Chapter 810 – Crisis
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West Imperial City was the third largest city of the Nine Furnace Divine Kingdom and also one of the 10 largest cities within the central region of the Sky Spill Continent. There were three great aristocratic families here as well as a specialized organization called Destiny Grasp.
The mortals had a saying: stand upright at 30, be confused at 40, grasp your destiny at 50. The meaning behind this was that by the time a mortal was 50 years old, their lives were finally set in stone and they knew what their own destiny would be like.
The organization Destiny Grasp’s name also came from this.
It was the greatest intelligence organization within the entire Sky Spill Continent. Destiny Grasp was the one that had begun the Destiny Decree, jointly working with several other intelligence organizations to compile a the information together for a list.
Thousands of years ago, Destiny Grasp had only been ranked fourth or fifth amongst the various intelligence networks in the continent. Later, it had used a massive amount of energy and resources in order to compile the Destiny Decree and ensured that the rankings were essentially correct. After so many years, Destiny Grasp’s fame and glory had continued to reach new heights until it gradually developed into its current scale.
The building that housed Destiny Grasp seemed very square and ordinary. At the first level of the building, there were a few people sitting around drinking tea as they chatted; it looked like a very ordinary teahouse. But, if one carefully investigated they would discover that this building was covered in powerful spells. Even a Destiny Decree ranked master could be severely wounded if they were caught up in these spells.
“This is Destiny Grasp which compiles the Destiny Decree…” Lin Ming looked up at the building and saw the name of the organization written in large characters on a signboard. Then, he stepped inside.
“What rank of news would you like? Ordinary? Secret?” Within Destiny Grasp, a gray-robed middle-aged man asked from a chair behind the counter. He began to size up Lin Ming.
Lin Ming was wearing a wood spirit jade mask as before, except that he had switched for one with a new look. This one had been personally carved by him.
In the Nine Furnace Divine Kingdom, when a martial artist attended an auction or went to a hidden city square, they would often wear a wood spirit jade mask for security purposes. When a martial artist went to an intelligence organization to inquire about news, many of them would also choose to wear a wood spirit mask to hide their identity. Thus, it was common to see a martial artist with Lin Ming’s appearance at Destiny Grasp.
“What’s the cost?”
“One spirit essence stone per article of ordinary news. As for secret news, that is depended on the value of the news itself. It starts at 50 spirit essence stones and there is no cap to how far it can rise. You can also inquire about specific things, but that will cost additional fees in accordance with the question.”
There were many martial artists that came to Destiny Grasp to inquire about certain information. For instance, looking for specific objects or searching for specific people. The cost of asking such questions was often quite high. Depending on how precious the information was, it could cost several thousand or even tens of thousands of spirit essence stones.
“Ordinary news. About the four Divine Kingdoms, lucky chances, and mystic realms. I’ll take 20.”
Lin Ming casually said. Ordinary news wasn’t necessarily worthless. It was just already widespread and one didn’t need to go through Destiny Grasp to find out, thus why the price was set low.
But Lin Ming had been in closed door seclusion for the last three months. He didn’t know anything about the four Divine Kingdoms’ current movements, especially those of the Asura Divine Kingdom. It was best for him to have an approximate understanding so that he wouldn’t be caught off guard later.
The gray-robed middle-aged man pulled out 20 cards and gave them to Lin Ming. Ten of them had information of the four Divine Kingdoms and the other ten listed lucky chances and Mystic Realms.
Lin Ming looked through them.
‘The Nine Furnace Crown Prince Yang Yun has already decided to move against the great trading companies… if this can be ordinary news, then it seems that almost everyone knows about already.’
Lin Ming looked at the second card. It said that Yang Yun had already sealed up two of the three great trading companies, leaving the Heavencraft Trading Company alone for now. Complete and proper evidence had been presented and all of their property had been confiscated.
‘Asura Divine Kingdom really has it out for me… the reward for my capture is 800,000 spirit essence stones, two God Transforming Pills, and even a Life Bestowing Pill. They’ve really laid down the capital this time.’
Lin Ming faintly smiled, not caring much. Something like robbing a reward could only occur once; it was nearly impossible to succeed the second time. Otherwise the Asura Divine Kingdom would have perished long ago.
‘The Asura Divine Kingdom’s Great Demon Envoy and an Imperial Scholar are both leading the operation to capture me. It seems that the second, third, and fourth Demon Envoy also wish to atone for their sins. That Great Demon Envoy must be that fellow I saw that day…’
Lin Ming recalled the Destiny Decree master he had sensed from afar as he was fleeing the Jagged Slope Mountain Branch Division. His energy had been terrifying. If Lin Ming really did encounter him then it would likely be difficult to escape.
Lin Ming put aside the rest of the cards concerning the Divine Kingdoms and then looked at those describing mystic realms, lucky chances, and things like that. Although he didn’t hold out on too much hope, there was still a slight possibility he would be able to find some stroke of fortune from these cards.
‘Mm? The Northwest Great Desert has successfully collected all of the jade keys and can open the mystic realm left behind by the ancient Holy Lord? And they have invited the heroes of the world to join them in exploring, as long as they can pay a price that could move the Northwest Great Desert?’
As Lin Ming saw this news his heart stirred. After he killed Xuan Wuji he had discovered one of these jade keys in his spatial ring. Because of that jade key he had come into fierce conflict with the Northwest Great Desert’s Wang Yichan. The two of them had clashed on the day of his grand wedding banquet.
Afterwards, Lin Ming had exchanged the jade key for that mysterious young girl named ‘Jue’. She had come from the Forsaken God Clan and was distantly related to the slumbering goddess in the Eternal Demon Abyss.
