple Gold flew away together with Ouming Yin and Patriarch Pillheart. As they headed out of the array, they suddenly felt that something was amiss after traveling a short distance. The space around them seemed to clamp down on them.

"Oh?"

The three alchemist sages felt a chill as they saw a hideous looking old man appear out of nowhere. He had sealed the space around them as he leisurely approached.

"What's the meaning of this?" questioned Ouming Yin.

"Patriarch Pillheart, are you forgetting something?" said Old Snake in an excessively slow manner.

"What?" Patriarch Pillheart suddenly felt a sense of foreboding.

"Weren't you supposed to leave something behind after making a bet with Yi Yun?"

"What!? What nonsense are you referring to!?" Patriarch Pillheart was furious. It was true that he had made a bet with Yi Yun before they entered the array. They had bet twenty-five kilograms of Purple Numinous Herbal Soil against all the manuals the divine alchemist left behind, as well as the Divine Alchemy Cauldron. However, the bet was not about fixing the array. Back then, the array was not yet on the brink of destruction. Furthermore, there was a time limit of two hundred years. Whoever completed the Herb Nurturing Array first would be the winner.

Yi Yun may have calmed the Herb Nurturing Array, but he had yet to complete it. Furthermore, the two hundred years was not up. Yet, the old man was demanding he give up the Purple Numinous Herbal Soil.

"I haven't lost the bet. Are you trying to rob me?"

"Heh, are you kidding me? How do I know where you will be two hundred years from now? Besides, isn't the outcome already obvious? Yi Yun's completion of the Herb Nurturing Array is only a matter of time. As for you, I know you are aware of the overwhelming odds against you. I advise you to leave the soil behind."

After Old Snake spoke, he directly attacked!

He pressed down at Patriarch Pillheart with his palm, striking straight at Patriarch Pillheart's chest.

By that moment, the Nine Li Magus Empire's Aged Blackrock and High Priest had chased up to them. However, they did not stop the battle.

"Boom!"

The Heaven Earth Yuan Qi suddenly contracted like a cage, trapping Patriarch Pillheart within.

Ouming Yin and Alchemist Sage Purple Gold were prevented from interfering.

Instantly, Patriarch Pillheart sensed that his life was in great danger. The hideous looking old man in front of him could really rob him of his life!

As an alchemist, Patriarch Pillheart was not as strong as other warriors his level. His strength was far inferior to Old Snake's. Furthermore, he had expended a great deal of energy previously. His fire seed had been forcibly taken away from him and he had suffered mental damage. Considering all these factors, this battle's outcome was obvious. Noticing that Ouming Yin and Alchemist Sage Purple Gold had no intention of helping him, Patriarch Pillheart knew that there was no chance of him defeating Old Snake.

Once he was dead, everything of value that he carried would be taken by the old man, much less the twenty-five kilograms of Purple Numinous Herbal Soil.

"Peng!"

Patriarch Pillheart forced himself to withstand Old Snake's strike but it was overly oppressive. In addition, the old man struck like a venomous snake that deliberately sought out his weakest point.

"Puah!"

Patriarch Pillheart spat out a mouthful of blood as he flew backward like a kite that had its string cut. Immediately following that, Old Snake's palm came pressing down on Patriarch Pillheart's head!

Once his soul sea was destroyed, everything was over. Even if Patriarch Pillheart didn't die, he would end up being retarded for the rest of his life.

At the instant he vacillated between life and death, Patriarch Pillheart yelled, "Wait!"

Patriarch Pillheart quickly retreated as he threw an interspatial ring out. He opened a gap from Old Snake and said, "That's the Purple Numinous Herbal Soil you want!"

Old Snake grabbed the interspatial ring and injected his perception into it. Indeed, the Purple Numinous Herbal Soil was inside.

Old Snake gave Patriarch Pillheart a sinister look. He was considering the consequences of killing him anyway.

Old Snake was naturally not conflicted by the act of killing Patriarch Pillheart. However, it was something the Nine Li Magus Empire did not wish to have happen on their land.

Previously, Yi Yun had devoured Patriarch Pillheart and company's fire seeds. He was paying them back in their own coin, so it was reasonable. However, if he were to kill the three alchemist sages here, it would be going overboard. If that happened, people would spread the news that the Nine Li Magus Empire had hired alchemists from all over the world to aid it because of the Herb Nurturing Array's instability. Then, they killed all the alchemist sages out of malicious intent. If that story spread, the Nine Li Magus Empire would probably be blacklisted by all alchemists. It would also stop warriors from ever coming to the Nine Li Magus Empire in the future.

Since the Nine Li Magus Empire was treating Yi Yun well, Old Snake decided to give up on the thought of killing the trio.

Although the trio hated Yi Yun and wanted him dead, Old Snake was confident that it would not be long before Yi Yun had the ability to stand up to them on his own.

