True Martial World - Chapter 1427: Entering the Ancient Battlefield

Among the White Lunar Divine Empire disciples, Yi Yun saw two familiar faces—Song Rainsong and Haogu from the Martial Numinous clan!

Both of them had officially become White Lunar Divine Empire disciples. They naturally stood above most in the Martial Numinous clan, but grouped together with the numerous disciples of the White Lunar Divine Empire they looked like the most ordinary members. They were hardly noticeable from where they stood.

Only people from the Martial Numinous clan paid them any attention.

And at that moment, a divine beam of light tore through the sky. Like a meteor, it plunged down into the square and landed beside Skyjade.

The beam faded away and everyone saw a young black-robed man with eyes resembling lightning. A tiny black snake coiled around his arm and moved so naturally that it seemed to be part of his body.

"Master, I came back a little late!"

The black-robed man bowed and Skyjade revealed a rare smile. "It's good that you returned in time. You have done very well in recent years."

This simple exchange of words was affirmation of the black-robed man's results while out on experiential training.

"So he is Divine General Skyjade's only disciple, Qinglin!"

"I long guessed his identity. That black snake on his arm is a Sky-swallowing Snake. It is an Ancient Fey that Lord Qinglin encountered in his youth; yet despite its rarity, it was willing to be his companion."

To the White Lunar Divine Empire and the people of the Seven Desolates continents, Qinglin's name remained resounding.

For instance, Lin Xintong's position was elevated to extreme heights due to the augmentation of the White Lunar Goddess Empress's title. As for Qinglin, he was someone they could feasibly look up to.

Unlike Lin Xintong who seldom appeared in public, Qinglin had issued challenges in his youth and his combat results were stunning.

"Hasn't Lord Qinglin previously participated in the ancient battlefield? This is his second time?"

"That's right. There is no restriction on the number of times one can enter the ancient battlefield. Lord Qinglin came close to leaving his name on the Ancient Ruins world's World Monolith last time but fell short. His stepping into the ancient battlefield once again is probably to make up for that regret."

"Lord Qinglin has already broken through to the Supremacy realm. Is it possible for him to leave his name on the World Monolith?"

"Why not? Breaking through to the Supremacy realm isn't some restriction. The main thing is bone age. Lord Qinglin is a superb genius. His bone age is not even four hundred years old even after all his cultivation!"

An early-stage Supremacy at four hundred years old meant a top cultivation speed when compared to the entirety of the Sinkhole.

"Everyone is here, I believe." After Qinglin arrived, Skyjade spoke. "On this trip to the Ancient Ruins world, I will personally be leading you. There are a total of seventy-two hundred people entering the ancient battlefield. Of those, there are about six thousand people with a bone age below five hundred years!"

"Every time the ancient battlefield opens up, the younger generation will receive the greatest priority. That is because you are the ones that can leave your name on the World Monolith!"

"And in this opening of the Ancient Ruins world, all the mighty factions of the entire Sinkhole will be able to participate. People of my White Lunar Divine Empire only occupy a tiny fraction. The six thousand of you represent the White Lunar Divine Empire's reputation!"

"The White Lunar Divine Empire is one of the strongest factions in the Sinkhole but we are only listed as such because of the White Lunar Goddess Empress. Not because of you! If we are talking about the younger generation, our White Lunar Divine Empire has Lin Xintong who is famous throughout the Sinkhole but as for all of you… none of you make the cut!"

Skyjade did not mince his words, causing many people to clench their fists. They felt very uncomfortable hearing this rhetoric.

Lin Xintong had already left her name on the World Monolith. No one disputed her strength, but many of them had grown up while being placed on high pedestals from a young age. How could they not feel disgruntled if Divine General Skyjade said that they failed to make the cut without even seeing their performance?

"Heh! It looks like you are disgruntled by what I said? To be frank, I don't think much of you lot. And the ones that are entering together with you are people from the First Beginnings Immortal Gate, Great Cosmic State, and Magnificent Heaven. None of them are run-of-the-mill, especially the First Beginnings Immortal Gate. It has even produced a Godly Monarch successor. If any one of you can create a miracle to prove yourselves to me, I will reward you handsomely!"

When Skyjade said that, everyone drew a cold gasp.

A Godly Monarch successor!

Although many of them were arrogant, they lost their confidence when a Godly Monarch successor was mentioned. The name spoke for itself!

Even Lie Rikong, who was the definition of unbridled and arrogant, no longer spoke a word. Instead, he clenched his fists silently. If one did not reach a higher height, it was impossible to understand how broad the world was. Now, he was jumping out of the White Lunar Divine Empire and standing on the stage of the Sinkhole. He could not help but feel the pressure when compared to those monstrous existences.

Many geniuses were like Lie Rikong. They very much felt the pressure, but they also pumped themselves up, hoping to become famous from this expedition.

"Qinglin! Dirong! Mengyi! My bets are on the three of you. I place great expectations on the three of you. Do not disappoint me!"

After beating down everyone, Skyjade mentioned those three names.

To have your name called out in front of all the White Lunar Divine Empire's geniuses was no doubt an immense honor.

There was no need to further elaborate on Qinglin's pedigree. As for Dirong and Mengyi, Yi Yun traced the gazes of the crowd and saw the duo.

Dirong was about two meters tall and he was fully decked out in combat armor. He had a blood-colored ax the height of a person slung behind him.

As for Mengyi, she was a beautiful girl. A unique trait of hers was the pair of wings she had on her back. They looked like wings made of light, sparkling like stars. They looked like dancing pixies.

Yi Yun gave the winged girl more than a simple look. He saw something very special in her.

"Alright, it's time to set up! All of you have a jade token in your hand. If you face a life-endangering moment, do not hesitate. Shatter the jade token to exit the ancient battlefield. Where's there's life there's hope. But at times, there might not be enough time to shatter the jade token. Perhaps you might encounter people bent on killing you. They might seal the space before you can escape and, if that happens, good luck!"

As Skyjade spoke, he waved his hand. Yuan Qi gathered from every direction as a huge Yuan Qi cloud formed in the sky.

And moments later, several White Lunar Divine Empire Divine Lords appeared out of nowhere. They joined forces and imbued their Yuan Qi into the Yuan Qi cloud. Shortly after, the sky ripped apart as countless nomological runes formed a seven-colored chain between the White Lunar Divine Empire's square and the rift in the sky. It was the passageway into the Ancient Ruins world's ancient battlefield.

"Enter, all of you!"

By the time Skyjade said that, Qinglin, Dirong, and Mengyi had already flown up. Immediately following that, the various disciples of the White Lunar Divine Empire transformed into beams of light and flew towards the spatial rift. Instantly, the spectacular scene of a swarm of people pouring into the rift presented itself.

"Let's go as well!" Nanxuan Luoyue said to Yi Yun.

"Yes." Yi Yun nodded. He transformed into a stream of light and flew towards the ancient battlefield's spatial passageway.

True Martial World - Chapter 1426: Skyjade

"You itinerant cultivator, do you think just because you cling to a powerhouse like the Nanxuan family clan you have the right to…" said Lie Jiaojiao as she barely restrained her anger, peeved.

But at that moment, a cold voice interrupted Lie Jiaojiao. "Come here."

Lie Jiaojiao instantly deflated the moment she heard the voice. She shut her mouth, threw a hateful glance at Yi Yun, and left.

She held a grudge against the man who had came to Luoyue's rescue and embarrassed her in front of so many people.

Yi Yun thought nothing of Lie Jiaojiao but he looked pensively at the person who silenced her. And when he did, he realized that the man was also looking straight back at him.

"Jiaojiao, don't waste your time on him. He's only an honorary Elder of the Nanxuan family clan in name. Compared to what we'll face in the Ancient Ruins world, the Nanxuan family clan is only a mere splash in the pool. Who you should pay attention to or try to befriend are the geniuses of the White Lunar Divine Empire."

Lie Rikong spoke coldly. He held no interest in itinerant cultivators like Yi Yun. A warrior without resources would not amount to much in the future even if he had already cultivated to the mid-stage Supremacy realm. After all, even that could be slowly attained over time.

Only in the White Lunar Divine Empire, where the true elites were, would he find his match. Of course, a legendary figure like Lin Xintong stood too high above him that she remained unreachable to him. But he had the confidence that he would match those around Lin Xintong.

King Scarlet Yang had placed his hopes on this year's ancient battlefield. If Lie Rikong left his name on the ancient battlefield, making a name for the Scarlet Yang continent, he would become the next King Scarlet Yang!

