Chapter 182: There’s Always a Bird Out There That’s Better Than You

Dawn…. Meng Hao opened his eyes, then immediately closed them again.

“What a good friend! In the past several lives, I’ve only had myself to talk to. I never realized how boring it is to talk to myself… And I could never figure out why everyone hates me so much. They even call me Ultimate Vexation….”

“Yeah! I haven’t had a discussion like this the entire time I’ve been in the Solitary Sword Sect.”

“Come come, now that we’ve finished talking about the noon sunshine, let’s talk a bit about the afternoon….”

Late morning…. Sunlight filtered into the house. Meng Hao opened his eyes and stared blankly at Chen Fan and the meat jelly. He sighed and continued to meditate.

“Let me tell you, I’m sick of afternoons. I remember the afternoon of one year when I….”

“You’re right! I’m the same way. But the only thing I can do during that time is to grind my teeth….”

More hours passed, and soon it was afternoon. Meng Hao opened his eyes a few times, but all he could do was laugh bitterly and close them again.

Chen Fan and the meat jelly had talked through the entire night, all the way through the morning. One man, one bird, seemingly inexhaustible and, in fact, in high spirits.

Meng Hao couldn’t help but admire Elder Brother Chen. It seemed he really was a perfect match for the meat jelly.

Meng Hao sat quietly. He wanted to stand up, but was worried that Chen Fan and the meat jelly would drag him into their conversation. He took a breath and then closed his eyes, pretending that he couldn’t hear anything that they were saying.

Eventually, the sun began to set….

“I like sunset the best. Every time I gaze at the setting sun, I think of that time one year when I was just a tiny meat jelly, I….”

“Sunset is immeasurably wonderful. You know, you really don’t know how difficult it is to practice Cultivation. Oh, that reminds me, throughout the years, I’ve actually collected a thousand different stories about the sunset. I really want to tell you all of them. Come come. I’ll start with the first one….”

The sun had set, and evening passed. Soon it was night again. One man, one bird, chattering away endlessly for a day and a night. They talked on, seemingly not the least bit tired. When midnight came, it finally seemed that Chen Fan wasn’t able to keep going.

“Umm, why don’t we rest a bit? ”

“No way! I don’t get many chances to have such a lovely discussion. We still haven’t talked about the meaning of life yet. Ah, the meaning of life. What a beautiful whatchamacallit flower ¹. Oh, right. I forgot. Before we talk about the meaning of life, we need to talk about moonlight….”

“Uh… Alright. Actually, I have over three thousand stories about the moonlight….”

“Eee? I have some stories too! Actually, I have ten thousand. You go first, and then me.”

Meng Hao was almost on the verge of collapse. His eyes were bloodshot, and he panted as he forced himself to calm down and return to meditation.

The night passed slowly. Outside, everything was quiet. But within the room, one man and one bird had reached the pinnacle of their conversation. Early morning light once again made its way into the house. Chen Fan’s face was a bit wan, and his eyes were bloodshot.

“Let’s rest a bit… I… I have some plans today….”

“No way! I’m not finished yet. We still haven’t talked about the meaning of life. Now that I’m finished with my ten thousand stories about the moonlight, we can continue our discussion.”

Morning passed, and soon it was noontime, then another sunset. Chen Fan’s expression was dull as he stared at the parrot and its unceasing torrent of words. A look of admiration slowly grew in his eyes.

“Now that we have built up the conversation properly, we can finally discuss the meaning of life. Eee…? It’s dark outside. I just realized that when we talked about sunset, there were thirty thousand stories I forgot to mention. That won’t do! I don’t get chances like this very often. I need to tell you those stories….” The meat jelly cleared its throat a few times, and then began speaking again.

A few hours passed, until finally Chen Fan’s patience and long-windedness were run out. “I… I really do have some plans….” said Chen Fan, standing up suddenly.

His body swayed back and forth a bit, and then he took a few steps back, his face drained of blood. Meng Hao opened his eyes and looked admiringly at Chen Fan. He had just chatted nonstop for two days and two nights….

“Little Junior Brother, I actually have some plans, so I’m going to take off. Um… I’ll come back for you in a few days….” His face was pale and he looked dizzy. As of now, he didn’t look at the meat jelly with admiration, but rather, fear.

He’d always thought of himself as someone who could talk, but now he realized how wrong he was. There existed a bird that could surpass even him! Without waiting for Meng Hao to respond, Chen Fan opened the door and fled.

“Elder Brother, ” Meng Hao called after him, “I think you have an affinity with this talking Spirit parrot, why don’t you take it with you….”

Chen Fan suddenly staggered, and his face twisted. Without an instant of hesitation, his body transformed into a beam of light that disappeared into the distance.

“What a good fellow, ” said the meat jelly parrot, sighing with emotion. “I really like this Elder Brother Chen of yours. I haven’t met someone in years who could carry on such a long conversation with me. Eee? We never discussed the meaning of life! ”

Meng Hao’s scalp suddenly began to grow numb. To be able to provoke such a reaction from Elder Brother Chen showed how truly powerful this meat jelly was. Such power was rarely seen in the world.

“It’s too bad I couldn’t finish, ” said the meat jelly discontentedly. “I was just starting to get excited. Now it’s all over? ” Chattering away, it flew up onto Meng Hao’s shoulder. “Why don’t you chat a bit with me, I’m feeling a bit lonely….”

Meng Hao’s face went pale, and he took a deep breath. He forced a wry smile onto his face, and his mind spun, trying to come up with an idea.

“I think perhaps you forgot someone, ” he said.

“Who? Who? Who? Who did I forget? How could I forget somebody? ” Given a chance to have a conversation, the meat jelly would definitely seize it immediately.

“You forgot about the old man in the mask! ” said Meng Hao hurriedly. “You still haven’t turned him back from the path of wickedness.”

“Eee? Right! That old man isn’t too bad, actually. But you’re right. I need to go have a talk with him.” Face shining with anticipation, the meat jelly parrot flashed, instantly disappearing into Meng Hao’s bag of the Cosmos.

Meng Hao could just barely hear the sound of the Li Clan Patriarch’s sad, shrill cry when the meat jelly entered the mask. He had never heard such a cry come from the man before.

Meng Hao let out a long sigh and sat down on the ground, laughing bitterly. He looked at the moonlight outside and sighed again, wondering about what his life would be like in the coming days. Having the meat jelly with him constantly was a frightening thought.

“There must be a way to control it. That damned meat jelly….” Meng Hao gritted his teeth, and his eyes glittered brightly. “Its old enemy… the copper mirror… the parrot….” His eyes glittered even more brightly when he thought about reaching Core Formation. His anticipation soared to new heights.

Three days flashed by, during which time Chen Fan never returned. Obviously, he was so frightened of Meng Hao’s meat jelly that he didn’t dare to come back. If he did, the meat jelly parrot might draw him into another conversation.

It was on the fourth day that he cautiously made his way back. He opened the door to the room, then immediately retreated several steps. When he saw that there was no parrot on Meng Hao’s shoulder, he glanced around the room and then let out a sigh.