As such, Patriarch Pillheart and company were allowed to leave. Old Snake left Patriarch Pillheart's interspatial ring in the island in the array's core.

"Kid, this is the soil you wanted. I'll be going out to look around. Take your time studying the array."

Old Snake vanished after saying that.

Yi Yun needed a lot of time to research the array. Old Snake did not wish to spend time in the God Advent Tower any longer as it was too boring.

In fact, Old Snake ultimately had his own goals. He wished to find a means to cure himself of his internal injuries. And in order to seek them out, he needed to enter perilous lands. There were many places that Yi Yun was still incapable of entering.

"Senior, be careful."

Yi Yun watched Old Snake leave while inside the Herb Nurturing Array. At his present stage, it was impossible for him to help Old Snake. All he could do was remember the gratitude he had for Old Snake. He would repay him when he had the ability to in the future.

As the array turned calm, everything returned to normal.

Yi Yun took the Purple Numinous Herbal Soil and planted the Abyssal Red Lotus Seed into the soil. The Herb Nurturing Array was a land with rich fire-elemental laws. It was extremely suitable for nurturing and nourishing the Abyssal Red Lotus. With the Herb Nurturing Techniques that the divine alchemist left behind, Yi Yun was confident that he could revive the Abyssal Red Lotus.

Yi Yun was in no hurry to leave the array. He knew that the Herb Nurturing Array would require a long period of time to complete. He might as well cultivate as he studied the array.

The people from the Nine Li Magus Empire left as the array turned empty and quiet. Soon, it became empty, as if isolated from the world.

Time slowly passed as several years flew by. One day, Yi Yun switched the Ascending Dragon Cauldron with the Divine Alchemy Cauldron.

The array was set up by the divine alchemist after all. Although the Ascending Dragon Cauldron was powerful, it was not as suitable as the Divine Alchemy Cauldron in terms of compatibility.

Furthermore, the Herb Nurturing Array was now working as intended. A lot of the remaining work was now just a matter of time. Yi Yun did not wish to keep waiting inside the array.

Yi Yun's cultivation level slowly improved as he made use of the time to cultivate. He had already stabilized the beginning stages of the Supremacy realm.

However, Yi Yun had been in seclusion for too long prior to this. Continued seclusion was no longer as effective. He felt that he needed to exit seclusion. After all, enhancing his cultivation level was of utmost importance to him.

Apart from that, Yi Yun was constantly worried about Lin Xintong. He did not know what sort of treatment Lin Xintong was receiving in the White Lunar Divine Empire.

Having come to the Nine Li Magus Empire, Yi Yun was already not very far from the White Lunar Divine Empire.

His eagerness to find Lin Xintong turned more intense as a result.

However, the White Lunar Divine Empire was a massive entity. Bai Yueyin was even more mysterious and unfathomable. Now that Yi Yun had reached the level of Supremacy, he finally felt that he had the necessary confidence to head to the White Lunar Divine Empire and search for Lin Xintong.

The Nine Li Magus Maiden would often visit the Herb Nurturing Array's periphery.

With the alchemists' departure, the Nine Li Magus Empire closed its doors once again. It returned to its quiet and peaceful days.

The Nine Li Magus Maiden felt calm whenever she looked at the Herb Nurturing Array.

That day, a figure suddenly charged out of the array.

Yi Yun was finally ready to leave the Herb Nurturing Array after a few years.

"Young Master Yi." The Nine Li Magus Maiden's eyes had a joyful glint to them. "Thank you."

"I was merely upholding an agreement we made. Your Highness, there's no need thank me," said Yi Yun.

The Nine Li Magus Maiden looked at him. After a few years, Yi Yun seemed to glow with divine light. At a glance, he looked like a mortal scion with no cultivation level but his bearing was extraordinary.

"Young Master, your cultivation level seems to have improved," said the Nine Li Magus Maiden.

Yi Yun smiled faintly before asking. "Might I ask Your Highness a question? Do you know much about the White Lunar Divine Empire?"

"The White Lunar Divine Empire? In terms of history, the White Lunar Divine Empire hasn't been established for that long. However, the White Lunar Goddess Empress has lived for an exceedingly long time. She knows just too many secrets. The White Lunar Divine Empire she established is one of the strongest factions in the Sinkhole. I admire her greatly. I would definitely like to meet her if I had the chance. However, she has not appeared for about ten million years now. It's rumored that she is currently experiencing a tribulation in a secret land."

"Oh? Does Your Highness know what the White Lunar Goddess Empress's cultivation level is?"

"She's definitely a Godly Monarch. Aside from that, it's unknown how long she has been one," said Nine Li Magus Maiden emotively. The realm of Godly Monarch was something countless people yearned for. Once one became a Godly Monarch, their lifespans would be in units of hundreds of millions of years. They possessed strength that was completely unimaginable to ordinary warriors.

