Chapter 166 - 165: Taking Back What Belongs to Me
Chapter 166: Chapter 165: Taking Back What Belongs to Me
"I just happened to come across this Soul-Storage Pearl."
Wu Chen smiled. "I was just wondering if this might be of any help to you, Senior?"
The old man on his shoulder nodded. "Of course, it will be."
"With this, I can refine the seal on this young lady’s hand in ten days."
"Then I’ll have to trouble you, Senior." Wu Chen presented the Soul-Storage Pearl.
The old man didn’t refuse or stand on ceremony. He simply picked up the Soul-Storage Pearl, which was a third of his own height, and transformed into a streak of light, disappearing into the bronze statue.
He was gone for nine days.
When the old man reappeared, Wu Chen noticed he was no longer standing on his shoulder, but was instead hovering in the air before him.
Furthermore, his form was much more solid, and his beard and features were far clearer. It seemed the Soul-Storage Pearl had been quite effective.
"I’ve recovered a bit of memory. This is for you."
The old man waved his sleeve, and an object flew out, hovering in front of Wu Chen.
It was a jade token engraved with the two words "Celestial Star."
"Senior, what is this?" Wu Chen accepted the token, which emanated a jade-colored light, his eyes full of curiosity.
"It’s a teleportation token. With this, you can enter and leave this place as you please."
The old man explained faintly, "However, each time you use it, the jade token’s energy will be completely depleted. To use it again, you must find a Spiritual Object like that ’Earth Milk Spirit Pool’ and soak the token in it."
"Thank you, Senior... Master, for this treasure!" Wu Chen’s eyes lit up, and he bowed to the old man.
’With this jade token, I can have this whole treasure trove to myself!’
’It won’t be easy to find the Spiritual Objects needed for the teleportation token, but that’s only for me right now.’
’After all, once I leave this secret realm, I’ll be starting at the Blood Coagulation Realm.’
’All the treasures in the world will have my name on them!’
However, before he could complete his bow, the old man flicked his sleeve and lifted him up with an unseen force.
"There’s no need for such formalities between martial artists. As for ’Master,’ that’s not necessary either."
"When you come back, just remember to place two cooked Treasure Fish before the bronze statue."
"Before the bronze statue... place two cooked Treasure Fish?"
Wu Chen sensed something was off. "Was the Soul-Storage Pearl ineffective for you, Master?"
"One Soul-Storage Pearl only helped me recall some useless old memories."
The old man sighed. "After I deal with the mark on this young lady’s hand, its power will be mostly used up. I’ll only be able to last for another two or three months at most before I fade away completely."
"But I’ve left two seeds for the Celestial Star Sect. If I must go, I have no lingering regrets."
The old man spoke calmly, but Wu Chen grew anxious upon hearing this.
’This master I just acknowledged clearly has a wealth of Martial Arts in his head, and his realm is unfathomable.’
’Too bad his mind isn’t all there. If he stayed around, I could get some guaranteed Martial Arts every time I came to the secret realm.’
’There’s no way I can let my master die.’
He immediately said, "Master, you must stay positive and live for a couple more years! When I leave this time, your disciple will do everything in his power to find more Soul-Storage Pearls for you and repay your kindness!"
The old man waved his hand. "Soul-Storage Pearls are items only found in the hands of Dragon Transformation Realm martial artists. It’s already a great feat that you found one."
"Besides, you’re just a kid at the Blood Coagulation Realm. Just focus on surviving out there."
"Don’t rely on your talent to provoke such powerful experts, or you won’t live long."
"This is the only thing I, as your master, will ask of you: don’t die. Live a good life, have a few kids, take on a few disciples. That will be enough to preserve the Celestial Star Sect’s roots."
He admitted that a seventeen or eighteen-year-old at the Blood Coagulation Realm could be considered a prodigy, and perhaps even had ties to the Reincarnators of those reclusive great families.
But no matter what, only a prodigy who survives can truly be called a prodigy.
Otherwise, they’re nothing more than dried bones in a desolate grave.
After speaking, the old man turned and floated toward Xue Hongling.
"Young lady, remember to keep an eye on this fellow when you get out."
Xue Hongling blushed and nodded, whispering, "Yes, Master."
But inwardly, she felt a bit helpless.
’Me, keep an eye on this guy? On a Blood Coagulation Realm cultivator?’
’Master, how about I go grill a couple of fish for you too?’