Meng Hao could only give him a wry smile. What else could he say?

Chen Fan stood nervously outside the room. “That…. Little Junior Brother, it… it’s gone? ” He looked very nervous.

“Pretty much….” replied Meng Hao, standing up and walking out.

Chen Fan let out a long sigh and looked at Meng Hao with a forced smile.

“Little Junior Brother, that parrot of yours is… Wow, what a bird. I truly admire it. Well, no need to talk about it, really. There are only a few more days until the Song Clan’s banquet. I’ve already arranged everything. When it comes time, we can teleport directly there. Today, why don’t you let me show you around the Solitary Sword Sect? After all, when we come back from the Song Clan, this will be your Sect, so you should get to know it.” He grabbed Meng Hao’s sleeve and pulled him out to the courtyard.

Meng Hao’s expression was the same as ever, but in his mind appeared an image of the map of the Southern Domain. The Song Clan was located relatively close to the Violet Fate Sect. As for the Solitary Sword Sect, Meng Hao thought about it a lot during the past days and had finally reached a conclusion. He decided that he would not take advantage of Chen Fan’s offer to join the Solitary Sword Sect.

He still wanted to figure out some way to disguise himself and join the Violet Fate Sect. He would learn Violet Qi from the East as well as alchemy. And he would also figure out a way to get Grandmaster Pill Demon to dispel his poison.

As for the Solitary Sword Sect, Meng Hao didn’t believe that Chen Fan’s master would be able to help him get rid of the poison. He needed the help of someone, not of the Nascent Soul stage, but the Spirit Severing stage!

Meng Hao was certain of this. However, Chen Fan was so warm and welcoming, he didn’t feel it was appropriate to tell him directly. Regarding the Song Clan, Meng Hao very much wanted to go see it; however, because of his concerns regarding the Black Sieve Sect, he was still hesitating.

“I need to figure out a way to get in touch with Han Bei….” he thought. “She should be able to tell me what ended up happening with the Black Sieve Sect.” He rubbed his bag of holding, and a cold smile touched his lips. There inside was a piece of jade which he could use to keep Han Bei in her place.

He followed Chen Fan around the Solitary Sword Sect. Buildings lined the meandering paths, and streams flowed here and there. The whole place looked both imposing and tasteful.

The two of them chatted as they walked, and soon it was noontime. Eventually, they reached a large circular structure which was filled with hundreds of energetic Solitary Sword Sect disciples.

“This is the Battle Arena, ” explained Chen Fan, “where Solitary Sword Sect disciples can fight each other. You can injure, but not kill. There are strict punishments for anyone who breaks the rules.”

Meng Hao looked at it and was about to walk away when suddenly, his brow furrowed. A sinister voice suddenly rang out.

“Guests can fight in the Battle Arena to exchange techniques with our Sect disciples. I, Li, shall enter the arena. I would like to invite this outsider guest… to duel with me if he dares! ” It was none other the middle-aged man named Li. A hypocritical smile covered his face as he strolled out from the crowd, staring mockingly at Meng Hao.

“Will you hide behind your Elder Brother again? Can you even make a single attack, you good-for-nothing loser? If you don’t dare to fight, then you’d better hope you don’t have to face me again in the future.”

Everyone’s eyes came to rest on Meng Hao and Chen Fan.

Meng Hao’s expression was the same as usual. He wasn’t the least bit moved. He looked calmly at the sneering Li, and Zhou Shanyue, who stood next to him, face grim.

Chen Fan looked angry. He knew that Elder Brother Li and Zhou Shanyue were on good terms, and that neither of them liked him very much. It was only because of his flying dagger that they never did much to him.

However, having Meng Hao at his side had caused innumerable difficulties with this sinister pair.

“If you want a fight, how about you two versus me? ” said Chen Fan coldly.

“As fellow Sect members, we have nothing to learn from each other, ” laughed Li. “I want to see if I can pick up a move or two from this outsider. Junior Brother Chen, you aren’t really going to prevent such an exchange, will you? ”

Chen Fan gave a cold snort, grabbing Meng Hao to leave. Meng Hao smiled. He found the whole situation quite amusing. However, Chen Fan seemed devoted to keeping Meng Hao safe, and he didn’t want to refuse his good will. He was just about to follow along with Chen Fan when Zhou Shanyue’s dark voice rang out.

“If you’re scared, we understand.” The surrounding Solitary Sword Sect disciples all laughed loudly. “How about this: Elder Brother Li will restrict his power to that of the mid Foundation Establishment stage. That would make things fair. We really want to see what magic you outsiders have. Junior Brother Chen, this matter has nothing to do with you. You can’t keep him hiding behind you forever.”

Solitary Sword Sect Cultivators generally stay away from outsiders. Many of them, although they didn’t want to sneer at Elder Brother Chen, were getting excited at the scene which was playing out in front of them.

Chen Fan ignored them, continuing to pull Meng Hao away. However, hearing Zhou Shanyue’s words caused Meng Hao to suddenly stop in his tracks. He turned and looked at Li and Zhou Shanyue, forcing an outraged expression to appear on his face.

“Since a battle to the death is out of the question, we need to make a wager, ” he said, making his voice seem out of control.

Hearing this, the surrounding Solitary Sword Sect Cultivators burst into more laughter. Many of them had Cultivation bases lower than Meng Hao, but they were disciples of the Solitary Sword Sect, the number one Sect in the Southern Domain. It was only natural for them to feel somewhat superior.

Zhou Shanyue laughed, as did middle-aged Li.

“Excellent, ” said Li. “If you stop hiding behind Junior Brother Chen and dare to fight me, then there’s no harm in making a little wager. I have a treasured sword as well as several tens of thousands of Spirit Stones! ” Laughing, he slapped his bag of holding to produce an azure-colored sword. The sword aura which swirled around it wasn’t spectacular, but wasn’t ordinary either.

“Little Junior Brother, you….” said Chen Fan.

He was about to continue when Meng Hao, eyes bloodshot, interrupted him. Glaring, he said, “A handful of Spirit Stones and a sword aren’t enough for Meng Hao. Put some more onto the table, sir, and then I’ll fight you! ” His loud voice rang out. The words he had spoken, and the expression on his face, were something he had long since become accustomed to using. He had faced many situations like this in the State of Zhao. Furthermore, he still had an unused golden spear in his bag of the Cosmos….

The crowd around them laughed loudly. Li looked at Meng Hao, his sneer growing larger.

“Very well, ” he said. “Whatever you put up as stakes, sir, I will match in value.”

Next to him, Zhou Shanyue laughed. “No matter, ” he said. “Whatever you produce, if Elder Brother Li matches it in value, then so shall I! ” He glared at Chen Fan, and deep in his eyes, killing intent swirled.

Meng Hao gasped. His eyes darted around as if he wished to run away. “Are you serious?! ” he said, his voice sounding forced.

