Chapter 790 – Heavencraft Xiaoxiao’s Request
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Lin Ming took a deep breath, unable to calm his heart. The Sea of Miracles and the Eternal Demon Abyss were both absolute life forbidden zones, both of them able to bury even Divine Sea Supreme Elders.
Although the surrounding area was relatively safer, it still wasn’t a place where anyone below the Divine Sea realm could hope to live through.
In addition, the Sea of Miracles and the Eternal Demon Abyss both had eruptions. The Sea of Miracles had its black tsunamis and the Eternal Demon Abyss had its great black waves. After erupting, both of them would carry materials from their center. The Sea of Miracles would bring out wood spirit jade and the Eternal Demon Abyss would bring out Demon God Bones.
Wood spirit jade was the condensed essence of ancient spiritual plants.
Demon God Bones were the condensed essence of powerful ancient martial artists and vicious beasts.
How similar they were!
The Sea of Miracles was simply the Sky Spill Continent’s Eternal Demon Abyss. It would be impossible to describe their similarities as being just coincidental. They must be linked somehow!
Thinking of the apocalyptic catastrophe that happened in the Sky Spill Continent 100,000 years ago, the immortal goddess deeply slumbering within the Eternal Demon Abyss, as well as the eternally beating 100,000 year heart of the ancient Great Emperor, Lin Ming had absolute belief that all of these was because of some incredible unknown secret.
“Brother Lin?” The Great Smelting Prince couldn’t help but ask Lin Ming as he saw him deep in thought.
“It’s nothing, I was just shocked by the mysteries of this Sea of Miracles. I wonder, is there anything else special about this Sea of Miracles?”
“Yes, I hear that there exists a Temple of Marvels that floats above the skies in the Sea of Miracles. It is illusory and elusive like a dreaming mirage. It’s only that this temple is deep within the Sea of Miracles and guarded by some wild and ancient sea beasts. These sea beasts can emit a pressure that can stop even the heart of a Divine Sea Supreme Elder. These are existences that are beyond our imagination.” The Great Smelting Prince sighed as he spoke to here. Although he was considered fairly strong within the four Divine Kingdoms now, he was simply not worth mentioning when compared to those ancient and mystical existences in the Sea of Miracles.
Let alone him, even his father, the Divine Emperor, wouldn’t be able to return if he went to the Sea of Miracles. The great vastness of this world surpassed all of their imaginations.
‘The Sea of Miracles has this sea beast and the Eternal Demon Abyss has the ancient great beast; this is truly surprisingly consistent.’ Lin Ming was already fully convinced that there was some sort of inevitable relation between the Sea of Miracles and the Eternal Demon Abyss. They might be two entrances into a world.
But what was strange was that in the vast and endless universe, why would such miraculous mysteries appear on the incomparably ordinary world of the Sky Spill Continent? That ancient vicious beast that seemed like a God beast was not a being that even general Realm of the Gods powerhouse characters like the Demon Emperor could compare with.
“Has anyone entered the Temple of Marvels before?” Lin Ming asked.
“Hilarious.” The Big Dipper High Successor smiled as he shook his head. “That temple is a legend to begin with; moreover, it exists deep in the Sea of Miracles. No one who has ever stepped foot into the Sea of Miracles has returned, so how could anyone have entered it?”
As the Temple of Miracles was brought up, the Nine Flower Banquet became even more lively. Many martial artists began speaking of certain fables of the Sea of Miracles, making Lin Ming feel even more complicated and confused.
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After the banquet reached its end, Lin Ming was invited by Yang Yun to the Crown Prince Palace. At this time, Yang Yun was wearing a five-clawed golden dragon robe, and floating in front of him was a jade array disc. On top of the array disc was a projected map of the entire Sky Spill Continent.
The four Divine Kingdoms, the Sea of Miracles, and even ancient family clans and hidden worlds were all shown on the map, looking incomparably broad and wondrous.
Yang Yun looked at this map and suddenly said, “Brother Lin, I heard that you are collecting top grade wood spirit jade?”
“Yes.”