The old man said no more. With a crook of his finger, Xue Hongling’s wrist rose automatically. Her sleeve rolled back, revealing the Blood Palace Seal beneath it.
Xue Hongling had originally thought that removing this Blood Palace Seal would be a long process. But she watched as the old man waved his sleeve and made a simple gesture in the air, and the seal on her wrist vanished.
Xue Hongling was left with a stunned expression, finding it hard to believe that the seal which had plagued her for years was gone just like that.
"It’s done."
Although it was just a simple gesture, the old man’s hovering form had clearly become transparent again.
It seemed that most of the energy replenished by the Soul-Storage Pearl had been consumed by removing the Blood Palace Seal from Xue Hongling’s wrist.
"Master, you’re so incredible! You got rid of it with just a single gesture?!"
Wu Chen came closer, repeatedly rubbing Xue Hongling’s wrist with his finger, his eyes filled with disbelief.
"That’s nothing!"
The old man, having been praised, puffed up with pride. "Back in my day, I... I... I forgot..."
You could tell he wanted to recount some heroic deed from his past, but his expression fell. His old problem had struck again; the words were on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn’t remember.
"Sigh... a true hero doesn’t boast of past glories. Let’s not talk about it."
With a helpless expression, he flicked his sleeve, clasped his hands behind his back, and sighed.
"It’s just as I said."
"You came too late."
"Some of the Celestial Star Sect’s legacies have long since vanished with the passage of time. I have nothing left to give you. As for the other things here, you two can help yourselves. I’m exhausted and need to rest."
With that, before the two could bow in respect, the old man transformed into a streak of light and shot into the grand hall.
Still, the two of them turned toward the hall and bowed silently in unison.
"Let’s tidy this place up a bit."
Wu Chen suggested, looking around at the surrounding ruins of rubble.
’After all, with the Celestial Star Sect’s teleportation token, I’m basically the master of this place now.’
’In the future, when I have heavenly materials, earthly treasures, and various Spiritual Objects that need a place to be stored, this will naturally be the best spot.’
’It’s like a storage pouch that’s a world unto itself. It’s just that it has quite a few restrictions, like having to find Spiritual Objects to recharge the token.’
’Snatching them won’t be a big deal; the problem is where to find them in the first place.’
’After all, if I can’t get there in time, these treasures will just end up in someone else’s hands.’
Wu Chen shook his head, casting these thoughts aside. He would make plans for all that step by step in the future.
Right now, there were more pressing matters to attend to.
He looked at Xue Hongling and said,
"Let’s clear the paths here first. As for the rest, we can deal with it next time we come."
Xue Hongling nodded, readily agreeing. "Okay."
The two of them set to work, their figures bustling amidst the ruins.
By the time they had cleared most of the rubble from the paths and righted some of the stone pillars, ten days had passed.
Standing before the gray mist, ready to depart, the two looked at the now neat and clean paths and nodded in satisfaction.
Compared to when they arrived, the area looked much more pleasant.
After admiring the fruits of their labor for a moment, the two turned and walked into the gray mist.
As for the medicinal herbs and Treasure Fish growing here, neither of them touched a single one.
’After all, this place now belongs to Wu Chen. If he needed them, wouldn’t they taste better killed and eaten fresh?’
...
When they walked out of the gray mist, the land before them was once again a vast expanse of rolling, verdant hills.
There were no disciples from the four sects outside the mist. It was clear the sects had rules forbidding their disciples from approaching the misty area.
The following days were rather peaceful for Wu Chen.
He supervised Xue Hongling’s martial arts training and patrolled the area like a lion surveying its territory.
"I just don’t know if the Celestial Star Sect’s domain includes the area outside this gray mist..."
"...or if it’s only the area within the mist."
Wu Chen thought about it for a moment and decided there was no need to investigate it too closely. The area encompassed by the gray mist was already quite large.
Besides, with the gray mist surrounding it and countless Alien Demons within, it formed a natural barrier. He didn’t have to worry about anyone getting in.
Then, he glanced around at the busy disciples of the four sects and focused his thoughts on the present:
’By my count, there are only about twenty days left until the secret realm closes, right?’
’The disciples inside the realm will probably start heading back during the last ten days.’
’In that case, it’s time for me to go to the Blood Slaughter Sect and take back my Tier Two Blood Blade!’
’And all the other treasures of the Blood Slaughter Sect... here I fucking come!’