"The person who spoke is Lie Rikong, Lie Jiaojiao's senior brother in the clan. He's King Scarlet Yang's son and is extremely talented. He could have gone to the White Lunar Divine Empire but chose to remain in the Scarlet Yang continent. He is eminent among the Scarlet Yang continent's younger generation. He is arrogant so, sir, there's no need to mind him," said Luoyue apologetically.

Yi Yun smiled lightly. Although Lie Rikong considered everything beneath him, he did not know that he was nothing in Yi Yun's eyes. As for offending Lie Rikong, Yi Yun was ambivalent about it. He had already offended the Martial Numinous clan. An additional young Scarlet Yang lord meant nothing.

"All these people in the valley are heading to the ancient battlefield?" asked Yi Yun.

"Yes. What you see is mainly the participants and the factions backing them. Of course, some are only here to watch. However, we will not be heading straight to the ancient battlefield either. We will head for the White Lunar Divine Empire and, once there, we will gather with the geniuses of the other six continents before heading to the ancient battlefield." Luoyue explained to Yi Yun in detail.

White Lunar Divine Empire! Yi Yun's eyes seemed to burn up instantly. The Seven Desolates were just too big. He had been traveling for so long but he was finally heading for the White Lunar Divine Empire.

"Fellow Daoist, this is an identity token you'll need when heading to the ancient battlefield." Nanxuan Jue handed over an unadorned jade token to Yi Yun.

Yi Yun held the jade token in hand and sensed a strange energy coming from within it.

People streamed in over the next two days. As the Scarlet Yang continent was huge, those who were located farther away managed to rush there just in time after receiving the news.

By the third day, there were no new arrivals. Just as Yi Yun was wondering how the people in the valley would be traveling to the White Lunar Divine Empire, a gigantic cruiser flew over from the horizon.

The cruiser was richly ornamented and extraordinarily magnificent. On it were the words 'Scarlet Yang.' It suffused powerful Yuan Qi fluctuations and it was obvious that it was a top-grade flying artifact. Just powering it had to require copious amounts of Spirit Jade.

"Only those with identity tokens can board that cruiser. We can only say goodbye here," said Nanxuan Jue.

Lie Rikong and Lie Jiaojiao, as well as ten plus Lie family disciples, were the first to board the cruiser. The remaining geniuses from the other factions also walked towards it.

Apart from Luoyue, the Nanxuan family clan also had several young men and women that were participating in the ancient battlefield. They boarded the cruiser along with Yi Yun.

Every family clan and faction was given an individual room on the cruiser. Yi Yun naturally shared a room with the Nanxuan family clan.

When everyone successfully boarded the cruiser, it began to take off.

The gigantic cruiser first flew rapidly for a distance before the surrounding space vibrated vigorously. With an accompanying boom, the cruiser instantly vanished into thin air.

"It has begun the spatial tunneling." Yi Yun felt a little lightheaded as the cruiser reached higher speeds. And when he looked out the windows, the blue skies peppered with white clouds had already been replaced with spatial illusions and fragments that rapidly whizzed past.

To travel in such a spatial passageway at such complicated high speeds, even a Supremacy would have their bodies torn to shreds. Only such high-grade artifacts could withstand it.

But what really shocked Yi Yun was that such spatial tunneling happened several times. It was only a few days later that the cruiser suddenly appeared amid blue skies and the journey had finally come to an end.

Coming onto the cruiser's deck, even Yi Yun was amazed by the beautiful scenery.

There were gigantic otherworldly mountains floating in midair. Their contiguous forms appeared endless. There were rock tunnels that connected the otherworldly mountains and also seemed to float in mid-air. They played hide-and-seek amid the gorgeous clouds with immortal cranes dancing around them. The Yuan Qi was bountiful and it gave off a beautiful and magnificent look. It felt like they had come to another world.

The Scarlet Yang cruiser parked beside one of the otherworldly mountains. And nearby, there were several large flying divine artifacts resembling the Scarlet Yang cruiser floating in the surroundings.

"This is… the independent world where the White Lunar Divine Empire is." The shock in Yi Yun's eyes vanished. He focused his eyes deep into the White Lunar Divine Empire's interior. Lin Xintong was there, and the White Lunar Goddess Empress was there as well.

Yi Yun saw many people in the gigantic square in front of the otherworldly mountain. These people came from the seven continents of the White Lunar Divine Empire!

The White Lunar Divine Empire stood independent from the seven continents, off in its own world. And the remaining seven continents had powerful factions that were as numerous as the stars. For example, the Martial Numinous clan and King Scarlet Yang's factions were simply considered one of the better ones among countless powerful factions.

Still, they were naturally incomparable to the White Lunar Divine Empire.

At a glance, Yi Yun counted thousands of experts from the seven continents.

Yi Yun and Nanxuan Luoyue did not cause a stir when they appeared. Even Lie Rikong, who always came across as lofty and almighty, felt as though he was drowned amid the crowd.

"There's so many people!"

Yi Yun drew in a gasp. Not only were there many young geniuses, there were also Divine Lords and Supremacies.

Yi Yun looked at a few Divine Lords who clearly held identity tokens just like himself. It appeared as though they would be entering the ancient battlefield as well.

"Divine Lords are allowed entry as well?" asked Yi Yun.

"Of course." Nanxuan Luoyue nodded. "There is no age restriction in the ancient battlefield. Anyone can enter, it is not just limited to young geniuses. Therefore, some factions will send Supremacies and Divine Lords in." noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

"But it is unlikely that these Divine Lords will make any breakthroughs in the ancient battlefield. Their goal is mainly to seek out opportunities or treasure."

As Nanxuan Luoyue spoke, she gave Yi Yun an odd look. It was clear what she meant. Yi Yun could not be categorized as a 'young genius' either but he had managed to gain a spot in the ancient battlefield. Didn't it only make sense that warriors similar to Yi Yun, as well as those with higher cultivation levels than him, could enter as well?

"Is that so…" Yi Yun stroked his chin. "With Divine Lords around, aren't the young geniuses in great danger?"

"There is some danger but if one faces the threat of death, they can simply crush their identity token to be transported out."

"Besides, the ancient battlefield has unique laws that will repress a person's cultivation level. The higher the cultivation level, the greater the effects of the suppression. For example, I would still have my original cultivation level if I were to enter the ancient battlefield. But for Supremacies and above, such as you yourself, they will be repressed to the ninth-storey Dao Palace in the ancient battlefield."

"Therefore, although Supremacies and Divine Lords still hold some advantage in the ancient battlefield, that advantage is not something too extreme."

Nanxuan Luoyue was simply describing the situation in the ancient battlefield when suddenly—

There was a loud boom! A powerful suppression enveloped the square as powerful Yuan Qi gathered from every direction. The clouds in the sky were blown away by the Yuan Qi, revealing a gigantic snake's head.

And on this gigantic snake sat a man decked out in combat armor.

He had crimson hair and rippling muscles. The powerful vitality in him made him resemble an Ancient Fey.

"Lord Skyjade!"

Many people in the square were already bowing.

He was the number one divine general, Skyjade, second only to the White Lunar Divine Empire's White Lunar Goddess Empress. He had fused three Divine Lord Royal Seals and was considered the best Divine Lord in the White Lunar Divine Empire!

Ever since the White Lunar Divine Empire was established, White Lunar Goddess Empress entered seclusion. No one had seen her and as such, the highest ranking person the leaders of major factions would encounter usually was Skyjade.

Usually, the White Lunar Divine Empire would be jointly run by Skyjade and a few Imperial Preceptors. As a result, even leaders of major factions treated the high and mighty Skyjade with profound respect and humility, much less the younger geniuses.

Many juniors felt stifled in front of Skyjade.

With Skyjade's appearance, beams of light that streaked across the horizon like meteors appeared behind Skyjade. They were rapidly heading for the square.

"It's the geniuses of the White Lunar Divine Empire!" someone exclaimed.

The White Lunar Divine Empire's powers far exceeded anything the Seven Desolates continents had to offer. These people were like hidden dragons and crouching tigers, all with extraordinary talents.

Yi Yun swept his gaze and saw a few Divine Lords among the group.

A Divine Lord dressed in azure-colored robes with a sword on his back caught Yi Yun's eye.

He was a Royal Sealed Divine Lord. His aura was converged and he looked like a sheathed sword. He gave off an unfathomable feeling.

He looked to be in his thirties on the surface but his age could not be accurately surmised. But it was certain that he had immense potential. In the future, it was likely he could improve and fuse a second Divine Lord Royal Seal to become a double-sealed Divine Lord.

"The White Lunar Divine Empire's Divine Lords are much stronger than the Seven Desolates' Divine Lords. This ancient battlefield is bound to be intense."