“You’re in the Solitary Sword Sect, now, ” said Zhou Shanyue haughtily. “Do you really think we would lie? ”

Chen Fan grabbed Meng Hao’s arm and was about to say something.

Trembling, Meng Hao looked over at him and said, “Elder Brother Chen, can you please loan me your flying dagger? ”

Chen Fan looked at Meng Hao for a long moment. Finally, he lifted his hand up, and the black flying dagger appeared, a blade which could unleash the power of the Core Formation stage!

This dagger was extremely important to Chen Fan. If he lost it, his position within the Sect would immediately become unstable. The repercussions would be dire. However, it only took the space of a few breaths for him to make up his mind to place it in Meng Hao’s hand.

This display of brotherly affection caused Meng Hao to look deeply at Chen Fan. A warm feeling filled his entire body, creating a memory that would exist for the rest of his life.

“Junior Brother, ” said Chen Fan, his eyes glowing with encouragement, “if you’re really going to fight, then do so with a light heart. If you lose, it won’t matter. No big deal. And if you win, then win something good! ” Although he didn’t have much faith that Meng Hao could win, this was his style.

Everything was quiet around them as the crowd stared at the black flying dagger in Meng Hao’s hand.

The silence lasted only for a moment before a buzz of conversation filled the air.

“That’s Patriarch Zhou’s Core Formation flying dagger!! ”

“That’s the symbol of the Seven Solitary Sword Sons, and Elder Brother Chen is actually giving it to a stranger to put up as stakes for a bet….”

“These stakes are incredible!! ”

The surrounding disciple’s eyes shone brightly, and more than a few produced transmission jade slips to notify other fellow disciples of what was happening.

“This is what I’m putting up. Now it’s your turn. No bet, no fight! ” Meng Hao’s voice was resolute, and his eyes shone with a do-or-die look. To the onlookers, however, it appeared that his coolness was forced, and that he was simply trying to bluff Zhou and Li into leaving him alone.

Zhou Shanyue’s body trembled as he glared at the black dagger in Meng Hao’s hand. He panted, as did middle-aged Li. They exchanged an excited, shocked glance.

They had never imagined that Chen Fan would actually take out the flying dagger and give it to his Junior Brother to put up as stakes in the bet.

“If you don’t have anything to bet, then you can’t blame me for not participating, ” repeated Meng Hao, preparing to hand the flying dagger back to Elder Brother Chen. Zhou Shanyue obviously couldn’t allow this to happen. His hand shot up and he ripped open the top of his robe to reveal a jade pendant hanging around his neck.

“This is a life-saving jade forged by my father himself with blood from his Cultivation base. It has no attack power, but it can stand up against an attack from the Nascent Soul Stage! If you win, then it’s yours. I’ll even give you some of my Cultivation base blood to use to refine it! I, Zhou, never go back on my word! ” His tone of voice could chop nails and slice iron. As they rang out, Chen Fan, along with the rest of the onlookers, gasped. Chen Fan stared at the life-saving jade. It was a treasure his master had bestowed upon his son to protect him. In terms of value, it definitely exceeded his flying dagger.

Meng Hao put on a look of complete shock. He began to breathe heavily, causing Zhou Shanyue to laugh coldly, his eyes shining coldly.

In a seemingly forced voice, Meng Hao said, “That’s not enough. You just said that both of you would match the value of whatever I put up! ”

Hearing this, middle-aged Li laughed heartily. He glared coldly at Meng Hao, and then gave pale-faced Chen Fan a sinister look. At the moment, he was convinced of what to do. He knew Chen Fan and Chen Fan’s personality. He wouldn’t do anything devious, so clearly his expression revealed his true feelings.

“I, Li, don’t have any precious treasures like Junior Brother Zhou. However, I do have some Spirit Stones saved up. Fellow disciples, if you are able to loan me some Spirit Stones, it will be to your benefit. I will pay them back with an additional one stone for every hundred you give.” He laughed again, watching as the hundreds of surrounding Cultivators saluted him respectfully. A few of them flew over to him, and then more and more.

“No problem, Elder Brother Li. Of course we can help you.”

“Hahaha! I don’t have a lot of Spirit Stones, just a few thousand, my savings from the past few years. If you need them, Elder Brother Li, then they’re yours.”

“Don’t worry, Elder Brother Li. We can definitely help you out.”

The voices of hundreds of Cultivators filled the air. All of them produced Spirit Stones, in amounts ranging from hundreds to thousands. Soon, they had been piled together into a group of several tens of thousands of Spirit Stones.

“These Spirit Stones can’t compare in value to Junior Brother Zhou’s precious treasure. Fine, fine, I won’t try to take advantage of you. I have some magical items in my bag of holding that are worth tens of thousands of Spirit Stones. In total, their value is roughly 500, 000! ” He flicked his sleeve, and then shot into the air, transforming into a beam of light which shot toward the Battle Arena. Amidst the excited cries of the surrounding Cultivators, he landed in the middle of the arena and turned to stare at Meng Hao.

Chen Fan looked at Meng Hao with a forced smile. He was just about to give some advice when Meng Hao put the flying dagger on the ground and then flew up in the air toward the Battle Arena.

No one made a move to stop him.

As he entered, the surrounding Cultivators craned their necks to watch. Middle-aged Li stood there arrogantly. He pressed his finger down onto the space between his eyebrows. Immediately, his Cultivation base sank down from the late Foundation Establishment stage to the mid Foundation Establishment stage, as if he had six Dao Pillars.

“Li is not the sort of person who would bully you, ” he said, sticking his jaw out, “so I’ll only use the power of the mid Foundation Establishment stage. Under no circumstances will I use the power of late Foundation Establishment.”

“Actually, there’s no need for that, ” murmured Meng Hao. He stood there in the Battle Arena, his expression very different than before. There was nothing fake about his expression now. He smiled, and within the smile was happiness, as well as a bit of shyness.

The people here weren’t familiar with this shyness. But the people from the Violet Fate Sect who had traded with him years before in the State of Zhao would know it well. It would cause their scalps to grow numb if they saw it. They would think themselves to be in some kind of nightmare, and would most likely fly into a violent rage.

“In a bit, you’ll have to eat your words….” said Meng Hao shyly. He looked just like the young scholar that had stood there on Mount Daqing years ago. He seemed a little embarrassed as he took a step forward.

This man named Li had no way to know how famous Meng Hao was in the State of Zhao, nor about the iron spear which was still located within the Violet Fate Sect….

Meng Hao’s body flickered as he shot toward Li. He lifted his right hand and flashed an incantation sign; immediately, a Flame Dragon roared out.

It wasn’t very large, only about thirty meters long, and its color was not normal. Instead of being the color of fire, it was dark, and had two flapping wings. This was obviously a Flying Rain-Dragon.

Power from Meng Hao’s Cultivation base was congealed inside of it, and not a drop seeped out. Only someone significantly more powerful than Meng Hao, someone of a higher stage, would be able to sense the slight fluctuations of the Cultivation base power within it.

