True Martial World - Chapter 1379: Torture Tower

According to Li Yunfeng's memories, Wang Mu's wife apparently treated her female attendants quite well. Even if Wang Mu was about to die, why were they chasing away his wife's personal attendant?

The attitude the Heaven Refinement Pavilion showed towards her was vile. If she had a powerful backer, would she have been reduced to such an abject state?

"What are you waiting for? Shouldn't you be leaving now!?" At that moment, Alchemist Wang noticed that there were other alchemists and customers around. He immediately lowered his voice as he berated her.

Xiaoqing knew that the words of a lowly person like her carried little weight. There was no way for her to change Alchemist Wang's decision. All she could do was walk out of Heaven Refinement Pavilion with her head lowered.

Yi Yun felt his heart stir. He gave a cold glance at the alchemist who was dressed in black-and-white. Following that, he walked out of Heaven Refinement Pavilion as well.

Since it was plain to see that the Heaven Refinement Pavilion was gouging him, he would be foolish to continue with the trade.

When the alchemist saw Yi Yun leave without a word, he was taken aback. Following that, he said coldly, "He sure has a temper. However, he will soon learn that the Martial Numinous clan reigns supreme in Martial City."

He was certain that Yi Yun would quickly realize that it was difficult for him to buy herbs in any of the medicinal clinics in Martial Numinous Palace.

At that moment, Yi Yun was already following Xiaoqing from a good distance away. With Xiaoqing's cultivation level, she would not have noticed him even if he were walking right behind her.

Xiaoqing's eyes were red as she silently focused on getting to her destination. Soon, she left the main street and walked into a small alley.

As a female servant, Xiaoqing stayed in a rather remote place. Her living conditions could not be considered good at all.

The alley crossed through many intersecting alleys. Yi Yun locked his perception on Xiaoqing's location as he followed her without haste.

Suddenly, there was a scream coming from Xiaoqing's direction.

Yi Yun heart stirred as he flashed. In a blink of an eye, he had appeared close to Xiaoqing.

At that moment, Xiaoqing was being surrounded by two men. However, they did not seem to be engaging in any lewd acts. They looked fierce but were only questioning Xiaoqing.

One of them bellowed coldly, "Slut, tell me quickly. Where are Wang Mu and that undying old dad of his, as well as his daughter?!"

Xiaoqing looked at the duo fearfully. Her body huddled towards the corner of the walls as she shook her head with all her might and said, "I really do not know anything… I'm no longer a servant of the Wang household. How would I know where they are…"

"You dare give excuses?" The other, a bald man, said with a scoff. "That Wang Mu is already like a dead wretch. In order to save him and keep him alive, his father and daughter have expended large amounts of Spirit Jade. It's quite a tragedy. As for you, someone who supposedly has nothing to do with them, you have given them financial assistance every month. You've provided them with food and Spirit Jade. Do you think we do not know of that? Yet you dare tell us that you have nothing to do with the Wang household!?"

Xiaoqing's expression turned pale. It turned out that the duo had already investigated all she had done.

"I… I did send them some things. That's because Old Master Wang is advanced in his years and Miss Xiao is still young. I could not help but do something on account of our relationship as master and servant of yesteryear. However, I really do not know where they are at present… Did… did something happen to them?" asked Xiaoqing.

"Slut, it looks like you still hold out hope until you are faced with the grim reality. Wang Mu colluded with others to kill Elder Li's beloved son, Young Master Li Yunfeng. Now, they are fleeing to escape punishment. Regardless if you do know anything or not, I'll bring you back to Torture Tower. There, we will naturally know if you speak the truth. There are many punishments in Torture Tower that were specifically created for women. Just a taste of those punishments is a truly memorable experience…" As the bald man said this, he looked at Xiaoqing and his eyes sparkled with a warped and lascivious look.

Upon hearing the words, 'Torture Tower,' Xiaoqing received a jolt. Her entire body shook for she clearly knew what Torture Tower was. People who entered it seldom came out alive. Furthermore, people would receive inhumane torture in there, especially women. They would suffer endless sexual abuse.

"No…you can't bring me to Torture Tower…" Xiaoqing retreated in despair but there was nowhere for her to retreat to.

"Hahaha, do you think you have any say in this matter? It's best you come with us obediently. If not, we will need to give you some private punishments here. There are a few torture techniques from Torture Tower that I have long been eager to try." The other man licked his lips and flashed her a sinister grin.

As the duo approached Xiaoqing with burning killing intent, the bald man that was walking in the back suddenly felt a chill run down his back. He suddenly turned his head and saw a young man standing behind him.

Yi Yun appeared to be a passer-by as he walked over one step at a time.