True Martial World - Chapter 1425: Misty Immortal Valley

After successfully refining the third Dragon Emperor relic, Yi Yun rested for a while before finding the best time to consume it.

The moment it entered his mouth, Yi Yun felt a freshness flow down his throat and into his dantian. But suddenly, a terrifying heat burst out of Yi Yun's dantian as though it were an erupting volcano. Even the blood flowing in his meridians got as hot as lava. His skin turned fiery red. If this continued, it looked like he would be vaporized from inside out.

Yi Yun remained calm. He immediately circulated the Dragon Emperor Technique and refined the medicinal essence in his body. At the same time, the surrounding Yuan Qi surged relentlessly towards his body, to the point of a Yuan Qi vortex forming beside his body.

Yi Yun's body was like a whale's sucking in water, crazily absorbing the Yuan Qi until the Yuan Qi vortex nearly materialized. The Yuan Qi itself condensed to form water droplets, each containing massive amounts of Yuan Qi.

But this Yuan Qi was constantly being absorbed by all of Yi Yun's pores. The blood in his meridians raged like a river as dragon roars emitted from his body. It was like a gigantic dragon had awoken, and even the concealment array could not completely reduce the commotion.

Instantly, the entire town heard the low rumbling noise but no one was sure of where it came from. People panicked at first, but the person with the highest cultivation level in the town was a Yuan Opening realm Grand Elder that failed to find anything.

Gradually, the townsfolk got used to it. Apart from being a little noisy, it did not seem to indicate danger. The town's warriors were also pleasantly surprised to find that the Heaven Earth Yuan Qi had apparently turned richer.

Such days went by for about a half a year. When the townsfolk were completely used to the sound, a loud dragon's roar emitted from underground. Following that, a faint dragon shadow charged into the sky and rapidly flew away.

Even though the dragon shadow left a huge impression on them, the town returned to its original silence. No one noticed the tiny compound Yi Yun lived in, nor were they aware when it had emptied once again.

After Yi Yun exited seclusion, he received the Nanxuan patriarch's voice transmission. The Ancient Ruins world's ancient battlefield was about to open and they were to gather in a valley outside Scarlet Yang Capital. In fact, although Yi Yun was in seclusion, he constantly kept the matter in mind. Therefore, he rushed to the valley after receiving the voice transmission.

After absorbing the third Dragon Emperor relic, Yi Yun's cultivation level had already reached the peak mid-stage Supremacy. He was even closing in on the late-stage Supremacy realm. The higher his cultivation level, the more advantage he would have when he entered the ancient battlefield.

If he could keep refining the Dragon Emperor relics to raise his cultivation level, Yi Yun would have spent all his time refining the fourth Dragon Emperor relic.

But firstly, he lacked the herbs and secondly, after raising his Dragon Emperor Technique through the Dragon Emperor relic, he needed actual combat and new experiences to stabilize his cultivation level. If not, he could easily find himself with an unstable foundation.

Even while heading to the valley, Yi Yun was still stabilizing his cultivation level.

Nanxuan Jue's mentioned in the voice transmission that the opening would happen in the coming days but did not give a precise date and time. As such, Yi Yun was not in too much of a rush since he would not be too late if he was already heading there.

Misty Immortal Valley was a very scenic valley outside Scarlet Yang Capital but it was located above a precipice that was impossible for mortals to reach.

Many spirit boats, chariots, and other transportation vessels were parked in Misty Immortal Valley. Towers or pavilions constantly appeared out of thin air, all spatial-dimension artifacts.

People constantly came from different directions and landed in Misty Immortal Valley.

"Grandpa, this ancient battlefield sure is enticing." said Luoyue as she stood on an extremely exquisite jade pavilion while looking outside.

Her aura had undergone a massive change from a year ago. She looked even more alluring and her body was enveloped in a faint golden halo.

Luoyue was already extraordinarily beautiful but now, just by standing there she attracted the attention of many people.

"That is only natural. Ignoring the various opportunities the ancient battlefield provides, just doing something of note on the ancient battlefield would garner the White Lunar Divine Empire's attention. It is something many people dream of," said Nanxuan Jue with a nod.

The Scarlet Yang Capital belonged to the White Lunar Divine Empire in practice. When the time came for them to enter the ancient battlefield, be it the warriors from the Scarlet Yang Capital or the other six continents, they would be representing the White Lunar Divine Empire.

"I wonder when the kind sir will arrive," commented Luoyue.

"He should be here soon," said Nanxuan Jue. He had already sent Yi Yun a voice transmission. As long as Yi Yun heard it, he would arrive quickly. After a year of interaction, Nanxuan Jue already knew that Yi Yun was most interested in herbs and the ancient battlefield. It was impossible that he would miss it.

At that moment, there were sudden murmurs in the crowd. Nanxuan Jue and company looked up and saw a war chariot drawn by a massive tiger hundreds of feet long arrive in mid-air. The chariot and the tiger were covered in red flames. The heat it generated was stifling even before they landed.

"It's the young lord of Scarlet Yang, Lie Rikong."

"I didn't expect him to be participating in this ancient battlefield."

"Young Lord Scarlet Yang is suitable both in age and strength. It's only natural for him to participate."

The moment the chariot landed, many people went to it to greet him.

Lie Rikong was the son of the Scarlet Yang King. He held an esteemed status and was very talented.

A stalwart man walked out of the chariot. His face was cut and he looked extraordinarily handsome. His eyes seemed to contain two wisps of fire. It left anyone who looked into his eyes feeling like their eyes were burning.

He was none other than Lie Rikong.

And behind him was a woman. She was Lie Jiaojiao, a younger member of his clan. She had good talent too and she was heading to the ancient battlefield as well.

After Lie Rikong arrived, he only nodded at a few despite numerous people coming to greet him. He was aloof and extremely arrogant.

"I've already heard how arrogant Lie Rikong is. He won't even spare a moment's notice on ordinary riffraff. I've really witnessed it for myself. There are many powerful factions and their genius disciples are waiting here in the valley. All of them plan on entering the ancient battlefield but he thinks nothing of anyone," said Nanxuan Jue with a sigh.

Luoyue remained indifferent. She only needed to mind herself. As for what Lie Rikong did, it had nothing to do with her. However, when she saw Lie Jiaojiao, a coldness flashed in Luoyue's eyes but she subsequently looked away.

But at that moment, Lie Jiaojiao suddenly looked towards her and said nonchalantly, "Isn't that Nanxuan Luoyue? I heard you handed a spot over to an honorary Elder. Where is he? You should know that spots are not to be transferred, right? By giving out spots with such indifference, it might affect our Scarlet Yang continent's ranking at the very least. But it would be quite terrible if you incur the displeasure of the lords of the White Lunar Divine Empire, wouldn't it?"

Upon hearing Lie Jiaojiao's words, Luoyue frowned. She had stopped paying her attention but she never expected her to take the initiative to engage in a verbal battle with her.

"Since you know that he is our honorary guest, how can you call it a transfer? Is an honorary guest not one of us?" retorted Luoyue coldly.

"Hmph! Do you think I'm a three-year-old child? The person you invited might be an honorary Elder in name but it is just a meaningless title. It's only a cover."

Lie Jiaojiao's voice was clear, attracting the attention of many. A matter that involved the suspicion of rule violation was a slight to the Nanxuan family clan's reputation when said in public.

Nanxuan Luoyue was burning with rage but had no way to retort. After all, what Lie Jiaojiao said was the truth. If someone wanted to make an issue of it, it was possible that a complaint could be lodged against them to the White Lunar Divine Empire. It would not severely affect the family clan's foundations but it would reduce the number of spots the White Lunar Divine Empire would give the Nanxuan family clan in the future.

Nanxuan Luoyue did not wish to enter a verbal war with Lie Jiaojiao. She was not on the side of reason to begin with and Lie Jiaojiao would only be more pleased if the commotion intensified.

Nanxuan Luoyue was in a bind when she suddenly felt something. She turned to look in the direction where a figure had landed.

"Sir, you are here," greeted Nanxuan Luoyue.

"Hey." Yi Yun nodded. He had come silently and he had heard a little of the conversation between Nanxuan Luoyue and Lie Jiaojiao. It was very common for there to be contention between powerful factions.

Yi Yun could not help but glance at Lie Jiaojiao as the corner of her mouth suffused a contemplative smile. She gently shook her head and said, "I was overthinking things. Even if your Nanxuan family clan sends more people, it would be the same as it is now. All of you are only here to fill out the numbers, so how can you be important enough to affect the Scarlet Yang continent's ranking?"

Luoyue said to Yi Yun apologetically, "Sorry about that. We had a grudge in the past, so…"

The contention between two powerful factions in the Scarlet Yang Capital had nothing to do with him but since Lie Jiaojiao had mocked him, bafflingly and for no reason, it now had something to do with him.