From the look of it, it really did seem to be something that would be produced by the power of mid Foundation Establishment, or perhaps even inferior to that.

Sneers filled the faces of the Cultivators outside the Battle Arena. They were clearly very amused by the whole scene.

Chen Fan groaned inwardly. He didn’t say anything, but his eyes were dull as he thought, not about his flying dagger, but the fact that this was a Battle Arena, and there was no way to tell what deadly moves Li might use.

Zhou Shanyue watched on, a smile covering his face. He looked exceedingly pleased. He had never liked Chen Fan, not from the very beginning when his father had brought him back to the Solitary Sword Sect. He felt that his father treated him far too well for the outsider that he was.

As for the flying dagger that had been given to Chen Fan, Zhou Shanyue thought of it as his own. How could it be given to someone else? And how come he wasn’t a member of the current generation of the Seven Solitary Sword Sons?

He didn’t understand, but also didn’t dare to complain to his father. This caused his enmity toward Chen Fan to grow stronger and stronger.

“Finally I have a chance today! ” he thought. “Chen Fan, ahh, Chen Fan, the flying dagger will finally belong to me. You trifling nobody. Do you really dare to contend with me?! ” A smile broke out on his face, and he laughed.

Back within the Battle Arena, Li also laughed. A haughty look covered his face as he watched Meng Hao’s Flame Dragon speeding toward him. He sneered.

“A barbarian Cultivator from a backwater Sect, ” he said loftily. “You don’t deserve to even be here. Your magic is so simple! You really dare to use a trifling Flame Dragon art? Even being restricted to the mid Foundation Establishment stage, I can still kill you with ease.” He flicked his sleeve, and the power of his mid Foundation Establishment stage boiled out. He raised his hand and the illusory image of a sun and a moon appeared on either side of his palm.

The images of the sun and moon transformed into two gleaming sword auras. Li waved his hand and they shot screaming into the air, straight toward the incoming Flame Dragon.

A cheer rose up from the surrounding Cultivators when they saw this.

Of course, all of this takes some time to describe, but happened in an instant. The images of the sun and moon swords slammed into the Flame Dragon, and as they did, for some unknown reason, they began to twist and warp.

A bang exploded out as the moon sword pushed up against the Flame Dragon. It seemed like it was trying to move a mountain. The sword instantly collapsed to pieces. Before the pieces could float away, they were transformed into ash by the heat of the Flame Dragon.

At the same time, the sun sword also collapsed. The thirty meter long Flame Dragon didn’t even seem to have been scratched. Its momentum increased as it shot toward Li.

As it shot forward, its body expanded. Thirty meters, ninety meters, one hundred and fifty meters… in the blink of an eye, it was three hundred meters long and growing!

A mysterious power emanated out from the Flame Dragon, forming into a monstrous Flame Sea. This was the aura of the Flame Dragon. Its massive wings spread out to cover the sky, causing the Battle Arena to be submerged in flame.

All of this occurred too quickly, and middle-aged Li could not possibly have predicted that it would happen. It was the same with Zhou Shanyue, as well as all the surrounding Solitary Sword Sect disciples, who watched on with stunned faces.

A roaring sound filled the air, and the Battle Arena shook. The shield covering the Battle Arena rippled as it held back the power.

At the same time as the roaring sounded out, Meng Hao suddenly shot forward, attacking as fast as lightning. Li’s face went white, and filled with an expression of disbelief. Nine jade slips appeared and floated around him, emanating a protective energy which defended him from the massive power of the Flame Sea.

These nine jade slips were clearly extraordinary in their protective power. However, Meng Hao continued to shoot toward him like an arrow. In an instant, he slammed into the shield generated by the nine jade slips.

Another boom resonated out, along with a miserable shout. The onlookers watched on, dumbstruck as the flames began to die out. Li spun backward like a kite with its string cut, blood shooting out of his mouth, his eyes filled with shock. He cut a sorry figure.

Meng Hao emerged from the Flame Sea, his face calm. He smiled, and still had the shy look on his face.

Zhou Shanyue gasped when this happened, and then stared in shock. Chen Fan blinked his eyes, looking at Meng Hao with disbelief.

Amidst the silence of the shocked audience, middle-aged Li’s body stopped moving. A grim expression appeared on his face, and then he pushed down on his forehead.

Suddenly, his body quivered and then filled with the power of the great circle of Foundation Establishment. Pseudo Core stage power immediately exploded out from him.

This power was far, far beyond what he had exhibited moments ago. His eyes radiating killing intent as he watched Meng Hao striding out from within the Flame Sea. A haughty look once again filled his face.

“You seem qualified to be slain by the true power of my Cultivation base! ”

Meng Hao’s expression was the same as ever. He smiled shyly, but said nothing. Seeing the smile, Li felt a strong feeling of abhorrence. He shot forward, his hand lifting toward his bag of holding and retrieving a sword.

The azure-colored sword spun rapidly above his head, forming the shape of a whale. It sucked in the power of Li’s late Foundation Establishment stage power, whereupon a buzzing sound filled the air. Ghost images of the sword suddenly appeared, seven of them!

The buzz of conversation filled the air.

“Seven Exterminations! Elder Brother Li is using a killing move!! ”

“That’s one of the most powerful stances of Foundation Establishment, a profound magic of the Seven Solitary Sword Sons….”

Chen Fan’s expression twisted. “Solitary Sword Seven Exterminations! ” He was about to take a step forward when Zhou Shanyue laughed and stretched out his arm to block the way.

“Junior Brother Chen, it’s prohibited to interfere with matches in the Battle Arena. You’re not going to break Sect rules are you? ”

As the observing Solitary Sword Sect disciples discussed the proceedings, within the Battle Arena, Li’s hair whipped about wildly. He flashed incantation gestures, causing a cyclone to spring up. The cyclone merged with the azure sword, and a roaring sound filled the air. A vicious expression appeared on his face as he waved a finger.

The azure sword seemed to split the air as it shot with incredible speed toward Meng Hao.

This attack was one of the most powerful moves from a Cultivator of the great circle of Foundation Establishment, as well as one of the most powerful arts of the Solitary Sword Sect. For Li to use it in this situation made it clear that he intended to strike a fatal blow!

“I plan to use this magic to win a place among the Seven Sons. Today… I’ll christen it with your head! ” His sinister voice echoed out as the sword screamed forward. The sword and its seven ghost images bore down onto the Meng Hao….

A smile appeared in Meng Hao’s eyes.

“In terms of magical techniques, I’m still a bit deficient….” he muttered to himself. He suddenly struck his hand forward. Immediately, everything began to shake, and the approaching sword suddenly stopped.

Meng Hao then took a step forward and struck his hand out a second time, then a third and a fourth time. Each time he did, he took another step. By the time he reached the fifth strike, he was upon the sword. The ground quaked as the massive image of an illusory hand appeared in front of Meng Hao. It shot toward the sword. ¹

At the same time, Meng Hao’s Spiritual Sense burst out. When he was in the early Foundation Establishment stage, his Spiritual Sense could shock late Foundation Establishment Cultivators. But now he had an additional Dao Pillar, which made him even more powerful. The Spiritual Sense merged into the giant illusory hand. When the hand slammed into the azure sword, a massive bang rang out.