"Who are you?"

Upon seeing Yi Yun, the bald man's heart skipped a beat. He had not noticed any other people around them. Only when the man got close did he actually realize he was there.

"Halt. We are carrying out the duties of Martial Numinous Palace. It's none of your business so leave quickly," said the man with the cold expression.

Xiaoqing's face was filled with despair. Although a stranger had suddenly appeared, she knew that no one in Martial City would interfere with matters that involved the Martial Numinous clan.

However, Yi Yun did what none of them expected, he continued walking towards them slowly as though he had not heard him.

"Are you deaf?" The bald man frowned as he took out a token and lifted it up. "We are under orders from the Martial Numinous Palace's Elder Li Jiuxiao…"

At that moment, the bald man suddenly saw a blur. Yi Yun, who was more than ten steps away, suddenly appeared in front of him. His hand stretched out as he slapped him brutally in the face.

The slap sent the bald man flying. He turned dizzy as the taste of blood filled his mouth. As for the token, it clanged to the ground.

Pa!

Yi Yun stepped on the token and shattered it instantly!

Only then did Yi Yun glance at the bald man. His expression was no difference from the one a person had when looking at trash on the streets.

The cold man was appalled. The stranger had attacked too quickly. Furthermore, the token was an artifact refined by a refining master. It was extremely solid. How could it be easily shattered with a stomp? The ground was not harder than the token. Logically speaking, the ground should have shattered instead. How did he do it?

"Bro, I don't care who you are. You are in big trouble to attack Martial Numinous clansmen in Martial City!" The cold man retreated rapidly. As he retreated he shouted and reached his hand out to touch his interspatial ring.

But!

With a whoosh, Yi Yun's figure appeared instantly in front of him. He kicked him straight in the chest!

"Wah!" The cold man spewed a mouthful of blood. His chest depressed from the kick as his bones shattered. His organs were reduced to mush yet he was still, unluckily, alive.

Immediately following that, Yi Yun returned to the spot in front of the bald man.

"You… you dare kill people from Martial Numinous Palace…" The bald man looked at Yi Yun in panic.

"So noisy." Yi Yun lifted his foot and stomped down.

With a crack, the bald man's neck broke. He stared with widened eyes as he took his last breath. noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

True Martial World - Chapter 1378: Female Attendant

At that moment, the attendant that greeted Yi Yun returned. Following him was another thin and tiny middle-aged alchemist dressed in black and white. He had a sullen expression.

"Sir, I have already inquired for you. Our store has three of the herbs you are looking for: Ghee Fragrance, Snakethroat Grass, and Dragon Bloodworm," said the attendant.

Yi Yun was delighted. He never expected to be able to buy that many rare herbs at one go. He was pleasantly surprised that he could find three strains on sale.

"How much Spirit Jade for these three strains of herbs?" asked Yi Yun.

The attendant smiled and said, "Sir, our Heaven Refinement Pavilion seldom sells its herbs to external parties. Furthermore, our selling price is relatively higher than most."

"How much is it exactly?" asked Yi Yun calmly. In fact, he was already prepared to pay more Spirit Jade when he came to the Martial Numinous clan. The person had only said those things to admonish him.

"It appears you have just come to Martial City. You do not have any labels of other Martial Numinous clan stores either. A warrior such as yourself can cooperate with the Martial Numinous clan. Our Martial Numinous clan recruits all the best elites in the world, so you can choose to sign a contract with us and work for our Heaven Refinement Pavilion. Then, you will be able to purchase herbs at a discount. Furthermore, by working with us, you do not need to leave the sect you hail from," said the alchemist with a smile.

He stretched out his hand and beckoned as a contract appeared out of thin air in front of Yi Yun.

Yi Yun's expression immediately turned cold after he swept his glance over it.

There were way too many restrictions in the contract.

He already knew that the Martial Numinous clan would be extremely stringent towards outsiders. But he never imagined that they would try to directly recruit him as a servant of the Martial Numinous clan.

He had likely noticed that Yi Yun had pretty good strength for a mortal-born and had thoughts of recruiting him.

The alchemist was a member of the Martial Numinous clan and, although he treated Yi Yun politely on the surface, he was actually very arrogant deep down.

When the attendant mentioned that they seldom sold their herbs to external parties, what he meant was that they seldom sold their herbs to mortal-born.

"I have no interest in working for you. For the sake of your business, there is no reason to reject any sales and purchases that come your way. I'm only here to buy herbs." Yi Yun directly rejected the contract.

"In truth I was being considerate of you because it's impossible for you to afford it." The alchemist frowned when he was so immediately rejected. He had been rather cordial but he never expected Yi Yun to reject his kind intentions.

