Chapter 277 All The Way North
Three days later.
The Old Turtle King and Nine-tailed Fox King arrived together. After two years, the cultivation of these two demon kings had become even deeper, and every move they made caused sharp demonic qi to overflow and revolve, causing the surrounding space to be shaken to the point that circles of ripples arose. They seemed as if their entire bodies had fused into the heavens and the earth, and their figures had become illusory because of this.
When advancing into the Rebirth Realm, it required absorbed in the energy of Yin and Yang into the body to condense Rebirth Wheels, and the quality of True Essence would obtain a qualitative transformation as well.
On the other hand, when advancing from the Rebirth Realm into the Nether Transformation Realm, the entire body and mind would coincide with the heavens and the earth, causing every single move made by the person to be capable of carrying along the might of the heavens and the earth. Moreover, one would be able to comprehend the technique of teleportation.
The so-called coinciding with the heavens and the earth was the transformation of the Dao Heart that allowed one to utilize the might of the heavens and the earth, and it was a characteristic of the Nether Transformation Realm. A cultivator that attained this realm was also called an Enlightened Nether Transformation Master.
For example, Chen Hao’s master, Wen Xuan, was an Enlightened Nether Transformation Master.
At this moment, the aura revealed by the Old Turtle King and Nine-tailed Fox King faintly possessed a trace of coinciding with the heavens and the earth, and even though it was faint, it wasn’t difficult to discern that this was a sign of being on the verge of breaking through to the Nether Transformation Realm.
When he saw the two demon kings being about to advance to the Nether Transformation Realm from the Rebirth Realm after a mere two years of time, Chen Xi could only use the word ‘admiration’ to describe the feelings in his heart. But he knew as well that these two demon kings had stayed in the Violet Palace Realm for over 10,000 years, and their accumulation of strength was enormous to an unimaginable degree. So their ability to advance in such a short amount of time was something that was within reason.
At present, there was a sumptuous feast in the Chen Clan main hall with crowds of guests present, and it was extraordinarily bustling.
The arrival of the Old Turtle King and Nine-tailed Fox King received the warm entertaining of Chen Xi, Chen Hao, and the various leaders of the powers in Pine Mist City. The two demon kings didn’t put on airs either, and they chatted with a smile while offering pearls of wisdom, causing the atmosphere in the main hall to be cheerful.
Of course, everyone present knew that the reason these two demon kings were so courteous to all of them was entirely out of respect for Chen Xi. Otherwise, with their identities and strengths, they’d probably pay utterly no attention to all of them.
After the banquet, the two demon kings didn’t stay and journeyed right away towards the depths of the mountain range. Before they came to Pine Mist City this time, the two of them already knew of Chen Xi’s request, and to the two of them now, aweing a group of demon cultivators was an extremely easy task, so they naturally wouldn’t refuse Chen Xi’s invitation.
Not to mention they were currently at the Wanderingcloud Sword Sect. Even though they were respected as elders, yet there was still Daoist Wen Xuan and the Supreme Elder Bei Heng above them, whereas Chen Xi was the sworn brother of Bei Heng. Thus, helping Chen Xi was equivalent to helping themselves, so why not?
The behavior of the two demon kings caused everyone to be envious and exclaim with admiration in their hearts. Probably only Chen Xi is capable of so smoothly ordering about two Rebirth Realm experts, and it’s impossible for us to learn.
One day later.
The Old Turtle King and Nine-tailed Fox King returned to Pine Mist City, as they’d satisfactorily completed Chen Xi’s request, but there was a thing that they had to consult with Chen Xi about.
“Presently, there are numerous demon cultivators in the depths of the mountain range. Even though their strengths are advancing by leaps and bounds, yet they lack suitable Magic Treasures and equipment. So they beseeched me to come over and see if I can purchase some treasures from you.” In the Chen Clan main hall, the Old Turtle King smiled. “Don’t worry, they’ll use some spirit materials, spirit wood, and other similar treasures to exchange for them, and they’ll absolutely not obtain things from your Chen Clan for nothing.”