The azure sword shook. One by one, the ghost images surrounding it popped and disappeared. All of this takes some time to describe, but happened in an instant. The ghost images of the swords disintegrated, and then cracks began to cover the surface of the sword itself.

The illusory hand passed through the sword and then continued on toward Li. There was no way for him to dodge it, so it slammed directly into his body.

Blood sprayed from his mouth, and he staggered backward, his face pale. Meng Hao’s fifth step placed him directly next to the azure sword. He reached up and pushed against it.

A cracking noise sounded out and the sword… split completely in half.

“You lose… Now pay up, ” said Meng Hao. He flicked his sleeve, sending the two pieces of the azure sword flying away to land at the feet of Li. Li’s face was deathly pale, and he coughed up another mouthful of blood. His aura seemed to have weakened. He looked at Meng Hao, a look of disbelief and bitter anguish covering his face.

He… had lost!

Silence reigned outside of the Battle Arena. Hundreds of Solitary Sword Sect disciples stared at Meng Hao in shock and disbelief. As the seconds ticked by, their eyes filled with intense fear.

In the Cultivation world, respect is delivered to the powerful. Meng Hao was only at the mid Foundation Establishment stage, but the efficiency with which he had vanquished the great circle of late Foundation Establishment left a deep impression on everyone. Their fear transformed into respect. Respect for Meng Hao.

No one said anything. They watched him as he left the Battle Arena, the shy look still on his face as he walked back to Chen Fan.

Chen Fan gaped at him for a long moment. And then, a smile broke out on his face and he started to laugh. His laughter shattered the silence, and a hubbub immediately broke out.

“Who is that guy?! ”

“He’s at the mid Foundation Establishment stage but actually defeated the great circle of Foundation Establishment! This type of Cultivation base… this type of power… he can’t be a nobody! ”

“He… seems almost like a Dao Child! The magic he just used seemed somewhat familiar. It was like the Black Sieve Sect’s 19 Black Cloud Strikes….”

The sound of discussion echoed about. Zhou Shanyue’s face was pale as he staggered back a few steps. He tilted his head and stared closely at Meng Hao, the first time he had done so. Previously, he had thought Chen Fan was the one he needed to pay most attention to. His eyes filled with an intense, venomous hatred and rage.

“You despicable, shameless bastard! You’re a swindler!! You obviously know the power of your Cultivation base and pretended to be weak! You avoided battle before with the sole purpose of picking this fight!! Your depravity knows no bounds!! ” Zhou Shanyue was gnashing his teeth and cursing as middle-aged Li exited the Battle Arena, his face pale. He chuckled bitterly, looking at Meng Hao with complex expression that included hatred and other emotions.

He still didn’t understand. Clearly, he had been played. He’d thought he had the situation completely under control, and yet it turned out that his opponent had effortlessly tricked him.

Then he thought of the Spirit Stones he had wagered, which weren’t even his. He had borrowed them from surrounding fellow Sect members and had to pay back everything with interest. His face grew even more ashen.

Meng Hao gave a light cough. His expression bashful, he said, “You were the ones who insisted on the match.” Zhou Shanyue trembled. With the flick of a sleeve, he turned to leave, clearly intending to go back on his word and not hand over the jade pendant.

Chen Fan gave a cold snort. “Junior Brother Zhou, ” he said coolly, “The stakes of a bet mean nothing, but the prestige of the Solitary Sword Sect is everything. Don’t tell me you intend to break your word!? ” Instantly, the eyes of all the surrounding Cultivators came to rest on Zhou Shanyue.

They were all Solitary Sword Sect disciples. They might not always be able to measure up to others in terms of skill, but the importance of upright conduct had been drilled into them from the moment they joined the Sect. One’s word could not be broken.

Zhou Shanyue felt the eyes of hundreds of his fellow disciples upon him, and his expression flickered. He stamped his foot angrily on the ground. Heart aching, he took off his life-saving jade pendant and threw it toward Meng Hao. He also tossed out a drop of his own blood.

He glared at Meng Hao, his eyes filled with fury and disgrace. If he could, he would kill Meng Hao hundreds of times over. Finally, his body turned into a colorful beam that shot off into the distance.

Meng Hao coughed lightly again. Such gazes were not unfamiliar to him, and he was actually used to them. His eager gaze next fell upon Li’s bag of holding. Inside were the tens upon tens of thousands of Spirit Stones which he had put up as stakes in the bet.

Pale faced, Li couldn’t help but wonder how he would possibly pay back his fellow Sect members. Then he thought about how he owed literally hundreds of people, and his vision grew dim.

Without the slightest trace of politeness, Chen Fan walked up and grabbed the bag of holding. Li did nothing to stop him. He could only smile sadly. Chen Fan was just about to turn and walk back, when Meng Hao coughed again.

“Elder Brother, there’s also a sword worth tens of thousands of Spirit Stones.” Could Meng Hao really forget that? Considering how much he cared about Spirit Stones, as well as desire to join a Sect, he might be able to forget about other things. But he could never forget matters related to Spirit Stones.

“The sword? ” Chen Fan said to pale-faced Li, holding his hand out.

Face bitter, Li produced the sword. His heart trembled, and felt as if it would tear in half. He handed it over to Chen Fan, and from his expression, it looked like he was handing over the love of his life.

He glared murderously at Meng Hao, the venom in his eyes growing stronger and stronger.

“No shame whatsoever! ” he said, clenching his jaw. He flicked his sleeve, turned and left.

Chen Fan gave a cold snort, and then hurried away with Meng Hao and all the winnings. They returned to his house, their faces covered with smiles.

“Little Junior Brother, we won out this time. But next time, ” he exhorted earnestly, “you can’t do something like that. That was extremely dangerous, and also, you now have to worry about those two trying to get back at you.”

Meng Hao nodded, knowing that Chen Fan was simply concerned for him. With a smile, he said, “Elder Brother, how about I take the Spirit Stones, and you keep the jade pendant? ”

Chen Fan thought for a moment, and then replied, “No, I don’t need it. You take it. Listen to your Elder Brother. You take everything. This is my Sect, so I have everything I need. As for the jade pendant… consider this: You take it, but when Master emerges from secluded meditation, return it. After all, you will eventually be a member of the Sect.”

Meng Hao tried to convince him to take the piece of jade, but Chen Fan, although he didn’t directly refuse, declined to take it. Finally, Meng Hao collected together all his winnings, whereupon Chen Fan produced some more alcohol. The two Brothers sat down to drink, and chatted about the Reliance Sect.

A few days passed, and Chen Fan’s master continued to remain in secluded meditation. The date of the banquet at the Song Clan drew closer. Finally, one morning at dawn, the sound of bells filled the Solitary Sword Sect.