How dare a mortal-born say he was uninterested when the Heaven Refinement Pavilion had taken the initiative to recruit him…

He did not know what pill Yi Yun was planning to refine with the selected herbs. However, one of the items—the Dragon Bloodworm—could be used to refine pills that aided breakthroughs. It was for this reason that the alchemist was interested in recruiting Yi Yun.

Having a first-storey Dao Palace on the brink of a breakthrough was quite a good cultivation level. Unfortunately, he wasn't smart. He did not know that without the backing of the Martial Numinous clan, it was very difficult to survive in Martial City.

Most mortal-born that came to Martial City would be all too eager to sign a contract with the Martial Numinous clan and work for it.

"You can buy them directly too. Two Godly Monarch Immortal Annuli and these three herbs are yours." The alchemist scoffed as he said this with a teasing tone.

Yi Yun's expression sank immediately.

They might as well rob him if they were going to price the herbs with Godly Monarch Immortal Annuli.

Those items were at most worth about forty to fifty million mid-grade Spirit Jade, not even half a Godly Monarch Immortal Annulus!

Furthermore, Yi Yun had searched Li Yunfeng's soul. He knew that the Martial Numinous clan had purchased these herbs at a much lower price.

Just because he was mortal-born, the Martial Numinous clan's alchemists would demand an exorbitant price. The alchemist did not believe that Yi Yun could produce two Godly Monarch Immortal Annuli. He had named that price because he was unhappy with Yi Yun's rejection of his offer. He believed that Yi Yun could still change his mind and sign the contract.

Yi Yun's gaze turned heavy. Were it not for him being in Martial Numinous Palace, he would have really considered robbing them of their herbs.

It was impossible for him to buy the herbs with two Godly Monarch Immortal Annuli. However, it was also impossible for him to sign a contract to work for them.

At that moment, the silence was cut by a sudden loud dispute, interrupting whatever was happening on Yi Yun's side.

"I already said it's worth five points!" By the corner, a low-grade alchemist said angrily.

And in front of him, a thin and frail girl said anxiously, "How can it be that little? Alchemist Wang, take a good look again. This Firemoney Grass has three hundred years to it. I went to great effort to snatch it from the mouth of the herb's companion, the Firemoney Beast. I nearly lost my life…"

As she said that, the girl's eyes welled up in tears.

"Heh heh, it is true that this Firemoney Grass is three hundred years old but you did not seal the spirit energy within before slowly plucking it whole. This caused its roots to be damaged and made it lose a lot of its energy. It was also not well preserved, so now it's almost a useless herb," said Alchemist Wang slowly.

"But…" The petite girl hung her head low as she pinched her fingers. With her cultivation level, it was already life-threatening just to pluck the Firemoney Grass. How was it possible for her to do all of that extra stuff?

Yi Yun glanced at the Firemoney Grass and noticed that it was indeed damaged. However, it was an exaggeration to call it useless. He gained a rough idea of how the Martial Numinous clan's points worked when he searched Li Yunfeng's soul.

Five points was equivalent to about five hundred Spirit Jade. It was lower than the price of Firemoney Grass.

"No buts! Hmph! Based on this count, the amount of herbs you have submitted today does not meet the requirements. As punishment, you will have two points deducted! Don't forget, you are contracted to the Martial Numinous clan as a female servant. You currently have no qualifications to serve others. It's already fortunate for you that you haven't been forced to do sordid acts. Instead, all we ask is that you come to our Heaven Refinement Pavilion daily and deliver enough herbs!" said Alchemist Wang impatiently.

"Ah?" The petite girl looked up suddenly and widened her eyes. "Alchemist Wang, how can you do that… You even deducted two of my points. How am I to survive…"

As she said this, tears began dripping down her face.

At that moment, the watching Yi Yun's eyes lit up.

The petite girl looked familiar but he did not believe that he had seen the girl before. He scoured through his memories and found a familiar face from Li Yunfeng's memories.

"She is… the personal attendant of Wang Mu's wife, Xiaoqing."

Back when Yi Yun searched Li Yunfeng's soul, he was informed of the internal structure of the Martial Numinous clan as well as the situation regarding Wang Mu and his wife. With that, he had identified the petite girl.

As the personal attendant of Wang Mu's wife, why was Xiaoqing here? Furthermore, why was she now a herb-picking servant for the Heaven Refinement Pavilion?

True Martial World - Chapter 1377: Martial Numinous Palace

"What? Feng'er's Life Slip has shattered!?"

In a picturesque garden in Martial Numinous Palace, a meditating middle-aged man suddenly opened his eyes.