"Does Your Highness know how many Godly Monarchs there are in the Sinkhole?" asked Yi Yun. He had always been curious about this point in particular.

"No, I don't." Nine Li Magus Maiden shook her head. "If we are just looking back over the recent tens of millions of years, there has not been any talk of anyone becoming a Godly Monarch. However, the Sinkhole has such a long history. Some Godly Monarchs have lived from ancient times to this present day. The existence of such Godly Monarchs are unknown, much less seekable. As they have lived for a period longer than recorded history, their existences have already been buried in the annals of history. It's not possible to tell if the accounts in many books are legend or truth. Some of the legendary figures written of in books might still be alive but only thought of as legends."

Living longer than recorded history…

Yi Yun drew a gasp. It sounded shocking. Going from a Divine Lord to a Godly Monarch was a qualitative leap in terms of vitality. They were figures that had truly witnessed history. Records in books might become insubstantial or lost as long periods of time passed, but the events of history might be something a present day Godly Monarch had experienced personally. noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

"You asked me how many Godly Monarchs there are. Although I do not know, I can give you a vague idea. In the entire Sinkhole, the Godly Monarchs that are known—such as figures like the White Lunar Goddess Empress—number only a handful. As for the reclusive Godly Monarchs, no one can tell you. For instance, my Nine Li Magus Empire does not have a Godly Monarch. The strongest figures are Elder Blackrock and my master, the High Priest. Their lifespans do not exceed fifty or sixty million years either."

"Thank you for telling me this, Your Highness." Yi Yun nodded. By telling him the Nine Li Magus Empire's actual strength, it showed that she trusted him.

True Martial World - Chapter 1368: The Dust Settles

With Yi Yun resetting the array to a new state, no one else could enter. Even the members of the Nine Li Magus Empire could not do so unless they completely destroyed the array. But clearly, that would not happen. It was the opposite, the Nine Li Magus Empire would actually painstakingly protect the Herb Nurturing Array.

Therefore, Yi Yun was assured that it was safe to leave the Ascending Dragon Cauldron and Ling Xie'er in the array temporarily.

"Yi Yun… actually managed to do it," muttered the Nine Li Magus Maiden. She heaved a sigh of relief after seeing that he was fine. Although she thought nothing of worldly riches, she long wished to escape her fate of experiencing lifetime after lifetime as a mortal and suffering the constant cycle of reincarnation. Now, not only had the array been stabilized, it was even more perfect than before. She could not help but feel delighted.

Having survived repeated bouts of dire failure, the addition of just a hint of hope was very meaningful to the Nine Li Magus Maiden.

The alchemists remained inundated by shock. They looked at the array and felt like they were in a dream. If they were not actually present in the array, they would have refused to believe that the picturesque Herb Nurturing Array before their eyes was a world on the brink of destruction just moments ago.

"Dear alchemists." At that moment, the High Priest's voice jolted everyone from their daze.

The alchemists looked at the High Priest, who had already turned calm. He looked at everyone and said, "Everyone, my Nine Li Magus Empire will naturally not forget your contributions to the Herb Nurturing Array."

"We have prepared pills, Spirit Jade, and various treasures. They will be dispensed to you shortly."

The alchemists exchanged looks. Previously, the High Priest had threatened to bury all of them alive with the array if it was destroyed…

However, none of the alchemists were foolish enough to make an enemy out of the Nine Li Magus Empire. Now that everything was peaceful, they were naturally delighted to receive remuneration and get out of there.

The High Priest's eyes flashed with a glint of satisfaction when he saw the people's reaction. Now that the array was in good shape, the High Priest would naturally not make things difficult for the alchemists. Besides, remuneration had already been promised to these alchemists.

Upon seeing this scene, Patriarch Pillheart and company immediately became belligerent.

"What about us?"

Of the ten thousand alchemists present, the ones that suffered the most damages were obviously Patriarch Pillheart, Ouming Yin, and Alchemist Sage Purple Gold.

The High Priest gave the trio a glance but he did not speak a word.

"Your Excellency, now that the array has been restored, shouldn't we be given our remuneration?" asked Ouming Yin.

"It shouldn't just be remuneration," said Patriarch Pillheart coldly. He was still bearing a grudge over the loss of his fire seed.

Alchemist Sage Purple Gold's expression sank too as he said, "The remuneration is of secondary importance. Since Yi Yun's fire seed is now in the heart of your Herb Nurturing Array, the bill for Yi Yun's devouring of our fire seeds should naturally be given to you."

"True. For us, nurturing another fire seed will expend numerous resources, much less the time and effort spent on our previous seeds that is now wasted. No matter how great your compensation is, it is impossible to compensate us for our loss!" echoed Ouming Yin.