“Yes, it’s indeed like this. The changes in the depths of the mountain range is shocking. It isn’t only us demon-kind, even the herbs and ores are growing insanely, and their quality is increasing successively. There’re even a large batch of spirit veins and ore veins of fairly high quality that have been unearthed.” The Nine-tailed Fox King grinned as he spoke. “Unfortunately, the demon race is innately weak at equipment refinement and alchemy, and they’re sitting on a mountain of treasure, yet are unable to utilize it properly. I suggest that you sign an agreement with these demon cultivators. The Chen Clan will help them purchase Magic Treasures and medicinal pills, whereas they will instead send spirit veins, spirit ore veins, herbs, and various other materials to the Chen Clan. Of course, the price is up to you to set, so don’t go easy on them and earn as much as you can. In this way, why would you need to worry that your clan wouldn’t prosper?”
Chen Xi was extremely moved from hearing this as well. The strength of a clan couldn’t do without the support of tremendous financial resources, whereas these financial resources were usually reflected in the number of stores, ore veins, and herb gardens possessed by the clan. For example, the number of financial resources possessed by the clan undoubtedly occupied an important effect within the reason some clans in Pine Mist City were capable of lasting for a few thousands of years without falling.
Some clans were skilled in alchemy, so they purchased countless spirit farmlands to plant herbs; some clans were skilled in taming beasts, so they opened some beast enclosures to specialize in growing spirit beasts and spirit birds, whereas, even though some clans didn’t have a supplementary product, yet they occupied some spirit veins and spirit ore veins, so they were able to obtain great amounts of wealth by excavating and selling them.
Presently, even though the Chen Clan had risen and became the number one power in Pine Mist City, yet it lacked long terms sources of financial resources, so it was surely unable to support itself for a long time, let alone expand its scale and prosper. The was a principle similar to the principle of water without a source and tree without roots.
The appearance of the depths of the mountain range had undoubtedly given a superb opportunity for the Chen Clan to earn wealth. If it was operated well, then it was even possible that the Chen Clan didn’t have to worry about the insufficiency of financial resources for an extremely long time.
Just think about, the depths of the mountain range covered an area of an entire 50,000km, so how many spirit veins and spirit ore veins would there be inside it? And how many herbs and spirit materials would there be? If he controlled all of this within his own hands, it was equivalent to controlling a tremendous source of financial resources, so wouldn’t the rise and prospering of the Chen Clan be just around the corner?
“Alright, we’ll do it!” Chen Xi pondered for a short moment before deciding resolutely, and he smiled as he said, “I have to thank Big Brothers for helping me achieve this. It’s all thanks to your contributions that this matter could be done successfully. I’ll remember this favor.”
Actually, the demon cultivators in the depths of the mountain range were entirely capable of cooperating with the other clans and supplying each other with what they need, whereas the reason they would look for the Chen Clan was surely because of the Old Turtle King and Nine-tailed Fox King had helped him greatly. So how could he turn a blind eye to such a favor?
The Old Turtle King and Nine-tailed Fox King glanced at each other, and then they started laughing loudly and happily. They were waiting for precisely these words from Chen Xi when they did all this.
“Don’t worry Little Brother, all the resources from the depths of the mountain range will only be handed over to your Chen Clan to sell exclusively. If anyone else wants to take a bite of these resources, then not to mention your Chen Clan wouldn’t agree, these demon cultivators wouldn’t agree as well. But you have to take care of these demon cultivators as well and don’t be a cutthroat. After all, they’re Fellow Daoists of me and the old turtle…” The Nine-tailed Fox King grinned.
“Of course. The reason a business is lasting is because it’s fair and reasonable, and it cheats no one. Don’t worry Big Brother, just leave everything to me.” Before the Nine-tailed Fox King could finish speaking, Chen Xi had already replied solemnly.
At this point, the Chen Clan had finally possessed its foundation for survival. So long as nothing unexpected happened, prospering was only a matter of time, and this also allowed Chen Xi to completely stop worrying.
Just think about it, in the outside, the Chen Clan possessed the protection of the number one power in the southern territory, the Wanderingcloud Sword Sect; in its interior, it possessed the protection of the Grand Qi Atomic Sword Formation. Coupled with the resources of various ore veins and spirit materials from the depths of the mountain range, it was impossible for the Chen Clan to not become strong.
A few days later, over 10 Golden Core Realm demon cultivators and over 100 Golden Hall Realm demon cultivators from the depths of the mountain range headed to Pine Mist City to pay a visit to Chen Xi under the lead of the two demon kings, and it was also for the sake of making it convenient when they carried out dealings in the future.
Chen Xi was uninterested towards all this, and he’d already decided that he would leave Pine Mist City soon and head towards the central plains to gain experience and tempering. So, he passed all these matters to Chen Hao to deal with.