His eyes looked like those of a wild beast that was about to swallow a person whole. They burned as he stared intently at the broken jade slip in the maidservant's hands. She held her breath, afraid that the middle-aged man would direct his anger at her.

The middle-aged man extended his hand and beckoned. The broken jade slip flew into his hand. It carried a wisp of Li Yunfeng's remnant soul, which caused the jade slip to crack the moment he died. Not only that, but the jade slip had a spiritual connection to Li Yunfeng that allowed one to sense the general location of Li Yunfeng's death. If he was lucky and fast, the murderer might not have left the scene yet.

The middle-aged man looked at the jade slip with a contorted expression. For the Martial Numinous clan with its ancient bloodline, their ability to reproduce was poorer than mortal-borns. Even as people who could live for tens of thousands of years, they had few offspring. The purer the bloodline, the more that was true. For example, Li Yunfeng's father Li Jiuxiao only had eight children. Li Yunfeng was his most outstanding child.

The rage Li Yunfeng's death caused Li Jiuxiao was unimaginable.

And fifteen minutes after Yi Yun had left, Li Jiuxiao arrived in the elderly Wang's residence. However, it was completely empty as far as he could see.

"Ah!"

Li Jiuxiao roared as the entire house was destroyed by Yuan Qi. Amid the destruction, he swept his surroundings with his perception. Yet, he failed to discover anything. It chilled Li Jiuxiao's heart for it meant that his son might have died for nothing!

His son had been killed in Martial City but the murderer was nowhere to be found. The helpless, exasperated feeling drove him mad.

As he looked at the ruins of the house, Li Jiuxiao scanned the area with a gloomy expression. He said to the subordinates behind him, "Immediately investigate! Tell me where this is!"

"Master, there is no need to investigate. This is Wang Mu's residence. Young Master Yunfeng had mentioned earlier that he would be making a trip here. As Wang Mu is no longer a Martial Numinous clan disciple, there were clansmen who planned on repossessing his house. And since Young Master knew Wang Mu, he came here to pay him a visit…" said a subordinate.

"Wang Mu!" Li Jiuxiao's gaze turned cold as he raised his hand to interrupt his subordinate.

Li Jiuxiao naturally knew his son's personality very well. It was impossible that Li Yunfeng meant to pay Wang Mu a pleasant visit. It was more likely that he had come to kick Wang Mu while he was down.

Li Jiuxiao did not care for Li Yunfeng's reason for coming here, but for his son to die here made the matter entirely different. No matter who it was, the person who dared touch Li Yunfeng was to be skinned alive and tortured for a thousand years until death!

…

And at that moment, Li Yunfeng's murderer, Yi Yun, was already outside Martial Numinous Palace. The palace was a city within a city. Surrounding Martial Numinous Palace was a sturdy wall that was a hundred meters tall. It penetrated the clouds with its black metal construction. The walls looked extremely thick and they were engraved with Dao patterns. After thousands of years of augmentation by the Martial Numinous clan's array masters, the Dao patterns were already one with the city walls. The moment they were triggered, the city walls would become strongly fortified.

Martial Numinous clansmen guarded the four sides of the city wall. All of them wore uniform silver battle armor and held spears in hand. They looked spirit-like with the billowing aura of the legendary green dragon. Just the way they stood made outsiders palpitate when they arrived in front of Martial Numinous Palace.

Martial Numinous Palace prohibited flying so Yi Yun walked straight in.

"Entry Pass!"

When Yi Yun approached the city gates, two stocky Martial Numinous clansmen demanded with muffled voices.

Yi Yun showed them his Entry Pass.

"The palace's entry fee is a hundred mid-grade Spirit Jade!"

Yi Yun's brows pricked up. The Martial Numinous clansmen could enter the Martial Numinous Palace for free but demanded an entry fee from outsiders. However, they made it expensive, keeping out poor warriors for they had no way to afford it.

Yi Yun threw out a bag of Spirit Jade and immediately stepped into Martial Numinous Palace.

Although Martial Numinous Palace was called a palace, it was not where the Martial Numinous royalty stayed. Instead, it was where the rest of the Martial Numinous clansmen stayed. It was like a city of its own. There was a three-hundred-foot wide street that greeted any visitor. On both sides of the street were magnificent buildings. They ranged from stores to restaurants. There were many people on the streets. The restaurants also had managers and waiters. However, there were no eunuchs or palatial maids.

After searching through Li Yunfeng's soul, Yi Yun had a general understanding of Martial Numinous Palace's layout. He headed directly to Heaven Refinement Pavilion.