Patriarch Pillheart did not speak a word. All he did was nod with a cold expression. The Nine Li Magus Empire's compensation would not alleviate the hatred he felt for Yi Yun at all. However, the Nine Li Magus Empire was a massive entity. The trio's fire seeds might have been very precious but they were still something the Nine Li Magus Empire could afford compensation. Even if they could not pay in full, receiving some compensation was better than nothing.

As for Yi Yun… They already knew that Yi Yun was favored by the Nine Li Magus Empire now that he had stabilized the array. There was nothing they could do to Yi Yun at present.

However, it was impossible for Yi Yun to hide in the Nine Li Magus Empire forever. Apart from him, Alchemist Sage Purple Gold probably hated Yi Yun to the bone too. Ouming Yin was also one who would not suffer in silence.

"Take the compensation and remuneration first before making plans for the future," thought Patriarch Pillheart.

Alchemist Sage Purple Gold and Ouming Yin shared his thoughts.

However, the High Priest snorted at that moment.

Patriarch Pillheart and company immediately had a sense of foreboding.

"What? Is the mighty Nine Li Magus Empire going to refuse compensation?" asked Alchemist Sage Purple Gold in disbelief.

The Nine Li Magus Empire had already been extremely unfair by allowing Yi Yun to commit his malicious actions. If they refused compensation as well, it would be taking things too far.

At that moment, Aged Blackrock said lightly. "You mention remuneration and compensation? I don't understand what gives you the right to request that. Not only did your actions here in the Nine Li Magus Empire fail to stabilize the array, you even made the array more violent. You failed to live up to your promises. Hence, my Nine Li Magus Empire naturally does not need to adhere to our side of the deal. If not for Yi Yun, the array would have exploded. Had that happened, our Nine Li Magus Empire would have suffered an immense lose. Yet, you still have the nerve to ask for remuneration?"

"You!"

They originally believed that they could bargain with the Nine Li Magus Empire and obtain greater prizes. However, they never expected the Nine Li Magus Empire would refuse to give them even one Spirit Jade!

"The one that caused the array's near destruction wasn't us. As for Yi Yun, if he had not devoured our fire seeds, there was no way he could have stabilized the array!"

Alchemist Sage Purple Gold was already incensed to his tipping point. The other alchemists had received remuneration but the three of them, alchemist sages, were not receiving a single thing!

This was no longer just a matter of remuneration. This was publicly smacking them in the face.

"You say that Yi Yun devoured your fire seeds but all of you clearly tried to devour Yi Yun's fire seed first. Later on, you were simply paid back in your own coin. That is a dispute between you and Yi Yun, it has nothing to do with my Nine Li Magus Empire. You can settle it with Yi Yun," said Nine Li Magus Maiden. She came to a pause before she continued. "However, my Nine Li Magus Empire is indebted to Yi Yun as he is the only person that can complete my Nine Li Magus Empire's array. He is considered a distinguished guest of my Nine Li Magus Empire, so no matter what faction it is that wants to go after Yi Yun, they should be prepared to have their factions decimated."

Nine Li Magus Maiden's slow speech left all the alchemists present astounded. Someone could actually think that way? The grudge was between the three alchemist sages and Yi Yun. Their Nine Li Magus Empire claimed neutrality in that. But if the three alchemist sages wanted to settle scores with Yi Yun, the Nine Li Magus Empire would take action to protect Yi Yun. That was just too high-handed!

"Please leave. We won't be seeing you off!" Aged Blackrock directly gave the order for them to leave.

"Good! Very good! All of you and Yi Yun did very well!" Alchemist Sage Purple Gold's expression was contorted. When the alchemists saw Alchemist Sage Purple Gold's expression, they were worried that he would turn deranged from his fury.

After all, if they were in his shoes, they would probably go crazy.

"I will definitely not forget what happened here today!" said Alchemist Sage Purple Gold through gritted teeth.

Patriarch Pillheart's expression was as black as a wok's bottom. He abruptly turned and flew away without turning his head back. He didn't even look at his disciples.

Patriarch Pillheart was afraid that he would die from rage if he stayed there for even an additional second.

Ouming Yin could not stand it either. He had disgraced himself sufficiently today.

In the Nine Li Magus Empire's territory, he could not do a thing despite his indignation.

"Purple Gold, aren't you leaving?" The corners of Aged Blackrock's mouth revealed a sarcastic smile as he looked at Alchemist Sage Purple Gold.

The gloomy-looking Alchemist Sage Purple Gold caught Aged Blackrock's gaze and was caught unaware by a chill.

"Let us… leave!" Alchemist Sage Purple Gold said as though he had to force each word out.

He would never forget the humiliation he had suffered that day. And it was all because of Yi Yun and the Nine Li Magus Empire!