He gave Lie Jiaojiao a deep, penetrating look as he said indifferently, "A sixth-storey Seven-treasured Dao Palace, cultivating in two laws. Other than the main law, your other auxiliary law was attained through the use of treasured herbs, isn't that so? From inference, you probably only condensed a seven-leaf Dao fruit in your Dao Manifestation realm. And the Heaven Ascension Dao Tree you formed in the Heaven Ascension realm was at best ninety decafeet."

Yi Yun casually evaluated Lie Jiaojiao's foundation. There was no hint of mockery in his words but the indifferent tone clearly meant that he saw it as nothing spectacular. But Yi Yun had hit the nail on the head. Nothing he said was wrong about Lie Jiaojiao's cultivation process. Back when Lie Jiaojiao was in the Dao Manifestation realm, she had indeed condensed a seven-leaf Dao fruit through her own efforts. The other seven-leaf Dao fruit was forcibly attained through the use of treasured herbs.

It was a stain on Lie Jiaojiao that she felt embarrassed about, but most people did not know it. Now, it had been said in public as though it was a slap to her face. Yet, there was no way for her to retort.

True Martial World - Chapter 1424: Ancient Fey Body

Yi Yun did have an inkling about Luoyue's physique but he had only come to that conclusion based on the aura that exuded from a strand of hair. He was not entirely certain.

As such, Yi Yun pondered for a moment before he said to Luoyue, "Miss Luoyue, I wonder if I can have your permission to check your pulse?"

Luoyue nodded and stretched her wrist forward.

The fair skin was somewhat breathtaking. When Yi Yun placed his finger on it, he acutely sensed Luoyue's wrist tremble involuntary when they made contact.

However, Yi Yun did not have any deeper thoughts about her. His perception rapidly sank into Luoyue's meridians as he immediately took on an extremely focused look.

Time slowly passed as Yi Yun seemed immersed in his perceptive probe. Luoyue on the other hand felt uncomfortable. This was the first time she was making such skin contact with a man. Furthermore, the contact was going on for a long period of time. She slowly felt a little embarrassed standing there motionlessly as he touched her. Even her face was beginning to burn up.

But when she saw Yi Yun's focused expression, she remained motionless, worried that she would disturb him.

Thankfully, the rest, including her grandfather Nanxuan Jue and the masked man Lian Yong, had their eyes trained on Yi Yun, waiting for his answer.

"I'm done," Yi Yun said as he released Luoyue's wrist. "It must have been tough on you, Miss Luoyue."

He then nodded at her.

Luoyue bashfully smiled before gently shaking her head.

"Fellow Daoist, did you figure anything out?" Nanxuan Jue asked impatiently. He immediately returned Yi Yun's attention to the matter.

"Back when I met Miss Luoyue, I sensed something extraordinary about her aura. Now, I can confirm it. Miss Luoyue, please tell what is unique about the drop of blood I gave you," asked Yi Yun.

Luoyue instantly replied, "I'm not entirely sure. That blood seems to be related to my bloodline…"

"That drop of blood contains a sliver of the True Dragon's aura," explained Yi Yun.

In fact, the Nine Transformations Celestial Silkworm's blood contained a portion of the True Dragon's blood itself. Yi Yun had only said that to keep them in the dark. Although he had a good impression of the Nanxuan family clan, he would not reveal all of his secrets or endanger himself. He had to keep something close to his chest.

"A True Dragon's aura? But what has that got to do with me?" Luoyue blinked her beautiful lashes as she asked.

"If I'm not wrong, your body should be that of an Ancient Fey, not a human. Your bloodline contains the blood of the True Dragon, making you a descendant of the True Dragon. As such, you experienced a resonance with that drop of blood," said Yi Yun.

Once Yi Yun said that, everyone in the hall was stunned. Luoyue had left her mouth agape as her eyes widened. This was the first time someone was telling her that she was not human but an Ancient Fey that contained the bloodline of a True Dragon.

However, when such ridiculous words came out of Yi Yun's mouth, Luoyue was not immediately thinking of doubting or retorting. After she thought it through, she realized it would explain the unique specialties of her body.

Nanxuan Jue's reaction happened to be the calmest. In fact, he already had some speculations about the circumstances of Luoyue's birth. He sighed and said, "So your mother is an Ancient Fey… It's no wonder your talent is so stunning yet your Dao Palace is unstable. It's because you are not human. Of course it's not suitable for you to condense a Dao Palace."

Compared to Luoyue, Nanxuan Jue found Yi Yun's explanation reasonable from the start. He had watched her grow up and long noticed the many abnormal aspects of her body. Furthermore, Nanxuan Jue had a non-contextual understanding of Luoyue's mother.

Yi Yun's words fully and smoothly solved the doubts he had.

The matrimony of human and Ancient Fey had a very low chance of producing offspring. Nanxuan Jue had basically not heard of any exception other than Luoyue.

The problem they had failed to diagnose turned out to be due to her bloodline. However, the problem was worse than some of the possible problems Nanxuan Jue had thought of. Luoyue did not have any latent problems but had only taken the wrong cultivation path.

"Fellow Daoist, are there any other problems?" asked Nanxuan Jue when he noticed that Yi Yun appeared to have not finished speaking.

He sensed that the matter was not as simple as it seemed. Luoyue had an Ancient Fey body. Why did no one notice it over all these years?

Yi Yun waved his hand and said, "I can understand your emotions. However, Miss Luoyue's bloodline and physique has, in fact, been sealed by someone."

People with Ancient Fey bodies like Luoyue were nearly extinct and very few people could identify such physiques. In addition, Luoyue's Ancient Fey bloodline had been sealed by someone, so no one could readily identify her true identity.

"This…" Nanxuan Jue's heart sank. If Nanxuan Luoyue's bloodline had truly been sealed, her condition would not improve even if she converted her cultivation technique to that of a Fey's.

Luoyue's lustrous eyes dimmed. In fact, she had also suspected this.

"Might I know if you can release the seal on Miss Luoyue?" Lian Yong asked at that moment with cupped fists.

The moment he spoke, Nanxuan Jue looked at Yi Yun in anticipation. Since Yi Yun could read Luoyue's condition and was able to provide the blood, perhaps he had a way of removing the seal.

"I'm truly sorry to disappoint you. The person who sealed Miss Luoyue had an extremely high cultivation level. I'm unable to remove the seal. However, if I give another few drops of blood to Miss Luoyue, her bloodline would be stimulated and it might be possible for her to remove some of the seal herself. There might even come a day when Miss Luoyue is able to fully remove the seal on her own." Yi Yun was merely speculating but it was the only way of giving the Nanxuan family clan and Luoyue a sliver of hope.

Yi Yun still thought highly of Luoyue's character. He could not bear to see her in such a depressed state.

Nanxuan Jue could not hide his disappointment, but he said, "Fellow Daoist, there's no need to apologize. Our Nanxuan family clan is already unable to thank you enough for the blood."

"That's right. I believe that human effort is the decisive factor. Since there's the possibility of me removing the seal myself, it means it's possible for me to do it." Luoyue quickly overcame her disappointment and smiled. Instantly, it felt like flowers had bloomed. It was extremely beautiful.

Yi Yun nodded and smiled as well. When his cultivation level increased, it would be possible for him to remove Luoyue's seal. However, he did not plan on saying that until he had absolute confidence.

"There's still some time before the Ancient Ruins world's ancient battlefield opens up. If you do not mind, why don't you stay with my Nanxuan family clan?" invited Nanxuan Jue.

"Thank you for your hospitality but I do have some other things to take care of. I will come again near the advent of the ancient battlefield's opening." Yi Yun politely declined Nanxuan Jue's invitation. Although the Nanxuan family's environment was excellent, there were also many inconveniences for him there.

Before he left, Nanxuan Jue gave a voice transmission jade talisman to Yi Yun, allowing them ease of communication in the future.

After leaving the Nanxuan family clan, Yi Yun looked at the ten-thousand-year-old Lunar Wood Spirit in his interspatial ring with satisfaction. Then, he took a step forward. It looked like a slow action but in a few steps, he had disappeared into the crowd…

…

Time passed quickly until it was more than half a year later.

During this period, Yi Yun had some interaction with the Nanxuan family clan. It did not go back on its word. They did do their best, and found the other two herbs which they gave to Yi Yun.

And as promised, Yi Yun gave them the Nine Transformations Celestial Silkworm's blood.

That day, in a nearby town situated beside a river at the foot of a mountain in Scarlet Yang Capital, Yi Yun took up residence in a tiny compound.