The towering Heaven Refinement Pavilion was exquisitely built, with numerous floors. The entrance had a plaque with the words 'Heaven Refinement' written on it. The calligraphy was written with a potent flair.

The Dao of Alchemy could lead to the heavens. At its most profound levels, one could refine pills that defy and overturn the Heavenly Dao. But that was only a legendary realm. The divine alchemist wanted to refine the Elixir of Resurrection. If he had succeeded, it would have been a first-grade Heaven Refinement pill but unfortunately, he failed.

For Heaven Refinement Pavilion to have the words 'Heaven Refinement' in its name showcased the great confidence of its alchemists.

Just when Yi Yun arrived in front of Heaven Refinement Pavilion, an attendant immediately came to welcome him.

The attendant was dressed in alchemical robes. He was a low-grade alchemist with a Dao Manifestation cultivation level.

Heaven Refinement Pavilion's attendants were all low-grade alchemists, which also spoke volumes about its standards.

"Sir, is there anything I can help you with?" asked the attendant as he walked over.

"I'm here to buy some medicine," said Yi Yun, and then he casually mentioned the few herbs he wanted.

Yi Yun wanted to refine a pill needed for the Dragon Emperor Technique. The pill recipe was the only one of its kind so he was not afraid that these alchemists could make any connection from the few strains of herbs he requested.

The attendant nodded and led Yi Yun into the shop. Following that, he said, "Sir, please wait a moment. I will inquire on your behalf."

"Alright."

Yi Yun began browsing through the shop. The level he was on was likely used for display purposes. He did not see any rare herbs, and most of what he saw were pills refined by Heaven Refinement Pavilion alchemists. Their grades were not that high either.

It was likely that the really good items could only be seen upstairs.

Just as Yi Yun was waiting, a group of people arrived outside.

They were dressed simply and had low cultivation levels.

The moment they arrived at the door, another attendant walked out of Heaven Refinement Pavilion and brought them to a corner inside the store. Following that, an alchemist was invited out. His alchemical achievements and cultivation level were slightly higher than the attendant's but still failed to catch Yi Yun's eye.

The moment the alchemist appeared, these people retrieved bags of items from their interspatial rings.

Yi Yun did not pay much attention to them after taking a glance at them. These people were likely here to deliver the herbs that they had gathered. The herbs they produced were fresh and the alchemists were responsible for evaluating them.

From the looks of it, they were herb pickers from the Heaven Refinement Pavilion. The entire process was something that happened often. Everyone remained silent and only handed their herbs over. If they were there to sell herbs, it was unlikely that they would have such expressions. noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

True Martial World - Chapter 1376: Heaven Refinement Pavilion

"Young Master, why… why did you…"

The color in the elder's face drained. He never imagined that Yi Yun would act so ruthlessly and decisively by killing everyone.

Yi Yun did not turn to face the elder but said, "There's no need to panic. I will clean up this mess."

Clean up?

The elder was taken aback. How could the situation be cleaned up when it was in such a dire state?

However, he wasn't too worried about the Martial Numinous clan's revenge. After all, his son's days were numbered and his own life was of no importance. The only thing that truly worried him was his young granddaughter Xiaoxiao. She had limitless possibilities ahead of her. He did not wish for her to die young.

The elder was at a loss as to what to do when he saw Yi Yun suddenly smack the green jar in his hand. A green smoke flew out of the jar, manifesting into a ferocious face that had bared fangs.

"This is…"

The elder's eyelids twitched. The green face was nothing less than a demon.

"Master, what do you need of me?"

"Search his soul," said Yi Yun simply.

Poison Demon cried out as he pounced onto the youth. Although Yi Yun had destroyed his soul sea, scattered memories could still be dredged up before the soul completely dissipated.

And when it came to searching souls, Poison Demon was an expert. The information obtained would be a lot more detailed than if Yi Yun were to do so.

At that moment, the manager-like middle-aged man regained consciousness. When he saw the youth's soul being searched, he was frightened out of his wits.

Yi Yun gave the plump manager a glance and was just about to finish him off when he suddenly noticed that Xiaoxiao was glaring at the plump manager with eyes filled with hate.

Yi Yun's heart stirred. The scene in front of them was a rather bloody one. Yi Yun originally believed that a young lady of about sixteen years of age would turn pale from such a shocking scene yet she was able to take it all in.

An environment influenced a person greatly. Even a weak young lady would have her bloodthirstiness triggered by tragic enough circumstances.

Yi Yun asked Xiaoxiao, "Do you hate him?"

"Yes, they were the ones who harmed my father!"

"Have this." Yi Yun casually swiped his interspatial ring and handed a short sword to Xiaoxiao.

