Spirit Realm

Qin Lie stayed in Dark Asura Hall for a few more days.

He had given out all the spirit materials and spirit artifacts he brought back from the Setting Sun Islands. To him, these companions he made during his teen years were the key figures of the most beautiful memories of his life.

In fact, the reason for his return to the Scarlet Tide Continent was to see Tu Ze and his other friends, and to present them with new opportunities.

It was also because he hoped to take them away from the Scarlet Tide Continent.

But after talking with Tu Shixiong, he realized that his plans might not have been as long-sighted as he believed them to be. In the end, he reached a conclusion that it would be better if they were to be left at the Scarlet Tide Continent for now.

The spirit materials and spirit pills he left behind would aid Tu Ze and everyone else in their cultivation.

Given a bit of time, the Tu Family would be able to swiftly increase their strength and accumulate more power.

Perhaps the best timing for their departure to the Setting Sun Islands would be the moment they thought that their growth would be limited on the Scarlet Tide Continent.

In the end, Qin Lie waited until Tu Ze and the others had knocked themselves out with alcohol once more before he finally sneaked away on the crystalline war chariot.

He had just flown out of Hundred Palace City without a particular direction in mind when an identical-looking crystalline war chariot suddenly appeared before him.

Song Siyuan and Xie Zhizhang stood atop the crystalline war chariot with smiling faces. They seemed to have waited for a very long time.

“Had enough fun?” Song Siyuan asked Qin Lie while smiling.

The latter returned the smile and countered, “You two have been following me since Seven Fiends Valley all the way to Dark Asura Hall. What do you want?”

Xie Zhizhang let out a dry laugh and answered, “We were afraid that you’d start another slaughter and turn the entire Scarlet Tide Continent upside down. We’re also afraid that some clueless people will find an excuse to provoke or offend you, sparking you into action.”

“Am I really that bad in your eyes?” Qin Lie was speechless.

Song Siyuan and Xie Zhizhang broke out in a sweat when they heard his question.

“From the moment I heard your name, you create trouble wherever you set your foot. I also heard that you’ve made enemies everywhere and fought nonstop ever since you entered the Land of Chaos.” Xie Zhizhang’s expression was strange. “How can we possibly let our guard down with so much of your... ‘interesting’ history to refer to? We had no choice but to follow you.”

“How are they doing?” Qin Lie suddenly shot a question that seemed to come out of nowhere.

After a brief moment of confusion, Xie Zhizhang understood and answered, “Both Tingyu and Jingxuan have broken through to the Fulfillment Realm, and they are currently cultivating their families’ secret arts. That is why they have secluded themselves for a time.”

“I see.” Qin Lie frowned. “How long do they need, exactly? If it lasts too long then… I may have to return to the Land of Chaos first.”

“They should be finishing soon,” Song Siyuan hastily said.

“It won’t delay your schedule,” Xie Zhizhang also said.

Qin Lie nodded before he said suddenly, “Alright, talk. What else do you want from me? I refuse to believe that you’ve followed me for such a long time and waited at Dark Asura Hall for so many days for nothing.”

Xie Zhizhang immediately looked embarrassed upon being exposed. He let out an awkward laugh and said, “Uh, I heard that you still have a dozen or so crystalline war chariots in your possession? It sounds like you have plenty of such flying spirit artifacts… don’t you?”

“So?”

“I want, no, Profound Heaven Alliance would like to purchase them from you!” Song Siyuan said seriously.

“Purchase?” Qin Lie let out an odd laughter. “You can go the the Land of Chaos yourself and buy the crystalline war chariots there, can’t you? If you think it’s too far, you can still seek out Sea Moon Island’s Blue Star Association and acquire their aid, right? Why have you come to me instead?”

“Blue Star Association is overly arrogant, and they share a rather bad relationship with all surrounding forces. Also… their prices are a little expensive,” Xie Zhizhang said helplessly.

Blue Star Association sat amidst the Scarlet Tide Continent, Flowing Cloud Continent, and the Land of Chaos. They controlled the teleportation formations and were responsible for selling spirit artifacts and spirit pills to forces like Profound Heaven Alliance.

In general, everything Blue Star Association sold was at least forty percent more expensive than in the Land of Chaos.

A difference of forty percent was too much for a force like Profound Heaven Alliance.

Ever since Profound Heaven Alliance learned that Qin Lie could teleport directly to the Setting Sun Islands through the teleportation formation in the ultimate blood ground, they had a plan in their mind.

They hoped to buy some spirit materials they urgently needed without going through Blue Star Association.

“I still have plenty of crystalline war chariots, but… I don’t seem to be lacking in anything.” Qin Lie rubbed his chin and looked playfully at Xie Zhizhang and Song Siyuan. “What do you have to offer?”