He didn’t expect that the Northwest Great Desert had finally collected all of the mystic realm keys and were preparing to open up the ancient ruins of this Holy Lord.
“Hehe, inviting the world of the heroes of the world as long as they can pay a price that moves them? That sounds nice to hear, but this Northwest Great Desert is likely looking for some free scouts to search the way ahead of them and die to all those traps for them.” Demonshine’s voice suddenly sounded out from Lin Ming’s spiritual sea. “I can bet you that they will not invite martial artists that are too strong or are from the four Divine Kingdoms. They will likely only bring along martial artists that don’t have strong backgrounds.”
“Sounds about right. Even so, there will still be people that go in and gamble that they will stumble upon some great lucky chance there.”
“Mm? You want to go?” Demonshine knew that Lin Ming had come to Destiny Grasp mostly to ask for lucky chances in the hope of seeking a turning point to break through Life Destruction. This Holy Lord Mystic Realm was actually quite the good opportunity.
There was likely some extremely precious and valuable heavenly treasure within. Or, if he could experience special life or death tribulations within, he might gain the ability to break through to Life Destruction.
Lin Ming hesitated for a moment, not immediately responding. If he went to this Holy Lord Mystic Realm then there would be layers upon layers of dangers. And most importantly, he couldn’t expose his identity. Trying to conceal his status in front of a group of masters was easier said than done.
Moreover, he had no understanding of this Holy Lord Mystic Realm. After he went in, he wouldn’t have the slightest advantage of all. There was simply no way for him to struggle with a Holy Land level power like the Northwest Great Desert.
Once his status was revealed then Lin Ming absolutely believed that Wang Yichan, who had a grudge against him, would attempt to capture him alive and trade him in for the Asura Divine Kingdom’s rewards.
If he went to this Holy Lord Mystic Realm then it could really be called walking into death’s door. There were nine chances to die and only one chance to live!
Although Lin Ming didn’t fear danger, he wouldn’t easily try out this sort of hazardous adventure that he had absolutely no ability to control.
And even if he did go, that didn’t mean he would successfully cross Life Destruction afterwards.
The date for the mystic realm’s opening was two months away. He still had a month to decide before he would have to leave.
Lin Ming didn’t immediately make a decision. He didn’t stay in the city for too long. During the evening he left West Imperial City and slipped into the nighttime wilderness.
His status was extremely sensitive at the moment. Although he wore a wood spirit jade mask, it was inevitable that there would be people eyeing him. After all, it was easy to form an association since he was a late Revolving Core martial artist who wore a wood spirit jade mask.
Lin Ming found a random cave in the wild and laid down several defensive spells and warning spells nearby. He carefully concealed all traces he left behind and then began to meditate in silence.
For safety’s sake, Lin Ming had already decided to change location every night as long as he was within the borders of the four Divine Kingdoms.
Like this, several hours passed. The moon hung high in the cloudy sky.
Suddenly, as Lin Ming was in meditation, his eyes popped wide open and he went on high alert.
He could feel a dangerous atmosphere approaching and yet his warning spells hadn’t been triggered. It was clear that this other party had purposefully avoided them. They were definitely not common individuals!
‘Are they from the Asura Divine Kingdom? How did they find me? In the Sky Spill Continent’s central region, even if there aren’t 10,000 late Revolving Core martial artists wearing a wood spirit jade mask there should still be at least 8000.
‘Moreover, this is still the Nine Furnace Divine Kingdom. It is impossible for the Asura Divine Kingdom to place too many of their spies and eyes here. So how could they find me so quickly? Could they have begun following every single late Revolving Core martial artist that wears a wood spirit jade mask?
‘Or do they have some special method to break past a wood spirit jade mask’s concealment?’ This thought flit through Lin Ming’s mind before he denied it. If they had this method then they would have likely detected him at the start.
At this time, the uninvited guests outside finally stepped within range of a surveillance array he had set outside. From a battle array disc in the cave, Lin Ming finally saw the phantom images of these people.
With a single glance, he immediately sucked in a cold breath of air.
The second, third, and fourth Demon Envoy were all here. And beyond that, they were respectfully following behind three others. It was obvious that these three had a much higher status than them!
Those three at front were a middle-aged man, an old woman with a walking stick, and a soft and delicate little boy.
This little boy appeared very cute and lovable, but Lin Ming could actually sense a terrifying energy exuding from his body. It was as if a demon was contained within that little boy’s body. And that old woman with a walking stick was wreathed in evil, demonic energy. Her hair was twisted and bundled up like a group of pythons. She simply looked like an old witch.
Out of the three, the most normal-seeming was the black-clothed middle-aged man. He was tall with broad shoulders and eyes as profound as the nighttime stars. He emitted a very familiar atmosphere.
‘Great Demon Envoy?’
Lin Ming recognized this middle-aged man. Without doubt, he was the Great Demon Envoy that Lin Ming had spotted at the Jagged Slope Mountain Branch Division! Even though he had been within a spirit boat at the time, the atmosphere he exuded had still startled Lin Ming! The other two were likely to be Imperial Scholars of the Asura Divine Kingdom.
‘Run!’
This was Lin Ming’s first thought as well as his only thought.
Not to mention those three horrifying existences in the front, even the second, third, and fourth Demon Envoys, any one of them was someone that Lin Ming couldn’t contend with!
And it was obvious that they had already locked onto the area he was at. It was impossible to slip away from here without notice.
If this became a match of speed, could he really compare?
Lin Ming didn’t even have the slightest bit of confidence in this. Since they knew of his advantage in speed, it was impossible that they wouldn’t be prepared in advance. With the Asura Divine Kingdom’s deep heritage, how could they not have a means to greatly increase their own speed?
This was a killing party that specifically targeted him!