It was a short sword Yi Yun obtained from Cang Wu. As a Supremacy's short sword, it was naturally of very high quality.

"I'm giving this sword to you. You can be the one to kill him."

Xiaoxiao received the sword. Hands trembling, she grabbed the blade, which cut her hands and left blood on the ice-cold blade.

Xiaoxiao took a deep breath as she put all her strength into plunging the sword into the plump manager's chest.

"Puah!"

The sword penetrated his body as his eyes went wide. After convulsing a few times, he took his last breath.

Xiaoxiao drew out the sword as she panted heavily. The strike seemed to have enervated her strength.

Yi Yun gave an approving nod. In this world where strength reigned supreme, such fierceness made it easier to survive. A frail and kind girl could survive if she had a powerful background; if not, she would only end in tragedy.

At that moment, Yi Yun could not help but size up Xiaoxiao carefully. He was surprised to discover that the girl's constitution was not bad. Furthermore, she had a unique bloodline in her.

Oh?

Yi Yun was puzzled. According to the elder's recount, Wang Mu was of ordinary birth. The elder was also a mortal-born through and through. They did not seem to have any special bloodlines. Could the girl's bloodline come from her mother?

What sort of person was Wang Mu's wife?

Regardless, the girl named Xiaoxiao showed potential for practicing martial arts when it came to her talent and character. If she were to join a sect, she was bound to develop her toughness into martial strength.

"The items in this ring are yours to keep."

Yi Yun casually produced an interspatial ring and handed it to Xiaoxiao. The items in it were some spoils of war he had received. They were of no use to him but would give a young girl that was just entering the path of martial arts tremendous help.

"Young Master, this…" Xiaoxiao looked at the interspatial ring. She had cultivated as a child with Wang Mu. She had cultivated to the most basic stage, enough to probe the items in the interspatial ring. She could sense that the items Yi Yun had given her were extremely precious.

"These are some things to help you build up your foundation. In the future, your growth will depend on yourself. Your father might not awaken, after all."

When Yi Yun finished saying that, Poison Demon was done searching the soul and passed the information to Yi Yun.

The dead youth's name was Li Yunfeng. In his fragmented memories, Poison Demon found quite a bit of information about the Martial Numinous clan.

"Oh? This Li Yunfeng's father Li Jiuxiao is actually a top alchemist in the Martial Numinous clan…"

Yi Yun was quite surprised. Li Yunfeng had quite a stunning background. His father held a high post in the Martial Numinous clan and controlled a lot of the clan's resources. That was actually why Li Yunfeng had such a cultivation level at such a young age, his father had provided him a large number of resources. Unfortunately, he had crossed Yi Yun who was on a completely different level.

The Martial Numinous clan's alchemical methods were considered above average. The pills the clan's alchemists produced alone were insufficient to meet the Martial Numinous clan's demands. Therefore, the Martial Numinous clan needed to trade pills with external factions.

Internally, the Martial Numinous clan had a place known as the Heaven Refinement Pavilion. It sold all sorts of treasured herbs. According to Li Yunfeng's memories, it housed many herbs that Yi Yun was interested in.

As such, Yi Yun decided that he had to visit the Heaven Refinement Pavilion at once.

Having thought through this, Yi Yun flicked his finger, sending a few fireballs out. He incinerated the five corpses and the ashes scattered into the wind.

Following that, a tiny pagoda appeared in Yi Yun's hand. "Do not resist. Enter it directly. Once I settle this whole matter, I will bring you out of the city and settle you down in a safe area."

As Yi Yun spoke, the tiny pagoda expanded rapidly. The elder and Xiaoxiao felt a suction. The elder was quite knowledgeable and immediately knew that it was an abode-type artifact. He did not resist it and was sucked into the God Advent Tower.

Following that, Yi Yun fed Wang Mu a pill that temporarily sealed his vitality. He placed Wang Mu into the God Advent Tower for he could not treat Wang Mu at this time.

After finishing all of this, Yi Yun's appearance changed once again. His body became thinner as his appearance became more ordinary. He looked like the average man on the street and his cultivation level was once again reduced to the first-storey Dao Palace.

After that, Yi Yun transformed into a wisp of blue smoke, vanishing from the house.

Even if the Martial Numinous clan reacted quickly, it would be very difficult for them to pin the blame on him.

And at that moment, in Martial Numinous Palace, a white Life Slip cracked sharply and broke into two. The female attendants who were in charge of watching the Life Slips turned pale instantly.

True Martial World - Chapter 1375: It's the choice you made

"Old Sir, please take off your son's shirt. Let me give it a try."

When the elder heard Yi Yun's words, his eyes welled with agitated tears. He quickly took off his son's shirt while Xiaoxiao rushed to prepare a basin of warm water.

