County Governor Manor.
“Your lives are on the line if any mistakes are made! Be on full alert!” Commander Fang bellowed.
“Yes, sir!” The platoon of personal guards was was more vigilant than usual. Outside a quiet chamber stood a platoon of experts. They knew that the county governor had brought a treasure all the way back from Green Tooth Mountain. For him to enter the chamber the moment he returned spelled the importance of the matter.
Commander Fang walked to a grass patch not far away. He sat down with his legs crossed and closed his mind to meditate so as to defend against any unexpected circumstances.
In the chamber.
The county governor had already sat down on a bed before taking out a jade box carefully.
“A thousand-year-old Ice Jade Fruit. Twenty years of longevity.” The county governor’s eyes lit up. Coming from South Hill’s Wen family, he had reached the position of county governor. He enjoyed quite a status in the Wen family, which had no lack of Qi cultivation methods and treasures. However, knocking open the gate of immortality required talent. Although he was extremely wise and had become a high official, his talent for cultivation was considered ordinary. Although someone like Jia Huairen was someone he thought nothing of, Jia Huairen possessed cultivation talent.
Failing to knock open the gate of immortality meant a lifespan no different from others.
“I can still live another twenty years. I’ll be able to climb higher and maybe, I can be promoted to a fourth-grade official?” The county governor thought to himself. However, he did not dare dream of getting a third-grade post. The higher the official ranks, the more demanding it became. One’s background, experience, and own strength became extremely demanding. After all, in their rule of the world, what high officials needed to deal with was not the commoners but mainly demons.
“Kacha.” The county governor grabbed the red thousand-year-old Ice Jade Fruit that suffused a purple luster. He bit at it and immediately it melted in his mouth. As the refreshing liquid flowed down his throat and into his body, it quickly emanated through his entire body. The light refreshing fragrance made every inch of his body erupt in delight.
His skin was tightening, while his muscles and tendons were trembling.
They felt numb. The county governor began shivering.
“Good, good.” The county governor did not hesitate. He finished the thousand-year-old Ice Jade Fruit at one go, leaving behind a very intricate fruit core.
The spirit fruit’s energy caused the county governor’s body to experience changes. His white and dry hair gradually turned luxuriant and a lot of his hair strands turned completely black. There was very little white hair left on him.
As for his facial skin, the wrinkles smoothened out and there was a glow in his skin. His turbid eyes also turned a lot clearer.
The county governor felt his body experience a constant set of miraculous changes. He looked down at his hands and arms. His skin and muscles had changed. He could not help but be excited.
He rushed down the bed and went to a bronze mirror.
“I…” The county governor looked at himself in the mirror.
He looked like himself twenty years ago.
Even if he were to compare with Qin Yun’s father, Qin Liehu, they would look to be around the same age.
“It’s as though I’m fifty again.” The county governor frowned as he held his stomach. He had a stomachache as he hurriedly pushed open the door and ran out.
“Lord County Governor.” The guards around bowed. Not far away, Commander Fang opened his eyes but he was momentarily astonished. The county governor had indeed grown younger. He no longer looked like Wen Chong’s father but more like his brother.
“Prepare some hot water. I’ll be bathing and changing my clothes in a while.” The county governor said as he ran.
“Lord County Governor.” Commander Fang stood up.
“Old Fang, I’ll need to relieve myself.” The county governor did not stop in his footsteps.
Commander Fang smiled when he saw this. “He sure runs fast. The spirit fruit is indeed miraculous. It can make a person twenty years younger in an instant.”
…
In another wing of County Governor Manor.
Yi Xiao was sitting before a desk, recounting the experience she had during the expedition to Green Tooth Mountain. She could not help but smile. Following that, she began writing a letter.
Soon, it was finished.
“The matter of Green Tooth Mountain is over. Next is what actually matters.” Yi Xiao thought to herself. “Once Uncle-Master comes, we can combine forces to rid Water God from this world.”
“Qin Yun’s strength is also extremely high and he hasn’t entered the Connate realm. He will not make Water God overtly wary. Should I invite him?” Yi Xiao pondered.
Water God was naturally much stronger than White Tiger.
However, there were many entities in the world stronger than Water God. In the Daoist and Buddhist sacred lands, any random Elder would be stronger than him. However, Water God was untouchable even to a Connate Golden Core realm expert in a two-hundred-and-fifty-kilometer radius around Lanyang River. He was too careful and crafty.
However, Water God thought nothing of juniors that had yet entered the Connate realm.
After all, how heaven-defying could one be if one hadn’t reached the Connate realm? It was already pretty impressive to match someone at the Connate False Core realm while being at a lower realm. Being able to kill an ordinary Connate False Core realm demon would have one’s feats extolled to the world. Up to date, Qin Yun had not managed to kill a powerful demon at the Connate False Core realm in a one-on-one battle. As for Water God, he was not what the powerful demons like White Tiger could compare with.
“Yes, once Uncle-Master comes, I’ll let him make the decision.” With the letter in hand, Yi Xiao immediately walked out of the study and got someone in County Governor Manor to deliver it. It was to inform her Uncle-Master that her matter was resolved. They could take action now!