He set up a concealment and defensive array formation. From the outside, it looked like any ordinary residential compound. But in fact, Yi Yun had set up his cauldron inside and was extremely busy.

With the ten-thousand-year-old Lunar Wood Spirit in hand, Yi Yun immediately found this quiet and remote location to begin refining his third Dragon Emperor relic.

He believed that it was unlikely for the bounty hunters of the Martial Numinous clan to pursue him this far. Even if they passed by such an inconspicuous area, they would likely only sweep past it with their perception. It was impossible for them to probe it carefully enough to find him. noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

The herbs the Dragon Emperor relic took for refining had no exact requirement. Only treasured herbs were needed but the choice of the treasured herbs was up to the maker. The herbs Yi Yun chose every time matched his own cultivation techniques perfectly.

Among the three herbs he needed, the Seven Leaf Wheel and the Luoshengzi were particularly useful for Yi Yun. And the ten-thousand-year-old Lunar Wood Spirit was similarly very suitable. Originally, just finding one of the three was enough for Yi Yun to refine the third Dragon Emperor relic as the main ingredient, but the effects could only be better with all three amassed.

He first cultivated silently in the compound for a period of time until a few days passed. When he sensed that his mental state was optimal, he sat in front of the Ascending Dragon Cauldron.

As Yi Yun placed the herbs one by one into the Ascending Dragon Cauldron, the Heretical God Fire immediately enveloped the cauldron. Amid the fire's burning, the herbs were extracted of their medicinal liquid by Yi Yun's mental powers. The impurities were constantly being separated by Yi Yun and thrown to the side.

Gradually, the Ascending Dragon Cauldron was filled with pools of pure medicinal liquid. These liquids effused pleasant herbal fragrances and looked like crystalline drops of liquid jade.

Yi Yun held up the liquid drops to be consumed by the flames with his perception while stretching out an arm to open another jade box to the side. The ten-thousand-year-old Lunar Wood Spirit immediately flew out and entered the Ascending Dragon Cauldron.

However, the extraction and purification of the ten-thousand-year-old Lunar Wood Spirit did not result in liquid. Instead, it produced a faint, mist-like silver glow. The moment it appeared, it made the house Yi Yun was in turn a little cold.

Yi Yun's eyes were calm as he moved both his hands. "Fuse!"

Dozens of different medicinal liquids immediately moved like they had received instructions. They amalgamated into one.

Yi Yun began producing hand seals until sweat began rolling down his forehead. A clear roar sounded from the cauldron and immediately following that, a silver beam of light flew out of it. Yi Yun grabbed it.

The silver beam of light was in fact a white-colored pill with a lustrous glow. And inside the pill, there was a silver shadow that seemed to be moving. It looked like moonlight that shone from a crescent.

"It's done." Yi Yun looked at the herbal dregs on the ground and felt wistful. His cultivation path really expended a lot of resources. Of course, the Dragon Emperor Technique brought heaven-defying changes to his cultivation level and combat strength. It was because of the Dragon Emperor Technique that he could cultivate to the mid-stage Supremacy so quickly.

In contrast, treasured herbs were always obtainable.

True Martial World - Chapter 1423: Spot

Ravenjade Shangjing Tea of the finest quality had been served. Nanxuan Jue invited Yi Yun to join him at the seats of honor. The masked elder sat down right after Nanxuan Jue. He looked ashamed of himself as he met Yi Yun this time. He cupped his fists and said, "I had poor judgment, so please forgive me for any disrespect I might have shown you."

Yi Yun said, "Senior, you are being too polite. If it were me, I too would feel suspicious about an unknown stranger giving me a drop of blood to refine. It's only human."

In fact, Yi Yun never refuted the masked man's words of mistrust against him, nor did he feel displeased about his attitude in any way. The masked man's reaction was only natural, for Yi Yun never gave them a reason to trust him.

However, Yi Yun believed in Nanxuan Luoyue. She would definitely sense something within the Nine Transformations Celestial Silkworm's blood. If she did not dare trust her own judgment with such an opportunity placed before her, it was unlikely she would amount to much in the future.

Nanxuan Changyue steeped the Ravenjade Shangjing Tea personally without the help of his maidservants but he never expected that Nanxuan Jue would reject his serving of the tea. Instead, he took the teapot from Nanxuan Luoyue and slowly poured himself a cup of tea.

"Sir, I'm Luoyue. Let me toast you and might I ask what your name is?"

Nanxuan Luoyue toasted Yi Yun as a form of thanks. Since she was so sincere, Yi Yun did not wish to lie to her with a fake name. Furthermore, he would have to use his real name when he went to the ancient battlefield. If not, how was he to leave his name on the World Monolith for Lin Xintong to see?

"Miss Luoyue, for particular reasons, I cannot tell you my name for the time being. You helped me first and I repaid the favor. It was only the right thing to do. There's no need to go all out and thank me. I came to your manor today to buy that ten-thousand-year-old Lunar Wood Spirit."

Nanxuan Jue said, "Fellow Daoist, you are amusing. How can we still sell that ten-thousand-year-old Lunar Wood Spirit? It's only right we give it to you."

As Nanxuan Jue spoke, he shot a glance at Nanxuan Changyue. "What are you waiting for? Aren't you going to retrieve the medicine now?"

"Yes." Nanxuan Changyue felt like slapping himself in the face. He really had nothing better to do. If he knew of any of this, he would have taken out the herb earlier. His making things difficult for Yi Yun only reflected back on himself.

Nanxuan Changyue was responsible for most of the miscellaneous affairs of Nanxuan Manor. As such, he tended to the spirit herbal storeroom. He quickly brought out the ten-thousand-year-old Lunar Wood Spirit and no longer dared to show any signs of reluctance.

Nanxuan Changyue carefully opened the unadorned jade box and placed it on a table.

Yi Yun's face revealed a look of glee when he saw a root the size of thumb inside the jade box. It was indeed a ten-thousand-year-old Lunar Wood Spirit. Furthermore, its quality was excellent. Average ten-thousand-year-old Lunar Wood Spirit were only the size of a pinky. But this root was thicker than the average root.

Nanxuan Jue pushed the jade box to Yi Yun and said, "I've heard that you are in need of two other spirit herb strains. Although my Nanxuan family lacks them, we can help you find them if needed."

"About that…"

Yi Yun paused for a moment. In fact, he believed that the Nine Transformations Celestial Silkworm's blood that he had given Nanxuan Luoyue was precious but still far inferior to the ten-thousand-year-old Lunar Wood Spirit.

Since Nanxuan Jue was giving him the ten-thousand-year-old Lunar Wood Spirit for free and was willing to seek the remaining two spirit herbs for him, he had likely underestimated the effects the Nine Transformations Celestial Silkworm had on Nanxuan Luoyue.

"Please do not decline the offer, for I do have my own selfish intentions…"

Yi Yun had guessed Nanxuan Jue's intentions when he seemed at a loss for words. He said, "You wish to get a few more drops of blood?"

Nanxuan Jue's eyes lit up. "Fellow Daoist, you have more?"

"I do have more but not much more," said Yi Yun reservedly.

"Yes, I do wish for more. In addition, I would like to know the exact problem Luoyue is facing."

The second sentence had been said via voice transmission.

Luoyue's body and talent were without problems but there was something very mysterious about her physique.

"I'm not entirely certain about everything myself," said Yi Yun. "However, if it's only a few drops of blood, I can provide you with that much. That said, please keep the blood a secret and never mention it to others."

Yi Yun's last sentence was also said through a voice transmission. The blood he gave had been extracted from the Nine Transformations Celestial Silkworm, an existence already known by the Martial Numinous clan. Although it was very unlikely that others would connect the drop of blood to the Nine Transformations Celestial Silkworm, Yi Yun would rather be safe than sorry.

Upon hearing Yi Yun's words, Nanxuan Jue reeled in delight. "Of course! Aside from the other strains of herbs, is there any other request? My Nanxuan family clan will definitely spare no cost to complete it."

Yi Yun replied, "There is indeed a matter that I might need to trouble you with. I wish to enter the Ancient Ruins world's ancient battlefield next year. Might I know if you have any available spots?"

"This…" Nanxuan Jue was taken aback as he immediately said, "My Nanxuan family does have spots for entering the Ancient Ruins world's ancient battlefield but the spots are bestowed by the White Lunar Divine Empire. Therefore, they cannot be transferred. If you truly wish to enter the Ancient Ruins world's ancient battlefield, I can only trouble you to become a little related to my Nanxuan family clan. If you find it acceptable, I'm willing to make you an honorary Elder of my family. You will not be required to do much and we will not restrict your freedom. On the contrary, there will actually be a salary but I believe that much will not catch your eye. However, if you need to find any natural treasure or acquire some intelligence, you can use my family's resources. And if there are any weapons you need, you will be given priority to purchase them. I'm not skilled in anything save for my modest abilities in artifact refinement. If there are any requests you have with respect to artifact refinement, feel free to ask."