Just as Yi Yun was about to feel Wang Mu's pulse in a bid to fill Wang Mu's dantian with Yuan Qi, he suddenly heard the sound of footsteps coming from a distance. Immediately following that—

"Peng!"

The side yard's door was kicked open. The wooden door was unable to withstand the force and was nearly sent flying off its hinges.

A middle-aged man that looked like the manager of a store strode into the yard. Standing beside him was a handsome white-dressed youth with a paper fan in hand. Behind the two of them were three strongmen.

"Old Man Wang, why the hell are you still here?"

As the middle-aged man spoke, he made his way into the room. Without a need for him to say a word, the strongman beside him kicked open the room's door.

"You!"

The elder's heart sank when he saw the youth suddenly barge in. He never expected that trouble would appear just as Yi Yun was about to save his son.

"Oh? This nearly dead son of yours is still alive? I told you a long time ago that this house has been left to me. I have been very kind to let you stay here this long. I don't care if your son dies but don't let him die in my house. It's bad luck!"

After the middle-aged man said that, he noticed Yi Yun. He glanced at him and asked, "Who are you?"

Yi Yun put Wang Mu's wrist down. As he looked at the slightly plump manager, he swept with his perception and saw that his cultivation level was very ordinary. He was no one of importance.

Instead, it was the youth who was following behind him that seemed to be of some worth. Of course, that was only in comparison to his peers. Next to Yi Yun, he was nothing.

However, the youth did have some unique characteristics that attracted Yi Yun's attention. The aura in his dantian was somewhat different. There was an extremely dense aura within it that seemed to project onto the youth's skin. It formed a tattoo that resembled elephant tusks on his chest.

"Martial Numinous…"

Yi Yun had previously read a briefing on the Martial Numinous clan that was written on the Nine Li Magus Empire's map. The tattoo was known as Martial Numinous, a symbol of the Martial Numinous clan. The clansmen with purer bloodlines would have more mystical tattoos.

Be it the Sinkhole or the 12 Empyrean Heavens, there had been many races that spread from the ancient times. For example, Old Snake and Snake Girl belonged to a race that could trace its roots to a declined ancient mystic race.

As for the Martial Numinous clan, it was an ancient race that had been in existence for hundreds of millions of years. Their clansmen had a very strong sense of racial superiority.

Upon seeing the plump manager target Yi Yun, the elder's heart tightened. This group of people acted overbearingly and were completely unreasonable. He was afraid that Yi Yun would be implicated so he hurriedly went forward and said, "This young master is a guest of my tea shop. I invited him here to diagnose my son."

"What? Diagnose? Hahaha!" The plump manager roared with laughter. "Your son is already a cripple and lingering on his last breath. Yet, you still think he can be saved? Are you trying to make me die from laughing?"

The youth beside the plump manager sized up Yi Yun before looking back at Wang Mu's father. He chuckled and said, "Are you Wang Mu's father? You look like an elderly farmer. Wang Mu's talent was so good but his father is a useless piece of old junk. What a pity."

The youth's tone was extremely biting. It was merciless mockery. In fact, he was an inner-sect disciple of the Martial Numinous clan. He had a strong background and, with his status, he thought nothing of Wang Mu's house. The person that wanted Wang Mu's house was the fat manager. As for the youth, he was only here to see Wang Mu in an abject state.

Back when Wang Mu entered the Martial Numinous clan, he had astounding talent and was highly appreciated by one of the clan's Elders. He gave Wang Mu many resources, incurring the envy of the other young disciples. For that, this youth had come specially here just to see Wang Mu in his half-dead state.

"Haha, someone of low birth naturally has limited knowledge. It's laughable that he even sought a good-for-nothing mortal-born traveler to Martial City in hopes of healing his son."

The term 'mortal-born' was the way the Martial Numinous clan addressed ordinary humans. Yi Yun previously learned that Martial City's Martial Numinous clan was xenophobic; therefore, he was not surprised by the youth's remarks.

In response, he smiled faintly and slowly raised his hand.

"Pa!"

With a crisp sound, Yi Yun struck out as fast as lightning. The plump manager felt his vision blur before he felt an intense pain from his face. His entire body was sent flying as he spun in midair like a top.

"Peng!"

The plump manager crashed into the ground as his mouth bubbled with blood. He had even spewed out seven or eight bloodied teeth. Yi Yun's slap had nearly destroyed half his face. He was even blinded in his right eye.

"Ah…Ah…"

The plump manager cried out in pain. He looked viciously at Yi Yun in disbelief. He never expected a mortal-blood to strike him directly in Martial City!