Of course, he still found time for courtesy sake to meet these demon cultivators, yet never imagined that at the instant he appeared, all those demon cultivators were extremely excited and repeatedly toasted him.
It turned out that all these demon cultivators had once paid a visit to Chen Xi at Moon’s Embrace Mountain all those years ago, and they hadn’t forgotten in the slightest about Chen Xi’s deeds of killing the Black Ape King, the Thunderhawk King, and the other three demon kings.
Little Chen Yu was extremely happy as he was surrounded at the center by the demon cultivators like a host of stars surrounding the moon as he listened to the demon cultivators speak about the numerous past deeds of his Uncle in the depths of the mountain range, and he exclaimed repeatedly with admiration with his little mouth gaping, causing him to seem extremely cute.
It wasn’t only little Chen Yu, even the others were bedazzled and their blood boiled as they listened to these stories, and they entirely never imagined that Chen Xi had actually experienced such a brilliant journey in the depths of the mountain range all those years ago.
Chen Xi only laughed this off. What brilliant journey? I entered the depths of the mountain range by accident all those years ago, and for the sake of surviving, I utterly didn’t think so much about it.
————
Swoosh!
A treasured vessel crushed the layer of clouds as it flew towards the northern sky.
Chen Xi stood at the stern as he looked at Pine Mist City that was gradually vanishing within his field of vision, and he silently drank a few mouthfuls of wine. After this parting, I wonder when I’ll be able to see them again?
As he recalled Chen Hao’s unwilling gaze, Fei Lengcui’s swollen eyes, and little Chen Yu’s cries when he bid farewell, Chen Xi had a complicated feeling in his heart. If one could obtain happiness and steadiness in life, then who would be willing to wander away from home?
“Master, it’s time to eat.” Mu Kui carefully placed the four plated of dishes he made on the table, and said nervously, “It’s the first time I’ve cooked, I think it’s alright. Have a taste first.”
Chen Xi put his feelings in order before turning around and looking over. He saw that the color combination of the four dishes on the table were not bad and was pleasant to the eye, and there was even a jug of monkey wine that emitted a dense fragrance that assaulted his nose.
“Not bad, it looks quite good. Is it really your first time cooking?” Chen Xi spoke with surprise.
Mu Kui’s face glowed as he rubbed his head and grinned. “Yes. In the past, I’ve always eaten the prey I capture raw, and I’ve never cooked them like this. I wonder if it’s suitable to your taste?”
Chen Xi smiled and suddenly remembered that he himself was a spirit chef, yet he rarely had the time to cook delicacies now.
“Aowu~” Bai Kui let out a low howl as he scurried up the table with a swoosh. The little fellow had been thrown in the Buddha’s Pagoda by Chen Xi for a long time, and he was almost bored to death. At this moment, when he saw the four plates of steaming hot delicacies, his eyes instantly glowed as drool flowed from his mouth, and he opened his mouth before swallowing the dishes on the table.
However, in the next moment, his fist sized body suddenly froze and even the food he’d swallowed was instantly spat out by him, and saliva dripped out of his tongue as he glared resentfully at Mu Kui with an appearance as if his appetite had been ruined.
Mu Kui instantly became extremely embarrassed.
“Let me try it first. This little fellow is extremely picky, but these dishes are not likely to be inedible.” Chen Xi couldn’t bear to strike a blow to Mu Kui’s zeal, so he picked up the chopsticks and clamped an azuretail mandarin fish slice and placed it into his mouth. However, in the next instant, his face stiffened, and then he slowly raised his head to ask with a calm expression. “How much Goshark Flowersalt did you use?”
“I didn’t use any salt. Oh! Are you talking about that black condiment? I thought it was a type of oil and used a large ladle of it.” Mu Kui entirely didn’t notice the unusualness of Chen Xi’s expression as he shook his head and spoke.
My god! Can that thing be used in ladles? Even a single drop can kill… Chen Xi sighed deeply in his heart, and then he said with an expressionless face before standing up and walking towards the kitchen, “Wait and try my cooking.”
Hmm? There seems to be something strange. Mu Kui looked at Bai Kui who lay on the table and was in pain to the point of rolling about, and he couldn’t help but test his own cooking. In the next moment, his eyes opened wide like saucers, and even his face went ashen as he howled out loudly. “Salty! Too, too fucking salty!”