Nanxuan Jue's words astounded the middle-aged beauty and the Daoist priest. Their eyes stared blankly ahead. Was there actually such a good thing in this world? He did not need to do anything despite being an honorary Elder? Furthermore, it gave him nothing but benefits. Thinking about how they had to wait years for a single weapon created by Nanxuan Jue while he would allow Yi Yun to choose any weapon he desired, it was truly a day and night difference.

The beauty cringed inwardly. She had just mentioned that it was unlikely for Yi Yun to gain a spot to the Ancient Ruins world's ancient battlefield. But in a blink of an eye, Nanxuan Jue had offered Yi Yun exactly that. It left her speechless.

Yi Yun stroke his chin. Although he was unwilling to join any faction, the conditions Nanxuan Jue offered were just too good. This made it difficult for Yi Yun to immediately reject the offer. Besides, Yi Yun was bent on obtaining a spot in the Ancient Ruins world's ancient battlefield.

"In that case, I accept it without further ado."

"Alright. Then, it is decided," said Nanxuan Jue with a smile. It was not that he thought highly of Yi Yun's results on the martial path but that he wanted to repay Yi Yun for his gift of the blood.

Nanxuan Jue turned to look at the Daoist priest and beauty. "I have something to tend to today so the weapon refinement was temporarily paused. I already know what weapons all of you need. If I make such works the next time, I will definitely give you priority in buying them."

The Daoist priest and the beauty could tell that Nanxuan Jue was politely requesting that they leave.

It was likely that Nanxuan Jue had something important to discuss with the scholar and did not wish for them to hear it.

Thinking back to the supreme-grade material that Nanxuan Jue had been refining in the refinement lab, the duo felt their heart wince in pain. The longer the pause, the greater the decline of the weapon's quality. However, Nanxuan Jue completely ignored that.

"Thank you, Senior Nanxuan. We shall bade you farewell." The middle-aged Daoist priest wanted to say something but ended up leaving Nanxuan Manor.

After they were gone, Nanxuan Jue turned to Yi Yun and asked, "Fellow Daoist, I wish to know the exact problem with Luoyue's physical attributes."

True Martial World - Chapter 1422: Nanxuan Manor

The Nanxuan family clan's manor was located south of Scarlet Yang Capital. It was situated on the best spirit mountain in the southern region and spanned a large area. Its size was almost equivalent to a city.

There were tall walls erected around it, and all sorts of rare vegetation could be seen peeking out of the walls, their pleasant fragrance filling the area. In fact, with the Nanxuan family clan's power, it would have been easy to establish a manor in the most flourishing district in the Scarlet Yang continent; however, Nanxuan Jue enjoyed peace and quiet, which was why he chose the mountain to the south.

As there was a spiritual root located under the ground, the spirit energy in the region was extremely rich. The Nanxuan family clan even planted a special herbal garden and augmented it with array formations. In it was all sorts of spiritual vegetation that contended in beauty and fascination. And elsewhere, there was an Earth fire dragon root that was used by Nanxuan Jue for his artifact refinement.

When Yi Yun arrived above the Nanxuan family manor, he swept it with his perception. He marveled at the how rich of a wonderland it was. It was extremely apt for being the base of a manor.

"Who's there? Flying is banned within fifty kilometers of our Nanxuan family clan. Quickly descend!"

Yi Yun did not conceal his aura. His mid-stage Supremacy cultivation level was very eye-catching. From afar, a Nanxuan family clan expert noticed Yi Yun approaching and came forward. He was a slightly plump middle-aged man. Although his cultivation level had reached the Supremacy realm, his foundation appeared rather normal.

"I'm here to purchase a ten-thousand-year-old Lunar Wood Spirit. I have already received permission from Miss Nanxuan Luoyue."

"So it's you. She did mention it."

The middle-aged man was Nanxuan Luoyue's elder cousin, Nanxuan Changyue. He was very protective of his cousin and he was aware of the sale of the ten-thousand-year-old Lunar Wood Spirit. Although Nanxuan Luoyue had agreed to it, but he was against the idea. Besides, he could tell that Uncle Lian did not wish to do the sale.

"I'll escort you to the guest hall where you can wait." Nanxuan Changyue's voice sounded a little cold.

Yi Yun did not mind it. He followed Nanxuan Changyue into the guest hall and saw a few spirit boats parked outside as he entered. They looked luxurious, with beautiful interior design. All of them had different emblems, implying that they belonged to different factions. Furthermore, they were no ordinary factions.

When Yi Yun stepped into the guest hall, he saw four people sitting inside. One of them was a beautiful woman with a young girl beside her. Another group was a Daoist-looking middle-aged priest. He had a young Daoist priest with him. Although the young Daoist priest was dressed in plain attire like an ascetic, it did not hide his good looks. He was truly a gentlemanly and handsome youth.

"Junior Sister Caiyun, let me have the weapon that Patriarch Nanxuan is refining. I want to step into the Ancient Ruins world's ancient battlefield next year. With a handy divine weapon, I would get double the results for half the effort. Junior Sister Caiyun, if you are willing to forfeit it, the Divine Emptiness Palace will definitely compensate you handsomely," the middle-aged Daoist priest said with a smile.

However, the corner of the middle-aged beauty's mouth curled upwards and revealed a look of contempt. "What handsome compensation? You want me to let you take a divine weapon refined by Senior Nanxuan on nothing but empty promises? My disciple will naturally be heading to the Ancient Ruins world's ancient battlefield next year as well. If my disciple obtains the divine weapon refined by Senior Nanxuan, she will also undergo a quantum leap in strength. How can I hand over my disciple's opportunity to your disciple? Senior Nanxuan has been doing less refinements in recent years. I know that it was only because Senior Nanxuan obtained a supreme-grade material that he became inspired to refine a weapon in seclusion. I am bent on having that weapon. If you want to compete, be prepared to pay the price!"

The beauty was overbearing and showed no intention of standing down.

The Daoist priest stroked his whisk and said, "In that case, we shall compete fair and square!"

Although they were Daoist priests, they were extremely rich. Besides, they had come fully prepared to contend for the divine weapon.

At that moment, the handsome young man noticed Nanxuan Changyue bring Yi Yun in. He immediately came forward beaming. "Perfected Changyue, might I know when Senior Nanxuan will come out of seclusion?"

Nanxuan Changyue said, "Patriarch has already been in seclusion for more than a month. According to his previous estimates, it shouldn't take more than twenty days or so for him to exit seclusion."

After Nanxuan Changyue said that, he stopped entertaining Yi Yun. There were four people in the hall, each with their own seats. There were also tea and pastry beside each seat. As for Yi Yun, Nanxuan Changyue did not even be bother with him. He did not even offer him a seat, much less tea and pastry.

Instantly, Yi Yun appeared rather out of place. The middle-aged Daoist priest took a glance at Yi Yun and said with a frown, "Perfected Changyue, is this sir here for Senior Nanxuan's new work? We have already been in line for one of Senior Nanxuan's works for years."

He naturally disliked the potential of another competitor. Nanxuan Jue's works were just too popular. Most people had to reserve them years in advance. And the reservation was only the right to purchase. One had to know the price before they knew if they could buy it.

"Patriarch's weapon will naturally not be sold to him," said Nanxuan Changyue nonchalantly, without any inclination to elaborate. It made everyone else in the hall heave a sigh of relief. It was good that he was not a competitor. Furthermore, judging from Nanxuan Changyue's attitude, he clearly did not like Yi Yun. It was unknown, then, why he was there.

At that moment, Yi Yun suddenly asked, "I heard that you were discussing the Ancient Ruins world's ancient battlefield. Were the spots your sects received to enter the ancient battlefield handed out by the White Lunar Divine Empire?"

Yi Yun suddenly posed this question when the original discussion was about weapon refinement. It left the quartet taken aback as the beautiful woman said, "Of course, do you think we just picked it up?"

"In that case, a spot will not be for sale even if a sufficient price is paid?" asked Yi Yun again.

The woman chuckled seductively when she heard that. "A spot is so precious, so how can it be sold to others? Besides, the spot was handed down by the White Lunar Divine Empire, who would dare sell it? Why, don't tell me you plan on heading to the ancient battlefield?"

"I do have such plans." Yi Yun nodded.

The woman gave Yi Yun a look with a faint smile. "For someone your age, a spot isn't easily acquired."