"Young Master, you shouldn't do that!"

The elder turned anxious when he saw the situation play out. He never expected Yi Yun to be this rash. Although the plump manager had a low cultivation level, he was still a member of the Martial Numinous clan. The youth also looked like a genius of the Martial Numinous clan. Beating them up would lead to unimaginable circumstances. Although Yi Yun had considerable strength, it seemed impossible for him to take on the Martial Numinous clan.

"You are truly heedless of consequences." Despite seeing him slap the plump manager to near death, the youth with the paper fan did not look at Yi Yun with anger but with pity. To him, the plump manager was only one of his many inconsequential underlings. "A mortal-born that just came to Martial City does not know who it belongs to. Do you know how you could be killed for that? Perhaps the level of misery is something you can't even imagine…"

Just as the youth finished saying that—

"Pa!"

Another slap was delivered by Yi Yun at a speed ten times faster than the first. The youth's look of pity had yet to change before the right side of his face was struck!

An identical attack that did not even differ in the target spot happened. The youth cried out tragically and, like the plump manager, spun more than a dozen times in midair. He crashed heavily to the ground and the right side of his face was completely covered in blood!

Yi Yun had made this blow worse than one he gave to the plump manager. Not only was the right half of the youth's face a mangled mass of blood and flesh, even his bone could be seen. All his teeth, save for a few molars on the left side of his mouth, had fallen off.

However, this youth had some resistance after all. Although he had been beaten into such a tragic state, he remained conscious. His hair was disheveled as he nearly went mad.

"Little…bastard, how dare you hit me! Do you know who I am? Kill him! Kill him!"

The youth pointed at Yi Yun as the three strongmen behind him charged forward. They cooperated very well. One of them aimed at Yi Yun's head, the other at Yi Yun's heart, and the last one aimed at Yi Yun's dantian.

The three attacked from three different directions, aiming at Yi Yun's three major vital spots. Their attacks were striking to kill.

But following that, Yi Yun's figure instantly vanished.

An azure-blue sword tore through the void, slicing a trajectory of death.

"Shoo! Shoo! Shoo!"

The three trajectories penetrated the trio's chests. They found themselves unable to breathe as ice began forming on their skin, turning them into ice sculptures!

"What…"

The youth was terrified instantly. His subordinates had yet to die for they still had some vitality in them. However, none of them could move.

Furthermore, Yi Yun had done all of this in a blink of an eye. Why did this happen? Why was a random mortal-born punk he spontaneously encountered so powerful?

And at that moment, the youth felt his neck turn cold. A sword was aimed at his throat like an ice snake.

The youth's breathing stagnated at that instant. This was the first time he was held hostage under a sword. Although he was afraid, he was not completely shocked out of his wits. His rationale told him that the mortal-born in front of him was probably not daring enough to kill him.

Yi Yun held Mirage Snow and said, "Sign a soul contract with me. If not, this day next year will be the day of your death anniversary."

A soul contract?

Upon hearing this, the youth heaved a sigh of relief. He knew why Yi Yun wanted a soul contract signed. He was afraid of killing him and also afraid that news would leak. By signing a soul contract, the secret could be kept under wraps. However, how could he assent to Yi Yun's wishes?

He sneered and said, "What a joke. An inferior mortal-born actually dares an attempt to enslave me. Do you know who I am!? Your strength is only a result of you cultivating longer. You probably have some mystic technique that retains your youthful looks. You are merely an ant to the Martial Numinous clan. You best release me now or I will extract your soul and let you die a tragic and painful death…"

"Is that so? I was planning on letting you live. Since you have chosen death, I'll grant it to you."

With that said, Yi Yun lifted his hand once again.

"You! What are you doing!?"

The youth was given a fright as he felt extreme danger. "Wait… wait…"

"It's the choice you made."

With that said, Yi Yun struck down heavily with his palm.

"Pa!"

There was a loud explosion as Yi Yun's palm smacked the left side of the youth's face. However, this strike did not mangle his face like before. Instead, his body trembled suddenly and his eyes instantly glazed over, losing all light in them. Yi Yun's slap had shattered the youth's soul sea!

At the same time, a mere thought from Yi Yun caused the three ice sculptures behind the youth to shatter. They felt to the ground as pools of water. The three strongmen that had been frozen were obliterated as a result. noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

Following that, Yi Yun casually took out a green jar from his interspatial ring.

Although Myriad God Patriarch was in the city, as long as he did not openly confront others and only caused tiny waves, Yi Yun could remain undetected as long as he left no evidence. No matter how imaginative Myriad God Patriarch was, there was no way he would link this matter to him.

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…"