Yang Yun didn’t ask why Lin Ming was gathering wood spirit jade. He looked thoughtful for a moment and then said, “Why don’t you consider joining a side force? You can borrow their power to rapidly collect wood spirit jade and they would even be able to protect you, so why not do it? For instance, about today’s matter… Asura Divine Kingdom’s Situ Chuan and Situ Feng bullied you because you didn’t have any great power supporting you from behind. That is the only reason that they dared to attack you. Moreover… perhaps Brother Lin has already been included on the Asura Divine Kingdom’s hit list. If you somehow end up falling into the hands of the Asura Divine Kingdom’s top powerhouses in the future, then the consequences would be disastrous!”
Yang Yun’s intentions were obvious. He wished to win Lin Ming over to the Nine Furnace Divine Kingdom.
Lin Ming had already guessed Yang Yun’s goal before the Nine Flower Banquet started.
If he joined the Nine Furnace Divine Kingdom, then collecting wood spirit jade would naturally not be a problem anymore. As long as he was able to prove of sufficient value, then the Nine Furnace Divine Kingdom wouldn’t begrudge him any amount of wood spirit jade. And with the shelter of the Nine Furnace Divine Kingdom, he also wouldn’t need to fear the Asura Divine Kingdom anymore.
However, there were simply too many secrets on Lin Ming’s body. If he joined the Nine Furnace Divine Kingdom then he would be surrounded by Divine Sea powerhouses everywhere. It would be far too easy for those Supreme Elders to monitor him without him knowing at all.
Not to mention everything else, but if just his Cosmic Melting Furnace that he used for alchemy was revealed to those old monsters, then his fate could be imagined.
Lin Ming wasn’t used to letting others control his fate, nor would he join a Holy Land level influence.
“I thank Your Highness the Crown Prince for your reminder. But, I am used to freely wandering about and don’t wish to temporarily join any side influence.”
“Oh? Well, that is indeed regrettable.” Yang Yun shook his head as if he were feeling rather sorry for everything. “If Brother Lin has a change of mind, then my Nine Furnace Divine Kingdom’s doors are open for you at any time.”
“Thank you Crown Prince Your Highness for your kindness. In the future, if possible, I will certainly thank you for your hospitality.” Lin Ming cupped his fists together. He had already succeeded in obtaining the wood spirit jade quintessence. Now, in addition to the Five Color Fruit, Void Temper Root, skyflower stones, and dragonspine grass, he already had 80-90% confidence that he could successfully refine the Fivefade Void Pill. It was nearly time to leave the trouble-laden Nine Furnace Divine Kingdom.
Lin Ming had already made his plans. First he would refine the Fivefade Void Pill and then open the third of the Eight Inner Hidden Gates. Then, he would look for some remote hidden area to safely make a breakthrough to Life Destruction.
When he had enough strength, he would make sure Divine Phoenix Island was safe and sound and then he would begin the final preparations to ascend into the Realm of the Gods.
After Lin Ming bid his farewells to Yang Yun, he first returned to his own room. As he passed through the door, he saw that Xiaoxiao was sitting on the bed, a bit stunned, as if she had lost her soul.
There were still tears hanging from the corners of her eyes; it was obvious she had just been crying.
“Miss Heavencraft?” Lin Ming asked with some surprised. He didn’t know what matter Xiaoxiao had experienced, but this was his room. Her room should be next door, and since it was already nighttime, what was she doing in his room?
“Sir Lin…”
As Xiaoxiao saw Lin Ming, she nipped her lips and began to speak before she hesitated. She looked extremely pitiful.
“What’s the matter? It’s fine to say it.”
Xiaoxiao took several deep breaths to calm herself down. But, tears still glistened in her eyes. She said, “I saw the Nine Furnace Guard’s Fleeting Dragon… he, he showed me some things.”
Xiaoxiao’s lips quivered as she spoke, as if whatever it was had been terrifying.
“What is it?”
“It’s evidence about my father, my grandfather, and even more ancient Family Heads from more distant times… that is the dark history of my Heavencraft Family Clan…”
Xiaoxiao seemed to use up every last ounce of her strength to speak. She grabbed the table to support herself, revealing a smooth jade white arm even as her full and milky breasts fiercely heaved up and down.