Many people entered the Ancient Ruins world's ancient battlefield every time but in fact, the young elites held the advantage in the ancient battlefield. Based on his disguised look, Yi Yun had a mid-stage cultivation level. He looked like a mortal in his thirties, so he was unlikely to be a young genius. Even if he could head to the ancient battlefield, he seemed unlikely to attain much.

Yi Yun smiled without answering. He had only asked in passing to confirm his guesses. Speaking any further was pointless.

He looked at Nanxuan Changyue and asked, "Perfect Changyue, what's the matter? Has my ten-thousand-year-old Lunar Wood Spirit not been prepared yet?"

He had only come to purchase a herb. He would leave the moment he received it. Furthermore, he was not blind, he could clearly see the reluctance plastered all over Nanxuan Changyue's face. He did not want to sell the herb to him.

If he tried to say the herb really wasn't for sale, Yi Yun would definitely press the issue. After all, he had given them a drop of the Nine Transformations Celestial Silkworm's blood and had given them some form of payment. Then again, Yi Yun did not know if the Nine Transformations Celestial Silkworm's blood would have any effect on Nanxuan Luoyue.

Upon seeing Yi Yun rush him, Nanxuan Changyue turned even more unhappy. He didn't even want to sell it in the first place.

"What's the rush? My Nanxuan family clan has numerous treasured herbs. The ten-thousand-year-old Lunar Wood Spirit was collected many years ago. It will take time for us to find it."

Upon hearing Nanxuan Changyue words, Yi Yun pricked up his brows. Was the punk planning on using an excuse to shun him?

"I'm naturally in no rush. However, that ten-thousand-year-old Lunar Wood Spirit was previously arranged by Miss Luoyue to be given to me. Is there a need to take so long to find a strain of herb?"

Upon hearing Yi Yun mention Nanxuan Luoyue, Nanxuan Changyue turned even more displeased. Not only was Yi Yun being ungrateful towards his cousin's promise, he was even using it to threaten him like it was a royal decree!

Before he said a word, the beautiful woman said, "Fellow Daoist, when you seek the help of others, you should be more polite. We have waited years to buy a weapon from Senior Nanxuan and might not even manage to buy it. You are here to buy their treasured possession but yet, you act so oppressively…"

The woman had spoken up, of course, to get into Nanxuan Changyue's good books. In order to express her friendship towards the Nanxuan family clan, she had stepped forward to reprimand Yi Yun.

When the woman said that, a fiery flash suddenly lit up in the guest hall. It was the light from a voice transmission that was for Nanxuan Changyue.

Nanxuan Changyue's expression changed the moment he received the voice transmission talisman.

"Oh? Patriarch?"

Nanxuan Changyue's words stirred the hearts of everyone. Nanxuan Jue had exited seclusion? Nanxuan Changyue had just said that Nanxuan Jue would take another twenty days to exit seclusion. Why was he already out? Had he already refined the supreme-grade material into a peerless divine weapon?

The quartet were feeling puzzled when they heard a series of footsteps coming from outside. Then, they heard Nanxuan Jue's voice with bold undertones.

"Haha, Friend, for you to come from afar, you must have waited long. I'm truly sorry for my lateness and poor hospitality!"

With that said, a white-robed elder of indeterminate age walked into the guest hall beaming. Behind him was the silver-masked elder and an extremely beautiful girl with fair skin that suffused a healthy pink glow. She was none other than Nanxuan Luoyue!

"Patriarch, Uncle Lian. Luoyue, why are you all here…" Nanxuan Changyue was stumped. He was most perplexed about Nanxuan Jue. The divine weapon was only about seventy percent done but he had already exited seclusion. That could decrease the quality of the weapon by one tier.

Nanxuan Jue nodded when he saw Nanxuan Changyue. Although Nanxuan Changyue's talent was ordinary, he handled the miscellaneous family matters diligently.

And at that moment, the beautiful woman and the Daoist priest, as well as their disciples, immediately stood up. They never expected Nanxuan Jue to come personally. One had to know that even when a weapon was done refining, Nanxuan Jue would not necessarily appear to do the trade himself.

The beautiful woman smiled and said, "Patriarch Nanxuan, that's very polite of you. We have not waited for long. Besides, haven't you been refining the weapon in seclusion? It's only normal that you can't extend your hospitality, so how can you be blamed?"

However, the woman never expected that Nanxuan Jue's eyes would just sweep past them. He seemed to pause for a moment of thought before recalling their identities. Then, he said with a faint smile, "Oh, are you here too?"

Uh…

The woman's voice paused instantly. Her beaming smile that looked like a blossoming flower froze as well. She even felt her face burning. She realized that Nanxuan Jue was not talking to her.

But immediately, she continued maintaining her somewhat awkward smile and said, "That's right. We have been waiting for the successful refinement of your divine weapon."

As she said this, her thoughts raced. She recalled Nanxuan Jue's gaze. He was clearly not looking at them but at the middle-aged scholar who had not been welcomed.

Back when she saw Nanxuan Jue's passionate smile, she should have noticed something amiss. When had he ever been so affectionate towards people like them? He was clearly there for the middle-aged scholar. But from the attitude Nanxuan Changyue had, the man did not appear to be an honored guest! noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

The mood in the guest hall turned awkward once again. When Nanxuan Jue saw Yi Yun standing in a corner, he immediately frowned.

"Changyue, why didn't you offer our guest a seat?"

Nanxuan Changyue was momentarily unable to react. He looked at Yi Yun in a daze and suddenly realized that Nanxuan Jue's words upon entering the hall were meant for Yi Yun.

It was not that he was slow but that his thoughts were revolving around the question of Nanxuan Jue's exiting of seclusion. He had missed the implications of Nanxuan Jue's words.

Now, on second thought, since when had the patriarch been so polite to others? Those that came to seek the patriarch's works were all polite, bringing sizable gifts. And towards these people, Nanxuan Jue would rarely be more than indifferent, much less greet them personally.

This mid-stage Supremacy had actually made Nanxuan Jue welcome him personally with such a polite greeting. It was even possible that… Nanxuan Jue had exited seclusion because of this matter!

To welcome the scholar, he was willing to let the weapon he was refining drop in grade. What was happening…

Nanxuan Changyue was flabbergasted. He even forgot that Nanxuan Jue was reprimanding him.

Noticing Nanxuan Changyue's inaction, Nanxuan Jue's brows knitted tighter. "What are you waiting for?"

"Ah…" Nanxuan Changyue snapped out of his daze. "Oh, okay."

Seeing his patriarch unhappy, Nanxuan Changyue quickly prepared a seat and tea for Yi Yun. He was still feeling baffled about everything that was happening.

"Take out the Ravenjade Shangjing Tea. Why are you so muddleheaded today?" Seeing Nanxuan Changyue offer ordinary tea for guests, Nanxuan Jue said this with greater displeasure. Nanxuan Changyue would typically be able to read the situation so why did he appear so clumsy today?

"Yes, I'll fetch it now." Nanxuan Changyue changed the tea leaves with a bitter face. Nanxuan Jue was a tea lover. The few bags of Ravenjade Shangjing Tea were Nanxuan Jue's prized collection for millennia. Even he rarely drank it. So why would he think to offer such precious tea? Of course, Nanxuan Changyue did not dare say those words aloud.

"Senior Nanxuan, you are too kind. The tea from before is already good enough."

Yi Yun could tell that the ordinary tea was prepared for guests of the Nanxuan family. It was not ordinary either but Nanxuan Jue's standards were too high.

"Haha, this grandnephew of mine lacks sense. Sorry for slighting you, my friend. Please tolerate our lack of hospitality." Nanxuan Jue cupped his fists. Be it the Nanxuan family clan or Nanxuan Jue, Nanxuan Luoyue was was their beloved daughter. Ignoring the benefits the drop of blood had given Nanxuan Luoyue, just Yi Yun's ability to determine her body's condition through a strand of hair was an ability that demanded Nanxuan Jue's respect of Yi Yun.

True Martial World - Chapter 1421: Blood Catalyst

At that moment, there was an elder of indeterminate age inside a Nanxuan family clan chamber. He was focusing on refining a weapon.

The elder was the Nanxuan family clan's patriarch—Nanxuan Jue. Although the Nanxuan family clan was powerful, it was not a family clan with deep heritage. It was established by Nanxuan Jue alone.

He was a famous artifact refinement master known throughout the Scarlet Yang continent. The divine weapons he forged were extremely high in quality. Many warriors were willing to pay tremendous amounts of money for his weapons, but were often rejected.