At the bottom of the mountain was a stretch of ground normally covered with restrictive spells. Currently, people were flying from all directions toward this very area.

Meng Hao was among them, flying alongside Chen Fan.

As he approached, the first thing Meng Hao noticed was an enormous teleportation portal, surrounded by nine stone pillars. Not far away from it, a gray-robed old man sat cross-legged and motionless.

“That’s the portal keeper, ” said Chen Fan quietly. “His only job is to keep watch over the teleportation portal.” Meng Hao nodded, shifting his gaze to look at the portal itself as well as the surrounding area.

Other than Chen Fan and himself, there were three others present. They all wore the Daoist robes of the Solitary Sword Sect, and had large swords strapped to their backs. When he looked at them, they looked back and gave him slight nods.

With a smile, Meng Hao clasped hands and saluted them. They smiled back.

Despite the lack of any words being exchanged, Meng Hao could tell that they knew who he was. Obviously, his match with Li had gained him no small amount of prestige in the Solitary Sword Sect over the past few days.

Time passed, and more people arrived. After the time it takes half an incense stick to burn, there were about eighteen people present. None of them were very old; most were around thirty, and some seemed to be as young as twenty.

They seemed to brim with vitality, and were all extraordinarily good looking. Furthermore, all of them were in the Foundation Establishment stage, two of the group being at the late Foundation Establishment stage.

As they arrived, each one would look at Meng Hao. Some would then nod, others simply ignored him.

“Soon Elder Fan will arrive, ” whispered Chen Fan. “He’ll lead us through the teleportation portal to the Song Clan. Your Elder Brother is going to work hard to get you a beloved! ” He chuckled, but his expression was very serious.

Meng Hao gaped. This was the second time Chen Fan had brought up the matter. Meng Hao had a strange feeling about this trip to the Song Clan.

Time passed, and soon a beam of light appeared in the sky, a few dozen meters wide. In an instant, it had reached them, and an old man appeared, wearing a voluminous Daoist robe. His face was ruddy, and he had a full head of long, white hair. He carried a gourd of alcohol in his hand, and strapped to his back was a huge pitch-black sword.

He had a brandy nose, and his entire body emanated the smell of alcohol. His robe was wrinkled and messy. He burped.

“Greetings, Elder Fan! ” said Chen Fan and the others, immediately clasping hands in salute. Meng Hao also bowed his head and clasped hands in greeting.

“Alright, you little brats. Let’s see if any of you are lucky enough to take that Song girl in marriage and bring honor to the ancestors of the Solitary Sword Sect….” The old man’s sonorous voice echoed out, shaking Meng Hao, and even the very ground, it seemed.

When he said the words “bring honor to the ancestors, ” his voice grew especially loud, causing the gray-robed man to open his eyes and then slowly shake his head. He seemed to find the wording somewhat inappropriate. However, he said nothing.

“He’s definitely not a Core Formation Cultivator, ” thought Meng Hao, taking a deep breath. He had seen Nascent Soul eccentrics before, and it seemed… that’s exactly what this man was! Nascent Soul stage!

Chen Fan stepped forward. Raising hands again in a respectful salute, he said, “Elder Fan, this is a disciple from my former Sect, my Junior Brother who….”

“Got it. No problem! Don’t forget to bring me a few jugs of your master’s alcohol when we get back.” The old man clapped Chen Fan on the shoulder. He glanced at Meng Hao, and then strode forward toward the teleportation portal.

Meng Hao hesitated for a moment and then said, “Elder Brother, this trip to the Song Clan….”

Chen Fan hurriedly replied. “The Song Clan has an urgent need for a son-in-law, so they’ve invited the five Sects and two Clans to visit. Little Junior Brother, if you play your cards right, you might have a chance. Whether you join the Solitary Sword Sect, or become a member of the Song Clan, you will soon have a proper foundation upon which to practice Cultivation.” He grabbed Meng Hao’s sleeve and dragged him toward the teleportation portal.

Meng Hao was hesitant for a moment, and then made his decision. “The people from the Solitary Sword Sect are here, so I can’t try to get the meat jelly to help me change my appearance. This isn’t really working out how I want it to. Oh well, once we get to the Song Clan, I’ll think of an excuse to get away.”

The Song Clan was one of the three great Clans of the Southern Domain, and was somewhat isolated in its position. It had a history stretching back tens of thousands of years, and was deeply rooted in the society of the Southern Domain. It existed on the edge of a wide plain which contained some rolling hills, but few mountains.

In the southeast of the plain, however, was a mountain range called Neck of Heaven, under which flowed a river. Look down on it from the sky, and it had the appearance of a woman resting her head on her arm. It was quite pretty and charming.

The Song Clan was situated atop the chain of mountains. It was different from other Clans. Its main gate was actually an ancient castle, connected to which was an enormous wall that snaked throughout the various surrounding mountains, creating a very spectacular sight.

As for the castle of the capital city, it was pitch black and had the appearance of an enormous wild beast, filled with indescribable ferocity. Anyone who saw it for the first time would be left with the impression that the Song Clan was not to be provoked.

The capital city was surrounded by eighty-one smaller cities, which were constructed according to the rise and fall of the mountains. Each city was densely populated by Clan members.

In the sky above the Song Clan was an enormous rotating Sun and Moon. When it was pitch black in the outside world, the sun blazed in the Song Clan. When it was bright and sunny outside, the moon shone in the Song Clan.

This Sun and Moon was a precious treasure of the Song Clan.

Every great Sect and Clan possessed some valuable treasure. Only in this way could their continued status and glory be maintained.

For example, the Black Sieve Sect had their incense burner, and the Solitary Sword Sect its enormous sword. They were all precious treasures. As for the Song Clan, the sun and moon which hung in their sky enveloped the entire Clan, transforming it into a different world than what existed outside.

It was likely because of this treasure that for so many years, the Song Clan had not experienced any friction with outside Sects and Clans, and held such a lofty position. They did not provoke others, and others did not dare to provoke them.

The Song Clan was not as powerful as the Solitary Sword Sect, nor as mysterious of the Blood Demon Sect. It was not as extravagant as the Violet Fate Sect, nor did they have a vast array of magics like the Golden Frost Sect. They were not as erudite as the Black Sieve Sect, either.

Amongst the three great Clans, the Song Clan maintained the lowest profile. Their Dao Children did not perform sensational acts, nor did the Clan struggle for glory. They were relatively quiet. What they did have, though, was information, collected over many, many years.

They did not provoke others, and others did not dare to provoke them!

The mountains they occupied left others with a profound impression. If incredible change rocked the Southern Domain in the future, other Sects and Clans might very well collapse. The one organization that was most likely to remain was the Song Clan.

The degree of their inconspicuousness was such that people knew almost nothing about them. This in turn created a sense of fear and terror.

In the past few hundred years, the only person to venture out of the Song Clan was Eccentric Song ¹, who everyone in the Southern Domain knew about. He had an odd personality, and enjoyed the collection of wild beasts. His occasional excursions gave him plenty of opportunities to interact with other Sects and Clans.