“This evidence is real?”
“It… it should be.” Xiaoxiao had helped and managed the trading company for so many years that she could certainly distinguish if it were true or real. It was only because the evidence was real that she was at a complete loss of what to do.
She didn’t know what the Nine Furnace Guard wished to do, but such detailed evidence absolutely couldn’t be collected in a short one or two days. That meant that the Nine Furnace guard had already been investigating her Heavencraft Family Clan for a long time!
Could it be that Yang Yun wanted to control her Heavencraft Family Clan?
With an absolute disparity in masters and strength, as well as enough reasons to act, Xiaoxiao had no doubt that as long as Yang Yun wished to, he could easily annex their Heavencraft Trading Company!
To Xiaoxiao, it was like she had been struck by a bolt of lightning out of nowhere!
“You say that Yang Yun wants to swallow up your Heavencraft Trading Company, but do you think that the Heavencraft Trading Company is worth him doing so?” Lin Ming asked in reply.
“I have no idea… the Nine Furnace Guard only showed me the evidence, they didn’t actually say what they planned to do with it…” Xiaoxiao shook her head. Although she was still extremely afraid, she had a faint guess about some possibilities. It wasn’t worth it for Yang Yun to spend so much time and effort on just the small Heavencraft Trading Company. But, if the Nine Furnace Guard investigated not just the Heavencraft Trading Company but other organizations too, then there was likely to be great turbulence in the Nine Furnace Divine Kingdom’s future. For such a small fish as her trading company, it was likely they would be washed away in the chaos.
“You told me this because you want me to help you?” Lin Ming directly asked. Xiaoxiao wouldn’t tell him all this just because she wanted to talk.
“I…” Xiaoxiao’s eyes flashed with shimmering tears. She bit her lips until they turned white and said, “I would like to request Mister Lin stay in the Heavencraft Trading Company for some time again. I beg you!”
Xiaoxiao bowed as she spoke. Lin Ming froze for a moment, startled, before understanding Xiaoxiao’s intentions.
Lin Ming had helped Xiaoxiao obtain the position of Family Head and Xiaoxiao had repaid him with the dragonspine grass. Their former agreement should now have come to an end. Lin Ming could leave the Heavencraft Family Clan at any time.
Xiaoxiao wished for Lin Ming to stay in order to be the warding charm of their Heavencraft Family Clan.
Behind the Nine Furnace Guard lay Yang Yun. And Xiaoxiao had seen with her own eyes just how much Yang Yun valued and favored Lin Ming. If Lin Ming stayed in the Heavencraft Family Clan then it was likely that Yang Yun would give Lin Ming face and leave the Heavencraft Family Clan a path out of this chaos. After all, the Nine Furnace Divine Kingdom had six great commercial organizations, and the Heavencraft Trading Company was ranked near the end of these six. All the trading companies were far from being able to compare to the two great banks and the Hundred Treasure Auction House.
After Lin Ming understood all of this, he shook his head and said, “I’m sorry, but I can’t promise you that.”
Staying at the Heavencraft Trading Company was impossible. Lin Ming had already been locked on to by the Asura Divine Kingdom. If he continued to stay at the Heavencraft Trading Company, that would only be possible if he joined the Nine Furnace Divine Kingdom and found shelter under them. Otherwise, he would just be seeking his own death.
Hearing Lin Ming’s instant rejection, Xiaoxiao paled. She already knew it was a tough, nearly impossible request, but she never thought that Lin Ming would refuse her so simply and decisively without any wriggle room at all.
She fell to her knees like a broken puppet. After several breaths of time, she bit her lips and seemed to fill with determination, as if she had come to a momentous decision. She reached out her slender and trembling fingers to grip the collar of her clothes. “Sir Lin, I beg you to save me, save the Heavencraft Trading Company. If you can help me I am willing to do anything for you. I… I…”
Tears fell down Xiaoxiao’s face, her body quaking as she began to unravel the buckles of her clothes, revealing a pure, powder white neck.