******
Qin Manor. Lanterns were already hung up. Large numbers of guards were patrolling the area with many equipped with Demon Annihilation Crossbows.
Inside the yard.
There was a bout of laughter. Qin Yun, his brother, Qin An, and his father, Qin Liehu were sitting together having a chat amid drinks.
“Yun’er, now that you can match White Tiger, perhaps only Commander Fang and Master Meixia are your equal in Grand Dominance County.” Qin Liehu drank a mouthful of wine and beamed. “However, I must say that it’s rather scary thinking about it. Who knew that a trip to Green Tooth Mountain would end up with you encountering Steadfast Mountain County’s Great Demon White Tiger.”
“Brother.” Qin An immediately said, “If Water God got White Tiger to guard the spirit fruit, it shows how much importance he thinks of it. Now that you have taken the spirit fruit, Water God will likely bear a grudge.”
However, Qin Liehu said, “There’s no need to worry actually. Water God is different from other powerful demons. Typically, powerful demons like White Tiger would at most be entrenched at one spot, plundering the area. Even the huge axe that Yun’er brought back this time would probably be torturous for him. However, Water God influences the lives of millions of ordinary citizens. They are only safe in the cities. With the lives of millions of citizens under his control and oppression, Water God remains extremely rich despite them being very poor.
“He’s careful and crafty. He doesn’t expose himself to any weaknesses.”
“He will not empty all his powers at his disposal because of a little hatred.” Qin Liehu said. “After all, by angering Yun’er, other than himself, none of the demons under him is Yun’er’s match. He might not be afraid of Yun’er but he wouldn’t easily take action either. However, once he takes action… it probably means he’s assured of success.”
Qin Yun nodded. “Water God is very crafty so in the next few days, the women in the family should not leave the house. Even if they need to leave, they have to bring guards equipped with Demon Annihilation Crossbows along.”
“It’s imperative that we remain careful.” Qin Liehu nodded.
…
Late into the night.
Qin Yun was in his compound, where all his servants were forbidden entry.
“This large axe.” Qin Yun placed a mat along the corridor in front of the door. He sat down cross-legged and looked at the huge axe situated in the courtyard. The axe was too large and did not fit inside the house.
After all, the axe was more than ten feet long. Two of the axe’s dimensions were large as well. Just holding it horizontally was enough to prevent it entry into the house.
“Sou!”
Qin Yun sat on the mat and extended his finger, shooting a golden light out from the tip of his finger. It expanded immediately and rapidly took the shape of a three-inch-long bright, silver sword.
The three-inch flying sword hovered above the axe.
With a thought, Qin Yun circulated his cultivation method and directed the Quintessential Essence within the flying sword. Immediately, a lustrous layer suffused the flying sword’s surface as it began to absorb the essence from the axe beneath it. Dots of light flew out and fused with the flying sword. If White Tiger were to know that his axe was being refined, he would definitely be appalled.
“Chi! Chi! Chi!”
A crack appeared on the surface of the axe. It was deliberately produced by Qin Yun by absorbing the essence from the area so that he could split the axe apart.
If not, he had no means of splitting such a divine weapon through ordinary means.
“Nice, this axe is nearly all Metal-elemental. Some of these materials haven’t been found by me either.” Qin Yun sensed that his Intrinsic Flying Sword was cheering. Large points of light were rising and the dense points of light resembled fireflies.
The Intrinsic Flying Sword was best at absorbing Metal-elemental objects.
It was willing to absorb even scrap metal.
However, it was a lot more picky with items of the Water, Fire, Wood, and Earth elemental attribute. For a Water-elemental item, it had to be at the very least Frostmuster Spirit Liquid. Only Metal-elemental items could be absorbed in large quantities without any rebuffs. Especially with the large axe, there were some rare materials that it had never absorbed before. The Intrinsic Flying Sword absorbed those at naturally faster speeds.
The amount absorbed by the sword on the first absorption would be great.
“Hum—” The entire axe was being absorbed by the Intrinsic Flying Sword. Seven large cracks appeared on its surface, splitting the axe into several small pieces. Even the axe’s hilt split into three pieces.
The seven cracks were a result of the Intrinsic Flying Sword absorbing more than a hundred and fifty kilograms of materials. After that, it could not absorb any further.
“Many of them have never been absorbed before. The materials that White Tiger gathered are more thorough than what I have gathered.” Qin Yun had mixed feelings. “The first absorption has exceeded a hundred and fifty kilograms. But from tomorrow onwards, it will probably only be able to absorb fifteen to twenty kilograms.”
Absorbing the Astral Patterned Steel had been relatively slow because it was a singular type.
The materials contained within the axe were extremely diverse. By absorbing a bit of everything, it accumulated to quite a hefty amount.
Following that, the Intrinsic Flying Sword absorbed a tiny amount of Frostmuster Spirit Liquid before ending the day’s cultivation. Clearly, it was much slower absorbing Water-elemental items.
“With this axe, my Intrinsic Flying Sword might be an eighth-grade Dharma treasure immediately the day it is successfully refined.” Qin Yun anticipated the day excitedly. All these years, he had never used a Dharma treasure before! Now, the day to look forward to his own Intrinsic Flying Sword was approaching.