“Do you take spirit stones?”

“I’m not lacking in spirit stones.”

“Scarlet Tide Continent produces a lot of special spirit materials such as the Fiery Solar Jade, Heavenly Cloud Crystal, Water Spirit Jade and so on. You are an artificer yourself; you should know about our local products.”

“To be frank, grade of Scarlet Tide Continent’s spirit materials is just too low. I may not have use for them.”

Both men looked troubled when they heard this. They began to ponder for another offer with wrinkled eyebrows.

Qin Lie’s expression was arrogant.

In the past, Profound Heaven Alliance had targeted and schemed behind his back multiple times. They came very close to annihilating the Horned Demon Race and him. It was impossible for him not to feel at least a bit of grudge towards them.

Therefore, he just had to make their lives difficult at least once since they were begging for his aid now. He wouldn’t feel at ease otherwise.

“I’m not lacking in anything. I’m not trading the crystalline war chariots for anything other than some exceptionally rare spirit materials, or materials that I’m really lacking right now,” Qin Lie said indifferently.

Song Siyuan felt a coming headache. After a moment of consideration, he clenched his teeth in secret, coughed twice and said, “When she came home during this trip, we noticed that Tingyu seemed to have lost her… virginity. I heard that she had been staying with you all the time while she was at the Land of Chaos. Cough cough, as you know, er, Tingyu is the pearl of our Song Family…”

Song Siyuan stopped at what he thought was the appropriate timing.

Xie Zhizhang looked absolutely astonished.

Qin Lie couldn’t help but turn red in immeasurable embarrassment upon hearing this.

“Uh, just tell sister Tingyu to come find me about Profound Heaven Alliance’s purchase of the crystalline war chariots.” After leaving behind these words, Qin Lie escaped on the crystalline war chariot at top speed.

“It really was him!” Song Siyuan shook.

“You didn’t know?” Xie Zhizhang looked surprised.

“I seriously did not.” Song Siyuan’s expression was odd, “We could see that Tingyu was no longer a virgin from both her appearance and movements. But well… it’s inconvenient to ask about such things, so we simply never voiced our thoughts, just guessed that it may have had something to do with Qin Lie.”

After a pause, Song Siyuan’s eyes gradually lit up. “I wasn’t sure if it was Qin Lie either. I was just trying to see if I can trick him, and… it actually worked!”

Song Siyuan snorted and exclaimed in anger, “Damn that little bastard Qin Lie! How dare he put such airs before me when he had that kind of relationship with Tingyu!”

“I see you’re pretty pleased, aren’t you?” Xie Zhizhang curled his lips and said.

“Pleased about what?” Song Siyuan frowned.

“Pleased that Tingyu’s lover is Qin Lie, of course.” Xie Zhizhang said enviously. “Jingxuan… is so, so much more inferior to Tingyu in this aspect. Although she knew Qin Lie earlier than Tingyu, her skin was so thin that she just couldn’t force herself upon Qin Lie knowing that he shared a love relationship with that Ling Family girl…”

“Are you taking a dig at me?” Song Siyuan snorted. “Why do I sense a bit of jealousy from your tone?”

“Because I am envious alright!” Xie Zhizhang rolled his eyes at him.

……

After departing from Dark Asura Hall and a moment of hesitation, Qin Lie suddenly flew towards Herb Mountain.

He rarely got to come back, so he wished to walk around Herb Mountain, stay in Ling Town for a day or two, and recall the olden days for a bit before returning to the Land of Chaos.

Herb Mountain and Ling Town belonged to Nebula Pavilion’s domain, so naturally they weren’t too far away from Dark Asura Hall.

It only took him two hours of flight on crystalline war chariot to reach the night sky above Herb Mountain.

Qin Lie looked down.

Herb Mountain had long since turned into a pile of rubble.

Two years ago, the Ling Family and Horned Demon Race clansmen had teleported to the Nether Continent through the teleportation formation inside Herb Mountain.

After the teleportation process had ended, the formation had exploded immediately, causing the entire Herb Mountain to collapse.

Herb Mountain had disappeared, and Ling Town was the only site that was left intact.

Qin Lie watched a little while longer under the dim moon before he flew towards Ling Town on the crystalline war chariot.

“Eh?”

After a moment of observation, he actually discovered a weak light pouring out of the small buildings of Ling Town.

Qin Lie was surprised internally as he withdrew the crystalline war chariot and sneaked his way into Ling Town. he wanted to see who it was that had visited Ling Town after such a long time.

Carefully hiding himself, Qin Lie arrived at the small buildings with weak lighting, moved near a window and looked inside.

It was only a single glance, but his body shook slightly as an immeasurably conflicted look sprung up his face.

He saw Liu Ting.

……