At this moment within the Song Clan capital city, dazzling lights flickered and people bustled about preparing for an ancient tradition of the Song Clan.

Women of the Song Clan were not permitted to marry outsiders. Instead, a husband would be sought from the outside, who would then marry into the family. Upon marriage, the new son-in-law would then become a Conclave Cultivator of the Song Clan.

Throughout the years, many Sects had desired to infiltrate the Song Clan. However, because of their strange and ancient marriage custom, those Sects had long since vanished. The Song Clan, however… still remained.

Of course, there were problems with the arrangement….

Song Jia ² stood quietly at the window, looking out. The outside world was awash with sunlight, but inside the Song Clan, the sky was dark. Wind blew against her face, lifting up her hair and revealing her spectacular beauty. Right now, she wore a sad look and seemed to be apprehensive.

Her apprehension was because of her fate as a woman of the Song Clan. She felt melancholy for the same reason. There was nothing she could do to resist; it was useless to struggle. The Song Clan’s rules had been laid down by the ancestors, and could not be changed.

The soft voice of a woman could be heard from behind her. “We’re different from the other Sects and Clans. As a girl of the Song Clan, it’s impossible to maintain your purity forever. You can’t change that, nor can I.” The voice belonged to a middle-aged woman who gazed affectionately at Song Jia.

Song Jia didn’t reply.

After a while, though, she nodded. In her mind, images appeared from the Blood Immortal Legacy tournament. She remembered looking on helplessly as her Blood Phoenix died. She could only watch through tear-filled eyes as it faded away.

“Perhaps it’s just my fate.” Her face filled with exhaustion. The exhaustion did not mar her good looks; in fact, it seemed to give birth to a tender beauty.

The woman behind her could sense what Song Jia was feeling. She stepped forward and stroked Song Jia’s long, beautiful hair. “It is fate, ” she said. “But it’s not destiny, it’s a mission. A mission from the Song Clan of the Southern Domain. ³”

“The destruction of the Southern Domain. Gather a hundred Clans. Fuse their bloodlines. Evade the palace of the Heavens….” Song Jia murmured the words which she had heard people recite ever since she was young. “But father said that no power within the entire Southern Domain could bring about its complete destruction. Nothing in the Eastern Lands could do so either.” She looked back at the middle-aged woman.

“That’s a legend which has existed since ancient times. Mother doesn’t know what it means either.”

Mother and daughter were silent for a while after that.

Meanwhile, outside of the Song Clan, the sun blazed brightly in the sky. On the plains below the Song Clan, a glittering light shined out, which grew in intensity over the space of about ten breaths. Then, it gradually disappeared, revealing a dozen or more people.

Meng Hao sucked in a deep breath and rubbed the bridge of his nose. It seemed his body wasn’t really suited for teleportation. He looked around and immediately noticed that up ahead existed a world of darkness.There was a huge mountain range, hanging over which was… a moon.

He gaped at the bizarre sight.

Next to him, Chen Fan sighed with emotion. “We’re in Song Clan territory now. It’s my first time here, but I’ve heard people talk of how astonishing the Song Clan is.”

The old man lifted his gourd of alcohol and took a drink. Then he let out a loud burp and laughed heartily. His laughter filled the air, after which several beams of light shot out from the darkness of the Song Clan.

“Brandy Nose! ” said a voice from within the approaching beams of light. It didn’t sound pleased. “How come the Solitary Sword Sect sent you? I can smell the stench of alcohol coming off of you from here! ”

“Eccentric Song! How could I not come? This old Daoist is going to drink his fill before he leaves! ” The old man suddenly shot up into the air.

Meng Hao took a deep breath. The words ‘Eccentric Song’ filled him with fear. He looked up into the sky and could just make out the image of Song Clan members within the beams of light. One of them was an old man who, although Meng Hao had never seen before, he immediately knew was the same Eccentric Song from that time in the State of Zhao.

“I just arrived and already ran into him, ” thought Meng Hao. “I can’t stay here long… if Eccentric Song finds out I’m here, the consequences will be terrible….” Meng Hao was just about to try to sneak off when Chen Fan grabbed him.

“Little Junior Brother, did you see? I’m not sure of the name of that member of the elder generation, but I heard everyone calls him Eccentric Song. They say he has a very bizarre personality, and that he owns tons of wild beasts. He also likes to make bets with other Sects all the time….”

Meng Hao interrupted him with a forced smile, “Elder Brother, I really can’t proceed any further, I have to….” Before Meng Hao could finish speaking, the old man from the Solitary Sword Sect and Eccentric Song suddenly started yelling at each other.

“Your Song Clan is entirely too stingy! Ten Thousand Trees Mountain only has a single pearl as the reward? What good is a crappy pearl!? That’s the prize that my Solitary Sword Sect kids are supposed to fight for? No way! ”

“It’s a Cubic Pearl that can dispel even the strangest poisons in the world, ” replied Eccentric Song. “It’s a treasure refined by the Sun and Moon of the Song Clan. It can only be given as a gift to a son-in-law of the Song Clan. Even if you wanted it, you couldn’t have it. Besides, what treasures could possibly compare to a girl of the Song Clan? Your granny! Are you Solitary Sword Sect people here because of the search for a son-in-law, or just to grab treasures?! ”

Hearing this exchange, Meng Hao’s eyes flickered. Next to him, Chen Fan frowned.

“Little Junior Brother, you should really think things through, ” he said earnestly. “You’ll be able to make a lot of friends here. Li Fugui will be here too, and you haven’t seen him for years. However, if you truly must leave, then Elder Brother won’t stop you.”

Meng Hao lowered his head thoughtfully for a moment, then looked up and smiled.

“Fine, since I’m here, I might as well check things out.”

Chen Fan smiled in return. He clapped Meng Hao on the shoulder and was just about to continue speaking when another blinding light appeared. It spread out, attracting the attention of everyone, including Eccentric Song and the old man from the Solitary Sword Sect.

The glowing light spread out, and within, the figures of dozens of people gradually grew distinct. Meng Hao’s eyes glittered, and Chen Fan frowned.

These were people from the Wang Clan.

The group was comprised of both men and women. They looked around after they appeared, and their eyes were especially drawn to the mountain chain in the distance, upon which the Song Clan was situated.

At the front of this group of people was an old man whose face was covered with a tranquil expression. He strode forward, looking up at Eccentric Song and the old man from the Solitary Sword Sect.

“Fellow Daoist Fan, ” he said, “you arrived quickly. Could it be that you caught a whiff of the Song Clan’s alcohol, causing you to arrive faster than everyone else? ”

Elder Fan laughed and took a swig of alcohol. “I’m not that fast. At least, I’m not as fast as Fellow Daoist Wang was that time back at the Rebirth Cave. The speed and beauty of your retreat were incredible.”

The old man from the Wang Clan smiled. He didn’t respond, but clasped his hands and gave a slight bow to Eccentric Song.