At that moment, a masked elder came to the outside of the chamber. After a moment's hesitation, he passed through the restrictive barrier. If this were an ordinary day, he would absolutely not disturb Nanxuan Jue while he was refining an artifact. But today's situation was unique…

Nanxuan Jue frowned slightly when he sensed the sudden intruder. He turned his head and realized it was the Nanxuan family clan's head steward, Lian Yong.

Lian Yong's entire family had once been saved by Nanxuan Jue many years ago. Due to that, he gave his loyal aid to Nanxuan Jue in establishing the Nanxuan family clan. Nanxuan Jue absolutely trusted Lian Yong. Although Lian Yong had the title of steward, Nanxuan Jue treated him more like a brother. He knew that Lian Yong would not disturb him unless it was something important.

"Brother Lian, is there something wrong?" asked Nanxuan Jue.

Lian Yong instantly sent a voice transmission, rapidly explaining the encounter with Yi Yun. Nanxuan Jue felt a jolt once he heard the story. "What did you say? Luoyue fused with a drop of blood given to her by an unknown stranger? And she's currently refining it in seclusion?"

"Yes, I have already tried persuading her to no avail. It baffles me why she would trust that person so much."

Nanxuan Jue knitted his brows. He no longer cared about the quality of the artifact he was refining as he stopped the refinement array and walked out the chamber.

Nanxuan Luoyue built a large family clan from nothing. He had offended countless people over the years. If there was someone bent on seeking revenge, it was very likely for them to do it using Nanxuan Luoyue. Lian Yong would usually protect her which allowed him to take his mind off her. However, there was nothing Lian Yong could do if Nanxuan Luoyue acted adamantly.

To the Nanxuan family clan, Nanxuan Luoyue was a beloved daughter. Nanxuan Jue once had a rather accomplished son but he unfortunately perished. He left behind Nanxuan Luoyue, his only daughter. As for Nanxuan Luoyue's mother, Nanxuan Jue had never even seen her.

To Nanxuan Jue's pleasant surprise, Nanxuan Luoyue's talent far exceeded her father's. Therefore, the inheritance of the Nanxuan family clan landed almost squarely on Nanxuan Luoyue. They could not afford for anything to happen to her.

Nanxuan Jue took big strides towards Nanxuan Luoyue's residence and noticed his wife and Nanxuan Luoyue's maidservant waiting outside nervously. Neither of them had disturbed Nanxuan Luoyue.

"How long has it been?" Nanxuan Jue asked. Without waiting for the maidservant's reply, he probed with his perception through the door and looked inside the room.

He saw Nanxuan Luoyue sitting on a bed. Her skin suffused a pale redness as hot gases spewed from her pores. It felt as though the flames of vitality in Nanxuan Luoyue had been alighted.

Hot gases billowed into the air and faintly formed the phantom of a swimming dragon.

Nanxuan Jue was alarmed. This is…

His expression was one of bewilderment. Although he was an artifact refinement master, he did not know much about pills or the human body. He only felt as though a ferocious beast had awakened in Nanxuan Luoyue's body.

But this feeling was fleeting. Moments later, Nanxuan Luoyue stabilized and the dragon phantom dissipated.

Nanxuan Luoyue opened her eyes and breathed out a mouthful of foul air. It was as though her very life had experienced a metamorphic change. But he was unable to determine what it was despite observing her carefully.

"Yue'er!"

Nanxuan Jue pushed open the door and in response, Nanxuan Luoyue turned her head. Her forehead was covered in sweat but she had a faint smile. Her mood seemed buoyant and the lifeblood in her seemed to burn vigorously like a fiery cauldron.

"Yue'er, how do you feel?" Nanxuan Jue asked with concern.

"Grandpa, I feel great. It feels just like the supreme-grade Ancient Fey bone I absorbed years ago."

When Nanxuan Luoyue was young, Nanxuan Jue had bought an Ancient Fey spine bone the size of a face basin from an auction. It had been refined by a famous alchemist, using dozens of supreme-grade herbs for a hundred days. It was invaluable.

After Nanxuan Luoyue absorbed the Ancient Fey bone, her cultivation level increased tremendously. Of course, the Nanxuan family clan paid a sizable sum for the Ancient Fey bone. Nanxuan Jue had used one of his works that he was particularly proud of, one that he had stored away for years, as an exchange for the Ancient Fey bone.

"It's like the absorption of the supreme-grade Ancient Fey bone? There is actually such an effect?" Nanxuan Jue was stunned. How was it possible?

Nanxuan Jue had heard from Lian Yong that Nanxuan Luoyue had only received a drop of blood. It was just a tiny drop of blood, not even the size of a soybean; yet, the effects matched a supreme-grade Ancient Fey bone and dozens of natural treasures that were all refined by a famous alchemist?

Besides, if it were truly such a treasure, why would the man give it to Nanxuan Luoyue for free?

Nanxuan Jue originally believed that an enemy had attempted to harm their Nanxuan family clan's best seedling. But in the end, he had truly given her an invaluable treasure. How could something so bizarre happen?

Nanxuan Jue took a step forward and grabbed Nanxuan Luoyue's wrist. Although he did not know any medical skills, he had been practicing martial arts for years. He knew a little about the body's channels and collaterals.

When he made his probe, he sensed that Nanxuan Luoyue's aura had transformed into something different from what it was before. It felt like something had catalyzed in her body but as for what it was, he was unable to determine it at all.

Furthermore, Nanxuan Luoyue's Dao Palace had experienced a fascinating change. The Dao Palace seemed to be enveloped in a rising blood mist.

It was as though Nanxuan Luoyue's lifeblood was so powerful that it even immersed the entire Dao Palace.

This made Nanxuan Jue recall tales of warriors that tempered their bodies. The strength of those people's lifeblood was probably around this level…

This made Nanxuan Jue wonder about Nanxuan Luoyue's bloodline. Could her issue stem from her mother? What background did her mother have?

"Miss, do you feel discomfort in any way?" asked Lian Yong worriedly.

Nanxuan Luoyue shook her head. "No, I feel great. The effect feels more than a hundred times better than eating any Heart Nourishing Pills."

"This… It's good you feel great…" Lian Yong was baffled. He was certain that the scholar he had encountered had nefarious thoughts and was likely a cheat. He had probably heard that Nanxuan Luoyue had eaten Heart Nourishing Pills for more than a decade. In response, he produced a drop of blood that did not appear precious in any way and hoped to boast about it. But who knew that it had such effects?

Lian Yong was thankful that Nanxuan Luoyue had insisted on trusting her own judgment. If not, she would have missed out on such an opportunity.

"Looks like I was being silly. I could not tell that the young man is such a capable person. He probably noticed something about your body. He couldn't have given that drop of blood to you for no reason. It must have some special property that matches your body perfectly."

Lian Yong offered his speculations. Nanxuan Luoyue nodded. She shared the same thoughts. If there was something amiss, she would not have felt the resonance with that drop of blood.

The drop of blood felt like a catalyst that stirred changes in her body. However, it still fell short of fully stabilizing her Dao Palace. It was unknown what sort of changes her body would experience if she received another few drops of blood.

Of course, that was only Nanxuan Luoyue letting her thoughts run free. Yi Yun probably did not have that many drops of the precious blood.

She did not know how valuable the drop of blood was either. But it was obvious to her that the ten-thousand-year-old Lunar Wood Spirit was insufficient as a trade. Thinking back to how she planned on selling it to Yi Yun at the market price, she felt a little ashamed. He had already given her such a precious drop of blood but she was actually taking money from him.

"I heard that the kind sir also requires a Seven Leaf Wheel and the Luoshengzi?" said Lian Yong suddenly.

Nanxuan Luoyue nodded. "Yes, but we do not have those two herbs in our stores. That kind sir did give me such a rare opportunity. Grandpa, is it possible for you to help him find them?"

"It's only necessary." Nanxuan Jue nodded. His family clan still had quite a good social network. It was mainly because he was an artifact refining master. Many people had requests for him. It was not difficult if he truly wanted something found. "If that person still has more drops of that blood, perhaps we can buy a few drops from him."

"He probably doesn't have any left." Lian Yong shook his head. "This kind of blood is a rare treasure of the world. It's likely very difficult to obtain. He must have given it to us because he was in urgent need of the herb."

Lian Yong's words were reasonable but he had no idea that the drop of blood had been extracted from the Nine Transformations Celestial Silkworm's body. The little guy did not look large in size, but the vigor in its blood resembled that of a True Dragon. Extracting one drop of blood was a fairly trivial matter.

As they conversed, a spark lit up in front of Lian Yong's eyes. It was the light of a voice transmission talisman. Lian Yong's eyes lit up as he said, "It's that sir that gave the blood. He has come to us to buy the herb!"