Behind him were various members of the Wang Clan, including Wang Tengfei ⁴ He wore a white robe, along with a cold expression and a slight, grim frown. It seemed as if he were thinking about something important. His features were handsome, his disposition perfect. Everything melded together to give him an air of flawlessness.

Standing next to him was Wang Xifan ⁵. His expression was proud and aloof as he gazed at the Song Clan mountains. Then his gaze shifted to the group from the Solitary Sword Sect. He frowned when he caught sight of Meng Hao.

“He looks a bit familiar…” His gaze passed by before he could recall who Meng Hao was. However, it was at this moment that Wang Tengfei’s surprised eyes fell onto Meng Hao. A look of disbelief appeared.

Meng Hao looked back at him. They were in different groups of people, hundreds of meters away from each other, and yet their gazes locked.

Just like they had years ago in the Reliance Sect!

Meng Hao! ” thought Wang Tengfei, his eyes instantly shining with a mysterious glow. He felt a sudden stab of pain from the index finger of his right hand. The finger was pitch black, and inside, a pulsating black aura could be seen.

Seeing Meng Hao here was not something Wang Tengfei had ever imagined would happen. Many years had passed, but he recognized him immediately. This was that damned Cultivator from the State of Zhao who had stolen away his legacy and wrecked all of his meticulously laid plans!

As soon as he saw Meng Hao, Wang Tengfei’s breath quickened. He had assumed that Meng Hao disappeared along with the State of Zhao. How could he have predicted that he would suddenly appear here? Furthermore, he was in a group from the Solitary Sword Sect. Many thoughts ran through his head during the space of a few breaths. Then he recovered his composure and looked away.

“Since he’s here, ” thought Wang Tengfei, “I’ll have to find an opportunity to sacrifice him to my poison finger.” His expression calm, he slowly began to exhibit the same disregard for Meng Hao that he had years ago. It was as if he would eternally be above Meng Hao. It didn’t matter if they were in the State of Zhao or the Southern Domain. He didn’t care at all about Meng Hao. He was a member of the Wang Clan. He was Chosen. He was superior, and as for Meng Hao, it didn’t matter what relationship he had with the Solitary Sword Sect. To him, Meng Hao was nothing more than an insect.

He had perfect good looks and a flawless temperament. He stood there, slowly becoming the center of attention. He smiled lightly, his expression indifferent. The disregard for Meng Hao which existed in his heart slowly transformed in to scorn and arrogance. He tilted his head up, and it appeared, for all intents and purposes, that Meng Hao was nothing to him and could be crushed on a whim.

At the same time, Wang Xifan frowned slightly. He looked at Meng Hao again, and a mysterious look appeared in his eyes. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. It was a smile similar to Wang Tengfei’s, filled with scorn in disregard.

Now he remembered the scene from years ago. He remembered this ant that he almost crushed on the top of the East Mountain of the Reliance Sect, only to be stopped by He Luohua.

“Interesting, ” he said with a chuckle. His words did not echo out, and could only be heard by Wang Tengfei. “So, we once again run into this insolent kid. Tengfei, now is your chance to conclude matters from all those years ago. Kill him, and prove that everything I’ve told you is true. You are Chosen, and he is nothing more than an insect.”

Wang Tengfei smiled. “I’ve long since stopped thinking about the things that happened that year, ” he said coolly. “However, I really should take his head.” He looked at Meng Hao once again, and his eyes brimmed with confidence in his ability to kill him. It would be as easy as turning over his hand. He looked away, ignoring Meng Hao and staring off into the distance. He appeared thoughtful once again, as if he were wrestling with some matter in his heart.

“Don’t overthink things, ” said Wang Xifan, his voice low. “You need to trust Chu Yuyan.”

Wang Tengfei was quiet for a long moment, then growled, “If I ever find out who it was, I’ll tear him into a thousand pieces!! ” His eyes were filled with cold, callous hatred, as well as humiliation. Killing intent roiled out of him, much more intense than when he had seen Meng Hao. This matter was something he could not ignore, something he could not cool down from.

Meng Hao’s expression was the same as ever. Seeing Wang Tengfei here wasn’t completely unexpected. However, it naturally caused various emotions to bubble up within him.

The enmity between him and Wang Tengfei was not something he cared much about any more. Years had passed, and as of now, Meng Hao actually felt that he had been a bit too hot-blooded in his youth. There were definitely some areas in which he was in the wrong.

Now, Meng Hao’s Cultivation base was at the mid Foundation Establishment stage, and his battle prowess put him in the same league as Dao Children, although few people knew that. In Meng Hao’s estimation, if he could defeat Wang Tengfei when in the Qi Condensation stage, then nowadays it wasn’t even worth thinking about.

What concerned him most was the Song Clan’s search for a husband, and the Cubic Pearl that Eccentric Song had mentioned moments ago. It could dispel the strangest poisons in the world, and that made Meng Hao’s heart palpitate with eagerness.

He wasn’t sure if the Cubic Pearl could dispel the poison of the Resurrection Lily, but considering the Song Clan was offering it up as a prize, it was surely no ordinary object.

“I wonder if it really can dispel the poison…. If it can, then maybe I won’t need to infiltrate the Violet Fate Sect after all. Staying in the Solitary Sword Sect wouldn’t be bad.” His heart pounded in anticipation. As he traveled the path of Cultivation, his next big hurdle would be Core Formation. That was a difficult bridge to cross, and joining a powerful Sect would surely help.

After a long moment of thought, his eyes filled with determination.

Up above, Eccentric Song, Elder Fan, and the Nascent Soul Cultivator from the Wang Clan turned into beams of prismatic light that shot toward the darkness which surrounded the Song Clan.

Two other Song Clan members had come out with Eccentric Song. They split, one walking toward the Solitary Sword Sect’s group, the other to the Wang Clan’s group.

They clasped hands and bowed. Smiling, they said, “Fellow Daoists of the Solitary Sword Sect and Wang Clan, please follow us. We will enter the mountains of the Song Clan together.”

Everyone flew up into the air. Various members of the Solitary Sword Sect and the Wang Clan were obviously acquainted. The two groups merged into a larger group. Talking and laughing could be heard as they transformed into beams of light and shot toward the Song Clan.

Meng Hao and Chen Fan were on the edge of the group, some distance away from the Wang Clan Cultivators. Wang Tengfei flew along, expression cold. He frowned, apparently too busy being lost in thought to pay any attention to Meng Hao.

They flew at high speed, and very soon reached the area where the brightness of the outside world gave way to the darkness of the Song Clan. The instant they entered, Meng Hao’s heart leaped. He had just discovered a major difference between the outside world, and the Song Clan. The spiritual energy here… could be felt and absorbed!!

This unexpected turn of events shook Meng Hao’s mind and heart. Of course, after all his years of practicing Cultivation, he was able to prevent his feelings from showing on his face. His expression was the same as ever.

“So it turns out… I can absorb spiritual energy in this place! This is the perfect location for me to practice Cultivation! ” This discovery exceeded the